Chapter 25: The Bell Test

[Shinji's POV]

After the exams, we all went to Ichiraku Ramen to celebrate our success. Everyone had passed and was now officially Genin—well, everyone except Kuroto, who sulked in the corner, mumbling under his breath.

"I've said it a hundred times now—just learn some supportive jutsu. It's even easier for you with your eyes," I said, sighing as I looked at him.

"I know," he muttered, glaring at his bowl, "but I want to be different. If I become the strongest Hyūga, maybe… maybe I can be free…"

He stopped himself before saying anything more, but I understood.

'He was not just an arrogant Hyūga. He wants to be the strongest so he can earn his freedom.'

That idea had likely been drilled into him by his family—a reminder of how the great clans of Konoha operated. One was on the brink of destruction due to their power, and the others sealed their children to never rebel against the system.

"So, who do you think will be our sensei?" Fumiko asked, blissfully unaware of my thoughts.

"I don't know," Akira replied, pointing at Shigeo, Aoi, and Fumiko with his chopsticks. "But you three will be in a team, which leaves us four. One of us won't be together."

"I don't want to be left out," Akane said, glancing toward me.

"It's Kuroto," I stated, and the others nodded in agreement. Akane mumbled something under her breath, but I caught it.

"I'll be in a team with my brother and Shinji." She smiled to herself.

As our celebration ended, I returned home, dispelling all my clones at once. A surge of information flooded my brain, bringing an instant headache. After enduring it, I finally slept for more than five hours—a rare luxury. The weight of training, preparing for the worst, and ensuring I was strong enough to face Obito had been suffocating, but tonight, I allowed myself to rest.

Tomorrow, we would meet our Jonin Sensei.

The next morning, we all gathered in the same classroom where we had taken our exams, waiting for our instructors. The first to arrive was an Academy teacher, who called Kuroto to go with him. He was reluctant at first, but after a little persuasion from me, he complied.

'For some reason, he listens to me. Maybe it's some nonsense about respecting strength.'

With him gone, only six of us remained.

Soon after, a woman in her 30s entered the room. She had brown hair and wore a Jonin vest. I didn't recognize her, but there were plenty of shinobi in Konoha I had yet to meet.

"Shigeo Nara, Fumiko Yamanaka, and Aoi Akimichi—come with me. You are now Squad 6."

Fumiko grinned. "It's our call. Good luck, you three!" She practically skipped out of the room, excited to do real ninja work. I could already picture her disappointed face when she realized being a Genin wasn't all thrilling battles and heroics.

That left only the Uchiha siblings and me.

"How long do we have to wait?" Akira asked impatiently.

"Be patient, Akira. They'll arrive soon," Akane said, maintaining the graceful demeanor she had likely picked up from her mother.

I smirked, enjoying their banter when the door opened.

A young man walked in—brown hair, a calm posture, and a mask covering his forehead along with lower face, much like the one Nidaime Hokage used to wear.

"Hello, students. I am Yamato, and I will be your Jonin Sensei from now on."

I was fine with it, but my teammates were too shocked to respond.

Of course, they were. Yamato was barely 14 years old.

"Are you really a Jonin?" Akira asked bluntly.

"Yes, I was recently promoted," Yamato answered, seemingly used to such reactions.

"They got an experienced Jonin, and we got a newly promoted one. That's not fair," Akira muttered, earning a smack from Akane.

"Be respectful! He's our Sensei," she scolded, though I could tell she also had doubts.

Wanting to move things along, I spoke up. "Why don't you take us to the training ground? Don't you want to test us?"

Yamato hesitated, then nodded. "Ah, yes! We'll go with a test my friend once told me about."

He pulled out two silver bells and attached them to his belt.

"You must take these bells from me. Whoever gets them passes."

"But there are only two," Akane pointed out. "What happens to the one who doesn't get a bell?"

"They fail," Yamato declared sternly.

"Let's begin."

We exchanged glances. Seeing their hesitation, I smirked. "You two go first. If you can't take them, I will."

"But you'll fail if we take them both," Akane said, looking anxious.

Akira, of course, didn't care and charged in immediately. Seeing me smile, Akane sighed and followed him.

The fight was predictably one-sided.

Yamato effortlessly dodged Akira's punches and redirected his attacks, never once retaliating with force. The moment Akane joined, he parried her sword strikes with ease, his movements precise and controlled.

Realizing close combat wouldn't work, they switched to ninjutsu. Akira fired a Fireball Jutsu, while Akane enhanced it using Wind Jutsu. Yamato responded with a simple Earth Wall, neutralizing the attack.

But then Akane suddenly emerged from the ground behind him, her sword aimed at the bell strings.

'Oh? They learned that from our fight. Good.'

At the same time, Akira leapt over the wall, unfurling a scroll that launched dozens of kunai and shuriken at Yamato.

It was a well-thought-out plan.

Too bad it wasn't enough.

Just before the kunai reached him, Yamato substituted himself, appearing behind Akira. With a swift kick, he sent him crashing down, then dragged him into the ground using Earth Release: Headhunter Jutsu.

Akane tried to help, but Yamato countered with Swamp of the Underworld, trapping her in place.

'Why is he going this hard? Is he testing me?'

We locked eyes. I exhaled, making a hand seal.

I fired Water Senbon, forcing him to move. Then, I summoned Nue, lifting Akane from the swamp.

Yamato reacted immediately, trying to restrain Nue with Wood Release, but I had already anticipated it. We lifted into the air, out of range.

Summoning my Rabbit Swarm, I ordered them to jump around the field creating a lot of shadows I manipulated their shadows, creating an enormous Shadow Possession Wave. At first Yamato tried to use Wild Water Wave to flood the rabbits but as the shadow wave come he couldn't escape, the sheer number of shadows trapped him and he was now in my control.

"Got you, Sensei."

I moved my hand to my belt and flicked it causing Yamato to do the same, the bells fell to the ground as a rabbit retrieved the bells, and I tossed them to my teammates.

Akane hesitated. "If you give them both away, you'll fail."

I smirked. "No, I won't. We all passed. Right, Sensei?"

Yamato sighed, then nodded. "Yes, you all pass."