Chapter 36: Graduation

Atsuko's POV

"Are you ready?," Jun asked me.

"No doubt," I nodded. "I waited 3 years for this day. I'm not going to miss it, dattebayo!"

"Alright, lets go," Jun said heading out.

We headed out of the house and into the dark forest. I activated my Byakugan, so I will know if we get attacked by enemies. Jun and I began are walk to Konoha.

ARRIVING...

"Ah, it feels great to be back! Officially that is," I said excited.

"You've been back everyday to go to the academy for the last three years, you can't miss the village that much," Jun sighed.

"Listen to what you just said. I haven't been able to see Teuchi-san or Ayame-san in a while."

"The longer we wait, the later you'll be."

"Then, I'm off."

I headed straight to the academy. When I entered my class, everybody was actually quiet and sitting at their desk. I slowly walked to my desk and sat down. Mayumi smiled at me.

"Hey, Suko-chan," she waved happily.

"Good morning, Yumi-chan," I smiled.

"Can you believe it, this is the day we become Genin!"

"Yeah, we trained really hard for this."

"But the graduation rules changed over the last 20 years. Back then, all you had to do was a transformation jutsu or something like that. Now, we had to create our own jutsu. And the ones we did in our first year, doesn't count."

"That's okay. I have a new jutsu. What about you?"

"Yep!"

"But still, though."

"What?"

"You're gonna be the youngest person to graduate from the academy ever."

"Oh yeah."

"You're only 9 while the rest of us our 10. Some turning 11!"

"That's okay. That's because I started early."

"But still..."

"Good morning, class," Sensei walked in.

We turned our attention towards him.

"We're going to start, so we can make the teams of those who graduated. First, is a written test," he told us.

A written test?! I thought it was just a physical test! I didn't study!

But I can't stop now. I worked too hard!

"Okay, each of you are going to get a scenario. You are going to write about what you would do in that situation. Now, everybody's scenario is different," Lee Sensei explained.

He handed us our scenarios.

"You have two hours...begin!"

We all began working on our papers.

TWO HOURS LATER...

"Time," Lee Sensei called.

All of us put down our pencils and sighed. Lee Sensei came around and grabbed our papers. We sat there unsure of what to do.

"Okay, we're are going to call the order of who came in first through last in last week's sparring tournament," Lee Sensei told us.

Yes, we had another tournament. We had one every year. I came in first this year, fourth last year(injury), and second the year before that.

I got three different jackets from these last four years.

"So, first...Uzumaki Atsuko," Sensei called me.

WTF?!

I sighed at got up.

"Good luck," Mayumi wishes.

"Thanks," I thanked.

"Follow me, please," Lee Sensei told me.

I followed Sensei into the next classroom. Tou-san was sitting in a chair. I winked at him. He chuckled and shook his head.

"Alright, Atsuko, are you ready to show us your knew jutsu?," Lee Sensei asked sitting down.

"Yep," I nodded.

"Okay, lets see," he said.

I spread my legs a little and bent my knees slightly. I clapped my hands together. I focused my chakra to the center of my body. I sent Raiton chakra to different parts of my body where I wanted it to be head, legs, arms, stomach, back. Lightning started coming out of small body slightly. The lightning became aura surrounding me.

"Raiton: Denkou Tate(Lightning Shield)!"

"Excellent job, Suko. How long does your jutsu last?," Tou-san asked.

"Six minutes," I told him.

He nodded.

"Well, according to your paper, you do deserve a headband, Atsuko," Lee sensei cried with happiness.

"Ah, yes!," I cheered.

Lee Sensei tossed me a headband and I reached out and grabbed it. I stared at it for a minute. Lee Sensei got up and left the room to get the next student.

"You detinetly have your Kaa-san's smarts. If you had mine, you'll be kept back another year," Tou-san smiled.

I slightly smiked.

"Well then, that means I'm a better shinobi than you," I said.

"Nope, not yet," he laughed.

"I beg to differ," I smiled.

"Stay after the graduation today."

"Alright."

I left the room and returned to the class. I put my forehead protector in my pocket Everybody stared at me. Everybody whispered, 'she didn't make it' or 'of course she didn't'. I shook my head and returned to my desk.

"I'm sorry," Mayumi said sadly.

I reached in my pocket and grabbed my forehead protector. I showed it to her and smiled. She smiled, too. We both laughed.

"Of course you passed," She smiled.

"Sasaki Mayumi," Sensei called.

"Good luck," I wished.

She gave me a reassuring smile before leaving with Sensei.

I tied my forehead around my head the traditional way.

Dai and Koaru came over.

"The test must have been easy, if you passed," Dai said.

"Maybe, maybe not," I shrugged.

Koaru put her fist to the metal of my forehead protector.

"What?," I shrugged off her fist.

"Can't wait 'til I get one," Koaru smiled.

"IF you pass," I smirked.

"You know the Chunin exams are this year," Dai said.

"Yeah, I know," I said.

"That's where we will fight," he smiled.

"I like that," I smiled back.

He stuck his hand out and my met his in a shake of confirmination.

Minutes later, Mayumi walked back in with her forehead protector in her hand. I gave her a thumbs up. She came running up to her seat.

"I did it!," she squealed.

"Mhm," I nodded happily.

She tied her forehead protector around her left arm.

After an hour, 27 of us graduated, while a couple of people failed. And Mikoto, Koaru, or Dai were not any of them who failed! Dang!

"Okay, all of you who passed, come back tomorrow at 1:00 to be put in teams," Lee Sensei told us. "You may leave."

Everybody got up and ran home to tell their parents the good or sad news. I stayed behind, like Tou-san told me to. A few minutes later he came out of the other classroom and closed the door. I got up from my desk and went near him.

"Are you tired?," he asked.

"Of course not," I put my hands in my pockets.

"Well, how be we fight? For real this time. Not like I did when you were six," he smiled.

"Where? Training ground 3?," I raised my eyebrow.

"No, that place is too small."

"Then, where?"

"You'll see. Are you up for the challenge yes or no?"

"Hn. You should know I'm going to accept it."

"Then, lets go."

We walked out of the classroom and headed towards the place where our fight will be.