The bandits died quietly, almost as if they had accepted their fate.
Some of them, through sheer luck, had stumbled upon the basics of chakra refinement and managed to pick up a few low-level jutsu. For them, these crude techniques were weapons of fear, enough to terrify and exploit common villagers.
But against Shikamaru and the others, such so-called weapons were nothing at all.
Perhaps ordinary freshly-graduated genin would have struggled against these bandits. But this year's graduates were anything but ordinary. Aside from Sakura, who was painfully average, and Naruto, who relied more on determination than talent, nearly every genin in their class came from powerful clans.
They carried inherited techniques and bloodline skills, the kind of strength no wandering thug could hope to challenge.
At first, there had been some hesitation. Their hands shook, their movements faltered, the moment they saw blood splatter on their weapons. But after that brief stumble, the battle turned into a one-sided slaughter.
All except for Sakura. She stood frozen, trembling violently as her classmates cut their way through enemies. The carnage overwhelmed her senses. Her stomach lurched, and she fell to her knees, retching helplessly.
When it was over, Ino went to comfort her. Their rivalry over Sasuke was constant, but outside of that, they were still close friends. Seeing Sakura so shaken, Ino couldn't help but offer her support.
Hidden in the shadows, the three jonin instructors had been observing the entire mission. Watching Sakura's breakdown, they exchanged silent glances and shook their heads.
"She might not be suited for front-line combat," Kurenai finally said.
Sakura was clever, but cleverness alone wasn't enough. Kurenai made a quiet decision: when the time was right, she would recommend Sakura be shifted to a research or medical support role. She would be better suited to the backlines than the battlefield.
The following days saw a subtle shift in the village. More and more shinobi from outside were arriving in the Leaf. Patrol squads doubled in number, and the air buzzed with tension and expectation.
The reason was clear. The Chunin Exams were about to begin.
In the Hokage's office, the Third Hokage sat behind his desk, a group of jonin instructors gathered before him.
"The Chunin Exams are approaching. You may now recommend your squads," he said gravely. "But according to tradition, freshly graduated genin must first complete a sufficient number of missions before they are eligible."
Among the jonin assembled were Kakashi, Kurenai, and Asuma, who had only just begun guiding their squads this year, along with instructors from earlier classes.
One by one, the jonin recommended their genin without hesitation.
This included every member of this year's graduating class.
Iruka, who was assisting from the side, felt his chest tighten with worry. He had taught these students for six years. He had watched them laugh, cry, and stumble their way through the academy. The bond he felt with them was deep, like family.
"Wait, hold on!" Iruka blurted out. "Yes, they're talented, but they just graduated! Their experience is still lacking. Sending them into the Chunin Exams right now is too dangerous."
Asuma, with his unlit cigarette hanging from his lips, gave a small shrug. "Iruka, you're underestimating them."
"I agree," Kurenai said softly, but firmly. "I've seen their performance with my own eyes. They're ready."
Kakashi's tone was calm, almost bored. "I became a chunin younger than they are."
Iruka's voice rose in protest. "That's different! None of them have talent on your level, Kakashi. Comparing them to you isn't fair."
Kakashi waved a hand lazily. "That only shows you don't know them well enough. You've done your part, Iruka. Now, they're under my guidance. And I've already decided they'll be entering the exams."
Iruka fell silent, slumping into his seat with resignation.
The Third Hokage's eyes softened as he looked at him. "Iruka, I understand your concern. But without facing storms, how can young birds ever learn to spread their wings and fly?"
Iruka bowed his head. "I understand, Lord Hokage."
"Then it's settled," the Third Hokage concluded. "Come and collect the registration forms."
At the Uchiha training grounds, Hinata and Sasuke sparred fiercely, their movements swift and precise. White eyes clashed with scarlet tomoe, Byakugan against Sharingan.
Nearby, Naruto sat cross-legged with a kunai in hand, a scroll spread across his lap. These scrolls were treasures left behind by his parents his father's techniques, his mother's sealing arts, and their personal notes on training.
Ever since the Hokage had entrusted him with these scrolls, Naruto had spent every spare moment poring over them.
Now, as chakra coursed through the kunai, faint glowing words began to appear along its blade: "Naruto was here."
Once the inscription stabilized, Naruto tossed the kunai at a tree. It struck and quivered in the trunk. In the next instant, Naruto vanished from his spot and reappeared beside it, a grin spreading across his face.
"So this is the Flying Thunder God…" he murmured.
What he had performed was only the most basic form, teleportation between fixed points marked by a seal. But the scrolls spoke of more advanced variations the second stage, teleportation transfer, and even unfinished extensions of the technique that his father had dreamed of creating.
Closing his hand, Naruto summoned a glowing ball of chakra. It spun and whirled in his palm, humming with power.
The Rasengan. Another legacy of his father.
Compared to the Flying Thunder God, this jutsu was far simpler. The challenge lay in chakra control and transformation, but for Naruto, who had honed those skills through relentless shadow clone training, it had become second nature.
According to his father's notes, the Rasengan had been inspired by the Tailed Beast Bomb, a technique used by the bijuu. The scrolls hinted at countless possible evolutions infusing elemental chakra, shaping it into entirely new forms, and creating endless variations.
Naruto's eyes gleamed with determination.
"Shadow Clone Jutsu!" he called, forming the hand seal.
A hundred clones burst into existence around him, each grabbing a kunai or forming a Rasengan. They scattered to continue practicing while the original Naruto returned to his mother's scrolls on sealing techniques.
The sheer depth of her work astounded him. Seals that could bind even the Nine-Tails itself. Power that could turn a raging monster into nothing more than a caged dog.
Naruto muttered to himself, "Sealing jutsu really is incredible. I need to master this."
Kakashi arrived at the training ground to find all three of his students fully immersed in training. None of them wasted even a second. Each was channeling raw talent into tangible strength.
For the first time in years, Kakashi felt a twinge of unease. He had let his own training slip, grown complacent after decades of service. Compared to their relentless drive, he felt himself falling behind.
"I suppose I'll need to push myself again," he thought with a quiet chuckle.
Clapping his hands, he called them together. "Alright, that's enough for now. Come here."
The three genin gathered before him, eyes still burning with the fire of training. Kakashi held up three sheets of paper.
"These are the registration forms for the Chunin Exams. I've recommended the three of you to participate. Whether you enter or not is up to you."
There was no hesitation. Each of them signed their name and handed the forms back.
Kakashi tucked the papers away. "By the way, all your classmates have been recommended as well. You'll probably face them during the exams."
Sasuke's lips curled into the faintest smirk. "Doesn't matter." Without another word, he turned and went back to training.
To him, the only rivals worth acknowledging were already in his squad. The rest were little more than noise.
From that point on, Kakashi stopped assigning missions, leaving them free to devote every ounce of energy to preparing for the exams.
And prepare they did.
Far across the training field, a figure dashed forward at high speed, leaving his teammates panting far behind. His grin was wide, his eyes shining with excitement.
"Big Brother Naruto!" he shouted breathlessly.
Ever since he had declared Naruto his big brother, Sasuke his second brother, and Hinata his sister-in-law, Konohamaru had been chasing after them with dogged persistence, eager to follow in their footsteps.
And with the Chunin Exams looming, his admiration only burned brighter.
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