Brothers

Despite the importance and weight of this exam, the difficulty did not seem to have increased at all. In fact, it turned out to be surprisingly simple.

One by one, the students were called and received their forehead protectors, including the entire group that was behind Gen. Both Kurenai and Shizune, along with the rest of their classmates, also passed the graduation evaluation without any problems.

But for Gen, this was no surprise.

From the beginning, conducting an early graduation evaluation on such a large scale was something unusual.

Just as he had responded to Shizune at the time, this test probably would not be too demanding.

And he had a good reason to think so.

He knew that the Third Shinobi World War was about to break out.

Only under the imminent pressure of a war would Konoha be forced to accelerate the graduation of students, expanding its forces to strengthen its ranks.

"I hope it doesn't start too soon..."

War was a killing machine. No matter how much he had strengthened over the past year, facing a conflict of that magnitude was another story.

Even with his talent and the constant growth of his strength, he could not say with certainty that he would survive.

The longer the war was delayed, the better it would be for him. Every day of peace meant more time to continue developing, more opportunities to strengthen himself before being dragged into that hell.

When the time came to announce the final results, the surprise was minimal: even Obito, who used to be considered the laggard of the class, managed to graduate successfully along with the rest of the group.

Everyone received their forehead protectors, officially marking the end of their time as academy students.

After distributing the protectors and dedicating a few final words to the class, the teacher said some words and then withdrew.

"It's finally oooveer! From now on, I'm a Genin."

"We'll be divided into teams in three days, so we have a small vacation. I have to enjoy it to the fullest!"

"Gen, it's still early. I know of a newly opened food stall that they say is amazing. Do you want to go try it together?"

"Alright, I'm a bit hungry too. Sounds like a good idea."

"Food? Count me in too!"

After school, most of the students in the classroom left in small groups, most of them happy to have graduated.

However, when Shizune, with a smile on her face, invited Gen to go to a food place, she immediately attracted the attention of most, who approached instantly.

Although different social circles existed within the same class, those who approached at that moment were the ones with a good relationship with Gen and Shizune. Among them were Kurenai, Guy, Asuma, Rin, and Obito himself.

Shizune had always been a sociable and popular person within the class. She got along well with almost everyone, and when it was not about topics related to Gen, even her relationship with Kurenai was quite harmonious.

On the other hand, Gen, although focused on his training, did not isolate himself from the rest. He maintained a balance between his personal growth and his social environment, establishing bonds with classmates he considered valuable, especially key figures like Might Guy, with whom he tried to strengthen ties.

He was not someone who turned into a relentless training machine. He knew when to relax a little.

In the end, the result was that everyone ended up going to the food place Shizune had mentioned.

The place was on one of the busiest streets in Konoha's golden zone. Since they had just opened, they were offering discounts to attract customers, which had resulted in a crowd packing the place.

When they arrived, they found an endless line. No one wanted to wait that long, so they decided to settle it in the fairest way possible: rock, paper, or scissors.

"Ah, no way! Why did I have to throw scissors?" Obito complained, bringing his hands to his head.

"Youth is also about standing in line! I'm going!" Guy shouted, running toward the line.

Shizune, on the other hand, let out a long sigh. Her shoulders dropped, and her expression reflected pure defeat.

'Tch! Not only did I lose the chance to be alone with Gen, now I also have to stand in line...'

With no other choice, the three losers took the money and the group's order list before getting in line.

Meanwhile, the others waited outside, enjoying the night breeze. Kurenai and Rin, along with a few other girls, took the opportunity to go to a nearby store to buy drinks.

While they waited, Gen noticed that Asuma was quieter than usual.

"...Asuma, what's wrong? You don't seem to be in a good mood."

He observed him for a moment before giving a slight smile and breaking the silence.

Asuma looked up, somewhat surprised by the question.

He hesitated for a moment, but in the end, he sighed and decided to speak. With everything that had happened over the past year, Gen had earned his trust.

"...Tell me something, Gen. Do you think my effort is really worth it?"

Gen tilted his head.

"What do you mean?"

Asuma clenched his fists and let out a bitter laugh.

"No matter how hard I try, everyone always sees it as something natural, as if it had no merit... Just because I'm the Hokage's son. Everything I achieve is taken for granted, as if it didn't matter."

His voice carried a mix of frustration and exhaustion.

Gen looked at him in silence, reflecting for a few seconds before responding.

"I think you worry too much about what others think. Look, in my case, there are a lot of people who believe that, just because I'm an Uchiha, anything I do well is 'expected.' If I stand out, it's because I have a powerful lineage, not because I trained hard."

"But I know the truth. I know that everything I am now is because of my own effort, not my last name. And at the end of the day, that's what matters."

"..."

Asuma frowned, processing what he had just heard.

"What matters... is what I know?"

"Exactly. We don't live for others, we live for ourselves. Wanting recognition is fine, but you can't depend on it to validate your effort. You can't deny yourself just because others don't see it or don't value it."

!

Gen's words hit him. Asuma fell silent, his mind spinning around that last sentence.

"I can't deny myself..."

Little by little, the tension in his shoulders eased.

The frustration he had been carrying began to fade, and his expression brightened with a new understanding.

"Yeah... You're right. I don't need to prove anything to anyone. It doesn't matter if others don't see it..."

He looked up and smiled, feeling a weight lift from his shoulders.

"Thanks, Gen. If you hadn't said that, I think I never would have understood it."

Gen laughed, "No need to thank me. In the end, I just put into words what you already knew. Besides, we're not just classmates, we're friends too. It's normal for friends to help each other."

"No, we're not friends," Asuma said with conviction, punching Gen's shoulder. "We're real brothers."

With a smile, he wrapped an arm around Gen's neck, pulling him into a friendly gesture.

?

Gen blinked a couple of times before chuckling slightly and returning the gesture.

"Oh, sure... we're 'very good' brothers."