The children who signed up for the ninja school streamed through the gates, brimming with excitement and nerves. A teacher led them to an open space for orientation. Meanwhile, outside the school gates, many parents gathered, casually chatting as they waited for the results of the entrance assessment.
Tsunade had left shortly after Raiden entered the school, leaving Kushina Uzumaki, Minato Namikaze, and Shinnosuke Sarutobi waiting outside. Kushina stayed out of concern for her younger brother, intending to take him home after his results were announced. Minato, as usual, stayed by Kushina's side.
Shinnosuke, on the other hand, seemed more familiar with the Nara family. The two stood near the gate, chatting with Shikaku. Shikaku's father had already left, leaving the boys to discuss their small, childlike concerns.
Inside the school, the children gathered in the open space began chatting among themselves. However, Raiden stood alone, exuding an aura that kept others at bay. He wasn't interested in making friends with what he considered immature kids. To him, most of the children present didn't seem capable of matching his intellect.
Suddenly, a timid voice broke through his thoughts.
"Uh… hello… my name is Shikadai Nara. Are you Raiden Uzumaki, from the Uzumaki clan?"
Raiden turned to see a boy with a familiar pineapple-shaped hairstyle standing nearby. He recognized him as the child he'd noticed earlier with the Nara family.
"Hello. Do you need something?" Raiden asked, trying to sound polite. Despite his disinterest in mingling, the Nara family intrigued him. He wondered if this boy might be related to Shikamaru.
Raiden forced a smile that he thought looked friendly enough. It seemed to ease Shikadai's nervousness.
"You seem… approachable after all," Shikadai mumbled, sighing in relief before continuing. "I noticed you standing alone, so I thought I'd see if you needed any help. I know a bit about the assessment, and I figured you might want to know."
Raiden's interest piqued when he heard this. "You know about the assessment?"
"Yes," Shikadai replied, nodding earnestly. "The assessment details were released a month ago. There are three parts: shuriken throwing, taijutsu, and survival in the wilderness. Don't you know?"
Raiden froze. He hadn't been informed about this at all.
"No one told me!" he blurted out, panic creeping into his voice. "Shuriken throwing? Wilderness survival? They expect kids to survive in the wilderness at this age? That's insane!"
As Shikadai continued explaining, Raiden's mood darkened. His years of training had never included survival skills or shuriken practice. His idea of ninja combat was far removed from these basic tasks—he had envisioned grand battles fought with power and strategy, not trivial exercises like shuriken throwing.
"Taijutsu should be fine," he thought, trying to calm himself. "I've trained hard enough to manage. Wilderness survival? I can probably fake my way through that—three days without food should be manageable. But shuriken… I've never practiced that!"
Raiden's confidence wavered as he mulled over his lack of preparation. His frustration grew, and Shikadai, sensing the tension, quietly excused himself to avoid further awkwardness.
Soon after, three ninja wearing forehead protectors appeared on a raised earthen platform. A moment later, a middle-aged man in a white Hokage robe joined them. The teacher leading the children coughed lightly to grab their attention.
"Kids, settle down," the teacher instructed loudly.
The playground quickly quieted, and the children's eyes turned toward the platform. The Hokage was someone they all recognized, and a chorus of excited whispers spread through the crowd.
"It's Lord Hokage!" one child exclaimed. Others followed, chanting his name with awe and admiration.
Raiden's attention was drawn to the man in the white robe—Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage. While the other children were captivated by his presence, Raiden couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching him closely. Activating his Kagura's perception, he scanned the area but found nothing unusual.
Hiruzen began his speech, addressing the children with a mix of inspiration and authority. For most of the children, it was a moment of excitement, filling them with dreams of becoming great ninjas. But for Raiden, who had already formed his own ideals, the speech felt long-winded and superficial.
After nearly thirty minutes, Hiruzen stepped aside, leaving the stage to the ninja school teacher. The teacher called for the children to group themselves by age: those under six to the left, six-to-eight-year-olds in the middle, and those over eight to the right.
Raiden joined the under-six group, where he noticed that most of the children wore clothing with ninja clan emblems. The other two groups had a mix of ninja and civilian children, though the older group had fewer participants.
The teacher explained the first assessment: shuriken throwing. Each child would have five throws at a target, scoring up to five points per throw. Passing scores varied by age group, with under-six-year-olds requiring the highest score—22 out of 25—to qualify.
Raiden's jaw dropped. The requirements for his age group were far stricter than the others. It was clear the school aimed to admit only the most promising young talents early, leaving others to try again at six.
Raiden hesitated, then raised his hand. "Excuse me," he called out.
The teacher paused, looking at him expectantly.
"If I fail one subject, can I still enter the ninja school?" Raiden asked, scratching the back of his head awkwardly. "Sorry, I haven't learned shuriken…"
The teacher studied Raiden, recognizing his red hair and the distinctive features of the Uzumaki clan. He realized this was Uzumaki Raiden, someone under the care of Lady Mito. Unsure how to respond, he hesitated.
Meanwhile, the Third Hokage's gaze lingered on Raiden with a curious smile, silently observing the boy who had captured his attention.
(End of Chapter)
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