Naruto: Becoming a master taijutsu using martial arts.

The room was stuffy, and honestly, I was so nervous I could taste the rice from lunch doing somersaults in my stomach. Earlier that morning, the results of the first exams had come out, and about seven students had already failed.

After lunch, we were gathered in our classroom, waiting for the ninjutsu test to begin. If it was like the anime, it would probably just be the Clone Technique. And even though I'm not exactly a ninjutsu specialist, I could pull off that jutsu without much trouble.

Still, I was nervous. If I passed, I'd officially become a ninja.

"It's time for the ninjutsu test. I'll call you one by one to take the test in the next room." Bekkou-sensei's voice snapped us back to reality. "Michio Akemi."

The tall girl followed Bekkou-sensei into the next room. Surprisingly, it didn't take long — maybe five minutes — before she came back out, eyes brimming with tears and her head hanging low. She didn't look at anyone before bolting out the door.

Well... she didn't need to say anything. That expression said it all. And with that, the tension in the room skyrocketed.

Soon, Tokuma was called. It took him about ten minutes, and when he came back, his trademark arrogant smirk was even bigger than usual. The shiny new forehead protector tied around his neck made it clear — he'd passed. Not surprising, really. He always had a knack for jutsus, especially with the natural chakra control that runs in the Hyuuga clan.

One by one, the others went in, each returning shortly after with a headband proudly displayed — well, most of them. Hiyomi came out pouting, but her forehead protector was securely tied around her arm. Inomatsu looked like he'd just survived a heart attack, and Daichi, as always, looked pleased with himself.

And then came Jimei.

He looked just as nervous as I felt. Actually, scratch that — he was more nervous than me. I tried flashing him a reassuring smile when he was called.

He didn't take long either. But the boy who stepped out was nothing like the one who'd gone in. His forehead protector gleamed on his head, and his face lit up with the biggest, goofiest grin I'd ever seen.

The first thing he did was throw himself at me. Not figuratively — the dude literally launched himself at me.

"Ah, crap! You're heavy, Jimei! Get off me!" I groaned, trying to shove him away.

"Ken-kun! I can't believe it, Ken-kun! I'm a ninja!" he shouted, practically sobbing as he latched onto me like a tick. "A real ninja! Look, look!"

This guy... such an idiot.

But, idiot or not, I knew how hard he'd worked for this. It was a big moment. Time for some bromance.

"Yeah... congrats, Jimei." I said sincerely, bumping my fist against his.

After our celebratory fist bump, he finally let go and made his way toward the exit. Just before leaving, he turned to me with such confidence that, for a second, I wondered if they'd swapped him with someone else during the test.

"You're gonna crush it, Ken-kun! Just go for it! I'll be waiting outside!" he said with a grin.

I blinked, surprised by his sudden boldness, but gave him a nod.

And then, I was the last one left.

I took a deep breath. I'd faced a few tests and challenges since arriving in this world, but this... this felt like a much bigger deal. I was more nervous than I'd like to admit.

"Your turn, Kenshin." Bekkou-sensei said.

I stood up and followed him to the testing room. The door clicked shut behind me. I walked to the center of the room and met Bekkou-sensei's gaze. He studied me like he already knew what I could do.

I've always hated tests — both in my past life and this one. Not because of the questions or the skills required, but because of the pressure.

"The test is simple." Bekkou-sensei explained. "You need to perform the three basic academy jutsus, plus one additional ninjutsu. If you can't demonstrate an extra ninjutsu, I'm afraid you won't become a ninja today. Begin with the Substitution Technique."

That last part caught me off guard. An extra ninjutsu? Konoha guards its jutsus worse than a dragon guards its gold. Without ninja relatives or clan connections, learning new jutsus before graduation is a nightmare.

Still, I had to focus.

Kawarimi no Jutsu — the Substitution Technique. I needed to mold my chakra and picture my target clearly. I locked onto the chair beside Bekkou-sensei, formed the Monkey seal, and vanished in a puff of smoke.

When the smoke cleared, I stood next to Bekkou-sensei while the chair occupied my previous spot.

"Well done. Now, the Transformation Technique." he instructed.

The Henge no Jutsu was trickier. It required not just visualization but memory. The more detailed, the better.

I could've transformed into Bekkou-sensei since he was right in front of me, but I knew someone even easier to picture — someone I saw almost every day. I formed the seals, molded my chakra into the desired shape, and in a puff of smoke, became Jimei's spitting image.

"Excellent. Very accurate details." Bekkou-sensei said, clearly pleased. "Now, the Clone Technique."

Ah, the infamous jutsu that tripped up this world's future hero. Fortunately, the Bunshin no Jutsu was my bread and butter. I'd been practicing it for over a year. Forming the seals, I summoned four perfect clones beside me.

"And now, the extra jutsu." Bekkou-sensei said.

I knew exactly which one to use. I'd practiced it countless times. I just had to nail the execution.

"Shunshin no Jutsu!"

The Body Flicker Technique isn't meant for cramped rooms like this, so I held back a bit. Even so, a blur later, I reappeared at the other end of the room.

Silence.

Bekkou-sensei stared at me for a moment, face unreadable. My confidence wavered until he gave a nod and... smiled?

"You've passed, Kenshin!" he said at last. "Come get your headband. I'm proud to welcome you as a fellow ninja of the Hidden Leaf."

A wave of relief crashed over me. I walked to the table, picked up a forehead protector, and marveled at how much better it looked than the cheap cosplay versions from my old life.

That was it. I was officially a ninja of Konoha.

And I wasn't just going to be another ninja. I was going to be the ninja who left a mark on this world.