But there were always more solutions than problems. Just as he had last time, he wrote down some tips on using Wind Style: Gale Palm and sent them to Naruto.
[You gave Naruto Uzumaki, a high-quality talent with a Level 2 relationship, the Wind Style: Gale Palm training manual] [The high-quality talent Naruto Uzumaki was deeply moved, triggering a fivefold critical reward] [Reward obtained: Water Style: Water Formation Wall (Intermediate)]
Water Style: Water Formation Wall was originally just a C-rank defensive Water Release technique. But after absorbing a flood of memories, Qiushui was delighted to discover that the system had given him the Water Wall used by Senju Tobirama. Not only was the technique one rank higher, but its range, rotation speed, and defensive power had all been enhanced. The Water Wall also produced five extra faces compared to the C-rank version: six walls in total, providing 360-degree defense with no blind spots.
Over the following week, Qiushui had Hinata continue her regular training, while Naruto added a course on Wind Style: Gale Palm to his routine.
After training on Sunday afternoon, Qiushui stood before them and said seriously, "I've been training you for almost a month. Tomorrow's exam is your chance to show the results of all your hard work. I'm not asking for much. Hinata, your goal is to break into the top ten. Naruto, your goal is to make the top fifteen."
"Don't worry, Qiushui-sensei. We won't let you down!"
Naruto and Hinata straightened up in unison, their gazes resolute as they answered together.
Qiushui looked at their confident expressions and nodded with satisfaction.
Hinata's grades had usually placed her somewhere between fifteenth and twentieth. After this period of intensive training, and given last year's average scores for Class 1 of the 4th Grade, breaking into the top ten shouldn't be a problem.
As for Naruto, though he had consistently ranked last in the grade, the system task required him to place in the top fifteen. Even if he was a little weak in theory, as long as he could make the top three in practical combat, there was no reason he couldn't finish in the top ten overall.
After all, he had already mastered the Shadow Clone Technique and Wind Style: Gale Palm. Looking at the whole fourth grade, only Aburame Shino and Uchiha Sasuke posed a threat to him. Against a dozen Narutos ganging up on them, the rest wouldn't stand much of a chance.
"Naruto, Hinata, you don't need to come to training tomorrow," Qiushui continued.
"Huh? Why, Qiushui-sensei?" Naruto immediately grew tense and stared at him, flustered.
He quickly searched his mind, wondering if he had done something wrong or said something he shouldn't have, and made Qiushui-sensei angry.
Hinata was the same. She unconsciously clutched her sleeves, her heart full of unease.
"The exam is the day after tomorrow," Qiushui said, realizing they had misunderstood him. He hurried to explain, "Take tomorrow off from training. Rest well and get ready for the exam."
Only then did they both let out a long breath. They felt they had never been so nervous in their lives.
Monday.
Compared to its usual lively atmosphere, the classroom of Class 1 of the 4th Grade was unusually quiet. Everyone there was a seasoned veteran who had been through countless exams. From the time they started school until now, they had taken at least eighty exams, big and small. Even so, they couldn't help feeling nervous whenever an exam came around.
Some buried their heads in their books, hoping to memorize a few more formulas at the last minute.
Others gathered in little groups, using casual conversation to hide their unease.
"Ino." A girl turned to look at Ino Yamanaka, who sat diagonally behind her, and asked tentatively, "The first monthly exam of the new semester is tomorrow. How do you think you'll do?"
Ino Yamanaka propped her chin on one hand and spun her pen idly with the other. At that, she sighed softly. "Ugh, don't ask. I've spent all my time playing at home lately and barely studied. I'll be lucky if I can stay in the top ten."
The girl looked puzzled.
She clearly remembered asking Ino several times last week to go out and have fun after school, only to be turned down.
On the other side of the classroom.
"Sakura." Sakura Haruno's deskmate leaned over, admiration on her face. "You'll probably come first in the theory exam again, right?"
Sakura paused in turning a page. She looked up with a modest smile. "Oh, I haven't really studied much lately either. And the other students pay close attention in class, so there's no guarantee I'll come first or anything."
But her deskmate looked just as puzzled. She remembered going to Sakura's house to ask her to play last week, and Sakura's parents had said she was in her room studying.
She glanced at Sakura's modest expression and said nothing.
Their conversation wasn't especially quiet.
Shikamaru Nara lay lazily across his desk and listened to the two girls in front of him. A thought came to mind: women were such a hassle.
They were all working their tails off, all so nervous they were practically dying, all eager to trample their rivals underfoot. Yet whenever they met, it was always one lying to the other, or the other lying to her.
Wasn't it exhausting?
Inuzuka Kiba suddenly ran up to the podium and shouted, "I heard from students in another class that if the class does badly, the homeroom teacher gets punished. In serious cases, they might even replace them."
The students looked at one another and began to chatter.
"Could that be why Iruka-sensei's homeroom teacher was replaced?" one student suddenly asked.
The classroom fell silent.
"Very possible," another voice chimed in, sounding as if everything had suddenly clicked. "Otherwise, it doesn't make sense. Iruka-sensei was doing a good job teaching us, so why would he suddenly give up being our homeroom teacher?"
Those words were like a stone tossed into a calm lake, sending ripples across its surface.
That was true. Iruka-sensei had taught them for more than three years. His lessons might not have been the most exciting, but he was responsible and cared about every student. Then, all of a sudden, he announced that he wouldn't be their homeroom teacher anymore. Later, when students asked him about it, he said it was for personal reasons. Everyone had believed him at the time, but now that they thought about it... it was chilling.
Akamaru, tucked into Kiba's hood, gave two little whines, as if agreeing.
Kiba swept his gaze across his classmates. Seeing that everyone was worked up, he immediately pressed the point. "I don't care if they replace some other teacher, but Qiushui-sensei teaches so well. They can't replace him!"
The classroom erupted in outrage.
"Right! They can't replace Qiushui-sensei!"
One voice immediately chimed in.
"Whoever tries to replace Qiushui-sensei will have to deal with me!"
Another voice followed, full of menace.
"We finally got a teacher whose lessons are this interesting," someone muttered. "I don't want to go back to how things used to be."
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