Reactions Across All Levels

Before long, the exam results for the three classes were compiled.

Inside the staff office, the teachers began discussing the final results.

The Monthly Exam... assessed not only their own class, but the rankings of all ninety students across the three first-year classes.

Teachers from the upper grades were also here, clearly interested in the new students' exam results.

"Senju Jueming really has some skill..."

"First place in the Entrance Exam, and now first place in the Monthly Exam. Congratulations."

The teachers offered their congratulations to the Senju Clan teachers.

Ninja Academy.

Its first principal had been the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju.

The academy had also been established by him.

While Tobirama Senju was still alive, he had naturally placed members of his own Senju Clan within it.

The indoctrination of the Will of Fire could not stop.

Even the children of the Uchiha Clan, after receiving the academy's education, were molded into the kind of people the Senju faction wanted.

"Not at all, not at all..."

The Senju Clan teachers beamed with pride.

It felt as though the resentment that had built up in their hearts over the years had been swept away.

After declining for so many years, was the great Senju Clan truly about to rise again?

"Next, let's decide the 'grade-level rankings.'"

Funano Daikoku handed over the materials and began compiling them.

The teachers gathered around and began scoring the students for the grade-level rankings.

Funano Daikoku said, "For first place... I nominate Senju Jueming from Class 1."

"I nominate Nara Oval from Class 2."

"I nominate Shizune Kato from Class 3."

The files of the three students were laid out.

"I didn't expect it... Senju Jueming still surpassed Kakashi Hatake."

The teachers sighed in amazement.

Then, they reviewed the three students' files and began comparing their results.

To stand out among the top students, there had to be sufficient evidence.

Funano Daikoku smiled and spoke first.

"In the first written exam, Senju Jueming handed in his paper after only ten minutes—and got a perfect score."

"Oh..."

A wave of exclamations rose within the staff office.

"During the second round, Chakra Refinement, Senju Jueming did not leak or waste even the slightest bit of Chakra."

That statement drew another round of praise.

"In the third round, he turned falling flowers and leaves into weapons. He used two ordinary blades of grass as Shuriken and struck the targets directly..."

By this point, the teachers had nothing more to say.

Because, in all honesty—

Even Chunin like them could not accomplish what Senju Jueming had done.

There was no longer any suspense.

So thought the Ninja Academy teachers.

Based on his performance in those three tests alone, Senju Jueming was unquestionably the number one first-year student.

"In the fourth round... Senju Jueming defeated young master Asuma Sarutobi while lying flat on the ground."

Everyone: "..."

"In the fifth round, Senju Jueming defeated the enemy without fighting. With just one sentence, he made everyone afraid to act rashly."

At that point, Funano Daikoku was practically glowing.

"The highest level of a team competition is not protecting your teammates from harm. It is making the other side fearful and unwilling to strike simply through your reputation."

Just as no one had dared to start a war while the God of Shinobi, Hashirama Senju, was alive.

What Senju Jueming had done was very similar.

Not fighting was the highest realm.

"I nominate Senju Jueming as the top student in this Monthly Exam. What do you all think?"

Funano Daikoku swept his gaze across his colleagues.

"I have no objections."

"Neither do I."

After hearing of Jueming's performance, the Ninja Academy teachers were completely convinced.

Funano Daikoku said, "Then let's organize the results once more and submit them to Hokage-sama."

Uchiha Clan compound.

After the Monthly Exam ended and school was dismissed, Tekka Uchiha returned home.

He stood in the courtyard, facing a target.

His mind was filled with Jueming's performance that day, using falling flowers and leaves as weapons.

"If Senju Jueming can do it, so can I!"

Tekka Uchiha muttered as he plucked a blade of grass.

He threw it with all his strength.

The blade of grass spun through the air, wobbled around a few times, then fell straight to the ground.

Tekka Uchiha fell silent as he watched.

Then, he picked up another blade of grass and continued experimenting.

Before long, his actions drew the attention of other clan members.

"Tekka, what are you doing?"

They asked.

"I'm throwing blades of grass as Shuriken," Tekka Uchiha replied seriously.

"..."

The clan members exchanged glances, wondering if Tekka had been somehow traumatized.

"Tekka, experts can use small stones as weapons, but we've never heard of... using blades of grass as weapons."

"Is that so?"

At that moment, Tekka Uchiha understood.

It turned out that even the Uchiha identity he had always been proud of had its limits.

Hokage's office.

Bright sunlight streamed in, illuminating the faces of the four senior officials.

Hiruzen Sarutobi, Shimura Danzō, Mitokado Homura, and Utatane Koharu had gathered together.

Before them lay the new students' Monthly Exam scores and rankings.

"I didn't expect... Senju Jueming to take first place again."

If the four of them had merely heard his name for the first time in the beginning—

Then now, they had remembered Jueming's existence.

"This child is exceptionally gifted. The teachers have rated his talent extremely highly."

Utatane Koharu stared at the written comments on the paper.

"But unfortunately..."

Her tone shifted, and her old friends all understood what she meant.

The Wood Release Revival Plan of the past, along with the Wood Release Cell Poisoning Case it later caused.

Had resulted in every member of the Senju Clan becoming infected with Wood Release Cells.

When something like this virus-like substance encountered the Senju Clan bloodline, it was like dry kindling meeting a blazing flame.

This was also why Hiruzen Sarutobi had resolved to seal away Human Experimentation.

Because if things went wrong, it could lead to the destruction of an entire nation and race.

Human Experimentation... was far too dangerous.

The Senju Clan's tragedy had sounded an alarm for Konoha.

The village could no longer withstand a second loss of that magnitude.

No matter who it was, as long as they dared touch this taboo, Hiruzen Sarutobi would deal with them without hesitation.

"Unfortunately, Senju Jueming is also a carrier of the Wood Release Factor."

Shimura Danzō narrowed his eyes.

Although Senju Jueming had not personally experienced it—

His parents had passed the Wood Release Factor down to him.

He was no different from the other members of the Senju Clan. As his cultivation deepened, he would grow increasingly mad.

One day, the Wood Release Cells inside his body would run rampant, turning him into a monstrous fusion of flesh and trees.

"We must remain on guard against that." Mitokado Homura nodded.

The more outstanding Senju Jueming was, the more they needed to worry about his Mutation.

The principle behind this amplification was the same as the Eight Inner Gates.

The stronger someone had been beforehand, the more absurdly powerful they would become after Mutating.

"There is no need to worry too much. The Senju Clan's Great Elder said that Jueming's temperament is far stronger than that of his Peers."

Hiruzen Sarutobi shook his head. He simply found it regrettable.

Such an outstanding child, yet his fate had dragged down his path forward.

"Let's look at Kakashi Hatake's performance instead." Utatane Koharu picked up the file and began reviewing Kakashi's results.

In the end, Konoha could not place too much importance on the present-day Senju Clan.

Just as Konoha could never place too much importance on the Uchiha Clan.

Ultimately, the focus of their cultivation still had to be placed on others.

Senju Clan compound.

The Great Elder met Momoka Senju.

"Lord Momoka."

Facing the filthy Little Girl who looked only five or six years old, the Great Elder respectfully bowed.

After all, her seniority was far greater than his own.

"The Monthly Exam results are out... Jueming took first place in the grade, Sayuri performed passably, and Meng did rather poorly..."

"Is that so?"

Momoka Senju nodded.

First place in the grade for our clan...

How long had it been since she had heard something like that?

Could the Senju Clan truly be turning its fortunes around?

"At this rate, that child should have no problem taking the Graduation Exam five months from now..."

The Great Elder considered it before speaking.

Of course, that was assuming the kid did not Mutate.

"When the time comes..."

Momoka Senju rose to her feet.

"Bring him to see me. I want to see that child with my own eyes..."

"..."

The Great Elder froze, then seemed to realize something.

His eyes widened. After standing there blankly for a moment, he nodded and withdrew.

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