"Did the proctor actually say this was... the list of people who passed the exam?"
"...Huh? Why are you asking—wait, hold on. I think I get what you're trying to say."
Faced with the strange expression and unexpected question, Hiashi found himself briefly unable to process what was happening. He frowned instinctively and asked back in confusion, but then froze for a moment as a spark of realization flashed through his mind.
After a short pause, his face twisted into a strange expression—somewhere between a laugh and a cry. He turned his head slightly, glancing up at the podium where the proctor was solemnly reading names and then at the villagers below, whose angry and dissatisfied expressions had all turned into smug grins.
He reached up and pinched his own cheek hard to confirm reality, only to wince in pain and clutch his now-bright-red face, his mouth twitching as he turned back.
Indeed, from the very start until now, the proctor never actually said the list he was reading was for those who had passed the exam... Which means, it's entirely possible we've all been subconsciously misled.
And if what we're thinking is correct—if those on this list didn't actually pass...
Picking up the thread of thought, Fugaku recalled the odd, erratic, or outright passive behavior of the ninja academy during the exam process. The more he thought about it, the more convinced he became. As his gaze turned to the smug villagers basking in their supposed success, a trace of schadenfreude crept into his smile. He then spread his hands in mock sympathy.
Then those selected for this list... are probably facing the exact opposite outcome. Tsk, honestly, alma mater will always be alma mater. So many years have passed, and it still hasn't given up its love for this kind of messed-up trickery.
Exactly. If you just take a closer look at the names being read, you'll notice—none of the major clan kids were picked. Instead, they deliberately chose those families who were gossiping behind everyone's backs during the exam...
Following Fugaku's hint, Hiashi also arrived at the same realization. His furrowed brow lifted as he desperately tried not to burst into laughter. He stood with one arm crossed, the other hand firmly pressed against his mouth to stifle his chuckling. After a pause, he muttered in a muffled voice:
Thinking about it like this, the real list of those who passed was already right in front of us. We were just thrown off by those villagers yelling about "the people who passed," and we didn't catch on in time.
"What are you two grown men muttering about over there?"
Meanwhile, Mikoto still hadn't caught on to the strange truth slowly emerging from the proctor's announcements. Seeing Fugaku and Hiashi whispering away without the slightest concern for whether their children were selected or not, her temper flared. She took a few steps forward, reached out, and pinched her husband's soft earlobe—not too hard, but definitely not gently—cutting off their poorly concealed laughter.
"Get your heads in the game and pay attention! The proctor's already finished reading the names, and none of the kids were selected! And you two? Not only are you not worried, you've got the time to gossip like schoolboys? What, were you hoping from the start that the kids wouldn't get in? Hm?"
"Owowowow! Ow, ow, ow! Honey, please! Not so hard—it hurts!"
Playing along happily, Fugaku gave a few pained gasps until Mikoto began to wonder if she'd been too rough. Just then, he smoothly turned around, wrapped his arms around her waist, and pulled her close. Leaning in, he kissed her blushing earlobe and teased softly:
"Don't worry, dear. The kids already got in."
"...A-Ahh! Let me go! What are you doing?! The kids are watching! Aren't you afraid of setting a bad example?!"
Caught off guard by her husband's public display of affection, Mikoto's fierce demeanor instantly softened. She gave him a light punch on the chest, then glanced toward the children.
But to her surprise, aside from her poor youngest son who was still standing alone with that lonely bachelor aura, both the older son and Naruto were already off to the side, sweetly flirting with their beloved girls. Who's corrupting who at this point?
"So shameless... stupid idiot..."
Her voice gradually dropped as her embarrassment grew. In the end, unable to resist the warmth of his embrace, she wrapped her arms tightly around his waist.
Facing the playful, teasing gazes from the kids, she simply closed her eyes and nestled into her husband's chest with a soft grumble. After a moment, she looked back up, curiosity tugging at her.
"You… you said the kids already got in? What do you mean?"
"Yes, yes, you're always right... There, there..."
Smiling fondly, Fugaku gently stroked her smooth black hair while trying to maintain a serious tone. But as soon as she asked that question, he couldn't help but break into a grin again. He moved from her ear to kiss the corner of her lips—stealing a little affection—before continuing slowly, word by word:
"If we're right... then we're about to see one hell of a dramatic twist."
"A dramatic twist? What do you—"
"Saburou Nohara... Alright, that concludes the list of selected candidates!"
Before Mikoto could finish her sentence, the proctor finally read the last name on the list. Just as Fugaku and Hiashi suspected, none of the children's names were mentioned.
As their hunch was confirmed, both men exhaled in relief and turned their gaze to the so-called "lucky ones" at the front with increasingly mocking sympathy.
"Alright! Awesome! Let's go, kid—don't hang around these losers, or their bad luck might rub off on you!"
"Haha! Who would've thought this year's exam would be so easy? I mean, we didn't even do anything and we already passed! What a breeze!"
"Right, right! Can't believe my brat actually made it... Now I've got a reason to ask my wife for more drinking money~"
"Hahaha, same here. Finally, I can relax a little."
"Listen, sweetheart. Once you become a ninja, our family's future is set! No more worrying about food or clothes! From now on, just focus on your studies. Your parents will do whatever it takes to get you through graduation. After that, whatever you want, we'll buy it for you—as long as you're happy!"
"Heh, I'm not bragging, but I always knew my kid was a hidden genius. Talent-wise, he's just as good as those stuck-up clan brats! See? The school would rather piss off the big clans and leave all their kids out, just to make room for mine. The teachers clearly know talent when they see it! Hahahaha!"
As the final name echoed and the proctor declared the list complete, the selected villagers erupted into celebration, completely oblivious to the hidden catch behind their so-called "success." Laughing, boasting, and fantasizing about their kids becoming full-fledged Genin and bringing home fat mission paychecks, the training field turned into a buzzing marketplace of dreams.
"Ahem, ahem—quiet down, please!"
This time, the proctor didn't bark angrily like before. Instead, he raised both hands, palms down, with a gentle smile of relief on his face, signaling the crowd to calm down. He patiently waited until the noise died down, then swept his eyes across the eager, smiling faces below and spoke again in a soft, kind voice:
"I understand everyone's excitement at being selected, but our exam isn't over yet. So please, wait until you get home to celebrate, okay? We wouldn't want to disturb the others."
"Hahaha, the proctor's right. We got a little carried away, rubbing it in the faces of the losers like that. Not cool~"
"Exactly. We still have to complete the enrollment process—sorry for the fuss, proctor."
"Then let's not waste any more time. Proctor, let's start the paperwork!"
"Yes, please! The sooner we start, the sooner we can go home and celebrate!"
"Right, right! What do we do next, proctor?"
"Huh? Did I not make myself clear earlier? I already told you what you need to do. You've all forgotten already? Ahh, really now, I don't know what to do with you..."
Unlike before, the proctor—who had once exploded at mere whispers—now seemed like a different person entirely. His smile remained as he looked at the crowd, his voice gentle and deliberate:
"What I said was: our school's exam is far from over. If you're done celebrating, please clean up and head home. Don't disturb the third and final round of selection for the real candidates, alright?"
"After all, you're all part of the rejected list. You no longer have the right to stay in this examination ground~"
'Surprise or no surprise? Unexpected or not? You pissed off the crown prince by making his little girlfriend cry. How could he ever let you people qualify for admission~'