SALVATION

Chapter 3

Frowning, Temari thought for a moment before replying: "Well, Neji, Kankuro, Hinata, Shikamaru and I are now Jounin and the rest of the Konoha 12 all made Chunnin a year ago."

"They're Jounin?" asked Naruto loudly whilst Sasuke grimaced.

He didn't like that the others were ahead of his team.

"Stop making such faces, you idiots," reprimanded Sakura her male teammates whilst throwing her arms around them. "You know we're just as, if not stronger, than they are. It will only be a matter of time until we achieve Jounin rank."

And just like that the pinknette was able to cheer her teammates up.

"Hell yeah. Just you wait and see, dattebayo! We'll become known as the strongest team ever!"

"There's no doubt you three will achieve your goal," sighed Shikamaru and shrugged. "Even without a sensei, you passed your first Chunnin exam with flying colours."

Embarrassed, the three scratched their necks and avoided looking at the others.

"Right," muttered Naruto uncomfortably.

~ Flashback ~

Minato, Jiraiya and Shikaku were currently putting the new Gennin teams together when something sparked the Sannin's interest.

"You want to put the three Silver Reaper's Children on the same team? I thought you were meant to balance the teams but all of them could have graduated two years ago, how is that balanced?" wondered Jiraiya.

Sighing, the blond explained: "It's not only about balance but also about compatibility. Those three knew each other since they were babies, and they have an inseparable bond. They know the other one by the back of their hand and sometimes even finish the other one's sentence. They are so in sync that it's like you're looking at one being.

And could you really imagine them with anyone else? The Ino-Shika-Cho trio is a fixed thing, what options would be left?

Naruto, Sakura and Kiba? Having Naruto and Kiba on the same team is a punishment for any sensei. Same with Naruto, Hinata and Kiba.

Sasuke, Sakura and Kiba or Shino? Not only would Naruto never talk to me again, but Sasuke would also act like a brat because I put him with a 'dog' and not his best friend and I don't doubt that Sakura would take his side.

And Sakura with Shino and Kiba? The poor boys would most likely be continuously in the hospital. Don't forget, they even decided to flunk the graduation exam two times because Naruto had overheard me, planning to split them up."

"So there really is no other choice," groaned the Sannin.

"And isn't it like Kakashi had already chosen them to be a team? " muttered Minato smiling slightly.

Jiraiya watched his student's expression carefully but then he chuckled loudly and asked: "So who's going to be the poor soul that is their sensei? If they are so in sync as you say, it will be hard to add a fourth person."

"I'm sure they'll be happy with their sensei," replied Minato confident.

~Time skip~

"I can't, Minato-sensei!" whined Obito and clung to his teacher's sleeve. "They are the devils reincarnate! They'll succeed in killing me!"

Sweat dropping, Minato tried to escape his students clutches. He had thought that since Obito was his student and had known the three from the start, he'd make a good sensei for them.