Graduation Time Shortened, Dai's Sudden Decision!

Asuma's wish was destined to fall through.

Only three days had passed.

It was the evening of the third day.

Guy was forging iron at Uchiha Tao Ye's place when Kurenai suddenly came running over.

She was running even more urgently than last time.

"Guy! Assemble at the school!"

Guy stopped his work and looked at her.

"Another assembly?"

Kurenai nodded, her face pale.

"Something terrible has happened."

Inside the classroom.

The attendance was even more complete than last time.

No one spoke.

Even the sound of breathing was kept very low.

Ikkaku Umino stood before the podium.

His expression was even uglier than before.

He swept his gaze over these children below.

Six years old, seven years old.

The oldest was eight.

He remained silent for a long time.

Then, he spoke.

"Early this morning."

He paused.

"Kumogakure of the Land of Lightning launched a sneak attack on our garrison at the border of the Land of Rice Fields."

The classroom fell into a deathly silence.

"The three squads stationed there, twelve people in total, were all killed in action."

Someone gasped.

Someone covered their mouth.

Someone's face turned as white as paper.

Ikkaku Umino's voice continued.

"At the same time, the border garrison of the Land of Earth was also ambushed."

"Sixteen people, not a single survivor."

He pressed his hands onto the podium.

He pressed down with great force.

His knuckles turned white.

"Once people are dead, there is no room left for negotiation."

"Kumogakure has declared war on the Land of Fire."

"Iwagakure has also declared war on the Land of Fire."

"Although Sunagakure hasn't moved yet, they have already assembled three thousand troops at the border."

He looked at the children below.

"War."

"Has already begun."

The classroom was so quiet that one could hear heartbeats.

Obito opened his mouth, wanting to say something.

But nothing came out.

Rin kept her head down, her shoulders trembling slightly.

Kurenai grabbed Guy's sleeve, gripping it tightly.

No one spoke.

Ikkaku Umino took a deep breath.

"Next..."

He wrote a few words on the blackboard.

[Graduation time, advanced.]

Someone asked in a low voice, "Advanced to when?"

Ikkaku Umino turned around.

He looked at them.

"Your class was already shortened from a six-year curriculum to three years because of the war."

"Now."

He paused.

"It is being shortened by half again."

Obito jerked his head up.

"Half?! That means..."

"One and a half years," Ikkaku Umino said. "You have already been here for over half a year; there is less than a year left."

The classroom erupted.

"A year?!"

"We're only seven!"

"Graduating in less than a year? Doesn't that mean we're going to the battlefield?!"

Ikkaku Umino didn't speak.

He just watched them.

Only when the noise slowly died down.

Did he speak again.

"Correct."

"In less than a year, you will graduate."

"After graduation, you will be directly assigned to combat units."

"Those with good luck will stay in the village for defense."

"Those with bad luck..."

He didn't finish.

But everyone knew what that meant.

The front lines.

The battlefield.

A place where people die.

Obito's face turned pale.

Kurenai gripped Guy's sleeve so hard her knuckles turned white.

Rin kept her head down, tears swirling in her eyes.

Ebisu's sunglasses slid all the way down and fell to the floor; he didn't pick them up.

Guy sat in the last row, by the window.

He didn't speak.

He didn't move either.

But his hands were clenched into fists.

One year.

Less than one year.

These children.

Kurenai, Obito, Rin, Ebisu, Asuma, would all be heading to the battlefield.

Although they did not die.

But!

Guy's gaze fell upon some classmates whose names he couldn't recall.

These children did not appear in the subsequent story.

Some of them would die.

Some of them would die in places he couldn't see, just like in the original work.

The golden generation of Konoha was not limited to just those fourteen people.

It was simply that, in the end, only those fourteen had survived.

No.

Even fewer than that!

Might Guy took a deep breath.

He opened the system panel.

[Yijin Jing: 832 (Pure Perfection)]

[Vajra Leg: 1000 (Mastery of Perfection)]

[Vajra Finger: 1000 (Mastery of Perfection)]

[Precept-Breaking Blade: 316 (Integrated Mastery)]

[Golden Bell Shield: 3 (Initial Glimpse)]

Not enough.

Still not enough.

He had to be stronger.

Strong enough to protect everyone.

After school.

Once everyone else had left.

Might Guy walked toward the back mountain alone.

Halfway there, an Anbu suddenly appeared before him.

"Might Guy?"

Might Guy stopped.

"Yes."

The Anbu handed him a letter.

"From Hatake Kakashi."

Might Guy took it.

The Anbu vanished.

Might Guy tore the letter open.

He read it by the moonlight.

The letter was short.

[Guy:

I've been promoted to Chunin.

Due to an emergency mission and the number of kills I've racked up, they made an exception.

A seven-year-old Chunin—the Third says Konoha has never seen such a thing.

But I have nothing to be proud of.

On the battlefield, there is no difference between a Chunin and a Genin.

Both die all the same.

A few days ago, the squad next to mine was wiped out. People I knew are gone.

I don't want that to happen to you.

So, become stronger.

I'll be waiting for you on the battlefield.

Kakashi]

Might Guy stared at the letter.

He stared at that final line.

"I'll be waiting for you on the battlefield."

He folded the letter neatly.

He tucked it into his tunic.

He looked up.

The moon was bright.

It shone upon his face.

He suddenly thought of Kakashi from the original story.

That genius who became a chunin at seven.

That genius who lost Obito at the Kannabi Bridge.

That genius who turned completely cold after Rin died.

This time.

It won't happen.

He turned around and continued walking toward the back mountain.

He had only taken two steps.

"Guy!"

A familiar, booming voice exploded from behind him.

Guy turned back.

Under the moonlight.

A green figure stood there.

Thick eyebrows and large eyes.

A faded Green Spandex Suit.

Might Duy.

He ran over and stood in front of Guy.

His eyes were terrifyingly bright.

"Guy!"

"There is something Dad has been thinking about for a long time, and I've finally decided to tell you!"

Guy's heart stirred.

At this moment, could it be...

He saw Duy take a deep breath.

Then, he gave a thumbs-up.

His teeth flashed.

"Son, Dad is going to teach you a forbidden jutsu!"