Graduation and Assignment

In the forty-fourth year of Konoha, four years at the ninja academy came to an end amid the endless yellow sands of the Land of Wind and the war clouds that had never truly dispersed.

The shinobi world was in a delicate and tense period. Although the Second Shinobi World War had ended with Konoha's victory, all five great nations had been badly weakened, leaving countless bones in its wake. The enormous power vacuum and the collapse of the postwar order had stirred many smaller nations and hidden villages into action. They sought to seize profit while the giants paused to catch their breath, and local conflicts and minor skirmishes occurred from time to time. An atmosphere of "cold peace" hung over the entire shinobi world, and the air always seemed to carry the faint scent of gunpowder.

With a storm clearly brewing, the Hidden Sand Village leadership, headed by the Third Kazekage and Elder Chiyo, issued clear orders: the ninja academy was to immediately adopt wartime regulations, shorten its curriculum, and accelerate the training of personnel in preparation for possible new unrest. As a result, studies that might originally have taken longer were compressed, and Shaye's class faced their graduation examination after four years of learning.

The atmosphere at the examination site was grim, far more solemn than any ordinary practical lesson. Teacher Yura wore a cold expression, while several unfamiliar special jonin served as examiners. The tests were also highly practical: extreme physical fitness, shuriken throwing, resistance to basic genjutsu, trap placement and identification, and, most importantly, the application of the Three-Body Technique and a final combat exercise.

Standing among the crowd, Shaye remained as small and frail as ever, his face somewhat pale amid the wind and sand. As expected, he came in last in the physical fitness test, and his shuriken throwing barely passed. Thanks to the immense spiritual power gained from living two lives, he easily passed the genjutsu resistance test. Trapwork was his strength. Combining "Spider's" reconnaissance with theoretical analysis, he set traps that were intricate and well concealed, earning a rare nod from the examiners.

For the most crucial combat exercise, he was once again grouped with Takumi and Chino. This time, they faced a stronger team of opponents. Shaye did not choose to confront them head-on. Like a commander hidden in the shadows, he relied on the precise field of vision provided by "Spider" and Takumi's stubborn resistance to continuously issue commands. He directed his teammates away from danger, used the terrain to set small tripwires and disruptive traps, and greatly limited their opponents' performance. During one desperate evasive maneuver, he even used an extremely tiny Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall—only capable of raising a wall one brick high—to alter the trajectory of an opponent's kunai and protect Chino. In the end, with the faint Wind-Dust Technique Chino courageously unleashed to disrupt their opponents' vision, along with Takumi's all-out strike, they narrowly claimed victory once more.

When the examination ended, all the students waited anxiously for the results.

Teacher Yura held the list and began reading out the graduates and their assignments.

"Black Ant, graduate! Assigned to the Third Combat Squad!"

"Takumi, graduate! Assigned to the Seventh Combat Squad!"

"Chino, graduate! Assigned to the Logistics Medical Preparatory Class!"

One name after another was called. Those who passed were overjoyed, while those who failed were dejected. Soon, it was Shaye's turn.

"Shaye." Teacher Yura paused, giving him a complicated look. "Graduate."

Shaye felt a slight sense of relief.

But Teacher Yura's next words left everyone stunned.

"Due to his chakra reserves failing to meet the minimum standard for combat squads and his physical assessment being unqualified, he will not be assigned to a combat squad."

A low murmur of surprise and scattered whispers rose from the crowd. So it was still going to be like this? No matter how outstanding his performance was, the flaws in his body remained an obstacle he could not overcome?

However, Teacher Yura was not finished.

"With Elder Chiyo's special approval and the consent of the Puppet Manufacturing Department, Shaye will be directly assigned to the logistics manufacturing division of the Puppet Corps as an apprentice."

The assignment surprised everyone, yet it also made perfect sense.

He was not assigned to a combat squad because his physical condition truly could not handle high-intensity combat missions. That was reality.

But entering the Puppet Manufacturing Department directly, with Elder Chiyo's special approval, undoubtedly recognized the extraordinary value he had shown in Puppet Technique and tactical planning! It was a form of protection, as well as targeted training for his unique talents!

Hearing the result, understanding flashed through Shaye's dark eyes. Perhaps this was the best arrangement. Combat squads were not where his strengths lay; they needed direct combat power. The puppet manufacturing division was the place where he could fully apply his knowledge and put his ideas into practice.

After school, Shaliu came to pick up his son. He had already learned of the assignment in advance. There was little expression on his face, but he firmly patted Shaye's thin shoulder.

"Come on, we're going home. Starting tomorrow, I'll take you to report to the manufacturing department."

Shaye nodded and gave the school where he had spent four years one last look. This place had been the starting point of his theoretical knowledge, but his true stage lay elsewhere.

He did not say many farewells to his classmates. As he left, he merely gave Takumi and Chino a slight nod. Takumi looked somewhat awkward, but in the end, he muttered, "Hey, if you make any useful puppets later, remember to save some for us!" Chino softly said, "Shaye-kun, do your best."

Walking home behind his father, with the wind and sand still swirling around them, Shaye knew that his school days had ended. Yet another journey, one that suited his dreams even better, was about to begin. The Puppet Manufacturing Department had more materials and more specialized knowledge. Perhaps... it could also bring him one step closer to his dream of changing his body.

His future did not lie on the smoke-filled front lines, but within workshops filled with the smell of machine oil and the clanging of metal.

(The end of this chapter.)