"Ahem, well, sister-in-law, I was just joking around with old buddy Fugaku..."
"Oh? Is that so… Then how about I joke with you too?"
"N-no need to trouble yourself, sister-in-law! Really! I just misspoke earlier—please, show mercy and let me off the hook!"
The affectionate interaction between Hinata and Naruto gave Hiashi, as a father, the confident feeling of having the upper hand. But that arrogance quickly backfired. A careless slip of the tongue handed Mikoto the perfect opening, and she seized it with ease. Now, under her gentle yet piercing gaze, he awkwardly stumbled backward in retreat.
"Time's up! The exam is over!"
Just as Hiashi found himself cornered with nowhere left to retreat, a deep, resonant voice rang out, striking his ears like a choir of angels. The voice not only halted Mikoto's imminent "punishment," but also silenced the crowd that had been buzzing like a noisy market. Confused murmurs replaced the chaos as everyone exchanged puzzled glances.
"Exam's over…? What does that even mean? We've been standing around here forever, and there wasn't any actual exam, was there?"
"Yeah, weird… No written test, no physical challenge… What exactly did we take part in? Hey, buddy, do you know?"
"You're asking me? Who the hell am I supposed to ask? I've been standing here just like you, and no one ever even announced the start of any exam. Who knows what kind of trick they're playing here..."
"Hey, who do you think passed this round?"
"How would I know? I still don't even understand what the so-called 'exam' was testing in the first place."
After squeezing their way through the crowd and into the academy grounds, the parents had been standing there like punished children—stiff, clueless, and waiting. From beginning to end, there hadn't been the slightest sign that the Ninja Academy planned to process applications or conduct an exam. Now, out of nowhere, they were being told it was over? Naturally, everyone was left scratching their heads.
At the same time, the previously listless teachers seated lazily atop the high platform suddenly sat up straight as if receiving a command. Standing center stage was a burly man—broad-shouldered and imposing—who somehow projected his voice across the entire training ground without any aid. It was clear now: he was the one who had declared the exam over, and most likely the chief examiner in charge of today's test.
"Silence. I will now officially announce the results of the second round of testing!"
That same deep voice reverberated once more, quieting the field until only the wind dared move. Then, without hurry, the examiner cleared his throat, pulled a long scroll from his robe, and began unrolling it. With a finger trailing the still-damp ink of freshly written names, he read:
"Ahem… If your name is called, step forward! Makino Seika!"
"Present!"
From within the crowd came a startled voice. The child's parent, clearly not expecting their kid to be first, lit up with uncontainable joy, waving wildly as they pushed forward with their equally confused child toward the open space that had been left clear since registration began.
"So… I guess the names being called are the ones who passed. Huh, lucky family."
"Tch, the kid was just standing beside me a minute ago. Did nothing different. So why the hell were they picked first? Must've slipped someone a favor."
"Who knows... That kid looked like a complete airhead. No way they passed legit."
"I mean, we still don't even know what we were being tested on. What kind of nonsense is this admission process?"
"Wait, you think this kid might be an imposter or something?"
"Hmm… Actually, you might be on to something. Maybe this is the real test? After all, doubting your sources is basic ninja instinct, right?"
"Now that you mention it… it kinda makes sense."
"Yeah, yeah! It totally tracks… I mean, even the sons of Fugaku and Hiashi weren't called! Why would this random kid be first?"
"Exactly! How did I forget that? Yep, no doubt about it—this one's a faker!"
Seeing the first "lucky" child who wasn't related to anyone of note rise to the top, the crowd—particularly those who had just been venting their frustrations on Naruto—shifted targets with alarming speed. Fueled by envy and their own imaginations, they began to accuse the family of cheating, whispering louder and louder until the field buzzed with gossip again. Suspicion even turned toward the examiner himself, who had seemingly appeared from nowhere without even introducing himself before declaring the results.
What they conveniently forgot was that this was the only ninja academy in the Hidden Leaf Village (木葉忍者村), backed by the explicit support of the Third Hokage and staffed by an elite team of instructors—some of the most qualified shinobi in the world. Even to guide preschool-aged children here, one needed to be at least a Chūnin. And this man before them wasn't just any teacher—he was the chief examiner overseeing the academy's annual entrance examination.
To shoulder that responsibility, how strong must he be?
The answer came swiftly.
Because this examiner… was not some soft-hearted Nine-Tails host who endured years of insults in silence. No—he wasn't going to stand by and let a bunch of clueless villagers trample over his authority.
"I'm telling you, there's something wrong with this result! We need to protest—get that fake out of here!"
"Yeah! I say we—"
"I said… SILENCE!"
The roar exploded like a clap of thunder. In an instant, a suffocating bloodlust swept out from the examiner, thick as iron and laced with the scent of death. This wasn't some vague intimidation—it was the killing intent of a man who had crossed life and death many times over.
And the pampered villagers, so used to peace bought with others' blood, were utterly unprepared.
The same gossipy women who moments ago were cackling and stirring the pot deflated like popped balloons, their arrogance vanishing as the entire training ground dropped into a silence so absolute, even a falling needle could be heard.
"You people… keep pushing me again and again. Do you really think I'm just a decoration?! I've got plenty of work to do—I'm not here to waste my time playing with you idiots!"
Eyes wide with fury, the examiner swept his glare across the crowd like a hungry beast sizing up prey. He rolled the scroll shut with finality and bellowed, each word heavy with disdain:
"Not happy with the results? No problem. You're free to pack your things and GET OUT! This school has no shortage of students—and we certainly don't need loudmouthed trash like you!"