An hour passed in the blink of an eye.
"The exam time is over. You may all leave. The results will be posted on the display board before school ends today."
As Aomizu's calm voice echoed through the classroom, the scratching of pencils stopped almost simultaneously. One by one, the students put down their pens, stretched their stiff shoulders, and began filing out of the room.
Outside the classroom, the atmosphere immediately grew lively.
"Rin, Shizune, how do you think you did? Are you confident you passed?" Kurenai Yuhi asked as she walked between them.
"No problem," Rin replied with a gentle smile. "The questions were very simple."
Shizune nodded in agreement. "As long as you paid attention in class, they were easy."
Hearing that, Kurenai smiled brightly. "That's great! It looks like the three of us will move on to the second stage together."
She was confident in her own performance as well.
However, the mood was entirely different for the boy walking on Rin's other side.
The joys and sorrows of people were never the same.
For Uchiha Obito, theoretical knowledge had always been his weak point. Even though Rin had helped him review diligently, he still felt uncertain.
At least… he had answered every question.
"Obito, how did you do?" Rin turned her head, her eyes filled with concern.
Kurenai and Shizune looked at him too.
Under their gazes, Obito straightened instinctively, pushing down his anxiety.
"I'm Uchiha Obito!" he declared boldly. "A test like that can't possibly stump me!"
"Really? I don't believe it," Kurenai teased, raising an eyebrow.
Obito hurried to explain. With Rin's help, he had memorized everything. He had even filled out every single question!
So of course he would pass.
Yet despite his bravado, his stiff posture betrayed him.
The girls exchanged knowing smiles, and laughter filled the corridor.
Back inside the classroom, Aomizu had already begun grading.
The exam was worth one hundred points. Under normal circumstances, a passing score would require at least ninety-five points.
However, these were still Academy students. It was unrealistic to expect them to devote all their time to medical theory.
Therefore, Aomizu had relaxed the standard: anyone scoring seventy-five points or higher would pass.
As he graded, he nodded faintly.
"As expected…"
Rin Nohara and Shizune both scored full marks—one hundred points.
They were the only two perfect scores in the entire class.
The result did not surprise him.
In the original timeline, Rin would quickly become a medical ninja after graduation. If she had not been caught in Uchiha Madara's scheme, she might have grown into an outstanding Medical Jonin.
As for Shizune, there was even less to say. She would one day follow Tsunade faithfully, managing medical duties even when Tsunade's hemophobia prevented her from operating.
If either of them had failed such a basic written exam, that would have been shocking.
"Kurenai Yuhi… ninety-five points."
Aomizu raised an eyebrow slightly.
Second highest score.
Even without relaxed standards, she would have passed.
He had initially assumed she attended his class out of curiosity. After all, her father was a Genjutsu Jonin, and Kurenai herself possessed exceptional talent in illusion techniques.
Yet clearly, she had taken medical theory seriously.
Thinking of how she once cast Genjutsu on Uchiha Itachi in the future—only to have it effortlessly reversed—Aomizu could not help but think that studying medical ninjutsu might not be a bad backup plan for her.
When he finished grading, he reviewed the results.
Out of more than fifty students, only twenty-three met the requirements.
The rest were eliminated.
After school, a crowd gathered around the display board.
Kurenai, Rin, and Shizune stood calmly at the front.
Obito lingered slightly behind them, swallowing nervously.
When his eyes found his score—
Seventy-three.
Two points short.
It felt as if the sky had collapsed.
His shoulders slumped instantly. His face drained of color.
Just two points.
He would not be able to continue attending classes with Rin.
Why… why was it only two points short?!
"It's okay, Obito," Rin said softly, stepping closer.
Her expression was gentle, almost like an older sister comforting a younger sibling.
"You worked very hard."
"And I believe you can become an excellent ninja even without medical ninjutsu."
She smiled brightly.
"And when I master medical ninjutsu, I'll treat you if you get hurt."
Obito's heart thumped.
His despair evaporated.
"In that case," he declared passionately, "I'll become an outstanding Jonin and protect you, Rin!"
"I believe you will," Rin replied without hesitation.
Obito's spirit was instantly restored.
Meanwhile, in the Senju Clan Compound—
"This is so boring!"
Kushina's voice echoed through the courtyard.
Tsunade was at the Research Base. Yumiko had gone to see Minato. Even Aomizu was busy.
Although Aomizu had thoughtfully prepared a movie-viewing device for her, watching alone felt pointless.
"I want to go out and play!"
As soon as she shouted, several masked ANBU silently appeared in the shadows.
They had been assigned by Hiruzen Sarutobi to monitor and protect her.
"You cannot leave the Senju Compound," one ANBU said respectfully. "Those are Hokage-sama's orders."
The reason was simple.
Kushina was still young. Unlike Uzumaki Mito, she could not fully suppress the Nine-Tails.
If she lost control, the consequences would be catastrophic.
"Am I supposed to stay here forever?" Kushina demanded, frustration obvious.
"As long as you can control the Nine-Tails' power, you may leave," the ANBU replied.
Though even then, restrictions would remain.
Kushina clenched her fists.
"I understand."
After they disappeared, she stood alone.
If she did not master the Nine-Tails soon, she would remain confined like a prisoner.
"I won't accept this."
Closing her eyes, Kushina sank into her inner world.
The sealing space was dim.
Water stretched endlessly beneath her feet.
A heavy, oppressive aura lingered in the air.
It came from the strongest of the Tailed Beasts—
The Nine-Tails.
At the far end stood a massive red gate, sealed with a gigantic talisman.
Behind it lay immense chakra.
The Nine-Tailed Fox.
As Kushina approached, the beast stirred.
Two enormous crimson eyes opened.
Each eye was nearly as large as she was.
They stared down at her with pure killing intent.
"So," the Nine-Tails rumbled, its voice shaking the space, "you dare come here yourself, brat?"
"Are you here to die?"
Dark red chakra seeped from behind the bars.
The malice was suffocating.
It sought to corrupt her mind, to seize control.
The Nine-Tails remembered.
It had once lived freely for centuries.
Then Uchiha Madara had enslaved it with the Sharingan.
Then Senju Hashirama had overpowered it with Wood Release, speaking absurd words about sealing its power.
Sealed inside Uzumaki Mito.
Decades passed.
Finally, when Mito died—
It was sealed again.
Into Kushina.
The hatred burned endlessly.
"Another human seeking my power," it growled.
"Humans are all the same!"
Kushina activated the seal.
Red Torii gates descended from above, slamming down and suppressing the beast.
The spreading chakra retreated.
"I need your power," Kushina declared firmly. "This is my body!"
"Foolish child!" the Nine-Tails roared. "I am the strongest Tailed Beast!"
Its chakra surged again, more violently this time.
Instead of retreating—
Kushina stepped forward.
She chose not to dodge.
She chose to endure.
Red chakra enveloped her.
For a brief moment, she thought she could handle it.
Then—
Her expression changed.
The power was far beyond her expectations.
The seal trembled.
The red chakra seeped into her consciousness like poison.
Outside—
Within the Senju Compound—
ANBU suddenly sensed it.
A terrifying chakra erupted skyward.
Scarlet energy spiraled around Kushina's body.
Her eyes flickered red.
Inside the sealing space—
The Nine-Tails laughed wildly.
"Yes! Yes! Let me out!"
Cracks appeared along the Torii gates.
The water trembled violently.
Kushina clenched her teeth.
"No… I won't lose!"
But the power was overwhelming.
The red chakra swallowed her figure.
In the real world—
A pillar of demonic chakra burst into the sky.
The Nine-Tails' chakra cloak began forming around Kushina.
The ground cracked beneath her feet.
Windows shattered across the compound.
The ANBU froze in horror.
"The Nine-Tails is going berserk!"
Alarms rang throughout Konoha.
And within the storm of scarlet chakra—
Kushina's scream echoed.
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)