The Konoha Administrative Department staff at the registration site were rushed off their feet, their voices hoarse as they maintained order and handed out detailed examination outlines and registration forms.
The forms were meticulously designed. Besides basic information, they included sections such as "areas of expertise," "practical experience," and "teaching concepts," clearly intended to preliminarily identify those with genuine potential rather than merely go through the motions.
"Quiet! Line up! After receiving your forms, please fill them out carefully in the writing area to the right. If you have questions, consult the information desk!"
A bespectacled Jonin clerk shouted himself hoarse, sweat beading on his forehead, yet his eyes gleamed with a sense of accomplishment.
Such a grand scene was the finest response to their years of efforts in promoting new policies and breaking down barriers.
The sun gradually rose higher, illuminating every face in the square, whether filled with hope or unease.
The scents of sweat, dust, and printing ink mingled with the intangible atmosphere of "ambition" and "opportunity."
Children weaved curiously through gaps in the crowd, infected by the fervor of the adult world before their eyes;
The elderly stroked their beards and sighed, as though they had glimpsed a vast world that had not existed in their youth.
This was not merely registration for a recruitment examination. It felt more like an oath and a gathering for a new era.
Through the core gear of "education," the massive machine that was Konoha was attempting to fit every component—
Whether it had originally been a sharp blade, a sturdy shield, or a nimble screw—
More efficiently and more independently into the tracks that would carry it toward the future.
Whether it would succeed remained unknown, but the tide of change and experimentation had already swept unstoppably through every