Chương 5: Chapter 3 - Entry Test

The doors of the Academy looked like a gateway to a different world, or they did so because I was still relatively short, being only six years old. But, I think I wasn't the only one who felt like it, because scanning the rest of us, now heading inside without our parents holding our hands, everywhere around me, dozens of kids were fidgeting, whispering, tugging at their sleeves, their eyes going back and forth between the walls and the floor. Yep... this was the real deal.

Let's see how my training has paid off and if I can keep up with Minato for real. It won't be easy, though... I know that. After introducing himself, Shinno Arakumo, the Head Instructor of the Academy, walked silently ahead of us as we were led into the inner training yard, something I never really knew actually existed here. But... It was logical, as not everything can play out inside a classroom or around the Academy itself. The more I looked, the more it looked like an actual school behind its front.

As for the man himself, he was built like a boulder and looked about as patient as one, his face hiding every thought or feeling he may have had going through his mind in that moment. He just looked at us with a small clipboard in one hand, and I could smell the faint pang of tobacco... A smoker, huh? He should have been a Sarutobi then... Ignoring my personal little joke, moving my eyes from his face, I caught one more thing... His right leg had a stiff angle to it... Hm... an old injury? Maybe?

"Listen up," he started after everyone stood in line before him, silencing even the Inuzuka dog, which was continuously yapping.

"You're not here to play; this is a place to train future Shinobis of the Leaf. We will make sure that while you're here, you will learn discipline, control over your skills, and loyalty to Konoha." Ah... Someone was in the military, I could tell by just the way he talked. He was more like a drill instructor than a teacher... No Iruka-sensei for me, huh?

"You'll be tested first and foremost! Before you start learning, as your teachers, we need to know who you really are." Test? I never heard about something like this... Was this normal? Or a deviant change? I couldn't tell... But I kept those thoughts to myself, while his eyes swept the crowd like a searchlight, watching everyone's reaction. I thought for a second that they lingered on me and Minato just a bit more than usual... But maybe it was only my imagination.

"This is your first stage to prove yourself," he said with a half-smile after the dramatic pause, "Don't waste it." I glanced at Minato, who was a few spots away to my left, and he seemed wholly focused and determined, only looking at the Instructor. I should copy him, or not. I am me, after all. Soon, more teachers and more kids appeared, bringing out equipment, and they lined the courtyard from where we stood, up to the far end.

As their helpers, the kids, probably from the soon-to-graduate classes, began putting up training dummies, targets, and everything we would need for this entry test. As they did that, the rest of the teachers who would measure us stepped up and introduced themselves, just briefly, giving their names and nothing more. First, there was another man, who looked pretty much just as hard-edged as the Head Instructor, whose name was Akira Tenma. Nope, no idea who he was.

Then, there was a woman who called herself Mika Hyūga, which surprised me that someone from that clan was here, but... I guess, we do have Hyūga members, so... It was logical. Even if for just the simple reason of keeping an eye on their members in the Academy. I wonder... Neji's father and his brother should already be here, too, no? Huh. I didn't think about that until now. Maybe they are my upperclassmen, because I didn't see them amongst us, the freshmen.

Lastly, there was a bright-haired man, Kento Yamanaka, who actually smiled like he'd volunteered to deal with children. The only kind face amongst the rest...

"Alright, new students," Kento spoke up, his voice also being the kindest, probably why he was right here, right now, taking over from Shinno.

"Before classes begin, you'll complete a short evaluation. Don't worry, it isn't anything dangerous or hard!" Yep. He was here because he knew how to interact with children. So, even if the Head Instructor is a hardass, he knows when to take a step back? That's admirable.

"What we will measure is nothing but," Kento continued, "basic physical and chakra aptitude tests. Nothing to fear, and even if you can't manifest your chakra yet, we don't need you to. Just show us that you are able to sense it!" He clapped his hands together, bringing everyone out of their stupor, "We just want to see where everyone stands." Thinking about it, wasn't this just a shinobi version of a sports combine? Realizing it, my inner gamer was already mentally assigning stats to myself.

Too bad I wasn't born with a system, huh? At least I don't need to keep up with numbers... I always hated that part... Min-maxing ruins the fun. By the time they finished speaking, I also stopped daydreaming, and we were encircled by wooden targets, ropes, a balance log, and a track marked in chalk. As for the first test, it was all about speed and agility, starting with a 100-meter dash followed by an obstacle course. I wasn't the first to go, which I didn't mind.

Best to see how the others deal with it, as Rei Inuzuka bolted out like an actual hound, his puppy yipping on the sidelines, doing the first course, making it look pretty easy. Arai Uchiha, the other one beside me this year, tried to keep up with the Inuzuka's time... and immediately tripped over a hurdle the moment it was time to vault over the wall at the end, and then swing on the hanging ropes... Ouch. So not all Uchiha are a master from the get-go, huh? Good to know...

Then, after a few more kids, it was Minato's turn. I don't know what I expected because he was quick off the line, his movements deftly efficient, every stride perfectly measured. Of course, he was the fastest... Did I expect anything else? No, not really. Then shortly, it was my turn. Taking a breath, I focused my chakra lightly in my calves and shot out like a bullet, but careful not to overdo it, or I would also crash into the ground like my 'cousin' did.

The sprint and vaulting over the obstacle course wasn't a big deal, and when I skipped over the last obstacle, landing behind the finish line, I was listening to my time... I arrived just a second behind Minato. Tsk. A genius is a genius, after all.

"Good," Akira Tenma muttered, jotting notes, as I walked back towards the others, hearing him whisper to himself, "No wasted motion." As for me, I glanced at Minato, and when our eyes met, I gave him a wide grin, which he returned with a smile and a nod. I could tell he was fired up, even though he wasn't showing it... and now so was I. As for the second test, it was the chakra sensitivity and control examination. Of course, it was handled by the Hyūga woman, which made sense. They can see it perfectly...

As for the trial, we each held a small crystal orb while focusing our chakra into it to the best of our abilities. Most of the others only flickered a little, weakly, or their pulse was uneven. A few overloaded them, trying to push too much into it, producing sparks but exhausting themselves, and the whole thing went blank in their hands. This was about control, too... Didn't they listen? When she reached me, I pressed my fingers to the glass surface, and the crystal glowed instantly.

It was a steady, pale blue in color and perfectly even from every angle. Maybe... too even? Because I caught how Mika Hyūga's eyes narrowed, and not because she was using her Byakugan... That was evident from the bulging veins on her face. Well, she said nothing when I was finished... And I didn't ask; I just looked towards Minato. When it was his turn, his crystal lit up softer than mine, with a golden-blue hue that pulsed just barely. Does that even mean anything?

We weren't told, as the cold-faced woman remained tight-lipped. However, I couldn't think about it for long, as it was time for the next test. There were rows of wooden dummies facing us and a pile of practice shuriken prepared for everyone. While walking there, I overheard Arai bragging about his Uchiha aim, and this time, unlike when he had to run, he nailed three perfect shots. But then missed the fourth completely when Akira-sensei coughed behind him.

Seeing the result, the Instructor just nodded, ignoring Arai's indignant expression, and beckoned for me to step up next. Uchiha after Uchiha, huh? Let's see... Picking up the shurikens, quickly weighing them in my hand, I aimed, threw, ignoring the loud throat clearing right when it was the most critical, hitting all the marks, dead center. Wait... Should I have missed? Pft, no. Of course not. If I want to keep up with Minato here, I must give my all. Just as I thought that, he was next, picking them up.

He hesitated once, then adjusted his grip and hit the center four times in a row. When finished, this time, he was the one who looked back, searching for me, giving me a smile, and it was I who returned the gesture with a nod. After testing our aim, it was all about balance as we had to cross a narrow, randomly rotating beam over a shallow ditch while carrying a sandbag over our heads. Most kids wobbled, a few even fell in.

Arai did a showy spin when the beam moved under his feet and slipped right into the mud, swearing loudly... Why even do that? I was getting the feeling he thought he would be the star here, as he kept looking at me or Minato, the more he fell behind. Well, he glared mostly at me, as I was the other Uchiha present, overshadowing him. What the hell is your problem, man? I don't even know you!

Ignoring his stare, I held myself steady, taking slow breaths and syncing it with sending chakra to my soles, the way Dad and Mom taught me. Easy! Then, Minato moved after me, and as I watched, he was much lighter, quicker than any of us, almost as if he were weightless. When he stepped down, he didn't even scuff the dirt on the ground... Tsk. Nice. I think the Instructor thought the same, taking down a note, mumbling.

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

"Mhm. Good form." Minato nodded silently, embarrassed by the attention, and walked towards me. I simply spread my arms and mouthed 'show-off' before grinning, making him even more embarrassed. Finally, though, it was time for the final test, but they didn't really specify what it was for or why we had to do it. Each student had to place a leaf on their forehead and focus on keeping it there. Some leaves fluttered off immediately, while others clung on for a few seconds.

I got mine to stick within moments, doing my best to both use my chakra and my sweat to make it stick... Damn wind! Stop blowing! Shoo, shoo, bother someone else! I couldn't even glance to my left to see how Minato was doing, only when time was called, and just then, both our leaves dropped simultaneously. Phew. Nice. I am not half bad, it seems... Good! I may just be able to keep up with the world then................

Hours after the initial evaluation of the new students entering the Academy, the instructors gathered in the Academy's staff room. Before them, dozens of papers covered the long table, along with multiple charts, personal notes, test data, and each student's name and scores neatly inked in through multiple columns.

It had to be checked, double-checked, and then agreed upon by all parties present before a final version was submitted to the higher-ups, letting everyone know how Konoha was faring with the next generation.

"I think we are in agreement, so we can finish up the final draft," Shinno Arakumo said as he sat at the head, his pipe unlit between his fingers, knocking it against the hardwood table.

"Let's begin."

"Yes," Akira Tenma leaned back in his chair, smiling, "We have a better turnout than I expected. None fainted, no one cried, which is a plus. It could've been worse."

"Could've been better," Mika Hyūga murmured, flipping through her notes as her eyes lingered on one page longer than the rest.

"But I agree."

"Better?

"Please," Kento Yamanaka tapped his pen, rolling his eyes, "we have several promising candidates already. The chakra readings from the sensitivity test were… extraordinary." He added as he slid a report across the table, with two names circled in red ink. Renjiro Uchiha – 9. 0 (Chakra Control) Minato Namikaze – 8. 8 (Chakra Control)"Those two," he added, "Their chakra flow patterns are nearly identical. The only difference was that one was perfectly even, the other rhythmically balanced...

If you ask me, it's uncanny to see it in kids their age."

"It is uncanny," Mika crossed her arms in agreement.

"Renjiro's was too even. Chakra isn't supposed to be that still; it should fluctuate with breathing, pulse, and emotion. His? It didn't. He had the focus of a veteran."

"And?" Akira snorted, "That's good. We need talents like those two."

"I agree," Shinno exhaled slowly.

"And the Namikaze boy? No clan, no actual noteworthy background. It's more impressive than the one from the Uchihas."

"True," Kento agreed, "He had no hesitation when acting and no wasted movements, without having a family to teach him all that. If he keeps that up, he'll outpace most of his generation. Well... If he keeps it up. And looking at the data, both boys have scored high in composure, so they very well may. Remarkable for six-year-olds..."

"I would call it weird," Mika said as she closed her folder.

"Composure can hide many things."

"Not again," Akira groaned, leaning forward and glancing at the woman, "You always sound suspicious about everything."

"I'm observant," she replied coolly.

"Renjiro's chakra feels… old. Too controlled for a child. I don't like it."

"I don't care what you like and don't like." Shinno grunted, his voice issuing an order while he lit his pipe, "Regardless of your thoughts, they'll both be under my observation. Talent like that is either a gift or a warning from fate that we are not done with the war. We may have had a few years of peace... But don't relax just yet! Even with the Sannins back in town, who knows if someone gets an idea or not to reignite the flames of war..."

As the Head Instructor finished, nobody spoke again, making them sigh to themselves before Kento broke the silence with a half-smile.

"Well, it's going to be an interesting year or two, that is for sure. Let's see if the rankings we are sending over now will hold up the same way when next year rolls around." With that, by the time night came, a sealed envelope had left the Academy, so the following morning, it would land on the Hokage's desk for him to look at the newest generation, entering Konoha's future. Student Chakra Control Ninjutsu Taijutsu Tactics Conduct Overall Minato Namikaze 8 9 7 8 9 8. 2/10 Renjiro Uchiha 9 7 7 9 8 8.

0/10 Shinrai Hyūga 8 6 8 7 7 7. 2/10 Naoto Aburame 7 6 4 9 8 6. 8/10 Kiyomi Haruto 6 7 5 8 8 6. 8/10 Sayuri Yamanaka 6 5 4 9 9 6. 6/10 Taro Akimichi 5 4 8 6 10 6. 6/10 Arai Uchiha 7 6 8 6 5 6. 4/10 Hana Misaki 6 4 3 8 10 6. 2/10 Koji Tanaka 5 5 6 6 9 6. 2/10 Emi (Orphan) 7 4 4 6 9 6. 1/10 Rei Inuzuka 4 5 9 5 6 5. 8/10 Daigo Nara 5 4 3 10 6 5. 6/10 Kenta Suda 5 3 5 7 7 5. 4/10