The Dead Last Will Rise

"It's the first exam. I'm a little nervous. I wonder if the questions will be hard."

"I hope not. If I fail, I'll get beaten when I go home."

"It probably won't be that bad. Didn't Mu Yue-sensei give us mock exams? Passing should be easy."

Perhaps because it was their first exam, many students in Class 1-1 were somewhat nervous.

They worried that the questions would be too difficult, that they would get poor scores and be scolded when they got home.

"Anko, Izumo, are you nervous?" Izumo Kamizuki asked Kotetsu Hagane.

"What's there to be nervous about? It's just a little test. Watch me breeze through it." Anko said with a grin.

"Of course you're not nervous? This is different from usual. The scores will be posted publicly." Kotetsu Hagane replied.

"I'm a little nervous too. I only got eighty on Teacher Hanyu's last mock exam. The real exam should be harder, so I'll probably only get sixty or seventy." Izumo Kamizuki nodded.

"My mock score was a little better than yours—I got eighty-seven. But I also feel like I might only get sixty or seventy this time." Kotetsu Hagane said with a bitter expression.

"Wait, you both scored that high?" Anko was a little stunned. She had been full of confidence, but she had only scored a little over sixty on the last mock exam.

"Mock exam scores are all fake. They don't count for anything." Kotetsu Hagane sighed.

"Let's try to score a little better. If the class average is higher, it'll be better. I heard that if our scores are too bad, they might replace our teacher. Then it won't be Mu Yue-sensei anymore." Izumo Kamizuki shared the rumor he had heard.

"Replace our teacher? Any other teacher can be replaced, but Teacher Hanyu can't." Anko didn't want Mu Yue to leave.

Although he was their Homeroom Teacher, Mu Yue only taught more classes in Class 1-1. Not every lesson was taught by him; there were several other teachers as well.

"Yeah. The other teachers' classes are too boring. Only Teacher Hanyu's lessons are interesting and easy to understand." Kotetsu Hagane agreed.

"Why don't we tell the whole class? It'll motivate everyone." Kotetsu Hagane came up with a good idea. In the novels he read, they always boosted morale before a big battle.

Anko thought it was a good idea, so she stood up directly from her seat and announced the news to everyone.

Anko's words caused a stir in the classroom. Mu Yue was the teacher they loved and respected most.

"Everyone, work hard and score well! If Mu Yue-sensei leaves later and we get another boring teacher like the Taijutsu Teacher, won't we be doomed?" Izumo Kamizuki took the chance to shout.

"Work hard and score well! We absolutely won't let Mu Yue-sensei be replaced!"

"I'll say it outright: if anyone fails this time, I'll look down on them. Mu Yue-sensei already taught us so well."

Shisui didn't join in. It didn't matter. He would make his move and take First in Grade outright. With students achieving results like that, there was naturally no reason to replace the teacher.

"Everyone, quiet down. The exam is about to begin. Just do your best."

Mu Yue's sudden voice instantly quieted the classroom. Everyone looked toward the source of the voice and saw that Mu Yue had somehow arrived at the doorway.

"I believe everyone can get good scores." Mu Yue said with a smile. He didn't linger long before heading to the class he was assigned to supervise.

With so many students wanting to work hard so that he could continue teaching them, Mu Yue was naturally happy.

But Mu Yue could only say that they were worrying for nothing. Even if teachers were replaced, it would be judged based on the entire semester and the entire school year.

Besides, the mock exams Mu Yue had given them were actually harder than the real test.

Entering Class 4-2, Mu Yue walked straight to the podium and announced, "Everyone, quiet down. The exam is about to begin."

Teachers were assigned to supervise exams at random, and he had happened to be assigned to Class 4-2.

"Mu Yue-sensei."

Quite a few students in Class 4-2 greeted Mu Yue, and he responded to each of them with a smile and a nod.

Not only were Obito and Might Guy in Class 4-2 his disciples, but this was also one of the classes where he substituted most often. Everyone was fairly familiar with him, and compared to Iketani Isamu, they liked Mu Yue even more.

"With Mu Yue-sensei watching, I have to pass this time!" Might Guy took a deep breath, looking as though he faced a formidable enemy.

If Might Guy had to choose between a theory exam and fighting a full-fledged ninja, he would rather fight the full-fledged ninja.

He would be graduating next year. If he fought a full-fledged ninja, he might have a chance of winning if he had a burst of strength. But some theory questions left him completely helpless no matter how anxious he got.

"Rin, just wait and see. This time, I'll definitely overturn your impression of me." Obito whispered smugly.

"So you'll definitely pass this time, right? I believe you can do it, Obito." Nohara Rin encouraged him with a smile.

Although Obito had said things like this countless times and had never managed to succeed, Nohara Rin was still willing to believe in him and encourage him.

"Try to get all the questions you know right. Check them a few more times, and leave the difficult ones until the end." Nohara Rin gently reminded Obito.

As his good friend, she truly hoped Obito could shake off the title of dead last.

"Mm-hm." Obito nodded.

Soon, another proctor entered the classroom. It was Kimura Sugito, a teacher from the same office as Mu Yue. Each exam room was supervised by two teachers.

When the bell rang, Mu Yue and Kimura Sugito distributed the test papers together.

Afterward, one remained still while the other moved around as they supervised the exam. Occasionally, they both sat at the podium and chatted for a while.

"Teacher Ikeya must be having a hard time too. His bonus for this semester is probably out of reach, getting stuck with two major dead lasts." Kimura Sugito sighed softly.

"Hard to say. Maybe they'll study hard this semester and manage to pass." Mu Yue smiled and shook his head.

Mu Yue felt that Obito and Might Guy's performance this time would probably leave quite a few people's jaws on the floor.

"They haven't passed a single theory exam in three straight years. If they could pass, they would've done it long ago. The higher they go, the harder the courses get." Kimura Sugito thought Mu Yue was being too optimistic.

"Luckily, they'll graduate after this school year. Otherwise..." Kimura Sanjin thought about what it would be like if students like that ended up in his hands. It would truly be suffering.

After their brief chat, Mu Yue continued making his rounds.

He missed teaching a little. Because of the exams, the entire Ninja Academy had suspended classes for three days. The first day was for various theory exams, the second day was for practical combat, and the third day was also for practical combat, where the grade rankings would be decided.

To him, those three days without classes meant practicing several fewer Ninjutsu and refining dozens less Chakra.

Fortunately, Teaching Disciple Returns Reward could still be used. After the theory exam ended, Mu Yue gave Obito some Shuriken and got a small burst of returns—fifty Chakra.

"Just wait and see, Mu Yue-sensei. I'll definitely use the Shuriken you gave me to defeat them all and take first place!" Obito said gratefully.

The Practical Exam was about to begin.