The Ninja Academy’s graduation ceremony was far more solemn and desolate than Ryū had imagined.
There were no cheers, no laughter—only a heavy stillness, steeped in the shadow of war.
The auditorium was packed with parents who had come to witness the ceremony, yet worry far outweighed joy on their faces.
Every student about to don a forehead protector carried the same unspoken truth: any one of them could soon become the next name engraved on the Memorial Stone.
Ryū stood at the very front of the line, back straight, expression calm.
He could feel countless gazes converging on him—envy and jealousy from classmates, curious scrutiny from parents, and several faint but sharp looks from the high platform.
“This year’s top graduate—Kazama Ryū!” “Second-place graduate—Uchiha Nain!” The moment the instructor announced those two names, a suppressed gasp rippled through the hall.
It was them again.
One was a civilian-born genius who had risen purely through mastery of basic Ninjutsu, without any Bloodline Limit.
The other was the most dazzling prodigy of the Uchiha Clan in this generation.
Like two stars whose brilliance could not be hidden, they had left their peers far behind.
Nain stepped onto the stage, her usual arrogance intact.
Yet the slight lift of her chin—and the brief glance she cast toward Ryū—betrayed the pride and fierce competitiveness in her heart.
Ryū ignored it all.
He accepted his graduation certificate with composure, as though this moment were merely a minor checkpoint in a much longer plan.
The real trial was only just beginning.
The team assignments followed immediately.
“Team 7… Asuma Sarutobi, Kurenai Yūhi…” Hearing those familiar names, Ryū’s eyelids twitched slightly.
The inertia of fate was still strong.
“Team 8…” The instructor paused, clearly surprised by the lineup himself.
He glanced down at the list once more before calling out loudly.
“Kazama Ryū!” “Uchiha Nain!” “Hyūga Chihori!” The moment the names were announced, the auditorium exploded into chatter.
“The first- and second-place graduates are on the same team?!” “And there’s a Hyūga too—this lineup is insane!” “Uchiha and Hyūga together… that’s going to be terrifying!” Nain froze.
She turned sharply toward Ryū, her expression complicated—surprise, irritation, and a trace of relief she hadn’t even noticed herself.
Ryū, upon hearing the name Hyūga Chihori, shifted his gaze toward the edge of the formation.
There stood a slender girl with a neat hime-cut, nervously clutching the hem of her clothes.
Her head was bowed so low it nearly disappeared into her chest, as if she feared becoming the center of attention.
A brand-new Konoha forehead protector rested on her brow.
Its metal plate caught the light—but it couldn’t completely hide the faint outline of the blue curse mark beneath it.
Byakugan.
And the branch family’s cage bird seal.
A faint ripple passed through Ryū’s heart.
So this was a bird trapped in a cage.
He felt no pity—only calm observation.
A top-tier scout, a Fire Release powerhouse, and himself—the versatile “cunning fox.” …Ahem.
He meant an all-around specialist.
An interesting team indeed.
Just as whispers spread through the crowd, a gentle voice sounded behind them.
“Hello.
I’ll be your jōnin instructor—Sarutobi Sanaru.” The three turned around.
A middle-aged man with short brown hair stood there, a warm, approachable smile always on his face.
Dressed in a standard jōnin flak jacket, he looked like nothing more than a kind, neighborly uncle—someone who inspired instant trust.
But Ryū’s perception was far sharper than appearances.
He could clearly sense the strength beneath that mild exterior: deep, stable chakra, a seasoned presence, and the sharpness of someone who had survived real battlefields.
This was a trusted subordinate of the Hokage—an elite jōnin forged by war.
“All right, children.
Follow me.” Sanaru led the three straight to Konoha’s most famous Training Ground No.
3.
Leaning casually against a wooden post, he reached into his ninja pouch and pulled out two small bells tied with red cords.
Jingle.
The crisp sound froze the atmosphere instantly.
“The usual rules,” Sanaru said gently, though his words carried no warmth.
“Only those who take these bells from me before noon will be recognized as true genin.” “As for those who fail…” He wagged a finger.
“You’ll return to the Academy and start over.” Nain’s fighting spirit flared instantly.
She exchanged a glance with Ryū—two years of constant sparring had already forged a silent understanding between them.
Hyūga Chihori, by contrast, had gone pale.
Her body trembled faintly.
“Then…” Sanaru glanced at the sky.
“Begin.” The moment his voice fell, Nain moved.
“Fire Release: Great Fireball Jutsu!” She opened with her strongest technique.
A massive fireball roared forward, passing so close to Ryū that he could feel the heat brush past his ear.
Sanaru formed seals swiftly and slammed one hand onto the ground.
“Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall!” Boom!
A thick wall of earth erupted upward, effortlessly blocking the full-force attack.
In the next instant, Sanaru formed seals with both hands.
“Earth Release: Earth Flow River!” The ground churned violently.
The earth beneath the three genin transformed into a raging mudslide, sweeping them apart and instantly splitting the battlefield.
“So fast—!” Ryū felt his heart jolt.
He activated the Body Flicker Technique, flashing several times before landing firmly on the trunk of a tall tree.
But by the time he looked again, the situation had already changed.
The weakest member, Hyūga Chihori, had been caught in a genjutsu during the chaos.
She clung to a tree, smiling blissfully, eyes unfocused.
“Father… praised me…” “One,” Sanaru’s voice echoed lazily.
On the other side, Nain had been slammed between two towering earth walls.
Her Fire Release was completely suppressed by the overwhelming Earth Release, unable to deal any meaningful damage.
“Two.” Sanaru dusted off his hands, as though he had done nothing of note.
Then he lifted his gaze, locking precisely onto Ryū atop the tree.
For the first time, the smile on his face carried a hint of seriousness.
“Top graduate,” he said calmly.
“Your turn.” “Let me see what kind of ability you have—” “—you whom Hokage-sama praises so highly.”