The third day of the exams went by much faster since each class only had to send two students, and there were only eight classes per grade in the ninja school. Today, like the second day, non-participating students could choose not to come.
However, many students showed up to watch the exams, eager to see who would become the first-place student in the fourth grade.
“Am I seeing things? Isn’t that Uchiha Obito standing with the examinees?” someone asked, puzzled.
“You weren’t paying attention to the second class’s news yesterday, were you?” his friend replied.
“No, I lost in the first round to the strongest in my class and went home,” the first student explained.
“That explains it. Uchiha Obito has become very strong. He even defeated Uchiha Tetsuo from his class.”
The onlookers were excitedly discussing the competitors from each class, sometimes even arguing about who was more robust.
Even those who had previously mocked Obito and Guy now tried to defend them since they were representing their class.
“This time, Shisui will probably take first place,” Mokutsuki thought after watching the first round. He felt that Obito and Guy had slim chances of winning.
Hyuga Himon’s Gentle Fist was well-practised, and combined with the advantage of his Byakugan, it would be tough for Guy to win. Obito was even less likely to succeed. Mokutsuki believed that the Hyuga clan’s early advantage was significant, with the Byakugan being easier to awaken than the Sharingan and their Gentle Fist being a top-tier taijutsu technique.
Both Obito and Guy had trained with Mokutsuki for too short a time. Their strengths were yet to be prominent, and they still had many weaknesses.
As the exams progressed, the final two rounds arrived: Obito versus Hyuga Himon and Guy versus a student from the third class.
As Mokutsuki expected against Himon, Obito couldn’t even use a single jutsu before being overwhelmed by the Gentle Fist.
In the final match, although Guy performed better than Obito, Himon’s Byakugan saw through all his moves, and Guy ultimately lost as well.
Obito felt dejected, having hoped to win first place but failing to even make it to the top two. Mokutsuki, passing by, offered words of encouragement:
“Don’t focus on your failure. Think about how much you’ve improved since the last time, and work hard for the next opportunity.”
Hearing this, Obito’s mood lifted significantly. He remembered that during the previous year’s exams, he had ranked around twentieth in his class. This time, he had almost made it to the top two. His progress was indeed remarkable, and first place was within reach!
Moving on, Mokutsuki found Guy, who also looked somewhat dejected, which surprised Mokutsuki, given Guy’s usual resilience. After some thought, Mokutsuki realised the reason: Guy probably felt he was carrying Mokutsuki’s expectations after receiving the taijutsu training manual.
“Failure is a part of life, Guy. Don’t let one defeat bring you down,” Mokutsuki comforted him.
Guy straightened up, understanding now why his father, Might Duy, always spoke about youth’s never-fading spirit. “I understand, Mokutsuki-sensei,” Guy said, his eyes filled with renewed determination.
Mokutsuki nodded in satisfaction and then made his way to Shisui. When he found him, Shisui was surrounded by students asking him questions.
Seeing Mokutsuki approach, the students greeted him warmly.
“Sensei, I got second place in the grade. Do I get a reward?” Anko asked, smiling.
Mokutsuki chuckled, patting her head. “How about some dango?”
“Yay! Sensei, you’re the best!” Anko cheered, instantly becoming Mokutsuki’s number-one fan.
“Shisui hasn’t even asked for a reward yet, Anko. You’re too eager,” Kotetsu teased, feeling a bit envious.
Mokutsuki sent the students on their way with a smile and then walked with Shisui towards the commercial district.
“How do you feel?” Mokutsuki asked.
Shisui thought for a moment before answering honestly, “It was pretty ordinary. No one made me go all out.”
“That’s expected. Given your skill level, there’s no one in the fourth grade who can match you, let alone the first grade,” Mokutsuki praised him without reservation.
“Do you think I should graduate early, Mokutsuki-sensei?” Shisui asked, looking into Mokutsuki’s eyes, which were a striking sky-blue color.
“Graduate early?”
“I heard that some geniuses in the past graduated quickly because they felt there was nothing more to learn at the academy,” Shisui explained.
Mokutsuki shook his head. “I don’t recommend graduating in the first year. At least wait until the second or third year. Your skills might be outstanding among your peers, but outside the academy, your opponents won’t just be your age. Especially now, with a major war possibly looming.”
“If you feel the academy’s curriculum isn’t beneficial, you can use shadow clones to attend classes while your main body follows my guidance for training,” Mokutsuki suggested.
Although Shisui had survived the Third Great Ninja War in the original timeline, the presence of Mokutsuki could introduce unpredictable changes. Mokutsuki preferred Shisui to stay in the academy and grow stronger.
“If you can’t even beat a Chuunin, graduating early is pointless. If it were me, I wouldn’t feel safe walking around Konoha without the strength of a Jounin.”
Shisui’s eyes brightened at Mokutsuki’s suggestion. He nodded, thinking it was a great idea.
Afterwards, Mokutsuki bought a bunch of dangos and returned to the academy. Before afternoon classes began, every student in the first class received a portion of dango.
Mokutsuki didn’t just give the treat to Anko, though he did give her an extra portion as promised.
“Sensei, you’re the best!” Anko declared, extremely pleased. If she could get more dango, there might soon be a “Mokutsuki Cult” in Konoha.
The other students also expressed their gratitude, and their already high regard for Mokutsuki is growing even more.
The academy’s efficiency was high. Two days after the exams, all the results were compiled and published, confirming Mokutsuki’s expectations.
(End of Chapter)
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