Graduation Exam

Time flew by. Four years passed like running water.

For those four years, Shin had dutifully attended the Ninja Academy. As for graduating early? Sorry, he had never even considered it.

Now it was time for Shin to graduate. At the time, students could graduate from the Ninja Academy after five years, a year earlier than in the future.

"The graduation exam is coming up soon. Shin, are you nervous?"

Nawaki came over to Shin and asked him.

Graduation required passing an exam, and the exam was a little harder now than it would be in the future.

First, they had to be proficient in the Three Basic Techniques: Substitution Technique, Transformation Technique, and Clone Technique, all E-rank ninjutsu.

Next, they had to last ten minutes against a Genin. Only then could they graduate from the Ninja Academy; otherwise, they would have to repeat the year.

Of course, the teachers understood that it was very difficult for a Ninja Academy student to last ten minutes against a Genin, so they allowed students to form teams.

Teams could have up to three people. As long as one person lasted until the end, all three could graduate. That made the rules fairly lenient.

"I'm not nervous,

but you seem pretty nervous, Nawaki."

Shin looked at Nawaki and noticed that his hands were trembling.

"I am a little nervous. It'd be so embarrassing if I failed. How about we team up?"

"Sorry, I've already teamed up with Kushina and Mikoto. You'll have to find someone else, Nawaki."

Shin glanced at Kushina and Mikoto beside him, then looked at Nawaki. Even a fool would know which team to choose. Of course he was going with Kushina and Mikoto.

"Fine. I knew you'd say that. I was going to help you pass, but it looks like you don't need me."

Nawaki looked disappointed.

Before long, Teacher Tanaka came into the classroom and announced that the exam was officially beginning. They would start with the Three Basic Techniques that morning.

That wouldn't be difficult for anyone in the class. Shin and the others were in the elite class, made up of members of the major clans and gifted commoners.

So the Three Basic Techniques wouldn't stump anyone.

After the morning exam ended, they didn't go home for lunch. Instead, they sat in a corner of the training ground and ate the bento Mikoto had made.

"We're finally graduating from the Ninja Academy. Does that mean we can leave the village on missions?" Kushina asked eagerly.

Mikoto lowered her head, looking downcast.

"What's wrong, Mikoto? Are you worried you won't pass the graduation exam?" Shin asked her.

"No. I'm confident I'll pass. It's just that we're graduating soon. Does that mean we'll be separated?"

Mikoto looked at Shin. That was why she had been in such low spirits lately.

"Come on, Mikoto, what are you worried about? We might even get the same team leader," Kushina said cheerfully.

But despite what she said, Kushina was also worried. What if she and Shin were assigned different team leaders?

"If you're unhappy with your team leader, you can request a transfer."

Shin told the two girls that there was no need to worry. At worst, they could ask Tsunade for help later.

Hearing that, Mikoto and Kushina felt much more at ease.

The second round of the graduation exam began that afternoon. Even Sarutobi Hiruzen showed up.

Sarutobi Hiruzen wouldn't normally pay attention to an ordinary graduation exam, but Shin's class wasn't ordinary.

The students who came out of this class might well become Konoha's pillars in the future. Even Sarutobi Hiruzen couldn't ignore them.

And Sarutobi Hiruzen wasn't the only one keeping an eye on them. Danzo had sent people to watch as well. He wanted to recruit a few talented ninja into Root and train them.

After everyone formed their teams, the students were divided into groups. Shin and the others were assigned to Group Three, with a Genin of about sixteen as their opponent.

Becoming a Genin at sixteen had made him arrogant. He looked down on Shin and the others.

As a Genin who had completed plenty of dangerous missions, he thought these sheltered little flowers who hadn't even graduated yet would be easy to bully.

As he looked at Shin, Kushina, and Mikoto, his undisguised arrogance and contempt were plain on his face.

"You three brats should just surrender. Otherwise, don't blame me for being too rough."

Kimura took out a Kunai and stared coldly at Shin, Kushina, and Mikoto. His icy gaze brimmed with contempt.

"Tsk. I'd like to see just how rough you can be."

Kimura looked down on Shin, and Shin looked down on him just as much. He was only a lowly Genin. Shin could beat someone like him senseless with his eyes closed.

"You're asking for it."

Kimura could tell that Shin looked down on him, and he immediately grew furious.

A Ninja Academy student who hadn't even graduated dared to look down on a real Genin? Kimura had already decided that, no matter what, he wouldn't let Shin pass.

"With all that arrogance, you'd think you were a Kage Level powerhouse. You're just a Genin. What's there to show off about?"

Shin said calmly. He had disliked this guy from the start. He was just a Genin, yet he dared to look down on Shin. Who did he think he was, Uchiha Madara?

"Begin! No killing."

A Chunin standing nearby, serving as the examiner, spoke up. Besides judging the exam, he was responsible for preventing anything from going wrong during the fight, such as one side suddenly trying to kill the other.

"You two don't need to step in. I'll take care of him."

Shin said to Kushina and Mikoto.

Then he walked toward Kimura, one step at a time.

Kimura stared at Shin, thoroughly enraged. This kid really did look down on him.

"I'll show you the difference between you and a real Genin."

Kimura gripped his Kunai and rushed toward Shin, moving quickly.

Well, quickly by ordinary people's standards. To Shin, the guy was slow as a snail.

A cold glint flashed in Kimura's eyes as he thrust his Kunai at Shin. He didn't aim for a vital spot; after all, he didn't dare actually kill Shin.

He might not dare kill him, but Kimura was willing to seriously injure him.

"Weak."

Shin raised his hand and punched Kimura in the stomach. Kimura flew backward like a cannonball, hit the ground in a cloud of dust, struggled briefly, then passed out.

"Examiner, does that mean we passed?"

Shin looked toward the Chunin examiner, who was staring in stunned silence.

Seeing the examiner's expression, Shin smiled faintly. The man was obviously shocked.

Shin had revealed some of his strength, but he didn't care anymore. He wasn't the same person he'd been before.

Back then, he'd been too weak, so he'd wanted to keep a low profile and avoid standing out. But now he was strong enough.

In four years, Shin's Taijutsu, ninjutsu, and swordsmanship had improved by leaps and bounds. Most important of all, his three-Tomoe

Sharingan had now evolved into the Mangekyō Sharingan.

What did a Mangekyō Sharingan combined with a perfect Sage Body amount to?

It meant he didn't have to worry about going blind from using the Mangekyō Sharingan. He could use it as much as he wanted. So what did Shin have to fear now?

It was time for him to start making a name for himself.