A Night Before the Exam

  Three months had passed since I began practig the e Jutsu. Now, I could create det es—good enough to fuse someone visually. It had taken me aire month just to make a barely funal human e. es were undoubtedly harder tharansformation Jutsu, so it wasn't surprising that Naruto sucked at them while excelling in transformations.

  Maybe after the exams, I should start practig the Sexy Jutsu. If it could stun Kaguya ōtsutsuki, then who knows? It might just save my life one day. And if nothing else, it could be my ticket to getting on Jiraiya's radar. That old pervert would probably love my knowledge of anime waifus from my past life—Hiruzen too.

  But after using es for three months, I uood why higher-level ninjas didn't rely ohey cked smell, weight, and even shadows. Ah sharp perception and battle experience could see through the fws. However, they still had their uses—like creating distras or masking my movements while I attacked from a blind spot. If I bihis with my ability to suppress my prese could be a deadly trick.

  Apart from that, I had reduced my m meditation sessions and started practig wiation more. I could noebbles and leaves hover, a clear improvement. My chakra reserves had also increased, though not as drastically as I had hoped. I had thought my chakra would grow in bursts after a year, but I guess my body still isn't strong enough to handle a sudden boost. Increasing my training volume isn't an optioher—I am already struggling with my current routine.

  Siomorrow is the exam, I skipped today's physical training. If I was going to take first pce, I couldn't afford to be exhausted.

  ----------

  Day – The Academy

  Okabe-seood he bckboard, his gaze sweeping over the . His usual serious expression didn't ge as he spoke, "Good m, kids. Today is the final exam of your first year."

  A Nara boy snored lightly in the back, pletely unbothered, while an Inuzuka kid was busy scratg his dog's ears. Okabe's eye twitched, but he didn't bother reprimanding them.

  He tinued, "You already know the subjects and the format, but I'll repeat it for those of you who like to live in their own world." His eyes flicked toward the Nara again.

  "The exams will take pce over three days. Today is the theory exam. Tomorrow, you will be tested on leaf tration and shuriken throwing. The day after that, the taijutsu spars will take pce, where two teachers will act as judges. The Hokage may also attend, so perform your best."

  The moment he mentiohe Hokage, a ripple of excitement and tension spread across the room. Some students instinctively straightened up, while others ched their fists iement.

  Okabe smirked. "And, of course, whoever ranks first will receive a personal reward from the Hokage himself. You ask for money, jutsus, a private instructor, or even the possibility of joining a —provided they accept you."

  The air became tense as civilian students, in particur, perked up. For them, this was a rare ce to escape mediocrity. s had resources—teiques, training, prote. If they could impress the Hokage, their futures could ge ht.

  Okabe tinued, "Uher first-year csses, whily have to pass theory, you are the elite css. You are required to pass the e of exams to maintain your pce. Failure will result iion, and audent from a lower-ranked css will take your spot."

  Silence fell over the room. The weight of his words was clear—this wasn't just an exam, it was a battle.

  "That's all. The exam sheets will be passed to the front row. Take one and pass it back. And I shouldn't have to say this, but if you're caught cheating, you will fail the eheory exam."

  Mier, the exam began.

  Kazeo skimmed through the paper. The questions were simple. The test was divided into four ses:

  1. Konoha and Shinobi World History

  2. Chakra Theory

  3. Basic Biology and Physics—simple questions any 10-year-old from my past world could answer.

  4. Mathematics—basic addition, subtraultiplication, and division.

  He breezed through the entire paper, leaving only one question unanswered on purpose.

  'Even if kids in this world are smarter, there's no way anyone is getting a perfect score,' He thought.

  Two hours ter, the exam ended. Some students looked relieved, others miserable. A few grumbled about how hard it was. The moment they were dismissed, Kazeo headed straight for the library.

  'If I am going to ask for a reward, I o know my options.'

  -------

  Library –

  Sitting in a quiet er, Kazeo flipped through scrolls, abs as muformation as possible.

  'ion of Forbidden Jutsu. Not that I expected it—those were probably locked away in S-rank or ANBU-exclusive archives. But I found a refereo Flying Thunder God, likely because of Minato's legacy.'

  However, something strange caught his eye—there was ion of Sage Mode.

  In fanfis from my past life, this ability was treated like on knowledge, yet here, it was o be found. Even Jiraiya's Sage Mode wasn't doted.

  'So Konoha guards Sage Mode as a secret. That makes sense. Only a handful of people could use it—Hashirama, Jiraiya, Minato, Naruto, and Kabuto—all from Konoha. It must be closely protected.'

  This gave him another reason to befriend Jiraiya. 'If I could gain his trust, maybe I could gain access to Mount Myōboku.

  Or better … I could find a new summoning willing to teach me Senjutsu.'

  With that thought, Kazeo closed the scroll aurned home.

  ---------

  Day – Leaf tration and Shuriken Throwing

  The css gathered at the academy's training ground, each student sitting cross-legged with a leaf banced on their forehead. The test was simple—keep the leaf stuck using only chakra for five mio pass. Anything beyond that would earn additional marks, with the top scorer setting the benchmark for everyone else.

  For example, if the top studehe leaf for 30 minutes and the sed-best sted 25 mihe sed-pce student would receive 25 out of 30 marks. The lohey sted, the better their final score.

  Barely two minutes in, a civilian boy lost trol of his chakra, and the leaf fluttered to the ground. His face paled as realization sank in. Tears welled up in his eyes, but no one forted him. Failing here meant automatic disqualification from the exam.

  Four minutes and nine seds in, an Inuzuka student lost his focus. The moment his leaf slipped off, his dog whined, rubbing its snout against his arm in sympathy. He sighed, disappointed but not as devastated as the previous kid.

  Beyond that, no one else failed.

  The top-ranking kids sted the lo. Uchiha Ishikawa, Senju Rin, and Uchiha Kaito all made it past the twenty-minute mark.

  The Uchiha boy smirked when the Senju girl dropped out first. But his smirk vanished wheiced Kazeo still sitting there.

  Kazeo held on for thirty-five mien minutes lohan him, before letting the leaf fall iionally. As there was no point in dragging it out.

  The final rankings were recorded, and the test ended.

  As soon as the Leaf tratio ehe students were led to the academy's on training area. Rows of sturdy wooden targets stood at a fixed distaheir bullseyes marked in deep red.

  This exam was straightforward—each student had ten attempts to throw shuriken and kunai, aiming for the bullseye. The closer their hits were to the ter, the higher their score. But just like before, the top scorer would set the benchmark for others.

  The sound of metal slig through air filled the training ground as one by oudents stepped forward and took their shots.

  The Uchiha domihe test.

  Their natural talent for precision and throwing teiques put them at the top, effortlessly hitting the bullseye multiple times. Senju Rin wasn't far behind, seg fourth pce.

  But the real surprise of the exam? Shimura Hiko.

  A quiet boy who had barely stood out in any previous test, suddenly outperformed most of the css, g sed pce. Uhe Uchiha, he wasn't fshy—his movements were trolled, measured. Every throw had minimal wasted movement, his aim cold and precise.

  Most students had dismissed him before, but after today, he wouldn't be ignored so easily.

  Kazeo lifted his first shuriken, rolling the etal between his fingers with steady grip. 'Don't clutch too tightly, or the release will be off.'

  With a flick of his wrist, He sent the shuriken flying. 'Aim slightly to the right—the wind will pensate.'

  Thud!

  The on embedded itself just a few millimeters away from the bullseye.

  'Not perfect, but damn close.'

  He adjusted his stand threw the ohis time, He adjusted the angle by a fra.

  Thud!

  Even closer.

  Kazeo repeated the process, each throw refining his trol.

  By the tenth throw, He knew his score.

  He g Shimura Hiko as he calmly stepped away, Hiko's gaze lingering on him for a moment before he turned, as if silently aowledging Kazeo as petition.

  Kazeo got third p shuriken throwing.

  He narrowed his eyes at the results. He had expected better. No—I should have doer. My throws were precise, calcutions solid. So, where did I fall short?

  He repyed the moment in his head. His wrist movements had been fluid, his grip perfect. Yet, there had been a fra of insisten his st three throws—just enough deviation to knock him down to third.

  'Damn it… I just hope this doesn't bee the reason I 't aim for first pce.'

  When the exam cluded, the instructors recorded the scores, and the students were dismissed for the day.

  After reag home, Kazeo decided to take a break from physical training. His muscles still held some fatigue from the past days, so tonight, he focused solely on practig jutsu.

  day-

  The sun hung high over the academy's training ground, casting long shadows over the sparring ring. The Taijutsu Exam had begun, and this time, Iruka stood as the referee, ensuring fair py. His sharp eyes watched every match, making sure no one titag after their oppo had either yielded or been knocked down. The goal wasn't to i to test skill, endurance, and trol.

  But the biggest reason for the studeement?

  The Hokage himself resent.

  His arrival had sent a wave of enthusiasm through the young shinobi, all eager to impress the vilge leader. Some stood taller, their stances firmer, while others shifted nervously, feeling the weight of his presence.

  One by ohe matches pyed out. Cshes of fists and kicks filled the air, students testing their strength and teique against one another.

  The results?

  Hyūga Kaito domihe fights, his 's Gentle Fist teique overwhelming oppos with precision and efficy, earning him first pce.

  Uchiha Ishikawa followed closely behind, his Sharingan not yet developed but his natural talent and his 's taijutsu keeping him in sed.

  Third pce went to a quiet Hyūga girl, who rarely spoke in css but proved her skill in bat.

  Kazeo pced fourth, after managing to defeat Senju Rin in the semi-finals, only to fall against the Hyūga girl's refieiques.

  Senju Rin secured fifth pce.

  Shimura Hiko came in sixth.

  As the final match cluded, the Hokage stepped forward, his warm, aged eyes sing the young warriors. A smile tugged at his lips as he approached some of the students, a few words of encement and ruffling the hair of those who had impressed him.

  Then, his voice rang out, calm yet anding.

  "I will return tomorrow… to personally reward the one who cimed first pce."

  Excitement rippled through the crowd. A reward from the Hokage himself? It was a rare honor, ohat left the students buzzing with curiosity and anticipation.

  With that, the Hokage turned aed, his presence leaving an unspoke in the air.

  The students soon followed, some discussing their fights, others quietly repying their mistakes in their heads.

  Kazeo, however, walked home in silehinking about results.

  day — The Results

  The m air was crisp as Kazeo pleted his daily routine—his m workout and wind jutsu practice. Sweat g to his skin, but his mind was sharp. After grabbing a ration bar, he locked his door a off toward the academy, his steps steady.

  By the time he arrived, a small crowd had already formed outside the training grounds, gathered in front of the result board. Every student in his css stood waiting, anticipation thi the air.

  Yet, at the moment, the board remaiy.

  "The results will be posted in ten minutes," someone murmured.

  Kazeo crossed his arms, as the miicked by. Finally, an academy teacher approached. With a flick of his wrist, he retrieved a ste scroll, unfurling it in one swift motion. A sheet of paper appeared, which he carefully pinned onto the board before stepping away.

  That was the signal.

  The moment the teacher left, chaos erupted.

  Students rushed forward, scrambling to find their heir ranks—some cheering, some groaning in disappoi. The cluster around the board was too thick for Kazeo to see anything at first, so he waited, standing back with a few others until the excitement died down.

  One by ohe kids left, either satisfied or sulking. When the crowd thinned, Kazeo stepped forward, his gaze sing the sheet.

  Then—he found his name.

  His brows furrowed.

  A sharp frowled on his face as he absorbed the results, his mind processing the ranking and marks.

  "Not what you expected?"

  A voice cut through the silence, ced with amusement.

  Kazeo didn't have to turn around to know who it was.

  Uchiha Ishikawa stood a few steps away, smirking.

  To be tinued...

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