Graduation Examination

"Boss, these buns... don't taste right today!"

That morning, in front of a breakfast shop in Konoha, a customer pointed at the bun in his hand and complained.

"Ah, this..." The distracted owner panicked inside. He took a bite, and his expression immediately turned incredibly awkward.

"I'm sorry, sir, they aren't cooked through yet... How about this? I'll refund your money and give you a few cooked ones too. Please don't be angry!"

The owner had a good attitude and immediately offered compensation.

But the customer waved his hand. "Forget it, it's not like this is my first day eating breakfast at your place... Still, Boss, you don't look too well today."

"Sigh! My brat went to the battlefield. That kid doesn't have much talent, so I'm just a little worried..."

As he spoke, the owner packed up a batch of freshly steamed buns and handed them to the customer.

The customer accepted the buns, but first sighed. "Yeah, a lot of young ninja have gone to the battlefield recently. They say Iwagakure is attacking. Sigh! If only Lord White Fang could blow up Kannabi Bridge."

"Exactly... I heard Lord White Fang clearly had a chance to complete the mission, but for some reason, he gave it up." Another customer chimed in.

"I heard from other customers yesterday that it was to save a companion." The owner spoke thoughtfully, then looked at several boys who had just arrived.

"Young man, what would you like?"

The boy had already taken out his money, but for some reason, he remained silent with his head lowered. Something seemed off about his mood.

The companion beside him stepped forward instead. "Boss, six piping-hot meat buns."

"Coming right up!" The owner accepted the money, quickly packed the buns, and handed them to the boys.

The three boys immediately left. As the owner watched their backs, especially the white-haired boy among them, he felt that he looked somewhat familiar.

"That one... isn't he Lord White Fang's child? Doesn't he have school today?"

Upon hearing the name "White Fang," several customers turned to look.

But the boys moved quickly and had already vanished down the street.

"Don't think about it too much, Kakashi."

On the way to school, Ying Shu finished two buns and noticed that Kakashi had not touched his yet, so he could not help comforting him.

"Hurry up and eat. If you don't have any strength left when the exam starts, you'll really be done for."

Yes, it had been four days since White Fang returned to Konoha.

Their graduation examination had also been approved, and today was the day of the test.

Just as Ying Shu had expected, rumors throughout the village had gradually spread into every corner.

Kannabi Bridge had not been destroyed, which meant Konoha needed to send even more ninja to the front lines. Naturally, the families of those ninja would worry. That was only human nature.

But logically speaking, White Fang's mission should have been top secret. Destroying Kannabi Bridge should have been at least an S-rank mission.

Yet somehow, the entire village of Konoha now knew about it.

Things had not yet reached the point of widespread public outrage, but if Konoha's ninja died on the battlefield, the public opinion afterward was easy to imagine.

Kakashi had been somewhat downcast these past few days. Even Ying Shu's Chicken-Blood Technique had not been as effective.

At last, the three of them arrived at the gates of the Ninja Academy.

Today was different, and they had arrived rather late. Under normal circumstances, they would definitely have been late.

Yet not only were the three not panicking about being late, they had not even brought schoolbags.

"Are you ready, everyone?"

Ying Shu gave one last pep talk.

"Of course!" Obito clenched his fist. Gone was his usual unserious manner; his expression was solemn and his gaze resolute.

"This will be my first step toward becoming Hokage!"

Obito was brimming with fighting spirit. As he spoke, he looked at Kakashi. "When I become Hokage, if you still haven't surpassed Uncle White Fang, don't tell anyone you know me when you go out."

After saying that, Obito strode straight into the Ninja Academy, leaving Kakashi with a dashing back.

"..." Ying Shu did not know what to say. He could only say that Obito's way of comforting people was rather unconventional.

With their own thoughts weighing on their minds, the three found Teacher Guangtai, whom they had spent half a year with. Led by their teacher, they entered a fairly spacious room.

Watching the three boys look around like curious toddlers, Chunin Guangtai cleared his throat.

"Stop looking around. The examination site isn't here. Hurry up and get ready. Whatever you do, don't get nervous later."

As Teacher Guangtai spoke, he did not know why, but his nose felt a little sore. Not wanting to lose composure in front of the children, he hurriedly walked out.

Before leaving, he did not forget to remind them, "Be careful. Even if you don't pass, there will still be another chance next year..."

Teacher Guangtai left.

The atmosphere in the room became even more solemn for a moment.

Only then did the three boys realize that the graduation examination did not merely mean becoming ninja. It also meant saying goodbye to the teacher they had spent every day with for half a year.

This feeling...

"Haha! Once we become ninja, we won't have to get up early every day anymore! Sleeping until daylight, no problem!"

"From now on, I'm going to eat Ichiraku Ramen every day, with extra chashu and naruto rolls for every meal!"

"Damn it! Ying Shu, help me figure this out. Where should I wear my ninja forehead protector to look more unique?"

"I suggest tattooing it directly onto your face..."

Watching the two cheer happily, Kakashi felt that the weight in his heart had eased somewhat as well.

He secretly clenched his fist and silently thought, Dad, you have to pull yourself together too!

He also had a reason why he could not fail this graduation examination.

Outside the door, Teacher Guangtai had not gone far when he heard the cheering inside and became so angry that his hands trembled.

But just as he was about to turn back and "educate" the three brats one last time, two masked ANBU appeared.

"Have they arrived, Chunin Guangtai?"

"Yes, they're inside." Teacher Guangtai replied, though a trace of worry flashed through his eyes.

It was already extremely rare for first-year students to apply for graduation, let alone three of them applying at once.

Not to mention that one of them was Lord White Fang's son.

This graduation examination had already drawn the attention of the village's upper ranks.

Even that person would be coming in person to observe.

Moreover, the examination content differed from the early graduation examinations of previous years... Teacher Guangtai sighed. At this point, all he could do was silently pray for the three of them.

At that moment.

Inside the Hokage's office in the Hokage Building.

The Third Hokage, wearing his Hokage hat and smoking a pipe, gazed into the distance at prosperous Konoha and the thriving Ninja Academy nearby.

That place was Konoha's future, Konoha's hope.

"Are you ready? This may be a little early for you, but for those three children, there is no one more suitable than you."

Hiruzen Sarutobi spoke softly, his tone full of kindness and encouragement.

Behind him, a stern-faced man with short blond hair stood rigidly.

"Yes!"