Graduation Exam (1)

December 1st.

Thy day of reckoning has cometh.

Nine years. Nine whole years I've waited for this.

I was given a paper with my row and seat number. Apparently, I had to sit right at the front, along with my classmates. There were so many people—too many to count by myself, honestly.

All of them were older than me, looking about 10, 11, 12, or even 13. Were we sorted by age? Or was it by talent?

There were at least ten proctors too. Kenjiro-sensei, Kuroda-sensei, likely a few Chuunins, maybe even a Jonin, and... One of them had a mask and spiky silver hair—Kakashi? What is he doing here? Isn't he supposed to be doing ANBU missions and stuff?

Well, for a big event like this, someone like him would surely be interested in seeing the talent of the next generation—

"Greetings, young seedlings." said an old man, taking small steps as he passed through the door.

Oh god. The Hokage. Certainly makes me feel less pressure.

The murmurs very quickly died down, likely out of respect for our leader. Hiruzen wasn't just anybody, after all. This old, sneaky fox lived through three whole fucking wars and not only knows over a thousand jutsu, but also holds some degree of mastery over them. Unlike Kakashi, who simply copies them on the spot, never to use them again.

They say you should fear the veterans in a profession where people die young, and now? I wholeheartedly believe that. I didn't dare to expand my chakra field, but I passively picked up his aura—it was insanely large.

The largest chakra pool I've seen so far, or at least second compared to Kurama. If I'm this shaken because of his mere presence, I can't begin to imagine how the actual chakra beasts, such as Kisame, the Tailed Beasts, the Jinchuuriki... The thought scares me.

He gave me—specifically me, I'm sure— a brief glance, with a small smile. It made me flinch, sending shivers down my spine. He noticed my field emcompassing his chakra!

Hiruzen then looked back at the crowd of students, adjusting his customary hat.

"You've all come a long way, and all of your hard work and effort has led to this very day. All of you stand on the edge of becoming true shinobi," he announced, his expression serious, yet warm. "In this current moment, you'll be tested in every single aspect, be it your intellectual understanding, your offensive capabilities, your beliefs, your knowledge, and even your ability to work under pressure."

"Throughout your career, you'll face challenges that will push you beyond your limits. Some of you will fail. And that's okay," he continued. "Failure is but a small setback on our path. It is through failure that we grow, both as individuals and as shinobi. That is not to say that I don't believe in your capabilities—far from it. I know that each one of you has the potential to become a great shinobi."

...He sure knows how to give his speeches.

Hiruzen turned around, facing Kenjiro. "Kenjiro-kun, if you would?"

Kenjiro, who had been standing at the ready, gave a respectful bow before stepping forward.

"The first section of this exam will consist of a written test, comprising of your historical knowledge, advanced mathematical equations, along with hypothetical scenarios you'll have to answer based on the decisions you'd take."

A couple of proctors walked through each row, handing us around two papers one by one. I estimated there's almost 230 students, so thats... Whoa. Almost 500 paper sheets. That's a lot of uh, paper.

I could see some students already panicking as they handed out the tests. Couldn't blame them, though, because this is advanced algebra. I'd also rather jump out the nearest window if I wasn't as intellectually talented as the ones in my class.

"With that said, you may begin. You have two hours!" one of the proctors announced.

The sound of scribbling began to fill the room. I took a brief glance at the contents of my own test, and it was about what I've been expecting—at least partly.

Logarithmic equations?! We didn't even learn this in class!

Who the hell needs this as a shinobi? Whatever, I'm lucky that I got to 11th grade before reincarnating. Talk about plot armor. Not only that, my classmates were quickly solving them, including Kiyoshi, Suzume, Itsuki, especially Sora—he looked like he was breezing through this. Yuuma looked like he was panicking, but only for a moment.

It took me a while, but I managed to solve the three equations in about 20 minutes by applying the properties. Easy as hell, eat it!

Then, the historical questions. All about the tactics used during the Third Shinobi World War—probably to make sure our strategical decision making is up to par.

Done. Took me about 15 minutes.

The last set of questions were just what I was expecting—questions designed to test your utmost loyalty to the village. Naturally, I answered like I did in the mock exam.

Can't afford to let them know I don't believe in the Will of Fire. At least, not right now in my current situation.

Soon, I finished my own test in about 51 minutes. It's somewhat early, but I'll turn it in. Kiyoshi and Sora had already turned in their own exams.

I stood up, carefully gathered my papers, and walked to the front of the room where one of the proctors was waiting.

"All done?" She asked, her expression neutral.

I handed the papers over, beaming at her, "Yes, ma'am."

She took the papers from me, giving me a quick glance before... Did she just smile? "Thank you. Please return to your seat and remain quiet until everyone else has finished."

The proctor looked somewhat familiar, but I couldn't pay it any mind at the moment. I gave a polite nod and returned to my seat, waiting for this phase to end.

...

--------------

"Sir, only 144 of the 235 students have shown that they embody the philosophy of the village." Kuroda Ryuuji said to one of the Jonins, specifically Nara Takamori.

"Good work, Kuroda. Dismiss those who have failed the written section, and tell them to try again next year."

"Eh? Sir, wouldn't that be too harsh?" Kuroda questioned, a bit hesitant. "Some of them barely failed. Perhaps, if we give them a chance—"

"If they're demotivated by a setback this small, it's not worth it to invest anymore resources on them. They'd be better off on the Genin Corps, and those resources would be more well-spent on those with the potential to become Chuunins and beyond."

Kuroda frowned at that, but nodded in resignation. "...Understood, sir."

He then turned his gaze to the list of names, analyzing the students that did pass, taking note of a specific few.

His eyes landed on the white-haired girl, sitting at the front.

'Amai... You've come far. You were so timid during your first year, and now? Look at you. You're standing here with confidence, and trying to graduate, despite not even being nine. At your age, I was still just playing ninja with shuriken, barely even knowing how to perform a single transformation.' His eyes gleamed with a mix of pride and curiosity.

'Just how far will you go, Amai?'

His other students weren't lacking, either. Kiyoshi, Itsuki, Sora, Yuuma, Suzume, Masato, Kiyoka, Yui... They were all promising students that were once his.

Kuroda turned to face Takamori one last time. "Sir, this might be one of the strongest batches we've had in years," Kuroda stated with conviction.

Takamori remained silent for a moment, eyeing them before scoffing, "We'll see. Just do what I asked you to do, Kuroda."

Kuroda sighed in compliance. "Of course."

--------

If you could die from boredom, I'd surely be dead by now. The remaining hour had passed, and I'd been stuck in my seat this whole time, waiting for the others to finish.

Finally, the last student handed his exam, looking like he was just about ready to let fate take place. Poor guy.

With that—whoa, is that my 1st year sensei? Kuroda?! He walked up to the front, raising his voice.

"Alright, listen up! If I call your name, that means you've failed the written portion. If that is the case, you are dismissed and may try again next year."

Damn, he's really not sugarcoating it, is he?

Some of the students even started praying to the lord above as he started mentioning names. It was almost comical how desperate they were—then again, it was for the better. This way, they'd get way more time to become stronger and live in peace for a while longer.

Too bad that's not what I desire. I came here to become a ninja.

Finally, he dismissed the last student. Goddamn, literally 91 students gone all at once! They really don't hold back.

"Now that we've gotten that out of the way," Kuroda's voice rang out, "Permit me to explain what the practical part consists of. It comprises of three parts: physical endurance, hand-to-hand combat, and finally, the academy three. There is, however, one catch."

Huh?

"Those who are graduating ahead of the others will be held at a higher standard during this section."

What the fuck? I was right, after all?

"Sensei?" A random student raised his hand, "Why is that? That's kind of unfair."

Kuroda was about to open his mouth, but Kenjiro stepped in front of him, glancing at the student who had his hand raised.

"It's not about fairness. Why do you think we are allowing you to step into this life? Expectations are obviously gonna be higher for you early bloomers. You're gonna be perceived as someone who can live up to their reputation, not as children. Think about how Konoha gains its clients for a second."

He paused, letting the words sink in for a moment.

"Clients want results. They want skilled, capable ninjas who can handle missions regardless of their age, to feel secure and guarded. They don't care if you're still technically a 'child' in terms of years. If you can prove you're reliable, capable, and able to make good decisions under pressure, they'll trust you with their lives." He finished, looking at everyone.

"Anymore complaints?"

...The tension is so thick I could probably cut it with a kunai.

"Perfect." He said, a smirk on his face. "Let the practical section begin. Head outside!"

Here we go, I suppose.