Cicada Molting Technique 1/2

More than thirty graduates sat quietly in their seats, craning their necks in anticipation like chicks huddled in a nest, waiting for their parents to return.

Bang!

The examiner, dressed in Konoha's green flak jacket, appeared on the podium in the manner of a ninja. He looked to be twenty-five or twenty-six, tall and lean, wearing green sunglasses with his forehead protector tilted across his brow. He was quite handsome.

Yamashiro Aoba had once been one of the Fourth Hokage's guards. Now a special jonin, he was deeply trusted by the Third Hokage. While carrying out his invigilation duties, Yamashiro Aoba had also been tasked by the Third Hokage with observing this year's graduates and identifying students with potential.

After meticulously checking the candidates' information and handing out the papers, Yamashiro Aoba solemnly announced, "The exam begins!"

Ding!

Host: Hyuga Hayato

Special Achievement Mission: Pass the exam and become a genin.

Success Reward: Randomly draw one rank-based ninjutsu.

Failure Penalty: Randomly disable one ninjutsu for one month.

Special Title Mission: Strongest Genin. Graduate from the Ninja Academy with the highest overall score.

Success Reward: One B-rank special item lottery draw.

Failure Penalty: All fusion skill proficiency will be reset to zero.

Accept mission?

Although he had no idea what rank-based ninjutsu or B-rank items were, or how valuable they might be, the penalties for failure were mild. There were no irreversible losses, so there was no reason to refuse.

"Accept."

Hayato had originally planned to play it safe, but now that he had accepted the mission, he had to take it seriously.

Hayato was one of Yamashiro Aoba's key subjects of observation. Even the Hokage had personally mentioned him.

Yamashiro Aoba was puzzled. He looked so listless just now. How did he change in the blink of an eye? Did something happen?

As he passed Hayato's side, he saw Hayato writing at lightning speed, every answer correct. It was just that... his handwriting was a little ugly.

Less than half an hour later, Hayato had finished every question and checked them one by one.

Hayato was debating whether to hand in his paper early when a black beetle landed on it. Already bored, he reached out and gently pressed a finger onto the beetle's shell.

The beetle futilely paddled its six little legs, dog-paddling in place in a ridiculously comical manner.

Hm?

Hayato was not sure whether it was an illusion, but he felt the chakra between his fingers decrease slightly.

This bug looked familiar.

Hayato turned his head.

Sure enough~~~

In the corner, a man in a trench coat and green glasses was looking at him resentfully.

Aburame Shishin, one of Hayato's few friends and an insect user of the Aburame Clan.

The Aburame Clan was one of Konoha's secret technique clans. They formed contracts with certain insects, using their bodies as nests and chakra as food to raise them. Once, Hayato could not resist using his Byakugan to see through Aburame Shishin. Though he had been mentally prepared, Hayato had nearly gouged out his own eyes on the spot.

Damn! Aburame Shishin's body was like an ant nest, packed with countless bugs crawling all over the place. I lost ten years' worth of goosebumps in one go.

Among the opponents Hayato least wanted to face, Aburame Shishin definitely ranked near the top.

When Aburame Shishin did not speak, he had absolutely no presence, complete with the Aburame Clan's built-in buff. But the moment he opened his mouth, the whole vibe changed. Somehow, he and Hayato got along well.

Could it be because birds of a feather flock together?

Shuddering, Hayato lifted his finger away.

Regaining its freedom, the Kikaichū swayed its antennae from side to side before greedily crawling across the exam paper.

Cheating!

So this was the kind of Aburame Shishin you were!

Hayato wrote "sukiyaki" on his scratch paper, curled his thumb against his index finger, and aimed at the Kikaichū, ready to flick it away at any moment.

The Kikaichū paused for a moment, then crawled over the words "sukiyaki hot pot" in the shape of a check mark.

His extortion successful, Hayato felt delighted as he continued watching the Kikaichū work diligently.

In Ninja Academy exams, cheating was not shameful. After all, a large portion of ninja missions involved intelligence warfare, and stealing and transmitting intelligence was very similar to cheating on an exam.

The graduation examiners were usually chunin, or even jonin. The cheating methods of Ninja Academy students could not possibly escape their eyes. Yet their task was not to catch cheaters, but to weed out those whose cheating methods were crude. Students who could only stretch their necks and use clumsy tricks had already been sentenced to death. No matter how many points they scored, it was meaningless.

Not only that, exceptional cheating methods could even earn extra points.

When the exam time ended, they handed in their papers.

Outside the examination room, Hayato saw Rock Lee.

Rock Lee seemed to be in a good mood, so Hayato walked over and asked, "Lee, how did the exam go?"

Rock Lee grinned, his teeth flashing with dazzling starbursts.

"Not bad!" Rock Lee gave a thumbs-up. "Thanks to Hayato's secret exam technique, it was incredibly useful."

"Heh."

Hayato smiled without the slightest guilt.

"To celebrate Lee doing well on the exam, lunch is on me. Sukiyaki." Hayato announced it loudly, drawing sidelong glances from the others.

"Hayato, you really are a good person." Rock Lee's eyes welled with tears, and even snot began to run from his nose. "Not only did you teach me your secret exam technique, you're even treating me to something delicious."

Hayato hurriedly retreated two steps to avoid getting snot on himself. "Go get Neji and... Sukiyaki only tastes good when everyone eats it together, right, Shishin?"

"Right!" Aburame Shishin gritted his teeth.

Rock Lee exclaimed, "Huh? Shishin, when did you get here?"

Aburame Shishin replied weakly, "I was here from the beginning. Sigh, forget it. I'm almost used to it by now."

Rock Lee skipped off to find Neji and.

Hayato grinned at Aburame Shishin. "Did you bring your wallet? Is there enough money in it?"

Aburame Shishin: ╰_╯###, continuing to grit his teeth.

At noon, they ate sukiyaki.

Sukiyaki was essentially a special kind of beef hot pot. Hayato liked adding huge amounts of garland chrysanthemum or crown daisy to the pot, which always drew complaints. Garland chrysanthemum and crown daisy had a somewhat strange taste, and many people would not eat them. Aburame Shishin was one of them. More precisely, the bugs inside Aburame Shishin's body did not like them. Perhaps crown daisy contained some kind of insecticidal ingredient.

Kikaichū were highly adaptable insects. After several generations of mutation, they could treat poison as a snack, so crown daisy was nothing to them. But dislike was dislike. Kikaichū occasionally threw little tantrums too.

After eating and drinking their fill, they returned to the academy to continue the exams.

The first afternoon exam tested the Three Basic Techniques, an unchanging Ninja Academy tradition.

The Three Basic Techniques included the Substitution Technique, Transformation Technique, and Clone Technique. For most students, they were far too simple. Since they were simple, it was difficult to create a gap in scores. To earn high marks, one had to show off some skill.

Hayato showed off a self-created ninjutsu—the Cicada Molting Technique.

The principle of the Cicada Molting Technique was to release chakra from the chakra points all over the body, forming a shell of chakra over the surface of the body. The user's true body would then rapidly break away from that chakra shell, like a snake shedding its skin or a cicada leaving its shell. Since Orochimaru already had the Orochimaru-style Substitution Technique, Hayato had no choice but to name it the "Cicada Molting Technique."

The Cicada Molting Technique required no hand seals and was extremely lifelike. One of the examiners was so impressed that he stood up and applauded. "As expected of a secret ninjutsu passed down by the Hyuga Clan."

"???"

How did it become a Hyuga Secret Technique?!

Probably because no one believed that a Ninja Academy student could actually develop a ninjutsu.

Forget it, forget it. A Hyuga Secret Technique it was.

As the saying went, the gun that sticks out gets shot first, and fame brings trouble.

Less trouble was better than more trouble.

Although the process had gone a little off course, the result was still full marks for Hayato's Three Basic Techniques.

After finishing his exam, Rock Lee squatted in a corner and drew circles on the ground.

Hayato got Rock Lee fired up again with just a few words. Simple people had their own advantages.

To be honest, Hayato thought very highly of Rock Lee's future achievements with the Eight Gates.

Might Guy, another user of the Eight Gates, could use ninjutsu, and was even quite skilled at the Summoning Technique. Rock Lee, however, could only use taijutsu and was therefore purer. Greater purity meant greater focus. With the same talent, the same effort, and the same opportunities, those who were focused often achieved more.

PS: It was only after checking the author assistant tonight that I realized both recommendation votes had been cast by the great "KGHI." All right, please accept double thanks.

The next chapter will be at 8:00 tonight. Another self-created ninjutsu will make an appearance, so stay tuned.