Forehead Protector

"That covers all the rules for this graduation exam. Now, line up and come collect your Record Sheets."

After explaining all the rules in one go, Sarutobi Ichino took out a stack of white paper and called out.

For a moment, the crowd buzzed with discussion.

"So the graduation exam is this much trouble? I thought we'd fight someone like Kakashi did when he graduated."

Standing in the long line, Obito Uchiha sounded rather speechless. He felt this sort of exam was practically targeting the great Lord Obito himself.

"Um... Obito, Kakashi took this kind of exam too. The one you're talking about is a match against a Chunin appointed by Lord Hokage, and that's only for early graduation."

Rin Nohara stood behind Obito Uchiha in line. Looking at his disgruntled face, she gently poked his back and spoke with a smile.

"Huh? Ahahaha, so that's how it works. That's Rin for you, knowing even that."

At her words, Obito Uchiha immediately scratched his head in embarrassment, then praised Rin Nohara with a broad smile.

Ahead of them, Uchiha Gen wore a calm expression. He had already grown accustomed to this graduation exam, which would never have existed in the original Shinobi World.

Over three years, Uchiha Gen had become thoroughly accustomed to all the strange things in this Shinobi World, especially those invisible surveillance devices supposedly provided by Orochimaru...

Before long, every student had received a Record Sheet from Sarutobi Ichino. Despite the name, it was nothing more than a perfectly ordinary sheet of white paper, along with a pen.

The exam was also about to officially begin.

"Exam! Begin!"

At Sarutobi Ichino's command.

The thirty-odd examinees rushed in together. Most either hurried ahead to snatch up points or banded together in groups of two or three for mutual support.

Uchiha Gen, however, declined Obito Uchiha's request to team up and entered the Dense Forest alone.

It was still early, and mist hung among the trees.

Upon entering the forest, Uchiha Gen immediately picked up speed. His figure darted between the trees, his light footsteps landing in blind spots by the roots as he avoided the shallowly buried Explosive Tag traps hidden in the ground.

He took out the white paper.

Area 121, lower-left section, at the roots of a cedar: Explosive Tag trap. False intelligence. The Explosive Tags are nonfunctional, mere dummies.

Finishing his note, Uchiha Gen put away his paper and pen and continued darting toward the next location.

Fifteen minutes after all the examinees had entered the exam grounds, fifteen youths wearing Konoha Forehead Protectors darted into the Dense Forest under Sarutobi Ichino's watchful gaze, mischievous grins on their faces.

They were all Genin who had accepted the [Pursuer] mission.

In the Dense Forest, Uchiha Gen casually dispelled a basic genjutsu barrier hidden deep within some vines and took out his paper and pen to record it. Suddenly, he stopped writing and turned toward a nearby tree.

"An Uchiha brat, of all people. Looks like my luck isn't great. Hey, kid, how strong are you? If you're too strong, I don't want to waste too much effort on you. Ten thousand ryo a head-I don't want to miss out..."

Half-crouching on a tree trunk, the youth wearing a Konoha Forehead Protector looked at Uchiha Gen and asked in all seriousness.

But before he could finish, Uchiha Gen lifted his eyes slightly.

An invisible mental assault enveloped the youth in an instant.

Genjutsu: Sharingan!

As the genjutsu took effect, the youth in the tree instantly froze in place. His pupils contracted sharply, his muscles convulsed violently beyond his control, and his hands began flailing unconsciously.

Glancing at the Genin caught in his genjutsu, Uchiha Gen remained composed. With a step, he vanished into the depths of the Dense Forest in an instant. His sheet still needed one more entry.

After Uchiha Gen left, a hand suddenly appeared on the convulsing Genin's shoulder, and his twitching body settled down along with it.

"Good genjutsu. Just what you'd expect from an Uchiha child. Looks like he's a genius."

The man who released the youth from the genjutsu had blond hair. Looking in the direction Uchiha Gen had left, he could not help giving a sunny smile.

With that, the blond man vanished on the spot with the young Genin. It was not the Body Flicker Technique, but a true disappearance. This was Space-Time Ninjutsu!

Ten minutes later.

Uchiha Gen's figure slowly emerged from the forest entrance by the clearing on the rear mountain.

Watching the youth emerge, Sarutobi Ichino smiled. He had known Uchiha Gen would be the first to come out.

"Congratulations, Uchiha Gen. You've placed first in this exam, which means you've successfully graduated. Kid, even after graduation, you can't slack off. Work hard to get stronger!"

Holding a brand-new Forehead Protector, Sarutobi Ichino walked up with a smile and offered it to Uchiha Gen as he spoke sincerely.

Uchiha Gen looked at the Forehead Protector and reached out to take it. As his fingertips brushed the cold metal Konoha insignia, a smile involuntarily tugged at his lips. I suppose this counts as... proof of the beginning of a new life.

Since he still needed to wait for the others to finish the exam, Uchiha Gen casually put on his Forehead Protector and went to stand off to the side.

Ninety minutes passed in a flash, and the rigorous Genin exam came to a complete close.

During those ninety minutes, almost all the examinees had walked out of the forest with their sheets in hand. However, they seemed to have gone through quite a few battles, as most of those who emerged had tears worn into their clothes.

Quite a few even had scrapes left by battle on their arms, necks, and elsewhere.

Now, all the examinees who had emerged looked at Sarutobi Ichino, apprehension and anticipation gathered in their eyes.

They had not come out as early as Uchiha Gen, so even by the time the exam was completely over, Sarutobi Ichino still had not handed out their Forehead Protectors.

Under those eager gazes.

Holding a stack of brand-new Konoha Forehead Protectors, Sarutobi Ichino slowly walked to the front of the ranks, surveyed everyone present with a smile, and spoke in a steady voice.

"Congratulations. I hereby announce that everyone who participated in this exam has passed. You truly are the finest class of students I've ever taught!"

As his words fell, an irrepressible commotion instantly swept through the gathering.

Might Guy and Obito Uchiha in particular cheered so loudly that the two of them nearly drowned out everyone else.

Amid all the students' cheers, Sarutobi Ichino approached them one by one, placing a Forehead Protector engraved with the Konoha Emblem into each person's hands in turn.

A short while later, Sarutobi Ichino returned to the front of the group and looked with a smile at all the students now wearing their Forehead Protectors.

He had not lied. These students really were the best class he had taught so far, although they were also the only class he had ever taught.

"I'm sure you're tired after just finishing the exam, so I won't take up any more of your time. Go home and get some proper rest. Tomorrow, at the same time, assemble in the Class A classroom! You'll be assigned to your ninja squads."

After placing the last Forehead Protector into the final examinee's hands, Sarutobi Ichino loudly announced their dismissal. With that, the ninja exam officially ended.