Heh, Everyone Here Is Trash

No, not even a perfect score. Even scoring too high would be a problem.

First place was simply asking for trouble, and second, it was dangerous—especially at the Academy.

What if the top student freaking ran off?

During this sensitive period, performing too well would definitely draw Tsunade's attention.

Being used as labor was one thing, but attracting the higher-ups' attention was another. Especially with the Pot Kage around—he did not yet have the strength to flip the table, so he needed to keep a low profile.

Of course, scoring too low would not do either. Getting kicked out of the Experimental Class would be ridiculous.

There were so many talented people here, and the girls were so cute. He really liked it here.

So there was only one answer.

Moderation.

He would be an ordinary good student with above-average grades.

Aoba calculated rapidly in his mind.

"This question involves the limits of cell division. It's somewhat difficult, so most people probably won't be able to answer it. I can write down a little personal insight."

"If I draw this meridian diagram too accurately, it'll arouse suspicion. I'll deliberately skew two minor meridians."

"For this essay question, I can't make my argument too profound. I'll just use Tsunade's original words. That'll be safer."

Holding his pen, Aoba began answering the questions at an unhurried pace.

He even deliberately controlled his handwriting, making it neat yet still immature. It perfectly suited the image of someone who "studied hard but had limited talent."

Compared to Aoba's composure, the students around him looked like they were undergoing a tribulation.

Recently, everyone had been tormented half to death by the bloody anatomy lessons. Every day, they only wanted to go back, take a bath, sleep, and erase those images from their minds. Who had the energy to review that tedious theory?

They had long forgotten all the theoretical knowledge from before.

Aoba swept his peripheral vision across the room and saw bitter expressions everywhere.

Rin bit down on her pen, her brows tightly furrowed as she clearly tried hard to recall the lessons.

Shizune was doing a little better. At least she could write some answers, though she was obviously very slow.

As for the others, some stared blankly at their papers while others had already begun scratching their heads.

Aoba silently wrote his answers and lowered his intended score a little further.

Time passed second by second.

Aoba leisurely wrote the final question, dragging things out as he waited for time to run out.

The Chip projected an approximate scoring model onto his retina.

The score range was between 75 and 85.

That should be fine.

"Time's up. Put down your pens."

Tsunade's voice rang out precisely on time, devoid of any emotion.

As the papers were collected, an air of despair filled the classroom.

Quite a few students looked at their unfinished exams, their eyes reddening.

After collecting the papers, Tsunade ignored all the complaints.

She picked up the papers and turned to leave the Experimental Class, leaving behind a room full of wails.

"It's over, it's over! There were so many questions I couldn't do..."

"Same here! I just can't remember those meridian diagrams!"

"Will Lady Tsunade kick me straight out of the Experimental Class?"

Aoba did not leave immediately. He slowly packed up his things while actually listening to the conversations around him.

People who lacked confidence always compared answers after an exam.

The more Aoba listened, the darker his face became. A faint sense of foreboding rose in his heart.

At that moment, Rin and Shizune came over.

"Aoba-kun, what do you think of this exam?"

Rin asked cautiously, her eyes full of unease.

"It was okay, I guess."

Aoba forced out a small smile. "Some of the questions really were a little difficult."

"I forgot so much..."

Rin lowered her head dejectedly. "I'd looked at all of it before, but I don't know what happened today. I just couldn't remember anything."

Shizune sighed as well. "Me too. We've been so focused on anatomy lately that I've almost completely forgotten the theory."

Aoba fell silent for a moment before finally speaking. "All right, the exam is over and the papers have been handed in. Don't keep talking about it and ruin your mood. We'll probably know the results tomorrow anyway."

"Mm."

Everyone understood the reasoning, but not everyone could let it go so easily. That night, no one knew how many people in the Experimental Class lost sleep.

The next day, the results were announced.

Tsunade entered the classroom carrying a stack of graded papers. Her face was as black as the bottom of a pot, and danger radiated from her whole body.

The entire classroom was silent as cicadas in winter. Even the sound of breathing had been deliberately lowered.

Bang!

The papers were slammed viciously onto the podium with such force that the podium itself shook three times.

"This is the level you're at?"

Tsunade's voice suppressed her fury. "Out of dozens of students, only one of you passed!"

What?!

Aoba abruptly raised his head, his eyes widening behind his sunglasses.

Only one person had passed?

He was screwed. His premonition had come true!

Although he had prepared himself for the worst yesterday, he had not expected the overall scores to be even worse than he had imagined.

Seriously, did these people have pig brains?

Hadn't Tsunade taught them all those questions? They had only spent some time in anatomy class—had they cut out their own cerebellums?

"You're simply a bunch of trash!"

Tsunade crossed her arms, her ample chest heaving violently with her breathing. "You can even draw the most basic meridian pathways wrong, and the principles of the Hemostasis Technique are written like utter nonsense! At this level, going onto the battlefield means murdering your own comrades!"

The students below all lowered their heads and trembled, not daring to make a sound.

"Yamashiro Aoba!"

Tsunade suddenly called out that name.

"Here."

Aoba stood up stiffly, feeling countless gazes instantly focus on him.

"Eighty-two points."

Tsunade picked up the top paper. Her tone softened slightly, though it remained stern. "Though some of your answers were not rigorous enough, and your meridian diagram had flaws, at least your mind is clear."

"You are also the only one in the class who passed."

Tsunade looked the sunglasses-wearing boy up and down. She had heard this name from Ueno before. His anatomy and suturing techniques were quite good. He was promising material.

"You did well."

"Th-thank you."

Aoba said modestly, "It was because Lady Tsunade taught well."

"Heh. If I had really taught well, there wouldn't be only one student passing."

All right, Aoba immediately shut his mouth.

Feeling the gazes from his classmates—both envious and tinged with a little jealousy—his heart went cold.

He only knew that his peaceful life of slacking off was about to be completely over.

Well, this was just great. Keeping a low profile would be difficult now.

"Sit down."

Tsunade waved her hand, then slapped the desk and began tearing into them.

"Prick up your ears and listen carefully! This question..."

Over the following days, Aoba once again experienced what it meant to receive special attention.

Whenever a question was asked, Aoba would basically be called on to answer. Or after someone else had finished answering, he would be asked to summarize.

For the sake of making it easier to call on him, Tsunade even moved Aoba directly from the back row to the very front.

Later, Tsunade no longer even called Aoba by name. She would simply cast him a look.

"You. Explain it."

At times like that, Aoba could only become a soulless answer-machine.

"Uh, in this situation, stimulating certain acupoints can temporarily block the flow through the meridians..."

Whenever that happened, Aoba could feel countless scorching gazes behind him, as if they wanted to bore straight through him.

As for pretending he did not know or acting like he could not answer, playing petty tricks in front of a battle-hardened powerhouse was simply asking to die faster.

And as the strongest medical ninja in the Shinobi World, Tsunade only needed to ask a few questions to clearly determine the level of your knowledge.