Naruto Didn't Pass

"Idiot. By saying that out loud, aren't you just telling everyone that you can't even beat me, someone who has never once defeated Sasuke?" Yashui raised his voice an octave.

"Tch, looks like you're determined to have a fight with me." Kiba Inuzuka smiled confidently. "I'll teach you how to talk to your upperclassman!"

"Fine, make your move!" Yashui glanced at the dejected Naruto. "In the name of being Uzumaki Naruto's underling, I accept your challenge."

"A mere brat, acting all high and mighty! Akamaru, let's go!" Without waiting to see if Yashui was ready, Kiba threw a punch.

"Bang!" The Yashui sitting in the chair was easily passed through.

Kiba panicked for a moment. He sniffed the air and looked behind him. Yashui had appeared behind Kiba before he even realized it.

"The Clone Technique is useless against my nose!" Kiba said, then kicked out.

Yashui turned sideways, guiding Kiba's leg away, then raised his knee to brace Kiba's calf while delivering an elbow strike to Kiba's knee joint with his right hand.

The joint was a fragile spot. Struck by Yashui, Kiba collapsed to the ground, rolling in pain, and it took him several seconds to stand back up.

"You'd better hurry to the infirmary and get that checked out, lest your joint suffer any lasting damage." Yashui bluffed to scare Kiba.

When Kiba stood up, he was indeed unsteady due to the pain. Hearing Yashui's words, he grew anxious. He was a descendant of the Inuzuka clan and intended to be a ninja for life; he didn't want to end up disabled just as his career was beginning.

There was no help for it! Kiba looked at Yashui, then at his own leg. After a long moment of deliberation, he decided his leg was more important than his pride, and he limped off toward the infirmary.

Yashui had exaggerated about the lasting damage. With a ninja's physical constitution, such a minor injury wouldn't cause any real problems. Everyone present would have plenty of opportunities to be injured in battle in the future.

Furthermore, Yashui didn't want to blow things out of proportion. If he really fought Kiba, one of them would inevitably get hurt. Since Yashui was now in Konoha, he would have plenty of chances to deal with Kiba in the future; why ruin the relationship beyond repair?

Although Kiba liked to mock others, his confidence wasn't unfounded. Kiba's thrusting ability and his ability to lock onto a target were both excellent.

His nose could lock onto a target, and the ninjutsu passed down through the Inuzuka clan for generations allowed for powerful thrusts. If he lacked either, he would end up like Kakashi during his first attempt at the Lightning Cutter—swinging for ages without hitting a single person.

If Yashui didn't use the Sharingan and the ninjutsu taught by the Three-Legged Golden Crow, it would be very difficult to beat a serious Kiba.

After Iruka finished organizing the exam records, he returned to the classroom.

"Congratulations to most of the class, as well as Sarutobi Yashui, who graduated early. You have all passed the exam. Those who did not pass can choose to repeat the year or drop out." Iruka-sensei glanced at Naruto, who was dazed in the corner of the classroom, then continued speaking to everyone.

"Those who passed, line up and follow me to take your ID photos. Then we will register your ninja files..."

"I'll be back soon." Yashui patted Naruto on the shoulder. "Don't be too sad. You'll definitely pass."

Naruto didn't seem to hear Yashui's words, remaining alone in the classroom.

Everyone left. Naruto still hadn't moved an inch.

When school let out, everyone was accompanied by their parents. Only Naruto sat on the swing, watching everyone else with envy.

On the day Yashui became a ninja, Konohamaru and the Third Hokage also came to the Ninja Academy to pick him up. Sarutobi Asuma followed along as well.

"What's wrong, Yashui? You don't seem very happy." The Third Hokage noticed Yashui's unusual behavior.

"Yeah, Yashui. You're a genin now, you should be happy. Otherwise, when missions start raining down on you, you won't be able to be happy even if you want to." Asuma laughed heartily after saying this.

"Naruto... didn't pass the exam." Yashui glanced at Konohamaru, then at the Third Hokage. "Grandpa, can you arrange a make-up exam for Naruto? Naruto's combat ability is fine..."

"Yeah, Grandpa..." Konohamaru also tugged on the Third Hokage's clothes.

"This... our Hokage is a fair village; we cannot give him special treatment just because he is your friend." The Third Hokage took a puff of his pipe, his expression solemn. "I want Naruto to pass the exam too... he is..."

Hearing the Third's words, Yashui instantly felt how childish his behavior had just been.

Only the Third Hokage knew that Naruto was the son of the Fourth, and for all these years, the Third had been watching Naruto grow up. His feelings for Naruto were no less deep than his feelings for Yashui and Konohamaru. If anyone was sadder than Naruto himself about him failing to graduate, it had to be the Third Hokage.

Yashui took a deep breath and forced a smile. "Let's go home!"

After smiling, Yashui mocked himself fiercely. Why worry blindly? Wasn't there still that guy Mizuki, who would deliver his head on a platter to let Naruto pass the exam?

That night, after dinner, Yashui did nothing in his room. He listened to the sounds outside, ready to go out at any moment to follow the large group of ninjas searching for Naruto. The Scroll of Sealing had such an imposing name; it must contain many high-level ninjutsu. Taking the opportunity to learn a few would be very helpful for his future ninja career.

He could also check on Naruto while he was at it. It was hard not to care after seeing how Naruto looked when he failed the exam.

Come to think of it, the incident of Naruto stealing the Scroll of Sealing was suspicious even in the original work. The Third Hokage had locked onto Naruto's location from the start; why not send a large group of ninjas to stop Naruto from opening the scroll? Clearly, the Third Hokage was using this opportunity to give Naruto a make-up exam.

No! Yashui felt it was becoming increasingly suspicious. He hadn't really seen Mizuki-sensei around the Ninja Academy before. Could it be that even Mizuki was an Anbu in disguise? Was it all just a play orchestrated by the Third Hokage?

Perhaps the Third Hokage also wanted to use this incident to tell Naruto about his own heritage, to help the mischievous Naruto mature a bit. And while he was at it, let Naruto learn a practical ninjutsu to pass the graduation exam.

Not long after dinner, Yashui heard about Naruto stealing the Scroll of Sealing.

The ninjas were shouting as they ran, so everyone heard it. A large portion of the ninjas searching for Naruto viewed him as the Demon Fox. They hated Naruto for destroying their homes. They wanted to shout loudly so that everyone in Konoha would know what Naruto was doing, effectively ruining his reputation.

Yashui immediately left the house and headed to the Hokage Building to see what was going on.

When he arrived at the Third Hokage's office, the Third looked at Yashui with surprise. "It's so late, why are you here?"