The Academy Exit Exam was the penultimate examination before a prospective ninja became a genin in Konoha's ranks. The system had been devised by the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama, and had largely remained unchanged in the four decades that Hiruzen had ruled as Hokage.
This system had produced excellent ninja for Konoha since its inception and worked as a filter to reduce the number of prospective ninja that would not fare well with field work. However, contrary to popular belief, failure at the end of one's time at the Academy did not mean Konoha could not find value for a clever mind in another place. It simply existed as a determinant of combat and field readiness.
The examiners included all three of the classes' chunin instructors, one representative from each branch of the ninja forces, prospective jonin senseis, and the Hokage. After the examination, this group would convene to determine teams of three from the successful graduates.
Hiruzen watched the nervous group of students gathered before him. He was dressed in full regalia. The Hokage's hat included a large red brim and cloth veil, which covered most of the head. In addition, Hiruzen wore the ceremonial Haori that he had received upon his inauguration. Underneath, he wore a spotless white kimono.
"Welcome, students," he said, "today you will be participating in the Academy Exit Exams, a cumulative assessment to determine your effectiveness as a field ninja. Should you pass, you will become a genin of Konoha and join the ranks of hundreds of other proud ninja who call the Land of Fire home."
Let me impress upon you the gravity of this decision. Working as a ninja requires sacrifice of the highest order and is certainly not for the faint of heart. By now, those of you who are left should understand the graveness of your decision to remain along this path. But, you must also understand that you are not alone in this journey. Should you become a ninja of Konoha, you will have the support of your comrades. Some of those standing here today will be lifelong friends and allies," Hiruzen said, "please direct your attention to your instructors as they will guide you in this examination."
He nodded to Iruka who promptly began detailing the tests of the day. Hiruzen watched the hopeful young ninja in front of him. Among Academy classes, this class of students stood out from the rest. This class consisted of an unusual number of clan heirs, a myriad of talented students from civilian clans, students who showed an inclination to medicine and research, and of course, Naruto, who surprised him more every day. Yes, this class would change the fabric of Konoha, he was sure of that. As prospective ninja, they were a once in a generation group in terms of raw talent. As instructors of young minds, Hiruzen and every other mentor here, had the task of harnessing that potential.
The students were directed to their first task, shuriken and kunai throwing. Any and all shuriken techniques were encouraged. In all tasks, students were graded on a four point scale. The highest score, Exceptional, was awarded to students who displayed knowledge or ability above and beyond what was expected of an incoming genin. A truly difficult rating to achieve at their current level of training. Likely, only students that received outside help would be achieving at this level. The ratings in descending order after Exceptional were Proficient, worth three points, Basic, worth two points, and Needs Improvement, worth one point.
Students were graded on seven tasks deemed essential for a genin of the village in order to be successful in the field and on missions. Shuriken techniques, Taijutsu, and an encompassing category simply called Jutsu constituted the combat tasks. In the Jutsu task, mastering the clone technique, transformation technique, and substitution technique was the minimum requirement to obtain a rating of basic.
The non-combat tasks consisted of Trap making, Geography and World Cultures, Tactics and Strategy, and First Aid, which included cleaning and dressing wounds, setting bones, making splits, treating burns, antidotes to common poisons or toxins and more. The non-combat tasks were typically assessed through a written examination to be taken in the days before the combat tasks were assessed. All the students here today would have already passed the non-combat portion of the Academy Exit Exam with a minimum rating of basic.
Clipboard in hand, Hiruzen slowly meandered across the field, taking notes on students as they completed the assessment. Haruno Sakura, more brain than brawn, moved somewhat robotically. She was clearly practiced, but in a way where she was still attempting to make the techniques her own.
He sidled up next to Kakashi all the while wishing he'd brought his pipe. "What do you think?" he said.
Kakashi turned toward him in his relaxed, nonchalant way. "About the girl?" he said, "Or…"
Kakashi's eyes trailed through the group of students, stopping on one student in particular. Naruto shifted his weight back and forth as he waited for his turn.
Kakashi's clipboard was tucked underneath his arm. He was one of Hiruzen's most prominent jonin. He was an excellent ninja with a high rate of success on missions and a list of accomplishments that was undeniably impressive. In addition, his mere presence and reputation helped cultivate Konoha's regional business. Strong ninja with positive reputations helped bring in numerous clients. His masked appearance brought a certain allure. One was compelled to wonder exactly what part of himself he was guarding. `
"Whatever's on your mind. I want to hear what you think," said Hiruzen.
"They're talented, that much is obvious," Kakashi said, "but, there seems to be a lot going on with this group socially. I don't know if it's because of Naruto, or Sasuke, or both, but I'm seeing a lot of tension in this group. A lot."
Hiruzen nodded. Between the heightened expectations of clan heirs, the last Uchiha, and a jinchuuriki, this group had certainly undergone significant strife. "Understandable, given their particular set of circumstances," he said, "though, that's a lot to glean from shuriken throwing."
His musing elicited a dry chuckle from Kakashi. Then he said, "I've been watching them for a while, actually. I'm thinking I might pass a team this year."
"You don't say," Hiruzen said, "why the change of heart after all these years?" Though he knew why already. It was painfully clear why Kakashi had so much interest in this class in particular. It centered around Sasuke, the last wielder of a natural Sharingan, and Naruto, his sensei's son and the jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi. It wasn't every year that they had such a unique class with such a personal connection to Kakashi.
"Well, Konoha's most talented Academy class should have Konoha's strongest jonin to teach them!" Kakashi said, "It's about time I started whipping the next generation into shape, don't you think?" Hiruzen could see the slight smile underneath his mask.
Hiruzen laughed. "Of course," he said.
They both continued to watch the students complete the Shuriken task. Hiruzen jotted down notes where he thought it was applicable or if new information would update his view of their growth. The more he watched this group and the more he learned about them, the more he thought that they must buck tradition in order to access this group's full potential. Sometimes, the risk was worth the reward.
The Shuriken technique portion of the Academy Exit Exam came and went with little fanfare. Naruto was sure he would pass with at least a basic rating. He didn't have any fancy shuriken techniques like Sasuke, who would surely earn an Exceptional rating, but he had shown his worth. Naruto hit every target with accuracy and velocity. It wasn't glamorous, that much was true, however, it would get the job done all the same.
Naruto had been "quieting" his chakra since he had crawled out of bed in the morning. It was nerve-wracking to see all the adults that would be judging them today. He knew he couldn't let them see him so rattled, so he had taken to breathing deeply and circling his chakra slowly and purposely through his coils, trying to make his chakra feel like a cool light breeze instead of the whipping and howling typhoon that it wanted to be right now.
Next up was the Taijutsu task. Iruka-sensei explained the rules. Weapons were not allowed, but the Academy basic jutsu were encouraged, though they were not required at this stage of the exam.
Out of the corner of his eye, Naruto saw something move in the tree line. Naruto caught two bright eyes staring at him before they receded into the darkness of the shadows. He felt a shiver run down his spine. What the hell was that about? Those eyes had definitely been staring directly at him. It was similar to when he caught that strange monkey watching him before his last bout with Kiba. He wondered if this too was a monkey or something else entirely.
Naruto watched his classmates spar, making determinations of his own and trying to think about how he would respond. Ino had an aggressive style, which left her open to counter attacks. Against Hinata she didn't stand much of a chance given the Hyuuga's defensive, countering style. Choji vs Sasuke was an interesting matchup as both participants were strong taijutsu fighters. Choji's raw strength could not be underestimated, however, Sasuke was also strong. Naruto thought the edge in the match would be Sasuke's speed and nimble footwork. Naruto had trouble finding much wasted movement at all in Sasuke's Konoha Basic, Uchiha style hybrid technique.
Then it was his turn. He entered the arena and came face to face with Kiba. His opponent's words from the last spar rattled around in his head. You're not better than me! They all thought he was worthless, that he barely had any merit as a ninja. They probably all thought he'd be dead on a mission not long from now. Like hell would he let that happen.
Naruto steeled himself. His brows knit in determination as he shook Kiba's hand with the traditional two-finger shake of comrades about to spar. It was a sign of mutual respect, but Naruto didn't feel that was true from Kiba's side. He didn't feel like it was true from any of his classmates, really.
Kiba smirked. "Good luck," he said, "you'll need it."
Naruto felt himself tensing up with pent up resentment. Don't let him anger you, he thought. Naruto quieted his whirling chakra. He needed to be calm and in control. He had respect to earn from his classmates, from his teachers, and most importantly, from the old man, who watched passively from the sidelines. Naruto couldn't begin to see what the old man was thinking.
In order to execute his strategy, he needed to be in control. Naruto slid into the Konoha basic stance. Many of his classmates had clan styles that they relied on when fighting. Some gave a distinctive advantage, such as the Hyuuga's defensive, reactive fighting style that paired so well with the Byakugan's ability to see any attack from any direction.
Other styles were more aggressive in nature, looking to power through any defense. Naruto didn't know much about the Inuzuka style, but he did know from repeatedly fighting Kiba that he was aggressive and prone to overextending. If Naruto could bait him, he could win.
Iruka-sensei stood between them, his hands extended out to each fighter. Locking eyes with both combatants, he said, "On my mark."
Go!" Iruka said, leaping back.
Again, similar to their last fight, Kiba charged out of the gate in a burst of speed. Even though Naruto had expected Kiba to make the first move, the speed of the charge sent him onto his back foot. Naruto read his movements carefully.
Kiba's fist rocketed forward with devastating intent. Naruto grabbed his wrist and rotated, bringing all of Kiba's momentum with him. He flung Kiba over his shoulder with a shout. Kiba barreled across the training ground. He bounced once along the ground before he was able to regain his footing. He stretched his hand out and grasped the ground to halt his momentum.
Naruto was already upon him. In an effort to preserve his advantage, Naruto attacked with a combination of punches. To his credit, Kiba was able to defend his vital points well as he only sustained a few glancing blows. Still, it was enough that Naruto could see he had rattled Kiba. He struck out again. His fist connected with Kiba's face, but the puff of smoke and stinging pain in his hand revealed Kiba had used Substitution. The piece of wood he had struck cracked under the assault.
He cursed under his breath as his hand throbbed with pain. He'd lost sight of Kiba, which could only mean an attack was imminent. Naruto whipped around just in time to catch Kiba's kick right in his chest.
"Take that, dead last!" Kiba said.
Naruto wheezed as he tried to catch his breath. He was not able to defend himself from the punch that sent him tumbling backwards. He rolled head over heel until he banged the back of his head on the ground. The pain in his chest and head made him forget all about his throbbing hand and about Kiba, who was now careening down from overhead, his feet pushed out to stomp on him.
At the last moment, Naruto rolled to the side. Kiba crashed down beside him. His stomp fractured the ground beneath him.
That would have finished the match right there, Naruto thought. He gulped as he looked at the cracked dirt beneath Kiba. Naruto had to get out of Kiba's line of sight. He could really use a smoke bomb right now, but Ninja tools were prohibited in the match. It was in his best interest to think quickly. He wasn't sure how much longer he'd last against Kiba.
Naruto flipped out of the way of Kiba's next strike, a backhanded fist that swung menacingly toward him. He skidded to a stop about five meters from Kiba's position. That smirk was back.
"You're not going to beat me, you know," Kiba said, "you should give up now before I really hurt you."
Naruto could feel his chakra whirring in his body. He was upset, he realized. Be calm.
He took a deep breath before he locked eyes with Kiba. "You're going to lose to the dead last," he said.
Something about the way he said it must have struck Kiba. He charged, nostrils flaring. "As if!"
Naruto met his charge. With speed, Kiba hurled toward Naruto. Kiba stayed low to the ground. He reared his fist back for a devastating blow. The same move, Naruto realized.
Naruto let Kiba spin out from underneath him, but before Kiba could strike the back of his head for a second time, Naruto's foot extended backward. It caught Kiba directly in the stomach. Kiba clutched his abdomen and spit up bile onto his shoes. Naruto followed up by knocking Kiba off his feet.
Kiba sprawled away from Naruto. He's not looking, Naruto thought. Quickly, Naruto performed the hand signs for a clone. A perfect copy of Naruto appeared and took his place. He wouldn't be able to hide anywhere because Kiba's nose was too good. Instead, he transformed himself into a rock at the feet of the clone, hoping that Kiba's likely enraged state would have him miss the crucial detail.
Kiba wiped his mouth, an incensed look on his face. For the first time, Naruto could feel the chakra of another person. Kiba's chakra was red hot and bursting from his body. Naruto's clone smiled and beckoned Kiba to come.
With a shout, Kiba rocketed forward with speed Naruto wasn't sure he would have been able to react to in time. Kiba's fist reared back and blew through the clone's head. Instead of knocking out Naruto, Kiba fell through the translucent clone, a look of surprise on his face. His momentum carried him past Naruto. In a puff of smoke, Naruto revealed himself. From behind Kiba, he struck out and clubbed the back of Kiba's head. Kiba crashed to the ground, unconscious.
I did it, he thought. He had defeated Kiba. His classmates were as surprised as Kiba had been. Iruka-sensei broke the silence.
"Well done, Naruto!" Iruka said. He clapped Naruto on the back. Kiba was stirring now. He had a confused look on his face as another instructor tended to his injury.
Naruto beamed. He was proud of himself. He looked at the old man. A toothy grin met his own. The old man nodded his head. Naruto knew it was his way of congratulating him. He felt triumphant in that moment and even though he did not have the adoration of his peers, he'd take a stunned silence and the appreciation of Iruka-sensei and the old man all the same.
The final test, the Jutsu task, was almost a formality at this point. Naruto had shown the clone jutsu in battle and even demonstrated that he could implement it tactically. There was not much more that he could show. The grand hurdle of his Academy woes had been vanquished and he could not feel happier. He was going to be a ninja.
When they called him into the room, Naruto practically hovered across the floor. He felt so light. He performed each jutsu flawlessly. He'd mastered the Transformation and Substitution jutsu by his second year and now he'd finally mastered the Clone jutsu with the help of the old man.
"Well done, Naruto," Iruka-sensei said, "as your Academy instructor, I would like to formally welcome you to the ranks of Konoha ninja. Genin Naruto, step forward and accept your headband."
Iruka held out the shining headband. The symbol of Konoha was etched proudly into the center of the metal plate. It was fastened to a blue headband. He grasped it and tied it around his forehead. He'd dreamed of this moment for years and it was finally happening. All of a sudden, he burst into tears.
"T-thank you! Thank you!" he said. It was practically all he could sputter.
Iruka patted his shoulder. "Thank yourself. You've worked hard." Naruto flung his arms around the man and hugged him.
"We do have others who are waiting, Naruto," Iruka said. He scratched the back of his head and smiled lightly.
"Right, right," Naruto said. He rubbed his eyes, which were red from crying. Before Naruto left, Iruka handed him his report card as well as instructions on registration, including when and where to go for team assignments.
Naruto exited the room and went to sit with the students who had already tested and passed. He was congratulated by Shikamaru and Choji who both clapped him on the back. Hinata smiled and nodded to him. He nodded back. She ducked her head and stared at her feet. Naruto opened up the report card he'd been given by Iruka-sensei. Inside were his exam results, class rank, and a paragraph on his strengths and areas of growth.
Naruto's best task had been taijutsu, where he'd scored at the Proficient level. He read over the strengths and areas of growth and felt it was a fair assessment. The best part was he wasn't ranked last in the class anymore. For the first time in a long time, he felt hopeful for the future. He wondered who his sensei would be. Naruto thought back to the old man's speech earlier in the day. Some of those standing here today will be lifelong friends and allies. He sure hoped so. He felt a warmth inside his body. He was one step closer to gaining the acceptance of his classmates, which was one step closer to gaining the admiration of the village as a whole.
The exams did not last much longer after that. Once everyone had either passed or failed the Jutsu portion of the exam, Iruka-sensei released all the students. Naruto was caught in the crowd of students that raced through the double doors. They emptied out into the bright afternoon sun. Awaiting them were families. Brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, grandparents, uncles, aunts, and more congratulated his peers. They were embraced by their families.
Naruto found himself alone amidst all of these people. He felt invisible. The light feeling he'd been enjoying since he had passed quickly dissipated. There was no one here for him. There was no one to congratulate him, to bring him home and celebrate, or to hug him and ruffle his hair. There were no little brothers or sisters that looked up to him and no parents who proudly and affectionately looked upon him. A deep frown settled on his face.
He felt cold and despondent. Naruto watched the families slowly leave, yearning to have something similar. He didn't want to return to his empty apartment. The thought practically made him ill.
Suddenly, he felt a hand on his shoulder. He whipped around, wide eyed. Iruka-sensei smiled down at him. "Let me treat you," he said, "ramen?"
"Really!" Naruto said, "hell yeah!" He pumped his fist in the air. He was already starting to feel better.
They made their way to Ichiraku's, all the while, Naruto recounted his spar with Kiba to Iruka-sensei.
"And then I transformed and whooped his ass!" Naruto said, "he never saw it coming!"
Naruto mimicked the punch that ended the spar as Iruka looked on. Iruka laughed.
"It is certainly an advantage if your opponent underestimates you. There've been a great number of legendary ninjas who lost their lives because they underestimated someone," Iruka said, "remember that."
Naruto waved his hand back and forth, playfully. "I know, I know, Iruka-sensei," Naruto said, "you're always in teacher mode!"
Iruka chuckled. "Well, I wouldn't be a very good teacher if I ignored a perfectly good teaching moment, you know!" he said.
"Fine," Naruto said, "I promise, I'll remember to always take my battles super duper serious, believe it!" He stretched his arms up in the air as he proclaimed his intentions.
They arrived at Ichiraku's and ducked under the banner hanging in front of the bar. Teuchi and Ayame immediately noticed Naruto's new forehead protector.
"Naruto," said Ayame, "congratulations! We knew you could do it!" She ran around the counter and gave Naruto a hug.
"Good job, kid," Teuchi said. He grinned at Naruto.
Naruto smiled, a little shyly. His bravado from moments before shifted to a bashful smile. "Thanks, guys," he said.
Teuchi prepared two hot, steaming bowls of ramen. He placed them in front of Iruka and Naruto. "Thank you, let's eat!"
Iruka and Naruto both dug into their bowls. Naruto thought it was quite pleasant to eat alongside someone you cared about and who cared for you.
"So," Iruka said, "have you thought about your next step?"
"Next steps?" Naruto said, between bites.
"Yes, like what do you want to focus on in your training? I have some ideas if you're open," Iruka said.
"Oh," Naruto said, "I hadn't given it much thought yet. I guess I was so wrapped up in actually passing that I haven't thought that far ahead yet." He scratched the back of his head. He was a little embarrassed he didn't have an answer.
Iruka waved his hands. "Don't worry, it's something that most of your classmates haven't figured out yet either, unless they have clans, who've likely already planned this out for them. Really, it'll be the job of your jonin sensei to figure out how to best enhance your strengths and help you find your fighting style."
"Oh, that makes sense," Naruto said, "I'd still like to hear your thoughts anyway. You are my sensei, after all. You know my strengths best right now."
Naruto continued to eat, but was ready to attentively listen.
"Right," said Iruka, "well, I think your biggest strength right now is your taijutsu. Kiba was one of the stronger combatants your age, so defeating him went a long way to helping you achieve a Proficient score in taijutsu. I think you'd be best suited for a style that plays to your flexibility. This will mean that you should focus on your footwork, so that you can be in a position to easily shift to your next move."
Naruto nodded along. "That makes sense," he said.
"Taijutsu might be your best skill right now, but you have the most potential in ninjutsu," Iruka said.
"Oh, because I have a lot of yang chakra, right?"
Iruka looked surprised. "That's right. But it's not the only reason. Having a strong grasp of yang chakra will help, but the real reason you have such potential here is that you have an immense amount of chakra, much more than the average ninja. This will mean that you have the potential to perform complex ninjutsu."
"I understand," Naruto said.
Iruka appeared apprehensive. "Naruto, I don't doubt that you will be an excellent ninja. But, I do worry. There will be great challenges ahead of you," he said.
Naruto felt like his challenges were already large. How much greater could they get? He stared into his bowl of ramen. "I know," he said, "but that's the ninja life, right? I know it'll be hard, but I chose this path for a reason."
"I know," Iruka said, "if you ever need anything, don't hesitate to ask. I can be someone that can still help you, even if you have a jonin sensei."
Naruto smiled through a bite of ramen. He splashed bits of broth onto his clothes. "Thanks, Iruka-sensei. I will."
Iruka grinned around his own bowl of ramen. "Now why don't you tell me how you beat Kiba again."
Naruto whopped and smiled. "My pleasure!"