Nineteen: Aburame Ryoma

When he got home, Shiraishi Eizawa was waiting for him.

"Feeling confident about tomorrow?"

"More or less. I did go through all that trouble, after all."

Shiraishi Eizawa smiled, ruffled his hair, and said, "Good. Just do your best tomorrow."

"Is something wrong?"

GOOGLE Search TWKAN

"A lot of people from the village will be there to watch the exam."

Shiraishi Yoshijo nodded to show he understood. This exam was probably a form of political propaganda, as well as a chance to show off the village's strength to outsiders.

"If I do well, will it help you?"

"Don't worry about that. Just do your best."

There it was again.

The concern of a family member always gave him the strange feeling that he really was just a child.

Too bad he was only a child on the outside. On the inside...

Never mind. It was pretty gross.

After daybreak, Shiraishi Yoshijo did some training at home, then headed to the Ninja Academy.

He was supposed to go with Teacher Kawano to the underground training ground.

As for Shiraishi Eizawa, he had left early for the Takemoto Family. He was going with the Takemoto Clan.

When Shiraishi Yoshijo arrived in class, he slumped over his desk, and that long-missed, lazy feeling came right back.

People really couldn't change their nature that easily. He was still best suited to being a lazy bum.

Unfortunately, he hadn't been a lazy bum for even a minute before the classmates who spotted him swarmed around him.

"Shiraishi Yoshijo, you actually came to school today? Did the sun rise in the west?"

"Idiot, today's his graduation exam."

"Wait, you're taking the graduation exam today?"

Shiraishi Yoshijo couldn't remember most of his classmates' names.

Still, they'd been classmates for two years, and he felt a little nostalgic.

Shiraishi Yoshijo hopped onto his desk and waved at them, wearing a fake smile.

"I know you can't bear to part with me. Don't be sad. I, Shiraishi Yoshijo, am destined to be a man who both delights and surprises you."

He wasn't wrong.

Once he graduated and started working at the hospital, wouldn't running into them be both a delight and a surprise?

Shiraishi Yoshijo could even picture himself giving them shots with a syringe.

The scene was too beautiful to look at.

You think I'm leaving, but really, I'm just staying by your side in a different role.

Yes, going from classmate to doctor.

"Is this guy an idiot?"

"Who knows? He's always been one to say weird things."

Shiraishi Yoshijo stared at the two classmates who had spoken, his expression blank. "I'll remember you two."

After telling the noisy students to study on their own, Kawano took Shiraishi Yoshijo to the underground training ground.

"Are you confident?"

"My uncle told me to just do my best."

After pushing open the door to the underground training ground, Kawano headed for the stands.

Shiraishi Yoshijo walked to the center of the arena and looked over the spectators.

The Third Hokage, the two advisors—and the man with a sword on his back was Danzo?

He wasn't surprised. The exam had a strong political flavor, so he would have been more surprised if none of the village's leaders had shown up.

The Sannin stood behind the Hokage, and Tsunade even waved at him.

Shiraishi Yoshijo gave her an eye-roll.

Tsunade's mood soured the moment she saw it, and she punched Jiraiya in the face.

Jiraiya: ""

Over a hundred people stood scattered throughout the stands. Shiraishi Yoshijo didn't recognize most of them, so he could only guess their clans from their clothes.

Red Eye, Byakugan, pineapple hair, a fat guy, a ponytail...

Shiraishi Eizawa stood with Takemoto Masamasa, while Takemoto Anna stood behind them.

Everyone who was supposed to be there had come, and so had people who weren't.

Shiraishi Yoshijo pursed his lips, finding it all rather boring. The fight ahead would probably be even more boring.

It didn't matter who his opponent was. It would all be over in an instant anyway.

He had no interest in being stared at like a monkey.

When the Third Hokage saw that most people had arrived, he turned to Orochimaru and asked, "Orochimaru, are you confident you can beat him?"

Orochimaru looked surprised. "Master, you want me to be his examiner?"

When the Third Hokage nodded, Orochimaru gave a wicked smile.

Jiraiya started making a fuss. "I could beat that guy too! Let me do it, Master."

Tsunade punched him on the head again. "Idiot, shut up!"

Just as Orochimaru was about to leap down from the platform, Danzo spoke up.

"Hiruzen, you're planning to have Orochimaru be the examiner?"

"Orochimaru is strong, and he's a classmate of the boy's. Nothing should go wrong."

"Do you know what it would mean if Orochimaru, a Hokage's student, lost?"

Orochimaru didn't say anything, but his eyes were full of disdain.

Jiraiya yelled from the side, "How could Orochimaru lose? Shiraishi Yoshijo is a dead last."

Tsunade punched him again. "A dead last calling someone else a dead last! Idiot, I told you to shut up!"

The Third Hokage hesitated, then said, "I believe in Orochimaru."

Danzo had grown up with the Third Hokage. Seeing his hesitation, he knew what was on his mind.

He signaled Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu, then said, "I happen to have a suitable candidate."

Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu caught his signal and immediately understood what Danzo meant. They hurried to join him in persuading Sarutobi Hiruzen.

Seeing this, Sarutobi Hiruzen had no choice but to say, "All right. But, Danzo, don't cause any trouble."

"Don't worry. I know what to do."

With that, Danzo stepped back.

Several masked men immediately dropped to one knee.

"Lord Danzo."

"Ryoma, take off your mask and clothes and go be that brat's examiner."

"Yes, Lord Danzo. But is this really all right? The Shi-Die Clan and our clan..."

"That's not your concern. Just make sure that brat loses badly."

Danzo wasn't stupid. Although he wanted that brat gone, this clearly wasn't the right time.

"Understood."

As he watched Aburame Ryoma walk away, a trace of a smile appeared in Danzo's cold eyes.

"Now, what will you do?"

Aburame Ryoma walked toward the training ground.

Shiraishi Yoshijo eyed the boy approaching in sunglasses, his expression strange.

The Aburame Clan?

The bug-using clan didn't seem very good at Taijutsu. Would he be bullying him too much?

Whatever Shiraishi Yoshijo thought, the moment Aburame Ryoma stepped into the training ground, a commotion rose from the stands.

Many people who had been sitting stood up.

"It's the Aburame! This is going to be a real show."

"Heh, a Bug User versus a Butterfly User. The Third Hokage really had a plan."

Shiraishi Eizawa's face turned ashen at their words. Takemoto Masamasa, standing beside him, grabbed his hand to signal him not to act rashly.

The Third Hokage turned to look at Danzo, who met his gaze without fear.

"I told you not to cause trouble. Don't you know what the Aburame mean to the Shi-Die?"

"All I know is that the Shi-Die can't beat the Aburame. Besides, don't you want to see a rematch between bugs and butterflies after all these years?"

"Danzo!"

"Don't be so naive, Hiruzen. We have to humble the Shi-Die. The Aburame are the best choice."

The Third Hokage tried to say more, but Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu quickly stepped in to smooth things over.

Only then did the commotion gradually subside.

Shiraishi Yoshijo swept his gaze around in confusion, then finally fixed it on Aburame Ryoma.

A middle-aged Jonin leaped onto the training platform and began explaining the rules to Shiraishi Yoshijo.

"You pass the exam by defeating your opponent or holding out for ten minutes."

Shiraishi Yoshijo nodded to show he understood.

The middle-aged Jonin raised his hand high, then brought it down sharply.

"Begin!"

Shiraishi Yoshijo took a Shuriken from his ninja pouch, one he'd prepared in advance, and tossed it from hand to hand.

His carefree attitude immediately set off a wave of laughter throughout the underground training ground.

Aburame Ryoma folded his arms, his expression cold.

"I'd advise you to give up now. You have no chance of winning. Why? Because there's nothing you can do to defeat me—not even your Secret Technique."

That way of talking...

Shiraishi Yoshijo was sure now. This guy had to be a direct-line member of the Aburame Clan.

Aburame Ryoma didn't attack right away, so Shiraishi Yoshijo humored him and chatted.

"You're really that confident? Aren't you going to release your bugs?"

"You're not using your butterflies either."

"I don't know how to use butterflies."

Aburame Ryoma seemed not to have expected him to say that, and fell silent.

"I understand. I won't use my bugs either."

The moment Aburame Ryoma said that, Shiraishi Yoshijo understood.

This Aburame was obviously very confident in his own abilities, and he didn't intend to let Shiraishi Yoshijo lose too quickly.

But that made sense. With an exam this political, how could anyone be convinced unless the fight put on a good show?

At that thought, he lost any desire to keep talking. It was too boring.

Besides, the scrutinizing gazes from the people in the stands made him feel like a monkey on display.

He casually tossed the Shuriken. He barely put any strength into it, and it only just made it to Aburame Ryoma's feet.

It clattered to the ground.

Another wave of laughter rose from the stands.

Aburame Ryoma hadn't moved an inch. The weak little Shuriken was worse than what a child who hadn't even entered the Ninja Academy could throw; it wasn't even worth dodging.

He knew Shiraishi Yoshijo couldn't be this weak if he had graduated early. So was he being looked down on?

His arms, folded across his chest, clenched into fists.

Even the famously calm Aburame felt humiliated in a situation like this.

"If you're trying to provoke me, I have to admit it's working. I'm quite angry now."

Shiraishi Yoshijo sighed.

Why were people always so stupid?

He began forming Hand Seals.

"Lightning Release: Scorch Flow Kill."

It was Takemoto Shuichi's signature move.

Shiraishi Yoshijo could use it now, though it wasn't very powerful. It was enough to make someone lose the ability to fight.

Electricity gathered around his right hand, while two steel wires were tied to his left.

The wires were connected to the Shuriken lying at Aburame Ryoma's feet.

Although Shiraishi Yoshijo had used what looked like a fairly powerful Lightning Release Ninjutsu, Aburame Ryoma still didn't retreat.

He could tell that the Lightning Release Ninjutsu was meant for close combat.