Mikami Yuu and Nohara Rin walked into the classroom.
Before long, familiar faces filed in one after another—Might Guy, Sarutobi Asuma, Yūhi Kurenai, Ebisu…
Among them, Guy was on pretty good terms with Mikami Yuu. They trained together a lot, so the moment he saw Yuu, he threw a few punches at the air, then flashed a thumbs-up, grinning a mouthful of big white teeth.
"Morning, Yuu! Today's the final exam—are you ready to burn your youth to the fullest?!"
"Can't burn anymore. I'm already burnt out. You go burn yours."
Mikami Yuu laughed it off and brushed Guy aside.
Sarutobi Asuma was basically holding Sasuke's script at the moment—at such a young age he already kept his hair perfectly neat, hands in his pockets, looking like a little cool guy. Ebisu and Yamashiro Aoba—two sunglasses guys—hung around him.
Yūhi Kurenai was part of that little circle too. She chatted with Asuma on the way in, and when she saw Mikami Yuu, she lifted a small hand and waved, quietly greeting him.
Once everyone took their seats, the class bell rang. Their homeroom teacher, Ooki-sensei, walked in holding his lesson plans and began explaining the exam's key points and safety rules.
He was in the middle of talking when—
BANG.
The classroom door was slammed open, and Obito appeared at the entrance, panting. "R-reporting!"
"…Obito, you again! How many times is this already this month?"
Ooki-sensei frowned.
Obito grabbed at his hair, trying to explain. "Sorry, Teacher. On the way here, I ran into an old grandma who got lost, and I was late because I helped her get home…"
"Every time it's that excuse! You're standing in the back for this class!"
"Got it…"
Obito sneaked a glance at Rin, then trudged to the back row to stand.
Ooki-sensei tapped the blackboard, pulling everyone's attention back. "Ahem. Let's continue.
"This final exam is a comprehensive test. It includes written subjects, the Three Basic Jutsu, and combat sparring… All results will be counted into your annual score, and will serve as an important reference for next year's graduation exam.
"The test begins at 10 a.m. Aside from combat sparring, the other items will proceed in the same order as last time's rankings. Everyone must pay attention to safety…"
After a round of reminders, Ooki-sensei went out to set up the venue.
At that moment, a tall, broad-shouldered boy turned around and looked at Obito standing in the back as punishment, teasing him:
"Hey, Obito. Why are you late every day, and why do you always use such lame excuses to trick the teacher? Wow—so respectful of your instructors!"
"Trick? Everything I said is true! How can you slander my innocence out of thin air?!"
Obito widened his eyes and argued loudly.
"What 'true'? This is the third time this week you've helped an old grandma cross the street. Does Konoha really have that many grandmas who need your help?"
"Yeah, yeah! Last time was even crazier—you said you ran into a lost black cat!"
"Hey, every time you're late, the teacher spends a whole minute scolding you. One minute for you times twenty-something people is half an hour for the class. They say 'an inch of time is an inch of gold'—you should compensate each of us with a gold piece!"
"…?"
As more and more people joined in, Obito's face turned red. Veins popped on his forehead, and he started blurting out things like "I know every old person in the whole village!" and "Uncle Murata can vouch for me!" which made everyone burst into laughter. The classroom—inside and out—filled with cheerful noise.
"Hmph. Boring."
Sarutobi Asuma, sitting by the window, clicked his tongue. "The test is about to start and you're still messing around laughing. Are you all that confident? I heard if you rank last in this exam, you might even get held back!"
"Held back? Seriously?"
A few students jolted.
"Hmph, have you forgotten who Asuma-brother is? If big bro says it, how could it be fake!"
Ebisu pushed up his glasses and immediately jumped in, clinging tightly to the Hokage's son's leg.
With that kind of social awareness, no wonder he'd eventually become Konohamaru's private tutor.
On the other side, Hyūga Kamon said coldly, "No need to wait until next year's exam. In today's combat test, I, Hyūga Kamon, will prove to you all that the Hyūga clan is the strongest! First place in this exam is mine!"
"Bullshit! The Uchiha are the strongest!"
Obito stopped arguing about whether the grandma existed at all and snapped upright. "I, Uchiha Obito, will defeat every single one of you—and then I'll give that smug Kakashi a beating too! I'll earn the Third's attention and become the future Hokage!"
"Ah! This is youth!"
Might Guy leapt onto a desk, pumping his fists so hard the air whooshed. "I can feel the passion burning inside each of you! Then starting right now, burn your youth with me—run 500 laps around the field!"
Before he even finished speaking, Guy dashed out the door with a bang and actually ran to the field to start sprinting.
"…"
Mikami Yuu pinched the bridge of his nose.
So that's what it meant—geniuses everywhere like weeds.
If you had to deal with a class like this every day, being a Ninja Academy teacher probably wasn't exactly an easy job…
…
The argument about Obito being late was just a small interlude.
Time quickly reached 10 a.m.
All the students left the classroom and gathered in small groups on the field outside.
A ring had already been set up.
Ooki-sensei—Mikami Yuu's homeroom teacher—and Teacher Himura from the class next door stood together beside the platform.
Ooki-sensei clapped his hands hard, signaling everyone to quiet down. "Is everyone here?"
"I've already told you all the safety rules, so I now announce… the exam officially begins! First item: the Three Basic Jutsu! When I call your name, come up in order and perform the assigned technique. Everyone else, stay where you are and be ready!"
"Sarutobi Asuma, Hyūga Kamon, Nara Mayumi… Mikami Yuu…"
As Ooki-sensei started calling names, some students looked delighted while others looked miserable.
The delighted ones were, of course, the kids who were good at the Three Basic Jutsu. They wanted to use this chance to show off—maybe even catch the eye of someone they liked. If their test performance could get them noticed by the Academy, or even by the Third Hokage himself, and land them special training, that would be even better.
Those who were only average, meanwhile, grew quietly nervous, terrified of embarrassing themselves again.
Soon enough, students went up one by one.
Sarutobi Asuma went first.
Ever since Kakashi graduated early and left the Academy, Asuma—the Hokage's son—had been sitting firmly at the top of the combat-class rankings year after year. He had extremely solid fundamentals in the Three Basic Jutsu, shuriken throwing, sparring, and more, and his performance today was outstanding as well.
A while later…
It was Mikami Yuu's turn to go up.