Time passed quickly amid relentless daily training.
Then, one day, the atmosphere within the village grew noticeably tense.
Large numbers of ninja were continuously dispatched from the village to the front lines. At the same time, ANBU activity increased, and patrols by the Military Police Force became far more frequent.
Rumors from the battlefield slowly spread among the villagers.
---
Ninja Academy
On this day, the students of Fifth Grade, Class Nine, led by their instructor Sarutobi Retsu, arrived at the training ground.
The lesson scheduled for today was a chakra strength assessment, a topic normally reserved for sixth-year students.
Chakra was the foundation of a shinobi. Without sufficient chakra reserves and control, even the most skilled techniques were meaningless.
In many ways, the most direct method of judging a ninja's potential was by measuring the strength of their chakra.
Based on the bitter lessons learned during the previous Shinobi World Wars, the village understood a harsh truth: once war intensified, newly graduated genin on the front lines were often treated as expendable—little more than cannon fodder.
The students of the Ninja Academy were the village's reserve force, meant to replenish depleted genin units when losses became unavoidable.
At the center of the training ground stood a metal testing pillar, roughly as thick as a bucket. Several cables ran from its base, connecting it to a nearby display screen.
"This pillar is designed to measure chakra output," Sarutobi Retsu explained. "When your name is called, channel all of your chakra and strike this marked area."
"Begin molding chakra now. Once you're ready, you may step forward."
As his words fell, the students immediately began concentrating, carefully molding chakra within their bodies in hopes of achieving the best possible results.
Sarutobi Retsu watched them silently. After a moment, he let out a quiet sigh, a trace of melancholy flashing through his eyes.
He knew the true reason the Academy had advanced this test.
Recording the students' chakra levels now would allow the village to determine future assignments—and future sacrifices.
Although he firmly believed that fifth-year students were far from ready for the battlefield, the village's needs came first.
This was the cruelty of war.
---
Uchiha Gen stood quietly among the students, his gaze calmly sweeping the field as he observed how the others molded chakra.
Like him, several others—including Hyūga Kagami and Senju Gen—remained relaxed and unmoving. Most of them came from established ninja clans. With years of family training behind them, their chakra control was already stable enough that last-minute preparation was unnecessary.
After confirming that the students' chakra fluctuations had stabilized, Sarutobi Retsu spoke again.
"The test will now begin. First—Ishino Lang."
A short-haired boy with three streaks of paint across his forehead stepped forward nervously. He took a deep breath and slammed his fist into the pillar.
The screen flickered to life.
Rank: E — 69
Sarutobi Retsu shook his head slightly. The result was on the lower end, even for a civilian student.
The chakra rankings mirrored the village's ninjutsu classification system: S, A, B, C, D, and E.
Each rank capped at a value of one hundred—exceeding it would automatically raise the result to the next level.
"Next—Tamaki Toshihiko."
Bang!
Rank: E — 91
Sarutobi Retsu nodded faintly. This was a perfectly average result.
After about ten civilian students completed the test, he called out another name.
"Next—Uehara Yu."
Uehara Yu stepped forward confidently, clenching his fists. A series of sharp popping sounds echoed as he flexed his muscles.
Standing before the pillar, his gaze sharpened. With a shout, he drove his fist forward.
Rank: D — 28
Sarutobi Retsu recorded the result with clear satisfaction. Compared to the earlier classes he had tested, this level of chakra already placed Uehara Yu at the upper end of genin standards.
Uehara Yu grinned proudly and glanced toward the clan heirs—particularly Hyūga Kagami.
Seeing the brief surprise on their faces, his smile widened… until his gaze locked onto Uchiha Gen.
The smile twisted into something sharp and provocative.
Sarutobi Retsu failed to notice the exchange as he called the next student.
"Inuzuka En."
Rank: D — 26
"Yūhi Murasaki."
Rank: D — 23
Several clan students followed, all reaching Rank D—yet none surpassed Uehara Yu's value.
His smug expression only grew.
At last, Sarutobi Retsu called out calmly, "Next—Hyūga Kagami."
Hyūga Kagami stepped forward, his expression composed.
As he approached the pillar, a subtle ripple of air spread outward. A faint blue chakra glow flowed around his palms—a hallmark of refined Gentle Fist control.
He struck the pillar with an open palm.
Rank: D — 65
Gasps echoed through the class.
"That's incredible…!"
"As expected of the Hyūga Clan!"
Even Sarutobi Retsu couldn't hide his smile. This level of chakra output had already reached that of an elite genin.
He glanced down at the roster again.
"Next—Hatake Seiko."
As Hyūga Kagami returned to the line, he paused beside Uehara Yu and spoke coldly.
"Uehara Yu, you see this? This is the foundation of a noble clan—something your so-called effort can't bridge."
"While you train hard, we undergo far more brutal training."
Uehara Yu's face flushed red. "Don't get cocky, Hyūga Kagami. So what if you beat me? There's still Senju Gen."
"I'd like to see if you can surpass him."
The veins at Hyūga Kagami's temples bulged slightly as he replied flatly,
"Even if Senju Gen surpasses me, what does that have to do with you?"
---
Hatake Seiko stood before the testing pillar.
Seiko—don't go all out. Use about eighty percent.
Uchiha Gen's voice suddenly sounded in his ear.
Seiko froze for a split second and instinctively glanced toward Gen.
Don't look at me, Gen continued calmly. It's just precise chakra control—compressing sound along a single line.
Understanding immediately, Hatake Seiko focused forward and threw his punch.
Rank: D — 61
The field erupted.
"What?!"
"That's impossible!"
Hyūga Kagami and Uehara Yu exclaimed almost simultaneously, staring at Seiko in disbelief.
Hyūga Kagami hadn't expected Seiko's chakra to be so close to his own.
Uehara Yu's jealousy burned even brighter. In his mind, Seiko had always been slightly weaker than himself—but now the gap was undeniable.
Sarutobi Retsu was equally surprised. Based on his earlier assessments, this result far exceeded Seiko's previous chakra readings.
For a moment, curiosity stirred—until Kakashi Hatake's image surfaced in his mind.
So he really is Kakashi's cousin…
No wonder his growth is so exceptional.
After several more clan students completed their tests, Sarutobi Retsu checked the roster once more.
"Next—Uchiha Gen."
---
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