March 10, Year 26 of Konoha.
Today was the big day for this year's Chunin Ninja Exams in Konoha.
A large group of newly graduated Genin were lining up to enter the written exam venue: the Ninja Academy.
"Please enter in an orderly manner, Genin. Thank you for your cooperation." The Academy teachers maintaining order at the scene kept calling out to the examinees.
Fortunately, Konoha's Genin nowadays were not like that bunch of monsters from decades later.
"This batch of Genin really is disappointing..."
Not far from the Ninja Academy.
A small black figure sighed at the sight before him.
Right, this was the very spot where someone had hidden last year while squatting down to rub his feet.
"Why did you choose this place?" A cold voice came from the small white figure beside him.
"This place? It's where my youth once passed away~"
"..." The small white figure did not respond.
She seemed to be pondering something.
"What's wrong, Nao?"
"No wonder I couldn't find you, no matter how long I looked."
The two were first-year students from a certain school who had come to scout out the area: Uchiha Shin and Hyuga Nao.
Shin looked utterly confused. "Looking for me? When was that?"
As far as he remembered, aside from that one time, he had never come here again.
Nao replied, enunciating each word, "The first day of school."
After hearing her grind out those five words through clenched teeth, Shin seemed to understand something. "So, Nao, when I left, you ran out to chase after me?"
The moment the last syllable left his mouth, he felt the temperature around him plummet wildly.
After thinking it over, he realized his words had sounded ambiguous.
Just as he was about to explain himself, a cold glare forced