Chapter 117: Passed the Interview
Souta could hear his own heartbeat, each thump echoing inside his chest, while a bead of sweat slowly slid down his back.
"Souta, come in!" The voice belonged to Aomi. It rang clear and firm from behind the door, breaking the silence, carrying with it both tension and certainty.
"I'll head in first, sensei!" Souta replied as he glanced at the male teacher, his eyes glimmering faintly with hope.
The light in Souta's gaze revealed his readiness to accept whatever decision awaited him. Yet, deep within his heart, he prayed the outcome would honor his hard work.
"Yes, go ahead," the male teacher answered with a gentle nod, his voice soft, offering encouragement.
That simple support gave Souta an extra surge of strength—like a subtle push on his back, urging him to step forward with greater courage.
Without hesitation, Souta entered the room and sat down once more on the bench across from the three of them.
The room itself remained unchanged, yet this time an undercurrent of tension lingered in the air. Souta gripped his knees a little tighter, as though steadying himself.
The ceiling lights continued to shine with warm brightness, but to Souta, their glow felt almost blinding. Three pairs of eyes focused on him, adding weight to the atmosphere, making the very air feel heavier.
"Souta… with this, we declare that you… have passed! Congratulations, you are now a ninja of Sunagakure!" The Third Kazekage spoke, a faint smile on his lips. This time, however, that smile carried genuine warmth.
Those words pierced Souta's ears, resounded in his heart, and then burst like fireworks across a night sky.
Hearing them, Souta's lips curved into a slight smile. He rose to his feet, bowing his head with respect. His eyes sparkled, his heart leapt, though he struggled to keep himself composed.
Both his hands trembled faintly—not from fear, but from happiness barely contained, threatening to spill over.
"This is your forehead protector," the Third Kazekage said with another slight smile, reaching for the headband engraved with the symbol of Sunagakure, gleaming beneath the light of the room.
The design was simple: the mark of the village neatly etched into a strip of silver metal. Yet behind that simplicity lay deep meaning—a symbol of recognition, of responsibility, of the future itself.
Souta stepped forward, accepted the ninja headband, and smiled again, nodding firmly.
His fingers clenched tightly around the cool metal, as though seizing his new future. The chill of its surface was tangible, proof that his dream was no longer distant, but within his grasp.
"Thank you! I will work hard to become a good ninja!" Souta declared, a thin smile on his face, his eyes glowing with unwavering determination. His voice was steady, though faintly colored with emotion.
"Haha, well, even though you've got your headband now, you'll still need to take a photo later. That picture will be attached to your certificate of graduation," the Third Kazekage said, his tone laced with light humor. The small chuckle that escaped his lips melted away the remaining tension, making the atmosphere in the room feel lighter.
"I understand." Souta then tied the Sunagakure ninja headband securely around his right arm—specifically between his elbow and shoulder. The symbol stood out clearly, a bold declaration of his new identity as a shinobi.
With light steps that still carried traces of nervousness, Souta left the interview room, soon guided toward the photography chamber.
There, the glare of the spotlights welcomed him. Souta stood tall, striking a simple pose: his right hand rubbing the back of his head in a slightly awkward yet natural gesture, while his left hand rested against his hip.
...
Chapter 118: Becoming a Ninja
Souta's lips curved into a smile—not a wide grin filled with laughter, but a simple, gentle smile.
That smile seemed to speak on its own, quietly carrying the relief of having passed a trial. Yet, beneath it, there lingered something deeper: a genuine sense of pride and a steadfast resolve to step forward into a new future.
When the photo session ended, one of the examiners gave Souta a subtle signal, indicating that he was now allowed to leave.
But before truly walking out of the building, Souta's steps suddenly veered toward the waiting room—a room thick with tension, where other students still awaited their turn for the interview, their faces stiff and clouded with anxiety.
The moment Souta stepped in, whispers rippled through the air.
"Hey! Look! That kid passed!" one of the students exclaimed, eyes widening in astonishment.
"Whoa! It's true! Damn… now I'm even more nervous!" another chimed in, fingers clenching tightly together on their lap.
"Hey, hey! How was it? Was the interview really hard?" yet another voice piped up, curiosity breaking through the uneasy silence, transforming the once-still room into a buzzing hive of questions.
Souta paused for a moment, his gaze sweeping across the sea of anxious faces turned toward him with desperate hope. But he chose not to answer their questions. Instead, he simply let a faint smile cross his lips before continuing his steps toward Pakura and Makima, who sat slightly apart from the restless crowd.
"Hey, Souta! Well? Was it hard?" Makima asked, her face slightly tense, eyes glittering with a mix of curiosity and worry.
"Hard? Hmm… just so-so," Souta replied lightly, his small, reassuring smile softening the weight of his words.
"So that's how it is, huh? Then… why'd you come here?" Pakura interjected, leaning forward with raised eyebrows.
"Why? Hehehe… just to brag in front of you two!" Souta shot back in a playful tone, laughing briefly before adding:
"I'm kidding. Actually, I just came to say—don't be nervous! If even I managed to pass, look!" Souta declared, lifting the forehead protector he held in his right hand. The metal plate gleamed under the room's light, bearing the proud insignia of Sunagakure.
Makima's eyes lit up at the sight of it, but almost immediately she lowered her gaze slightly, her lips curling into a nervous smile.
"Even if you say that… it doesn't really stop us from being nervous," Makima admitted softly, as if her stomach were still filled with fluttering butterflies.
Souta chuckled quietly, then raised his right hand and waved energetically.
"Hey, don't worry! I'll be going ahead then! Good luck, you two!" Souta said, flashing them a sincere smile, trying to pass on a bit of his newfound confidence.
His steps leaving the waiting room felt light, though the eyes of the other students continued to follow the outline of his back as it grew distant. Yet rather than soothing their nerves, his departure only seemed to tighten the knots of unease inside most of them.
Heavy sighs, restless fingers twitching, and nervous glances traded back and forth—all of it painted a picture of how each second ticking by only made the wait more unbearable.
Souta's footsteps echoed softly as he walked down the corridor of the Ninja Academy, the sound bouncing lightly off the cold stone walls.
Sunlight from the late morning spilled in through the windows, drawing golden streaks across the floor, as though marking the path ahead for him.
After a few moments, Souta finally stepped out of the Academy building, greeted by the warm breath of the desert wind brushing against his face.
He began walking toward home. Each step felt different now—lighter, as though the weight pressing down on his shoulders since early morning had finally started to lift away.
As he wandered through the streets of Sunagakure, a village often oppressive with scorching heat, Souta found that the day didn't feel as unbearable as usual.
Or perhaps, he thought, it was only his imagination. Passing the interview and officially becoming a ninja seemed to make everything around him brighter, easier to embrace.
Whatever the reason, Souta now understood one thing clearly: the road stretched out before him was no easy road.
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