"Listen up, everyone," he called out, his voice carrying across the grounds. "The results of the first exam have been tallied. We've set up a scoreboard with the rankings. Those whose names appear are eligible for the next test. If your name isn't listed... well, there's always next year."
A collective gasp rippled through the crowd, followed by a flurry of whispers and anxious glances. Some children bounced on their toes, eager to see their results, while others hung back, fear etched on their young faces.
Ryu Hamura stood calmly at the edge of the group, his blue eyes scanning the scene. He noticed the children from ninja clans lingering at the far end of the assembly, seemingly unconcerned about checking the results. Their casual postures and quiet conversations stood in stark contrast to the anxious fidgeting of the other children.
"Look at them," Ryu thought, his eyes narrowing slightly. "So confident, so assured. It's like they've already won before the game has even begun. They must already know they've passed. The clan kids have been trained since birth for this. It's almost a foregone conclusion for them."
He glanced at his imaginary heads-up display, confirming the count of every child that had run past him during the race. The floating numbers above each candidate's head told him everything he needed to know.
"I bet the top clan kids counted that as well," he mused. "At least the top 10 must have. That's why they don't seem eager to even look at the scoreboard. Talk about an unfair advantage."
As the crowd surged towards the scoreboard, Ryu held back, watching as the first wave of children returned. Just as he had predicted, they were all from civilian backgrounds, disappointment evident in their slumped shoulders and downcast eyes.
One boy, tears welling in his eyes, muttered to his friend, "I knew we didn't stand a chance against those ninja clans."
His friend, a girl with pigtails, patted his shoulder. "Don't give up," she said, her voice wavering. "We'll train harder and make it next year for sure!"
Ryu felt a pang of sympathy for the pair, remembering the harsh words of the Hyuga girl earlier. He wanted to offer some words of encouragement but decided against drawing attention to himself.
Ryu knew his result from his memory, but his eyes quickly found his name even on the scoreboard with his [Improved Eyesight].
Ryu Hamura - Rank 15.
He had achieved exactly what he'd aimed for. A small smile played on his lips.
Scanning the names above his, Ryu noted the clan affiliations: Hyuga, Senju, Uchiha, and others, all from famous clans. Even the Sarutobi and Shimura clans were on the list of top 15.
"A regular who's who of Konoha's elite," he thought wryly. As his subconscious mind began to cross-reference the scoreboard he had just looked at with the rank of the race and face he had remembered from his experience, names began to appear over the faces of people. He can now identify every top ranker by name and face.
"More than half the initial group has been eliminated," Ryu observed quietly, taking in the thinned crowd. "Just as expected."
The proctor's voice cut through the murmurs of the remaining children. "The next test will be Shurikenjutsu. Please line up in order of your previous ranking. Everyone will be scored on the spot, and the previous score will be used as a tiebreaker in case of a tie."
"Clever," Ryu thought, nodding approvingly. "They're not just testing our skills, but our ability to perform under pressure too by scoring them in real time."
First was the Hyuga girl who came first in the test run. She hit every throw in the bullseye with ease and scored a perfect score.
As Ryu took his place in line, he recalled his grandfather's words about this test. "Remember, Ryu," Dan had said, his voice echoing in Ryu's memory, "this test is more about eyesight than aim. They're looking for potential, not perfection. Aim can be developed through training, but the academy doesn't want students with poor vision. Although blind kids are sometimes selected, that's under exceptional circumstances. Like if they can see with their ears or something equally ninja-like or they have some sort of unique ability."
Kenji Uchiha, who had boasted earlier, stepped up first. With fluid movements, he launched shuriken after shuriken, each one hitting the bullseye with a satisfying thud. He turned back to the crowd, a smug grin plastered across his face.
"25 out of 25, perfect score," the proctor announced.
"Beat that, if you can," Kenji Uchiha sneered, his eyes lingering on the non-clan children.
"Arrogance," Ryu thought, his jaw tightening. "Typical Uchiha trait. That's the downfall of many great shinobi. Pride comes before a fall, and in the ninja world, falls tend to be from very high places."
A few kids shuffled nervously, intimidated by the display. Ryu noticed a young Nara boy, Noboru Nara, roll his eyes at the Uchiha's bravado, muttering "Troublesome" under his breath. "At least someone here has their head screwed on straight," Ryu thought, suppressing a smile.
The Hyuga children performed admirably as well, their aim precise and calculated. Other clan children followed, their performances varying but all showing clear signs of prior training.
When Ryu's turn came, he stepped forward, feeling the weight of the shuriken in his hand. He knew he could hit the target with ease, but that wasn't his goal.
He glanced at his imaginary heads-up display, which showed names, scores, and rankings. "I should aim for 15th rank again," he thought. "And score just below the 14th rank."
With carefully controlled movements, he threw the shuriken, purposely missing the bullseye by small margins. Each throw was a delicate balance between showing competence and hiding his true skills. Ryu felt sweat beading on his forehead, not from exertion, but from the mental strain of maintaining his facade.
As he finished, Ryu caught sight of the Hokage standing off to the side, observing the proceedings. The proctor called out the scores, and Ryu found himself ranked 15th once again. He could almost feel the Hokage's gaze boring into him, and he struggled to keep his face neutral.
"This kid is impossible," the Hokage murmured to Kakashi, a smile playing on his lips. "Who does he think he's fooling? 15th in both tests? It's too perfect to be a coincidence."
Kakashi nodded, his visible eye crinkling in amusement. "He's certainly not fooling anyone with experience. It's like watching a cat pretend to be a mouse... and doing a surprisingly good job at it."
As the children gathered for the final test, the proctor explained, "This last exam is not about performance, but about potential. We'll be testing your chakra to identify those with exceptional capacity."
Ryu felt a flutter of nervousness in his stomach. This was the test he had been most concerned about. His Uzumaki heritage gave him naturally large chakra reserves, and he wasn't sure how to hide that fact.
"Stay calm," he told himself, taking deep breaths. "Just focus on suppressing your chakra as much as possible."
The Hokage pulled the proctor aside, speaking in low tones. "When you test the boy named Ryu Hamura, I want you to alter his results. Report them as normal, regardless of what you sense. And I want you to report your actual findings to me in secret."
The proctor's brow furrowed in confusion, but he nodded. "As you wish, Lord Hokage."
One by one, the children were called forward to be tested by a sensor ninja. Some emerged looking pleased, others disappointed. When it was Ryu's turn, he approached the sensor with trepidation.
"Alright, young man," the sensor said kindly. "I need you to sit in front of me and mold your chakra. Can you do that?"
Ryu nodded, taking a deep breath as he sat down. Shutting his eyes, he concentrated on suppressing his chakra. He felt the familiar warmth spreading through his body, hoping against hope that the sensor wouldn't recognise the distinct feel of Uzumaki chakra.
The sensor's eyes widened momentarily, but he quickly schooled his features into a neutral expression. "Very good," he said, his voice betraying nothing. "You're all set."
As Ryu walked away, he couldn't shake the feeling that his secret might not be as safe as he'd hoped. He glanced towards the Hokage, who was watching him with an unreadable expression.
The day's events had left Ryu feeling drained, both physically and mentally. As he made his way home, his mind raced with thoughts of what the future might hold. He had passed the entrance exams, but at what cost? Had his attempts at staying under the radar actually drawn more attention to himself?
"Maybe I should have performed better," he mused. "No, i needed to show that brat his place."
As he walked, a small part of him couldn't help but feel a twinge of excitement. Despite his efforts to blend in, he had caught the attention of the Hokage himself.
"At least things won't be boring." Ryu thought with a wry smile.
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