"Your applications for early graduation, Might Guy, Uchiha Yu, and Hyuga Riko, have been approved. You three don't need to attend class today. Go meet at Training Ground 83. This afternoon, the Jonin the village chose to lead your team will come find you. Starting today, you're Genin," Teacher Hamu announced before class.
Approved? No class? No test?
Haku's ears perked up. Oh, it was that easy? They didn't even verify our abilities again? That's not right!
But Haku didn't dwell on it. One less thing to worry about was a good thing.
Teacher Hamu took out three Forehead Protectors and handed one to each of them.
"Starting today, you're all Konoha shinobi. Do your best."
The three accepted their Forehead Protectors and bowed to Teacher Hamu to show their gratitude for his care over the past few years, then left the classroom one after another.
Watching the three bow, Teacher Hamu felt conflicted. To be honest, the teachers at the Ninja Academy couldn't offer much help to the children of the great clans or the talented students from ordinary families.
Before Teacher Hamu could say anything, the three had already left the classroom. It was too late to say anything now. It seemed all he could do was teach the students who remained a little better.
Looking at the students who remained, Hamu felt conflicted once again. Did the children of the great clans really need his guidance? As for the students from ordinary families, their talent as shinobi was too poor. They'd work hard to become shinobi, only to spend their whole lives as Genin and serve as cannon fodder in a war. Was becoming a shinobi really a good thing?
While Hamu was still wrestling with his thoughts, the three had already reached Training Ground 83. They didn't see their Jonin leader, but rather than rest, each found a spot and began training.
Nine hundred and ninety-eight!
Nine hundred and ninety-nine!
One thousand!
Haku stopped after completing one thousand side kicks.
Four hours had passed since Teacher Hamu told them to come to Training Ground 83. The Jonin the village had assigned to lead their team should have arrived by now. Even if something had held him up, he should've come by now. Surely he wouldn't leave them here all day without a word. At the very least, he would've asked someone else to pass on a message.
Besides, Haku had discussed their application for early graduation with Lord Orochimaru beforehand. Unless something unexpected happened, Orochimaru was supposed to lead their team.
Knowing Teacher Orochimaru's personality...
"Riko! Byakugan!"
The instant Haku shouted, a shuriken flew toward Hyuga Riko.
At Haku's warning, Riko activated his Byakugan at once. With its unobstructed, 360-degree field of vision, Haku also spotted the shuriken flying toward him.
Seeing that there was only one shuriken, Riko breathed a sigh of relief. He quickly turned to face it, gathered Chakra in his palm, and struck at the shuriken, intending to knock it away with the Gentle Fist's Empty Palm technique.
On the other side, the instant Uchiha Yu heard Haku's warning, she activated her Sharingan. Rather than move toward Riko or Haku, she ran straight toward the direction the shuriken had come from.
Seeing the single shuriken and no follow-up attack, Haku sensed that something was wrong.
"Get out of there, Riko!"
Before Riko could react, Haku saw the shuriken flying toward him split into two, then four, then eight. More and more shuriken appeared.
Then the shuriken struck, raising a cloud of white smoke that blocked Haku's view.
"Yu!"
Haku tried to call Uchiha Yu back from the forest, but after his voice died away, there was no reply.
Haku knew the situation was bad. The shinobi attacking them either far outclassed them or had come with a large group.
The shinobi who had targeted Riko had clearly counted on his youth making him lower his guard. Yu had reacted at once and gone to find and hold off the attacker, but she had vanished from sight the moment she entered the forest. The attacker's strength couldn't be underestimated.
As he thought it over, Haku watched the smoke dissipate around Riko. Riko was lying motionless on the ground. Haku couldn't tell if he was injured, but he had probably lost the ability to fight.
Without rashly approaching Riko or heading into the forest to look for Uchiha Yu, Haku stayed where he was and quietly gathered the Chakra within his body.
"Gate of Life! Open!"
"Gate of Healing! Open!"
"Gate of Life! Open!"
Haku's body visibly reddened, and a faint steam began to rise from him.
He turned, leaped into the air, spun, and kicked.
"Konoha Whirlwind!"
Thud!
A cloud of smoke appeared!
No! Shadow Clone! The thought had barely formed when Haku felt a sharp pain in the back of his head. Then he passed out.
At Training Ground 83, Orochimaru watched the three training below from his hiding place in a tree.
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