The bell rang, signaling the end of the school exams. Students filed out of the examination hall. As always, some were happy, some were sad. Taiichi, on his way back to the classroom, happened to run into his group of friends walking out and happily went to greet them.
"How did everyone do on the exams?" Taiichi asked Shizune, who was walking in front.
"We did great, but..." Shizune covered her mouth and giggled, turning to look at a dejected Obito trailing behind.
"What's wrong? It's not the first time you've done poorly. Why the long face?" Taiichi was puzzled. Usually, even when Obito failed, he didn't look like his life was over.
"Obito was caught cheating. The teacher said he's going to make a home visit! He's scared his grandma will find out," Rin chimed in.
"Argh! Why did this happen?!" Obito looked like the sky was falling, radiating a heavy aura of depression.
"Obito, don't give up! How can you give up on youth so easily? Tell you what, I'll go with you later to beg Teacher Yamada to let you off the hook this once." Gai tried to cheer Obito up, hoping to reignite his fighting spirit.
"By the way, Taiichi, how was your exam? Did you pass?" Shizune asked.
"Yep, everything went smoothly. I can come to school tomorrow for team assignments."
"Congratulations!"
...
While Taiichi was catching up with his friends, Jonin Matsuya Sarutobi was reporting the results of the exam in the Hokage's office.
"Oh? He defeated Hikaru Nagashima in just one minute?"
"Yes, Lord Hokage. Although Chunin Nagashima underestimated his opponent, Taiichi Matsushita's strength has indeed far surpassed the level of an average Genin." Recalling Taiichi's exquisite Ninjutsu and sharp Kenjutsu, Matsuya reported truthfully.
"It seems I underestimated him too. Saplings of Konoha, grow up quickly. The ninja world is about to become turbulent again," Hiruzen Sarutobi thought to himself.
"Alright, you are dismissed."
"Yes."
After Matsuya Sarutobi left the office, Hiruzen stood up and walked to the balcony. He lit his pipe, already filled with tobacco, and puffed on it—puff, puff—gazing at Konoha through the hazy smoke. Thinking of the younger generation like Kakashi Hatake and Taiichi Matsushita, the youth like Minato Namikaze, and the prime generation like the Sannin and Sakumo Hatake, the endless stream of talent in Konoha eased his worries about the impending war significantly.
...
After saying goodbye to his friends, Taiichi arrived at the orphanage. As soon as he pushed open the gate, seven or eight children burst out from the shade of the trees like popcorn, their muddy little hands scrambling to grab his pant legs.
"Big Brother Taiichi!" Masami, with her crooked pigtails, was the first to pounce, rubbing her candy-stained cheek against his clothes, leaving a greasy mark. "You said you'd teach me how to throw shuriken last time!"
"Look at mine first!" Kota roared impatiently, pulling out a wooden kunai, only to trip over his own feet. The children's laughter startled the sparrows under the eaves. Taiichi hoisted the smallest boy onto his shoulder, his sweaty back immediately plastered with three or four warm little heaters.
The scent of caramel wafted from the kitchen. Nono walked out wearing a faded floral apron just in time to see Taiichi pinned under the old scholar tree by a pile of children. He let out exaggerated wails, making the kids giggle uncontrollably, the grass clippings in his hair shining in the sunlight.
"Everyone, come eat!" Nono called out loudly.
The children clustered around Taiichi as they headed to the dining hall. The sound of over twenty pairs of chopsticks hitting bowls sounded like a woodpecker convention. When he took out the three-colored dango wrapped in oil paper, Kota nearly knocked over the wooden bench in his excitement. Nono watched quietly as Taiichi distributed the snacks, surrounded by the children.
"This one's red bean!" "I want matcha!" Amid the children's noise, Taiichi suddenly looked up and smiled at her, the crinkles at the corners of his eyes still holding a trace of childishness. Nono tightened her grip on the ladle, ripples forming in the hot miso soup.
By the time the moon rose above the treetops, the children had been shooed off to bathe. In the courtyard, only the sheets on the clothesline swayed gently in the evening breeze. Taiichi sat cross-legged on the porch, cleaning his ninja tool pouch. The click of metal clasps alerted Nono, who was gathering herbs.
"Tomorrow, you'll be a real ninja?" She shook the dirt from the roots of the herbs, her voice lighter than falling honeysuckle petals.
"Haha, you found out." Taiichi, who had been sharpening his knife, scratched his head awkwardly. He realized he hadn't told Nono about his early graduation.
"You're only seven." Nono interrupted him abruptly. The sun-warmed bamboo sieve clattered crisply against the stone mortar. From the drying ground came the splash-splash of Kota running barefoot through puddles, mixed with Masami's exasperated chase—noise that seemed to come from another world.
The whetstone made a rasping sound in the night. Taiichi lowered his head. "Director, do you remember the day I first came to the orphanage? A three-year-old kid shivering in the closet, thinking no one in the world wanted me anymore..."
Nono's hand suddenly covered the top of his head, the fresh scent of herbs masking the smell of rust. Her fingertips, still sticky with sun-melted beeswax, warmly seeped into his sweaty temples. "The little bean who used to hide under the covers and cry is going to be a hero for the children now?"
"Yes. Before, you protected us, Big Sister. From now on, I want to protect you, and everyone else."
The pitter-patter of children's footsteps approached rapidly. Kota, hair still wet, shot over like a cannonball, splashing cold water onto the back of Taiichi's neck. Nono watched as he was dragged into the moonlight by the children pulling on his clothes. The boy's deliberately straightened back gradually overlapped with the memory of that small figure curled up on a rainy night.
When the last child was tucked into bed, Taiichi quietly closed the door.
At the orphanage gate, preparing to say goodbye, Taiichi didn't forget to express his concern. "Big Sister Nono, I'm a ninja now, and the orphanage doesn't have financial problems anymore. Take fewer missions and protect yourself."
"Brat, lecturing your Big Sister now? If I hadn't asked, you wouldn't have even told me about this..."
"Go on, get out of here!"
Staring at Nono, Taiichi suddenly stepped forward and gave her a tight hug, then resolutely turned and ran into the darkness.
...
The next day, Ninja Academy, Graduate Classroom.
Taiichi reported here as instructed. As soon as he walked in, he attracted everyone's attention.
"Who is that? I don't recognize him!"
"Wrong classroom?"
"Is he a graduate too? He's so small!"
Chatter filled the room. Taiichi ignored it and walked straight to an empty seat.
"You guys are so out of the loop. Don't you remember the rumors? The one who applied for early graduation."
"That's him? He doesn't even look eight years old."
Just then, a Chunin teacher walked into the classroom. He stood at the podium and began to speak. "Quiet! The fact that you are here means you have passed the exam and are about to become official ninjas. Don't chatter everywhere you go; have some discipline."
"I'll introduce myself first. I am Den Miyamoto, responsible for your graduation and team assignments."
"Now, when I call your name, come up to collect your forehead protector and ninja ID."
"Yusuke Inada." A student walked up from the back. The teacher handed him the items, adding a word of encouragement: "Work hard!"
"Itsu Murayama."
...
"Taiichi Matsushita."
Hearing his name, Taiichi stood up immediately and walked forward with excitement. "Finally! I can advance my class!" Sure enough, as he took the forehead protector and ID, notifications flooded his panel. Returning to his seat, Taiichi immediately focused his attention.
> [Your Apprentice Ninja Class Level is Lv10 (Max Level). Class Advancement Conditions:]
> 1. Strength 15 points
> 2. Agility 15 points
> 3. Three Basic Jutsu Lv6
> 4. Learn at least one Ninjutsu
> 5. Stay in the Ninja Academy for two full years
>
>
> [All 5 conditions met. Commencing Class Advancement.]
...
> [Advancement Successful. Experience converted. New Class: Genin Lv1 (45/100)]
> [Constitution +1, Strength +1, Agility +1, Spirit +1]
> [Acquired Talent: Potency]
> [Potency: The power of all ninjutsu you cast is increased by 50%.]
> [Attribute Points +1, Skill Points +1]
Reading the new panel notifications and feeling the sudden surge of power in his body, Taiichi rejoiced inwardly. By the time the surge subsided and he refocused on the teacher, all the students had received their forehead protectors and IDs.
Teacher Miyamoto watched the newly minted Genin from the podium. Once they calmed down, he began to speak: "First, congratulations. From today on, you are true ninjas."
He started clapping, and everyone followed suit.
When the applause died down, Miyamoto signaled for silence. "I believe your teachers have already told you this, but today isn't just about giving you forehead protectors. It's also for team assignments."
"Team assignments mean dividing you into groups of three, led by an experienced Jonin, to carry out missions together. From now on, you will be the closest of partners and the most trusted of comrades."