Early Graduation List Reveals Everyone's Choices

"Early graduation?"

Naruto leaned over the notice board and read the date at the top from beginning to end.

"Three months from now, anyone who passes becomes a Genin directly and can take missions. I'm signing up!"

Iruka grabbed him by the collar from behind.

"Hand in yesterday's report first."

"Why would I still need to hand in reports after graduating?"

"If you fail the exam, your reports will be doubled."

Naruto clutched the edge of the notice board, his shoes dragging two streaks across the floor.

"You're threatening a future Genin."

"That future Genin used the Shadow Clone Technique to steal lunches yesterday, then stuffed the empty boxes into Kiba's desk."

Kiba squeezed over with Akamaru in his arms.

"So that box really was yours."

"Do you have proof?"

"Akamaru smelled it."

"Yesterday, he followed the scent of jerky into the girls' changing room."

Akamaru poked his head out from Kiba's collar and barked twice at Naruto.

The classroom entrance quickly became a crowded mess.

Chiba stood at the very back. After reading the exam notice, he returned to his seat.

The assessment was divided into a written test, ninjutsu, taijutsu, and a wilderness mission. Those who passed would undergo another evaluation by a supervising Jōnin.

Three months was enough time for Root to adjust its arrangements.

As long as he remained at the academy, Iruka and the Third Hokage could still block some of their methods.

After graduating early, mission routes, teammate assignments, and supervising Jōnin could all become new ropes around him.

Sasuke walked back from the notice board and pressed an application form onto Chiba's desk.

"You'll participate."

"A question?"

"I wasn't asking."

"Then take it away."

"Are you afraid of meeting me too soon?"

Chiba opened his textbook without looking at the form.

"Pass first."

"I'll take first place."

"Good luck."

Sasuke pushed the form forward half an inch.

"If you don't participate, there's no point in me taking first."

"You can compete with Naruto."

Naruto's shout came from the back of the room.

"I heard that, Sasuke! Just wait until you lose!"

Sasuke turned to look at him for two breaths, then turned back.

"I take back what I said."

Iruka tapped the lectern.

"Everyone, return to your seats. Early graduation requires a personal application, a guardian's signature, and a teacher's recommendation. You cannot apply if even one is missing."

Naruto raised his hand.

"What if I don't have a guardian?"

"The Hokage's Office will review it."

"What about Chiba?"

"He can sign for himself as the head of the Senju Clan."

The chatter in the classroom fell quiet for a moment.

Several gazes landed on him, but Chiba continued reading the exam rules.

Naruto dragged his chair closer.

"Signing for yourself is way too convenient."

"You can start a clan yourself."

"The Uzumaki Clan already exists."

"Then sign for yourself."

Iruka tapped Naruto's forehead with a piece of chalk.

"Don't teach him to mess around."

"Chiba taught me."

"I can hear you."

By lunchtime, half the application forms were already gone.

Most students only wanted to take them home for their parents to see. Very few truly met the recommendation requirements.

Shikamaru sat beside Chiba with his lunchbox, pushing a half-eaten tomato into one corner.

"You're planning to take it, right? Stop pretending. You're already strong enough."

"I haven't submitted the form yet."

"Since second period, you've calculated the minimum passing scores for all four tests three times."

"Twice."

"The other time was written under the desk."

Chiba closed his notebook.

"What about you?"

Shikamaru picked up the tomato with his chopsticks, then put it back down.

"What a drag. But my mom said she'd cut off my allowance if I didn't take it."

A faint laugh escaped Chiba's nose.

Shikamaru looked up at him.

"Did you just laugh?"

"No."

"I heard it."

"A tomato clogged your ears."

"Even clogged ears don't affect my eyes."

Chiba picked up a slice of grilled meat from his own lunchbox and placed it over the tomato.

"Eat."

"Are you using meat to shut me up?"

"Do you want it?"

"Yes."

They ate quietly for a few bites. Then Shikamaru pulled out the exam form again and spread it over his knees.

"What rank are you aiming for?"

"Pass."

"Tell the truth."

"Excellent."

"Still a lie."

Chiba looked toward the training ground. Sasuke was testing a new throwing angle, while Naruto lay atop the wall and waved toward the ramen stand outside the academy.

"First place will put everyone's eyes on you."

"They're already watching you."

"There's no need to let them see more clearly."

"So you're planning to hide half your ability in the wilderness mission, twenty percent in taijutsu, and only use academy-taught ninjutsu?"

"More or less."

Shikamaru bit into the meat slice and did not speak again until he had finished chewing.

"What if the examiners deliberately give you a strong opponent?"

"Win ugly."

"You've even planned how to win ugly?"

"Get injured, run out of chakra, then barely win in the end."

"That sounds more exhausting than winning outright."

"That's why you're better suited to losing."

"My mom will break my legs."

Shikamaru folded the application form and tucked it into his pocket.

"Then I'll aim for excellent too. Don't hand first place to me."

"You could sleep through the exam."

"That's not a bad idea."

Before afternoon classes ended, Iruka called Chiba into his office.

Two applications were already on the desk. One came from the Ninja Academy, while the other had no heading, its corner marked with Root's usual dark pattern.

"You haven't even applied yet, but Root has already prepared a recommendation letter for you."

"Tear it up."

"I'd like to."

Iruka touched the brace on his left shoulder with the back of his hand. The meridians near the wound had still not recovered.

"Lord Hokage asked that it be kept. He wants to know which team Danzo intends to put you on."

"So you want me to participate?"

"The decision is yours."

"I'll participate."

Iruka raised his head.

"Why?"

"After graduating, I can leave the village."

"You're still thinking about the wanted list."

"Just analyzing it."

"That file on Yaqu has been withdrawn. He died at the Land of Fire border last night, and his body was hung beside the trade road."

"Who killed him?"

"Iron Claw."

Iruka took a new notice from the drawer, keeping one hand firmly pressed over it.

"A rogue ninja at near-Jōnin level. He specializes in Earth Release and steel-hardening taijutsu, and he has four bounty hunters with him. Stay away from him."

"Give me the file."

"No."

"Then I'll copy it from the archives."

"The archives started changing their locks today."

"What about the windows?"

"Those too."

Two knocks sounded outside the door.

Yotsuki entered carrying a medicine box, the wound on his right wrist already wrapped in fresh bandages.

"The medical department asked me to change Iruka-sensei's dressing."

"Put it on the table."

Iruka still held down the notice.

"Neither of you is taking this paper out today."

Yotsuki opened the medicine box. At the very bottom, the corner of an identical wanted poster was visible.

Chiba saw it but did not reach for it.

After the dressing was changed, the two left the office one after the other.

At the stairway corner, Yotsuki slipped a folded sheet into Chiba's textbook.

"Danzo told me to persuade you to participate."

"He wants to transfer me out of the academy."

"The supervising Jōnin has already been chosen."

"Who?"

"Kinoe."

"And then?"

"The first mission will pass the old shrine on the eastern side. You'll be attacked along the way, Kinoe will save you once, and then make you owe Root a life."

"The same old method."

"He said a method only needs to work."

Chiba unfolded the wanted poster. Iron Claw's movements over the past month had all been marked on it.

"Where did this come from?"

"The pharmacy took an order for wound medicine from a border caravan. The deliveryman brought it back."

"Does Danzo know you gave it to me?"

"He doesn't."

"Have you picked where you'll get cut?"

Yotsuki switched the empty medicine case to his left hand.

"Not yet. I just don't want to deliver the antidote a second time."

Chiba tucked the wanted poster into his textbook and continued downstairs.

"I'm going to the training grounds outside the clan this weekend."

"Iruka won't approve two days."

"He only needs to approve the first day."

"What about the second?"

"I'll get lost."

Yotsuki watched his back.

"You're going to look for Iron Claw?"

"Just going to take a look."

"Every time you say you're just looking, you come back covered in blood."

"Not necessarily this time."

"I'll prepare hemostatic medicine for you."

"Make it enough for five people."

That night, the wanted poster Iruka had confiscated was missing its border map, while Chiba's pack had gained five empty sample bottles.