Ren stared at the blood-red notification hovering before him.
Wait… what just happened?
A second series of messages appeared before he could make sense of the first.
[You learned from the Clone Technique that although Great Fireball appears to be a glamorous and confident young lady, she is not highly respected by others.]
[Many shinobi mockingly refer to her as the "Merciful Fireball Technique" because she rarely manages to strike an opponent. Although Great Fireball refuses to admit it, those insults have wounded her pride. More than anything, she longs to prove her strength and silence everyone who ridicules her.]
[Will you take practical action to vindicate Great Fireball Technique?]
[Accept/Decline.]
[Mission time limit: Fifteen days.]
Ren's eyes lit up.
So that was the special event keyword.
The Clone Technique had insulted Great Fireball for less than three sentences, yet she had somehow managed to expose the latter's deepest insecurity and trigger a time-limited mission.
Good job, Clone Technique. You've done well!
As expected of his most troublesome yet reliable general. Her ability to cause chaos was unparalleled, but occasionally, that talent produced unexpectedly valuable results.
There was nothing to consider.
Ren immediately selected Accept.
As the saying went, there were no useless techniques, only shinobi who failed to use them properly. The Great Fireball Technique might possess a poor reputation because its size and straightforward trajectory made it easy for experienced shinobi to evade, but that did not make it weak.
In the hands of Uchiha Madara, an ordinary C-rank Fire Release technique could acquire power comparable to an A-rank ninjutsu. His Great Fire Annihilation had required an entire division of shinobi to counter with a combined Water Release.
Ren did not possess Madara's monstrous chakra reserves, but he did have the System, continuously increasing Physique, and an increasingly intimate understanding of the Great Fireball Technique.
If Madara could turn a basic Fire Release into a natural disaster, Ren should at least be capable of using Great Fireball to defeat a genuine enemy.
The real difficulty was determining what the System meant by vindicate.
Would striking an opponent be sufficient? Did he need to use it to win a battle? Or would the mission only count as complete if Great Fireball delivered the final blow?
Ren suspected the last possibility was the most likely.
In that case, he might have to kill several enemies with the technique—or at the very least, defeat someone in a manner so decisive that nobody could dismiss Great Fireball as harmless again.
Fortunately, the System had given him fifteen days.
By then, the team assignments should have been completed, and Ren would officially begin accepting missions outside the village. The shinobi world was already preparing for war. Hostile ninja, spies, deserters, and bandits were everywhere beyond Konoha's walls.
If he failed to encounter an enemy shinobi, he could always find a group of mountain bandits.
A few well-placed fireballs should settle the matter.
The moment Ren accepted the mission, the conversation window changed. Great Fireball's raging flames diminished slightly, although they continued burning far more intensely than usual.
[Fire Release—Great Fireball Technique: Hmph! That's more like it! Since you accepted, you had better remember your promise. This young lady will be waiting to see how you defend my honor!]
[Great Fireball Technique favorability increased by 2.]
Ren smiled.
The mission had not even begun, yet he had already gained two favorability points. If he completed it successfully, the final reward should be considerably greater.
Clone Technique appeared once more at the edge of the conversation window.
[Clone Technique: You're welcome, Ren. Remember to thank me properly.]
Great Fireball immediately flared again.
[Fire Release—Great Fireball Technique: Get out!]
Ren closed the interface before another argument could begin.
The day's training had already exhausted most of his chakra. By the time the sun dipped beneath the treetops, he finally left the stream and dragged his aching body home.
He ate dinner, washed away the smell of sweat and smoke, and collapsed onto his bed. The next two days passed almost in the blink of an eye.
Then the morning of the graduation ceremony arrived.
For the Ninja Academy, the occasion was nearly as important as its entrance ceremony. The graduating students would officially become shinobi of Konoha, and their families had been invited to witness the moment.
Aoi was awake before sunrise.
She entered Ren's room, pulled open the curtains, and allowed the morning light to fall across his face.
"Wake up," she said, trying and failing to hide the excitement in her voice. "You're not allowed to be late for your own graduation."
Ren opened one eye. "The ceremony doesn't begin for several hours."
"That doesn't mean you should sleep until the last possible moment."
By the time Ren finished washing and sat down for breakfast, Aoi had already returned to her room to change. She emerged several minutes later wearing a clean new outfit that she had apparently prepared specifically for the occasion.
She stopped near the table and adjusted Ren's collar, even though there was nothing wrong with it.
Ren noticed the faint redness around her eyes.
"Mom," he said softly, "I'm only graduating from the Academy. You don't have to look like you're sending me off to war."
Aoi's hands paused.
For the briefest moment, her expression tightened.
In the current political climate, graduating from the Academy and being sent to war were not entirely different things.
She quickly forced a smile and tapped his forehead. "Don't say ominous things so early in the morning. Today is supposed to be a happy day."
Ren did not argue. He finished breakfast and followed her outside.
The door of the neighboring house opened at almost the same moment.
Hiroshi and Misae Nohara stepped out with Rin between them. All three were dressed more formally than usual, and Rin's face brightened the moment she noticed Ren.
"Good morning, Ren!" she called. "Good morning, Aunt Aoi!"
Hiroshi laughed and raised one hand in greeting. "There's our top graduate! Rin told us about your performance days ago, but I haven't had an opportunity to congratulate you properly."
"You're being too polite, Uncle Hiroshi," Ren replied. "Without the ninjutsu scrolls you gave me, I might not have achieved the same result."
Hiroshi waved away the credit.
"Nonsense! It took me nearly three months to learn those two techniques, and even then, I could barely use them properly. You mastered both in such a short time because of your own talent and effort. Even without those scrolls, you would still have distinguished yourself."
Misae nodded in agreement. "Hiroshi came home after watching your training and complained about how unfair it was for an Academy student to learn faster than an adult."
"That was private information," Hiroshi protested.
Rin covered her mouth, laughing, while Aoi's smile grew warmer. Ren noticed the quiet pride in his mother's eyes and decided not to tease Hiroshi further.
The two families walked toward the Academy together.
By nine o'clock, its main auditorium was overflowing with students and relatives. Conversations blended into a constant hum, and the room carried the restless excitement of dozens of families celebrating the same milestone.
Ren scanned the crowd.
He saw Shinku Yūhi seated beside Kurenai, his posture straight and his expression composed. Might Duy was impossible to miss; he was already crying openly while telling anyone willing to listen about Guy's burning youth.
Hyūga Hizashi sat among several members of the Hyūga clan, their pale eyes and formal clothing making them instantly recognizable. Farther away, a man with the Nara clan's characteristic spiked ponytail appeared to be half asleep despite the noise surrounding him.
One seat remained conspicuously empty.
Rin noticed it at the same time.
"Is Obito late again?" she asked, glancing toward the auditorium entrance.
"Probably," Ren replied. "At this point, arriving on time would be more surprising."
Rin sighed, but her attention remained fixed on the door for several seconds. Obito had been looking forward to the graduation ceremony more than almost anyone, yet somehow, he had still managed to miss its beginning.
"Let's sit down first," Ren suggested. "The seats have nameplates."
They found their assigned places shortly before the doors closed.
The lights near the stage brightened, and the conversations gradually faded. Fujimoto Itsuki, the principal of the Ninja Academy, stepped onto the platform and approached the podium.
His speech was long, formal, and entirely unavoidable.
He reviewed the history of the Academy, praised the dedication of its instructors, and reminded the students that becoming a shinobi was both an honor and a burden. He spoke about the village's future, the bonds between comrades, and the duty of every new generation to protect Konoha.
Much of it was ceremonial language, but the current state of the shinobi world gave his words a heavier meaning.
At last, Fujimoto straightened the papers before him and surveyed the auditorium.
"This year, thirty-three students have passed the Academy's rigorous graduation examination," he announced. "Today, they will receive the forehead protectors of Konohagakure and officially become honorable Genin of the Hidden Leaf Village!"
Thunderous applause filled the auditorium.
Parents rose from their seats. Some cheered, some wiped away tears, and others proudly called the names of their children.
Beneath the applause, however, Ren heard several quiet voices nearby.
"Thirty-three students? Isn't that unusually high?"
"There were only twenty-one graduates last year."
"Even Ebisu passed?"
An older man immediately hushed them.
"Keep your voices down. Have you forgotten how many wounded shinobi returned to the village last month? This is no longer peacetime. Konoha needs to replenish its forces."
The whispers stopped.
The applause continued, but the celebration suddenly felt different.
Ren looked toward the students seated around him. Most were smiling, unaware of the meaning behind the unusually large graduating class.
Thirty-three students meant eleven new three-person teams.
To the children, it was an opportunity to become real ninja.
To the village, it was fresh blood.
Ren quietly withdrew his attention as the ceremony proceeded.
As the top-ranked graduate, he had been selected to speak on behalf of the class. When his name was announced, he rose from his seat and walked onto the stage beneath hundreds of watching eyes.
He had spent almost two hours preparing the speech the previous night. Every line had been carefully considered, and the content aligned perfectly with the ideals of the Will of Fire.
Ren spoke about the lessons they had learned at the Academy, the teachers who had guided them, and the families who supported them. He thanked the village for protecting their childhoods and promised that their generation would grow strong enough to protect the children who came after them.
It was sincere enough to move the audience and polished enough to please Konoha's leadership.
When Ren finished, the auditorium erupted into applause once more.
Rin clapped until her palms turned red. Beside her, Aoi applauded even harder, tears shining openly in her eyes.
Ren met his mother's gaze from the stage.
For once, he did not make a joke or look away.
He simply smiled at her.
The most important portion of the ceremony followed soon afterward.
Hiruzen Sarutobi appeared onstage in his white-and-red Hokage robes. His expression was gentle, but his presence immediately silenced the auditorium.
One by one, the graduating students stepped forward.
When Ren's name was called, he approached Hiruzen and bowed his head. The Third Hokage lifted a brand-new forehead protector and placed it into his hands.
The metal plate reflected the auditorium lights. At its center was the engraved spiral leaf—the symbol of Konohagakure.
"Wear it with pride," Hiruzen said quietly. "But never forget the responsibility it represents."
Ren closed his fingers around the dark cloth.
"I won't, Lord Third."
At that moment, Ren officially became a Genin of the Hidden Leaf Village.
After every forehead protector had been presented, the public portion of the ceremony ended. Parents began leaving the auditorium, some returning to work and others gathering outside to celebrate over food and drinks.
Aoi hugged Ren tightly before departing.
"You did wonderfully," she whispered. "Your father would have been proud of you."
Ren's body stiffened for a fraction of a second.
Then he returned the embrace.
"I'll come home after the team assignments."
Aoi reluctantly released him and followed the Nohara family out of the auditorium. Rin stayed behind with the rest of the graduates.
The students began whispering excitedly, speculating about their future teammates and Jonin instructors. Asuma claimed he did not care who joined his team, although his repeated glances toward Kurenai suggested otherwise.
Guy loudly declared that any team fortunate enough to receive him would experience the full power of youth. Kakashi sat apart from the others, appearing bored, though his visible eye occasionally shifted toward the front of the room.
Before the team assignments could be announced, Teacher Oki approached Ren.
"Ren, your circumstances are a little unusual," he said. "Lord Hokage instructed you to meet him at the rear training ground first."
Ren raised an eyebrow.
Around him, several students immediately turned to stare. Envy appeared on more than one face. Personal attention from the Hokage was something most Genin could only dream of receiving.
Ren stood and followed Oki's directions out of the auditorium.
The noise of the graduation hall gradually faded behind him. He passed around the teaching building and entered the smaller training ground at the rear of the Academy.
Hiruzen was already waiting.
The ceremonial Hokage robes were gone, replaced by his usual black combat attire beneath a simple haori. He stood beneath the shade of a tree with his pipe between his lips, looking more like an elderly instructor than the leader of the most powerful shinobi village in the Land of Fire.
When Ren approached, Hiruzen removed the pipe and smiled.
"You're here."
"I came as soon as Teacher Oki informed me."
"Good." Hiruzen placed the pipe away. "I promised to teach you the Phoenix Sage Fire Technique after the graduation ceremony. I intend to keep that promise."
Ren's attention sharpened immediately.
Hiruzen did not waste time on unnecessary formalities.
"The Phoenix Sage Fire Technique is a C-rank Fire Release ninjutsu," he explained. "Unlike the Great Fireball Technique, which emphasizes concentrated power and explosive range, Phoenix Sage Fire divides that power among several smaller flames."
He raised one hand as he spoke, slowly demonstrating the initial seal.
"A single fireball is easier to evade, but several attacks arriving from different angles can restrict an opponent's movement. The user can also conceal shuriken within the flames, making it difficult for the target to distinguish chakra from steel."
Hiruzen proceeded to explain the technique's chakra pathway, the necessary conversion of chakra into fire, and the importance of separating that chakra into several stable portions before expelling it.
His explanation was remarkably simple.
There were no mysterious phrases or unnecessary displays of superiority. Every complicated principle was broken into something Ren could immediately understand. When Ren asked a question, Hiruzen answered it by comparing the technique with Great Fireball and Wild Water Wave, using ninjutsu Ren already knew as reference points.
The title Professor of Ninjutsu was well deserved.
After confirming that Ren understood the theory, Hiruzen stepped toward a row of earthen targets.
"Watch carefully," he instructed. "The number of flames is less important than your ability to control them. Six poorly directed attacks are inferior to three accurate ones."
His fingers began moving.
"Rat. Tiger. Dog. Ox. Hare. Tiger."
Chakra gathered within his chest.
"Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire Technique!"
Hiruzen exhaled.
Whoosh!
Several orange-red flames burst from his mouth like blazing flower petals caught in a violent wind. They did not travel in a simple straight line. Each flame curved through the air along a different trajectory, weaving around one another before separating.
One swept low across the ground. Another climbed above the targets before descending. Two more curved outward, attacking from opposite sides.
For one suspended instant, the training ground was illuminated by a blooming flower of fire.
Then every flame struck.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The earthen targets exploded one after another. Scorched fragments flew through the air, and waves of heat rolled across the training ground.
Ren's eyes reflected the remaining flames.
At the same moment, a melodious chime rang inside his mind.
[Ding! High-quality potential romance target detected: Fire Release—Phoenix Sage Fire Technique.]
[A limited-time Fated Encounter mission has been triggered!]
The first lesson had barely begun, yet Ren's so-called date had already arrived.