War Begins, Fledgling Sees Blood.

Outside the forest in the western Land of Fire, yellow sand filled the sky as the wind howled fiercely.

Vaguely, one could make out a heavily fortified military fortress hidden deep within the massive sandstorm, nestled in a canyon.

The sandstorms of the Land of Wind served as a natural defense; Konoha could not possibly launch a large-scale invasion into such terrain.

The Land of Wind's territory was worthless for Konoha to take, and entering such a battlefield would mean losing the advantage of terrain.

Thus, across all battlefields, Konoha's engagements against Sunagakure were always fought on home soil.

Suddenly!

The blinding wind and sand flickered...

Swoosh swoosh swoosh!!

A series of urgent whistling sounds rang out in succession, cutting through the storm in an instant, as if one were hearing things.

Yet, within that ironclad valley.

Massive swarms of shadows surged out like a flood, transforming into ghostly figures that vanished swiftly into the sandstorm.

The wind and sand became the most natural camouflage, perfectly concealing the movements of the Sunagakure army.

Western Forest, Konoha Main Camp.

A cordon had been set up for ten li in every direction, with forward outposts roughly every li along the forest border.

The outpost the Sunagakure Shinobi had chosen to ambush was one of these cordon outposts.

"Explosive Tags, ready!"

"One, two, three..."

"Throw!"

Whoosh whoosh whoosh!!

A barrage of kunai and shuriken rained down like a storm.

Boom rumble!!!

The earth trembled violently, as if the sky were splitting and the ground cracking. The outpost shook, and the outer earthen walls collapsed in an instant.

The Sunagakure Shinobi's goal was direct and clear.

To seize an outpost with lightning speed, using it as a springboard to continuously funnel their army into an attack on Konoha!

Bang bang bang!!

A massive wave of Explosive Tags detonated. In the first battle, Sunagakure had committed a large number of troops, catching the defenders off guard and taking the outpost.

This battle was beyond doubt.

However, though the number of Konoha shinobi in the outpost was small, their quality was extremely high. They detected the Sunagakure Shinobi's movements almost immediately.

"The Sunagakure Shinobi are attacking!"

"Sound the alarm!"

Hmm! Hmm! Hmm!!

The war alarm rang out, and the Third Great Ninja War officially began!

Early morning, a refreshing breeze blew through the gates of Konoha.

Scattered groups of sixth-year students had already gathered here.

The appointed time was eight o'clock, but with graduation on the horizon, most were too excited to sleep a wink.

Passing this exam meant graduating from the Ninja Academy and becoming a shinobi!

Even if it was only the lowest rank of Genin, a Genin was still a shinobi. More importantly, they would earn their Ninja Headband!

Time ticked by, and when it was five minutes to eight—

Suddenly, a gust of wind and sand swept through the crowd.

Swoosh swoosh swoosh!!

Then, with the sound of rushing wind, several dark figures dropped from the sky. They were the teachers of the Ninja Academy.

"Is everyone from our class here?" Furuya Daisuke walked straight through the crowd to the corner where the Elite Class had gathered.

The Genin exam was also conducted by class, since the Ninja Academy had both Elite Classes and regular classes.

The exam content for the Elite Class was naturally more difficult.

The Elite Class shinobi were trained with the goal of becoming Konoha's backbone in ten years.

As for the regular class, unless they showed exceptional talent or caught the eye of a Jonin, they would likely end up as cannon fodder.

Now, with the war ongoing, most Chunin and Jonin had been deployed to the front lines.

Konoha operated a four-man squad policy, and there weren't even enough squad leaders to go around.

The Ninja Academy teachers silently watched the excited faces of the crowd, a trace of sorrow flickering in their eyes.

A year from now, how many familiar faces would still be seen?

But since they had chosen the path of a ninja, they had to have the resolve of one.

"Follow me!" One of the Ninja Academy teachers reined in his melancholy, barked out a command, and led his class away.

The other teachers began to move as well, and the grounds grew empty.

Before long, the crowded main gate of Konoha was left with only Furuya Daisuke's Elite Class.

To fall short at a time like this! Furuya Daisuke's face darkened. He waved his hand and barked, "No more waiting. Let's go!"

"Daisuke-sensei, please wait a little longer!" Gai looked at Furuya Daisuke with a pleading expression.

"Daisuke-sensei, let's wait for Tōka." Though she had only met him a few times, Kurenai had a decent impression of Tōka.

Many of the female students also chimed in with pleas. Tōka's adorable appearance was already etched into their hearts.

When he grew up, he'd definitely be a handsome man!~

The remaining students didn't plead, but they held back their discontent and refrained from kicking him while he was down.

After all, this was the most critical graduation exam!

The second hand ticked past...

With a click, the second hand and minute hand aligned at the twelve. The agreed time of eight o'clock had clearly arrived.

Yet Tōka's figure still hadn't appeared on the main road at the village gate.

"Forget it. Let's go." A flicker of disdain passed through Furuya Daisuke's eyes. A student like this—if he didn't show, so be it.

Most of the students had already turned and followed Furuya Daisuke, intending to enter the forest on the outskirts of Konoha.

Gai was about to speak when he heard a rustling sound.

Footsteps?!

In the open space, no one was moving. The footsteps were distinct—they came from outside the village!

Everyone turned to look...

Sure enough!!

A short figure walked over with both hands in his pockets, expressionless.

"Tōka? Why are you outside the village?" Gai raised his arm and waved, then called out loudly.

"I live in the woods." Tōka approached and said flatly, "By the way, why are you all so slow? The other classes left a while ago."

Everyone, "..."

It was because they were waiting for him!!

Though the agreed time was eight o'clock, practically everyone arrived early.

Then, the Ninja Academy teachers would also show up a few minutes early. Once the teachers appeared, the exam could begin!

But this year, it was an outdoor exam, and they had to deal with an oddball like Tōka.

"Since you're here, let's go."

Furuya Daisuke gave Tōka an unreadable look, showing no sign of anger at all.

He simply said it calmly, then turned and walked deeper into the woods.

Seeing this, everyone quickly followed.

A thin mist drifted slowly through the gaps in the trees. To the east, the pale dawn sun lazily climbed up.

Golden light shone on the branches. A burst of noisy clamor startled the birds in the forest.

Flapping their wings, the flock left the woods and plunged into the distant sea of green.

Tōka was near the back of the line, having arrived later, but he didn't mind.

From Furuya Daisuke's strange expression, this exam wasn't simple, and they even had to leave Konoha.

"Maybe my earlier guess was right." Tōka thought to himself, but his pace didn't fall behind at all.

After half a year of physical training, his body had grown much stronger.

After half a day of trekking through the jungle, most of the students' stamina had dropped. A few of the girls showed expressions of gritting their teeth and pushing through.

Even some of the weaker boys couldn't help but look exhausted.

In the entire class, aside from a physical freak like Gai, even Asuma, Ibiki, and the other class elites were a bit winded.

Tōka's condition was still decent—tired, but able to keep going.

"A rough estimate—I can keep up this pace for another half day." Tōka thought quietly.

If Furuya Daisuke insisted on night marching by sunset, Tōka would definitely throw in the towel. Even if he wanted to keep going, by then he'd probably be too exhausted to walk.

Trekking through the jungle wasn't the same as walking a flat road.

Ten miles of flat terrain consumed less energy than a single mile of jungle traversal.

Furuya Daisuke, walking at the front, paused slightly and discreetly glanced at the state of those behind him.

"Their stamina's about spent. If we keep going, they'll be out of breath," Furuya Daisuke thought to himself.

Then, he found a relatively open area and stopped.

Seeing this, the others immediately plopped down on the ground.

They didn't care about snakes, bugs, rats, or ants—right now, even the Heavenly Emperor himself wasn't as important as rest!

"Heh, looks like everyone's full of energy!" Furuya Daisuke grinned with a mischievous smirk.

The others: "..."

Which eye of yours sees any energy?!

Furuya Daisuke completely ignored their resentful stares, waved his hand grandly, and shouted in a loud voice, "Now, the exam begins!"

"I'll only say the rules, content, and intel once!"

Instantly, the wailing Elite Class of fifty-one people fell silent, perking up their ears, afraid to miss a single word.

Furuya Daisuke nodded in slight satisfaction, then pointed at a valley in the distance.

"That's your graduation exam site!"

A valley? Something like the Heaven and Earth scroll battle in the Forest of Death? Tōka narrowed his eyes, then dismissed the thought.

If that were the case, why not just go straight to the Forest of Death?

Then, Furuya Daisuke's words confirmed Tōka's speculation.

"There's a band of rogues there—all of them villains who've killed civilians!"

Hearing this, everyone's expressions shifted. A few of the younger girls turned pale as snow in an instant.

Furuya Daisuke's voice dropped, turning grim and sinister.

"And the condition for graduation is..."

Many students nervously swallowed, their throats making audible gulping sounds.

"Each of you brings me a bandit's head!"

The forest erupted in uproar!!

Everyone was shocked, the silent site churning like boiling water.

Furuya Daisuke curled his lips in a cold smirk.

A flock of chicks born in a gilded cage—how could they grow into eagles soaring the skies without weathering the storm?!

"T-Teacher, this kind of..."

A pale-faced young girl stepped forward, her words trembling and incoherent.

Furuya Daisuke stared at her coldly, his voice icy as he said, "What? Do you want to quit?"

"If so, then roll yourself back to the village and stop being a ninja!"

"Waaah!~~" The girl's lips puckered, and tears streamed down in torrents—half from Furuya Daisuke's shouting, half from sheer terror.

The others gritted their teeth, but no one stepped forward to say anything.

Furuya Daisuke's words were right. A ninja was destined to kill. If you couldn't do it, go home and farm!

"I'll tell you straight up—fighting's already broken out on the eastern border with the Land of Wind."

"The battlefield is like a meat grinder. Someone dies every minute."

"As your teacher, I'll give you one piece of advice..."

Furuya Daisuke's gaze was piercing, sweeping over the group like a cold, predatory jackal.

Every kid he looked at shuddered involuntarily, their faces twisting in terror.

"Stop dreaming your useless ninja dreams. If you don't want to die, roll back home!"

Silence. A deathly silence.

Everyone pressed their lips together, their mouths turning blue, their faces drained of color.

People would die! People would really die!!

"So this is the era of war," Tōka silently lamented in his heart. Konoha after the Third Great Ninja War.

Twelve-year-old kids were also facing graduation season back then, but what did genin do?

Catch cats? Weed gardens? Pick up trash?

And now, the graduation exam was about killing and drawing blood!

"A challenge!" Tōka licked the corner of his mouth, his whole body trembling with it.

Over and over, he told himself: this was the real world, not a game where you could respawn after dying.

Die, and you were truly dead.

Dust returns to dust, ashes to ashes.

"I don't look down on those who leave. I'll give you one minute to choose for yourselves." Furuya Daisuke crossed his arms in front of his chest and turned his back.

As if truly giving them the decision—to stay, or to leave.

Two completely different paths, branching into two entirely different lives.

The shadows of the trees fell over the group, dappled patches of shade swaying with the wind.

In the clearing of the woods, dozens of boys and girls stood in silent stillness.

Yet deep within their hearts, waves crashed like a raging tide, unable to calm for a long time.

Crack!

Time was up!

"Tell me, what have you chosen?" Furuya Daisuke's face was as heavy as water, spittle flying as he roared.

"Ha!"

Abruptly, an untimely light laugh rang out.

Furuya Daisuke's gaze was sharp, shooting like a blade toward Tōka.

"Do you have something to say? If you want to leave, just get out!"

"Words like that—you'd better stop saying them."

A faint curve tugged at the corner of Tōka's mouth, completely unmoved by the harshness in Furuya Daisuke's eyes.

He stepped forward with steady strides, crushing the dead leaves beneath his feet.

Rustle, rustle, rustle...

Until he stopped five paces in front of Furuya Daisuke, Tōka lifted his head, meeting Furuya Daisuke's gaze without fear.

"The time has come, and no one has backed out..."

"So you can start the exam now!"

Furuya Daisuke's pupils suddenly contracted as he secretly appraised this brat he had given up on.

Half a year gone, and his physical condition had improved markedly.

He hadn't forgotten his training after all?

Furuya Daisuke gradually withdrew his gaze, turning his head to glance at the others. Though every small face was etched with tension and fear, not a single person flinched. These were his students.

The Ninja Academy's best class, its best students!

First battle, the baptism of blood...

Begin!!

Exam rules.

Fifty-one people may freely form teams, up to three per team. In exchange, having companions increases strength, but the graduation condition becomes more difficult—they must kill three enemies.

Alternatively, they may act alone. Naturally, the graduation condition is much simpler—they need only kill one enemy.

Though Furuya Daisuke made it clear that if anyone was outmatched and in mortal danger, he would step in to help, the whole class totaled fifty-one people.

When someone truly faced danger, Furuya Daisuke couldn't possibly look after everyone.

In other words, this was a battle staked on their lives.

Baptized by the blood of their enemies, they would transform into true ninja.

Baptized by their own blood...

That meant death! (To be continued)