Facing the curious gazes of the Jonin, Yagyu remained calm.
After everyone had left.
Only then did Yagyu look at the Third Hokage.
"Old man, did you call me here to arrange some strong teammates for me?"
As he spoke.
Yagyu walked straight to the Hokage's desk and asked in his usual casual tone.
Taking a puff from his pipe, the Third Hokage looked at Yagyu with satisfaction.
Without beating around the bush, he admitted it directly.
"You're as smart as ever. You're right. Your teammates definitely won't be Genin or Chunin, so I found you a Special Jonin with great strength and rich mission experience."
Yagyu's eyes lit up.
Hearing the Third Hokage's words, curiosity appeared on his face.
"A powerful Special Jonin? There are only a handful in Konoha. Male or female? If it's a woman, is she a great beauty?"
To be honest, there were not many female shinobi in Konoha.
And among them, even fewer were truly beautiful.
If he had to partner with a man, Yagyu honestly wasn't very willing.
"…"
Hearing Yagyu's words, the Third Hokage's mouth twitched.
"Sosuke, you're still just a child. And don't you already have that girl from the Yamanaka Clan as your girlfriend? Why are you so obsessed with whether your teammate is a beauty?"
Yagyu glanced at the Third Hokage with disdain.
Shrugging indifferently, he replied.
"Old man, aren't you the same? You're already so old, yet every day you still use your crystal ball to peek at the women's bathhouse."
After pausing for a moment, Yagyu said righteously.
"I look at girls every day, and I have no other intentions."
Whoosh.
Hearing that, the Third Hokage's eyes brightened slightly and he subconsciously replied.
"That actually makes sense."
But the next moment,
Knock knock knock.
The office door was knocked again, interrupting the conversation between the Third Hokage and Yagyu.
"Come in."
The Third Hokage quickly composed his expression and spoke calmly.
Click.
The door opened.
A tall figure with pineapple-shaped hair and a long coat walked in.
Yagyu looked over and froze for a moment.
He recognized the person who entered,
Mitarashi Anko.
A shinobi who possessed Jonin-level strength but had repeatedly refused promotion to Jonin.
Right now, she was undeniably a great beauty.
Although in the future she would gain a lot of weight.
By then, her figure would be comparable to members of the Akimichi Clan.
But that was the future.
The current Anko was still very pleasing to the eye.
"Oh, you're here."
Seeing Anko, the Third Hokage smiled.
"Anko, come. Let me introduce someone to you. This is the teammate I plan to assign to you Yagyu Sosuke, and also my final disciple."
After respectfully bowing to the Third Hokage.
Anko looked at Yagyu and sized him up from head to toe before nodding.
"Hokage-sama."
Turning toward the Third Hokage, Anko spoke directly.
"Although I have no objection to forming a fixed team with someone, please allow me to personally test his strength. Otherwise… forgive me, but I cannot accept your arrangement."
After pausing for a moment, she continued.
"The missions I usually carry out are extremely dangerous. If Yagyu's strength is insufficient, he could lose his life."
Hearing Anko's words, the Third Hokage nodded.
Instead of answering, he looked at Yagyu beside him, silently asking for his response.
Facing this request for a combat test, Yagyu smiled and nodded.
"Perfect, I was thinking the same thing."
Yagyu only had a vague understanding of Anko's strength.
If they didn't test each other in battle, Yagyu himself wouldn't feel comfortable.
"Very well."
Seeing that Yagyu had agreed, the Third Hokage said while holding his pipe.
"Fifteen minutes later, Training Ground No. 3. I will personally act as the referee. Go prepare."
Whoosh, whoosh.
Two sounds of rushing wind echoed.
Yagyu and Anko both disappeared from the office, leaving immediately.
…
Fifteen minutes later.
At Training Ground No. 3.
Yagyu, with a ninja tool pouch at his waist and a Chakra Blade strapped to his back, stood facing Anko.
Under a nearby tree, the Third Hokage smoked his pipe while watching the two with anticipation.
Yagyu was very strong.
After years of sparring with him, the Third Hokage believed Yagyu already possessed complete Jonin-level strength.
As for Anko, there was no need to say more.
She had been taught by Orochimaru. Her abilities were undoubtedly powerful.
The only reason she had refused promotion to Jonin was because of her own psychological issues.
If she hadn't refused, Anko could easily have become an Elite Jonin.
In the training ground.
Anko looked at Yagyu with scrutiny in her eyes.
"Kid, if your strength isn't good enough, I suggest you give up now. Injuries are unavoidable in battle, and I'm not very precise when I attack. Don't start crying later."
Hearing that.
A calm smile appeared on Yagyu's face as he looked at Anko.
"Give up? Sorry… I don't understand that word."
Anko raised an eyebrow.
She looked at Yagyu with slight surprise before speaking coldly.
"I hope you can still say that later."
The moment she finished speaking—
Boom.
A terrifying killing intent that had absolutely reached Elite Jonin level burst out from Anko.
The overwhelming killing intent swept toward Yagyu, surrounding him completely as if trying to freeze him in place.
It aimed to completely crush Yagyu's fighting spirit and will.
"What intense killing intent."
Feeling the immense killing intent, a glint appeared in Yagyu's eyes.
"This is completely different from pressure. It sends chills straight through your heart."
Yagyu himself possessed a strong presence.
But killing intent was something entirely different.
Just as Yagyu was slightly distracted by the feeling,
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh.
Three kunai flew toward him in a triangular formation, instantly sealing his escape routes.
"Damn."
While cursing inwardly, Yagyu reacted just as quickly.
He raised his hand and threw a kunai.
Clang.
Two kunai collided midair, sparks flying.
The kunai Yagyu threw and the one deflected by Anko both changed trajectory.
In the ricochet, they instantly neutralized the other two incoming kunai.
This exquisite kunai-throwing technique.
Made both Anko and the observing Third Hokage's eyes light up.
What a brilliant technique.
----------
Patreon Advance 30 Chapters: patreon .com/OneFic