"Yo, isn't this the Second Hokage? It's only been a few days. Why did you suddenly want to answer a child's test?"
Seisui grinned at Tobirama Senju, then shook his head. "Forget it, Tobirama. What if your score ends up lower than mine? Wouldn't that be embarrassing? You wouldn't be able to save face."
"Maybe you'd even blame your beloved disciple afterward. If I indulged your willful idea, wouldn't that count as sowing discord?"
"You've been dead for so many years. There weren't even written exams when you founded the Ninja Academy. You probably never even came up with a template..."
"Ah, forget it. There's really no need. If it comes down to it, you can just give me a sharp critique..."
Seisui's words emphasized objectivity and fairness. He thoughtfully brought up the differing circumstances of the Warring States Period and the age of warfare, reasonably offering Tobirama Senju a way out.
Yet his tone was thoroughly provocative. Tobirama Senju's temples throbbed, and the strange feelings he had just developed toward Seisui were temporarily forgotten as he ground his teeth in anger.
"Stop looking down on me. I am the Second Hokage. If I can't even outperform a Uchiha brat like you on a test about the Will of Fire, that would be utterly ridiculous..."
"A template has never been the key to the Will of Fire. Its core and logic are what matter most."
"Enough nonsense. Are you saying you can't let me answer the test? If you can't, then just say so!"
Heh, was he really resorting to provocation now? He must have thought my answers were pretty good and wanted to try it himself after getting interested...
Tobirama, I warned you. Times had changed. You didn't have the mindset for either the Will of Fire or exam-taking...
Seisui shook his head with an amused smile. He did not comment on Tobirama Senju's provocation or his desire to have his disciple grade his test. Instead, like an adult soothing a child, he said,
"Fine, fine. You really are impossible. I'll agree."
"What kind of strange tone is that? Do you think I'm being unreasonable?!"
Seisui shrugged. "I never said that. You're quite old, but you're still so sensitive. Honestly..."
"..." Tobirama Senju's face darkened. Why did everything this brat said sound so strange?
Evil Seisui brat!
Seisui slowly swept his gaze around the examination room. Quite a few of the younger students were fast asleep.
It could not be helped. This test, personally drafted by Hiruzen Sarutobi to assess Seisui's level, was simply far too difficult for them.
Rather than scribble nonsense on such sensitive questions, it was better to hand in a blank paper. That was safer, at least.
"In a way, this is the wisdom of underachievers..." Seisui thought as he saw Obito Uchiha furiously writing beside him.
After Obito Uchiha had been taken away by Setsuna Uchiha, what kind of earth-shattering answers would that brain of his produce? Even Seisui was interested in seeing the grader's reaction.
It would definitely be amusing.
Seisui stood up. As he passed a sleeping classmate, he bent down and patted his shoulder. "Classmate, did you drop this pen?"
The groggy student jolted awake. "Teacher, I... I really don't know how to do this! It's not that I don't want to answer!"
The whole examination room burst into laughter, though there was plenty of resentment mixed in. Which teacher had written these questions? They were way too hard. Wasn't this just making things difficult for them...?
Even Iruka Umino on the podium smiled helplessly, thinking to himself,
"Kids, your teacher doesn't blame you. This is the Third Hokage's test for Qingshui-kun... For the village's future, you'll just have to suffer a little for now. I'll give you a few extra lessons afterward to make it up to you..."
"Qingshui-kun, this isn't my pen. Thank you..." The student saw Seisui's kind smile and scratched his head awkwardly, a trace of admiration on his face.
Seisui, who had thoroughly defeated Double Tomoe Obito during the Ninja Academy's practical assessment and treated others kindly, had already become a legendary figure at the academy. His words encouraging Might Guy had inspired many insecure academy students to quietly work harder.
"Kojiro, try answering it. You can do it. Don't be afraid of getting things wrong. This is a precious opportunity to learn about the Will of Fire. This test is very good. It would be a pity to miss it..."
Seisui took out a pen bearing the Uchiha Clan crest, clearly an expensive item, and handed it to him with an encouraging smile.
Kojiro Inada accepted the pen with trembling hands. He had never expected Seisui to remember the name of a bottom-ranked student like him.
And in the instant their eyes met, the Tomoe beneath Seisui's Water Release contact lenses slowly turned, just like Konoha's fate.
"Qingshui-kun... Please rest assured, I'll do my best!"
"Good..." Seisui nodded to him, then walked to the front and handed his test paper to Iruka Umino. "Iruka-sensei, I'm handing mine in early."
Iruka Umino accepted Seisui's test paper with satisfaction. Seeing many students who had given up hesitate before picking up their pens, a deep sense of pride surged from within him.
Who said being a teacher had no future?
Look at this good child from the Uchiha Clan. I taught him. He's a student in my class!
I, Iruka Umino, have the makings of the Second Hokage as a teacher!
Within the classroom, the gazes directed at Seisui's departing back were complicated.
Obito Uchiha pursed his lips. Thinking of the clan-first ideology Setsuna Uchiha had instilled in him, he snorted coldly and combined what he believed to be the Will of Fire with the Uchiha, writing even faster across his test paper.
Asuma Sarutobi looked conflicted. If they had not been in the classroom, he would have wanted to pull out the cigarette he had stolen in his pocket and light one.
Rin Nohara chuckled softly. Thinking about visiting Seisui's home over the weekend, she quietly hummed a pleasant tune.
Might Guy, meanwhile, was in tears as he exclaimed from the bottom of his heart, "This is youth!"
Only after Iruka Umino gestured for him to be quiet did Might Guy turn his attention to the test paper, rapidly writing things about youth on every question...
From Target of Confrontation Might Guy, you have obtained the taijutsu Konoha Great Whirlwind!
"Really emotional, Guy..." Seisui listened helplessly to the electronic voice. He sat down on a chair outside the classroom and waited for Shisui to finish his test.
"Come on, esteemed Second Hokage Tobirama Senju. Tell me whatever you want to answer. I've already used Genjutsu to control Kojiro. He'll write your answers on the test paper..."
"Write properly. Don't make the poor kid fail later."
Tobirama Senju snorted, but did not argue with Seisui. He closed his eyes and began to think.
Only after a long while did he slowly give his answer to the first question, looking exceptionally serious.
No one would have imagined that on an ordinary final examination, one of the test papers was being answered by the deceased Second Hokage...
That night.
Hokage Office.
Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at the test papers from Seisui's examination room on his desk. Expectantly, he lit his pipe and took a contented puff.
"Let's see how the village's children did..."
Before you continue