Asuma, Go Fight Chiaki Setsuna

The Hidden Cloud Village ninja invasion did not cause much of a stir in Konoha, and two weeks passed quickly.

For most Ninja Academy students, this was an important day, because it was the day they would graduate and become official ninjas.

On the training field, a table laden with ninja forehead protectors stood at the front, drawing the attention of most of the students.

"The test this time is the Transformation Technique. Those whose names are called, come forward for the examination." The examiner was extremely stern, even a little nervous.

He had heard long ago that the Hokage would be coming to observe the results of this year's teaching. Therefore, he had deliberately moved the examination, which should have been conducted individually indoors, outside so the Hokage could watch at any time.

"The Hokage is probably here to watch Asuma's graduation test, right?" The chief examiner unconsciously looked toward the boy in the crowd chatting up a cute girl. He looked high-spirited, as though he did not take this examination seriously at all.

"That makes sense. Asuma is the Hokage's son. If he wanted to, he could have graduated early long ago." The chief examiner felt a brief flicker of envy, then composed himself and began calling names.

Among the crowd, a goggle-wearing boy was breathing heavily, his calves trembling slightly.

Beside him, a girl asked worriedly, "Obito, are you all right?"

Hearing her voice, Obito immediately perked up and laughed smugly. "Haha, of course I'm fine! I'm just excited. I can finally show them the strength of the great Obito!"

The girl was already used to his occasional bursts of enthusiasm. She nodded and said, "I believe you'll definitely pass the test."

Just then, the name of the girl was called from the stage. "Next, Rin Nohara."

After Rin went up, Obito immediately showed his true colors. Supporting himself against Setsuna beside him, he said with faint sorrow and indignation in his voice, "Big Brother Setsuna, I'm definitely done for this time. On my way here, I helped an old lady get home. To thank me, she gave me a piece of bread. After eating it, I'm feeling really bad now."

Perhaps because they shared the same fate as bottom-rank students, Obito had always been especially close to Setsuna.

Setsuna was rather speechless after hearing this. Obito's goofy nature had indeed shown itself from an early age. Perhaps the future Tobi Obito had merely let his true nature slip.

Still, compared to that scumbag Obito, goofy Obito was much more pleasing to the eye.

"You have to believe that your body is under your own control," Setsuna comforted him.

"That's right. My willpower can definitely overcome it!" Obito gritted his teeth and persevered.

"Besides, you don't want Rin to become someone else's teammate, do you?"

As if struck by a demon's whisper, Obito shuddered and instantly defeated the urge to relieve himself.

Rin passed the examination smoothly, and before long, it was Asuma's turn.

When he stepped onto the stage, Asuma first glanced in Kurenai Yuhi's direction, then, as though showing off, created a clone while simultaneously completing the Transformation Technique.

Quite a few students cried out in amazement. Using two of the Three Body Technique at the same time was too impressive.

The chief examiner nodded in satisfaction as well. As expected of the Hokage's son.

However, the Third Hokage, watching from a corner, gave a bitter smile and shook his head. "He actually treated ninjutsu as a trick for showing off to a girl. He's far too immature."

Minato Namikaze beside him smiled faintly. "This is the path to maturity that most people go through. Hokage-sama need not be too harsh on Asuma."

The Third Hokage sighed wearily. What kind of students had he taught before? Orochimaru, Tsunade, and even Jiraiya at the very least. Asuma was fairly good, but compared to Orochimaru and the others, there was still a gap—especially since Asuma smugly called himself a genius.

At that moment, the chief examiner called Setsuna's name.

In an instant, everyone turned to look. Compared with Asuma, Setsuna attracted attention in another sense entirely.

Setsuna stepped onto the stage, formed hand seals, then shook his head. "Sorry, sensei. I still can't do it."

The chief examiner sighed, his gaze full of pity. "It's fine. Go back down."

He truly felt sorry for Setsuna. In his eyes, with Setsuna's perseverance, if his talent had not been so poor, he would surely have become an important figure at the Jonin level in the future.

A wave of sighs rose from below the stage, but there was not much mockery. Or rather, they had already mocked him enough.

The first and second times had seemed laughable, but after that, a strange sense of respect had arisen in their hearts. At least, they believed they could not endure that kind of pressure.

"What terrifying strength of character!" The Third Hokage could not help but praise him from the corner. "Possessing such great strength, yet not growing angry when mocked by others—this is a ninja who has truly embodied the meaning of 'endurance.'"

Minato nodded faintly. He still remembered the calm Setsuna had displayed when he killed those three Hidden Cloud Village ninjas, as though his heart had already been tempered a thousand times over.

Before long, most of them passed the examination and received the forehead protectors they had been longing for.

Afterward, the chief examiner invited the Third Hokage onto the stage to speak.

"Students, I am very happy that you have passed the examination and become official ninjas. Konoha of the future will surely be proud of you..." The Third Hokage delivered an impassioned, lengthy speech, going from the Warring States Period to the founding of the ninja villages, then from the state of the ninja world to Konoha's development. If he had not noticed Minato signaling to him, he would have continued all the way to everyone's future.

Remembering the day's real purpose, the Third Hokage could only stop his speech reluctantly. Enthusiastic, prolonged applause immediately erupted from below the stage.

The Third Hokage nodded in satisfaction, then continued, "Students, a ninja's strength is not measured by the amount of chakra they possess, but by the resilience in their hearts. Only those who can endure what ordinary people cannot are true ninjas. In my eyes, there is one among you worthy of being called an outstanding ninja. He is..."

Asuma unconsciously puffed out his chest, only to hear his old father call another person's name. "Chiaki Setsuna!"

"Huh?" Quite a few people tilted their heads in confusion, suspecting that the Third Hokage had called the wrong name.

Though they somewhat admired Setsuna's persistence, that was different from being an outstanding ninja. Setsuna could not even pass the ninja examination, could he?

Before anyone could speak, the Third Hokage continued, "I know what you are wondering, but hard work never betrays a person. The Ninja Academy's examination is not always absolute. Asuma, come have a match with Setsuna."

Hearing the Third Hokage's words, Asuma unconsciously curled his lips. The old man wants to win over ordinary people by showing them favor again. Hmph, I'm not going to go easy on him.

Asuma walked to the center of the training field and emphasized pointedly, "To show my respect for you, senior, I'll be going all out. Senior, you'd better go all out too!"

The Third Hokage's mouth twitched slightly. He had originally thought that a clever person like Setsuna definitely would not hit too hard, and only needed to display a suitable amount of strength. But what was this foolish boy Asuma doing? Was he trying to dig his own grave?

Setsuna fell silent for a moment, then said, "Since you insist, I'll go all out."

As he spoke, Setsuna crouched down, removed two bands from his ankles, and tossed them to the ground. Even the dirt beneath them trembled slightly.

Asuma stared wide-eyed at the sight. What was going on? Setsuna had been walking around with something this heavy on him all along? There had been no sign of anything unusual.

Before Asuma could ask, Setsuna removed the two bands from his wrists as well and tossed them together. His body suddenly seemed light as he began to move.