Time has passed once more, and finally, my graduation exam!
Itachi will be taking it along with me, but he will be posted to a genin team after passing, unlike me.
I was surprised at the contents of the exam though.
In the narutoverse Academy, the exams are way basic - a written exam and a practical exam, consisting of testing the transformation technique and the clone technique.
Apparently, with a younger Hokage filled to the brim with new and progressive ideas like Minato-nii-sama, and this universe seemingly being different from my past life's, things are no longer the same.
Although the third shinobi war is over, the Academy curriculum and exams has not laxed (I still am already pre-taught by the best and acing it all though), and no civilian council has sought to change things for their benefit either.
So you can imagine my surprise when the chunin examiner has asked me to perform not only a henge and bushin jutsu, but also to break out of a chunin's genjutsu, and performing a Shunshin no Jutsu as well. Huh.
Also, while not to the difficulty of a chunin's exam, the written exam paper is not to the point of elementary. It consisted of the basics of human knowledge - addition, subtraction, multiplication, you name it, to real important shinobi know-how's that are still considered need-to-know basics. Like reading and writing down the exact correct paragraph by reading an almost illegible handwritten one, to answering questions regarding the shinobi rules that could be found in the handbook.
Neat. Useful, practical, and effective. Thank god Minato-nii-sama is the hokage still. I mean, from what I heard from the chunin examiner, the changes to the course and exams were only implemented last year. They were to only start the changes to the classes, not the exams. Only after a year or two, would they use the new exam format for the new graduates, and to have a refresher course for those genin's who missed the updated exam, to be tested.
But the Hokage has told the teachers that both me and Itachi could handle it, so it we were given the new test instead.
He's not wrong through, both me and Itachi passed with high grades.
So he and me strutted out of the Academy gates with the marks of the best and highest scoring shinobi and kunoichi of the year, and our brand new forehead protector's.
I was hugged by Kaa-chan who was waiting at the gates, while Itachi got his cheeks squished by Mikoto-obasan, and his hair ruffled by a stern faced man whom I remember is Uchiha Fugaku, Mikoto-obasan's husband, and Itachi and Sasuke's father.
"Mikoto-obasan, Uchiha-sama, good afternoon to you both." I greeted them with a smile.
"Aa - Kanako-chan! I see you graduated as well! Congratulations on becoming a genin." Mikoto-obasan smiled back at me.
""Good afternoon, Tsunade-sama."" Both the father and son duo seemingly overlapped each other, which made me giggle.
Uchiha Fugaku looked down towards me. "So, you must be the Kanako-hime I've heard much about from my wife and son." I gulped. "Please call me Oji-san instead." He gave an impossibly small smile while nodding towards me.
"Afternoon! Congratulations on graduating, Itachi." Kaa-chan noted.
Itachi nodded in thanks, while Mikoto-obasan said that she made dango's at home for him, and his eyes shone.
"Tsunade-sama, do you want to come over for lunch with Kanako-chan?" Mikoto-obasan invited.
Kaa-chan shook her head, "Thanks, but maybe next time? I had also already prepared lunch at home."
After a few small talks, we said our goodbyes. "Fugaku-ojisan, Mikoto-obasan, Itachi, see you again next time! Ah. Bye bye to you to, Sasuke."
Right. Little baby Sasuke was in a sling carrier on Mikoto-obasan's body.
Both families part ways as we made our way home, me hand in hand with Kaa-chan, with Kashi again trailing behind us in the shadows.
"I made curry for dinner, but for lunch, we'll have omurice and a salad."
Ooh! Curry! Can't wait for dinner.
I started hopping my way back home at that thought, and Kaa-chan couldn't help but laugh.
•
"Have you packed your spare clothes?"
"Hai ~"
"Your toiletries? Comb?"
"Hai ~!"
"Your pillow?"
"... Hai."
"And your medical books?"
"... Kaa-chan, I'll be coming back for a few days after each month. I don't need to bring books there."
"But you wouldn't know!" Kaa-chan refuted. "Plus, you can't just trouble them to reverse summon you back every time!"
"... So you don't want me to come back after each month?"
"... Don't bring your books then."
Hehe.
Kaa-chan fussed me about as it was time for me to depart to Seikatsu Forest.
Of course, Kashi is also fussing silently in the background.
How I knew that?
Well, if you see his palms rubbing together, and his back and forth footsteps, wanting to step towards me, and his eyes flicking left and right ... yep.
I'll be spending at least two years studying with Akaharu-baa-chan in Seikatsu Forest, only occasionally coming back home for a short break.
In my mind, I decided that not only would I spend two years studying, I would also spend that time sorting my thoughts about ... everything.
About my past life.
About my memories.
It's not like I haven't thought about it. But more like, I have yet to dedicate time to ponder, and think through things.
Also, as the second oldest summon and living animal - according to Akaharu-baa-chan herself, I probably would get most of my answers from her.
About the Sage of Six Paths.
About ... Ah! Dumb me. I've forgotten previously. How could Otsutsuki Hagoromo NOT exist?! I realized as I remembered the only name on the contract scroll I had signed.
Otsutsuki Kanna. Otsutsuki Asura's wife. Otsutsuki Hagoromo son's wife. Otsutsuki Hagoromo's daughter-in-law.
So how could Otsutsuki Hagoromo NOT exist?!
... See? That is why I seriously need time to really sort out things in my brain.
And also ...
I looked towards the hesitant and constantly twitching Kashi.
Yep. Definitely need to think about things.
Thoroughly.