Chapter 12: The Prudent Izayoi Finally Gets Matched with the Son of Destiny

  As time entered March, the third term also reached its end. Starting this month, Izayoi began attending csses with his main body more frequently – not just in the afternoons, but for the morning academic lessons as well.

  One reason was that March wasn't only the graduation month for sixth-years but also the major exam month for the other grades. Before this term concluded, there would be an important year-end major exam. The results of this major exam, combined with the scores from various quizzes and pop quizzes throughout the three terms, would be compiled into an overall grade. The school would then use this comprehensive score to select the top student in the entire grade – the so-called Chief Student.

  To stand out amongst several csses, dozens or even hundreds of students, including many scions of ninja cns, and become the number one in the grade undoubtedly marked one as the most dazzling genius. If the Chief Student was from a ninja cn, they were the most outstanding member of their family's new generation. If they came from an ordinary family, they were a commoner genius who had surpassed the children of ninja cns. These Chief Students were all influential figures at the Ninja Academy.

  Izayoi naturally wouldn't let the title of Chief Student go to anyone else. Their cohort was the most special new generation. The children from major ninja cns were mostly heirs to their cn leadership. Surpassing them to become Chief Student held far greater value than in other grades. By securing the Chief Student title and proving his talent, Izayoi would face even less resistance when interacting with Hinata.

  With Izayoi's current strength, winning the Chief Student title posed no difficulty for him. Even if his main body didn't attend, his Shadow Clone could easily defeat the others. However, Izayoi still came in person. Because he knew that undercurrents were already surging within Konoha.

  Konoha Year 55, the Konoha 9 (Nine Rookies) were now 7 years old. This year also held a major event that would shock the entire shinobi world: the Uchiha Cn – which had become Konoha's number one prestigious cn, arguably even the number one ninja cn in the world after the decline of the Senju – would be annihited by a thirteen-year-old youth. And this youth was the son of the current cn head, Sasuke Uchiha's older brother – Itachi Uchiha. On the back of this astonishing feat, Itachi Uchiha would also become the youngest S-rank missing-nin in the shinobi world.

  However, only a few knew that the Uchiha Cn wasn't wiped out by Itachi alone; not only were the Konoha higher-ups involved, but there was also help from an outsider. Izayoi was one of the few privy to this secret.

  During this period, the shinobi world's number one simp (derogatory reference to Obito), could use Kamui to wander into Konoha at any time. To avoid being discovered by this simp, or attracting his attention, Izayoi decided to adopt a prudent approach: slow down his training speed, and refrain from taking Hinata to the deserted training ground until after the Uchiha Cn's destruction.

  It was better to be safe than sorry. Hinata was the Main Family's eldest daughter, possessing a Byakugan without the Caged Bird Seal. Such eyes were priceless and virtually unobtainable on the bck market. After all, Ao, possessing just one Byakugan, became an elite Jonin of Kirigakure and even nded on Konoha's high-priority wanted list (likely the Bingo Book). Who knew if Obito Uchiha, or Bck and White Zetsu lurking in the shadows, might suddenly target Hinata's Byakugan? Izayoi, having already caused ripples through the butterfly effect, wasn't willing to gamble on the vilins' benevolence.

  ...

  March 20th.

  Students from grades one to five faced their year-end major exams, scheduled just before the sixth-years' graduation assessment.

  On this day, Izayoi arrived at the Ninja Academy early. However, Hinata had arrived in the cssroom even earlier. After exchanging their secret sign and confirming Izayoi was using his main body, Hinata gave a slight smile and said softly, "Good luck, Izayoi-kun."

  "Mm, let's both do our best," Izayoi grinned and encouraged her in a low voice, "Let's aim to take first and second pce."

  "Mm!" Hinata nodded, her eyes full of longing as she pictured the results board dispying her and Izayoi's names ranked first and second. Previously, Hinata had no desire for rankings. But now, she didn't want to lose to anyone other than Izayoi. She had the strength to compete for second pce!

  Soon, the exam time arrived. The morning assessment covered academic subjects. Although the Three Basic Techniques had been taught this term, the school didn't test them. After all, not even all sixth-year students could perform all three techniques. Some graduation assessments even tested only one of the three randomly. For a newly graduated Genin, simply being able to perform one C-rank elemental ninjutsu was enough to amaze their Jonin instructor with their chakra capacity. This indicated that over ninety percent of first-year students likely didn't have the chakra to perform the Three Basic Techniques yet.

  Therefore, even though Itachi Uchiha's academic knowledge was only at a first-year level, the mere fact that he used Shadow Clones for csses led his teacher to believe he had nothing left to teach, specifically requesting the Third Hokage to allow Itachi to graduate early. In this world, academics were secondary; strength was primary. Naruto Uzumaki was the prime example.

  The morning exams posed no difficulty for Izayoi and Hinata. The afternoon exams consisted of shuriken throwing, Taijutsu sparring, and the newly added survival exercise. The first two were also easy. As long as Hinata wasn't matched against Izayoi in Taijutsu, she would get full marks, even if facing Sasuke Uchiha. In terms of Taijutsu, Hinata was already unbeatable among the first-years. Her decisive attacks and pressure point strikes were a nightmare for children her age. However, if she were matched against Izayoi, her hopes for second pce would be dashed.

  Why not hopes for Chief Student? Simple: over the three terms, Hinata had been matched against Izayoi previously, and naturally lost. Her comprehensive score was already lower than Izayoi's. Even if she luckily achieved full marks in every subject on the year-end exam, she couldn't cim the Chief Student title. Simirly, even if Izayoi carelessly made a mistake on the written exam and lost points to Sakura Haruno, Sakura couldn't become Chief Student either, because her overall score wasn't high enough.

  Currently, among the first-years, only Izayoi, Sasuke Uchiha, and Shino Aburame remained undefeated in practical sparring. However, Sasuke's and Shino's comprehensive academic scores were lower than both Izayoi's and Hinata's. Even if they achieved perfect scores on the year-end exam, they couldn't take the top spot. Hinata just needed full marks in the practical exams to secure second pce overall – unless someone from another css had a better comprehensive score than her, which was clearly impossible.

  In shuriken throwing, Izayoi easily obtained a perfect score. When it came to the Taijutsu sparring matchups, however, Izayoi was paired against an unexpected opponent.

  "Next match: Izayoi versus Naruto Uzumaki."

  The students of Css 1-1 formed a circle in the open area. Iruka Umino stood in the center, holding a clipboard, and announced the pairing loudly.

  "Ehhh..." Hearing his opponent's name, Naruto Uzumaki couldn't help but hold his head in his hands, looking utterly desperate. "How could my opponent be Izayoi? I'm doomed!"

  Academics and shuriken throwing were already nightmarish for Naruto. Only in Taijutsu sparring did he feel he had a slight chance of winning. But now, even that sliver of hope was gone. After all, Izayoi was the one who even the "Taijutsu Great Demon King" Hinata couldn't defeat.

  Unlike the despairing Naruto Uzumaki, Izayoi's eyes lit up.

  He was finally matched against the Son of Destiny!