Konoha Year 49, July 1st, graduation day.
The blazing sun hung high, the Ninja Academy gates were closed tightly, and accompanying parents gathered in small groups.
The scorching sunlight made the anxious parents feel even hotter inside.
They either cast worried glances toward the school gates or casually chatted with strangers beside them to ease their tension.
Even ninjas who had experienced life and death lost their usual calm composure on this day that concerned their children’s future.
An uncle wearing a ninja flak jacket with spiky hair crossed his arms; his face, painted with oil colors, showed some irritation.
Watching his companion jumping around, he uncharacteristically lost his patience and scolded, “Grey Fang, stop jumping, stay put and be good.” The large dog, resembling a wild wolf, heard its master’s scolding and had to crawl grievously to its master’s side, sitting listlessly beside him.
Seeing this, a ninja with a sword on his back smiled and said, “Inuzuka Yu, you are anxious yourself, why take it out on Grey Fang?
Besides, what are you worried about?
If your little Aya’s abilities aren’t enough to graduate, then hardly any students will graduate today.” Hearing the sword-bearing ninja’s praise for his daughter, the uncle laughed twice and hurriedly replied, “Your Hayate is also quite good, just that his constitution is a bit weak, he needs more exercise!” The sword-bearing ninja shook his head upon hearing this.
Hayate’s problem wasn’t a lack of exercise!
Sigh, he didn’t know if letting Hayate walk the path of a ninja was the right choice.
While the parents were discussing, the students about to graduate had already completed the first round of testing and handed in their exam papers.
They remained in their original seats, waiting for the next round of exams, which was also the final exam—the ninjutsu assessment.
After all, they were ninjas.
A sharp pen meant nothing; hard fists were king.
Soon, a Chunin examiner walked in holding a roster.
“Next is the ninjutsu assessment.
Those whose names are called, follow me to the classroom next door for testing.
Those not called, stay in the classroom.” “Yagyu Ichiro!” A boy wearing a green headband stood up.
“Hyuga Rong!” A boy with white eyes stood up.
“…” “Uchiha Aozora!” Uchiha Aozora’s rising drew all the attention in the classroom.
Like most Uchihas, he had black hair and angular features.
Unlike other Uchihas, he always looked sleepy, with a smile hanging on his lips, looking completely harmless.
“The ten of you, follow me!” After speaking, the examiner turned and walked out of the classroom.
The called students hurried to follow.
As the examiner left, the restless students began to whisper.
At first, they just quietly discussed potential exam questions, but later they slowly began to guess the results of the ten students aloud.
A chubby boy with a bowl cut stood up proudly and said, “I bet Hyuga Rong will definitely pass!” Hearing his proud tone, those who didn’t know might have thought he was Hyuga Rong himself!
The girl in the seat behind him slammed a fist onto him, making him sit down.
With her hands on her hips, she said, “What nonsense is fatty spouting?
If Hyuga Rong hadn’t been injured during the Nine-Tails attack on the village, he would have graduated last year.” The bowl-cut fatty wanted to retort, but turning back and seeing the oil paint on her face, he hurriedly and sycophantically said, “Big sister is right!” Inuzuka Aya ignored the fatty’s flattery.
She turned to ask the pale boy beside her for his opinion, “Hayate, how many of those ten, including Hyuga Rong, do you think will pass?” “Cough, cough!” Gekko Hayate covered his mouth and nose with his hand, coughed lightly twice, and then said, “They should all be able to pass!” “Oh?” She voiced her doubt, then probed: “Hayate, do you think they will relax the graduation standards again this year like they did last year?” Gekko Hayate nodded approvingly.
Inuzuka Aya first laughed “haha” twice, and then said, “Even so, I have a different opinion from yours!” “Is that so?
Aya, please speak up, let me hear your brilliant opinion!” Gekko Hayate said gently.
Inuzuka Aya hummed in agreement, then shook her head and analyzed: “Hyuga Rong, Yagyu Ichiro…
those few will definitely pass.
Yoshino and Kuiki also have a chance, after all, their taijutsu is okay.” “But, on what grounds can that squinty-eyed Uchiha Aozora pass?” “Taijutsu?
Just looking at his skin, you can guess he usually doesn’t even step out of his house.” “Ninjutsu?
He only managed to refine chakra this year.” “Genjutsu?
Maybe he really knows it, after all, he cultivates in his dreams every day!” Inuzuka Aya was not considered a genius, but she was definitely a top student and the big sister of the class.
When she spoke, the students in the classroom couldn’t help but listen attentively.
Hearing “cultivates in his dreams,” the boys couldn’t help but smile knowingly, while the girls were a bit indignant and spoke up to defend him one after another.
“Aozora isn’t that bad, he is number one in ninja tool throwing, okay?” “Aozora is super nice!” “You are just jealous, don’t slander our Aozora.” “…” Being stared at by the resentful gazes of the female students in the class, Inuzuka Aya rolled her eyes.
Konoha has been established for 49 years, why hasn’t there been a female Hokage yet?
If female ninjas are all as superficial as them, how could they possibly become powerful ninjas?
She, Inuzuka Aya, was different.
She was destined to become a powerful kunoichi like Princess Tsunade.
Male beauty was like floating clouds to her.
She mockingly apologized: “I’m sorry.
I forgot, Aozora is still very excellent, he still has a chance to pass the assessment.” Just as peaceful and beautiful smiles appeared on the corners of the girls’ mouths, Inuzuka Aya said again: “After all, he is so pretty.
As long as he smiles, maybe some male ninja wouldn’t be able to resist raising his hand to give him a passing grade!” “Ah, Inuzuka Aya…” Gekko Hayate gently shook his head, no longer paying attention to the argument in the classroom.
His gaze passed through the window, looking at the ten people following the teacher to the exam venue, and looked at Uchiha Aozora trailing at the back.
Among the ten, he knew the strengths and backgrounds of the other nine clearly, but only Uchiha Aozora, the dead last of this class, he couldn’t see through.
His older brother was the most outstanding genius of the Uchiha clan.
When Uchiha Aozora first enrolled, his every move received everyone’s attention.
Unfortunately, in his six years at the school, he showed no special traits whatsoever.
He lay on his desk sleeping year-round, lacked energy in taijutsu training, directly surrendered in combat classes, and only refined chakra in the sixth grade.
Besides inheriting the Uchiha’s fine tradition of ninja tool throwing, he was good for nothing else.
It seemed he was good for nothing except his handsome face.
But Gekko Hayate felt this classmate of his was not simple.
For no other reason than his swordsman’s intuition.
He felt the other party was a bit dangerous.
Gekko Hayate was right.
This year was a special period.
Although the buildings destroyed in the village had been rebuilt, the dead ninjas could not be resurrected.
Even though a large number of ninjas were promoted last year, Konoha would still face a massive shortage of ninjas this year and in the coming years.
Therefore, the graduation assessment of the Konoha Ninja Academy this time was very simple.
Whether it was ninjutsu, taijutsu, or genjutsu, as long as one had a specialty, they could graduate.
Uchiha Aozora walked into the exam room unhurriedly.
His squinted eyes opened slightly, taking in the exam room’s environment instantly through his peripheral vision.
The chief examiner, Yamanaka Kiyotsuki, had her eyes light up.
She looked the handsome young man up and down, the corners of her mouth curving up slightly, and she spoke: “Next is the ninjutsu assessment.
Uchiha Aozora, please get ready.” Uchiha Aozora stood firmly in front of the two examiners, then slowly nodded in agreement.
“Please perform the Clone Jutsu, Substitution Jutsu, and Transformation Jutsu in order.” (END CHAPTER)