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After a whole night of rest and recuperation,
The next day, early in the morning,
Sousuke, as usual, woke up early and prepared a meal for himself after washing up.
At this time, Kyōka Suigetsu once again appeared in her ethereal form. She didn't need to eat, so she reclined on a chair, her delicate hand supporting her head, gazing enchantingly at Sousuke bustling around. Her hazy eyes seemed infinitely satisfied.
Sousuke sat upright at the dining table, eating his rice delicately, giving off an inexplicable sense of peace and tranquility with every movement.
Kyōka Suigetsu sat across from him, looking at him with a satisfied smile on her face, as if it were her own cooking.
This kind of life... seems better than the days of constant fighting before...
Kyōka Suigetsu thought to herself, her lips parting lightly.
"Sousuke, do you really want to become the shadow of this world?"
Upon hearing her words, Sousuke's eating motion paused and he stopped.
"I want to protect something. If I don't have strong power, my fate will always be in the hands of others, and I don't like that feeling. Becoming the shadow would probably change that."
Sousuke said softly, then continued to chew and swallow slowly.
Kyōka Suigetsu remained silent, and everything returned to calmness, with only the faint sound of Sousuke's chopsticks colliding...
Protection... wanting to safeguard something... was I... the person you wanted to protect, Lord Aizen?
After finishing his meal, Sousuke set off for the ninja academy.
Today was a significant day for the school's ninja arts test, as well as the day to assess whether they could graduate from the ninja academy.
The sunlight was bright, and the warm rays bathed the village of Konoha. The bustling streets were filled with people, and birds chirped and danced on the power lines. It seemed destined to be a good day.
Accompanied by this thriving atmosphere, Sousuke arrived at the ninja academy.
Tsunade and others noticed him at this moment, and their brown eyes suddenly brightened as they waved to him.
"Sousuke! Over here."
For some reason, Tsunade felt a flutter in her heart every time she saw this brown-haired, glasses-wearing boy. The time spent together was very pleasant, and she yearned for that feeling.
When he walked over to her side, Tsunade's face turned rosy, and she looked at Sousuke with slightly shimmering eyes.
She thought, could it be... am I in love!?
Seeing Tsunade's unusual behavior, Sousuke couldn't help but worry and ask.
"Tsunade!? Are you feeling unwell?"
"How could that be? No, nothing at all. I'm fine, Sousuke. You don't need to worry." Upon hearing Sousuke's question, Tsunade nervously waved her hand and spoke incoherently.
"Hehe, Sousuke, you're overthinking. Look at Tsunade, she's like a female tyrannosaurus. How could illness be related to her!?"
Jiraiya laughed on the side, enjoying himself without a care in the world. But before he could finish his sentence, Tsunade punched him hard, causing his nose to bleed profusely.
The commotion caused by them caught the attention of the nearby students!
"Is that girl the precious gem of the Senju Clan!? She's so powerful. Will that guy with white hair die!?"
"What a terrifying person! They start fighting at the drop of a hat!"
"Look, isn't that the Sousuke who defeated Uchiha Shino? He looks quite ordinary in person."
The voices of the crowd discussing could be heard, but they didn't affect Sousuke and the others.
Everyone lined up and waited for the start of the ninja arts test.
After a while, the test officially began.
On an open space within the ninja academy.
In charge of this examination was the same teacher, Onoki, who had taught Sousuke and the others before. He stood on the side, holding a notebook and recording the performance of each student.
When it was Sousuke's turn, Teacher Onoki gave him a kind smile. He had always liked this outstanding, sensible, and polite student.
Sousuke had a gentle smile on his face. Suddenly, his gaze sharpened, and his hands swiftly formed seals!
"Shadow Clone Jutsu!" "Transformation Jutsu!" "Fire Release: Great Fireball Jutsu!"
"Substitution Jutsu!"
Suddenly, another Onoki appeared beside him!
The two of them simultaneously spewed a huge fireball from their mouths, attacking each other.
"Boom!"
Sousuke's Fire Release landed on the "Onoki," causing him to disappear on the spot. And when the "Onoki" spewed his Fire Release at Sousuke, a cloud of smoke instantly rose, and a wooden stake was burning in flames!
Meanwhile, Sousuke's real body slowly walked out from behind Teacher Onoki.
With a respectful bow, Sousuke politely concluded his test.
The other young students were dazzled by Sousuke's impressive performance, feeling a sense of awe towards his strength.
Even Tsunade couldn't help but look at Sousuke with a delighted expression. She never expected him to perform so excellently.
Teacher Onoki looked at Sousuke in astonishment and then revealed a content smile on his face. He smiled at Sousuke and took out the forehead protector symbolizing a Konoha ninja, saying,
"Sousuke, congratulations. You have successfully graduated from the ninja academy! This is the forehead protector of Konoha. Keep it well."
Sousuke respectfully accepted the forehead protector and tied it to his left arm.
Teacher Onoki looked at Sousuke with contentment, like a parent looking at their own child. He knew all too well the number of talented young ninja like Sousuke that would be stifled in the terrifying ninja battlefield he had retired from.
He stared intently at Sousuke and earnestly said,
"Sousuke, even though you're now a Genin, you must continue to work hard. Only then can you survive on the battlefield when the big war comes. Do you understand?"
Hearing Teacher Onoki's words, Sousuke nodded thoughtfully and looked deeply into his eyes, bowing lightly.
"I will continue to work hard, Teacher Onoki!"
Receiving Sousuke's reply, Teacher Onoki was clearly pleased.
The test continued.
Just as Sousuke and the others were about to leave after Tsunade also passed the exam successfully, they noticed another figure on a different open space, a green figure that caught Sousuke's attention!
"Can we pause for a moment?"
Sousuke looked at that figure and gently said to Tsunade and the others.
"What's wrong, Sousuke?"
Tsunade looked at Sousuke with a puzzled expression, and then everyone followed Sousuke's gaze to that direction!