Chapter 109. Graduation Day at the Ninja Academy

Chapter 109 - 109. Graduation Day at the Ninja Academy"Are you ready?" Yuhi Shinku sat at the dining table and asked. "We've been ready for ages. The graduation exam is no challenge for us!" Yuhi Kurenai smirked confidently. "Don't worry. Just wait for the good news." "True," Yuhi Shinku sighed suddenly. "Time flies so fast." "Fast? Not at all," Kurenai said with a small smile, glancing at Hanekawa. "If anything, time feels slow to me!" "..." Yuhi Shinku was momentarily speechless. He sighed inwardly. The considerate little daughter he used to cherish was no longer the same. "Let's eat," Yuhi Shinku said, handing chopsticks to Kurenai. "Thanks, Dad." Kurenai accepted them but immediately passed them to Hanekawa. "..." The corner of Yuhi Shinku's mouth twitched. Should I just leave now? He was starting to feel increasingly unnecessary in this household. "Hanekawa," Kurenai said while picking up a piece of natto. "Do you think we'll end up in the same team after the assignments?" "Of course," Hanekawa replied with a smile. "My sensei is Tsunade, one of the legendary Sannin." What a privileged connection! Yuhi Shinku silently grumbled but couldn't deny the benefits of having such a strong backer. When I graduated, I wasn't so lucky. My team and mentor were just average... Now, I'm the only one left alive. "Mm!" Kurenai grinned. "I'll protect you from now on!" "He doesn't need your protection," Yuhi Shinku retorted. "He's strong enough. Just take care of yourself." "No way!" Kurenai immediately rejected the idea. "Hanekawa's a medical ninja, after all." "..." Yuhi Shinku felt like coughing up blood. What kind of medical ninja is this terrifyingly strong? Just as he was about to argue further, Hanekawa shot him a meaningful look. Yuhi Shinku paused, then said nothing more. There's no need to worry. Hanekawa will undoubtedly look out for Kurenai. This thought left him feeling a bit melancholy. His daughter had grown up and no longer needed his protection. "Uncle Shinku, will you come watch the exam?" Hanekawa asked, raising his chopsticks to block Kurenai's attempt to feed him natto. He didn't like it. "Not going!" Yuhi Shinku blurted out after seeing the interaction. Hanekawa blinked in surprise. Fine, don't come. Why so dramatic about it? After breakfast, Hanekawa and Kurenai headed to the Ninja Academy. On the way, they noticed Asuma Sarutobi perched on a wall. Without a word, the two ignored him entirely. "Hey!" Asuma quickly caught up to them, spreading his arms in disbelief. "Didn't you see me? I'm standing right here!" "Nope," Hanekawa and Kurenai replied in unison. They exchanged a glance and burst into laughter, Kurenai laughing especially hard. "..." Asuma looked utterly defeated. Why did I even bother with these two? "Do you know which team you'll be assigned to?" Asuma asked, suddenly shifting to a secretive tone. "What? Do you know?" Hanekawa raised an eyebrow. "I don't," Asuma admitted with a grin. "But I spoke to that man and asked him to put me on your team." He was clearly referring to the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi. "Don't get your hopes up," Hanekawa shrugged. "You'll find out soon enough." "What do you mean?" Asuma frowned. "You'll see," Hanekawa replied. "But with your background, your teammates won't be weak." "Hmph! My placement will be based on skill, not connections!" Asuma said indignantly. "Then why did you ask the Hokage for help?" Kurenai teased mercilessly. "That wasn't cheating; it was a suggestion!" Asuma retorted, glaring at her. "Why are you talking like Hanekawa now?" "Because I want to!" Kurenai said smugly, clinging to Hanekawa's arm. "..." Asuma regretted everything. This is pointless. I shouldn't have come! But sadly, he couldn't beat Hanekawa in a fight—nor Kurenai, for that matter. "Once we're in our teams, my squad will definitely take on the most missions!" Asuma declared, trying to find a new way to compete. "Impossible!" Kurenai countered immediately. "Even if your whole squad combines their strength, you won't surpass Hanekawa!" "You—!" Asuma trembled with frustration but had to admit that Kurenai might be right. Feeling defeated, he slumped slightly. Am I doomed to never surpass Hanekawa? "Tsk!" Just then, Kurenai suddenly clicked her tongue. "Hanekawa!" A voice called out—it was Rin Nohara. Behind her stood Uchiha Obito and Hatake Kakashi. "Good morning," Hanekawa greeted with a smile. However, he felt Kurenai cling to his arm even tighter. "Good morning," Rin Nohara replied, her gaze lingering on Hanekawa's arm for a moment. ___ "Asuma, do you have any updates on the team assignments?" Uchiha Obito asked impatiently. The team lists were traditionally decided by the Hokage, and as the son of the Hokage, Asuma might have insider information. Hatake Kakashi also looked over. Despite his usual aloof demeanor, he was still very interested in this topic. After all, the quality of teammates would directly impact the future. "I don't," Asuma admitted honestly. "The graduation exams haven't even started yet, so of course there's no list." "Alright," Obito said, visibly disappointed. He instinctively glanced at Rin, who responded with a warm smile. His spirits instantly lifted again. With our bond, we're bound to be in the same team! "Kakashi, how's your research on lightning-style ninjutsu?" Hanekawa asked as they walked. "Not great," Kakashi admitted with a shake of his head. The Lightning Style technique he created had two key characteristics: speed and a one-hit kill. However, he quickly encountered a serious issue—his eyes couldn't keep up, drastically reducing its accuracy. This made him envious of Uchiha Shisui. If only he had a Sharingan, it would perfectly solve the problem. "No rush, take it slow," Hanekawa said reassuringly. "Mm." Kakashi nodded. --- At the Ninja Academy, only sixth-year students and those who had applied for early graduation were present for the graduation exams. All other classes had been given the day off. Walking through the school grounds, Hanekawa felt an unusual sense of emptiness. "Hanekawa-senpai." A familiar voice called out from nearby. "Shisui?" Hanekawa blinked in surprise. "What are you doing here?" "I applied for early graduation too," Uchiha Shisui said with a slightly embarrassed smile. He hadn't mentioned it earlier—not because he wanted to hide it, but out of necessity. His original plan was to graduate in a couple of years, but Uchiha Fugaku had approached him recently. Fugaku's reasoning was clear: with war looming, a genius like Shisui shouldn't remain in the safety of the academy but should instead contribute on the battlefield. Additionally, Fugaku hoped Shisui could get closer to the upper echelons of Konoha. "With your skills, early graduation makes sense," Hanekawa said. In the original timeline, Hanekawa wasn't sure when Shisui had graduated, but it likely wasn't alongside Asuma and the others. This might be another ripple effect of his presence. I wonder how Hiruzen Sarutobi will handle his team assignment. "I'm off to find my teacher. See you later," Shisui said. Since he wasn't part of their class, he wouldn't be taking the same exam. "Do you think Shisui might end up on our team?" Asuma mused, stroking his chin. "It's possible," Hanekawa replied with a slight nod. "Since we're all graduating at the same time, we're technically part of the same ninja class." "That'd be great!" Asuma said enthusiastically, clapping his hands. "I hope I get teamed up with Shisui." Having trained together for so long, they were all well aware of Shisui's abilities. To be honest, apart from Hanekawa, none of them were confident they could beat Shisui in a fight. --- The group arrived at their classroom, where their teacher, Eichiro, was already waiting. Seeing them, Eichiro smiled warmly. "The exam will begin in fifteen minutes. You can take this time to prepare." The Three Basic Jutsu didn't require much preparation. Hanekawa sat down at his desk and activated his system interface. It had been six months since he acquired the Bringer of Darkness technique, and his B-rank trait, Genjutsu Specialist Jonin, was finally complete. [B-Rank Talent: Genjutsu Specialist Jonin] Trigger Condition: Master nine genjutsu techniques at an advanced level. Effect: Increases the effectiveness of all genjutsu by 100%. Notes: Learning and mastering additional genjutsu can lead to an upgrade to the A-rank talent Genjutsu Jonin. The effects and upgrade path were quite similar to his B-rank Medical Specialist Jonin talent. --- Meanwhile, the Hokage's office was bustling. "Come in," Hiruzen Sarutobi said after hearing a knock, setting down the document he was reading. He already knew who it was—Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane. Searᴄh the Nôvel(F)ire.ηet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Every year around this time, they would gather to discuss team assignments. "Hiruzen," Homura and Koharu greeted as they entered. According to the official guidebook The Book of Formation, the Hokage's advisors held a status equal to that of the Hokage, participating in all major and minor affairs of Konoha. Additionally, they had served as part of the Second Hokage Tobirama Senju's personal guard, making their relationship with Hiruzen deeply rooted. Even in Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, Homura and Koharu continued to serve as advisors to the Hokage. "Here are this year's graduates and the list of team leaders," Hiruzen said, handing them two documents. "Impressive," Homura remarked with a nod. "This year's batch of geniuses is the largest in a decade." "And there's Minato on the list," Koharu said with a smile, glancing at the team leaders. "Looks like you've already made your choice." __ New entry: This Danzo Is Weird Patreon.com/rashta Be a member so you can read: New. 180 adv ch of This Danzo Is Weird 1. 230 adv ch of Talent System In Naruto 2. 560 adv ch of Qian Renxue's Younger Brother 3. 270 adv ch of Uchiha Madara's Cousin 4. 163 adv ch of WDQK: Divorcing Ling Qingzhu (Complete)