Dewdrops slid from the grass blades and fell to the ground, quickly evaporating under the sunlight without leaving a trace.
The parched earth was soon trampled upon as several figures dashed into the school.
Uchiha Kin and his two companions sighed in relief upon seeing the still-forming line of people.
"We made it just in time."
A small building stood ahead, with many students from the ninja academy lining up to enter.
However, Namikaze Minato's expression darkened as he observed the crowd.
"Some of them are even younger than us."
The children in line were brimming with excitement, and among them, he recognized many familiar underclassmen. The youngest were barely seven years old.
No matter how early the exam was held, it shouldn't include children this young.
Wasn't this going too far?
What was the village thinking?!
"The pass rate is unusually high too," Kin remarked sarcastically.
His gaze swept to the other side, where many children were rushing out triumphantly, clutching their newly acquired forehead protectors. A few walked out empty-handed, dejected, but they were far fewer in number compared to the successful ones.
Even from where they stood, they could hear the elated shouts of those who had passed:
"I'm a ninja now!"
"Hahaha! Starting today, I'm a ninja too!"
"Mom, Dad, I'm officially a grown-up ninja now! Haha!"
The children's joyous laughter filled the air, creating a lively atmosphere.
How ironic.
Hashirama Senju founded the village to keep children off the battlefield, yet Hiruzen Sarutobi was sending them straight into it.
The hypocrisy was palpable.
Namikaze Minato's expression grew heavier.
"What's with the long faces? The exam's about to start!" Uzumaki Kushina, completely oblivious to the implications, was practically bouncing with excitement.
She could already see her path to becoming a ninja unfolding before her.
"This is the first step on my journey to becoming Hokage!"
"I'm definitely going to be the first female Hokage!"
Kin couldn't help but glance at Minato. That dream of hers would eventually come true.
For once, Minato remained unusually silent.
As the line moved forward, Minato entered the exam room first. Unlike the others, who exited quickly, he remained inside for an unusually long time.
"Did something happen to him?" Kushina fretted.
"Relax. It's probably special treatment for the top student," Kin said with a shrug, then gave Kushina a pitying look.
In his past life, he'd looked up Kushina's records—not because he had a thing for married women or anything… ahem… Anyway, the point was, while Minato's graduation year was unclear, Kushina had definitely graduated at twelve.
Meaning she'd been held back two years, just like him.
This exam was likely just a formality for her.
As a jinchūriki, she had no real control over her fate.
"Hey, you bastard Uchiha! What's with that look?!"
Kushina bristled at the pity in Kin's eyes, her fists clenching as she prepared to punch him.
Kin clicked his tongue and shook his head, further enraging her.
Her red hair practically bristled with fury.
"Fight me, you jerk!!"
Just as Kushina was about to attack, a brown-haired ninja in a flak jacket stepped out and called,
"Next!"
Kin gave Kushina a mocking thumbs-down.
"Maybe next time."
"You bastard!!!"
Kushina's roar echoed as Kin hurried into the exam room—better to flee than face her wrath.
The small room was surprisingly spacious inside, with scorch marks, water stains, and splintered wood littering the floor. Two proctors stood in the center: a purple-haired kunoichi and Inoue Satoru.
The kunoichi was jotting something in a notebook.
"Uchiha Kin?"
"That's me."
The kunoichi scribbled a note, and Inoue Satoru stepped forward.
"Your test is to last one minute against me."
His smile turned menacing—absolutely not because he was still bitter about Kin ignoring him for three months.
Absolutely not!
Kin looked up at the towering Inoue, considering how much effort to exert. Most of his abilities were already known, but should he at least show some respect to his teacher?
While he pondered, Inoue lunged forward, drawing a kunai from his pouch.
Kin casually tossed three shuriken.
The shuriken clinked mid-air, altering their trajectories to strike from three different angles.
Inoue's eyes narrowed.
Uchiha throwing technique.
A moment later, with a "poof," Inoue turned into a log, the shuriken embedding themselves into the wood.
Inoue reappeared behind Kin, aiming a kick—
But Kin was faster.
He spun mid-air and delivered a flying kick.
"Thud!"
Inoue crashed into the wall and slid to the floor.
"This is the so-called Uchiha failure?!"
He stared at Kin in disbelief, unable to comprehend his speed and reflexes. Had he really never noticed his student's strength?
Kin smirked. His reflexes were decent, but Minato could already catch thrown kunai bare-handed—some people's talent was just unfair.
Still, in terms of raw power, Minato wasn't a threat to him yet.
"Hey, Inoue-sensei, what if—"
"No." Inoue cut him off. He knew that look—nothing good ever followed it.
"There's no way I'd lose to a student."
He sounded almost desperate.
A loud "thud" interrupted them.
The purple-haired kunoichi glared at Inoue, who fell silent. She'd just lost to Minato earlier.
The proctor at the door burst out laughing.
"Both teachers lost to their students! Hahaha!"
"I haven't lost yet!!"
Inoue roared, forming hand seals—but froze halfway.
A kunai was pressed against his throat.
The other two gaped at the sudden turn of events.
"This kid… is a monster."
Kin stood before Inoue, the kunai at his neck. None of them had seen him move.
Inoue gulped and raised his hands in surrender.
Any later, and his life might've ended there.
"Inoue-sensei, do I pass?" Kin smiled.
On paper, his strength was that of a special jōnin—far beyond what these chūnin instructors could handle.
"P-pass." The proctor clicked his stopwatch. A minute had passed.
Kin had defeated his teacher in under a minute.
This "Uchiha failure" was even stronger than Minato.
If Kin was a failure, what did that make them?
"Here's your proof." The kunoichi tossed Kin a forehead protector.
He caught it and sheathed his kunai.
Inoue rubbed his neck, his face a picture of despair.
He'd lost to a student.
Was there no justice? No law?
…Well, the kid was an Uchiha, so maybe it made sense.
But his pride as a teacher was shattered!!
Uchiha Kin was truly his nemesis.
"Your student ID will become your ninja ID. Come back tomorrow for your photo."
Despite his crushed spirit, Inoue mechanically relayed the instructions.
"Got it."
Kin tied the forehead protector around his head and waved dismissively before exiting the other side of the exam room.
Outside, Minato was waiting.
"I knew you'd pass," Minato said with a confident smile.
In terms of pure skill, few in their age group could rival Kin. Even the late Nawaki might not have been a match.
"Like this exam could've failed me."
Kin sighed as he watched the newly minted genin walk out, proudly displaying their forehead protectors.
Their parents' reactions were the opposite of their children's joy—most wore expressions of shock, sorrow, and resignation.
Adults understood what this truly meant.
Kin couldn't fathom how, even now, hatred hadn't taken root.
The Will of Fire was terrifyingly effective.
Not even a cult could brainwash people this thoroughly.
"Uchiha Kin!!"
A furious roar cut through the air as a red blur charged at him.
"Die!!"
Kushina swung a fist, seeking vengeance for his earlier taunts.
Kin sidestepped and kneed her in the stomach.
"Oof!" Kushina crumpled to the ground in pain.
"Still haven't learned," Kin sighed.
How many times had he beaten her now?
Kushina was the embodiment of "fall down seven times, stand up eight"—fitting for the future mother of the knuckleheaded savior.
Speaking of which…
Was he really that hateable?
If Kushina and Minato heard that, they'd answer in unison:
"Absolutely!!"
Kin's gaze suddenly fixed on the forehead protector tied around Kushina's head.
"You… passed?"
"Of course!" Kushina proudly showed off her headband, grinning like an idiot.
"Starting today, I'm a ninja too!"
"Heh."
Kin looked up at the sky, unimpressed.
The clouds burned with the hues of dusk.
Why would the village let her pass?
"Fate's changed."
…
"One, two, three, four!"
Might Dai did squats as he circled the mountain.
"If I don't finish before sunset, I'll do a thousand push-ups!"
Sweat dripped as he continued his training regimen.
Over a decade of this routine had brought him to the fifth gate of the Eight Gates.
"Dai-san, still training hard, I see."
Kin hung upside-down from a tree branch, his feet hooked over it.
"Yo, Kin! Long time no see!" Dai flashed a thumbs-up.
"Yeah, it's been a while."
Kin dropped to the ground.
"Dai-san, fight me at full strength."
He was in a terrible mood.
"Gladly."
(End of Chapter)