Kaen had barely taken two steps toward the gates when a calm but unmistakably firm voice cut through the air.
"Kaen Uchiha. Stop."
The words halted him mid-stride. Seiji-sensei stepped into view from near the Academy entrance, his Byakugan active, pale eyes locked on Kaen.
"I saw everything," Seiji said evenly. "A deliberate throw aimed at Shizuru Nara, outside of any sanctioned exercise. That is not playing around." His tone hardened. "This is the second time in recent weeks you've shown reckless disregard for your classmates' safety.
Kaen's shoulders tensed. "It was an accident."
Seiji's gaze didn't waver. "I know the difference between an accident and intent. Follow me to my office."
Kaen hesitated, then gave a short nod. Seiji turned to the rest of us before leaving. "You are weeks away from graduation. Out there, the shinobi beside you can be the difference between coming home and being carried home. If you cannot respect that, you will fail before you even begin. You might as well leave the advanced class now and abandon the dream of becoming a shinobi of the Hidden Leaf Village."
Seiji started walking toward his office with a rare, angry look on his face. Kaen followed him through the Academy building door. Seiji's voice, low but edged with anger, carried back as he scolded him relentlessly. The door shut behind them, cutting off the rest of the scolding session. For the next few days until the exam came, we did not hear so much as a breath from him in our direction, not even a look. It was both relaxing and a bit concerning since bottling up hate inside you cannot be good for your head or your health.
Genta was sprawled out on the tatami floor of my living room, arms flopped wide like he'd just returned from war. His voice came out hoarse and dramatic, muffled slightly by the floor.
"I finally did it. I convinced the old folks that me becoming a powerful shinobi is the best thing for the clan."
I leaned against the wooden doorframe, arms crossed. "But at what cost?"
His eye twitched, already bracing himself.
I didn't let up. "Your father's going to double our training now. And not only that, you're getting married the moment you turn thirteen."
He groaned. I burst out laughing as he grabbed a nearby cushion and hurled it at my head. I sidestepped it easily, then another. I weaved around them with deliberate, exaggerated movements like I was dodging kunai. His frustration only grew, and his throws came faster.
One cushion flew wide and smacked Shizuru, who had been quietly sitting in the corner on her own zabuton, a cup of tea in her hands. She hadn't taken a single sip in the last twenty minutes.
Her attention slowly turned to Genta. "Stop it, Genta. You're not a monkey."
Without missing a beat, I stood up straight, raised one hand into the air, and began hopping on one leg while making high-pitched monkey noises. The ridiculous display made Genta crack up so hard he nearly fell over again. Shizuru let out a rare smile, just for a moment, before sighing and setting her tea aside. The peace didn't last long.
I grabbed a cushion of my own and lobbed it at Genta, starting a new back-and-forth barrage while shouting battle cries in broken monkey speech. He returned fire with a grin, and we filled the room with flying cushions and chaos.
After a few more volleys, Shizuru finally interrupted, voice level but firm. "What's done is done. I've already submitted my department choice to the Academy."
Her words settled over the room. The monkey noises stopped. She finally took a sip of her tea then immediately made a face and set the cup down with a wince.
"Cold," she muttered.
"Yeah, well," I said, flopping down onto a cushion with a huff, "that ship's already sailed. We gave them our requests. Now they'll test us based on those."
I glanced at both of them. Genta had applied for the Standard Combat Corps, same as Shizuru. She gave a small nod and added, "I still plan to assist the Research and Development division whenever I'm not on missions."
I nodded back. "Good call. Suits you."
Genta sat up, crossing his arms with a frown. "Sena won't tell anyone what she picked."
A small smirk tugged at my lips. "I've got a feeling that wherever she goes, trouble's going to follow."
None of us argued. We leaned back and let the moment stretch, just enjoying the calm while it lasted. The future was coming, and we all knew it would catch up with us eventually.
Seiji-sensei stood at the front of the advanced class, his voice calm but clear. "It is now time for your graduation test. You have already been informed of the Academy's decision regarding your requests and which paths suit you."
He paused, letting the words settle.
"For those approved for the Standard Combat Corps, follow me."
I glanced at Shizuru and Genta. Both looked tense but ready. We turned as one to look at Sena, who chuckled quietly and walked forward without hesitation, falling in step behind Seiji-sensei. I couldn't help but blink. Someone with her wealth and status choosing to risk her life on the frontlines? Bold move.
Shizuru and Genta looked relieved that we weren't being separated. Well, at least not until we graduated and got assigned to a team and a sensei, which made their mood dip a little.
We didn't have time to dwell on it. A good portion of the class followed Seiji-sensei as he led us away from the Academy grounds.
Surprisingly, we didn't stop at any of the standard training fields. Instead, we passed through the southern gate and into the forest that wrapped around the outer village wall. Trees closed in quickly behind us, and the distant sounds of Konoha faded into silence.
Eventually, we reached a wide clearing not far from the village wall. It was quiet, too quiet, but I could feel them. The moment we stopped, my senses picked up faint chakra signatures barely hidden above us in the trees. ANBU, without a doubt. More than a few. And mixed in with them were high-level instructors, watching carefully.
This wasn't just some basic graduation test.
Seiji stepped into the middle of the clearing and turned back to face us.
"The graduation test will take the form of live simulation missions," he announced. "You will be placed into pairs. Each pair will receive a unique objective. In some scenarios, you will be required to escort or deliver a target. In others, your mission will be to intercept or eliminate that same target."
There was a noticeable stir among the students.
"You will not know your opponent until the mission begins. You will not know the terrain beforehand. You will have minimal time to plan. Blunt weapons and chakra techniques are allowed. But we are observing. Do not do anything reckless."
He let that warning settle, then continued.
"The goal is not simple victory. It is how you respond to uncertainty. How you think when the plan falls apart."
I crossed my arms, watching him carefully. This was the kind of test that exposed every flaw.
Seiji turned and gave a nod to one of the instructors, then unfurled a scroll.
"Teams have been preassigned based on compatibility and recent performance. I will now read the pairings."
He began reading off names.
After a few pairings, I heard, "Genta Senju will be paired with Shizuru Nara."
Both of them smiled, clearly relieved. They knew each other well enough that coordination wouldn't be an issue.
A few more names passed.
Then came the next one that stood out.
"Kaen Uchiha will be paired with Misaki Hyuga."
I raised an eyebrow. Two dojutsu users paired together? That could either go brilliantly or explode in spectacular fashion.
Finally, Seiji read, "Sena Yamanaka will be paired with Noa."
I turned to her. That same polished, perfect smile was still frozen on her face. No reaction at all. Of course.
Seiji continued without pause.
"With the pairings complete, I'll now explain the structure. Some teams will work independently. Others will have conflicting missions, meaning you may be directly opposing your classmates. Each pair will be privately briefed on their assignment and given a small map with minimal instructions. You will not know what the other teams are doing."
He pulled a thin scroll from within his vest and scanned it quickly.
"Noa. Sena. Step forward."
We did.
Sena didn't say anything, but I saw the faint shift in her posture. Focused. Alert. Calculating. I mirrored it.
Seiji held out a folded map. It was small and hand-drawn, showing a section of the forest, elevation lines, and three marked buildings.
He tapped one building. "This is a courier extraction mission. There is a non-combatant agent in this safehouse. Your job is to locate them and escort them safely to the extraction point here." He tapped the southern edge of the map. "They carry sensitive information. They cannot be left behind, and they cannot be captured."
I raised an eyebrow. "What are we protecting them from? Rogue squirrels?"
Seiji's stare flattened instantly. I let the joke die.
"Another team will be attempting to stop the courier. Whether they target you or the agent is their choice."
That changed everything.
Sena's voice was calm. "Is the courier a real person or a dummy?"
Seiji didn't answer directly. "Use your judgment. Choose your route wisely. You may use traps, distractions, or concealment. The success of your mission depends on planning and execution."
He handed the map to Sena, then met my eyes.
"Noa. The objective is not domination. It is completion. If you lose focus, you fail."
I gave a sharp nod.
As we turned to walk away, Sena studied the map.
"Extraction in the south... elevated terrain to the east."
I glanced sideways at her. "You're already planning something."
She smiled, calm and unreadable. "Of course."