Naruto: Snow Cold

Since then, almost a month had passed. During this time, I had been personally attending class. Surprised? Well, I gotta lay off the shadow clones for a while.

Having constant headaches is no good when you're trying this hard to prepare for something as grand as becoming a ninja.

Currently, I was taking a mock written exam, along with the others—yes, everyone was taking this same test, even the ones who didn't apply for early graduation. It was kind of unexpected that people like Uchiha Masaki or Sarutobi Shohei didn't get the chance.

They probably didn't get permission to do it. People like them are skilled and prideful, and there's no way they'd let an opportunity like this pass them by.

The test was somewhat difficult, having history questions that reviewed basically everything so far, and we were supposed to complete this in 3 hours. The math problems were insane, too.

Quadratic equations. For 9 year-old children. This is stuff I was barely learning in 10th grade, for fuck's sake!

I know they want us to learn everything we can before starting our career and that they were probably rushing the curriculum, but this is absurd.

I let a subtle glance full of disbelief at Sora next to me, who was swiftly scribbling down his answers. He didn't go to college for nothing, huh?

Then, I took a small look at everyone else.

Kiyoshi is already done? What the hell?!

"I've finished, sir." he said, handing the paper to Kenjiro-sensei. I can't even tell what expression he has on because of that damn face mask! Always with those stupid blank eyes, thinking he's like a budget Kakashi or something!

Kenjiro-sensei took the paper, analyzing it for a moment before nodding with a smile. "Excellent. You may return to your seat, Hatake Kiyoshi-kun."

Without a word, Kiyoshi turned to head back to his desk, taking small, calculated steps and adjusting his mask.

I switched my focus back to the test in front of me before I got caught. Who am I kidding? I probably already did and our sensei just doesn't care.

Entering my thinking position and pressing my palm against my forehead, I pushed my brain to go into overdrive. So, I have to apply... the quadratic formula. Right, it's just -b ± √(b² - 4ac) / 2a.

I looked at the math problems in the paper.

1) 2x² - 4x - 6 = 0

2) 3x² + 5x - 2 = 0

3) x² + 7x + 10 = 0

Okay, this is easy stuff. I scribbled down, completing the equations step by step.

Eventually, I finished the last one, practically singing in victory in my own head. Yahoo!! I'm so damn good at this!

Each time you fully understand something in math, the feeling of it alone makes you feel like a literal god. Like you're the honored one or something.

Throughout Functions and Logarithms, I alone am the smartest mathematician alive.

If I somehow started floating in the air with light shining down on me, that would be the cherry on top. Too bad miracles don't happen in this world.

I glanced over at the clock, noticing there was only an hour left. Pretty good, considering I only had two questions left, and they were...

Are you serious?

What would you do if the village asked you to carry out a mission that could risk your life, but is for the greater good?

I read the other question.

How do you think a ninja should behave when faced with an order that conflicts with their personal beliefs?

Isn't this... Isn't this just a way for them to check if we've been properly indoctrinated?

The Will of Fire really is just a tool for the village to control our loyalty towards it.

Sighing, I wrote my answers and answered like you would expect from a good, ready-to-graduate girl.

It wasn't what I really thought, of course. There's no way I'm becoming a robot who fights solely for the village itself, with no will to speak of.

I stood up—shockingly, it seemed that Sora had finished his test, too. He stood up with me, and we both walked toward the front of the class to turn in our papers.

As we placed them on Kenjiro-sensei's desk, he glanced at them and gave us a small nod. "Perfect. You both may return to your seats, I'll tell everyone their results tomorrow, and... Best of luck for the exam." He turned to the class. "All of you are my brightest students, and I expect great things from each single one of you."

Sora did a mock salute, "Sir, yes, sir!"

Pfft.

"Just take your seat, Sora." Kenjiro replied as he reviewed the papers, amused.

With no further banter, we both returned to our seats and settled in.

There are so many feelings I'm experiencing at once right now: nervousness, excitement, melancholy... Soon, I'd be becoming a ninja, and I don't really know what to expect. I'd probably have to stop living as peacefully as I am right now, too.

I'm sure that I'll pass, along with Sora and the others. Kenjiro had held several sessions on Water Walking, Taijutsu practice, Shurikenjutsu, Ninjutsu and the basic academy three techniques throughout the year.

Where would they evaluate us, though? I'm sure there are several others apart from us nine because otherwise, there's no way a village like this could house so many ninjas.

The academy is massive, after all. It's only rivaled by the Hokage Tower.

There are several classrooms, and quite a few are decently large, as if they could handle more than 200 students at once. Those rooms are probably the ones used for big events such as these exams, and I'd estimate around a thousand or more Genin graduate per year. Definitely more.

I'd like to see how they'd handle grading that many people at once. Very likely, during the written section they weed out those who don't embody the philosophy of the village yet. In other words, those who aren't fully brainwashed by the Will of Fire.

After that, it's most probably just elimination based on their skill levels. I'm nervous, really nervous, and yet...

It's making my spirit soar. To perform in front of all these people and my class.

Most probably, the Hokage himself will be present to proctor those who are in line for early graduation, especially us.

I'll blow them away. I don't care if they think music isn't fit for a ninja!

You have no idea how much I've been practicing with Sora, the same damn song over and over again just to have the confidence needed and not mess up, while not even having the certainty that I'll even get the chance to play.

Of course, I didn't slack off when it comes to my jutsus. I could perform each and every one of my C-ranked techniques without a single hand seal, but I still chose to use one on some because it just feels right.

I know I shouldn't be thinking about this right now, considering my situation, but...

I should start delving into Genjutsu, and start learning other elemental techniques. All I've been doing is learn Ninjutsu that aligned with my affinities, leaving me with little-to-no versatility when it comes to the elements. They're all effective when it comes to combat, and it's certainly true that specializing in one or two elements in the end is better.

However, it's still limited. What you need for Genjutsu is a creative mind, along with fine chakra control and high intelligence, right?

Alright, I doubt the high intelligence part. Kurenai tried using Genjutsu on Itachi Uchiha, of all people!

I have not wasted my time with Genjutsu until now, so I don't yet know if I possess the talent for it. There's many possibilities with it, especially considering how much of an open mind I possess due to the internet.

I have seen things you wouldn't believe! And I know things, secrets, that must never be told. Knowledge that must never be spoken!

Knowledge, that will make parasite gods blaaaze!

Okay, maybe not, but the gist of it is that I was pretty deep into the rabbit hole that was the internet. Imagine the amount of images I could use to traumatize people with, or the ways I could apply Genjutsu!

Medical Ninjutsu was also another branch I haven't yet tapped into, irrespective of the fact that it's perfect for me due to my chakra control and biological knowledge on the human body. It would be insanely helpful, both in battle and outside of it.

Healing wounds, extracting poison, or even healing the tears in ones muscles after a session of training to grow stronger—I wouldn't keep going after that, hell no. I'm not that crazy.

Fuinjutsu was something I'd abandoned in the past because of my lack of talent for it. But now, due to the availability of Shadow Clones... I think I have a shot at it once again. My goal with this is to eventually learn the Four Symbols Seal. Why, you ask?

Naturally, it is to seal a tailed beast inside of me in the future. I don't know how I'll manage to do it or gain their cooperation, but I'll figure it out.

I doubt I can get far with my Kekkei Genkai alone, so what's the next best way to become the strongest? Sealing a furry beast inside of you, of course!

That can wait for now, though. I'm far too weak to even think of that.

Just a few more weeks.