At Iruka's call, Sasuke slowly stepped out of the crowd and walked to the center of the field, where he stood before Minato.
Before Minato could greet him, Sasuke Uchiha bowed respectfully and said in a clear voice, "Lord Hokage, please go easy on me!"
Sasuke spoke with unwavering confidence, making Minato swallow the words of encouragement he'd been about to offer. Sasuke had clearly prepared himself for this. He showed no hint of nervousness in front of the Hokage. That confidence alone was enough to make Minato look at him in a new light.
"Good. If you're ready, you can begin."
Minato nodded, pleased with Sasuke's composure. In the judges' seats, when Sasuke Uchiha stepped forward, Hyuga Hiashi and Nara Shikaku both glanced at Uchiha Fugaku, seated beside them. They knew Sasuke was Fugaku's younger son.
Unlike the relaxed look he'd worn while watching Karin's exam, Fugaku had now clenched his fists slightly and was watching with complete focus.
"That guy really cares about his son."
"Seeing him like this is making me nervous, too."
Nara Shikaku had been perfectly calm, but Fugaku's nerves made his own heart tighten. It seemed that fathers felt the same when it came to their sons. Hiashi, on the other hand, remained unruffled, maintaining the dignity of a judge.
"It's Sasuke's turn!" Naruto Uzumaki kept his eyes fixed on Sasuke's back, his attention fully focused.
In the field, Sasuke closed his eyes briefly to steady his breathing, then snapped them open. His hands darted behind his back. When he brought them around again, several Smoke Bombs were already pinched between his fingers. He hurled them straight at Minato.
The instant the Smoke Bombs left his hands, Sasuke reached into his ninja tool pouch and pulled out two shuriken, sending them after the bombs