The start of the school year was always hectic.
New students required testing, evaluations, and class assignments, while students preparing for graduation had to take exams and attend graduation ceremonies.
This kind of overlap only happened during collective early graduations.
Under the normal six-year system, graduation ceremonies would be held at the end of the previous semester in mid-March, when other classes were on spring break and new students had not yet enrolled.
But when everything collided like this, there simply were not enough teachers to go around.
In some cases, several D-rank missions even had to be issued to Genin teams just to help maintain order.
Even during wartime, nothing could be simplified. On the contrary, things had to be done more ceremoniously.
Only through a grand ritual could the newly graduated "fresh leaves" feel a stronger sense of mission and formality, igniting a burning will of fire in their hearts.
In recent years, the April school opening day has inevitably become the stage for both new students and early graduates.
As for students in the second year and above who had not applied for early graduation—like Shin—they were temporarily set free.
There was only a half day of morning classes today, and it was self-study, meaning they could do whatever they pleased.
The classroom was noisy. Some students lingered in the hallway, watching the entrance tests of the new recruits and critiquing the energetic juniors.
Others stayed inside, chatting animatedly about which classmates had applied for early graduation.
Shin sat quietly at his desk, gazing out the window.
Between the index and middle fingers of his left hand, he held a leaf.
Chakra wrapped around it, and the leaf twisted wildly like a strip of seaweed, yet remained astonishingly resilient, refusing to tear no matter how it bent.
Then its color deepened, hardening until it resembled a piece of black stone carved into the shape of a leaf.
Finally, the sharp Chakra split the stone-like leaf cleanly in two. As the halves fell, they continued to fracture again and again, breaking down into fine powder that scattered with the breeze.
This was the result of Shin's cultivation of Wind, Water, and Earth Chakra natures to an extremely high level.
The flexibility of Water.
The heavy hardness and decomposition of Earth.
The cutting power of Wind.
As the leaf vanished, Shin's fingers twitched.
From a small pile of leaves beneath the desk, another light one lifted into the air and landed precisely between his fingers, beginning the same transformation once more.
For Shin, every moment was an opportunity for cultivation. Even sitting quietly in class like everyone else, appearing idle, the transformation of his Chakra's nature never stopped for an instant.
Compared to loud conversations, he was far more obsessed with cultivation. His steadily growing Chakra reserves supported this habit effortlessly—most people would not even know where to begin if they tried to imitate him.
After all, he possessed an adult mindset. He could not truly resonate with children who liked to brag or admire handsome boys; he had already gone through that phase in his previous life.
Living a second life, only the act of growing stronger through cultivation in this world could keep him endlessly interested.
Becoming a Ninja was merely one of the incidental interests along that path.
Beside him, Yūgao had her head lowered, struggling with the leaf in her own hand.
At present, she could only split an ordinary leaf twice, unable to reduce it into powder the way Shin could.
Her Chakra nature was Wind—only one type, just like the future Naruto.
Hayate's innate attributes were Wind and Water.
Coincidentally, all of them possessed Wind.
Even Shisui did; his innate attributes were Wind, Fire, and Lightning, and as a Uchiha, he could also be considered to have a strong Yin attribute.
Wind Release was very common in Sunagakure, but there were quite a few Wind-natured Ninjas in Konoha as well. Among Shin's close companions, every one of them had it.
Since everyone naturally possessed Wind Chakra, Shin never kept his insights to himself. He often shared his cultivation methods and understanding with them.
However, their progress was on entirely different levels. Only Uchiha Shisui was somewhat closer, yet even he was still far from Shin's current level.
This was the reality of the nature-transformation training of ordinary Ninja.
They could not rely on Naruto's absurd Shadow Clone training method to compress years into days, nor did they have Shin's unique condition of daily Natural Energy refinement reshaping their bodies. All they could do was grind forward with time.
"Hey, hey, Shin-niisan, isn't there a better way?" Yūgao tossed aside the shredded leaf and began her daily complaints again. "It's been two years, and I can still only manage this much. When will I be like you?"
"Not yet," Shin replied calmly. "When I find a method, I'll tell you."
He glanced at the empty seats beside them and continued, "It's about time. Let's head to the multi-purpose classroom and see how Hayate and the others are doing."
"Right, right, let's go greet them."
As they spoke, the two stood up and left the classroom, followed by many classmates who shared the same intention.
The multi-purpose classroom was a massive lecture hall, normally used for assemblies and capable of holding hundreds of people at once.
At this moment, its doors were tightly shut, and graduation assessments were underway inside.
The content of the assessment was not difficult. Usually, one of the Three Basic E-Rank Jutsu would be selected as the test topic.
However, due to the war, the standards had been raised, and all three might be tested instead.
On the open ground outside, many students gathered, waiting anxiously for the results—to see who would successfully graduate early and who would walk away as a miserable failure.
After some time, the doors finally opened.
Students who had completed the assessment filed out in small groups.
Unlike when they had gone in, each now wore a brand-new Konoha forehead protector—though some tied it around their arms or waists instead of their foreheads.
This was the symbol of becoming an official Ninja.
From this moment on, they were no longer students of the Ninja Academy but full-fledged Ninjas.
Some couldn't help but touch their forehead protectors again and again, pride written all over their faces.
When they looked at the onlookers, it was as if they had suddenly aged several years, gazing down at juniors.
In reality, their ages were barely different.
"Wow, that's so cool! I want one too!" The watching students collectively cried out in envy.
Those recommended for graduation were all students with strong academic records, so no one failed.
This created the illusion among many peers that early graduation wasn't particularly difficult.
"Hayate-niisan! Shisui! Over here!" Yūgao called out loudly through the crowd.
At this moment, Hayate and Shisui both wore their forehead protectors simply tied around their foreheads, not yet using a full headscarf like Hayate would later.
Hearing her voice, they smiled and walked over. Graduating smoothly was, after all, something worth celebrating.
Shin's gaze swept past them to the other early graduates. Aside from a few familiar faces, he recognized most of them only vaguely.
From his own class, seven or eight people had graduated early, including Uchiha Shisui, Hyūga Tokuma, and Aburame Muta.
Those from other classes who applied for early graduation were also mostly from clans, with fewer civilian Ninjas.
The class would now be missing a few people, but it wasn't a big issue. Classes would be reorganized and merged when necessary.
From Hayate's year, Shin recognized only two familiar faces—likely the future gatekeeper duo, Hagane Kotetsu and Kamizuki Izumo.
It turned out they were in the same year as Gekkō Hayate, though they didn't seem particularly close, likely because they weren't in the same class.
There was also a girl following behind Hayate. The two appeared to be on good terms, but she was clearly there just to greet him, not a graduate herself.
Shin asked curiously, "Hayate, is this… your classmate?"
"Yeah," Hayate replied. "She's my classmate. Her name's Tsubaki."
Hayate then introduced his friends to Tsubaki, and they formally got acquainted.
Shin glanced at the girl. Her appearance didn't ring a bell—real life was very different from anime designs—but hearing her name, she seemed to be the future girlfriend of Mizuki.
Checking the time, Shin waved his hand. "School's about to let out. I'll treat everyone to a meal to celebrate you and Shisui graduating."
Shisui and Hayate both smiled. After hanging out together for so long, there was no awkwardness. Even Shisui had long since shed his overly polite restraint.
Tsubaki looked a little embarrassed, but Hayate spoke up. "Come along. Shin here usually has more pocket money than the rest of us and never spends it recklessly, so he's saved quite a bit."
Tsubaki nodded shyly.
Suddenly, Yūgao jumped forward, hugged Hayate's arm, and stuck out her pinky. "Hey, Hayate-niisan… could this be your—ehehehe."
"Cough, cough, cough!" Hayate coughed violently and, as usual, gave Yūgao a light knock on the head. "You don't spout nonsense."
Tsubaki's face turned even redder, while Shisui and Shin exchanged knowing smiles.
The open ground outside the classroom was filled with laughter and a bright, cheerful atmosphere.