A new week arrived, and so did the final examination.
After this exam, they would have a vacation lasting more than a month.
Although the Ninja Academy’s curriculum wasn’t particularly fast-paced and the training intensity wasn’t especially high, everyone had already spent an entire semester attending classes.
Naturally, everyone was looking forward to the winter vacation.
Even Kuroda Ren was no exception.
The Ninja Academy was fine, but during the holidays, he would have complete control over his own time.
That would allow him to arrange his training schedule more efficiently and make the best possible use of every minute.
The theoretical examination on the first day was easy.
As far as Kuroda Ren was concerned, the academic level of the shinobi world’s theoretical courses wasn’t particularly high.
At least compared with the brutally competitive college entrance examination system of his previous life, they were countless times easier.
Apart from a few subjects directly related to the profession of being a ninja, which were somewhat challenging, the remaining basic subjects were practically kindergarten-level.
He could score full marks with his eyes closed.
As for the subjects related to being a ninja, they directly affected one’s chances of surviving after becoming a shinobi.
Kuroda Ren naturally studied those seriously enough, so they weren’t a problem either.
The next day, everyone gathered at the Academy.
Under Imai Nobuyuki’s guidance, they arrived at a training ground.
A sign stood outside the training ground.
It read:
“Third Survival Exercise Area.”
“The area ahead is the Third Training Ground.”
Imai Nobuyuki gave them a brief introduction.
“It consists of a valley and jungle terrain.
It is ten kilometers wide and 6.5 kilometers long.”
“During this year’s wilderness survival course, all of you already learned about the environment here.”
“The practical portion of this final examination is to pass through the Third Training Ground and reach the exit on the opposite side.”
“This examination does not restrict the techniques or methods you use.”
“The only restriction is that you are not allowed to form teams.”
“There are already one hundred scrolls hidden throughout the training ground.”
“Your objective is to obtain as many scrolls as possible while making your way through the area.”
“Your ranking will be determined by the number of scrolls you obtain.”
“The more scrolls you acquire, the higher your ranking.”
“Additionally, the village has arranged for several genin to enter the training ground as well.”
“They will compete with you for the scrolls and may also attempt to prevent you from reaching the exit.”
“If you suffer injuries serious enough to prevent you from continuing, the examining teachers will judge your result as ‘failed.'”
After explaining the rules, Imai Nobuyuki gave them another reminder.
“For this examination, you are not allowed to carry any supplies other than your basic ninja tools.”
“If you need additional food, water, or any other resources, you must obtain them yourselves inside the training ground.”
“Now, everyone open your ninja tool pouches.
The examiners will inspect them!”
Kuroda Ren untied the ninja tool pouch hanging from his waist and opened it for inspection.
But his eyes were already fixed on the training ground ahead.
He had been here before.
At the time, Imai Nobuyuki and several other teachers had brought Class A here to teach them the basics of surviving in the wilderness.
He hadn’t expected that the practical portion of their final examination would also be held here.
As long as we make it through, that means we’ve at least passed, right?
Kuroda Ren felt somewhat puzzled.
But with genin actively interfering, the difficulty is already much higher than the graduation examination in the original story.
Is the Ninja Academy’s system different during this era?
Or was this special examination specifically designed for our class?
In the original story, the Ninja Academy’s graduation examination only required students to randomly perform one of the Three Basic Techniques.
But now, the final examination of their first semester consisted of an actual wilderness survival exercise.
And there were even real shinobi deliberately interfering with them.
The difficulty was certainly exaggerated compared with the Three Basic Techniques examination.
It wasn’t quite as difficult as the Forest of Death stage of the Chūnin Exams in the original story, but it was still several levels above a simple ninjutsu examination.
Kuroda Ren hadn’t interacted with many people and hadn’t specifically investigated how the Academy’s examination system worked.
Still, could the examination system change so drastically over just a dozen years?
He couldn’t shake the feeling that something was strange.
But there was no time to think about it.
After the examiner finished inspecting his ninja tool pouch and confirmed that he wasn’t carrying any prohibited supplies, Kuroda Ren walked toward the area near the entrance.
“Ren-kun.”
Yūhi Kurenai looked somewhat worried.
“This examination is so difficult!
I’m a little scared.”
“Don’t worry.”
Kuroda Ren comforted her.
“The examiners are watching us.
Nothing will happen.”
“At worst, you can just give up.”
The rules prohibited them from forming teams, so Kuroda Ren couldn’t directly help Kurenai.
All he could do was tell her to withdraw if she couldn’t handle it.
Of course, if a genuinely dangerous situation arose, even if Kurenai herself refused to give up, the examiners wouldn’t allow her to recklessly continue.
As far as safety was concerned, Kuroda Ren wasn’t particularly worried.
Although the Third Training Ground was themed around wilderness survival, its danger level was nowhere near that of the Forest of Death used during the Chūnin Exams in the original story.
At the very least, there were no gigantic beasts or poisonous insects here.
There were only ordinary wild animals.
For people who possessed chakra—even Ninja Academy students who hadn’t officially become shinobi yet—dealing with them was easy.
At the very least, there was little chance of anyone losing their life.
“Anyone who hasn’t reached the exit by tonight will automatically be judged as having failed!”
Imai Nobuyuki announced.
“Now, the examination begins!”
The moment his voice fell, every student in Class A shot forward like an arrow released from a bow.
They rushed into the training ground.
Central Section of the Training Ground
Several shinobi received the signal.
They exchanged glances.
Namikaze Minato wore a helpless expression as he held a kunai.
“Well… let’s have some fun with these kids.”
“Hehehe!”
Uzumaki Kushina suddenly grinned mischievously.
“I’ll teach these young juniors a proper lesson!”
She clenched her fists tightly.
Crack, crack.
Her knuckles popped.
“Kuroda Ren is mine.”
Maruboshi Kosuke adjusted the black cooking pot strapped to his back and slowly walked into the jungle.
“The rest are yours.”
…
“Red, let’s split up here.”
After traveling some distance, Kuroda Ren turned toward Yūhi Kurenai, who had been following behind him.
“You can stay behind me and follow the route I’ve already taken.”
“It’ll be safer that way.”
Although the rules prohibited them from forming a team, Kuroda Ren could still reduce some of the danger Kurenai would face by doing this.
“Don’t underestimate me.”
Kurenai puffed out her cheeks and deliberately put on an angry expression.
“I’m strong too!”
“Not only am I going to pass this exam, I’m going to place in the top three!”
“Yes, yes.”
Kuroda Ren smiled and played along.
“Of course Red is very strong.”
He immediately continued:
“Then I’ll go ahead first.
Be careful.”
Kuroda Ren naturally wasn’t going to argue with Kurenai over her stubbornness.
He would simply use his own methods to reduce the risks she faced as much as possible.
As for her declaration that she would definitely place in the top three…
He could listen to that and leave it at that.
Kuroda Ren knew Kurenai’s strength very well.
In this class, if she worked hard and had a little luck, she had a chance of fighting her way into the top five.
But the top three?
Those positions were practically untouchable.
Kuroda Ren.
Hatake Kakashi.
Uchiha Tekka.
These three occupied the top three spots like an immovable wall.
Everyone else had no chance whatsoever.
◇ Bonus Chapter Goals ◇