"That proctor... he's a devil, alright..."
As Tenzo* continued listing out the endless rules of the final exam, and as the parents saw the pile of weights on the nearby field — the kind even regular adults would struggle with — those who were just moments ago still celebrating their kids passing the first and second rounds finally snapped back to harsh reality...
Compared to the first two rounds, which only looked brutal but were essentially a breeze, this third and final round... was out for blood.
Wait, what did they just hear?
The kids had to wear those heavy weights… and run a full marathon lap around the village?
The test would be scored using a points system. Completing the lap alone just meant qualifying for admission, but to get a good rank and better education after enrollment? You had to pray your teammates were competent too?
And to top it off, they didn't even mention how long the run would take, and the kids had to compete over who finishes faster? With only one Ration Pill and a tiny amount of water to restore their stamina?!
Honestly, these conditions weren't so much for testing five- or six-year-old academy applicants… as they were for testing the mental stability of the poor adults standing here as their guardians.
"Oh right," Tenzo suddenly said, as if just remembering, "I almost forgot to mention one more thing. My bad, my bad."
Just as the parents below were collectively entering despair, Tenzo's sheepish tone came as a sliver of hope — like a straw to a drowning man. Faces brightened with excitement.
"Starting now, there's one more rule… the same rule that applied in the first two rounds also applies here."
However, the moment he said this, the parents' brief glimpse of salvation was crushed even harder. Tenzo's twisted smile — barely hiding his urge to laugh — drove them straight into a deeper abyss of despair. Some of the weaker-willed adults even grabbed their heads and let out heartbroken cries.
"Oh my god… I just wanted my kid to get into preschool. Do we really need to go through all this?!"
"Six rules weren't enough — now you're adding the previous ones too?! Are you trying to make this impossible?!"
"I thought we could take a shortcut, but no — teachers are watching the whole way... If my kid actually runs around the whole village with that weight, his legs will be ruined!"
"Wait, the earlier rule? You mean the one where kids must rely entirely on themselves with zero outside help?"
"No way! My kid's already weak. If they can't get assistance from others, how are they supposed to pass?!"
"It's over. Let's just pack up and go home..."
Faced with Tenzo's cruel list of rules for the third exam — each one more despair-inducing than the last — the parents of average, unremarkable kids couldn't help but feel like this was the end of the road.
Meanwhile, as time passed, Tenzo — the exam's proctor — grew more and more used to the chorus of groans and misery from the crowd. He no longer panicked beneath his calm facade like he did at the beginning…
In fact, with each new wave of anguished howls during every exam round, it was as if a door to a brand-new world had opened within him — and he was beginning to enjoy it.
To put it simply, thanks to Naruto's careful step-by-step manipulation, the once-honest Tenzo was starting to show signs of developing… some hidden attributes.
"Ahem, since everyone seems to understand the rules — and I've heard no objections—"
Tenzo didn't plan to give anyone time to process. After a brief, performative pause, he smiled warmly and quickly added:
"Then I hereby announce — the third exam officially begins!"
As expected, just when the crowd below had begun to react — before they could voice their complaints — Tenzo's sudden announcement sent them into another wave of howling despair.
"This can't be happening!"
"No! Proctor! Wait! I wasn't ready yet—!"
"This whole registration day must be a nightmare, right? It has to be!"
"Wait… hold on. I came here to register my kid for ninja preschool. This isn't the Chūnin Exams, right?!"
"...Yeah, looks like these people are about to have a collective mental breakdown. That won't do."
Naruto, who had been lazily holding Hinata in his arms and silently observing the chaos unfold, suddenly looked amused. He murmured to himself, grinning mischievously in Hinata's blind spot — her Byakugan hadn't activated yet. Then, with a shift of his eyes, he looked toward Sasuke, who was also doing nothing in particular.
'But… I'm not the right one to stir things up this time. I'm supposed to be the "deadweight," remember? I've already made two big moves — that's enough attention for now. Come on, Sasuke, I'll let you start ten seconds ahead this time.'
"Tch, as if giving me a ten-second head start would make me win against you."
Their numerous sparring matches during special training had made the Little Uchiha Fan fully aware of the gap between him and Naruto. He also knew Naruto well enough to guess what he was up to.
Rolling his eyes, Sasuke crossed his arms and turned away, pretending to ignore him.
'Hmph. Every time there's trouble, it's me you try to throw under the bus...'
"If you're the first one to run out," Naruto whispered, "I'll make tomato and egg stir-fry for you later."
'Tch… tomato and egg stir-fry? You think—'
But Naruto already knew exactly how to push Sasuke's buttons. After a year of training together, he had perfected the art of taming the tomato-loving Uchiha. With just the name of that one dish, Sasuke visibly wavered. It was like he could already smell the delicious aroma. His resistance softened — though he held out for a few seconds longer, pride still flickering in his eyes.
Too bad for him, Naruto had more up his sleeve. With an innocent smile, he leaned in and added one more line.
"Plus a full pot of tomato beef stew."
In the very next second, the defiant, stubborn Sasuke disappeared — replaced by a black blur streaking across the field. He paused just long enough to grab a weighted vest and a supply pouch with Ration Pills and water, then darted off without looking back, vanishing past the gates of the Ninja Academy.
And the cost of this miraculous transformation?
Just a single, softly spoken phrase from Naruto.
"Plus a full pot of tomato beef stew."
As it turns out, the best way to make the Little Uchiha Fan obedient… is to start by conquering his stomach.
...Wait. Naruto's cooking has completely won over Sasuke's stomach?
Something about that feels... off.
But also strangely not off at all?