Graduation assessment

It was a day off.

With three days left until the first-year final assessment, the entire Ninja Academy was buzzing with tension and excitement.

But none of that had anything to do with Uchiha Makoto anymore.

"Early graduation, huh..."

He looked at himself in the mirror and sighed.

He wasn't nervous. He just hated to leave.

He hated to leave the Ninja Academy, his perfect "starter village."

Here, he had Obito and Guy, two prime crops he could harvest for a steady supply of trust points every day.

He had a kindhearted teacher like Teacher Nakamura, who would never truly make things difficult for his students.

He had safe training grounds and a whole class of students he could freely milk for rewards. Their manifestation values weren't as high as those two's, but harvesting them once every few months could yield a big surprise.

Once he left school, there would be Root's surveillance, Anbu's spies, and enemies who might pop up at any moment.

"Ah, from heaven straight to hell," Uchiha Makoto muttered, checking his Ninja Tool Pouch one last time.

Kunai, Shuriken, Soldier Pills, a first aid kit... Everything was there.

He pushed open the door and headed to school, where Teacher Nakamura was already waiting.

At the sight of Uchiha Makoto, the usually gentle teacher wore a rare, serious expression.

"Cheng, are you ready?"

"I'm ready, sir."

"Then let's go." Teacher Nakamura turned around. "The assessment will take place at the Third Training Ground. Jonin Shinku Yuhi is already waiting."

Shinku Yuhi?

Uchiha Makoto's steps faltered.

This wasn't some ordinary Jonin. He was the head of Konoha's intelligence department, a Genjutsu master, and Kurenai Yuhi's father.

Damn, the Third was taking this seriously.

"Sir," Uchiha Makoto said, catching up with Teacher Nakamura and putting on a suitably "nervous" expression, "is Jonin Shinku Yuhi... really strong?"

Teacher Nakamura glanced at him. Thinking he was genuinely nervous, he softened his tone. "Don't worry. Jonin Shinku may be strict, but he won't make things difficult for a student. Just perform as you normally would."

Perform as I normally would?

Uchiha Makoto rolled his eyes inwardly.

This was Shinku Yuhi, one of Konoha's top Genjutsu-specialist Jonin.

His Taijutsu might not measure up to a monster like Might Duy, but his mastery of Genjutsu ranked among the best in the entire shinobi world.

How was this a Genin assessment? Even the damn Chunin Ninja Exams weren't this hard!

Uchiha Makoto could only keep pretending to be nervous, following with his head lowered and his fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of his clothes.

Seeing this, Teacher Nakamura's heart softened even further.

What a good child. So gifted, so hardworking... He just didn't handle pressure very well.

He had no idea that Uchiha Makoto wasn't thinking about the assessment at all. Instead, he was thinking:

It'll be harder to farm rewards from now on.

How will those two idiots, Obito and Guy, survive without me?

And my source of system manifestations is about to dry up...

Should I fail on purpose? No, no. I couldn't explain that to Orochimaru.

Sigh. My days in the starter village are over.

As his thoughts wandered, they arrived at the Third Training Ground.

The training ground had been cleared, with only a few people standing in the center.

One of them wore a ninja cap and a tight black combat outfit, with a green Jonin armored vest over it.

Shinku Yuhi.

One glance was enough for Uchiha Makoto to be certain of two things:

First, this man was strong.

Second, this man really didn't like him.

Of course. Who would be happy to see the punk who'd swept his precious daughter off her feet?

"Teacher Nakamura." Shinku Yuhi nodded to Nakamura, his voice flat. "This is Uchiha Makoto?"

"Yes, Lord Shinku," Teacher Nakamura answered respectfully. "Cheng, this is Jonin Shinku Yuhi, your examiner today."

Uchiha Makoto stepped forward and bowed. "Hello, Jonin Shinku."

Shinku Yuhi said nothing, merely looking him up and down.

His gaze was like someone inspecting an object-or rather... a potential threat.

It made Uchiha Makoto uncomfortable all over, but he kept a respectful expression on his face.

"Uchiha Makoto," Shinku Yuhi finally said. "You've been looking after Kurenai lately."

His tone was stiff. As hard as stone.

Uchiha Makoto's heart skipped a beat. Here it comes. The father-in-law's death glare.

"Kurenai is an excellent student. Really, she's the one who's been looking after me," he answered hastily, sounding as sincere as he possibly could.

Shinku Yuhi snorted without responding.

The atmosphere grew awkward.

Teacher Nakamura hurried to smooth things over. "Lord Shinku, the rules of the assessment are..."

"Three minutes," Shinku Yuhi interrupted, his gaze returning to Uchiha Makoto. "You have only three minutes. Last those three minutes, or inflict any kind of damage on me-even a cut in my clothes will count as a pass."

Uchiha Makoto: "..."

Teacher Nakamura: "..."

The Chunin teachers watching: "..."

Everyone fell silent.

Three minutes?

Inflict damage on a Jonin?

And he even said, "even a cut in my clothes"?

Uchiha Makoto's mouth twitched. Man, do you even know what you're saying?

"Strict" no longer came close to describing this difficulty.

This was deliberate obstruction, plain and simple. But what could he say?

That's not fair?

I'm only a seven-year-old kid?

Get real. There had never been any fairness in the ninja world.

"Any questions?" Shinku Yuhi asked.

"...No." Uchiha Makoto took a deep breath. "May I begin?"

Shinku Yuhi watched him for two seconds, then nodded.

"Nakamura, announce the start."

Teacher Nakamura looked at Uchiha Makoto, then at Shinku Yuhi, and finally sighed.

"Uchiha Makoto's early graduation assessment, against Jonin Shinku Yuhi-begin!"

As soon as the words left his mouth, he and the other Chunin teachers quickly retreated to the sidelines.

Only Uchiha Makoto and Shinku Yuhi remained in the center of the training ground.

They stood twenty meters apart, the morning breeze stirring dust from the ground.

Uchiha Makoto stayed where he was, motionless. He was observing.

He studied Shinku Yuhi's stance, his breathing, and the movement of his eyes.

A Genjutsu-specialist Jonin excelled at mental attacks and control through illusions.

Taijutsu might not be his strongest suit, but he certainly wouldn't be weak at it.

Moreover, this man headed the intelligence department. He had extensive combat experience and a meticulous tactical mind.

A head-on fight offered no chance of winning. I had to outsmart him.

Three minutes... Uchiha Makoto calculated rapidly. Stall for time? No. Holding out until the end won't help. I have to inflict damage.

A surprise attack? He's a Jonin. He'll definitely be on guard.

Then there was only one option.

Create an opening in a way his opponent wouldn't expect, at the instant his guard was lowest.

Uchiha Makoto took a deep breath and began forming hand seals.

Snake-Ram-Monkey-Boar-Horse-Tiger.

The seals for the Great Fireball Technique.

But this time, he formed them very slowly.

So slowly that everyone present could clearly see every movement.

"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"