"Sasuke-kun, you—"
"Where's Iruka?"
"Sensei hasn't arrived yet… He's probably still in the office."
Sakura froze, instinctively responding.
Sasuke's expression was terrifying.
It was the first time she'd ever seen him look like that.
BANG!
Sasuke stormed out, slamming the door behind him as he rushed toward the staff room.
"What just happened? Damn it, Forehead! Did you annoy Sasuke again by hovering over him all day? "
Ino had just returned through the back door with water.
"How dare you! Ino-pig, don't make false accusations! "
Sakura snapped back, fuming.
Shikamaru sighed silently, then lazily added, "It's probably because of that upperclassman, Yanagi Chiba. There's a rumor he graduated early to join the Medical Corps."
"What?!"
Sakura stood there stunned.
"No way! "
Kiba and Ino shouted at the same time—even Choji, who usually didn't care about school gossip, turned his head.
Wasn't early graduation canceled years ago?
"I heard Lord Hokage came to the academy himself yesterday," Shikamaru said, casual as always.
"…"
The entire class fell into silence.
The Hokage came personally?
Then it must be true.
"Hey, hey, did you guys hear? Some upperclassman is graduating early—uh, graduating from what again? "
Naruto burst into the room with his usual whirlwind energy.
Sakura twitched. This guy… what can I even say at this point?
"Early graduation."
"Yeah, yeah, that! They're all in some kind of exam or something—oh! Iruka-sensei's here! "
He scrambled to his seat to avoid getting scolded again.
A few seconds later, Iruka walked in with Sasuke, who silently returned to his seat.
Iruka looked around the room and sighed.
"Alright, I'm sure you've all heard the rumors. It's true. Yanagi Chiba has officially graduated early. But just so you know, he didn't take a regular graduation test—he was given questions at the genin and even chunin level."
"Huh?!"
"Alright, let's get started. I'm handing out your written exams now."
Iruka began distributing the test papers.
Originally, he hadn't planned to give this version of the exam—it would have crushed their spirits. But Sasuke had insisted on taking it back in the office. So he figured if everyone took it, maybe they'd all come to understand just how big the gap between them and Chiba really was.
Maybe that realization would drive them to improve.
The classroom quickly fell into dead silence, broken only by the soft scratching of pens on paper. Iruka closed his eyes to rest—he wasn't even going to bother watching for cheating.
None of them were getting full marks anyway.
Besides, the real reason he shut his eyes?
Their cheating was just too pathetic. If he kept them open, he'd end up slamming his desk in frustration.
Let them try their best.
Minutes passed. Then more.
Some students began sweating nervously.
It's too hard!
Sakura furrowed her brow as she struggled. Some of the questions, especially the ones about combat scenarios and tactical judgment, were difficult for her. Still, she managed to complete the paper in the end.
The moment Sakura set down her pen, Ino used her Mind-Body Switch Technique to try and copy answers.
Eventually—
"Time's up. Pass your papers forward," Iruka said, opening his eyes.
"Huh? Already?! "
Groans erupted around the room. Even the clan kids—like Shikamaru—looked frustrated.
Being smart doesn't mean you're studious.
Those were two different things.
Iruka gathered the test papers and sat down to start grading.
After some time, he smiled faintly.
"The top score was Haruno Sakura with 80 points. Second was Uchiha Sasuke with 76. As for the rest… most didn't pass, and those who did—you know how you got your scores."
"…"
No one dared to argue.
Sakura glanced at Sasuke, who looked like he was about to speak, his face twisted with frustration. So she raised her hand first.
"Sensei… is 80 a passing score? "
Iruka chuckled. "Chiba got a perfect score."
Then, with a calm smile, he added, "And according to the Hokage, Chiba's second test was to force a shadow clone of his to use something other than taijutsu."
"What?! But—he can't even use ninjutsu! "
Sakura blurted out her disbelief.
Sasuke clenched his fists tightly.
A shadow clone…
Even if it was "just" a clone, it was a clone of the Hokage. For someone to force it to use anything beyond taijutsu was insane.
That guy… that guy who couldn't even use ninjutsu—actually pulled it off?
Damn it!
What have I even been doing these past years?
He realized how complacent he'd been—content with small achievements at school while Chiba had already outpaced them all, moving beyond the academy itself.
Even though Chiba was a year older, the gap was undeniable.
No one else could say anything.
—
Similar scenes unfolded in Neji's class.
Before, some might have scoffed, thinking, "If I tried, I could've done it too."
But now? With talk of chunin-level exam questions and a perfect score?
All those illusions vanished.
"The Hokage said that anyone who can reach that level is free to leave the academy, study, or train however they want."
…
"Lord Hokage truly is something else… Well, I don't know the full story, but starting today, you're allowed to attend Medical Corps lessons during the day," said Kitayama Su, flipping through the official documents with a slightly amused look.
Early graduation?
The Third Hokage had created an entirely new exception for this kid?
"By the way, which field do you want to focus on? "
"Medical knowledge."
Chiba didn't know the first thing about medical ninjutsu, and if he had immediately asked to observe surgeries, Kitayama Su would've probably protested to the Hokage himself.
He couldn't afford to offend this teacher.
"Not bad," Su nodded. "Theory is the foundation of all ninjutsu. Unlike some students who aim too high too fast, you're taking the right approach."
She adjusted her glasses and walked into her office, returning moments later with a book in hand.
"This is an introductory textbook on medical theory. Take it home and study it. Even if you never master medical ninjutsu, the knowledge will serve you well."
Chiba accepted it.
The author's name is printed boldly on the cover:
Tsunade.
He bowed deeply in gratitude.
As the class was ending, there was no need for him to stay. Chiba walked out holding the book, reading it intently even as he jogged down the corridor.
Boring?
Not at all.
Boredom only came when you couldn't understand or keep up. Thanks to the "Light Orb" effect, Chiba's learning ability was exceptional. Even while multitasking, he absorbed new knowledge quickly.
Every book he read felt like it cleansed him somehow.
That's why he could spend hours in the library without pause.
Unfortunately, the academy's collection was limited—he'd already read nearly everything.
But now… now, the joy of learning had returned.
BANG!
Turning a corner, he collided head-on with someone.
"Sorry! I was too caught up in reading and didn't see! "
Chiba winced, quickly getting up and apologizing.
Standing in front of him was a silver-haired ninja, his forehead protector tilted and a mask covering his face. He was also holding a book, glancing lazily down at Chiba.
"Young man… you're not reading anything dangerous, are you? "
"Tsunade-sama's work is amazing! So clear and insightful! "
"Tsunade-sama? Wait a second…"
Kakashi's visible eye suddenly widened with interest. He tilted his head and leaned in to check the book's cover.
Medical Foundations
By Tsunade.
Good grief.
This kid's actually engrossed in something like this?
Kakashi had assumed the book was from the same "series" as his own... But no. This boy wasn't even old enough to buy that kind of material.
I'm the one with the dirty mind…
Kakashi silently scolded himself. Outwardly, he simply nodded in approval.
"Not bad. Study hard, and you'll be an outstanding ninja one day. Just don't read while running—it's dangerous."
"Yes, sir! "
Chiba bowed again, clutching his book as he ran off, reading as he went.
Kakashi tilted his head, watching him disappear.
Is there really someone in the ninja world this obsessed with studying?
Apparently, yes.
"Yo, Kakashi! Fancy running into you here! How about a youthful showdown right now?! "
"I'm busy learning. Maybe next time."
Kakashi walked off, doing his best to ignore him.
Guy glanced at the boy running in the distance, then looked down at Kakashi's book.
"You call that learning? Reading Icha Icha Paradise wastes the flames of youth! Let's settle this with a duel instead! "