A few more days passed after the students from Sand Village and Rain Village arrived, and the long-awaited exams finally began.
Thanks to prior promotions and announcements, many shinobi and villagers had boarded the early trains, eager to witness the joint exams between the three ninja academies. The excitement in the air was palpable.
With the influx of visitors, the typically quiet Grass Village became a hive of activity. Fortunately, the village had made thorough preparations.
Teams of Grass Shinobi worked closely with the security division to ensure everything ran smoothly. After all, the event involved participants from three ninja villages across two different nations. Even with only a small group traveling from each village, the turnout was significant.
Thanks to the careful planning and coordination of the Grass Ninjas and the security forces, everything proceeded without a hitch. Notably, Nagato and Konan had also returned for the occasion.
Nagato had grown accustomed to his role guarding the border, spending most of his time stationed there. Occasionally, he would travel to Rain Village or Sand Village for training, but his visits home were rare. The last exception he made was during Fuso's pregnancy, but after that brief return, he resumed his duties.
As for Konan, she wasn't much of a homebody either. She frequently traveled between the three villages, though she made it a point to check in whenever possible. Now serving as Kakuzu's deputy, Konan was tasked with overseeing the finances of the three ninja villages, a responsibility that kept her just as busy as Nagato.
"Nagato-nii! Konan-nee!" Karin's voice rang out, brimming with excitement as she spotted the two of them.
Nagato offered a warm smile, gently patting the exuberant Karin on the head. "You've grown so much," he said fondly.
Konan leaned in, pinching Karin's cheeks playfully. "And you've gotten prettier too!" she added with a teasing grin.
Finally, Konan turned to greet the others. With a warm smile, she waved at the familiar faces. "Fuso-nee-san!"
Nagato stood silently, a bit exasperated as Konan teasingly pressed her face against his mother's stomach, her playful antics as unchanging as ever. Even after all these years, she still knew how to get under his skin.
"What about me?" Akihiko suddenly chimed in, pointing to himself with a feigned expression of heartbreak. "Kids grow up, spread their wings, and just like that, they forget about their poor old Uncle Akihiko!" He sighed dramatically, shaking his head for added effect.
Konan giggled, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "Ehehe~ Don't be mad, Akihiko-nii. How could we ever forget you?"
Nagato rolled his eyes subtly but acknowledged his uncle with a nod, his voice steady and calm. "Uncle Akihiko."
As his gaze shifted back to his mother's stomach, a rare and soft smile played at the corners of his lips. After a brief pause, he turned to Akihiko and asked, "How are Naruto and Sasuke doing with their preparations?"
Nagato had learned about the joint exams well in advance. The scale of the event had surprised him, it wasn't just a simple graduation exam but something far more significant. Despite the complexities of his family situation, Nagato still saw himself as an older brother figure to Naruto and Sasuke, even if their bond wasn't as strong as the one he shared with Karin.
It was this sense of responsibility that led him to keep tabs on their progress. Originally, he had intended to return only for the graduation ceremony, but the unprecedented nature of the exams convinced him to come back earlier. It was also the perfect excuse to visit his mother and his soon-to-be sibling, brother or sister? The thought lingered in his mind.
Turning to Akihiko, he remarked with a faint smirk, "If they don't perform well, it'll be embarrassing for you."
"Embarrassing? For me?" Akihiko scoffed, waving a hand dismissively, his casual demeanor unwavering. But then, his eyes narrowed slightly, and a sly smile crept onto his face.
"This year's students are a tough crowd," Akihiko said, his tone carrying a note of intrigue. "It won't be easy for those two to take first place…" He paused, the corners of his mouth curling higher as if holding onto a secret. "But then again, who knows how it'll turn out?"
…
With Nagato and Konan's return, the household was once again bustling with energy. Though Kushina and Mikoto didn't voice their concerns outright, their unease about their children's performance in the upcoming exams was evident.
Mikoto, being pregnant, quickly succumbed to fatigue and fell asleep, her body and mind needing the rest. Kushina, however, brimming with the boundless vitality of the Uzumaki clan, paced restlessly around the house, her agitation impossible to miss.
It had been days since she'd had any reason to scold or discipline her children, and it was clear her hands were itching for some kind of action. Akihiko, observing her with a mix of amusement and exasperation, finally spoke up in an attempt to calm her nerves.
"Relax," he said with a reassuring smile. "You've got to trust Naruto. He's been working really hard these past few days!"
Hearing this, Kushina halted her pacing, her expression softening as a wave of calm washed over her irritation. With a weary sigh, she lowered herself onto the seat beside Akihiko, though her face bore a distant, contemplative look.
After a moment of silence, she spoke hesitantly, her voice tinged with an unfamiliar vulnerability. "It's not that I don't trust Naruto or his efforts. It's just…" She trailed off, tilting her head back slightly, her delicate features reflecting a mix of nostalgia and melancholy. "It feels like time is slipping through my fingers."
Her gaze grew misty as she continued, her words carrying a bittersweet weight. "Naruto's growing up so fast."
She could still recall the day she first cradled him in her arms, the tiny, fragile boy whose bright eyes shone with curiosity but also carried a flicker of fear only a mother could perceive. That memory lingered in her heart like a fresh wound, one she couldn't entirely heal.
Back then, her emotions had been a storm of fury and self-reproach. Why had she agreed to Minato's decision? Why had she allowed their son to carry the heavy burden of a jinchūriki? She had known better than anyone the trials and isolation that came with it. So why had she gone along with it?
As the tension eased and her pacing stopped, Kushina stretched her arms wide, letting out a big, exaggerated yawn. But soon enough, her fiery spirit returned as she placed her hands on her hips and said, with a mock frown, "He's grown up alright, but now he's just a bit too cheeky for his own good!"
Kushina's heart was full of mixed emotions as she thought about Naruto's growth. It wasn't just him, Karin had also blossomed in her own way. If she were being honest, Karin felt more like her daughter at times. She had been there every step of the way, nurturing her, teaching her, watching her grow.
Of course, Sasuke had matured too, but Mikoto, who was close to her in age, was about to have another child, something that brought its own unique set of worries and joys.
As for herself, the thought of Naruto leaving home soon weighed heavily on her. It would be quiet around here, too quiet. It might just be her, sitting alone in the house, feeling the absence of the noisy energy that Naruto always brought.
After finishing her thoughts, she noticed Akihiko's steady gaze on her, and a sudden wave of embarrassment washed over her. She chuckled softly, trying to brush it off, but her mind seemed to be wandering more than usual.
She remembered Fuso and Mikoto resting upstairs, Kana busy in the kitchen, and Nagato and Konan visiting Yahiko's house after such a long absence. It left just the two of them, Kushina and Akihiko, sitting quietly in the living room.
For some reason, her thoughts drifted to Naruto's usual complaints about Akihiko, then moved to Mikoto's situation. A slight blush crept up her cheeks as her mind wandered even further. Her gaze flickered nervously as she softly said, "Umm... Akihiko…"
…
The joint exams were structured over two days, with the first day dedicated entirely to written tests. These exams were divided into two sessions, each covering a range of subjects. However, due to the Grass Village Academy's extensive curriculum, the written tests were particularly demanding.
To accommodate this, the teachers responsible for creating the exams had streamlined the content, focusing on core topics and eliminating unnecessary questions. This ensured the students could complete all the required tests within a single day without feeling overwhelmed.
As the first bell rang, students from the three participating ninja academies, Sand, Rain, and Grass, filed into their assigned exam rooms. The atmosphere was tense, and the anticipation was palpable. Once everyone was seated, the test papers were distributed, signaling the official start of the long-awaited joint exams.
For some, the written portion was an opportunity to shine academically, but for Naruto, it was the beginning of a personal trial. Written tests had always been his Achilles' heel, and no amount of cramming in the past few days could completely erase his struggles.
As he scanned the questions, his eyes began to glaze over, his focus slipping almost instantly. Words blurred together, and the nagging voice in his head, reminding him how badly he needed to pass, only made things worse. For Naruto, this was going to be a battle of endurance and determination.
"Figures..." Naruto muttered to himself, frustration evident as he tapped his head. "I really can't handle these!"
The words echoed in his mind, but his resolve was unwavering. He couldn't afford to let this exam get the better of him, especially not when the top spot was within reach. To defeat Sasuke, to beat Gaara, and show everyone that he could be the best, Naruto was determined, even if he had to find an unconventional way to do it.
A grin spread across his face as his gaze hardened with resolve. "I'll definitely surprise you all. The first place is mine!"
With a self-assured nod, Naruto closed his eyes, leaving the proctor in a state of confusion. As he exhaled, the familiar pull of the sealed space wrapped around him, and when he opened his eyes again, he found himself in a completely different environment.
This time, there were no ominous dark corners or unsettling shadows. Instead, he was surrounded by rows upon rows of bookshelves, books on topics he had never seen before. Titles like New Grassland Mentalities and Thoughts, Grass Village Applied Ninja Techniques, and Ninja Techniques: From Beginner to Expert lined the shelves, some old, some new.
Naruto's gaze swept over the rows of textbooks, each one marked as mandatory by Grass Village. With newfound confidence, he lifted his head and looked directly at the Nine-Tails, who stared back at him with an incredulous expression.
"Nine-Tails," Naruto said, his voice firm with determination, "it's up to you now. Please find the correct answers for me. Let's tackle this exam together."
The Nine-Tails blinked in surprise, clearly taken aback. For a moment, there was a pause, as if the beast didn't quite know how to respond. Is this for real?
The Nine-Tails hesitated, unsure whether to voice its confusion. Did you really just suggest taking the exam together? It thought, utterly perplexed. Since when does anyone share an exam with a tailed beast?