Graduating Early

The next day.

Katsuo went to school and directly applied to his instructor for early graduation!

He no longer planned to waste time at school, even though for a long time, he had used Shadow Clones to attend classes in his place.

His instructor, Chunin Aoki, looked at him in surprise.

"You want to graduate early? Are you sure?"

Katsuo nodded, his expression calm and resolute.

"I understand. The Ninja Academy has regulations. I need to report this to the Hokage, and only after the Third Hokage approves it can you receive a forehead protector and graduate successfully."

Instructor Aoki first explained the procedure, then laid out the requirements for a ninja student to graduate early.

"To graduate early, you need a theoretical exam score in the top five of the grade, a combat exam score in the top ten, and a Kunai throwing accuracy of over ninety percent. You meet all of those requirements...

"But you also need to master the Three Body Technique!"

At that, Katsuo directly performed the Clone Technique, Transformation Technique, and Substitution Technique!

"!!!"

"V-very good... You've passed my test. Now, as long as the Hokage signs off, you'll receive Konoha's forehead protector and officially become a ninja!"

Katsuo nodded. After thanking him, he left.

Today, he had come to school in person. He had left all his Shadow Clones at the camp to "work."

He took another careful tour of the campus before stopping outside the door of his class—Class 401.

The class was currently having a lesson on ideological education, and Katsuo's arrival drew every student's attention.

Every student in this class was either the offspring of a powerful major clan or an exceptionally gifted student, one in a hundred at the Ninja Academy.

Among them were members of the Uchiha Clan, Hyuga Clan, Senju Clan, Namikaze Clan, Ino-Shika-Cho clans, Inuzuka Clan, Gekko, Aburame Clan, and more...

With every promotion to the next grade, the class eliminated a number of weaker students, retained the elite ones, and brought in talented children from smaller clans or civilian families.

Thus, the personnel in Class One changed to a certain extent with nearly every grade promotion!

The capable remained, while the weak were eliminated. It was a cruel system never revealed in the Original Work.

These people would become Konoha's future pillars, and Konoha spared no effort in nurturing them. That was also the biggest reason Katsuo had patiently remained here for more than three years.

Over his three-plus years at school, Katsuo had maintained neither close nor distant relationships with most people. Among them, he had four relatively close friends.

They were Uchiha Mikoto, Senju Nawaki, Minato Namikaze, and Kushina Uzumaki, who was in another class but often dropped by!

Katsuo did not have a good reputation at school. Most people feared him to some extent, and these four were among the few who got along with him!

In everyone's eyes, Katsuo was a mysterious and solitary figure. His strength was recognized by all the students, and some troublemakers had even dubbed him the strongest in the entire school. Because of that, he received countless challenges. Though he won every battle, the sheer number of them had made him deeply annoyed.

For the first time, he publicly set a rule at school: anyone who wanted to challenge him had to first defeat that troublemaker, then defeat Hiashi Hyuga of the Hyuga Clan and Fugaku of the Uchiha Clan. Only then would they qualify to challenge him!

After that, Katsuo was rarely bothered again. The troublemaker announced his withdrawal from school soon afterward. Though Hiashi and Fugaku bore the enormous trouble Katsuo had brought them, they also enjoyed the honor of being just below the strongest. It was both painful and gratifying!

From then on, the title of strongest in the school truly belonged to him, and he became the goal everyone sought to catch up to.

Yet while everyone regarded him as their goal, they also instinctively kept their distance. His strength was not what made people fear him. The main reason he had so few friends was the aloof, icy air around him that made him hard to approach!

He was usually polite enough in his dealings with others—far more courteous than most Uchiha Clan members, at least—but in others' eyes, he was fundamentally different from the rest of the Uchiha Clan!

To others, the Uchiha Clan members were mostly cold on the surface, somewhat troublesome, and unpleasant in temperament, but they were actually quite easy to get along with.

But Katsuo was different. Though he was outwardly polite and carried himself with proper grace, there was always an indescribable chill in his eyes. Most intelligent people knew that he was proud to the bone. Unlike the Uchiha Clan's outward arrogance, he possessed an inner indifference and a haughty isolation that kept others a thousand miles away!

They could hardly be blamed for seeing him that way, because Katsuo always treated them like little brats, like elementary school kids... Even with Mikoto and the other three, he occasionally revealed the loving kindness of an old father...

"Sorry, I'm late."

"It's... it's fine... Take your seat," the teacher said without minding.

Katsuo sat beside Mikoto. Ignoring everyone's gazes, he closed his eyes and rested.

After class, he called over Mikoto, Nawaki, Minato, and Kushina, who arrived late.

"I'm graduating early."

The four were startled. Nawaki cried out in his booming voice.

"Boss, you're not joking, are you?!"

"What do you think?"

"Why graduate early? Aren't there still two years left..." Kushina suddenly asked anxiously, but as soon as the words left her mouth, she lowered her head and tightly clenched the hem of her clothes with both hands.

"Have you thought this through? Once you become a ninja, you won't have so much free time. You'll have missions to do every day," Minato said softly.

"Yeah, I've thought it through. The Chunin Exams are in ten days. If I graduate now, I'll still make it in time to participate."

Katsuo nodded and stated his plan.

"!!!"

The four were deeply shaken. Katsuo's decisiveness and boldness truly astonished them.

"Ah! Boss, I want to graduate too! I want to take the Chunin Exams too! I want to become a Chunin!" Nawaki shouted.

"Fine. If your sister agrees, then go apply to Teacher Aoki." Katsuo did not oppose the idea.

"Ah... My sister definitely won't agree..." Nawaki suddenly sighed.

"Isn't this a little too rushed? Taking the Chunin Exams right after graduating... will the adults even agree?"

Minato asked with some concern, but when he thought of Katsuo's strength, he felt that he was worrying too much!

"They're only the Chunin Exams. I don't think much of them. As for whether the Third Hokage agrees, that's a minor matter. He has no reason to stop me."

Katsuo spoke calmly, his words brimming with powerful confidence!

"Okay... I'll come watch your exam then!" Minato revealed a smile as bright as sunshine.

"Boss is awesome! I'll come watch your exam too! I'll cheer for you!"

"I'll definitely go too!"

Seeing that Katsuo had made up his mind, Kushina hurriedly added.

"..."

Mikoto kept her head lowered without speaking, and no one knew what she was thinking.

During the second class, all the students returned to their seats. Seeing Mikoto's gloomy expression, Katsuo softly asked:

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing..." Mikoto turned her head away and murmured.

"Can't bear to part with me?"

"No! Don't talk nonsense!" Mikoto said urgently, her face reddening.

"You say I'm talking nonsense, but it's written all over your face!"

"Shut up!" Mikoto glared at him, pretending to be angry.

"Even though I'm graduating early, you also..." Katsuo paused for some inexplicable reason, the words catching in his throat.

"You can still come find me! Um... come play with me..."

Mikoto was stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter.

"You said it!" she whispered, her cheeks flushed crimson.