Chakra Strength Test

Time passed quickly amid the daily training.

Then, at some point, the atmosphere in the village grew tense.

Large numbers of ninja were constantly being sent out of the village to the battlefield, while Anbu and Police Force patrols became increasingly frequent.

Rumors about the front lines began to spread among the villagers.

Ninja Academy.

Today, the students of Class 5-9 came to the Training Ground under the guidance of their instructor, Sarutobi Retsu.

The lesson was about testing everyone's chakra, something that wasn't originally taught until sixth grade.

Chakra was the foundation of a ninja. Only with powerful chakra could a ninja become powerful.

Therefore, the most direct way to judge a ninja's strength was to observe the strength of their chakra.

Based on the experience of the previous two Ninja Wars, the village knew that once a war intensified, Genin on the front lines were practically expendable—in other words, cannon fodder.

Students at the Ninja Academy were the reserve force, meant to replenish the Genin units on the front lines.

In the center of the Training Ground stood a metal pillar about as thick as a water barrel. Wires were connected to it, along with a display screen.

"This pillar is used to test your chakra. In a moment, you'll use all your chakra to punch this spot on the pillar."

"You can start gathering chakra now. Once you're ready, we'll begin the test."

As Sarutobi Retsu finished speaking, the students began gathering chakra, eager to get the best possible scores.

Sarutobi Retsu watched the students concentrating on gathering chakra and sighed softly, a hint of wistfulness in his eyes.

He knew the village was having the school test the students' chakra in preparation for war.

The village was recording the students' chakra reserves now to make it easier to assign them later.

Although he didn't think the fifth graders were ready to go to war, everything was for the sake of the village.

That was the cruelty of war.

Uchiha Yuan stood quietly, his gaze sweeping around as he observed the others gathering chakra.

Like him, seven or eight others—including Hyuga Kagami and Senju Gen—weren't gathering chakra. Most were children of Ninja Clans, and their inherited training meant they didn't need to gather chakra on the spot.

After a while, Sarutobi Retsu saw that everyone's chakra had stabilized and said, "Let's begin the test. First, Ishino Rō."

A short-haired boy with three stripes of face paint on his forehead stepped forward and walked up to the metal pillar.

He took a deep breath, then swung a heavy punch.

The screen on the pillar lit up and displayed: E Rank, 69.

Seeing the result, Sarutobi Retsu shook his head slightly. The chakra strength was on the low side for a student.

The Chakra Strength Test's ranking system was the same as the one used for jutsu: S, A, B, C, D, and E. Each rank had a maximum score of 100; going over that automatically promoted the score to the next rank.

"Next, Taki Toshihiko."

Thud!

With a muffled impact, the screen displayed: E Rank, 91.

Seeing the result, Sarutobi Retsu nodded slightly. That was a normal score for an ordinary student.

After more than ten civilian students had taken the test, Sarutobi Retsu called out, "Next, Uehara Isami."

Uehara Isami walked forward with confidence, clenching his fists until they crackled like popping beans.

Standing in front of the testing pillar, Uehara Isami's gaze suddenly sharpened. He slammed a powerful punch into it.

The screen lit up, displaying: D Rank, 28.

Seeing the result, Sarutobi Retsu nodded with satisfaction. Based on the scores he'd seen from the previous classes, Uehara Isami's chakra strength was already at the upper end of the Genin level.

Uehara Isami smiled at his score, then turned to look toward Hyuga Kagami and the other students from Ninja Clans.

Seeing the astonished expressions on their faces, Uehara Isami's smile widened. Finally, his gaze settled on Uchiha Yuan.

Meeting Uchiha Yuan's eyes, Uehara Isami's smile suddenly turned feral, and he gave him a taunting look.

Sarutobi Retsu didn't notice. After recording the score, he called up the next student.

"Inuzuka En."

Test result: D Rank, 26.

"Yūhi Murasaki."

Test result: D Rank, 23.

Several students from Ninja Clans in a row reached D Rank, but none scored higher than Uehara Isami.

Uehara Isami couldn't help smiling smugly.

Just then, Sarutobi Retsu called out, "Next, Hyuga Kagami."

Hyuga Kagami calmly walked up to the testing pillar.

The next moment, a gust of wind swept out from around him, and a faint blue glow flowed over his body.

Then he swung his palm and struck the testing pillar hard.

The screen lit up, displaying: D Rank, 65.

"Kagami's score is actually that high? That's incredible!"

"No wonder he's from the Hyuga Clan."

Seeing Hyuga Kagami's score, Sarutobi Retsu smiled. It was already at the level of an elite Genin.

Then he looked at the roster and called, "Next, Hatake Harukaze."

Hyuga Kagami walked back to the line. When he passed Uehara Isami, he stopped and said coldly, "Uehara Isami, you've seen it now. This is the bloodline of a Powerful Clan. You, a mere civilian, can't catch up with us just by working hard. While you're training hard, we're training even harder."

Uehara Isami flushed with anger. "Hyuga Kagami, don't get cocky. So what if you're ahead of me? Don't forget Senju Gen is still here. Hmph, I'd like to see if your score can beat his."

Veins bulged faintly at the corners of Hyuga Kagami's eyes. He stared at Uehara Isami and said coldly, "Even if Senju Gen beats me, what does that have to do with you?"

At that moment, Hatake Harukaze stood before the testing pillar.

Harukaze, don't give it your all. Use only eighty percent of your strength.

Just as he was about to swing his fist at the testing pillar, Uchiha Yuan's voice suddenly sounded in his ear.

Hatake Harukaze couldn't help but pause, then looked toward Uchiha Yuan with a puzzled expression.

Don't look at me. I'm speaking to you with a special method called Sound Transmission Secret.

Sound Transmission Secret involved compressing one's voice into a narrow stream with chakra and sending it to a specific target.

Hearing that, Hatake Harukaze quickly looked back at the testing pillar and threw a punch.

The screen lit up, displaying: D Rank, 61.

"What!"

"How is that possible!"

Seeing the score, Hyuga Kagami and Uehara Isami blurted out their disbelief almost simultaneously.

Both stared at Hatake Harukaze, unable to believe it. They'd each had their own estimate of his strength.

Hyuga Kagami hadn't expected Hatake Harukaze's score to be so close to his own.

Uehara Isami found it even harder to accept. His eyes were full of jealousy as he stared at Hatake Harukaze.

In his eyes, Hatake Harukaze was a little weaker than he was. But now it seemed Harukaze was already far stronger.

Sarutobi Retsu was also surprised by Hatake Harukaze's score. He'd used his ninja senses to estimate each student's chakra strength.

Harukaze's test result was much higher than his previous estimate.

Sarutobi Retsu was curious about how Hatake Harukaze had grown so quickly. But the moment he thought of Kakashi, his curiosity soon faded.

I heard Harukaze is Kakashi's cousin. No wonder he's performing so well.

After Hatake Harukaze, several more students from Ninja Clans took the test. Their scores were very close to Uehara Isami's.

Then Sarutobi Retsu looked at the roster and continued calling names. "Next, Uchiha Yuan."