Early Graduation!

War is a thunderclap that explodes suddenly in the midst of silence. Its power and aftermath ripple outward, stirring up a landscape of cracks and blood.

After the full-scale outbreak of the war, the village suffered heavy ninja casualties, and the academy began pulling out outstanding students for early graduation to make up for the losses on the front lines.

"Kusama Shigeo, Xia Linchuandoyu, Narita Hiten..." Nagai read off several names in class. When he reached the last one, his brows suddenly furrowed. He checked the roster for a long time before sighing and calling out—

"And, Uchiha Akatsuki!"

Nagai announced loudly, "The principal has already agreed and approved your early participation in the genin exam!"

The moment my name was spoken, the room erupted in an uproar, and almost every gaze converged on me. Aoi's reaction was the most intense; her face turned deathly pale as she groped for my hand, her touch cold and clammy.

Nagai snapped the roster shut with a thud. Aside from the dejected sighs of the students who hadn't been called, a wave of suspicion directed at me followed.

"Did I hear that right? Uchiha Akatsuki?"

"What is this? He's too young, isn't he? Is he even six?"

"Are you kidding me? Why does he get to graduate early?"

"What is this, giving the Uchiha special treatment?"

Of course, there was no shortage of awe and admiration, either.

"A bunch of losers shouldn't be jealous!"

"Exactly! You guys weren't even a match for Akatsuki during the last taijutsu training!"

"I think you're just looking for trouble! If you're so capable, why don't you graduate early yourself?"

They were soon arguing in a chaotic mess, while I, the center of this controversy, couldn't say a single word.

These children who had never been to the battlefield viewed war only through the lens of military merit and glory. But Aoi was different; her mother had died on the battlefield, and her father was away fighting year-round. She knew better than anyone how terrifying that place truly was.

I patted her hand gently to offer comfort.

Even though I had anticipated this day, knowing the news still left me feeling uneasy.

No matter how you put it, that was the battlefield!

When my mother learned I was going to take the genin exam, she was a mix of joy and worry. She spent the night sewing two ninja tool pouches for me, along with a strap to carry my Murasame.

Speaking of Murasame, this blade was indeed very comfortable to handle, but it possessed no special abilities. No lightning strikes, no riding the wind, no controlling fire—I couldn't pull off any of it. I even started to wonder if that had all been a dream!

What kind of divine weapon was this? It was just a small, crappy sword!

As time went on, I simply used it as an ordinary longsword.

"Little crappy sword, little crappy sword, even though you're useless, I don't mind! You have to be in sync with me, don't lose heart!"

In a daze, the blade flickered, as if in response.

I stroked the edge of Murasame, feeling the smooth patterns on its surface, then flicked it with my finger, listening to the intoxicating hum disperse into the air...

It really was a good sword.

The graduation exam was set at the base beneath the Hokage Rock. I woke up very early on the day of the exam, but Aoi was even earlier. When I was dressed and pushed open the door, I saw her waving at me under the starlight.

"Aoi? Why are you here?"

In the less than a year I'd spent at the academy, my nutrition had balanced out, so I had grown quite a bit. Standing next to Aoi again, I realized I was nearly the same height as her.

Hahaha, the latecomer catches up!

"We haven't walked to school together in a long time since you got so busy." Aoi's eyes were bright, filled with starlight. "After you finish your morning run, let's go get breakfast, okay?" She leaned in and took my hand, just as she always did.

"Okay." I held her hand happily and we started walking forward.

Two children walked silently together under the moonlight, casting a layer of warmth over the cold, desolate night.

Before the morning run was even over, Aoi was so tired she was nearly fainting. I had to stop again and again to wait for her, and she, fearing she would hold me back, kept forcing herself to catch up.

I sighed, not understanding why she insisted on running with me, and felt a genuine ache in my heart.

When Aoi crouched to the ground, powerless once more, I walked up to help her stand and comforted her, "No more running. Let's go."

She couldn't stand, so I walked in front of her, crouched down, and turned my head. "I have the strength. I'll carry you."

Uchiha Aoi rested securely on the boy's back, her heart beating so fast she felt dizzy. She didn't say a word, just held onto Akatsuki's neck tightly.

She hoped this road would be slower, even slower, and that they could just keep walking like this forever.

We went to the Ichiraku Ramen shop for breakfast. I added extra chashu as usual, but Aoi couldn't eat a thing due to the aftereffects of the intense exercise, so she just watched me eat.

My hair had grown quite long, and because it was soaked in sweat, it stuck to my forehead and neck, feeling incredibly uncomfortable.

Aoi noticed my discomfort. She took something out of her pocket, told me softly not to move, and then skillfully tied up my hair.

Her hands wove through my black hair, gentle and practiced. I relaxed comfortably, and when I finally came to my senses, only two strands of hair remained on my forehead, tucked along my cheeks, while the hair by my ears was pulled back and tied up, with the shorter strands in the back falling naturally.

I reached up to touch it, moved for a moment, and felt a sense of nostalgia.

Half-tied in a ponytail—my signature hairstyle from my previous life, easy to tie and undo, crisp and efficient—it was a strange coincidence to encounter it again in this life.

"Do you like it?" Kuixing giggled, reverting to that mischievous little girl. "I tie my hair like this at home all the time." She held up the remaining hair tie, which featured an orange sunflower, and placed it on her wrist.

"This hair tie is a pair with mine, I'm giving it to you!"

I chuckled as well. It seemed the one on my head was the star.

Staring intently at Kuixing, I noticed her face had lengthened from the roundness I first saw, revealing the contours of a young girl. I reached out, tucked the hair from her forehead behind her ear, and admired her. "This looks even better."

Kuixing's face turned bright red. She leaned in closer and whispered, "Akatsuki looks good too."

Because this was a special early graduation, and everyone participating in the Genin exam was an elite talent, the proctors included not only Jonin but also the Third Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen, Shimura Danzō, and the two Konoha advisors, Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura. Even though they were seated far away, I recognized them at a glance.

Good grief, what a massive turnout!

The moment I stepped into the exam hall, I drew the majority of the attention.

My attire today was different from my school uniform; I was wearing my usual training gear.

A black mesh bodysuit extended from my neck to my waist, covered by a black, round-necked short-sleeved shirt embroidered with the Uchiha fan crest. Murasame rested in the leather holster my mother had made for me, strapped diagonally across my back. My ninja tool pouch was bound to my leg, and I wore black trousers and leg wraps.

Refined and sharp, with no excess—everything was designed for combat.

It was damn cool!

Facing the various gazes, I kept my eyes forward and walked straight in.

Entering the vast arena and standing among the crowd, I suddenly felt a sense of déjà vu.

Just like during the underground training with the Uchiha two years ago, everyone here was taller than me. If I wanted to converse, I had to tilt my head back and look up at them.

I was so annoyed I could jump—damn it, I have to start from the bottom all over again!

"Is that child... Uchiha Fugaku's eldest son, Uchiha Akatsuki?" Shimura Danzō's gaze shifted, watching the boy walk into the crowd in silence.

"He certainly has the style of an Anbu operative."

The Genin exam began twenty minutes later. Even though this was a selection process to send people to the battlefield, everyone showed up; no one withdrew.

I looked at the expressions of those around me—some nervous, some solemn, some filled with longing. They were heading to the front lines, yet there was no fear or hesitation.

The so-called Will of Fire truly is an endless cycle.

"Uchiha Akatsuki."

I don't know how long I waited, but I finally heard my name. I followed the instructions, left the crowd, and headed toward the actual testing ground.

Walking through the corridor and pushing open the heavy doors, a massive arena came into view! The floor was densely packed with targets commonly found on training grounds—some high, some low, and some even moving.

I realized instantly: this was a simulated battlefield!

Since this was preparation for war, were they testing marksmanship? This Genin exam was certainly different.

The proctor glanced at me nonchalantly, recorded my name on a clipboard, and solemnly announced the exam content—

"Listen up: the objective is to knock down all targets by any means necessary. Time limit: ten minutes!"

"Begin!"

The moment his voice fell, I had already pulled out dozens of shuriken, leaped onto the wall, and hurled them all at the target cluster! The shuriken collided, and the steel wires attached to their tails tangled chaotically in the air, instantly enveloping all the targets!

"Fire Style: Fire Dragon Technique!" On the ceiling, I formed the hand seals, gathered chakra in my chest, and suddenly unleashed it from my mouth!

In an instant, several fire dragons roared from my hands and the steel wires, stretching out to scorch the ground! The flames instantly engulfed every target; in a heartbeat, the exam hall became a furnace!

Amidst the raging fire, I leaped through the air to observe, watching for any blind spots. I threw kunai to slice through the last few moving targets, then landed lightly beside the proctor and announced clearly, "I am finished!"

"You..."

He seemed not to have reacted yet, but Sarutobi Hiruzen, who was observing the scene through a monitor, had already begun to smile.

"Less than a minute. A well-deserved first place." He held his pipe, his eyes filled with relief, hope, and a trace of worry he hadn't even noticed himself.

"This child... his future achievements will be boundless."

Beside him, Shimura Danzō remained expressionless, his one eye locked onto the boy in the flames. He said in a low voice, "The Uchiha clan has produced another genius."

"Another?" Utatane Koharu took over. "Are you referring to..."

Shimura Danzō: "Yes. Aside from him, there is another youth named Uchiha Shisui whose talent is also exceptional."

"The Uchiha clan has been quite active lately, haven't they?" Mitokado Homura picked up where Shimura Danzō left off, as if he knew what he was thinking.

"The emergence of these two children has undoubtedly given them more confidence."

"In recent years, the influence of the Uchiha clan seems to be growing again, and the scale of the Police Force is expanding daily... Have you considered placing some restrictions on them? Third?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen exhaled a puff of smoke, his eyes murky and unreadable behind the haze.

"Since we are here to watch the children's exam today, let's not discuss politics."

"..."

As I walked out of the exam hall clutching my forehead protector and the report card showing my first-place ranking, I traced the Konoha symbol engraved on the metal, my heart undeniably filled with joy.

The moment I fastened it on, a sense of honor surged from the depths of my soul.

From this day forward, I am a ninja of Konoha! (Clenches fist!)