The classroom buzzed with tension. Rows of wide-eyed kids fidgeted, whispering rumors about the upcoming graduation test. The adults outside weren't much calmer. For the first time in the brutal history of the Warring States era, something new was about to happen—a ninja school exam.
Amamiya Raizen stood before the council of clan heads, arms folded, his tone calm but his eyes alight with purpose.
"This," he said, tapping the map of the Alliance compound, "is how we show the world that Konoha isn't just another warband. It's the future."
He looked around the room—six clan leaders watching him warily, half-intrigued, half-concerned.
"The students here are trained through our new system. They're disciplined, organized, and loyal. If the world learns that any child can receive ninja education by joining the Alliance, then every wandering clan, every desperate family out there will come to us. This—" he smirked faintly "—is how you build an army without fighting a war."
The room went silent, then one by one, nods followed. The patriarch of the Daitō Clan broke the silence.
"Such a move would draw every clan's attention. A spectacle like this... might even reshape the balance of power."
"Exactly," Raizen replied, voice steady. "So we'll hold an open graduation exam tomorrow, the day after the alliance ceremony. Everyone's invited to watch."
That single sentence sent ripples through the Alliance like a thunderclap.
By nightfall, the entire Konoha Alliance was buzzing. Word spread like wildfire: The first ninja exam in history.
Teachers rushed to prepare. Students, barely holding in their nerves, sharpened kunai and replayed jutsu drills until their fingers bled. For most, this was their first real test—not just of skill, but of survival.
Among them, Amamiya Jinsuke nearly broke the training dummy in half when he heard the announcement.
"Finally!" he shouted, staring down at the shattered remains of a chakra-infused water balloon. "This is it. I'll show everyone I'm not some clan nobody!"
He clenched his fists, his Rasengan training still incomplete but burning in his mind.
"Hatake Hoshino…" he muttered darkly. "Let's see you act smug when I crush you in front of the entire Alliance."
Then, as if to complete his fantasy, his thoughts spiraled into an embarrassingly vivid daydream—defeating Hoshino while a crowd of cheering girls surrounded him. His grin turned a bit too wide for comfort.
Meanwhile, the exam structure was finalized: three trials.
The Written Test — teamwork and strategy under pressure.
The Scroll of Heaven and Earth — survival combat within a forested death zone.
The Final Duel — a one-on-one elimination match to determine the strongest Genin.
Eighty-four students entered. Twenty-eight three-man squads. Ages eight to twelve. Children born into war, raised to survive it.
When Jinsuke received his exam notice, his face turned pale.
"What!? I'm teamed with him!?" he yelled, staring at Hoshino's name beside his own. Fate clearly had a cruel sense of humor.
Outside the academy, word of the exam reached every corner of the settlement. Merchants, mercenaries, even shinobi from outside clans filled teahouses and courtyards, whispering about "the Konoha test."
"Have you heard? They're holding a Genin exam right after the alliance signing!"
"Yeah, my cousin's kid's in it. They say the forest they're using is crawling with venomous beasts."
"Only the Amamiya would turn a children's test into a battlefield."
At one such teahouse, Senju Hashirama paused mid-sip, frowning.
"…Genin exam?" he murmured. "Raizen never rests, does he?"
Back in the council hall, preparations reached fever pitch. Reports stacked high on Raizen's desk.
"A total of eighty-four participants, twenty-eight teams," one Chūnin read out. "We've finished cordoning off the second testing ground—a forest filled with wild beasts and natural traps."
"Good," Raizen said, eyes sharp. "That forest… name it the Forest of Death."
The officer hesitated. "That's… rather ominous, sir."
Raizen smiled thinly. "Perfect. The name should make them sweat before they even step in."
The Chūnin nodded grimly.
Raizen's voice hardened. "This exam isn't just for the students—it's for the world to see what Konoha represents. Strength. Unity. Vision. There can be no mistakes."
He dismissed the man with a wave, staring out the window as night fell over the growing settlement below. The fires of the camp flickered like stars reflected in mud.
"This time," Raizen whispered, "Konoha won't be just a dream. It'll be the spark that burns through this cursed era."
He clenched his fist. Failure wasn't an option—not for the Alliance, not for him.
...
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