Graduation

In Konoha Year 32, Uchiha Kiyoshi was already ten years old. He could be considered well-developed enough, and it was time for him to start taking missions.

Although he had yet to encounter a bottleneck, Uchiha Kiyoshi felt that missions and actual combat would be more beneficial to his progress and would improve his strength faster. Of course, even if Uchiha Kiyoshi did not want to take missions, he had no choice now. He was about to graduate, and it was only a matter of time before he followed a team leader on missions.

Speaking of team leaders, Uchiha Kiyoshi thought of Orochimaru. If he had guessed right, he and Nawaki should become Orochimaru's students together. He just did not know who the third person would be. But after pondering it for a long time, Uchiha Kiyoshi still could not figure it out. He had no idea what the Hokage was thinking.

"Forget it. Whoever it is, it doesn't matter. With Nawaki and me here, what is there to be afraid of?"

Confident in his own strength, Uchiha Kiyoshi finally stopped dwelling on the third person and prepared for the exams.

The Ninja Academy lasted four years. In every theory exam, Uchiha Kiyoshi would deliberately get a few simple questions wrong, establishing himself as someone who was careless. It would be useful in the future.

Because of that, Uchiha Kiyoshi generally only ranked second or third. First place had always been held by Uchiha Tao, while Uchiha Kiyoshi and Hyuga Hikaru competed for second.

However, ever since the taijutsu classes began in the second year, Uchiha Kiyoshi had always been first. No one could outlast him.

Uchiha Kiyoshi was not particularly worried about the final graduation exam. Even if he failed badly, Orochimaru probably had the means to pull him into his team. But there was no point in that. It would only create needless trouble, and perhaps lower Orochimaru's opinion of him.

Uchiha Kiyoshi was rather looking forward to having Orochimaru as his team leader.

Orochimaru would become a scientist in the future, perfect Impure World Reincarnation, and develop all kinds of Ninjutsu. Not only were they extremely effective in actual combat, but they were also excellent for escaping with one's life.

Although the later Orochimaru was somewhat perverted and always lusted after other people's bodies, the current Orochimaru should not have reached that point yet. He was merely conducting normal experiments. Only after experiencing all sorts of conflicts, failing to protect Nawaki, being dragged into Danzo's pit, and becoming disappointed in the Third Hokage would Orochimaru slowly turn into the way he was in the later stages of the original story. Of course, his personality was partly to blame as well.

The still relatively normal Orochimaru could be considered an excellent choice of teacher. He might be a little harsh, but the results should be good.

Orochimaru was the Third Hokage's most satisfactory disciple. What was the Third Hokage best at? Five Elements Ninjutsu, of course! He was not called the "Professor of Ninjutsu" for nothing.

That he was the Third Hokage's most satisfactory disciple also meant that Orochimaru's achievements in Ninjutsu were the highest among the Sannin.

Naturally, that made him the best choice for Uchiha Kiyoshi to accumulate Ninjutsu in the early stages.

Among the Sannin, Orochimaru relied on science, Tsunade relied on bloodline, talent, and the Yin Seal, while Jiraiya relied on hard work.

That was Uchiha Kiyoshi's view. There was no need to mention Orochimaru—a scientific ninja. Though no one said Tsunade's Chakra was particularly enormous, she was from the Senju Clan and Senju Hashirama's granddaughter. How could she have little Chakra? Moreover, despite being delayed for so long, she was still able to catch up. Her talent was truly top-tier. Based on Senju Hashirama's recovery ability, she had also developed the Strength of a Hundred Technique and Creation Rebirth centered on the Yin Seal, which were also her greatest sources of power.

What about Jiraiya? He was a civilian ninja. Other than being physically strong and having a lot of Chakra, he had no other advantages in terms of talent.

That was right, Jiraiya's talent really was not good. Every time Orochimaru called Jiraiya stupid, there was a reason for it. But he worked hard and dared to gamble! It was precisely because he dared to gamble that he recklessly used the Summoning Jutsu!

What? He did not know the dangers involved? Could anyone believe that? Who was the Third Hokage? The Professor of Ninjutsu! Would someone capable of teaching the Sannin overlook such a small detail? Even if he had not emphasized it specifically, he would have mentioned it. Had Jiraiya really not heard it?

No. He simply knew his own situation. He knew his talent was poor too. He could only fight for it. He could only gamble! Gamble that he would be lucky enough to encounter a powerful summoned beast!

The facts proved that he won that gamble. Later, with Mount Myoboku's help, he learned Sage Mode and finally managed to keep pace with the other two.

Jiraiya actually had very few Ninjutsu in the original story, but every one of them had been mastered to an expert level. He had not spread himself thin. He had continuously trained the Ninjutsu suited to him, as well as Sage Mode, and that was how he achieved so much.

Jiraiya's talent could actually be seen from one thing: learning the Rasengan. Although that was the method he taught Naruto, was it not also the method he had used to learn it? If it could be learned easily, who would bother thinking up all those methods? Behind every new method he unlocked was the helplessness of lacking talent.

However, Jiraiya persevered. It could only be said that many people's evaluations in the original story were correct. He truly was a great ninja.

Ahem... That was enough rambling. Back to the point.

Uchiha Kiyoshi adjusted his state and began the exams.

The theory exam was very easy for him. He finished it half an hour early, handed in his paper ahead of time, left the classroom, and headed to the testing site for the Three Basic Techniques.

Class assignments depended more on usual test scores and performance. Theory exam results were not especially important. Many students had accepted that and simply completed what they knew before handing in their papers. Passing was enough.

Thus, Uchiha Kiyoshi was not the first to arrive for the Three Basic Techniques assessment. He could only wait patiently in line.

Before long, Nawaki came over as well and ran straight to Uchiha Kiyoshi's side.

"You finished that quickly?"

Uchiha Kiyoshi was rather surprised.

"Hehe, of course! Who do you think I am? I'm the man who's going to become Hokage! Hahahaha!"

Nawaki said smugly, shouting out his dream once again.

Uchiha Kiyoshi looked at the various expressions on the surrounding students' faces. Some were disdainful, some were admiring... Wait, why were there admirers?

Uchiha Kiyoshi could only feel helpless toward Nawaki. This guy was beyond saving. He shouted all day about becoming Hokage. He was probably already in Danzo's little notebook.

At least there was no need to worry for now. The Senju Clan had not completely withdrawn yet. With the Senju Clan backing him, Nawaki did not need to worry about Danzo doing anything too excessive. Yet that was exactly why Nawaki was such a great threat in Danzo's eyes. He dreamed of becoming Hokage, had people supporting him, and was even an ideal candidate by birth. The chances of him growing up to become Hokage were simply too high, and Danzo could not accept that.

I can only be more careful and hope Danzo doesn't pull anything. But since Nawaki survived until the Second Shinobi World War in the original story, Danzo probably had no way to do anything in the early stages. At least he should be able to live peacefully for a while. And as long as Nawaki doesn't die and the Senju Clan still has hope, they won't be led around by Danzo. Most of the clan's higher-ups died on the battlefield before the clan withdrew.

Uchiha Kiyoshi looked at Nawaki, his thoughts constantly turning.

Being stared at made Nawaki's skin crawl. He hurriedly hugged himself and looked at Uchiha Kiyoshi warily.

Ignoring Nawaki's antics, Uchiha Kiyoshi entered the examination room after the previous student came out and informed him that he could go in.

Inside the room, four class instructors sat behind a long table. In the middle sat a ninja wearing a dog mask, presumably an Anbu ninja sent by the Hokage to supervise the examination.

All the homeroom teachers were here. On the other side, the theory exam was being supervised by the taijutsu instructors.

When Uemura Naoki saw Uchiha Kiyoshi enter, he spoke.

"Uchiha Kiyoshi, don't be nervous. All you need to do is demonstrate the Three Basic Techniques here, one after another."

Unlike thirty years later, Konoha's final assessment at this time required students to demonstrate all three basic techniques.

Uchiha Kiyoshi did not hesitate. He stepped forward, took a deep breath, and began forming hand seals.

When an expert made a move, one could immediately tell whether they had skill.

Just from seeing Uchiha Kiyoshi's opening stance, the judges began nodding. When they saw the speed of his hand seals, they were even more surprised.

In just one second, Uchiha Kiyoshi completed the three seals for the Clone Technique.

Bang!

A ninja identical to Uchiha Kiyoshi appeared beside him. Its appearance was exactly the same, and its expression was no different from the real person's. There was no smoke throughout the process, and that alone made all the teachers present, including the supervising Anbu ninja, nod repeatedly.

The Anbu ninja even voiced his praise. "As expected of a genius who has mastered Medical Ninjutsu. This level of Chakra control is exceptional. There wasn't the slightest waste."

The four teachers looked at the Anbu ninja in surprise. They only knew that Uchiha Kiyoshi's ability to produce no smoke at all was impressive, but they did not know exactly why. In any case, none of them could do it themselves. They had not expected such high praise from him. From what he said, this method was apparently extremely advanced.

Uchiha Kiyoshi did not stop. He dispelled the Clone Technique, then formed a Ram Seal and directly transformed into the Anbu ninja's appearance, without the slightest difference.

The teachers praised him even more. He had only just met the man, yet he could imitate him so perfectly. Uchiha Kiyoshi's Transformation Technique was clearly quite accomplished as well.

As for the final Substitution Technique, aside from the lack of smoke, it did not display anything more and appeared to be the most ordinary.

However, only Uchiha Kiyoshi knew what level his Substitution Technique had reached.

After demonstrating the Three Basic Techniques in sequence, Uchiha Kiyoshi received a perfect evaluation and calmly walked out.

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