Promoted to Genin

"Phew, I finally passed the Genin graduation exam!"

"Tomorrow marks the official start of my ninja career. I'm really looking forward to it!"

Uchiha Yue had just finished all the training he'd planned for the day and was getting ready to sleep. But to his surprise, he tossed and turned for a long time without being able to fall asleep.

With his ninja career about to begin in earnest, Uchiha Yue felt both eager and a little apprehensive.

Once he officially became a Genin, the enemies he faced would no longer be students from the Ninja Academy, but actual Genin. At first, he might not be able to take on difficult missions or face ninjas from other villages directly. But the ninja world was in the midst of war. Who knew what enemy might appear before him the very next moment?

Becoming a true Genin would give Uchiha Yue more opportunities to grow stronger, but it would also expose him to many unknown dangers.

Still, just before falling asleep, Uchiha Yue clenched his fists, his heart filled with unwavering resolve!

"Even if I'm only taking my first steps as a ninja, one day I'll become the strongest in the ninja world!"

"Becoming a Genin is just one step in my ninja career!"

"My next goal is to become the youngest Chunin in Konoha's history!"

With that thought, the fatigue from his training washed over him, and Uchiha Yue gradually drifted off to sleep.

Early the next morning, Uchiha Yue got up and began his daily chakra training, then prepared to head to the Ninja Academy.

Passing the Genin graduation exam didn't mean you officially became a Genin right away. To become one, Uchiha Yue still had to register his file at the Ninja Academy and collect Konoha's Forehead Protector. Only then would he truly be a Genin of Konoha. So, after finishing his morning training, Uchiha Yue set off at a leisurely pace for the academy to register.

To his utter surprise, however, someone was already waiting outside his house when he was about to leave for the Ninja Academy.

"Kakashi? Did you come to see me?"

Looking at the familiar figure before him, Uchiha Yue was a little taken aback. He hadn't expected Hatake Kakashi to come looking for him.

At Uchiha Yue's question, Hatake Kakashi gave a weary shrug and replied helplessly, "Uchiha Yue, did you not listen to Teacher Shinsuke at all yesterday? We became Genin at the same time, so we'll be on the same ninja team from now on. Of course we have to go to the Ninja Academy together to register our files!"

"Oh! So that's why!"

Uchiha Yue slowly nodded, finally understanding why Hatake Kakashi was waiting for him.

Hatake Kakashi clearly had no interest in talking any further. Once he saw that Uchiha Yue had caught up, he headed for the Ninja Academy without another word. He kept a cold expression the whole way and showed no intention of speaking to Uchiha Yue. What's more, as he walked, he made sure Uchiha Yue never got ahead of him, as if the two of them were secretly competing.

Uchiha Yue was observant enough to notice Hatake Kakashi's childish behavior.

Still, Hatake Kakashi would be his teammate from now on, and Uchiha Yue felt he should try to get along with him.

So, seeing Hatake Kakashi hurrying along ahead, Uchiha Yue caught up and patted him on the shoulder. "Kakashi, we're teammates from now on. We should share information, okay? I think I heard Teacher Shinsuke say yesterday that our jonin instructor is a really impressive guy. Do you know who it is?"

"I don't know."

Hearing Uchiha Yue's question, Hatake Kakashi shook his head and replied coolly, "It doesn't matter who our jonin instructor is. I don't need his guidance anyway."

With that, Hatake Kakashi had nothing more to say to Uchiha Yue and quickly pulled farther ahead.

Seeing that Kakashi had no interest in talking, Uchiha Yue wasn't about to force the conversation. He made his own way to the Ninja Academy.

Sarutobi Shinsuke was already waiting at the Ninja Academy for Uchiha Yue and Hatake Kakashi, ready to register them.

Registering their ninja files wasn't complicated. It took only ten minutes for Sarutobi Shinsuke to complete the Genin registrations for Uchiha Yue and Hatake Kakashi. At the same time, he handed each of them a Konoha Forehead Protector.

Looking at the Forehead Protector in his hand, Uchiha Yue smiled and tied it around his neck without the slightest hesitation. He had spent his previous life studying how to wear a ninja Forehead Protector. He didn't want to wear his on his head in the same plain way as story characters like Uzumaki Naruto and Neji Hyuga. Around the neck was the best choice.

Hatake Kakashi, on the other hand, wore his Forehead Protector in a very tacky way—or at least, that was how Uchiha Yue saw it.

But as Uchiha Yue silently mocked Hatake Kakashi's choice of how to wear his Forehead Protector, Sarutobi Shinsuke smiled at the two of them, now properly outfitted, and said, "All right, from now on, you're real ninjas. Get ready, then head to Training Ground No. 8 to meet your jonin instructor!"

With that, Sarutobi Shinsuke waved to them and turned to leave. "Yue, Kakashi, remember that you're no longer students at the Ninja Academy. You're real ninjas now. The jonin instructor you'll meet isn't a teacher at the academy, but your superior. Be sure to obey your superior's orders!"

"Thank you for your guidance, Teacher Shinsuke. We'll remember!"

As soon as Sarutobi Shinsuke finished speaking, Uchiha Yue and Hatake Kakashi bowed together and replied in unison.

But once they'd finished, the two only exchanged a glance before turning their heads away from each other. They didn't say a word to each other on the way to Training Ground No. 8, as if they didn't know each other at all.

By the time Uchiha Yue and Hatake Kakashi reached Training Ground No. 8, they were both drenched in sweat. At some point on the way, they'd started competing to see who could run faster. Taijutsu was one of Uchiha Yue's weak points, but he didn't want to lose to Hatake Kakashi, so he'd pushed himself to catch up.

During the Genin graduation exam, Hatake Kakashi had already felt that he'd come up short against Uchiha Yue. Seeing Uchiha Yue right behind him, Hatake Kakashi unleashed nearly all the chakra in his body, determined to beat him this time. Unfortunately, by the time they reached Training Ground No. 8, neither had won. They'd only managed a draw.

But...

As Uchiha Yue gasped for breath and lifted his head to look into Training Ground No. 8...

A figure suddenly entered his field of vision, and his pupils contracted sharply!

"It's you!"