Compared with Kisame Hoshigaki's overly "piercing" attention,
Mei Terumi's gaze seemed much "gentler," but the trace of profound meaning in those beautiful eyes still left Kei feeling a little "creeped out." This girl, who already displayed boundless charm at such a young age, really did put a certain amount of pressure on him on a "mental level."
Especially after that battle.
When they met again today,
Kei kept feeling that this girl's attitude toward him had undergone a subtle change. He could not quite put his finger on it, but the feeling was there.
That left Kei feeling a little "unnerved" deep down.
On the surface, however, Kei remained perfectly unruffled. He calmly walked to a corner at the outermost edge of the classroom and sat down in a window seat.
He forcibly ignored all those varied gazes.
"Hee-hee!"
Others might not have noticed.
But with Mei Terumi's keen perception, and Kei ultimately unable to truly conceal his emotions completely, the girl could still detect a trace of unusual emotional fluctuation.
So you're nowhere near as calm inside as you look? What a cute fellow. Hehe, I'm looking forward to the future more and more, Minazuki Kei!
After giving Kei a long look, Mei Terumi's beautiful eyes curved into smiling crescents.
The many graduates had arrived early. By the time the last person reached the Ninja Academy, there was still more than a full hour before the previously scheduled start of the graduation ceremony.
The moment Vice Principal Koshimizu Tsuki, who was in charge of the Ninja Academy, received the news, he directly ordered the graduation ceremony to be moved forward. Since everyone was already there, there was no need to keep wasting time. Never mind veteran Mist Ninja like them-even for newly minted Genin like Kei, every minute and every second ahead was crucial!
Ordinary people and lower-ranking ninja might not have noticed anything unusual.
But a Kirigakure Jonin like Koshimizu Tsuki could clearly learn of the changing situation in the Shinobi World. Although direct friction between the Five Great Nations had yet to become particularly obvious or intense, clashes among the smaller nations were already escalating!
Amegakure, which had also played a leading role in the previous Shinobi World War, was a prime example. Kusagakure, Yugakure, and Takigakure were constantly stirring as well, and Rōran, a newly rising small nation sandwiched between the Land of Fire and the Land of Wind, seemed to have ambitions of its own!
Reports from outside claimed that Konoha and Sunagakure had each already dispatched key personnel to investigate the relevant information!
This intelligence, continuously relayed from outside by their own village's reconnaissance personnel, was enough to make any member of Kirigakure's middle and upper ranks realize that the situation in the Shinobi World was about to become highly unstable again!
Perhaps another Shinobi World War would break out in the very next second!
Thus, every minute and second ahead was particularly important.
So, after confirming through the teaching staff under him that all two hundred prospective Genin who had passed this graduation examination had arrived, Koshimizu Tsuki brought all the teaching staff along to lead the students from the three large tiered classrooms to the central field.
With Karatachi Yagura, the Fourth Mizukage, unable to attend because he was busy with official duties,
Vice Principal Koshimizu Tsuki delivered the final graduation address as the representative of the Ninja Academy and the village, then had the teaching staff take the graduates back to their classrooms to announce the most important information, and what the graduates cared about most: their team assignments!
The person who came to Kei's classroom to announce the team assignments happened to be his homeroom teacher-Minato. Upon entering the classroom, this veteran Kirigakure Chunin braced both hands on the lectern. As his not particularly stern gaze swept over the newly minted Genin below, meeting their eyes one by one, the youngsters each grew a little more alert and instinctively straightened their backs.
Even the troublemakers made no unusual noise at that moment. This was not only because Minato, as a longtime Ninja Academy teacher, held considerable authority among the students. More importantly, the coming team assignments concerned their futures, so naturally every one of them paid close attention.
Kei was no exception.
Seeing the youngsters' expressions, Minato nodded in satisfaction and said, "First, as your teacher, I want to congratulate you all on passing the Ninja Academy's graduation examination. From the moment you put on this forehead protector, you became official Mist Ninja. Throughout your studies, your teachers must have repeated the things that needed saying and the rules you needed to remember countless times. Vice Principal Koshimizu emphasized them again at the graduation ceremony just now, so I won't go over them again. The one thing I hope you will remember is this: do not forget who you are! And do not forget your duties. Today marks a turning point in your lives. It is an ending, but even more than that, a brand-new beginning. I hope you can see yourselves clearly, and see clearly every step you are about to take. Only then can you realize your dreams and become outstanding, even great ninja!"
Minato leaned forward slightly. His measured words were filled with hope and concern, and most of the youngsters below were stirred by his speech.
One after another, they looked up at Minato with resolute expressions.
Almost the moment Minato finished his last sentence,
"Yes!"
The sixty or seventy graduates in the classroom answered loudly in unison.
Their ringing voices openly displayed the confidence and determination unique to their new generation.
The palpable high spirits
made the gratification on Minato's face grow even stronger.
This veteran Ninja Academy teacher had already trained several generations of graduates. He sincerely hoped that each new class would surpass the last and become pillars of the village, allowing their Kirigakure to stand forever at the pinnacle of the Shinobi World!
"Very good. Now I'll announce your team assignments. I'm sure you all already know that carrying out missions in teams is the most common arrangement in a shinobi village. Each team has four members, with one person of at least Chunin rank leading and instructing the others. Having just graduated, you need teamwork all the more to complete your missions. The village will accordingly assign an experienced Chunin to lead and guide you, so you can familiarize yourselves with missions and complete them as soon as possible."
"Next, when I call your name, answer up, and get to know one another as well. Understood?"
Minato spoke in a firm voice.
"Yes, sir!"
The youngsters below immediately answered loudly.