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“You can apply for early graduation?”
On the way from the classroom to the exam venue, Yagura Karatachi asked Mangetsu Hozuki, “So if we split up for three years and each apply for early graduation one by one, we could game the system and avoid having to kill our teammates.”
Kaede Onime glanced at Yagura in surprise, then shook her head.
Mangetsu paused.
“No use, no use. If one member of a team applies for early graduation, the other two have to take the special early graduation exam together with them.”
“I see…”
Yagura lowered his head to absorb this information.
When he looked up, both of them were staring at him with strange expressions.
“What?”
“Nothing. I just feel like you seem to know everything, but also don’t know anything thoroughly.”
Mangetsu laughed.
“You know Onime, but you don’t know Kaede, who’s famous throughout all of Kirigakure. You know the Ninja Academy’s graduation exam system, but you don’t know that applying for early graduation has this kind of special rule.”
Yagura countered, “Is this something everyone knows?”
“I wouldn’t say everyone knows it. Let’s just say it’s common knowledge in every household.”
Mangetsu shrugged and glanced at Kaede Onime teasingly.
“Anyway, Kaede Onime’s reputation is known throughout all of Kirigakure. Except by you, Yagura.”
“Don’t drag me into this.” Kaede lowered her eyes, displeased.
“You’re the same yourself.”
“Hmm…”
Yagura nodded without denying it.
His knowledge of Kirigakure basically all came from various books, plus information passed on from Grandfather Karatachi.
Ever since he’d displayed extraordinary talent, Grandfather Karatachi and both his parents had decided in perfect agreement to keep Yagura hidden, without ever asking for his own opinion.
The concealment measures included but were not limited to: Yagura could not leave the house for too long each day, had to report to the family before going out, and when going out, several ninja of the Karatachi Household would inevitably be hidden at his side.
Also, when Yagura trained, he could only train in the Karatachi family’s Private Training Ground, and so on.
Yagura had no objections to this.
It allowed him to quietly develop his own strength without being targeted by those with ill intentions.
But this also resulted in Yagura knowing very little about the outside world.
Mangetsu grinned, then wanting to keep seeing Yagura make a fool of himself, said, “I’m guessing you haven’t heard any word about who applied for early graduation with the school today?”
“Who?”
Anyone who could apply for early graduation had to be extremely formidable.
But the name Mangetsu spoke still startled the mentally prepared Yagura.
“The prized daughter of the Terumi Clan, Mei Terumi.”
……
Led by Osamu Yamanashi, an entire class of new students who had been in school for less than half an hour arrived at the place where they would eventually take their Graduation Exam. This story is hosted at novelping dot com.
A circular enclosed Arena.
After exchanging greetings with the two masked ninja standing guard at the entrance, Osamu Yamanashi stepped through the Arena’s main gate.
But when he looked back and saw the little brat leading the group trembling and too scared to move forward, causing the entire line to fail to follow, Osamu Yamanashi roared, “Get in here, you little brats! Or I’ll slaughter you right now!”
THUD!
The child leading the line was so frightened by Osamu Yamanashi’s ferocious expression and furious voice that his legs gave out and he collapsed to the ground.
The child’s eyes were already reddening.
He desperately wanted to cry, he wanted his mom so badly!
But when he looked up, he met Osamu Yamanashi’s terrifyingly grim face.
He could not cry!
If he cried, he might really be killed!
“Hey hey hey. Get up, get up.”
Yagura stepped forward on his own.
Before Mangetsu and Kaede could react and pull him back, Yagura had already reached the very front of the line.
Reaching out to help up the little boy who couldn’t stand, Yagura patted the dust off him.
“How did you trip while just walking? Be more careful next time.”
The little boy recognized Yagura, that bold older brother who sat by the window and wasn’t afraid of the teacher.
“Th-thank you.”
“You’re not hurt, are you?”
“Mm-mm.” The little boy shook his head.
“Not hurt.”
Yagura glanced back at Osamu Yamanashi, who was already staring at him with extreme impatience and irritation.
Yagura didn’t want to get into conflict on the very first day with the teacher who would be guiding him for several years, so he sped up.
“I’m Yagura Karatachi! I’ll lead the way now. You follow behind me. The classmates in the back too!”
Kaede shifted her gaze to Mangetsu.
“Is he always like this?”
“Well, well~”
Starting to follow the line forward, Mangetsu smiled, happy to see it play out.
“He is the Fourth Mizukage, after all.”
Not expecting such an answer from Mangetsu, Kaede murmured thoughtfully, “…Is that so?”
Under Yagura’s lead, the class of little brats passed through the main gate and entered the Arena.
Judging by the result, it was a good thing.
Osamu Yamanashi merely glanced at Yagura and said nothing more, leading his class of little brats to take seats in the spectator stands.
There was no need for this Chunin, who had fought his way out under the Bloody Mist policies, to enforce discipline on a bunch of little brats.
The silent, killing atmosphere within the Arena had already silenced the entire group of little brats who had left their parents’ embrace less than an hour ago.
Yagura directed his gaze to the center of the Arena, at a young girl who looked about two years older than him.
Fishnet Armor worn under blue Ninja Attire.
Although she was some 20-odd years younger than the bone-melting, heart-dissolving Fifth Mizukage big sister in his memory, Yagura still recognized her at a glance.
Mei Terumi.
“You know Mei Terumi?”
Mangetsu asked, seeing Yagura’s expression.
Yagura nodded in confirmation.
“Looks like your fame isn’t as high as Mei Terumi’s, Kaede.”
Mangetsu turned his head to tease Kaede.
“See, Yagura knows Mei Terumi but not you. Don’t you think you should reflect on that, Kaede?”
Kaede didn’t want to engage with him, lest Mangetsu get more and more carried away.
Yagura remarked with feeling, “Mangetsu, where does this groundless rivalry mentality of yours come from?”
“Why do you talk so much like an old man?”
“Because my mental age is over 20 years older than yours.”
Yagura lightly tapped his chin with his finger and secretly glanced in the direction of his homeroom teacher, Osamu Yamanashi.
In the spectator stands, the only ones still daring to speak were just the three of them.
This teacher didn’t seem to have any intention of disciplining them.
Yagura turned back and asked Mangetsu, “Are you close with her? Mei Terumi.”
Both being children of major clans in Kirigakure, Yagura guessed they should know each other.
Mangetsu thought for a moment.
“Not really close, I guess. I’ve met her a few times when my grandfather took me to visit the Terumi household.”
“Oh, oh~”
“Both the Terumi and the Ninmizu clans protect her extremely tightly. There usually really aren’t many chances to see her.”
Yagura nodded in response.
After all, she was a clan descendant who had inherited the bloodlines of both families simultaneously, capable of using both the Lava Release and Boil Release kekkei genkai.
A ninja who possessed two kekkei genkai at the same time!
Such a thing had never appeared in the entire ninja world!
As if sensing the excessively heated scrutiny and prying gazes cast upon her, Mei Terumi raised her head and looked toward the direction where Yagura and the others were.
She recognized both Kaede Onime and Mangetsu Hozuki.
She nodded slightly, greeting the two.
But who was this somewhat handsome little brother sitting beside them?
Mei Terumi began examining Yagura with some interest.
His skin was fair and clean.
It would probably feel very nice to the touch.
“What a fine handsome man (in the future)~”
A gleam of interest flashed in Mei Terumi’s eyes.
“I wonder if you’re a man who melts easily.”
➤ Next: A Kiss That Corrodes Bone and Dissolves Heart