In the bustling atmosphere of the academy, all the students from the first to third years were diligently preparing for their end-of-year exams.
The first and second years were preparing for the usual last exams of the year while the third years were preparing for their genin exams.
It was during this tense time for the students that Ryuji Mataka, a homeroom instructor, dropped an unexpected bombshell on his students. The announcement rippled through the air, causing whispers and exchanged glances among the surprised students.
Ryuji stood at the front of the class, his presence commanding attention. He cleared his throat as the room fell silent.
"Good morning, class. I have an important announcement," Ryuji began, his tone carrying a mix of gravity and excitement.
"The village has decided to open the application for early graduation to exceptional students who show outstanding progress. This is an opportunity for those who feel ready to step into the next phase of their ninja careers ahead of schedule."
The unexpected revelation hung in the air, and a murmur of surprise and curiosity swept through the students.
'Early Graduation? It's about time. This saves me one year of academy stress and time wasting. I really don't think that there is anything they can offer me at this point. So sign me up!'
Ryuji scanned the room, gauging the reactions of his students.
"This isn't a decision to be taken lightly. Early graduation means you'll be entering the field sooner than your peers. It's a chance to prove yourselves as capable shinobi and contribute to the village's well-being. If any of you are interested, there will be an application process. Discuss it with your families and guardians."
As the realization sank in, questions and whispers filled the room. Amidst the buzzing excitement and uncertainty, Ryuji left the room with a parting message,
"Think this over, discuss it with your parents and guardians and let me know if you choose to pursue this path. The choice is yours, and it's a significant one. Good luck."
'Do I need to consult my guardian? Well, Miwa is not around at the moment so who should I talk to about this? Let's hope that the academy will understand my situation.'
'Maybe I am being a bit rash. They could still be useful things that I could learn during my third year. I should first go through the syllabus, then decide.'
Once Renjiro thought things through, he became conflicted. On one hand, the allure of early graduation beckoned with promises of utilizing his advanced skills and making a tangible impact on the village.
He knew that the third shinobi war was inevitable. So graduating early would at least give him one more year of on-field experience. This would of course benefit him greatly.
Yet, amidst the allure, a nagging doubt whispered within the recesses of his mind. The academy, with its structured curriculum, offered more than just practical skills.
It was a crucible of strategic thinking, aspects Renjiro feared he might miss out on if he chose the path of early graduation. The prospect of entering the field with incomplete training left a lingering unease, a concern that the foundation of his abilities might be somewhat shaky.
On one side, the eagerness to embrace the challenges of the real world, and on the other, the recognition of the academy's role in sculpting a well-rounded shinobi.
The decision, it seemed, was not merely about skill and speed but a delicate balance between the allure of the unknown and the comfort of familiar grounds.
'Am I ready to be a genin? Well, I am sure My power level is genin level or even higher. But sparing and training is one thing, fighting in the field is a whole other thing. The risk is just too much!'
'I can't keep talking about risks, I should have already made peace with it when I realised which world I had gotten into. Delaying this won't help as eventually I will have to do what I gotta do to survive. Hopefully, I do get a good Jounin Sensei when I become a genin.'
Renjiro approached Ryuji immediately after class and asked him about the application process for Early Graduation.
"You need to have your parent or guardian's permission to apply for the genin exams." Ryuji clarified.
'Welp, it is as I thought.'
"But what if you have neither of those Ryuji- sama?"
'Why was I inconsiderate? I should have remembered that he is an orphan. Wait doesn't he stay at the Uchiha clan Compound?'
"Don't you have a guardian in the Uchia clan?"
"Yes I do but she has not been in the village for some time."
'I guess they are probably on a mission. If he was a civilian orphan then the process would be easier.'
"Then you should probably approach your clan head, it will make things easier for you."
"Okay, Ryuji sama. I will do so."
'It's been a while since I saw the clan head. Am sure it's been more than a year. I just hope that this will not bring any issues.'
In the evening, Renjiro made his way to the main hall of the Uchiha clan. It had been a while since he had been there but there were minimal changes to the building.
Renjiro was still an academy student, so he was not serving on the police force or old enough to attend the clan meetings, heck he wasn't even using the Uchiha name, so he hadn't had a lot of interactions with the building or even the clan head.
After three rapid knocks on the door, Renjiro heard Daichi's Husky voice asking him to enter. When he entered, he was met with Daichi and Fugaku who were clearly discussing an important matter.
'Fugaku is here. I guess the process of succession has already started. But Fugaku has a little brother. Does that matter or is the decision clear cut?'
"Renjiro! How are you?" Daichi politely inquired.
"I am doing well Daichi-sama,"
"That's good to know. How can I help you? I know you did not come just because you missed this old man's company." Daichi said with a burst of brisk laughter, prompting his son and Renjiro to also follow suit.
"Today at the academy, our Instructor Ryuji-sama informed us about the option of early graduation. I wanted to apply for it, but I was told I needed a guardian's consent. Since Miwa is not around, he advised me to come and see you."
As Renjiro was explaining his situation, Daichi and Fugaku shared a look. It was so brief that if Renjiro was not as perceptible as he was, he would not have noticed it all.
"That is good news Renjiro! I have also heard of your good performance at the academy. But are you sure you want to graduate early?"
"Yes, Ryuji-sama. I have carefully thought about it. I am ready."
Renjiro had the whole day to think about this. He concluded that not taking this opportunity would be very counterproductive.
"It is good that you have quite the Resolve Renjiro. Even Fugaku here graduated early so do not think that it is strange. If you are good enough to pass the exams, then you are old enough to be a genin."
Renjiro thanked him as he received the slip that required the guardian's permission.
'Thank God that barely took minutes. I should get back to training.'
Since no business kept him in Daichi's office, Renjiro bid them goodbye and excused himself. As he left, Fugaku posed a question to his father that he had yet to understand.
"Father, I know that you wanted him to be a part of the clan so that his Sharingan remains in the clan, but he does not even use our name. Why are we still allowing him to use the clan's resources?"
Fugaku was not asking the question because he felt some sort of way towards Renjiro leeching of the clan. In fact, he did not have any sort of feelings about the situation.
What he wanted to know was the meaning behind his father's strange action. He had seen his father treat some of his people way harsher, so he was not sure that his father suddenly became sentimental or generous.
"Fugaku, why do you think we discourage and not prohibit intermarrying between our clan and outsiders?"
"It is because they rarely awaken the Sharingan and if they do, they still have problems developing it or showing any talent at using it."
"Exactly! But Renjiro is a special case, Not only has it shown the normal behaviour but his Sharingan is now fully matured."
"What?!" Fugaku exclaimed, "To show that talent at such an age...."
Fugaku was shocked because he only got his third Tomoe when he was a genin. He was an exception Jounin, so he knew how much potential Renjiro had if his Sharingan fully matured even before becoming a genin.
"That is just the tip of the iceberg," Daichi added, " I have people who closely monitor him. With his talent, I will not be surprised if he inherited some of the Uzumaki benefits."
"He will be a powerful piece in the future, so we need to try our best to tie him to the clan. I was even thinking of arranging a marriage between him and your younger sister!"
Daichi did not know but the single decision to take in Renjiro forever changed the destiny of the Uchiha clan. Whether it would be for the good or worse, only time would tell.
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