Hiruzen Sarutobi looked deeply at Shiro, an impossible hypothesis beginning to form in his experienced mind.
*Could he have...? No, that's absurd,* Hiruzen thought. Even hailed prodigies like Shisui Uchiha, Itachi Uchiha, or Kakashi Hatake couldn't achieve something of this magnitude at this age.
Noticing the Hokage's intense scrutiny, Shiro decided to casually drop the bomb he had prepared.
"It's an original ninjutsu I created myself."
His calm, even words once again caused the entire classroom to erupt into chaos.
"What?! How is that possible, Shiro? You shouldn't joke with Lord Hokage about something so serious!" Iruka scolded, his eyes wide. He genuinely thought Shiro was pulling an ill-timed prank.
Shiro was barely a teenager; the theoretical knowledge and chakra manipulation required to invent a stable, high-level ninjutsu from scratch took decades of study. How could a student possibly create his own jutsu?
"No, Iruka. Shiro is not joking," Hiruzen stated, his expression becoming incredibly solemn.
He knew the boy wasn't lying. Furthermore, when it came to analyzing ninjutsu, Hiruzen Sarutobi was unmatched in the current era. His title as the 'Professor of Shinobi' was well-earned.
"The chakra molding process and the hand seal—singular, mind you—that Shiro used just now were completely unique," Hiruzen explained to the stunned room.
*Of course it was unique,* Shiro thought wryly. *Who else activates a high-level cloning technique by just casually clapping their hands together?*
"So... Shiro actually invented an S-rank ninjutsu all by himself?!" Ino gasped, her breathing quickening as she stared at the boy in awe. It sounded like something out of a legend.
Sasuke, standing rigid near the front, felt a crushing wave of despair wash over him.
*He invented his own jutsu?* Sasuke began to bitterly regret his earlier arrogance. Why had he ever bothered comparing himself to Shiro? Shiro was playing an entirely different game, existing in a league completely out of his reach. It made sense now why Shiro never paid him any mind; a dragon doesn't notice an ant. This realization instantly plunged the usually proud Uchiha into a state of deep, brooding depression.
"Then... Lord Hokage, regarding the result of this examination?" Iruka asked hesitantly, feeling entirely out of his depth.
How could a mere Chunin instructor dare to evaluate a genius who casually invented S-rank techniques? Iruka deferred the final judgment to the highest authority in the room.
"Shiro has more than proven his capabilities. His performance has far surpassed the parameters of a simple academy exam," Hiruzen declared, his voice carrying the weight of his office. He looked at the boy with profound pride.
"From this day forward, I believe it is safe to bestow upon Shiro the title of Konoha's Number One Genius."
The classroom fell dead silent.
Konohagakure had been founded decades ago, and it had seen its fair share of prodigies—Orochimaru, Minato, Itachi. However, the Hokage had never officially, publicly bestowed the absolute title of 'Number One Genius' upon anyone. It was a heavy crown, one that usually invited jealousy and dispute, as it was impossible to please everyone.
But Shiro's sheer, undeniable talent shattered any potential debate. He wasn't even technically a Genin yet, but he had invented an S-rank jutsu, awakened the mythical Wood Style, and possessed the legendary Senju bloodline.
Not a single person in that room, or likely the entire village, dared to stand up and contest that title.
Shiro, however, felt remarkably indifferent to the grand proclamation.
*It's just a fancy title,* he thought, suppressing a sigh. He didn't care much for the spotlight.
But his internal apathy didn't stop the rest of the class from immediately erupting into deafening cheers, chanting his name.
---
While the rest of the class celebrated Shiro's unprecedented success, one person felt the crushing weight of reality settling heavily upon his shoulders.
Naruto Uzumaki stood frozen, his face pale.
"How am I supposed to follow *that*?" Naruto muttered, his expression blank.
With Shiro's literal god-tier performance acting as the immediate precedent, Naruto had to bite the bullet and take his turn. He stepped up to the podium, his hands shaking slightly as he formed the seal.
"Clone Jutsu!"
*Poof.*
Under everyone's scrutinizing gaze, a pathetic, pale, and thoroughly deflated illusion of Naruto flopped onto the floor, looking like a poorly made balloon animal dying a slow death.
"This idiot..." Shikamaru groaned, rubbing his temples in secondhand embarrassment.
The next second, the tension in the classroom broke, and the entire room burst into raucous laughter at the pathetic display.
"Naruto..." Iruka sighed heavily, pinching the bridge of his nose.
He knew how desperately Naruto wanted to become a Genin, how hard he practiced in his own chaotic way. But Iruka's hands were tied; he had to uphold the standards of the academy. A failure was a failure.
"Now, now, Iruka-sensei, let's not be too rigid," Mizuki interjected smoothly, flashing a sympathetic smile.
Since the Hokage was personally observing today, Mizuki bravely stepped up to 'plead' for the demon fox he secretly despised. It was all a calculated performance to gain Naruto's trust for later tonight. "I think Naruto's performance today showed great effort. Perhaps we could pass him?"
"Lord Hokage?" Iruka looked toward Hiruzen, hoping for guidance.
Unexpectedly, the Third Hokage remained entirely impassive, observing the scene with a cool gaze.
"Iruka, you are the designated examiner for this class. You do not need to defer to my opinion on standard grading," Hiruzen stated simply.
"Understood, Lord Hokage," Iruka nodded, turning back to his clipboard. "Uzumaki Naruto... Fail."
The words struck Naruto like a physical blow. He stood there, entirely dejected, the vibrant energy completely drained from his body as if he had lost all hope in the world.
---
Later that afternoon, after the exams concluded and the newly minted Genin excitedly dispersed to celebrate with their families, Shiro found his path blocked.
"Shiro... please. You have to help me figure out a way to pass!"
Naruto stood in the middle of the street, looking at Shiro with the pitiful, desperate eyes of a kicked puppy.
In all of Konoha, Shiro was practically the only person Naruto felt he had a somewhat close, normal relationship with. And after witnessing Shiro's absolute dominance in the exam, Naruto truly believed Shiro was the only one who could offer a miraculous solution.
"Naruto, you have to understand something fundamental," Shiro said, placing a firm, encouraging hand on the blonde's shoulder. "You are fundamentally different from everyone else in that classroom."
"Don't waste your time struggling with basic, delicate ninjutsu like the E-rank Clone. Those parlor tricks aren't meant for someone with your... unique constitution," Shiro advised, his eyes serious.
"Then... what should I be focusing on?" Naruto asked, a hint of confused hope returning to his face.
"Brute force and overwhelming numbers. Specifically, the Shadow Clone Jutsu and the Rasengan," Shiro stated plainly.
Shiro naturally knew exactly what suited Naruto's massive chakra reserves. As someone destined to spam Rasengan variations for the next seven hundred episodes, Naruto shouldn't waste a second on anything else.
"I mean, I've heard the Hokage mention the Shadow Clone today, but what the heck is a Rasengan?" Naruto scratched his head, feeling incredibly confused.
"I'll explain the details later. How about this: sneak over to my apartment at midnight tonight, and I'll tell you exactly what we need to do to get you that headband," Shiro instructed, keeping his voice low.
Shiro was being incredibly cautious with his wording. He was actively utilizing his sensory abilities to check for Anbu surveillance. Fortunately, the coast was clear; it seemed the Hokage's guard detail had returned to the tower with him.
"Midnight? Okay, I'll be there!" Naruto agreed instantly, overjoyed that Shiro was actually willing to help him. The crushing gloom from his failure vanished entirely.
Shiro watched Naruto sprint away, a calculated smirk forming on his face.
*This is going to be interesting,* Shiro thought. He couldn't wait to see the look on Hiruzen's face when this played out.
---
Time passed quickly. After spending the evening familiarizing himself with the First Hokage's cultivation notes, midnight rapidly approached.
"Before Naruto gets here, I should probably do my daily sign-in," Shiro murmured. The clock had just struck twelve, marking a new day.
"System, sign in."
[Ding! Congratulations to the Host for obtaining the Purple Entry: Forbidden Secret Art - Instant Hell Murder Formation!]
"Instant Hell Murder Formation?" Shiro read the description, his eyebrows shooting up in surprise.
[Description: An advanced spatial Bloodline Limit technique. The user becomes momentarily untargetable, dashing forward to leave a tangible Shadow Clone in their original position while simultaneously marking the target. Re-activating the technique allows the user to instantaneously swap spatial positions with the marked clone or target.]
"Okay, this is actually incredibly strong," Shiro muttered, genuinely impressed.
This wasn't just a standard ninjutsu; the system had classified it as a spatial Bloodline Limit. Beyond the basic combat application the system described, Shiro's Heaven-Defying Comprehension immediately visualized the broader potential: ultra-long-distance teleportation, dynamic spatial swapping during combat, and absolute evasion.
"Well, with this in my arsenal, tonight's little heist just became significantly easier."
*Knock! Knock! Knock!*
"Shiro? Are you in there? It's me!" Naruto's hushed, excited whisper drifted through the door.
Shiro opened the door and quickly pulled the blonde ninja inside.
"So, Shiro, what's the big secret? Do you really have a foolproof plan to help me pass?" Naruto asked, practically bouncing on his heels with nervous energy.
"It's simple, Naruto. You only need to master one specific, high-level ninjutsu to prove your worth and pass the exam," Shiro explained smoothly. "However, the scroll containing this jutsu is highly restricted. The only way to learn it is to 'borrow' it from the Hokage Tower."
Shiro didn't bother hiding the reality of the upcoming action. Naruto needed to know the objective.
"Steal it? From the Hokage?!" Naruto's eyes widened momentarily before his face broke into a determined grin. "Alright! If that's what it takes to become a ninja, I'll go steal it right now!"
Shiro was mildly surprised by Naruto's absolute lack of hesitation. The kid was incredibly adaptable when his dream was on the line.
"Hold on, you can't just run in there alone and expect to succeed," Shiro grabbed Naruto's shoulder to stop him from bolting out the door. "The security is tight. Fortunately, there are a few restricted jutsu I need to 'borrow' as well. I'll go with you and help you get past the guards."
"Wait, really?! You'd risk getting in trouble to help me?!" Naruto gasped, genuinely touched by the offer.
__________________________
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