The graduation exam was nothing special.
It was the basic test that every Ninja Academy student had to pass to become a genin: first a written exam with questions on history, tactics, and ninja fundamentals, and then the really important part, the practical. If you failed that, everything else didn't matter.
Tsunade went out when her name was called.
She advanced with confidence, made the hand signs smoothly, and in the blink of an eye, her figure was enveloped in smoke. When it dissipated, the transformation was clean, stable, and flawless.
The professor nodded, satisfied.
—Passed.
Returning to the others, Tsunade lifted her chin, clearly proud. There were several glances on her… but not the one that mattered.
In a corner of the classroom, sitting carelessly, was her little brother Nawaki. Staring at the ceiling. Or the wall. Or nothing in particular.
He hadn't even looked at her.
Tsunade's mouth twisted.
—Tch…
She clearly remembered the day Grandma Mito told her that Nawaki would enroll in the academy at only five years old. At that moment, Tsunade had thought it was crazy.
To her, her brother was nothing but a stupid idiot. Strong in constitution, yes, but dense as a rock.
And yet, that "idiot" advanced through the grades at an absurd speed. From first year to final year in no time. To the point that now he was there, taking the same graduation exam as her.
The worst part was that he had already passed the written test.
And when she thought about the practical test, another memory soured her mood even more.
Once, months ago, she tried to hit him on the head after he rudely responded to one of her comments. Her hand passed through his skull… and all she found was smoke.
Smoke that dissipated right in front of her face.
It wasn't until later, at home, that she saw him sitting calmly at the table, eating as if nothing were wrong alongside Grandma.
Noah then had to explain to this gorilla-like sister that for practically the entire year, he had been sending a clone to the academy. When he discovered they weren't teaching him anything interesting, he simply let the clone attend in his place while he went off to train on his own.
Tsunade almost had a fit when she heard that back then.
As she watched her brother sitting in a corner, totally indifferent, Tsunade gritted her teeth.
—Just wait… —she murmured.
Right then, the professor spoke again.
—Next. Nawaki Senju.
Hearing his name, Noah got up and walked calmly in front of the professor.
—You may begin —the man said.
Without wasting a second, Noah performed the Transformation Jutsu and became an exact copy of the professor. The illusion was perfect. Upon dispelling it, the instructor nodded with satisfaction and signaled for him to return to his seat.
After a few more tests, it was time for the final exam: the Clone Jutsu. Unlike Naruto's Shadow Clone or Noah's Wood Clone, which could attack and were nearly indistinguishable from the original, this jutsu created a duplicate with no real abilities, meant only to confuse the enemy.
Noah stood before the examiner in the adjacent room. With a precise gesture, he activated the jutsu. In front of him appeared an identical clone, exact in appearance.
—Haha! Well done, Nawaki! —the professor exclaimed enthusiastically—. As expected of the First Hokage's grandson! You're the youngest person to pass the academy graduation: only one year after enrolling and at five years old! The previous record was twice your age!
The professor, who had taught Noah all year, was beaming.
—Congratulations! You are now officially a genin.
He handed him a diploma and the emblematic forehead protector engraved with the Leaf symbol.
Noah thanked him with a nod and left the classroom. Outside, Tsunade was waiting for him, her own protector already in place, showing she had also passed.
—Hey, stop bothering me! —Noah protested.
—Hold still and let me put your protector on properly —Tsunade retorted, pinching his cheeks.
—Why that?
—To know if you're a clone or the real one.
Noah had no choice but to let his immature sister play with his head as they returned together to the Senju clan residence.
Upon arriving, they found Mito waiting for them with a small banquet to celebrate their graduation.
…
Tobirama was seated behind the Hokage's desk, his jacket still on. He had recently returned from an expedition, and the fatigue showed on his shoulders, although the mountain of documents before him hadn't diminished in the slightest. The war was going badly, and each report seemed worse than the last.
One of the files, however, managed to draw his attention from the rest.
The name on the cover was all too familiar.
—Nawaki Senju…
He read the contents unhurriedly, and his eyebrows arched in surprise upon reaching the final results.
Five years old. Only one year in the academy. Exam passed without fault.
Tobirama let out a short exhale through his nose.
—Well, well… —he murmured.
He remembered the child raised by Mito. Quiet, polite, always keeping a certain distance. Unlike Tsunade, who never missed an opportunity to talk to or argue with him, Nawaki seemed to deliberately avoid him, as if afraid.
—A genin at five years old…
He closed the file and rested his fingers on the cover.
—It seems my Senju clan won't be so easily erased from the village. With this boy showing such talent, I don't have to worry about the Senju name being forgotten by history.
—He needs experience, especially on the battlefield.
War was no place for a child barely five years old, but the talent shown by Noah was too great to waste.
—Now… who should I assign to this boy?
He thought about the available instructors. Most were busy or directly deployed. Others were too ambitious, the type of shinobi who would see the child as a tool before a student.
Finally, he wrote a name.
He sealed the document and set it aside for an assistant to pick up later.
Tobirama leaned back in his chair, staring at the ceiling.
—Let's see what kind of path you choose, Nawaki… The world is not usually kind to prodigies.
…
A week passed almost without Noah noticing.
Back at the academy, the newly graduated occupied their seats; the atmosphere today was different from previous days. Now they were no longer simple students.
The instructor positioned himself in front of the class and cleared his throat before speaking.
—As of today, you are officially ninjas. To get here, you've passed tests and faced difficulties, but don't fool yourselves —he paused briefly—. That was nothing. What comes now will be much harder.
Some straightened up in their seats.
—You are genin. Lower-ranked shinobi. From now on, you will work in teams of three. Each team will be led by a jōnin, an elite shinobi.
Tsunade rested her chin on her hand and scanned the classroom with her gaze.
Who will I be with…?
And who will they put with Nawaki?
Noah, on the other hand, was distractedly watching the clouds.
—The Hokage has returned for a few days…
Surely he's already read my file.
He wasn't as worried about his team as he was about the assigned jōnin. That could indeed make a difference.
The instructor resumed speaking.
—Teams are formed seeking balance. Different strengths, complementary abilities.
—Team 1:…
—Team 4:…
—Team 6: Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Orochimaru.
Tsunade blinked and immediately turned her head. She quickly identified her new teammates. One looked like an incurable slacker. The other… she simply didn't like.
—Great… —she murmured, letting out a sigh—. Off to a good start.
She had no choice, so she leaned back in her seat again.