Specialist Student

"Choji, do you know how to roast a suckling pig?"

Choji munched on the few remaining potato chips and recalled,

"I've eaten roasted wild boar before—a big one. It tasted far worse than roasted beef, all gamey and tough, with only a few edible parts. I heard my Dad talk about how to make it back then."

Sasuke decided to give up on the complicated method for roasting a suckling pig.

"If that's the case, we might as well play it safe and make braised pork."

"If we don't roast it directly, we won't be able to taste the difference between suckling pig and other kinds of meat."

"I'll do my best. It's my first time roasting something this big, so it'll be hard to control the heat."

"Go for it! There's always a first time."

For a summer get-together, the area behind Sasuke's house was undoubtedly the top choice. Perhaps because of the seals, the kids had never run into anyone else there. No strangers came to fight over their spot, which saved them a lot of trouble.

Near the village's other waterways, people fought over good spots all the time. Forget strangers—even acquaintances came to blows now and then. The water was shallow too, making it hard to swim. At most, people could catch fish or practice Water Walking.

After lunch and a short rest, Rock Lee could no longer resist the urge to train.

What had originally been a leisurely weekend gathering gradually turned into sparring by the lake.

The main fights were between Naruto, Kiba, and Rock Lee. Of course, Sasuke and Neji were also dragged into a few matches.

Neji and Rock Lee gave the lower-year students a thorough lesson in the authority of upperclassmen—at least when it came to Taijutsu.

The slap in the face came just as quickly.

After losing twice in a row, Naruto refused to accept it. So far, he had only lost in Taijutsu exchanges, and he wanted to see Neji and Rock Lee's ninjutsu.

Nothing was scarier than the air suddenly falling silent.

Rock Lee, brave enough to face reality, was the first to admit, "I can't use ninjutsu."

He really meant he couldn't use it at all.

"I will prove that even without ninjutsu or genjutsu, I can still become an outstanding ninja!"

Naruto was unexpectedly clever for once, though unfortunately, he used it to pour cold water on him.

"But if you can't use ninjutsu, how are you supposed to pass the graduation exam?"

Rock Lee repeated his goal. "I believe that as long as I work desperately hard, I can become a ninja."

Seeing that Rock Lee seemed not to understand his concern, Naruto turned to the seemingly most dependable smart person—Shikamaru.

Why not Sasuke? Because Sasuke often collapsed on his own, or got injured and needed Shikamaru to "bring him back to life." Some of Sasuke's suggestions even felt strangely wrong to himself.

"So as long as I work desperately hard, graduation exams and all that Don't Care stuff won't matter? Then does that mean it's fine even if I can't use the Clone Technique?"

Seeing Naruto directly drag him into this awkward situation, Shikamaru, who had not been napping beneath the tree shade, could not suddenly pretend not to hear. He sat up a little straighter and said unhurriedly,

"There are still ways."

The moment he finished speaking, Naruto and Rock Lee looked at him as if they had found their savior, both fixing him with blazing gazes.

"I know the easiest way, but it depends on luck. In the three practical test subjects, you just happen to get tested only on what you're good at."

"For example, Naruto happens not to be tested on the Clone Technique, while Rock Lee happens to get only Throwing Technique, stamina, and Taijutsu."

"There are six practical subjects in total. Choosing three out of them gives twenty possible combinations. Probabilistically speaking, Naruto has a one-in-two chance of not being tested on the Clone Technique, while Rock Lee has a one-in-twenty chance of getting the three subjects he can pass."

Naruto went blank for two seconds, while Rock Lee sank into a colorless stupor.

"Even if I don't know how you calculated that, Shikamaru, Rock Lee's chances are way too low! Why is it only one in twenty? Make it higher for him!"

Shikamaru shook his head helplessly.

"Math doesn't lie. If you want a different result, then I'd have to be wrong."

In the end, Naruto looked toward Sasuke in the distance again.

"Sasuke, did Shikamaru get it wrong? Do you have any other way to help us pass the exam? If it's just probability, then it has nothing to do with hard work!"

Remembering that Rock Lee had undoubtedly passed the exam in the end, while Naruto had been tricked into stealing the scroll, Sasuke felt that Naruto was worrying about someone else despite being in trouble himself.

"Shikamaru said that's only the easiest way. If there's an easy way, there must be a more troublesome one."

And so the ball was kicked back to Shikamaru once more.

"Shikamaru~"

"What a pain."

"There's another way to graduate. It's called being a Specialist Student."

"A Specialist Student?"

Quite a few people present were hearing of it for the first time.

Rock Lee solemnly raised his right hand to ask,

"Then, Shikamaru, what part has to be long?"

Shikamaru covered his face helplessly. "It's a specialty! A special talent!"

Rock Lee wore an expression that said he understood.

"I'm especially hardworking! Does that count as a specialty?"

"Of course not!"

"For example, memory, eyesight, strategy... Forget I mentioned strategy. Stamina, or some Secret Clan Technique your family has..."

"I'm especially confident in my stamina!"

"Your stamina is pretty good, but it still doesn't count as a specialty. It has to be something an Ordinary Person could never hope to reach. The stamina you displayed before is something even ninja a few years older than you could achieve."

"By the way, are your parents ninja?"

"No, my parents are civilians!"

Even the connections route is blocked. What a pain, Shikamaru thought. He could only brush him off for now.

"If you want to turn your stamina into a specialty, you'll need to work extremely hard."

"Yes, I'll keep training hard!"

"Shikamaru, if I do it like this, will Iruka be able to tell that it isn't the Clone Technique?"

Hand Seals, Shadow Clone Jutsu!

Miniature Narutos appeared at his side, each only a little over ten centimeters tall, like tiny collectible figures.

"Just keep practicing. Even if it's the Clone Technique, you need at least three clones, and they have to look like normal people. There's no way yours look normal!"

The topic of Naruto and Rock Lee's graduation came to an end, and then the pressure shifted to Neji.

"So, Neji, what kind of ninjutsu can you use?"

Neji gathered his thoughts slightly.

"The Hyuga Clan excels at reconnaissance and Taijutsu. Our Byakugan techniques are used to complement and enhance the effects of Taijutsu."

Naruto pressed on. "Can you use Fireball Technique?"

"You mean Fire Style? Sorry, I haven't learned it."

Naruto did not want to give up. If Neji did not learn it, Naruto would have no way to compare himself with him. He could shamelessly drag things out in Taijutsu and still compete with Rock Lee, but against Neji, he was beaten so badly that he could not fight back at all.

"Give it a try. Once you learn it, it'll be convenient for helping everyone barbecue. Rock Lee, you should try learning it too. It isn't hard. If you manage to learn it, it'll prove you still have talent for ninjutsu, right? I'm not good at the Three Body Technique, but I can blow fireballs now!"

"It'd be great if the exam tested Fireball Technique. It's obviously easier than the Three Body Technique."

Naruto pulled the two of them along on his own, eager to teach them the Great Fireball Technique.

Hearing that the "Fireball Technique" was easy, Rock Lee agreed to accept Naruto's instruction without hesitation.

Neji, however, seemed somewhat reluctant.

"Naruto, is it really appropriate to casually teach a stranger like me this kind of Style technique? Did the elders who taught you approve?"

"Neji, what are you talking about? Why would I need anyone's approval to learn Fire Style?" Naruto looked utterly confused, and it did not seem like an act.