The Tale of an ordinary ninja

The First Year Exam Begins

As Akira and Kaede continued their conversation, they were interrupted by the loud, authoritative voice of their classroom teacher, Tanaka Uzumaki. His booming announcement filled the room, cutting through the chatter like a sharp blade.

"The exams are about to begin!" he declared, his tone leaving no room for dissent. "There will be two parts. The first part is a written exam, and the second part will be a practical round. I hope everyone has prepared well and will perform to the best of their abilities."

As his words settled in the air, Tanaka's gaze fell briefly on Akira. For a fleeting moment, his eyes gleamed with malice, a dark intent barely hidden beneath his otherwise neutral expression. The moment passed quickly, but Akira caught it. He held his composure, refusing to react, though the brief exchange sent a clear message: Tanaka was up to something.

"Take your seats according to the hall tickets you were assigned yesterday," Tanaka continued.

The students quickly shuffled to their places. Akira noticed his desk was uncomfortably close to Tanaka's, far closer than the other students' desks, which were grouped together further back. It seemed deliberate, but Akira didn't let it faze him. He offered Kaede a reassuring glance as they parted ways to their respective seats, exchanging silent wishes of good luck.

The written exam began promptly. The questions covered a wide range of topics taught during the first year: history, the theory of chakra, mathematics, physics, and chemistry. For most students, the exam was fair and aligned with the material they had learned.

Sitting at his desk, Tanaka Uzumaki watched the students intently, his focus lingering on Akira. His thoughts churned with a mix of malice and smug satisfaction.

Although Lord Hokage told me to ensure Akira graduates within two years, he didn't say what would happen if Akira failed this exam. Heh, this is my chance. I personally prepared Akira's exam paper, filling it with questions from advanced mathematics, physics, and chakra theory—topics taught to fourth-year students. There's no way he'll pass. And to ensure that, I've set his passing score at 70%, far higher than anyone else's. I'll play it off as a fair assessment, but when he fails, I'll report to the Hokage that it was his own fault for not studying. My ego will be satisfied, and I'll keep my job. Akira, you're finished.

Tanaka smirked to himself, glancing at Akira occasionally to gauge his reaction.

When Akira saw his exam paper, he raised an eyebrow in surprise. The questions were far beyond the first-year syllabus—clearly designed to trip him up. For a moment, he considered confronting Tanaka outright, but then he smirked to himself.

So this is your game, Tanaka-sensei, Akira thought. You're underestimating me.

What Tanaka didn't know was that Akira had anticipated something like this. While he had only attended the academy in person a few times, his use of the Shadow Clone Technique had allowed him to stay far ahead of the curriculum. Every day, one of his clones attended class, diligently taking notes, while another spent hours in the library devouring books on chakra theory, history, and even Kenjutsu techniques. Over the months, Akira had read through the academy's entire library collection.

As Akira scanned the advanced questions, he realized answering them would be no challenge. He could finish the exam in half an hour if he wanted. But that would raise suspicion. Instead, he decided to play it safe.

Akira began writing at a steady pace, deliberately slowing himself down to match the other students. He made a show of pausing occasionally, pretending to think, and even left a few questions unanswered to make his performance appear believable. However, he ensured that his answers were correct and calculated his responses to achieve a score of at least 85%.

By the time he finished, the other students were just wrapping up as well. Akira stood, his movements casual, and handed his paper to Tanaka.

As Akira turned to leave the room, he glanced back at Tanaka, who had already started reviewing his paper. The teacher's initial smugness faded as his eyes scanned the answers. His lips twitched. His fingers tightened around the paper. His face shifted from confusion to disbelief, then to outright shock.

Impossible! How did he answer these questions? And they're all… correct?

Akira bit his lip to suppress a chuckle as he watched Tanaka's face contort. Unable to resist, he called out cheerfully, "Tanaka-sensei, I hope my answers meet your expectations."

Tanaka froze, his expression blank for a moment before forcing a strained smile. "We'll see," he muttered, though his voice cracked slightly.

As Akira walked out of the room, he allowed himself a quiet laugh. This is going to be fun.

Later, as Akira waited outside, Kaede approached him.

"How did it go?" she asked, concerned.

Akira grinned. "I think I did alright. Though, if I had to guess, Tanaka-sensei is probably questioning his life choices right about now."

Inside the classroom, Tanaka sat at his desk, staring at Akira's paper in utter disbelief. His head hit the desk with a resounding thud as he groaned, "I'm doomed."

The Practical Exam Begins

The students stood on the academy's training ground, their faces a mixture of excitement and tension as the second half of their exam began. Tanaka Uzumaki stepped forward, addressing the group with his usual authoritative tone.

"Listen carefully," he began, his sharp gaze sweeping over the students. "This is the final part of your exam. You will be evaluated on your Taijutsu skills and your mastery of basic ninjutsu techniques. For the ninjutsu segment, you'll undergo the leaf concentration exercise, tree climbing, and water walking. You will also be tested on your accuracy and technique in shurikenjutsu.

"For the Taijutsu segment, we will hold a tournament, where your ranking will be based on the number of matches you win. Perform well, and you'll leave an impression not only on me but also on the village."

The Ninjutsu Tests

Leaf Concentration Exercise:

The students placed a leaf on their foreheads, entering a meditative state to channel their chakra and keep the leaf adhered.

Akira closed his eyes and focused his chakra flow with precision, effortlessly maintaining the balance. He could have gone on much longer but deliberately dropped the leaf after 1 hour and 30 minutes to avoid drawing unnecessary attention. Only the Uchiha kids, Daichi and his younger brother, outlasted him by a few minutes.

The first student to drop their leaf was Might Dai, whose unrefined chakra control saw the leaf slip off after just 15 minutes. Most students struggled to pass the 30-minute mark, while only a select few—Akira, Kaede, Sakumo Hatake, Shinku Yuhi, and Daichi Uchiha—made it past the 1-hour threshold.

Tree Climbing Exercise:

For the tree climbing portion, Akira showcased flawless chakra control, scaling to the very top of the tallest tree in the training field with ease. His calm and confident performance earned murmurs of admiration from the other students.

Daichi Uchiha followed closely behind, reaching the top with determination. Kaede, Sakumo, and Shinku managed respectable performances, climbing three-fourths of the way up. The remaining students barely reached halfway before losing their footing.

Water Walking Exercise:

In the water-walking challenge, Akira demonstrated exceptional skill by not only walking but running across the surface of the water, his feet gliding over the ripples with perfect balance. His display of confidence left even Tanaka momentarily impressed.

Daichi came second, showing remarkable form but not quite matching Akira's finesse. Kaede placed third, while Sakumo and Shinku tied for fourth.

Shurikenjutsu Test

The shurikenjutsu test required students to aim at targets of varying distances.

Daichi Uchiha claimed the top spot, showcasing his clan's signature precision and technique by hitting the bullseye on all his throws with style.

Akira, however, wasn't far behind. Utilizing his Rotating Wind Shuriken Technique, he created spiraling wind currents to guide his shuriken, hitting just shy of the bullseye on most attempts.

Sakumo Hatake displayed sharp accuracy but fell short of Akira's and Daichi's scores, earning third place. Kaede and Shinku rounded out the top five.

The Taijutsu Tournament

The Taijutsu tournament was the final and most anticipated part of the exam. The students were paired randomly, with the winners advancing through each round.

First Round

Akira faced off against a student from the Aburame clan. Though his opponent's movements were precise and calculated, Akira's quick footwork and experience overwhelmed him. Akira landed a clean sweep kick, sending his opponent to the ground and securing victory.

Might Dai, bursting with energy, bulldozed his way past his opponent with sheer strength and persistence.

Kaede and Daichi also advanced, along with a few others, including a quiet but confident Hyuga clan member named Hikaru Hyuga.

Quarterfinals

Akira's next match was against Shinku Yuhi. Shinku fought with impressive agility, weaving and dodging Akira's attacks while attempting counterstrikes. However, Akira's adaptability proved superior. He used a feint to bait Shinku into overextending, then finished the match with a well-timed spinning kick.

Meanwhile, Hikaru Hyuga displayed his clan's signature Gentle Fist technique, rendering his opponent incapacitated with precise chakra strikes. Might Dai once again relied on his raw power and indomitable spirit, defeating Kaede in a hard-fought match.

Semifinals

The semifinal matchups were intense. Akira faced Hikaru Hyuga, a highly skilled combatant whose mastery of the Gentle Fist made every strike dangerous.

Akira opened the match with swift, calculated attacks, aiming to exploit Hikaru's blind spots. However, Hikaru's Byakugan gave him an almost unfair advantage, allowing him to predict Akira's movements and land several chakra-disrupting strikes. Despite Akira's best efforts to counter with clever footwork and feints, Hikaru's precise strikes eventually slowed him down. With a decisive palm strike to Akira's abdomen, Hikaru claimed victory.

In the other semifinal, Might Dai squared off against Daichi Uchiha. Dai's relentless energy and powerful strikes overpowered Daichi's calculated approach, earning him a place in the finals.

Finals: Hikaru Hyuga vs. Might Dai

The crowd of students watched in awe as the two finalists squared off. Hikaru moved with calm precision, his Byakugan active, while Might Dai exuded raw energy and determination.

Hikaru began the match by targeting Dai's chakra points with lightning-fast palm strikes. At first, it seemed Hikaru had the upper hand, as Dai struggled to land a clean hit. However, Dai's persistence and boundless energy turned the tide.

Despite taking several chakra-disrupting blows, Dai refused to go down. With an explosive roar, he unleashed a flurry of punches, finally breaking through Hikaru's defense. The final blow was a dynamic uppercut that sent Hikaru flying out of the ring.

Might Dai stood victorious, his face beaming with pride. The other students erupted in applause, admiring his tenacity and willpower.

Tanaka announced the results, his voice grudgingly acknowledging Akira's exceptional performance in ninjutsu and his strong showing in Taijutsu.

As the students dispersed, Akira approached Might Dai, clapping him on the back. "That was incredible, Dai. You've definitely earned the title today."

Dai grinned, scratching the back of his head. "Thanks, Akira! You weren't too bad yourself! I bet you'll crush the practical round next year!"

Akira smiled warmly, feeling more at ease despite his earlier loss. Next year, I'll make it to the finals for sure.