Chapter 33: Graduation Exam, New Acknowledgment

Notes:

Clan’s territories or grounds will be referred to districts to differentiate from other similar spaces

Ninja headband is a forehead protector engraved with the village’s symbol

The next day, Uchiha Tonan, who had otherwise slept late due to bustling most of the night, woke up surprisingly early. After washing up, he changed into new clothes, took his ninja bag, and left for the Academy.

Today was the final exam and also graduation day. A large group of parents had gathered outside the Ninja Academy. When Tonan arrived, the parents began to discuss him in whispers.

“He is the Uchiha genius, Uchiha Tonan. My child says he and the other genius Hatake Kakashi have applied for early graduation.”

“It looks like this kid may be in his second year.”

“You are not very concerned about the children, are you? Tonan and Kakashi are just first-grade students.”

“How come other families’ children are so capable?”

“I heard that Tonan was very sad when his parents passed away and he awakened his Sharingan. Just thinking about it, I want to commit suicide drowning in the river to make my kid awaken his Sharingan.”

“You know, it is a good thing for a family to live a normal and happy life.”

“This kid looks refined and cultured. He doesn’t look very powerful.”

“Apparently, he was carrying a little girl’s corpse on the streets a couple of days ago.”

“That was him?! I heard that girl was his girlfriend.”

“Children nowadays… how can they fall in love so early? This is not alright, I need to be stricter with my kid. At least, they should reach third grade before falling in love.”

“You don’t need to worry so much… isn’t your kid a girl?”

At that moment, Tonan, whose path was blocked by the two idly chatting parents, politely said, “Excuse me, can you please let me through?”

“Yes, little fellow, go, go.”

“Do your best.”

“Thank you, uncles.”

After Tonan entered the academy, one of the parents watching him distractedly stroked his chin and said, “Actually, if my girl could make this young kid fall in love with her, it wouldn’t be so bad.”

……

Tonan walked all the way to the examination center. He pushed opened the door and saw about fifty to sixty students seated inside. There was still time, and most of the students hadn’t arrived yet.

Even the early-bird Kakashi hadn’t arrived yet. Tonan smiled warmly and nodded at other students in the classroom. He took his place as per the exam proctor’s seating arrangement.

About half an hour later, the other students came in one after another.

“Is that white-haired kid and the kid with the glasses the first-year students who applied for early graduation this year?”

“Yes, but don’t underestimate them. Since I usually sat by the window, I have seen some of the other grades’ combat training. Those kids are remarkably strong.”

“Silence,” the exam proctor solemnly instructed, and added, “The test paper will be distributed now. There will be no chatting from here onwards. If anyone is caught cheating, your paper will be graded zero.”

Soon, the test paper was handed out to everyone. Tonan could tell at first glance itself that the paper was very simple. It was so easy that even Naruto could have passed it. It comprised only multiple-choice questions. It looked like the theory learned in the academy was useful for the chunin exams only.

Tonan shook his head, picked up the pen, and began answering at full speed.

Question: How is chakra produced?

Produced out of thin air. Produced from digested food. Produced by the combination of physical energy and spiritual energy.

Among the three choices, choosing C, whether by knowing the answer or just because it was the longest, was right either way.

Question: What can the clone created by Clone Technique do?

Help do homework. Tickle you. Walk.

……

There were twenty such absurd multiple-choice questions, and the answer for twelve of them was C. In other words, even without understanding anything, one would pass as long as C was ticked for all answers.

At this moment, most of the people had finished their test papers, and quietly sat on their seats.

After about half an hour, the proctor began to collect the test paper. At this time, Umino Naoto made a special trip to the graduation examination room to help supervise the exam. It looked like he had already finished supervising the first-year exam.

Immediately after entering, he gave Kakashi and Tonan an encouraging look. Tonan nodded and smiled back. After collecting the papers, the proctor stood up and announced, “Next, it’s the ninjutsu test. This year’s ninjutsu topic is Substitution Technique.”

Hearing this, the entire classroom was filled with complaints.

“What!”

“Why the Substitution Technique with the most number of hand signs?”

“I can’t remember all hand signs of the Technique.”

“I can make hand signs, but I fail nine out of ten times.”

“Last year, it was Transformation Technique, which was the simplest.”

“Damn it, yesterday, Nosuke-sensei swore that this year’s examination topic was Clone Technique.”

……

Looking at the clamor, blue veins popped on the proctor’s forehead. He slammed on the podium and shouted, “Shut up! If you want to speak again, get out.”

Silence reigned in the exam room once again and the proctor continued, “There are two students who applied for early graduation this year. And because their test content is different from the others, their test takes precedence.”

He nodded towards Naotok, which then took the lead and called out in a clear loud voice, “Hatake Kakashi.”

Everyone’s eyes focused on Kakashi. As for the student himself, he lazily walked to the platform as if he was bored. Naoto awkwardly smiled at the proctor beside him, coughed, and said, “Kakashi, be serious. Come and perform all the three basic ninjutsu.”

Hearing his sensei’s instruction, Kakashi raised his hands, which seemed to disappear in the next moment, leaving blur images. The other students couldn’t see the signs he was making.

Even before the white smoke rose, another Kakashi appeared beside him. In the next moment, Kakashi, who was standing in the original position, turned to Tonan. And the clone began to walk towards the classroom’s door.

“What about the Substitution Technique…” Naoto pointed out but just as he spoke, he heard a bang. Kakashi, who was standing on the spot, turned into a substitute wood.

“May I leave now?”

Kakashi, who everyone thought was a clone, stood in front of the door, his hand already at the doorknob.

The proctor said with high praise, “Very good. Not only are you proficient in the three basic ninjutsu, but you can also use them together. Three days later, come to this classroom to receive your ninja headband, and also meet your lead sensei.”

The proctor recorded the results in a notebook. Kakashi just shrugged his shoulders, pushed open the door, and walked out.

“Amazing.”

“Was this is a freshman? Didn’t you tell me that he’s a freshman?”

“Kakashi is so powerful. Is that genius of the Uchiha clan even more powerful?”

“I heard that that person has already awakened the Sharingan.”

“They are not letting other people live.”

At this time, Naoto also looked at Tonan, who was in his seat, and called out, “Next, Uchiha Tonan.”

Tonan walked to the front, bowed to the two teachers, then made a ‘Ram’ sign. Along with the rise of white smoke, Tonan turned into the appearance of Naoto. Then he released the Transformation Technique and began to use the Clone Technique.

“Ram-Snake-Tiger”

Two identical Tonans appeared in front of everyone.

“It doesn’t look like he is comparable to that white-haired one.”

“And here, I thought that he was more powerful one.”

“He’s not much but he’s still a bit better than me.”

……

“Tiger-Boar-Ox-Dog-Snake”

Tonan finished making hand signs slowly and rhythmically. Then, his body turned into a ball of white smoke, a substitute wood fell on the ground, and his figure appeared at one side.

“Sensei, is this fine?” Tonan looked at the proctor and humbly asked.

Following Kakashi’s brilliant feat, Tonan’s performance was a bit of a letdown.

The invigilator nodded, casually put a good score in his notebook, and said, “Not bad but you don’t seem too proficient in them yet. You need to practice more in the future. You have passed the test. Come back after three days.”

Tonan didn’t care about the proctor’s differential treatment. He placed his hands on the knees and bowed, “Thank you, proctor-sensei. Many thanks, Naoto-sensei.”

Naoto knew that Tonan’s comprehension of the three basic ninjutsu was not inferior to Kakashi. And he had a more favorable impression of his simple performance. He looked at the polite student and said with an understanding smile, “This is the result of your hard work. Go back and rest now.”

Tonan nodded, turned around, and walked outside the classroom. The invigilator took advantage of the free time to organize the materials and whispered to Naoto, “You have such good students. They graduated only after a year. It’s truly enviable.”

Naoto was overjoyed in his heart. He scratched his head happily and said, “I was just lucky, just plain dumb luck.”

‘Ding! Gained Umino Naoto’s acknowledgment.’

Tonan had just walked outside the examination hall and stopped in his tracks when he heard the system’s prompt. He narrowed his eyes slightly, and the corners of his mouth twitched as he turned to look at Naoto.

Naoto, who had been scratching his head, suddenly frowned. He felt a chill run up his back.

“What’s going on?”

Naoto raised his head and looked at the students in the examination room. Finally, he caught sight of the smiling Tonan, who was looking back at him. For some reason, Naoto thought Tonan’s smile looked terrifying.

He swallowed and asked in confusion, “Tonan, did you want something?”

Tonan’s smile brightened, which greatly reduced the chill on Naoto. “Naoto-sensei, I’ve become a genin. You’ve to work hard, otherwise, I’ll catch up to you soon,” Tonan said in a jovial tone, then turned around and left.

Naoto smiled shyly, and instantly forgot the strange feeling just now.

“This kid, he’s encouraging his sensei now.”

The proctor muttered to himself and leisurely said, “I think what he said is true. With his talent, I guess he will become a chunin like you within a few years.”

“Next, Akimichi Honoka.”

Naoto was dumbfounded hearing his words. After thinking carefully, he agreed with the proctor’s words.

“Just thinking about my students surpassing me makes me happy. But if I’m surpassed too soon, my students might not respect me. Looks like I must become a jonin before you and Kakashi become a chunin.”

Thinking about that, didn’t Tonan already kill a chunin…