The three months passed faster than expected. Genma could use the Hiraishin on his own, but he didn’t have the speed of execution and precision of Minato. He could move from one point to another. However, he couldn’t teleport at lightning speed in the middle of a chaotic battlefield. Genma wasn’t too disappointed. He was even a bit relieved.

Jun was satisfied with his own progress. His expertise had significantly improved. His storage seals got better; he could carry more equipment in his storage scrolls. He had also created a storage seal on his wrist to store his ink-blood mixture. The teenager can activate the seal with a tap on his fingers and hurl a stream of ink on the ground or at the enemy to perform his Fuinjutsu technique. He could even use the ink in a stealthy manner to catch his opponents off guard.

When it was time to return to Konoha, Jun was torn between disappointment and relief. He missed the village, his family, and his friends. But he had gotten used to living with the Sannin and Genma. He would be able to see and hang out with Genma, but he had no idea when he would see the Jiraiya again.

“You’re not leaving empty-handed. You still need to improve.” Jiraiya said Jun.

He gave him a few scrolls to take home.

“And this is for the Hokage.” He added by giving them both a few files.

He gave another look to Jun.

“Let me know when you perfect your storage seal. I look forward to seeing it.”

Jun nodded. The duo set off for Konoha, leaving the Sannin behind. They were close to the village, so it only took them a couple of days to arrive home. Jun couldn’t help but smile when he saw the village’s gates. He was back home.

They first went to the Hokage’s office to report to the Sandaime. The latter was a bit disappointed that Genma couldn’t push the technique to Minato’s level. But he still praised him. Even though it couldn’t be used in combat, it was still a useful jutsu. Hiruzen was even hoping that Genma could train a student who would be able to perfectly master the Hiraishin. Genma didn’t seem thrilled about the idea.

Jun was brief in his report. He just talked about a few things he had learned. The Sandaime didn’t ask for the details. Jun wasn’t sure how well versed the one nicknamed the God of Shinobi was in Fuinjutsu. The teenager ended the report by giving the Hokage the documents sent by the Sannin.

Hiruzen informed Genma that he would earn his promotion to become a Tokubetsu jonin within the month, after passing a series of tests to make the administration aware of his skills. Jun would be registered as one of Konoha’s Fuinjutsu specialists, and this designation would be taken into account whenever he asks for a promotion.

They were dismissed. The mission was officially over. The teenager went home. Izumi had improved. Her taijutsu was almost as good as her brother’s had been at her age. She was the top student in her class. Upon seeing her manipulating shurikens and kunais and displaying her katas, Jun had less trouble imagining her as a ninja.

The duration of the mission made them spend time apart. Jun was looking at Izumi with new eyes. Maybe that distance was needed for him to come to terms with his sister’s dreams. But Jun knew he would always worry about her.

Kazuma was calmer than before in Jun’s eyes. He screamed and cried less. He was also less dependent on his mother. Their mom made him spend more time at the daycare. Even when he was home, he knew how to entertain himself by drawing or playing with his toys. He was a smart kid. He absorbed information like a sponge.

Their mother was more relaxed now. She was also a bit more energetic and serene. She had gone back to work. She was on desk duty since she couldn’t work in the field anymore. She told Jun that during his mission she had received a job offer from Inoji Yamanaka to work as a secretary.

The position was vacant because it involved a lot of paperwork. It wasn’t something shinobis got excited over. They would rather be sent on a mission. However, it was perfect Hazuki. The pay was less than what she used to make, but it was still decent. She felt like she was contributing financially to the family since the teenager had been the sole breadwinner.

When Jun went to take on a mission the next day, he found himself face to face with his mother.

“You’re in charge of distributing missions?” Jun laughed.

“Just some of them. The most sensitive ones are directly issued by the Hokage. Oh before I forgot, make sure you get some groceries on your way home, darling.”

Jun groaned. The few ninjas who witnessed the scene started to laugh. It took the teenager a few weeks to get used to the situation. Until then, there had been a clear separation between his family and his job. It wasn’t completely the case now, and it wouldn’t get better after Izumi graduated.

The teenager wondered how the Uchihas, who closely intertwined work and family, did it. They were mostly members of the Police. For instance, how did a father deal with his son being promoted to a higher rank than his? If people from the same family argued at work, how would they react when they meet at home around the dinner table? Some personal relationships must have been strained.

Jun thought about the relationship between the Uchihas and the village. Everyone had gotten used to the status quo. A few years ago, the police and ordinary citizens lived in harmony. But now there was a constant tension between them. When there was a problem, people tended to call ninjas not affiliated with the Police. The Uchihas were frowned upon.

They were aggressive and made a big deal out of small matters the few times they were called. They arrested people on a whim and held them for four hours. Everyone avoided them. They muttered behind their backs, turned silent when they passed, and cast suspicious glances at them.

In Konoha, the Police represented more than an organization to enforce the law. It was the embodiment of the Uchiha clan. And people didn’t mind displaying their discontentment with the Uchihas. How long was there before the massacre? A little over two years? Jun felt like it was imminent. The clan must already be thinking of the coup. They were too proud to accept their treatment within the village.

Jun resumed his training with Shiba Arata. He began to feel confident in his Kenjutsu skills. He was no longer afraid to fight Yugao with a sword. He often trained with her but also with Hayate. They were among the most advanced chunins in Kenjutsu.

Hayate got promoted to Tokubetsu jonin as an expert in Kenjutsu. He was only two years older than Jun. He wasn’t a prodigy, but to gain that rank at such a young age showed his talent. Jun was pleased with his progression in the way of the sword since he was able to keep up with Hayate and Yugao. It was thanks to the moves he secretly copied with his Dojutsu as well as his training with Shiba.

The teenager was still learning medical Ninjutsu from Susumu. This type of technique couldn’t be just copied with the Sharingan. It required great chakra control and knowledge of the human body. Even if he was good at memorizing the content of the books, he still had to keep working. He realized it wasn’t easy to become a full-fledged medical-nin.

He continued to perform missions. He was teamed up with the strongest chunins or jonins level shinobis. There was no doubt about the teenager's ability. He was strong. Moreover, his reserve of chakra was greater than the majority of ninjas.

However, Jun knew strength alone wasn’t enough. He needed experience. It was for this reason that he performed various missions in tracking, kidnapping, sabotage, escort, and espionage. The teenager didn’t also neglect to spend time with his family. He took a couple of days off between missions to relax or train. He was eager to get even stronger.

Time passed. Kazuma turned three. The Sandaime informed Jun that he could take the jonin exam in six months, just before his fifteenth birthday. The offer came with a condition that he joined a newly formed combat unit. However, the old man forgot to mention that the unit was led by Shisui Uchiha.