The preliminary training for the Three Basic Techniques did not require them to form hand seals.
When Kiyo heard that, he visibly breathed a sigh of relief, then quickly pretended he had not been worried in the first place. He clasped his hands behind his back, as if he had covered his mouth for too long earlier and now needed to show a bit of composure.
Morita Yu looked at him. "Your palms are covered in sweat."
"That's the aftereffect of chakra sensing."
"You only lit up a little."
"Even a little has aftereffects."
The chief examiner placed six wooden plaques in the middle of the courtyard. The plaques had no faces, only simple lines showing their stances: the real body, the false body, the Substitute Log, incorrect center of gravity, incorrect shadow, and incorrect line of sight. There was a small groove beneath each plaque, allowing it to be shifted half a step. Several posture diagrams lay beside them, and the children had to identify which false body would be easiest to see through and explain why.
It sounded like a written question, but the teacher handed out no paper. The children had to walk among the wooden plaques, point out the positions with their fingers, then give their reasons in a single sentence. Saying more earned no extra points, and if they were wrong, they could correct themselves once.
Kiyo whispered, "One sentence is dangerous."
Che looked at him.
"One sentence is often not enough for me," Kiyo said.
Morita Yu said, "One sentence is often too much for you."
The first group consisted of two children from outside clans. They found the incorrect shadow but failed to notice the incorrect center of gravity. The teacher did not explain on the spot, merely told them to stand aside