Ninja Academy Graduation

News of the Konoha White Fang spread quickly through the village. Within just a few days, many people had learned of it. However, what the villagers discussed had been "castrated" into all sorts of wildly varied versions, like gossip.

In taverns, restaurants, and casual street conversations, the Konoha White Fang's affair seemed to have become Konoha's hottest gossip.

When Hyuga Mirai returned to the clan, Hyuga Kiyomi called him over to practice the Gentle Fist. Clearly, the talent Hyuga Mirai had displayed in Medical Ninjutsu was enough to set him on the path of a medical-nin, yet Hyuga Kiyomi still had him train the Gentle Fist with her on the grounds that "a Guard's strength can't be too poor."

Bang!

Bang!

Bang!

Hyuga Mirai once again "barely" held out against Hyuga Kiyomi for a while before being defeated. This time, however, he had put more effort into it. Even after Hyuga Kiyomi used the Eight Trigrams Thirty-Two Palms, he still managed to block more than twenty strikes before losing.

After all, Hyuga Mirai was also a genius in Class B, and he often took leave under the pretext of training. It would have been strange if he had not improved at all.

"I still can't compare to you, Kiyomi-sama."

After being knocked to the ground by a palm strike, Hyuga Mirai simply sat there instead of getting up right away. Acting was both a technical and physically demanding job, especially in front of a Hyuga Jonin. If Hyuga Mirai had not understood the Gentle Fist better than Hyuga Kiyomi and deliberately allowed himself to be hit several times, his flaws might already have been exposed.

Hyuga Kiyomi slowly exhaled, then said with a stern little face, "You've improved a little, but you still need to train harder."

"Yes, I understand, Kiyomi-sama." Hyuga Mirai readily agreed, then said with some distress, "But Medical Ninjutsu takes up most of my time. It seems the gap between Kiyomi-sama and me will only grow wider from now on."

Upon hearing this, Hyuga Kiyomi did not know what to say. Her Grandfather, the Fourth Elder, supported Hyuga Mirai's development as a medical-nin. With Hyuga Mirai's talent and the Hyuga Clan's influence, he might one day secure a position as Vice Dean or even dean of a hospital.

At that point, the Hyuga Clan's influence in Konoha would increase considerably. Hyuga Kiyomi knew that as well.

"By the way, Kiyomi-sama, do you know about the Konoha White Fang?"

While resting, Hyuga Mirai picked up a cup of tea and slowly took a sip before asking. Even drinking tea within the Hyuga Clan was not enjoyable. One had to follow proper etiquette and savor it slowly; making even the slightest gulping sound would earn a scolding.

After hearing Hyuga Mirai's question, Hyuga Kiyomi elegantly set down her teacup, straightened her posture, and replied, "Why are you interested in that?"

"Whenever I go out these past few days, I always hear many villagers talking about the Konoha White Fang."

Hyuga Kiyomi shook her head slightly and said, "That has nothing to do with the Hyuga Clan."

"I'm just curious how much loss the Konoha White Fang's mission failure actually caused the Land of Fire."

"Don't think about it," Hyuga Kiyomi said. "Only the Third Hokage knows the details of an S-rank mission. Even the head of the Jonin Corps would not know. Even if the mission failed, not the slightest detail related to it would be disclosed."

"The Konoha White Fang was unfortunate too. The person he saved actually turned around and bit him. The Higher-ups could only handle it this way, hmph!"

Hyuga Mirai was slightly surprised inwardly when he heard Hyuga Kiyomi say that. He had always thought this Young Miss of the Main Family was a dull girl who only knew how to train. He had not expected her to have such insight.

The Konoha White Fang truly was a pity.

Suddenly, countless villagers had begun discussing it, though they did not know the specific details. They only said that the Konoha White Fang's actions had caused the Land of Fire tremendous losses. Yet the Konoha White Fang had been carrying out an S-rank mission. Missions of that level came with strict gag orders, and even the Hyuga Clan could not obtain specific intelligence.

Yet it had suddenly spread throughout the village, with even ordinary villagers joining in the discussion.

With war drawing near, even though the Third Kazekage had not yet disappeared, Hyuga Mirai did not believe Konoha's Higher-ups had received no intelligence about the tense atmosphere along the border.

At a time like this, was it true or false that they were loudly spreading word throughout the village that the Land of Fire had suffered grievous losses?

If it was true, then this behavior was incredibly foolish. They had openly let the villagers know that the Land of Fire had suffered severe losses. How could spies from other countries possibly remain unaware?

If it was false, then the Konoha White Fang had been terribly wronged. Within just a few days, nearly every villager was cursing him.

Though perhaps he was not entirely wronged. To stir up such massive rumors within Konoha, so overwhelming that even the Military Police Force could not control them, only a handful of people could have done something like this.

"Don't think about this anymore. It has nothing to do with the Hyuga Clan."

Hyuga Kiyomi shook her head as she spoke. Although she had learned about the Konoha White Fang's situation through her Grandfather's explanation, that was precisely why she found it disgusting. To learn politics, one first had to understand politics. Her Grandfather had thoroughly explained the Konoha White Fang's predicament to her, and Hyuga Kiyomi sincerely felt it was undeserved.

"Next month, I'm planning to apply for the graduation exam. By then, I may form a ninja squad with others from the same class who graduate."

Hyuga Mirai asked in surprise, "So early?"

"It's not early. Kakashi has become a Chunin." Hyuga Kiyomi's tone became somewhat firm. "And your talent in Medical Ninjutsu has encouraged quite a few people as well. If they want to surpass you and Kakashi, they can only become ninjas as soon as possible."

"There's nothing about me worth surpassing. Besides, it'd be better to stay at the Ninja Academy a little longer."

Hyuga Mirai shook his head. At seven or eight years old, they were already thinking about leaving the village to kill people. Ninjas really were a group of lunatics.

Hyuga Kiyomi shot Hyuga Mirai a dissatisfied look and said calmly, "You'll graduate then too, and form the same squad as me!"

"I have to graduate too? But didn't Sosuke-sama tell me to go to Konoha Hospital—"

Hyuga Kiyomi calmly interrupted him. "I asked Grandfather. He'll speak to the Third Hokage and have you form a squad with me. You may be talented in Medical Ninjutsu, but you must not fall behind in strength either. After forming a Genin squad, you can still go to Konoha Hospital."

Then I really should thank you, Young Miss.

Hyuga Mirai sighed inwardly. She had disrupted his plans again, but his expression did not change. He calmly agreed.

There were quite a few geniuses in Hyuga Mirai's year. Among them, many had reached Genin-level strength after two years at the academy and were qualified to graduate.

Moreover, with the two geniuses Kakashi and Hyuga Mirai motivating them, although the talent Hyuga Mirai had revealed was that of a medical-nin, reaching such a medical standard at the age of seven was even more enviable to the other Ninja Clans.

Kakashi had graduated after one year and become a Genin, then become a Chunin the following year. Hyuga Mirai had interned at Konoha Hospital and learned B-rank Medical Ninjutsu in less than two years, attaining the strength of a medical Chunin.

If they continued fooling around at the Ninja Academy, they feared they would spend their entire lives overshadowed by those two. For the few people in Class A who considered themselves geniuses, that was completely unacceptable.

Thus, a few months later, several more students at the Ninja Academy applied to graduate. Five succeeded, and one failed.

Uchiha Tekka, Sarutobi Asuma, Yuhi Kurenai, Hyuga Kiyomi, and Shiranui Genma successfully graduated. Uchiha Obito failed the graduation exam.

Other than Uchiha Tekka, who was in his fourth year, the other four had only attended the Ninja Academy for two years.