Chapter 20: Graduation
Konoha, Uchiha Compound
Sasuke woke up in his room and smiled. Today is the day that he and his friends have been waiting for five years. Today he would graduate from the Academy and become a Genin of Konoha.
"Well, I still have to pass the graduation test." Sasuke reminded himself, sitting up. Five years of training. Five years of study, pouring over textbook after textbook. Five years of enduring Iruka-Sensei's lectures. Sasuke smirked, that feat alone should have made the whole class genin.
Sasuke got out of his bed and prepared himself for the day. A few minutes later, he was clean and dressed.
Walking into his home's dining room, his nose was assaulted by the smells of breakfast being made. Sasuke's stomach growled. Itachi must be cooking something good. "Somebody sounds hungry." It wasn't Itachi's voice.
Sasuke's eyes widened when he saw his smiling mother come out of the kitchen. A plate of food in her hand. "Mom? You're home? When? How?" He bombarded her with questions. "I thought you were supposed to be on a mission." He remembered her saying it was a B-Rank.
His mother smiled at him. "Of course, I'm home," she said. She laid the plate down on the table, about where Sasuke sat. She walked over to him and wrapped her arms around him. "You thought I was going to miss my baby's special day?"
Sasuke blushed, glad that no one was around. "Mom," he said.
His mother laughed and let go of him. "I got back in last night," she said. "I managed to finish my mission earlier than expected. So here I am. Breakfast is ready." His mother looked at him and smiled. "I made of your favorites, an omelet with tomatoes in it."
Sasuke had to keep himself from licking his lips. "Thanks, mom," he said, taking his seat. He took a bit from his omelet and smiled. "It's good."
"Anything for my baby," Mom said. "And when you and your friends graduate, I'll make all of your favorite dishes. I'm going to need lots of tomatoes. Which is why your brother isn't here right now."
If Sasuke wasn't motivated to pass now, he was now. "So, how was your mission?" He asked.
"Pretty well, actually," his mom answered. She took a seat next to him. "I had to escort this merchant convoy back to their country. We had run with some bandits and a couple of missing-nin. But nothing I couldn't manage."
Sasuke nodded. "That's good to hear."
"So, how have you been while I've been gone?" His mom asked. "Been keeping your grades up at the Academy? Training hard? Hanging out with your friends?" A sly smile slipped across her face. "Or maybe you spent some time with Yakumo?"
Sasuke blushed and almost choked on his food. "Mom!" He said, exasperated.
His mother chuckled. "I kid," she said. "But you should bring her over sometime, maybe tonight? It is a special night for both of you, after all."
Yakumo had enrolled in the Academy a year ago. She would be graduating with Sasuke and the rest of their friends. "I'll think about it," Sasuke said with a blush. It really didn't sound like a bad idea.
Sasuke finished his breakfast and was about to leave for the Academy when his mother stopped him. "Oh, Sasuke, one last thing. Your father does want to see you before you go. He should be in his study."
Sasuke frowned. "Do I have to?" He asked.
His mother looked at him. "It's up to you, Sasuke," she said. "But I think you should talk to him."
Sasuke sighed. He got the message. "I'll talk to him." Then he left the dining room. It didn't take him long to find his way to his father's study. He stood in front of the doors, debating if he should go in.
His father would understand if he decided to go to the Academy without talking to him first. Sasuke sighed. He knew he couldn't avoid this forever. He knocked on the door.
"Come in," his father's voice answered.
Sasuke slid the door open. Stepping in, he slid it shut behind him. His father was sitting at his desk. Stacks of paper flank both sides of the desk, and his father had a pen in his hand. He was looking down at a sheet of paper in the middle of the desk.
His father looked up. For a second, he saw a look of surprise flash across his eyes. Before he smiled. "Sasuke, I'm glad you came."
"You wanted to talk to me?" Sasuke said.
His father nodded. "Yes, wanted to talk to you about your graduation exam," he said.
Sasuke winced and braced himself. Imagines of his father telling to not to discredit the Uchiha name and how he needed to be at the top of his class flashed into his mind.
"I wanted to wish you well," his father said. "You have done well to get to this point. I am so proud of you."
Sasuke was surprised by the praise. Then he reminded himself that his father was not the same man he was five years ago. "Thank you, father," Sasuke said.
His father smiled at him. "I know you will go on to do great things, Sasuke," he said. "Already, you have proven yourself to be capable, Shinobi. I have no doubt in my mind that you will pass this test and join the ranks of Konoha Shinobi."
Sasuke swallowed hard. "Thank you, father," he said with a bow. "I won't disappoint you."
His father's smile faltered. "You don't have to seek my approval anymore, Sasuke," he said. "I'm proud of you. I really am."
An uncomfortable silence fell over the room as father and son tried to think of something to say. Sasuke turned around. "I'll be going to the Academy now," he said.
His hand was on the door when he heard his father speak. "Sasuke, I know it was hard on you, and I messed up as a father. But it has been five years, and I have tried. Can… Can't you find it in your heart to forgive me?"
Sasuke remained still at the door, his hand on the frame. He opened the door and stepped out.
Hyūga Compound
Naruto was bouncing with excitement. Today was the day he would graduate and take his first steps toward becoming Hokage. He could already picture himself in those robes now. He would have to make some changes to it, though. Add his own personal flair to it. Maybe a splash of orange would make it look nice.
"Would you hold still for a second?" Sara said sternly. "You do want to look nice for today? Don't you?"
Naruto frowned slightly. Sara had insisted that he dress nicely today. Currently, she was trying to do his hair. In her words trying to get it under some form of control. Good luck with that, Nee-San. "I guess," Naruto said. "I still don't get why I have to do this."
"Today is the day you graduate from the Academy," Sara said, pulling the comb through his hair. "You should always look nice on special days like this. Pretty soon, you're going to be a genin, and you need to look the part. Especially since you will be representing the Hyūga."
"I mean, I get wanting to look good on special days," Not to say he didn't always look good. Who could resist his irresistible charm?
"I can give you a list." A certain fox said.
"That would be a very short list." Naruto said.
"It's longer than you think."
Naruto ignored the giant demon fox in his gut. "But for the academy graduation exam?" Naruto questioned. "Only one part of it is a written exam. The rest is going to get my clothes dirty."
Sara snorted. "It's the principle of it," she said. She pulled hard on his hair. "Kami's sake, what is with your hair?"
Naruto winced in pain. "I don't know. But could you stop? I feel like you're about to pull my head off," he winced again as Sara gave another tug.
"Not until I get this damn thing under control," Sara quipped.
"Good luck with that, Sara-chan," Naruto said. "I tried it before and broke like five combs before I decided to give up."
Almost on cue.
Crack! Snap!
He heard Sara growl. "Naruto, your hair is almost as stubborn as you," she said.
Naruto smiled. "I prefer free-spirited."
He saw Sara raise the broken comb in the air, an annoyed expression on her face. Naruto braced himself for the incoming thump. Thankfully, his caretaker got control of herself and lowered the broken hair tool. "Fine, I give up," she said, putting the comb on the drawer. "At least the rest of you will look nice."
"For however long that will last," Naruto said.
Sara rolled her eyes. Then a small smile spread across her lips. "Well, I'm sure Hinata will appreciate it."
Any retort that Naruto might have had died in his throat. "You think so?" He asked. Through his eyes, he saw his cheeks redden.
Sara continued to smile down at him. "I'm sure she won't be able to take her eyes off you."
"I guess I could try to look nicer," Naruto said.
Naruto didn't know why but in the last few years, he started noticing the strange feelings he got when he was around Hinata. His heart would race when he hung around her and whenever she looked at him longer than a few seconds, he started to blush. Even when he wasn't around her, he frequently thought about Hinata. Like how nice she looked and how pretty her smile was.
Her opinion also started to matter more to him of late. Not to say it didn't matter to him before then. He always listened to what his friend had to say, and her opinions always felt important to him. But of late, they felt even more important than before.
"Why do I feel like this?" Naruto thought. Why were his feelings towards the girl changing now? And why did they make him feel so good?
Deep in his mind, Kurama heard and felt his thoughts. The old Biju smiled; his container was growing up. "I wish you were here, Kushina. To see your little boy falling in love." The boy had yet to figure out his feelings for the Hyūga girl. Or even realize the girl's feelings toward him.
Kurama mentally signed. Truly the boy had inherited his mother's density. "Come to think of it. Dense seems to be an Uzumaki trait." He remembered that Mito had trouble realizing Hashirama's feelings toward her.
Kurama laid his head on his paws. "Well, at least the boy has enough of his father in him to break through some of those layers. Who knows, maybe the Hyūga girl won't have to wait as long as the others did."
Back in reality, Naruto was playing around with his hair. "Will she really notice?" he asked his caretaker.
He saw Sara giving him a knowing smile. "Of course, she will," she said. "Now then, let's get you dressed. The Elder Council will want to see the both of you before leaving."
Naruto frowned. "Do we have to see those old prunes?" Naruto didn't have a high opinion of the Hyūga elders. Most seemed like they had sticks stuck up their assess. There were maybe one or two who he could tolerate, but the rest he couldn't stand.
"You should show some more respect towards the elders," Sara said with a disapproving scowl. Though it looked more forced than it should. "But yes, you do have to see them."
"Any bets that they'll say something like. Don't embarrass the clan, or you need to act more like how a Shinobi should," Naruto said dryly. Sara just remained silent. "So, I guess you will want me on my best behavior?"
"Consider it good practice for when you do become Hokage," Sara said.
A few minutes later, Naruto was dressed, and they had left his home. It was a nice day to be out. Through his many eyes, he saw the activities of the Hyūga compound and the village. Through one set of eyes, he saw shop keeper open his shop up. Through another set, he saw children playing in one of the parks. Several saw a genin team chasing Tora, the hell cat. Naruto smirked at that one.
"I see they managed to clean up your mess from yesterday," Sara said, looking up.
Naruto didn't need to look to know what she was talking about. He had seen the workers finishing cleaning up last night. Several pairs of eyes turned to gaze at the Hokage monument. Just as pristine and awe-inspiring as it has always been, and someday his face would be up there. Unfortunately, the fresh coat of paint he gave it yesterday was gone now.
"I think it looked better that way," Naruto commented.
Sara rolled her eyes. "Honestly, I don't know what goes through that mind of yours. Nor do I have the desire to do so," she said. Naruto saw the faint smile tugging at her lips.
They entered the main compound and were soon greeted by familiar faces. "Sara-San. Naruto-San." Hiashi said with a welcoming smile. "You have arrived just on time."
Sara bowed to the Hyūga clan head. "I always endeavor to please you, Hiashi-Sama," she said.
Naruto ignored the exchange between the two. He was occupied with staring at Hinata and how she was dressed. Instead of the beige jacket and black pants she had taken to wearing, Hinata was dressed in a simple lavender kimono with a floral design. She looked prettier than usual.
Naruto felt the heat building up in his cheeks. "That jacket she wears, really doesn't do her justice." He thought as his eyes fixated on one part of her body.
A small cough in the back of his mind. "Kit, her eyes are a little higher."
Naruto shook his head, trying to shake the image out of his mind. Had he been staring at Hinata's? He noticed that the others were staring at him strangely. Naruto scratched the back of his head and chuckled. "Hey, guys. How are you doing?" He asked.
Hinata gave him a concerned look. "Naruto-Kun, are you ok?" She asked.
Naruto nodded. "Uhh, Y-yea, I am," he mentally winced at the small stutter that slipped out. "Fuzz-but was just giving me some trouble."
"Careful now."
Hinata and the others looked unconvinced, but Hinata smiled. "Alright," she said. "But tell him not to distract you too much today. You need to focus today."
Naruto nodded. "I'll be sure to send him the message."
The day after the kidnapping with Yakumo, Naruto had come clean about his status as a Jinchūriki. About how the Yondaime didn't actually defeat Kurama but rather sealed him away in a newborn child. He even explained to them the true events of that night. By the end of it, Naruto felt like a load had been lifted off his shoulders.
Even still, he had braced himself for the inevitable harsh rejection from his friends. For them to call him a monster, for them to attack or run away from. Worst of all for Hinata to look at him in fear. He was scared.
None of that ever happened. Hinata had shocked him by pulling him into a hug so tight that he felt their hearts beating together. She accepted him. He didn't remember all the words she had said because she had been sobbing the whole time. But he did remember her accepting him for what he was.
"Funny," Naruto thought as the group walked down the halls. He was walking beside Hinata. "I think that's about when my feelings towards her started to change." He noticed that had some point, his fingers had curled around Hinata's. They felt nice, cool, and smooth to the touch.
"Hinata," Naruto said.
The girl looked at him." Yes, Naruto-Kun?"
"You look nice," Naruto said. "In that Kimono, I mean. It looks nice on you."
Hinata blushed and looked away from him for a moment. "T-thank you," she stutters out. Then she gave him a sideways glance. "You l-look n-nice to Naruto-Kun."
Naruto focused in on himself. He was dressed in a grey Yukata. He would have liked to have thrown on some orange, but Sara was against it. "Thanks," Naruto said.
He saw Sara giving him a smirk. She mouthed. "Told you," before Naruto could think of anything to say to his caretaker, the group arrived at the council chambers.
"Now remember, everyone," Hiashi began. "Both of you must remain respectful towards the elders. When they ask you a question, you will answer it. Is that understood? Naruto?" The Hyūga clan headshot him with a heated look.
Naruto folded his arms behind his head. "I heard you, Hiashi-San," he said. "I won't do anything to raise their collective blood pressure. Or try to give them heart attacks."
"If you do. Can you make sure they actually croak from it?" Kurama said. "Those old geezers have been giving me a headache."
Hiashi sighed. "That will do," he said. Then a smile crept on his face. "Before you go in there. I would like to say that I am proud of you. Both of you," he looked between Naruto and Hinata. "Hinata, you have grown into a fine young lady, and I am certain that you will grow into a woman that can rival your mother in beauty."
Hinata blushed. "T-thank you, father."
Hiashi nodded. "I do not care what others in the clan say about you. I believe you are precisely what this clan needs as its heiress," her father continued to say. "No matter what happens, I will always be proud of you." He pulled her into a tight hug.
After a moment, he pulled away and looked over at Naruto. "And you, Naruto. Every day I see more of your father in you."
"You do?" Naruto asked.
Hiashi nodded. "I do. You are a lot like him, Naruto," the man smiled. "You also have a lot of your mother in you as well. Both of your parents would be proud of you."
Naruto frowned for a moment. It was nice to know that his parents would be proud of him. But he wanted to know more about them. Namely, his father. He had heard plenty of his mother to know what kind of woman she was. But his father was still a mystery to him.
Who was he? Had he been a good man? Did he love Naruto? Naruto wanted to know. "I don't suppose you can tell me anything about him?" Naruto asked the man."
Hinata's dad gave him a sad smile. "I'm afraid I cannot," he said. "The Sandaime's law still forbids me from telling you," Naruto huffed. There were times when Naruto hated that law the old man passed. Hiashi's smile softened. "I do want to tell you, Naruto, believe me. But in this matter, I agree with the Sandaime. You are not ready to bear the burden of knowing who your father was."
"I know it's supposed to be for my protection," Naruto said. "I've been told my father had a lot of enemies. People who would not hesitate to hurt or kill me just because I'm his son."
Hiashi nodded. "Yes, and not just outside the village walls," he said. "It may not seem like it, but your father had plenty of enemies in the village as well. None of them dared to make a move against him. But his son, his orphaned son. You are a lot more vulnerable."
What kind of man was his father to have gained so many enemies?
"A good man," Kurama said in the back of his mind.
"I just want to know who he was," Naruto said.
"One day, you will," Hiashi said. "When you are strong enough to protect yourself from his enemies." Naruto tilted his head down. A useless gesture as he wouldn't be looking at anything. He did see Hinata giving him a concerned look.
Through another set of eyes, he saw a young boy run into his father's arms. Laughing and smiling, the boy was picked up by his father. Naruto held his hand over his chest, feeling an ache.
"Naruto," Hiashi said. Naruto's attention returned to the Hyūga compound. "I can tell you this. Your father was a good man, and he loved you more than anything else in this world."
Naruto smiled. "Thanks," he said.
Hiashi nodded. "Now, then," he said, standing up. "I believe we have kept the elders waiting long enough. Remember to listen to what they have to say and remain respectful.
Understood?" Both children nodded. "Good. Then I wish you good luck for today," he slides the doors open.
"Naruto-Kun?" Hinata said, before they stepped in. "Are you ok?"
Naruto smiled at the girl. "Yeah, I am."
Hinata didn't seem to believe him, but she nodded anyways. After the meeting with the elders, the two children were escorted to the Academy.
Konoha streets
"And then I gave them the slip."
Hinata listened closely as Naruto animatedly told his story. The whole time she smiled as the blonde-haired boy continued to talk. She, of course, knew the whole story already. Just about everyone in the village did, given that the entire village saw the chase after Naruto painted the Hokage moment. Hinata had to shake her head at the antics of her longtime crush. She loved the stories he told.
Sara, though, looked a little less pleased by the matter than Hinata did. "One must wonder about the quality of our shinobi if they can be fooled by something as simple as a tarp over a fence," she said with a shake of her head.
"You would be surprised by how effective the simple methods are," a new voice entered the conversation. Hinata and Sara looked over to see Itachi and Sasuke walking up toward them. "Though I will still remind my people that not all evasions are performed through Jutsus or running away very fast." Itachi continued to say.
"Sasuke," Naruto said loudly. "It's good to see you."
Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Naruto, you probably saw us before we left the compound," he gave a sideways glance at a pair of eyes in the air.
Naruto chuckled. "True," he said. "But I still wanted to say that."
Sasuke stepped beside Naruto. Itachi was right behind him as he fell into a conversation with Sara. "So, what were you talking about?" Sasuke asked Naruto. "I heard something about a tarp over a fence?"
Naruto smiled. "Oh, nothing. I was just talking about how awesome I was," he said.
Sasuke just narrowed his eyes at Naruto. "Does this have anything to do with that stunt you pulled yesterday?" As an answer, Naruto just smiled. Sasuke shook his head. "Figured. Painting the Hokage moment in broad daylight? Naruto, you have to be some kind of insane to pull something like that off. How did you manage to do that without half of the village noticing?"
Naruto placed his hands on the back of his head. "As I said, I'm just that awesome," he said.
"Right." Sasuke said.
Itachi chuckled from behind them. "It was rather impressive, Naruto-Kun. Your prank speaks highly of your skill as a Shinobi."
"Or lowly of ours," Sara dryly commented.
Itachi ignored the woman. "Still, I would like to know how you did it, as well. For the welling being of Konoha. We were fortunate it was you who did it and not someone else with less than, how we say, good-natured intentions."
Naruto had a thoughtful expression on his face. "I guess you're right," he said. "Alright, I'll tell you. After we graduate."
Itachi nodded. "Alright then," he said. "Perhaps you can tell me during the Uchiha clan's celebration for Sasuke's celebration. That is if you will come."
"I'll think about it," Naruto said. "I know the Hyūga are going to have their own celebration for Hinata and me."
Itachi nodded. "I understand. Then perhaps whenever it is convenient," he said.
Hinata was smiling the whole time as she watched Naruto interact with Itachi. But something was on Hinata's mind that made it hard to focus on the conversation. Something that Sasuke seemed to notice. "Hinata, is something the matter?"
"Sasuke?" Hinata said, having been torn away from her thoughts.
Sasuke was looking at her with a perplexed expression. "You looked like you were thinking about something. Care to tell what it is?"
Hinata bit at the inside of her mouth. Should she tell him what she was thinking? Or should she let the thought stew a little longer before saying anything? "It's nothing," she said. She looked over at Naruto, seeing how happy he was. She wanted that to last forever.
"I just want to know who he was."
A small frown tugged at Hinata's lips, but she quickly hid it. "It can wait until we're with the others. And when Naruto isn't around," she finished.
Sasuke looked surprised for a moment. But nodded his head. "It sounds important," he said.
Hinata continued to stare at Naruto for a moment longer. "It is," at least it was to her. It wasn't long before they arrived at the academy.
"I wish all three of you the best of luck," Itachi said with a soft smile. "I know the three of you will go on to become great Shinobi."
Sara nodded. "I agree with Itachi," she said. "While I have no doubt in my mind that you will pass this test. I still give you my best wishes. Naruto, you might have heard this a lot today. But I want to say it for myself. Naruto I am proud of you."
Naruto smiled up at her. "I bet you feel like a mother seeing their kid off," he said.
Sara smiled and shook her head. "No, more like a big sister seeing her little brother off," she corrected. "I know you will go on to do great things, Naruto. I look forward to not just seeing what kind of Shinobi you will become but also what kind of man you will be."
Naruto actually blushed and looked away from his caretaker. "Thanks, Sara," he said. "I, uhh, didn't expect to hear that coming from you."
Sara snorted. "That's because I do care," she said. "I might not always show it. But I do care." Then she looked over at Hinata. "The same thing goes for you, too, Hinata-Sama. I know you will become a great kunoichi. Please keep an eye on Naruto for me. You know how much of a handful he can be."
"I'm not that bad," Naruto sputtered out.
Hinata giggled. "I'll try," she said.
Naruto just looked exasperated. Sasuke rolled his eyes and started to walk toward the main building. "Come on, guys, the others are waiting."
With some final goodbyes, the three friends left their escorts.
Academy
Iruka smiled when he walked into the classroom. The class had shrunk somewhat in the past five years, but it still brought a smile to his face at seeing so many youths willing to take up the defense of their village. He briefly wonders how many of them would pass the graduation exam and become Konoha genin.
Then he shook his head, shaking the thought off. He had no doubt that all of his students would pass. Walking up to his desk, he took careful note of all his students and what they were doing.
For the most part, they were doing what they did every day, talking among themselves and their friends. But there was something in the air that felt different about them. An excitement that wasn't there before.
In particular, his eyes set on a certain blonde, blindfolded boy in the classroom. Naruto Uzumaki, he was talking among his friends, a broad smile spread across his face. Iruka felt his own smile broaden. The boy was always the center of attention and a highlight in anyone's day.
That is, if people were willing to look in his direction. Iruka sighed as he placed a stack of papers on his desk. He knew about Naruto's burden. He had been there when the Sandaime made his decree that should have protected Naruto. Iruka was ashamed to admit it, but he had judged Naruto just as harshly as everyone else in the village did.
He had thought that Sandaime had finally lost his mind when he allowed the boy to attend the academy. It was something that would always eat away at him.
In five years, he had gotten to know the boy and realized he had made a mistake in judging the boy so quickly. He was a bright and energetic boy and nothing more. He wasn't like some others who thought the scroll and kunai were the same. But he had kept him at arm's length.
Iruka looked over at the empty spot next to his desk. "Mizuki, if only you had managed to see past that too. Then maybe you wouldn't have." Iruka shook his head. What was done, was done now. There was nothing he could do about it now.
Naruto's friends were a tightly knitted group. Even more so now after the Kurama Kidnapping incident. Enough that Naruto had apparently told his friends about his burden. Iruka couldn't be happier for the boy as his friends accepted him. Naruto deserved good friends in his life and found them in this classroom.
The scarred Chunin decided to let the children talk among themselves for a little longer before he cleared his throat and got their attention. "Alright, class, it's time to begin your graduation exam. I wish all of you the best of luck."
Sasuke flipped over the paper and started on the next question of the written exam. Before starting, he had looked over the whole thing to get an idea of what the examiners were evaluating them on.
There were thirty questions in total, and all of them required a written response. They covered a wide range of topics and scenarios that a Shinobi could encounter on the field. Like what to do during a mission if the team leader is incapacitated or what to do when low on supplies. The majority of the questions asked for a three to five-sentence response.
The last five questions, though, from what he gathered, required two or three paragraphs to answer. They seemed to cover more complex problems and asked how each student would tackle them.
There are two bonus questions as well that could be answered. Both were of a similar nature to the last five questions of the exam but seemed to cover scenarios that would not usually be encountered by a genin team.
Overall, the written part of the graduation exam was comprehensive and tested students on their knowledge as upcoming shinobi. Sasuke being one of the top students, breezed through the test with ease, with only the last five questions giving him pause to think.
During the test, Sasuke looked around the room to see how the others were doing. A few others looked like they were tearing through the exam like he had. Shino and Sakura showed no signs that they were struggling. A certain Nara already had his head on the desk, fast asleep. Sasuke didn't doubt that the lazy boy would get a perfect score.
Others, though, looked like they were struggling through the test, like Kiba. No surprise there, the Inuzuka boy never really did well with the academic side of things. This part of the exam would drag his score down, that was for sure. But Sasuke knew he would pull through when they got to the physical parts of the exam.
There were three students Sasuke was more worried about than the others Naruto, Hinata, and Yakumo. Naruto was sort of like Kiba in that neither did well when it came to written stuff and having to study. For Naruto, if the subject has nothing to do with history or seals, he has a hard time understanding. The blonde-haired boy wasn't dumb, far from it. Sasuke just knew that Naruto was more of a physical type of person. He had to be active to learn.
Naruto would struggle with this part of the test, but Sasuke was confident that he would pull through somehow. After that, he knew the rest of the exam would be a breeze for Naruto.
Hinata, he wasn't as worried about. She was an intelligent girl who probably sat with Sasuke in terms of Academic skill. She would pull through this with no problem.
Most of his concern was focused on Yakumo. She had joined the academy at the start of their last year in the academy. While she showed no problem throughout the year, Sasuke was afraid the written portion would cover subjects that the previous years did. Years she wasn't there for.
Sasuke took a breath and told himself that Yakumo would be fine. The Kurama would have covered everything the academy did and more. He knew that clan kids like himself received additional training from their clans that improved their chances of passing. Yakumo would get through this, and everyone would become genin.
Sasuke looked up at the ceiling. "I wonder if we'll be placed on the same team." Sasuke thought. It would be nice to be on the same as Yakumo, though he briefly wondered who their third teammate would be. It couldn't be Naruto or Hinata, as he thought they would go nicely together on their own team. Maybe someone like Shino or Sakura would work well with them.
Sasuke shook his head and looked back down at the test. Those thoughts would be best saved for later. After they had graduated.
Hokage tower
"It looks like they're finally getting to the physical portion of the graduation exam," a Jōnin commented.
"The real show is about to begin," another said.
The Jōnin that had been chosen for this year's new genin had been called together in the Hokage's tower. Most of them were gathered around Hiruzen's desk, watching the Genin hopefuls through a crystal ball.
"Does anyone have thoughts?" Hiruzen asked.
"Not much to say, really," a Jōnin said. "This is the written part of the exam. That doesn't say much about these kids other than how smart they are."
"Even so," another cut in. "It does give us an idea of what we're working with. Did you see the Nara boy? He finished in, like what? Ten? Fifteen minutes?"
"Smart kid. But lazy as hell."
"Well, what did you expect from a Nara?"
Hiruzen shook his head at his Jōnin's' light-hearted jabs. It was good to see his people having a good time. If only that could last forever. Hiruzen focused on the crystal ball, seeing the future genin running through an obstacle course.
This version of the graduation exam was the latest in the recent changes made to the academy. Ever since this year's group started, Hiruzen and several others had successfully pushed for changes in the academy's curriculum, making it harder with each passing year. Covering more topics and requiring students to maintain a certain level of physical condition.
The graduation exam was the final culmination of their efforts. A written portion with thirty written responses, an obstacle course covering three kilometers of rough terrain, followed by a taijutsu match with a Chunin instructor. Then finally, a ninjutsu portion where they had to demonstrate the three academy basics, or some variation of them, followed by two other jutsus of their choosing.
Hiruzen had always wanted to rework the academy. Make it better, so its students would graduate with all the tools and skills they needed to become successful shinobi in life. If only the changes had not been brought about by current circumstances.
Hiruzen allowed his Jōnin to speak among themselves for a few minutes longer before he spoke his piece. "I believe we have a good crop of students this year. We may even see the whole class graduate."
That got some mutters from the assembled Jōnin. "Of that, I have no doubt," Shisui said. "With the changes in the academy we can actually expect some good shinobi to come out. Then followed by a steady stream of them each year."
"Of course, they will still have to pass the true genin test," Kurenai said. "How many teams do you think can pass it this time?"
Shisui shrugged. "Who knows," he said. "On average, we can expect about a third of them to pass. The rest will be sent back to the academy for additional training. For all we know, all of them may pass, or all of them may be sent back."
"Speaking of teams," Hiruzen said. "Assuming the whole class passes, how should we organize the teams?"
Some brief whispers passed between the Jōnin in the room. Assume stepped. "Hokage-Sama," the junior Sarutobi said. "I would like to have Ino Yamanaka, Choji Akimichi, and Shikamaru Nara for my team."
"So, you want this year's Ino-Shika-Cho trio, huh?" Kurenai said. "Not a bad team."
"I assume this will a be a capture and interrogation team," Hiruzen said. "Correct?"
His son nodded at him. "Yes, Hokage-Sama. I know it may be lazy to work with an already well-established team dynamic. But I think I might be able to do something different with it. If I can't have the whole team, at the very least, I would like to have the Nara boy," Assume offered. "He's a brilliant kid, even by Nara's standards. I think I can work with that."
Hiruzen nodded. "If no one has objections to it. I will consider it."
"Thank you, Hokage-Sama," Assume said with a bow.
Kurenai was the next to step up. "Hokage-Sama. I request that Kiba Inuzuka, Hinata Hyūga, and Shino Aburame be placed under my team. I plan this to be a tracker team. I am willing to swap out either Kiba or Shino for Naruto Uzumaki. His unique ability would also be suitable for the role of a tracker."
Hiruzen thought about it for a moment. It was solid team composition, and Kurenai was being flexible with her choices. "I will consider it," Hiruzen said.
Before Kurenai could speak, a white-haired man wearing a mask stepped forward. "Actually, Hokage-Sama I would like to the Hyūga girl, along with Kiba Inuzuka and Naruto Uzumaki," Kakashi said. "I envision them as a heavy assault team."
Kurenai glared at the one-eyed Jōnin. "A heavy assault team?"
Kakashi nodded. "Yes," he said lazily. "Most of our missions should be around seeking out and destroying our objective. Get in, hit them hard and fast, then get out. All three have some tracking ability, so we can easily pursue our objects. Kiba and Hinata can function as the close-range fighters, with Naruto hanging in the back with his Ninjutsu. Hinata can also function as the team's medic, given her affinity for the healing arts."
Hiruzen gingerly stork his beard. "You both have compelling arguments," he said. "I will think more on it and let the both of you know later. For now, let us hear what the others over to say."
By the time the genin hopefuls had neared the end of the obstacle course, several Jōnin had made their petitions for teams. All except for one. Shisui Uchiha, who had a wide grin on throughout the whole meeting.
"Shisui-San," Hiruzen addressed the young man. "Care to share your thoughts? You haven't made any requests for your team." Hiruzen lit his pipe and took a smoke.
Shisui's grin grew. Somehow Hiruzen knew the Uchiha had something planned. "Hokage-Sama, I have an idea."
The Academy
"And that is the end of the obstacle course," Iruka said. "Great timing, everyone."
Hinata nodded, glad she had gotten through this. For her, the obstacle was the hardest part of the exam. She didn't have the stamina and speed that some of the other students had. Like Sasuke and Kiba, who were the first to finish, with Sasuke edging out over the Inuzuka boy with his better speed. Naruto had come in close behind Kiba.
Hinata did well too, securing a spot in her class's top quarter. For obvious reasons, Shikamaru was the last to finish the course. Now they were moving onto the part of the Exam Hinata knew she would excel at. The Taijutsu portion of the exam.
Each student would be pitted against a Chunin instructor and would be expected to last a minimum of five minutes. To save time, five matches would be held at once. Hinata sat on the sidelines, watching the matches, and waiting for her name to be called on. The first of her friends to be called on were Shino and Choji. Five minutes later, they both got solid passes, both boys' taijutsu forms were good, and they proved to be difficult opponents to ring out.
As the other matches played out, Hinata turned her attention over to Naruto. So far, her crush had been doing well on the exam. The written portion would not be his best work, but Hinata had worked with him on enough nights to know that he would pass. She was also thankful that Iruka was the one to protector the test.
The obstacle course was no worry to her either. He was the third to finish. There was no way he could have failed that part. But now came the part she was worried about. The Taijutsu portion of the test followed by a Ninjutsu demonstration. There was no telling who Naruto would be pitted against or who would be overseeing the Ninjutsu portion.
She knew about the Kyūbi. Naruto had told her and the others about him. It explained so much to her. Why the villagers; she wouldn't say they hated him, but they did want to keep him at arm's length. Why there were so many hushed whispers whenever he was around. And why some of the Academy Teachers seemed to treat him harshly.
She understood why they were doing this. But it still made her blood boil, knowing they couldn't see past the Kyūbi and look at the boy himself. Her only hope was that Naruto would be pitted against someone who could keep their prejudices in check.
Her name was called. It really wasn't much of a match for Hinata. She came from a clan that specialized in Taijutsu, and in this match, she was allowed to use her Byakugan. Allowing her to make full use of the Juken. She lasted the full five minutes, even closing off all chakra points in one of her opponent's arms. She would get full marks.
The other matches went by in a breeze. Kiba dominated his opponent in his match, and Sakura held her own long enough to get solid marks. Shikamaru did the bare minimum to pass. Then came the match she was waiting for.
Sasuke, Yakumo, Ino, and Naruto were called up for their examination. Her focus remained on Naruto and his opponent. A woman in her mid-thirties. Hinata felt relieved as she recognized the woman. She was one of the teachers that didn't seem to hold anything against Naruto.
The match began. Both opponents circle around each other. It was clear the chunin instructor was waiting for Naruto to make the first move. When it didn't come, the Chunin gave an approving smile.
She would be the first to attack. The Chunin charged at Naruto, and threw out a quick palm strike, quickly followed by a second. Naruto blocked the first and parried the second, all with the same arm.
To Hinata, it became clear that Kunoichi's style revolved around quick and precise attacks against her opponent. If she had guessed, it was supposed to take out the enemy as quickly and efficiently as possible. Unfortunately, her Opponent was Uzumaki Naruto.
His taijutsu style could best be described as "A brick wall that could hit back." It relied on simple blocking or parrying an opponent's attacks. In some cases, allowing a hit to come in and enduring the blow. Endurance was key to Naruto's style, and he had that in spades.
Naruto would last the full five minutes.
Naruto breathed in, trying to ebb the nervous energy building up in him. The moment he had been waiting for was fast approaching.
"Sasuke Uchiha," a voice said.
Naruto nodded at his best friend. "Good luck in there," he said.
Sasuke smiled and nodded back. "You too, Naruto," then he left.
Naruto took another breath. They were finally on the Ninjutsu portion of the test and the last part of the examination. Everything else had gone well for him so far.
"Just relax, kit," Kurama said. "You can do this. Just keep calm and focus on the goal. Even if you don't get the bunshin down, the rest of your jutsu should impress them enough to get you a pass."
Naruto nodded, knowing his tenant was right. "I Know Kurama. I'm just worried about who will be behind those doors." He said to the fox.
"You don't think your Jiji wouldn't have thought of that?" Kurama points out. "Something tells me these people are hand-picked by him."
Naruto figured as much too. It still didn't stop some anxiety from eating at the boy.
"Why don't you just have your eyes fly in and see who will be overseeing your exam?" Kurama asked.
Naruto smiled and shook his head. "Nah, I want this to be a surprise," he said.
Speaking of surprises. "Uzumaki Naruto."
Naruto took a breath and stepped in through the door. The first thing he did entering the room was spread his eyes out. He sent a pair to every corner of the room and a pair over to each of the three examiners. He kept a pair on the doors and windows as well, on both sides. Naruto wasn't risking interference.
That done, he looked at the who would be examining his Ninjutsu demonstration. None of them were any of the academy teachers, which was a bit of relief to Naruto. Two of them he didn't recognize, just some dull-looking Chunin. The other one though, he did very much recognize. Nara Shikaku, Shikamaru's dad.
Naruto was pleasantly surprised by that. "Jiji, isn't it a little overkill to have the Jōnin commander here? Also, how did you convince the second laziest person in this village to do this?"
Naruto stops in front of the three Examiners' table. "Uzumaki Naruto," Shikaku began. "You will now demonstrate your knowledge of Ninjutsu by showing as the Henge, the Kawarimi, and the Bunshin. Followed by two jutsus of your choice. Understood?"
"Hai," Naruto said with a quick bow. "Can I ask one question?"
"Make it quick," the Nara clan head said.
"For the Bunshin, do I have to do the academy version? Or can I do another version?" Naruto asked.
Shikaku looked between the others as they held a silent conversation. "You may demonstrate any variation of the academy three," he said. "So as long you show a solid understanding of what they do, we will allow it."
Naruto smiled. "Hai."
Then he went into his test.
"Henge!" A puff of smoke enveloped Naruto. A Moment later, the Hokage stood in the room. "You know what? I'm getting too old for this job," he said, pulling his trusty pipe out. "I think I'll hand the hat off to Naruto, he's a super awesome guy."
Shikaku rolled his eyes and stepped out from the table. "Very funny," he said. He examined Naruto's henge closely. He gave a nod of approval. "A perfect henge. Well done."
Naruto dropped the henge smiling. Next, he did the Kawarimi. With a simple set of handsigns, he switched places with a log on the other side of the room. Then switched again, bringing him back to the examiners. All done within three seconds.
The Examiners nodded, impressed by the display. "Impressive," one of them said.
Then came the jutsu that had him worried, the Bushin. He had always struggled with the academy version of the jutsu for one simple jutsu. He had too much chakra and not enough control. He would often just overload the jutsu and end up with a pathetic-looking clone.
Contrary to what most believe, this wasn't due to him being a Jinchūriki. Though that didn't help him. The main reason was owed to the fact he was an Uzumaki. The Uzumaki were known to have massive chakra reserves, even at young ages.
Because of this, while he had massive reserves of charka, his chakra control was shot to hell. He was working on that, but it would take him a long time to get it down to where he could make a basic clone. That is the academy version.
The version he had in mind today did not require as much control. Naruto made a crossed-shaped hand sign and channeled his chakra. For a second, he was treated to the sight of all three examiners' eyes widening. "Is that?"
"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu," In a plume of smoke, five clones of Naruto appeared.
The examiners looked at Naruto and his clones in shock. Naruto quickly committed the image to memory. He would have to show his friends what they looked like later. Especially Shikamaru.
Shikaku stood up and walked up to one of the clones. "You're solid?" He asked the clone holding his hand out.
"Yes, sir," the clone said, taking the Nara patriarch's hand and shaking it.
Shikaku nodded and returned to the table. He was the only one who didn't have a stunned expression. "A genin that can do the Kage Bushin," one examiner said.
"And make five of them no less," the other said. "And he doesn't even look winded."
Naruto smiled. He was able to make a lot more than five clones. Way more. But he wasn't going to give them that tidbit of info.
"Naruto," Shikaku said. "Where exactly did you learn that Jutsu?"
Naruto smiled. "I learned it from a friend," he said. That friend being Itachi when he noticed that Naruto had trouble with the academy version of the Bunshin.
"A friend?" Shikaku repeated. He got no reply from Naruto. "Troublesome blonde. Now that you have demonstrated the Academy basics or some variation of them. You may now show us two other jutsus that you know."
Naruto nodded, mentally relaxing now. The rest of the ninjutsu demonstration went by smoothly.
Moments later, Naruto walked out of the examination room, smiling ear to ear. His friends were waiting outside for him.
"So, how did it go?" Kiba asked.
"Did they let you use another version of the Bunshin?" Hinata asked, a note of worry slipping into her voice.
Naruto's smile grew, if that was even possible. "It went great," he responded. "And yes, they let me use the Kage Bunshin." His friends all visibly relaxed.
"I was a little worried that one or more of the examiners would try something," Sasuke said. "But then I saw that one of them was Shikamaru's dad. I knew he wouldn't let anything happen."
Naruto nodded. He worried about the same thing until he saw the Nara clan head. "Speaking of," Naruto turned to look at the younger Nara. "Why didn't you tell us that your dad would be one of the proctors?"
Shikamaru lazy shrugged. "He didn't tell me," he said. He got several eye rolls for his response.
"It's good to know that no one tried to pull anything with you, Naruto," Sasuke said. "We know how some people treat you because of your burden." The rest of Naruto's friends nodded, showing their support.
"I still find it bullshit that their still so afraid of you," Kiba said. "They should be worshipping the ground you walk."
"While I wouldn't go as far as to say that," Shino said. "You do keep everyone in the village safe by containing your tenant. It is illogical to assume you are what you contain. That would be like saying that all Aburame are bugs simply because we allow our kikai to inhabit our bodies." To punctuate this, the group heard an angry buzzing noise from the normally quiet boy.
"So, what Jutsu did you use?" Sakura said. "We were just talking about what jutsus we used after doing the academy three," she explained.
"Nothing too special," Naruto said. "Just the wind bullet and the water whip," the others nodded. "What about you guys?"
Sasuke smirked. "I bet you won't be able to guess mine."
Naruto returned the smirk. "Let me guess something fire related. Like, say, the Great Fireball?" he responded.
Sasuke held his gaze. "That and the phoenix bullet," he said.
"Uchihas," Kurama comments dryly. "Pyromaniacs, all of them. I'm surprised that Madara didn't go with Nibi."
Naruto ignored the giant fox in his gut. "So, what about Hinata?"
Hinata blushed. "I did the water point needle and the mystic palm," she explained.
"The mystic palm?" Naruto questioned. How were you able to show that? Did one of the proctors cut themselves?"
Hinata shook her head. "N-no, they brought in a test fish. I was able to heal it and get back into the water."
"That's pretty cool," Naruto said. The others went through what they did until the last of their group Ino joined in.
Not long after, they were ushered into their classroom, where they had to wait for the results.
Everyone was holding their breath when Iruka walked into the classroom holding a sheet of paper. Their teacher for five years smiled up at them. "Before I give out the test results for everyone, I would like to say something," he began. "You are some of the best students I have taught. For five years, I have watched you grow. I have watched you turn from mere children to our future Shinobi. I have seen friendships that were nonexistent blossom into bounds stronger than anything. Some of you have even gone through trials that put those bounds to the test and have come out stronger than ever. It has been an honor and pleasure to teach each and every one of you. I know all of you will go on to have bright futures." He held his gaze on Naruto for a second. "And some of you may even go beyond my expectations. I thank you all for being such wonderful students." He bowed to the class. "Now then, for everyone's test scores."
Following their sensei's speech, everyone was now fully engaged. For most, the next few moments would determine their fate.
"Now remember, everyone, you have to score over fifty points to pass the graduation exam," Iruka said. "Aburame Shino, sixty-eight points. Pass."
Shino nodded.
"Akimichi Choji, sixty-seven points. Pass."
Choji let a sigh of relief as Shikamaru puts a hand on his shoulder.
More students' names were called out alongside their scores. So far, all of them passing. Congratulations were being thrown out everywhere.
"Sakura Haruno, seventy-nine. Pass."
Sakura pumped her fist in the air. Next to her, Ino smiled at her. "Good job, forehead."
"Can it, Ino-pig," Sakura said back with a smirk.
Iruka continued to list out the test results. "Hinata Hyūga, Eighty-one points. Pass."
Naruto put a hand on Hinata's shoulder, causing the girl to stiffen up and blush. "You did great, Hinata-Chan," he said.
Hinata nodded at the boy. "Th-thank Naruto-Kun," she said.
Iruka called a few more names before he got to another of their friends, Kiba. "Inuzuka Kiba, fifty-seven. Pass."
Kiba smiled and looked over at everyone else. "Looks, I pass, guys," he said.
Sasuke smirked at the Inuzuka boy. "Barely, though," he comments. "So far, you got the lowest score in the class. Looks like you'll be the dead last."
Kiba's smirk turned into a frown. He would have punched the arrogant Uchiha in the face if it were not for Iruka. He loudly announced the next student's score. "Kurama Yakumo, sixty-four. Pass."
Now it was Sasuke's turn to congratulate someone. He looked over at the brown-haired girl and smiled. "I knew you could do it, Yakumo," he said.
The newest addition to the class smiled back at him. "It's all thanks to you, Sasuke," she said.
A couple more names were given. Naruto didn't really bother to pay attention to see if they passed or not. He was waiting with increased anticipation for his name to be called out. It didn't help knowing his name would be one of the last to be called out.
"Nara Shikamaru, Sixty-one. Pass."
Shikamaru only had one thing to say. "Troublesome," then he laid his head on the desk.
Iruka continued on with the rest of the class. Until finally, he got to the name that everyone else was waiting for. "Uchiha Sasuke, Eighty-seven. Pass." This was then followed by several squeals from most of the girls in the class.
Both Naruto and Kiba whimper a little as they cover their ears. Once again, Naruto thanked Kami that Hinata wasn't a Sasuke fangirl. He didn't know what he would do if she was. Naruto felt an odd tug in his heart. The blindfolded boy frowned. That was weird.
He almost missed his name. "Uzumaki Naruto," At that moment, the world seemingly froze for the boy. The time had finally come. The next thing that his sensei would say would determine if he took his first steps toward becoming Hokage or if they died here. He knew he did well on the exam. He did everything he needed to pass all four parts of the exam. But there was always that chance someone would try to tamper with his score.
But Naruto made one decision. Even if that did happen. Even if he failed here, he would still pursue his dream. He would find a way to become Hokage of the village and protect everyone he cared about. "Eighty-three. Pass."
Naruto damn near jumped out of his seat to proclaim his success. A gentle hand on his shoulder kept him from doing that. He looked over to see that Hinata was smiling at him. For whatever reason, which calmed him, he smiled back at her. "Great job, Naruto-Kun," she said softly so that only he could hear her. "I knew that you could do it."
"Thanks, Hinata-Chan," he replied back at her.
The last of their class was called on. "And last but not least. Yamanaka Ino, seventy-three. Pass." Ino pumped her fist into the air. Naruto felt relieved all of his friends had passed the graduation exam. They all would become Shinobi. "With that, I would like to announce this year's Rookie of the Year, the Kunoichi of the year, and the dead last."
Naruto and the rest of the class listened closely to what their sensei had to announce. Though most had already predicted what the positions would be.
Iruka began. "For the Rookie of the Year, Uchiha Sasuke," the fan girls squealed again, causing more pain to Kiba and Naruto's ears. "Kunoichi of the year, Hyūga Hinata," Naruto congratulated the girl with a pat on her back. "And for the dead last, Inuzuka Kiba."
Kiba groaned and placed his head on the table. "Mom's not going to be happy about that," he groaned.
Sasuke smirked. "Told you."
"Can it, duck but," Kiba's muffled voice said.
Iruka placed the sheet of paper down on his desk. "Again, I am so proud of all of you. I look forward to following your careers as Shinobi. Now, remember to return here in one month to receive your genin teams. Class dismissed."
With that class filed out of the classroom. Not as students but as Genin of Konoha.
Uchiha Compound grounds
With the graduation exam over, the Uchiha clan threw a celebration for Sasuke and any others who had passed the exam. This would endure the village to the Uchiha, who recently made great strides to regain their trust. It would even encourage the other clans to take turns holding a celebration like this each year. But that was for the future. Right now, the present was moving along.
Naruto and his friends were sitting at one of the stalls in the celebration. To be specific, the Ichiraku Ramen stand. The Uchiha clan had opened up the celebration to allow non-clan members to set up their own stalls. Ichiraku was one of them to be invited. To Naruto's joy, it was quickly becoming one of the more popular stands. Yes! Finally, people were coming to acknowledge ramen as the food of the gods. Now, if only they would start to respect the color orange more.
"Ramen addict," Kurama commented. "You are differently an Uzumaki. I don't know how the rest of your clan can pack away so much ramen without becoming as heavy as an Ox."
"Don't pretend you don't enjoy it either," Naruto said to the nine-tails. The fox had no comment, so Naruto returned his attention to his friends.
"Can you guys believe it?" He said. "We're all genin now. Real shinobi."
"It is kind of hard to believe," Choji said, finishing a bowl of pork ramen. His fifth bowl as well. "Soon, we'll have teams and be off on missions."
"Troublesome is more, like it," Shikamaru said. He was nursing his bowl of miso. "It just means we'll have more work to do. I won't have time to laze around or watch the clouds."
Hinata and Yakumo giggle at the Nara's comment. Meanwhile, Ino rolled her eyes. "Lazy Nara," she said.
"At this point, that is practically a redundant statement," Sakura said dryly. Both girls were working on their second bowl of low-fat ramen.
"Troublesome women," Shikamaru commented.
Choji continued on with his thoughts. "What I'm saying is, do you think we'll still have time to be friends? Will any of us end up on the same team?"
"Sure, we will," Naruto said. He was getting started on his ninth bowl. "They can't separate us. We're too awesome together for that. "
"He's right," Kiba added in. "We're all going have our own teams, and we'll be the best genin this village has ever seen. Right Akamaru?" The little dog barks his agreement. Which echoed off the bowl he was licking out. "See, even Akamaru agrees. I'll even bet that we'll all make Chunin before the next class graduates."
That got a round of light-hearted cheer. "While I am skeptical of our ability to rise through the Shinobi ranks," Shino began. "I am certain that we will all be placed on the same team. It is only logical."
Sasuke looked over at Shino, a half bowl of shrimp ramen untouched. "Why's that?" He asked.
Shino elaborated on his statement. "For both political and practical reasons."
"Political and practical reasons?" Yakumo said. She placed her chopsticks down by her bowl, a vegetable variation of Ichiraku's ramen. She was frowning.
Naruto also had a frown on his face. The practical reasons he could get behind, even if sometimes they got on his nerves. But the political stuff, he could never get behind. Too much cloak-and-dagger stuff for his liking. This was coming from a kid training to be a Shinobi.
"Indeed," Shino said. "In case no one has noticed, with the exception of Naruto and Sakura, all of us here are from prominent clans. Choji, Hinata, Sasuke, and I come from the four Noble clans of Konoha. While Ino and Shikamaru come from the Yamanaka and Nara clans. Who have had close relations with the Akimichi for generations."
"And I'm from the Inuzuka," Kiba said.
"And I from the Kurama," Yakumo said. "Our influence might have waned in the last generation. We're still well regarded."
Shikamaru put in his two yins. "Even with Naruto, he was taken in the by Hyūga as a ward and plans to start his clan." He said. "And there's his relation to the Uzumaki clan." A moment of silence fell over the group as their thoughts wandered off the now excitant clan. They knew who his mother was, the last survivor of the once-feared clan, Uzumaki Kushina. Now that role fell to Naruto.
Kiba whistled. "Wow, I never really thought about it," he said. "In our little group, we have a lot of pull in the village. Sakura is the only one here that's the odd one out."
Sakura's face turned red as she looked away. "I guess I am," she said quietly.
Ino frowned and slammed a fist into Kiba's head. He fell off his stool. "What was that for?" He asked, clutching his head."
"You made Sakura-San feel bad," Ino answered. "You basically said she was nothing special. Which, as far as I am concerned, is far from the truth."
The others nodded, agreeing with Ino. "It was a pretty thoughtless thing to say," Naruto said.
Kiba groaned as he pulled himself back on his stool. "Alright, alright," he said. "I wasn't thinking. I'm sorry, Sakura."
Sakura nodded. "It's alright. I forgive you," her tone of voice suggested that she was still hurt.
"But he is wrong," Shino said, pushing his glasses up. "While she is not from a prominent clan, her mother is a well-regarded merchant and a member of the civilian council."
"Oh, right," Naruto said. "I think I know her. She's one of the few that doesn't hate me. I think."
Shino continued on with his explanation. "With that in mind, she still fits in with us on political matters."
Kiba just rolled his. "Ok, I get the picture. We all basically come from nobility here. Political bullshit aside, you also said there are practical reasons for putting us on the same team?"
Shino pushed his glasses up. "I did," he confirmed.
It was around this time that Naruto started to tune them out and started up his own conversation with Hinata and Sasuke. "Speaking of teams, who do you think we'll end up with?"
Sasuke shrugged. "Not really sure," he said. "They could do the Rookie of the Year, Top Kunoichi, and the dead last team like they do most years," he suggested.
Naruto thought about it for a moment. "That would be you, Hinata, and Kiba. Right?" He got a nod from Sasuke. "I guess that's not a bad team," he said. "You and Hinata have known each other since the beginning of the academy, and Kiba is not a bad guy. Sure, he's an idiot sometimes."
"I heard that," said idiot responded.
Naruto ignored him. "But he's not bad once you get to know him." Plus, he wouldn't try anything with Hinata. Again, Naruto paused in his thoughts, wondering why something like that would be so important.
Hinata was shyly poking her fingers together. "I-it would be nice if all three of us were on the same team," she said.
Naruto smiled, thinking about that. Hinata, Sasuke, and him all on the same team. "That would be great," he gave voice to his thoughts. "All three of us together would be awesome. We would kick some serious ass."
Hinata giggled, and Sasuke smirked. "I hope our sensei can keep up with us," he said. "You alone are a handful. All three of us together?" Sasuke shook his head. "Kami, have mercy on them.
Naruto rolled his eyes. "Teme."
"Dope."
"But even if we aren't put on the same. We'll still be friends," he said. "I don't care what others may say, we'll always be friends, and we'll always have each other's backs." Nothing was going to change that.
"Friends to the end," Hinata said.
"Friends to the end," Sasuke parroted.
Naruto nodded and looked back at the others at the stand. "The same thing goes for all of you," he said, grabbing their attention. "No matter what happens. Even if we're all placed on different teams, we'll always be friends. We'll always have each other's backs. No matter what, we'll always be there to help each other. Nothing will ever change that," he said, pumping his fist into the air. "Friends to the end!"
Everyone else followed suit. "Friends to the end!"
Back in his tower Hiruzen smiled as he gazed at the scene through his crystal ball. Dark days were coming, but he could see the light shining through.
The Will of Fire burned bright.
Well, you can consider this a slightly early Christmas present from me. Finally, we get where everyone becomes genin; sort of, still got the true genin test to do. Not whole lot happening here, but we do see that this graduation test is harder than the one depicted in the cannon and for good reason, that you all well see later down the road. Next chapter won't cover the team formations or the true genin test, it'll be more of a fluff chapter with the kids hanging for one last time before they are thrown into the world of shinobi. A bit of levity to calm things down after the Kurama arch.
Until the next update I hope you guys have a good day, happy holidays, and have a happy new year.