—Team 10: Fugaku Uchiha, Chōji Akimichi… Nawaki Senju.
Noah barely lifted his gaze.
Fugaku?
And an Akimichi…?
He thought about it for a second.
The future leader of the Uchiha clan. The younger brother of the Akimichi clan head.
—So it's clear what they expect from me.
Genin teams were always structured the same way, even if no one said it out loud. Three basic roles: attacker, sensor or support, and strategist.
Chōji fit unquestionably as the main force. Fugaku, with his clan's eyes, covered detection and support. That left an obvious gap.
Strategist.
Noah showed no reaction. He just nodded to himself.
—Makes sense.
—After a lunch break, you'll meet your jōnin instructors. Until then, you may leave.
The tension in the classroom eased abruptly. The newly formed teams began to group together as they left the classroom.
Noah joined up with Fugaku and Chōji without saying much. The three walked together towards the academy cafeteria.
They sat at a table and chatted casually while eating. Chōji spoke easily, commenting without shame on his physical strength and his specialization in expansion techniques. Fugaku was more reserved, but when he spoke, he did so clearly, mentioning his good chakra control and his affinity for tactical combat and perception.
Noah mostly just listened. When it was his turn to speak, he mentioned some of his strengths and his ease in analyzing situations.
By the time they finished eating, the initial awkwardness between them had largely dissipated. They weren't friends, but they weren't strangers either. At least, they could work together.
Back in the classroom, everyone took their old seats.
The door opened, and one by one, the jōnin began to enter, calling their respective teams and taking them away without much ceremony.
—Tsunade, Jiraiya, Orochimaru.
A figure familiar to Noah stepped forward.
—My name is Sarutobi Hiruzen. From today, I will be your jōnin instructor. Come with me.
Hiruzen turned and left the classroom, and the three hurried to follow him.
Before crossing the door, Tsunade turned her head.
—Good luck! —she said to Noah, raising a hand.
Noah responded with a slight nod before watching her disappear down the hallway.
Shortly after, another man entered the classroom. He had dark hair, a firm bearing, and a sharp gaze.
—My name is Kagami Uchiha.
—Fugaku Uchiha. Chōji Akimichi. Nawaki Senju —he continued—. From today, I will be your jōnin instructor.
Noah looked up.
—Kagami Uchiha…
One of the most respected men of the Uchiha clan.
—Quite an assignment.
Without a word, the three stood up and positioned themselves in front of him.
Noah couldn't help but be surprised upon learning his instructor's identity.
An Uchiha.
Considering the well-known distrust —if not open aversion— that Tobirama felt towards that clan, the decision was strange. However, the name quickly dispelled the doubt.
Kagami Uchiha was a member of Tobirama's personal squadron. A comrade of Hiruzen, Danzō, and other elite jōnin. And, more importantly, the only Uchiha in whom the Second Hokage had placed genuine trust.
That explained things.
The team set off after their instructor, while Noah finished organizing his thoughts.
During the following week, they carried out simple missions: minor escorts, errands, patrols in nearby areas. Monotonous work, but useful for each team member to adapt to their respective roles and for them to learn to coordinate with each other.
It soon became clear that this was only an adjustment phase.
The war continued its course, and every skilled ninja capable of participating would be sent to the battlefield.
One afternoon, after completing another minor mission, Kagami spoke to them about the matter in question.
—Tomorrow we leave for the front.
There was no surprise from the group because they already knew they would have to go to the battlefield sooner or later.
Kagami, however, couldn't help but worry a little about Noah. In his eyes, he was still a five-year-old child. Sending someone like that to a real battlefield wasn't something to be taken lightly.
That same night, he spoke with him privately.
He voiced his concerns.
Noah listened without interrupting and then made it clear he had no intention of staying behind. He would follow his team no matter what.
Kagami saw no fear in his eyes. Nor arrogance. Only a determination that didn't match his age.
For Noah, he had already seen too many people die in another life to break at the sight of a battlefield. This war wasn't going to shake his mind.
In the end, Kagami was relieved to see that Noah had the determination to follow them to the battlefield.
---
The day dawned gray and humid, with the smell of wet earth hanging over the training ground near the village border. Team 10, led by Kagami Uchiha, was gathered at the meeting point he had designated.
—The mission is to escort a supply convoy to the neighboring village —Kagami explained in his grave, severe voice—. It's known that there are groups of bandits and rogue shinobi on the route. Your job is to ensure everything arrives intact. Remember: strategy, coverage, and communication are key. I'm not interested in seeing who can use a stronger jutsu. I want to see how you work as a team.
—Let's go —Kagami said—. Stay together.
The team began advancing along a narrow path between the trees, with the convoy of carts and bundles escorted behind them. Noah was slightly ahead, observing the lay of the land and mentally organizing his companions' positions. With a discreet signal, he indicated to Chōji to position himself at the rear of the convoy to block any frontal ambush, while Fugaku moved slightly to the sides, ready to throw kunai from the shadows.
The first sign of danger came as a distant sound of breaking branches. Without wasting time, Noah signaled with his left hand, indicating for Chōji to raise an improvised defensive wall. The burly shinobi positioned himself in front of the convoy, forming a human shield with his body, while Fugaku threw two kunai towards the trees from which the noise came.
—I've got them! —Fugaku shouted, pointing at two figures emerging from the undergrowth—.
Noah reacted immediately. He moved his hand to signal Chōji to adjust his position, while he himself pulled out a couple of shuriken and threw them precisely towards the approaching enemies, trying to prevent them from getting too close to the convoy. The coordination between them was impeccable: every signal was understood, and every movement they made complemented the next.
The bandits tried to advance, but Team 10's strategy was too solid. Chōji blocked and pushed back anyone who dared to approach, while Fugaku harassed from a distance, launching calculated and rapid attacks to distract and disorganize the enemies. Noah remained in the background, observing the battle and giving instructions with simple gestures or signals, adjusting the formation and anticipating the enemy's movements while attacking from time to time.
One of the bandits managed to get close enough to try to ambush Chōji from behind, but the young tank turned in time and stopped him with a firm blow that sent him rolling a few meters away from the convoy. Another pair of enemies were quickly neutralized by Fugaku before they could attack, while Noah maintained full vision of the field, signaling to Chōji when to change position and to Fugaku when to retreat or launch another attack.
The battle lasted about half an hour. Noah didn't deploy any jutsu beyond what would be considered basic at the academy: shuriken, normal clones, quick substitutions, and formation control. Everything was calculated to maximize the team's effectiveness without exposing himself.
Finally, with one last coordinated move, the team managed to subdue the last enemies. The remaining bandits fled, leaving the path clear and the convoy intact. Chōji sighed, wiping his sweaty forehead, while Fugaku cast an evaluating glance towards Noah, nodding with respect for his efficient leadership.
Kagami, who had remained at a certain distance watching in silence, allowed himself a slight smile. Internally, he fully approved of his young apprentices' performance. Although Noah had barely shown his combat abilities, his capacity to direct, plan, and react calmly was enough to make a difference. The jōnin couldn't help but feel satisfied: these three genin, if they continued on this trajectory, would be truly promising shinobi.
—Well done —Kagami finally said, approaching—. You completed the escort mission without losses. You've demonstrated coordination and adaptability. This is what is expected of a balanced team.
Noah nodded modestly, Chōji smiled as he caught his breath, and Fugaku crossed his arms, satisfied with the execution.
With the route cleared and the convoy secured, the three genin completed their mission by escorting the supplies to the neighboring village. The delivery was received without incident, and the villagers were grateful for the provided security. Although the mission was relatively simple, it had been enough to test the team's skills in a real combat and cooperation scenario while simultaneously introducing them to the battlefield.
That night, back at the temporary camp, Kagami gathered his three genin.
—You worked well today —he said with a firm tone—. But remember: this is only the beginning. The war continues, and each mission will bring different challenges. Today you showed you can coordinate, but tomorrow you'll need to adapt to new situations, smarter enemies, and quick decisions under pressure.
As the camp settled down for the night, Noah contemplated the dark sky, remembering that although he had won this small battle without showing his extraordinary abilities, the shinobi world was immense, and his true potential still remained hidden.