Uzumaki Ashina and Tsubasa fell out of the black vortex in the sky; the portal opened more than thirty meters in the air. Uzumaki Ashina suddenly remembered the sound of his heartbeat when he first received the Jonin Forehead Protector thirty years ago—it was exactly the same as now.
Tsubasa grabbed Uzumaki Ashina's arm and flew into the sky. "Let's fly around in there a couple of times and take a look at this space."
The two flew freely through the space, surveying the entire area. The space contained mountains and plains, sunlight and water, but no animals or plants. It contained the nine basic elements: yin and yang, wind, thunder, wood, fire, metal, water, and earth. The entire alternate dimension was utterly lifeless.
Tsubasa began descending to the ground, using his Wood Release to create vast areas of plants. With his current understanding of plant life, he could create tens of thousands of different kinds of plants. After working for more than half a year, there were still large areas that hadn't been covered.
Uzumaki Ashina, observing this, was also impressed by the wonder and usefulness of Wood Release. He said, "Now we have plants, but we don't have any animals yet."
Tsubasa laughed, "I will capture many animals from the Shinobi World and bring them in to fill the space with life. The time flow inside is hundreds of times faster than outside. I think in just a few years, the entire space will be teeming with animals."
Uzumaki Ashina: "Little Tsubasa, you've created a world! Amazing! We, the Uzumaki Clan, will never make the wrong choice to follow you."
As the autumn wind swept through the Hokage Building in Konoha, a Hokage barrier wall suddenly appeared beside it. Villagers crowded outside the cordon, standing on tiptoe to peer at the eaves peeking out from behind the wall—this was the corner tower of the newly built Kage Academy. Every day at sunrise, Anbu Ninja would stand atop it, and the reflection from their binoculars sweeping across the crowd always sent chills down their spines.
"I heard that it contains the highest secrets of our Konoha, and ordinary people can't get in?" The old woman selling dumplings lowered her voice, her tone full of mystery and awe.
The woman holding the child nearby quickly covered her daughter's mouth. " Ying'er, don't talk nonsense! A naughty child just climbed over the wall and was electrocuted by the barrier, his whole body was smoking, and he's still in the hospital."
Meanwhile, in the underground base of the Kage Academy, Tsubasa was busy at work. His white shirt pockets were stained with fluorescent powder, from adjusting the spacetime barrier. He was hunched over the control panel, staring at the distorted spatial rift within the sealed gate. This was the core of the Kage Academy's alternate dimension, where no carelessness was tolerated. This space could simulate any terrain, and with a time flow speed a hundred times faster, the only limits to a ninja's potential were talent and perseverance. Of course, for the time being, only true geniuses admitted to the Kage Academy were allowed to study here.
During this time, Tsubasa has been transporting animals to other dimensions and adjusting the ecological balance of those dimensions. Together with Uzumaki Ashina, he has witnessed the transformation of this space from lifeless to gradually vibrant.
When Tsubasa and Uzumaki Ashina first entered this alternate dimension, there were only mountains and plains, sunlight and water, but no animals or plants. The entire space was filled with nine basic elements—yin and yang, wind, thunder, wood, fire, metal, water, and earth—floating in the air, and the entire alternate dimension was now lifeless.
Tsubasa began descending to the ground, using Wood Release to create vast tracts of plants. With his understanding of plant life, he could create tens of thousands of different kinds. He worked for over half a year, but large areas were still left uncovered. Uzumaki Ashina, observing this, marveled at the wonder and usefulness of Wood Release: "Now we have plants, but no animals yet."
Tsubasa laughed, "I will capture many animals from the Shinobi World and fill the space with life. The time flow inside is hundreds of times faster than outside. I think in just a few years, the entire space will be teeming with animals."
Uzumaki Ashina exclaimed, " Little Tsubasa, you've created a world! Amazing! We, the Uzumaki Clan, will never have made the wrong choice in following you!"
Time flies. What might have been seven or eight days in the outside world was seven or eight years in the alternate dimension. Tsubasa had been transporting various types of animals into the alternate dimension to adjust its ecological environment. Finally, the alternate dimension was completely filled with plants, and water from glaciers flowed into the sea. Everything was natural and harmonious. Flocks of birds flew in the sky, schools of fish swam in the water, and various animals ran on the ground, creating a vibrant scene.
The day of the Kage Academy's opening arrived. The leaves of the Konoha sycamore Konoha were just beginning to turn golden, and the bronze gates of the Kage Academy were shrouded in morning mist, appearing bluish-gray. Three hundred boys and girls, carrying ninja tool bags, lined up in a long, winding queue under the watchful eyes of the guards. At the very front Tian Zhiyun and Tian Yukihime clutched their gold-embossed admission notices, their fingertips tracing the red seal of the Kage Level Ninja Academy on the cover, their hearts filled with emotion.
"Next, Hyuga Reon." The black-haired girl stepped forward when her name was called. The electronic scanner of the guard on the left was aimed at the student, illuminating her entire body with a blue light. "Soul wavelength calibration in progress... Bio-information: Hyuga Clan Byakugan bloodline purity 87%. Chakra attributes: Wind, Water." The Cursed Seal on the girl's forehead glowed faintly as the verification was performed. As the guard on the right ticked off the holographic list, Tian Zhiyun glimpsed a red asterisk after the name—this was the mark for "students under special attention."
Jūni light screens floated in the entrance corridor, each displaying a different colored contract pattern when a new student pressed their palm against the screen. The moment Tian Yukihime's palm touched the screen, an ice-blue Cursed Seal chain appeared. The boy at the end of the line, however, was thrown three meters away the moment his palm touched the screen, blood trickling from his mouth. "Confidentiality agreement violated by the soul, eliminated." The crowd gasped. The examiner coldly said, "If you can't even sign a contract, what are you talking about protecting Konoha's secrets?" Many students began to discuss. Why would someone be eliminated for refusing to sign a confidentiality agreement? Was he out of his mind? Or did he have some other purpose? Fortunately, out of the three hundred people who registered, this was the only one unwilling to sign a confidentiality agreement.
The Anbu quickly took the man who refused to sign the confidentiality agreement to investigate. It turned out he wanted to teach his younger brother the skills he had learned, but signing the agreement would prevent him from doing so, which was why he refused. He hadn't expected things to be so serious, that he would be eliminated. Therefore, he begged the Anbu to allow him to sign again. The Anbu didn't make things difficult for him; after all, anyone who could become Jonin them.
Soon, three hundred people arrived at the auditorium. Inside, rows of seats were filled with students sitting neatly, their backs straight, their eyes wide open, staring at the podium. On the podium, several examiners were busy placing stacks of exam papers on the tables. The exam papers were distributed, and the white sheets of paper passed from hand to hand among the students, making a rustling sound.
Everyone began to answer the questions. The first exam was a written test on moral character. This was a tough question, and the students frowned and began to think seriously.
The exam paper asked, "What do you think is the mission of a ninja? What can they bring to the world and humanity? Based on your own experience, discuss your understanding of the ninja spirit. Also, do you think the village or the clan is more important? How would you develop your village? And how would you develop your clan?"
Kurama Satsuki lowered her head and began to write seriously. She muttered, "This question is really difficult, but I need to think about it carefully." She remembered her childhood, when her father always told her that a ninja's mission was not only to protect the village, but also to safeguard peace. She had once witnessed a battle where the edge of the village was attacked by the enemy, and she and the villagers hid in a concealed place. At that moment, she saw a ninja rush to the front, using his own body to shield his comrades behind him. In that instant, she understood the responsibility and duty of a ninja.
She wrote, "A ninja's mission is to protect the village and safeguard peace. We must not only learn powerful Ninjutsu, but also learn to use our courage and wisdom to protect those around us. The ninja spirit is not just about strength, but also about responsibility and commitment. As for the village and the clan, I think the village is more important. The village is our home; if the village is gone, the clan will not be able to survive either. I will strive to improve my strength, help the village develop, and make the village stronger. As for the clan, I will, on the premise of completing village missions, communicate more with clan members, pass on the clan's fine traditions, and ensure that the clan can also thrive under the village's protection."
Uchiha Sumire lowered her head and began to write. She muttered to herself, "This question is really challenging." She remembered her childhood, when her mother always told her that ninjas must learn perseverance and hard work. She had once encountered great difficulties during a mission and almost gave up. But her mother told her that ninjas cannot give up easily and must persevere.
She wrote, "A ninja's mission is to protect the village and safeguard peace. The ninja spirit is about perseverance and hard work; no matter what difficulties we encounter, we must face them bravely and never give up easily. As for the village and the clan, I believe the village is the foundation, and the clan is the branches. Only when the village is strong can the clan have support. I will strive to complete the village's missions and also contribute more to the clan, such as teaching Ninjutsu to the children so they can also contribute to the village. I will work hard to make both the village and the clan better; only through everyone's efforts can the village develop even better."
The boy who had been eliminated and then returned was named Kyogoku Rikiō. He lowered his head and began to write. He muttered, "This question is really complicated, but I have to write it well." He remembered his childhood, when his father always told him that ninjas must learn to share and pass on their knowledge. He had seen his father teach the Ninjutsu he had learned to the children in the village, making them stronger as well.
He wrote, "A ninja's mission is to protect the village and safeguard peace. The ninja spirit is about sharing and passing on knowledge; we must teach our skills to more people so they can become stronger. As for the village and clan, I believe the village is everyone's home, and the clan is our own small family. Only when the village is strong can the clan be secure. I will strive to improve my strength and contribute to the village, while also carrying on the clan's fine traditions so that the clan can have its own place in the village's development. I will work hard to make both the village and the clan better; only through everyone's efforts can the village develop even better."
In the examination room, the students were all thinking and writing diligently. Some students were biting their pens and frowning, as if they were pondering a difficult problem; others were writing very quickly, the pens scratching on the paper, as if they already had the answer; and still others were looking around from time to time, as if searching for inspiration.
The examiners patrolled the examination room, their faces beaming with satisfaction as they saw the students diligently answering the questions. They knew that although these children were young, they had already begun to ponder some very important questions. The answers to these questions would determine their Mirai path and, consequently, the Mirai of the village.