Chapter 7: The Graduation Assessment, Hiruzen’s Obstruction

The summer sunlight beat down on the Ninja Academy, making the air unbearably hot.

However.

The group of people at the Ninja Academy right now was even more restless.

A group of people dressed in various outfits, most of them bearing the Uchiha clan’s fan-shaped crest, headed toward the Ninja Academy’s training ground.

They had all heard that two first-year students from their clan had simultaneously applied for early graduation.

Naturally, everyone was delighted that their clan had produced two geniuses.

After hearing that there would be a special graduation assessment today, they had all come over to watch.

"The clan leader’s Itachi, and the other one... Reiji, right? They’re planning to graduate when they’re barely over seven. Could they be two more geniuses like Shisui?"

"Itachi often trains with Shisui, so it’s normal for him to be stronger. But that child named Reiji—I heard he defeated Itachi in the practical combat assessment?"

To the Uchiha clan members, the clan leader’s eldest son was naturally very familiar.

They had even heard that despite his young age, Itachi had mastered the Great Fireball Technique after seeing his father perform it just once.

As for Reiji, an orphan, there was much less information about him.

"Little Reiji trains very hard too."

A gentle voice spoke, carrying a hint of indignation.

It was Izumi’s mother, Uchiha Hazuki.

Because Reiji’s parents had died when he was young, Izumi’s parents had taken on the role of his guardians.

In the middle of the crowd, Uchiha Fugaku, who usually wore little expression on his face, spoke.

"He did indeed defeat Itachi. Both of them have mastered the Great Fireball Technique, and apparently Reiji can even perform it without hand seals."

Whoosh!

The crowd suddenly erupted into an uproar.

A hand-seal-less Great Fireball?

You could use ninjutsu without forming hand seals?

Right then, an Uchiha shinobi tried performing the Great Fireball Technique without hand seals on the spot. In the end, he could only spit out a tiny flame, causing a burst of laughter.

A Fire Release of this level was completely useless in actual combat.

Several Jonin from the Police Force standing beside Uchiha Fugaku also spoke up.

"Come to think of it, I’ve tried using ninjutsu without hand seals before, but I couldn’t do it at all."

"Same here."

"Other than the Fourth Hokage’s special technique, the Rasengan, I’ve basically never heard of any ninjutsu that can be used without hand seals."

"I have no idea how that child managed it. Truly impressive."

As they talked while walking, the group soon arrived at the training ground.

Nearly all the students and teachers from the Ninja Academy had gathered there.

Sitting directly in front of the training ground was the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi!

Seeing Uchiha Fugaku and the others arrive, Hiruzen Sarutobi greeted them and offered a few words of congratulations.

Standing beside Hiruzen Sarutobi were two Genin.

One of them looked fairly relaxed, while the other was much more serious.

Sarutobi Aoki’s gaze occasionally swept toward Reiji in the distance as he recalled the instructions his clan leader and Hokage had given him earlier.

During the upcoming assessment, he would be fighting Uchiha Reiji.

Hiruzen Sarutobi had instructed him to fight seriously and prevent Reiji from passing the assessment, so that Reiji would remain at the Ninja Academy for several more years and receive more education in the Will of Fire.

Because he had been given a special mission, Aoki had reluctantly become somewhat serious.

However.

There were limits.

After all.

In Sarutobi Aoki’s eyes, his opponent was merely a seven-year-old child.

Even if he had slightly better talent and somewhat greater strength, how strong could he possibly be?

Aoki was already strong enough to participate in the Chunin Exams. Could he really be unable to deal with a child?

What a joke!

Even against a genuine Chunin, he had enough ability to hold his own.

The ones who truly ought to be serious and nervous were those two first-year brats who wanted to graduate early.

Under two patches of shade.

Reiji and Itachi were each resting with their eyes closed, completely ignoring the commotion around them as they waited for the battles to come.

The students on the other side, however, were chattering nonstop.

It was as though they were the ones graduating early, and they were all incredibly excited.

"Damn! Those two are so cool. I want everyone to look at me like that too!"

"They’re only first-years, yet they actually want to graduate early! Even we fourth-years wouldn’t dare dream of something like that!"

"Could they be nervous? Maybe they’re calming themselves down right now because they’re worried about making a mistake later."

"Nonsense! Reiji and Itachi are so strong. How could they possibly be nervous?"

"Now that I look at him, Reiji is pretty handsome too. How did I never notice before?"

"You were always looking at Itachi, weren’t you, fangirl? Reiji is mine!"

Izumi was among the crowd as well. Her ears twitched, and she scanned the crowd vigilantly, as though an antenna had suddenly started beeping inside her head.

Who was talking about Reiji?

When she saw that it was several girls from their class, Izumi’s little face became somewhat indignant.

Fangirls! Traitors!

Normally, you all surround Itachi. Why are you suddenly staring at my Reiji?

After seeing that the guardians of both Reiji and Itachi had arrived, Tamura-sensei stepped forward and announced.

"The Hokage has accepted Reiji and Itachi’s graduation applications, but they still need to pass an assessment."

"The Hokage has always taken geniuses seriously, but geniuses also need to be protected so that they do not die prematurely."

"Therefore, Reiji, Itachi, the two of you will fight against two Genin opponents. As long as you can last ten minutes without losing, you will pass the assessment and graduate as Genin."

After responding in acknowledgment, Reiji looked toward the two Genin who stepped forward from the opposite side.

One looked somewhat relaxed, while the other was slightly more serious.

The latter appeared considerably stronger.

He did not know which one would be his opponent.

But.

It did not matter.

Reiji glanced at his system panel.

[Overall Strength: Genin (Strong)]

[Sharingan Pupil Power: LV1 (35/50)]

[Chakra Amount: LV1 (45/50)]

LV1 in chakra reserves should correspond to the amount of chakra possessed by a Genin.

In terms of chakra reserves alone, he was already approaching the level of a Chunin.

Combined with his One-Tomoe Sharingan and hand-seal-less Great Fireball, dealing with a Genin—and only having to last ten minutes against him—should not be a problem.