Chapter 6: Into the Fire
The exam room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Arata stood steady, his Byakugan still glowing, veins framing his white eyes. His heart raced, but he kept his face calm, staring down Uchiha Fuzen. He'd just outsped a chunin—a chunin—with his seal-less Body Flicker. The other two examiners, Ino and the one by the door, looked like they'd seen a ghost. No one expected this from the Hyuga's so-called failure.
"Teacher," Arata said, his voice flat but firm, "answer my question. Do I make Class A?"
The two chunin snapped out of their shock. "Pass!" Ino blurted, almost tripping over his words. "You're definitely Class A material!"
The door chunin nodded fast. "Never seen a kid your age pull that off. Flawed Byakugan or not, you're in."
Their eyes shone with something new—respect. Arata's talent wasn't just good; it was unheard of. The Ninja Academy hadn't seen a kid like this in years.
But Fuzen wasn't having it. "No!" he barked, his face twisting with anger. "He's not getting into Class A!"
Arata's eyes narrowed. "Why not?" he asked, his voice cold.
Fuzen's glare was pure venom. "You're disrespectful. Provoking an examiner? That's traitor behavior. Forget Class A—you shouldn't even be in the academy!"
The excuse was flimsy, and everyone knew it. The other chunin looked furious. Ino slammed his hand on the table. "Lord Fuzen, that's enough! Arata's earned Class A, fair and square. We've decided. If you don't like it, take it up with the Third Hokage!"
Fuzen's face paled at the mention of the Hokage. Even he couldn't ignore that name. But his eyes burned with something darker—murderous intent. "Fine," he growled, stepping forward. "But this brat needs a lesson in humility. I'll teach him for the Hyuga."
Arata's stomach twisted. Fuzen wasn't just trying to fail him—he wanted to break him. A chunin could crush a kid like him, genius or not. Fuzen was banking on Arata's chakra running low after five Body Flickers. He figured Arata was done, easy to take down.
The other chunin shouted, "Lord Fuzen, stop!" But Fuzen was already moving, no jutsu, just raw speed. His palm glowed with chakra, aimed straight at Arata's chest. One hit, and Arata would be out for months.
Arata didn't hesitate. His Byakugan flared, inner vision guiding his chakra. Boom! He vanished, reappearing by the door in a blink.
Fuzen froze, his palm hitting air. His Sharingan hadn't even caught Arata's move—seal-less, too fast. "How…?" he muttered, sweat beading on his brow.
Arata stood by the door, breathing hard. Five Body Flickers had drained him, his legs shaky, but he hid it behind a steady gaze. He glanced at the chunin next to him, the quiet one who'd been watching the whole time. Something about that guy felt… different.
Fuzen spun, his face red with fury. "Move!" he snarled at the door chunin, charging forward. He thought the guy was just some low-rank staff, no threat.
But then the chunin's chakra surged, sharp and heavy, stopping Fuzen cold. In a flash, the chunin vanished, reappearing behind Fuzen with a kunai pressed to his neck. "Enough," he said, voice low and dangerous.
Fuzen's eyes widened. "Who are you?" he choked out.
The other chunin gasped, stepping back. This wasn't some random staffer. The guy pulled out a mask—cat-shaped, unmistakable. "Anbu," Ino whispered, his face pale.
Arata's jaw tightened. Anbu? Here? Why would the Hokage send an elite to watch a kid's exam?
The Anbu ninja's eyes flicked to Arata, curious. "Don't worry," he said to the room. "I'm here on the Hokage's orders, making sure this exam stays fair." He glanced at Fuzen, his voice sharp. "No cheating."
Fuzen's face drained of color. The other chunin stared, piecing it together. The Hokage must've suspected someone—probably Uchiha—would pull something shady. And Fuzen had just walked right into it.
The Anbu turned to Arata, his mask hiding his expression. "Kid, you knew I'd step in, didn't you? How?"
Arata shrugged, keeping his face blank. "Just a feeling."
Truth was, his Byakugan had shown him something from the start. The "staff" chunin had more chakra points than anyone else in the room—dozens, glowing bright. Stronger than Fuzen, stronger than the others. Arata had bet on that strength, and it paid off.
The Anbu chuckled, not buying the "feeling" excuse but letting it slide. He looked at the other chunin. "Why am I here? To keep things honest. And you—" he pointed at Fuzen, "—you're done. You're coming with me to see the Hokage. You've lost your examiner status."
Fuzen's shoulders slumped, his pride shattered. He didn't argue, just followed the Anbu out, head down.
Before leaving, the Anbu shot Arata a grin. "Congrats, kid. You're in the academy. Something tells me you'll end up in Anbu one day. I'll be watching."
Arata blinked, caught off guard by the words. Anbu? Him? He pushed the thought aside as the remaining chunin grabbed his exam sheet. Ino scribbled fast, his hands almost shaking.
"Hyuga Arata," he said, voice firm. "Assessment result: A. Performance: Outstanding. Recommended for Class A."
The other chunin nodded, a small smile breaking through. "You earned it, kid."
Arata looked at the paper, the big "A" staring back at him. For the first time that day, he let himself grin. He'd done it. Against all odds, against Fuzen's schemes, against the Hyuga's doubts—he was in.
(End of Chapter)
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