The morning air was crisp as the gates of the Konoha Ninja Academy loomed ahead. Hiro stood among the gathered children, his expression neutral despite the nervous energy in the air. He adjusted the coil of his whip at his hip, feeling the weight of the kunai tucked securely in his belt. Around him, murmurs of excitement and anxiety filled the space, young hopefuls whispering about what was to come.

  A steady gaze burned into his back.

  Turning slightly, Hiro caught sight of Kaya, watching from a distance with her arms crossed. She wasn’t worried—not visibly—but there was a quiet intensity to her posture. He knew what she was thinking. This was it. The first real test of his abilities, and the first step into a world that could either accept or reject him.

  A sharp elbow jabbed his ribs, yanking him from his thoughts.

  "Try not to embarrass yourself today," Natsume teased, standing beside him with her usual mischievous grin.

  Hiro arched an eyebrow at her. "I should be saying that to you."

  Natsume gasped in mock offense, clutching her chest. "How dare you doubt me, Hiro-kun? The mighty Natsume Uchiha will—"

  "Silence!"

  The exam instructor's voice cut through the chatter, and the crowd fell into order.

  "This exam will determine whether you have what it takes to join the Academy. Do your best."

  With that, the first phase of the test began.

  Inside the exam hall, the candidates were seated at spaced-out desks, stacks of parchment pced before them. Hiro let his gaze skim over the test—history, ninja rankings, basic strategy, and chakra theory.

  Easy enough.

  He moved his pen across the paper swiftly, answering with minimal hesitation. He had studied religiously, ensuring that this section would be the least of his concerns.

  The exam room was filled with shifting bodies and frustrated sighs, but Hiro remained composed. At his side, Natsume finished around the same time, fshing him a competitive smirk as if to say, beat you.

  Hiro ignored her.

  Outside, the sun was rising higher as the students lined up on the training field. The goal was simple—five ps around the Academy within the time limit.

  The instructor gave the signal, and the candidates took off.

  Some sprinted immediately, trying to gain an early lead—rookie mistake. Hiro kept a steady pace, controlling his breathing, his strides efficient. He didn’t need to be first; he just needed to endure.

  By the final p, several students had slowed to a walk, wheezing for breath. Hiro maintained his rhythm, crossing the finish with minimal fatigue.

  The instructor marked his results. "Good endurance. Well-conditioned."

  Hiro simply nodded.

  A ring was drawn in the dirt as pairs of students were called forward for one-on-one combat evaluations. Hiro's opponent was a rger boy, someone who clearly relied on brute strength rather than technique.

  "He’s going to rush in."

  Hiro braced himself.

  The moment the fight began, his opponent charged, swinging wildly. Hiro sidestepped effortlessly, avoiding direct confrontation.

  Instead of meeting force with force, Hiro let him burn his energy, dodging and countering when openings presented themselves. A few well-pced strikes nded, not enough to dominate, but enough to hold his ground.

  After a few minutes, the instructor called the match, marking Hiro’s results.

  "Smart movement. You’ll need to work on aggression, but you understand positioning."

  It wasn’t a win, but it was a success.

  Students were brought to the target range, each receiving five kunai and five shuriken. The goal—hit all targets with precision.

  Hiro stepped up to the line, gripping a kunai—in his left hand.

  He threw.

  Thunk. The kunai nded cleanly, just slightly off the bullseye. He followed with another, then another—every throw hitting the target, but none perfectly centered.

  By the end of his turn, Hiro had hit every single target but hadn’t scored a single bullseye.

  The examiner frowned slightly, flipping through his notes. "You’re right-handed," he observed. "Why throw with your left?"

  Hiro froze for just a second.

  Damn.

  He had gotten so used to wielding his whip in his right hand that his instinct had switched to throwing with his left.

  Thinking quickly, he shrugged nonchantly. "I practice with both. Never know when you might need to switch hands."

  The examiner narrowed his eyes but didn’t press further, marking Hiro’s score as “Accurate but unorthodox.”

  From the side, Natsume was grinning.

  "Perfect score for me," she bragged, pcing her hands on her hips. "Let me know if you ever want tips."

  Hiro rolled his eyes.

  The final phase.

  Students were lined up, instructors moving down the row. Each candidate was expected to channel their chakra, creating a visible surge. Then, they were given chakra paper to determine their affinity.

  One by one, students stepped forward.

  A boy’s paper burned—Fire Affinity.Another’s paper split down the center—Wind.A girl’s paper wrinkled sharply—Lightning.The instructor stepped in front of Hiro, holding out the chakra paper.

  He could feel Kaya’s watchful gaze from afar.

  He knew exactly what would happen if he channeled his chakra. The paper wouldn’t burn, wrinkle, or tear—a small section would disappear entirely.

  That wasn’t normal. That would attract questions.

  He had already seen what happened to people with unique abilities in this world. Orochimaru, Danzo… the wrong people would take an interest.

  He made his choice.

  Hiro took a deep breath.

  He lifted his hand—and did nothing.

  Seconds stretched.

  The paper remained completely unchanged.

  The instructor frowned. "...Try again."

  Hiro furrowed his brows as if confused. He pretended to concentrate, letting a bead of fake frustration cross his features.

  Nothing.

  The examiner exhaled sharply, marking something on his clipboard.

  "That’s all."

  Murmurs rippled through the other students.

  "Wait… nothing happened?""Does he even have chakra?""That’s weird..."

  Hiro kept his expression neutral. He refused to let his face betray anything.

  From the side, Natsume was staring at him, expression unreadable.

  The instructor lingered for a moment, then walked off, moving to the next student.

  As the exam concluded, students scattered toward the exit. Hiro kept his pace steady, not reacting to the whispers following him.

  He felt Natsume approach.

  "...You didn’t even try, did you?" she asked softly.

  Hiro gave a small shrug, neither confirming nor denying.

  Natsume narrowed her eyes, but for once, didn’t push further.

  As he stepped outside, he saw Kaya waiting near the entrance.

  She didn’t ask. She didn’t pry.

  Instead, she simply ruffled his hair and said,

  "You did well."

  Hiro let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding.

  That was enough.