"Hm?"
Watching the three of them cling to one another, crying and threatening to kill each other, even Kazeka, who was usually levelheaded, couldn't help frowning.
"I don't remember experimenting on Might Guy Sensei or Rock Lee. How did they get so over-the-top, too?"
"Might Guy Sensei and Rock Lee were always a little thickheaded. It was only thanks to Neji, who's serious and normal, that I didn't have to worry so much..."
Kazeka's words were the last straw. Tenten broke down and started crying, too.
"Is this some kind of punishment? Heavens, just kill me already!"
Everyone in the laboratory except Kazeka was crying.
Even Kazeka, who was a little twisted when it came to experiments, was dumbfounded by this surreal scene.
Just as Kazeka was about to kick the noisy bunch out, Neji, who had been pinned beneath Might Guy, suddenly stopped struggling.
His crazed expression abruptly faded, and clarity returned to his eyes. Then his face turned terribly grim.
Clearly, even someone as cold as Neji couldn't keep a straight face after that utterly deranged display!
He coughed lightly and spoke to Might Guy.
"Sensei, I'm back to normal. You can let go of me now!"
"Really? You're back to normal, Neji?"
"Neji, I was so worried about you! You were shouting about killing us and taking revenge on your clan. You looked terrifying!"
"Neji, you were completely deranged just now. Don't ever act like that again!"
"Neji..."
The surest way to make someone crack was to keep bringing up their embarrassing past.
Neji was no exception. As he listened to Might Guy and Rock Lee, his face grew darker and darker.
But he knew they were only worried about him, and he wasn't the sort to angrily cut them off. All he could do was lie there and silently endure it, feeling like he was falling apart.
After Tenten reminded him, Might Guy finally realized what was going on and got off Neji.
Neji shakily got to his feet and gave Kazeka a complicated look.
Then Kazeka told him to pay for the damage to the laboratory, and Neji stumbled.
Neji took a deep breath and left the laboratory. His back swayed as he walked, as if he'd lost something precious.
Kazeka thought about it. That something seemed to be called dignity.
"Now we'll begin the graduation exam. When your name is called, go to the classroom next door. The test this time is the Clone Technique!"
The little incident with Neji soon passed, and before long, it was time for the graduation exam.
Standing in the classroom with the exam sheet in his hand, Iruka gave instructions to the students. One by one, they were called next door to take the Clone Technique test.
Everyone seemed fairly calm, except for one person: Naruto Uzumaki.
When he heard what was on the exam, he grew frantic, scratching his head in desperation.
He was pretty good at the other skills required of a Genin—exceptional, even.
But the Clone Technique was the one he was worst at.
Ever since the failed Nine-Tails Fox breeding experiment, Naruto had clearly been avoiding Kazeka, which had foiled all of Kazeka's other experimental plans for him.
Watching Naruto now, Kazeka couldn't help coming up with a few more ideas.
"Hyuga Kazeka!"
Soon, Iruka called Kazeka's name. Kazeka walked to the classroom door but didn't leave. Instead, he performed the Clone Technique right there at the front of the room!
"Kazeka, what are you doing?"
Iruka frowned.
"Wasn't I clear? Go to the next classroom for the exam!"
"Oh, sorry, Sensei..."
Kazeka's attitude was surprisingly good.
"I just got a little excited and used the jutsu early. Do you think this meets the requirements?"
"Mm. You made three clones, and each one looks completely real. If you can perform it at this level during the exam, you'll pass without a problem..."
Iruka frowned. He couldn't shake the feeling that Kazeka was acting strangely today.
Just as he'd expected, before Iruka could finish, Kazeka turned to face the other students.
"Is everyone nervous about the Clone Technique test?"
"Do you know how long it took me to learn the Clone Technique?"
"Just one day!"
Noticing that quite a few people—Naruto in particular—had suddenly perked up, Kazeka spoke in a voice full of persuasion.
"If anyone fails the test, you can come to my laboratory for a crash-course Clone Technique experiment."
"I guarantee honest service. Since we're classmates, I'll even give you a twenty percent discount..."
"Kazeka, shut up!"
Iruka stared at Kazeka in disbelief. He couldn't believe Kazeka was advertising for test subjects to his classmates.
And judging by the looks on their faces, quite a few students in the room had become interested. Naruto especially couldn't hide the gleam in his eyes!
Thinking of what Kazeka had done to his previous experimental subjects, Iruka couldn't hold back any longer. He grabbed Kazeka and dragged him out of the classroom.
Even as he was being dragged out, Kazeka kept shouting to the students.
"Want to know the secrets of the Clone Technique? If you do, you can have them all! Go find them! I left all the Clone Technique's secrets there!"
"In my laboratory! Don't let rigid education hold back your talents..."
"Bang!"
The loud slam of the door cut Kazeka off and stopped him from tempting the other students any further.
Seeing the fire in Iruka's eyes, Kazeka gave a light cough and spoke as if nothing had happened.
"Iruka-sensei, why did you stop? Weren't we going to the exam? Everyone's time is precious. We can't afford to waste it!"
Iruka: "..."
Looking at Kazeka's utterly earnest face, Iruka felt a headache coming on.
Kazeka felt like the combined embodiment of every naughty student Iruka had ever taught!
Kazeka had put Iruka in a foul mood for the entire day.
At last, evening came. Just as Iruka had finally settled into bed and relaxed, Mizuki showed up and told him Naruto had gotten himself into another huge mess!
"Get to Lord Hokage's office right away! Naruto seems to have stolen the Scroll of Seals!"
The sudden news hit Iruka like a blow to the head. He felt as if the world had fallen apart.
The Scroll of Seals contained many of the village's important forbidden jutsu. If it were stolen, the consequences would be severe.
Anyone who dared steal something like that could practically be declared a rogue ninja on the spot!
Iruka saw the outraged crowd of Chunin and the stern-faced Hokage, and his heart raced with worry.
He and Naruto had similar pasts. Both had lost their parents when they were young.
So Iruka cared deeply about Naruto. But the trouble Naruto had gotten into now was far too serious.
He put in every ounce of effort to find Naruto before anyone else did, hoping to keep things from becoming irreparable.
Fortunately, after searching most of the village, he finally found Naruto beside a wooden cabin in the woods!
"Sensei, I'm going to show you an amazing jutsu in a minute. If I pull it off, you have to let me graduate!"
"If I learn the jutsu in this scroll, I'm sure I'll graduate, right?"
"Wait..."
Looking at Naruto, who was chattering away without the slightest awareness of the danger he was in, Iruka felt that things weren't as simple as they seemed.
"Who told you to do this?"
"It was Mizuki-sensei! He told me about the scroll and this place..."
Naruto stared at Iruka with his big, clear, foolish eyes.
"I even went to Kazeka to ask what he thought, and he said it was a good idea, too!"
Iruka: "..."
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