A month later, the motionless screen of light in the sky changed once more.
Fluorescence flowed across its surface like rippling water, then slowly gathered into several enormous words formed from light: "Graduation Season Crisis."
Afternoon sunlight slanted through the classroom windows of Kumogakure Ninja Academy, illuminating tiny specks of dust drifting in the air.
By the window, Anya stood surrounded by several students, waving her arms as her pink hair bounced with every exaggerated gesture.
"Then, when the fog was at its thickest, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh! A whole bunch of slimy monsters with long tongues popped out!" Anya swung her arms, acting out an attack. Her emerald eyes widened. "They surrounded Anya and Second Son, and their drool was dripping onto the ground! It was super scary!"
The students around her held their breath, their faces full of tension and admiration.
"But Anya wasn't scared!" She puffed out her little chest, wearing a look that said Pretty amazing, right? "Anya kept her cool and used a dazzling Body Flicker Technique—whoosh! Then she followed it up with Bondman Secret Taijutsu."
"Hi-yah! Just like that, Anya sent them all bam, bam, bam back into the fog! And peace returned to the world!"
"Wow!" The cries of amazement came right on cue.
"Ha! You beat them?" a distinctly sarcastic voice called from behind the crowd.
Damian leaned against the wall with his arms crossed, his brows furrowed beneath his gray-blue hair. "I was the one who beat them! What did you do besides crouch behind a rock with your hands over your head, yelling 'Mom, Dad, help'? You were so scared you nearly blew a snot bubble!"
The admiring atmosphere shattered. Anya sprang up like a cat whose tail had been stepped on and pointed at Damian.
"Second Son, shut up! Big