As March arrived, the third semester neared its close.
From this month, Izayoi began attending classes in person more frequently—not just afternoons but morning academics, too.
March was pivotal. It marked the sixth-years' graduation and the annual exams for other grades. Before the semester ended, a critical year-end exam loomed.
Scores from this exam, combined with various quizzes and spot tests over the three semesters, would determine each student's overall ranking. From this, the academy would crown the top student of the year—the Chief Student.
Standing out among dozens, even hundreds, of students—including many clan heirs—marked one as a prodigy. For a clan heir, it cemented them as their family's finest. For a civilian, it proved they could surpass ninja clans.
These Chief Students were the academy's luminaries.
Izayoi had no intention of letting the title slip to another.
Their batch was uniquely exceptional, with major clan heirs all poised as future leaders. Claiming Chief Student over them carried unmatched prestige compared to other years.
Securing the title would affirm his talent, easing his path to Hinata.
With his current strength, Izayoi could claim Chief Student effortlessly. Even his Shadow Clone could trounce the competition.
Yet he attended in person.
He knew Konoha was stirring with undercurrents.
Konoha 55, the Nine Rookies turned seven. This year held a cataclysmic event that would shake the ninja world.
After the Senju's decline, the Uchiha—Konoha's premier clan, arguably the ninja world's greatest—would be annihilated by a thirteen-year-old: Itachi Uchiha, son of the clan head and Sasuke's brother.
This staggering feat would brand Itachi the youngest S-rank rogue ninja.
Few knew the truth: Itachi didn't act alone. Konoha's leadership and an outsider's aid played roles.
Izayoi was among those few.
At this time, the ninja world's most devoted admirer could infiltrate Konoha at any moment using Kamui.
To avoid detection or interest from this figure, Izayoi planned to slow his training and halt sessions with Hinata at the abandoned training ground until the Uchiha's fall.
Better safe than sorry.
Hinata, the main branch heiress, bore no Caged Bird seal. Her Byakugan was priceless on the black market. Ao of the Mist, with just one Byakugan, became an elite jonin and earned a spot on Konoha's bingo book.
Who knew if Obito Uchiha or the lurking Black-and-White Zetsu might target her eyes?
Having already sparked a butterfly effect, Izayoi wouldn't bet on the villains' mercy.
March 20th.
First- to fifth-years faced their year-end exams before the sixth-years' graduation tests.
Izayoi arrived at the academy early, but Hinata was already in the classroom.
After exchanging a subtle signal to confirm he was no clone, she gave a gentle smile. "Izayoi-kun, good luck."
"You too," he replied, grinning. "Let's aim for first and second place."
"Okay!"
Hinata's mind conjured an image of the results board with Izayoi and herself at the top. Her eyes gleamed as she nodded, filled with aspiration.
Once, rankings meant nothing to her. Now, she refused to lose to anyone but Izayoi.
She had the strength to claim second place.
The exam began soon enough.
Morning tested academics.
Though the semester introduced the Three Basic Techniques, they weren't assessed. Even sixth-years didn't all master them; some graduation exams only tested one.
A fresh genin using a C-rank elemental jutsu would stun their jonin instructor with their chakra.
Thus, over ninety percent of first-years lacked the chakra for the Three Basics.
Itachi Uchiha, with first-year-level academics, attended via Shadow Clone yet was deemed unteachable by his instructor, who petitioned the Third Hokage for his early graduation.
In this world, knowledge was secondary; strength reigned.
Morning exams posed no challenge for Izayoi or Hinata.
Afternoon tested shuriken throwing, taijutsu sparring, and the new survival exercise.
The first two were effortless. Unless Hinata faced Izayoi in taijutsu, even Sasuke Uchiha couldn't deny her a perfect score.
In taijutsu, Hinata was peerless among first-years. Her decisive acupoint strikes were a child's nightmare.
But if she drew Izayoi, second place would slip away.
Why not Chief Student?
Simple: she'd faced Izayoi in sparring this year and lost. Her overall score trailed his.
Even if she aced every subject by luck, she couldn't claim first. Likewise, if Izayoi slipped on academics—say, losing to Sakura Haruno due to a careless mistake—she couldn't take Chief Student either; her overall score was lacking.
In their year, only Izayoi, Sasuke, and Shino Aburame remained undefeated in combat. Sasuke and Shino's academics and overall scores lagged behind Izayoi and Hinata.
Even with perfect exam scores, they couldn't seize first.
Hinata needed only a combat perfect score to lock in second—unless another class had someone with a superior overall score.
That, however, was improbable.
Shuriken throwing earned Izayoi an easy perfect score.
Then came taijutsu sparring, where he faced an unexpected opponent.
"Next match: Izayoi versus Naruto Uzumaki," Iruka Umino announced, standing amid a circle of Class 1 students on the open field, clipboard in hand.
"Huh?!"
Naruto clutched his head, despair washing over him. "Why Izayoi? I'm doomed!"
Academics and shuriken throwing were his nightmares. Taijutsu offered a slim chance of victory.
But against Izayoi, even that vanished.
Izayoi had bested Hinata, the taijutsu terror.
While Naruto wailed, Izayoi's eyes gleamed.
At last, he'd matched the Child of Destiny!
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