Konoha Calendar — Year 66
The Academy grounds were already crowded when Kiyoshi arrived.
Children gathered in loose clusters, some standing stiffly with forced confidence, others fidgeting or whispering anxiously to one another. Parents and guardians lingered at the edges, offering last-minute advice or encouragement. For those without such company, the space felt larger, louder.
Kiyoshi paused just inside the gate, taking it all in.
This was different from the orphanage yard. The scale alone made that clear. The buildings were larger, the training fields more structured, the presence of authority unmistakable. Shinobi moved through the area with calm efficiency, clipboards in hand, eyes sharp but not unkind.
"Kiyoshi?"
He turned.
Ren stood a few steps away. He looked taller than Kiyoshi remembered, his shoulders broader, his stance more grounded. The clothes he wore were clean and well-kept, not new, but cared for. There was a moment of quiet between them, the weight of a year spent apart settling before either spoke again.
"Ren," Kiyoshi said.
Ren's expression softened. "You made it."
"So did you."
Ren laughed under his breath. "Guess neither of us managed to disappear."
They walked together toward the registration area, falling into step easily despite the time apart.
"How have things been?" Kiyoshi asked. "With your foster parents."
Ren hesitated, then shrugged. "Loud. Busy. They argue a lot, but they don't forget to check on me. Made sure I ran every morning. Said if I wanted to be a ninja, I had to earn it."
Kiyoshi nodded. "Sounds about right."
"And you?"
"The same," Kiyoshi said.
Ren didn't press further.
A clear voice cut through the growing noise. "All applicants, line up by age group!"
The children hurried to comply, some scrambling to find where they belonged.
Iruka-sensei stood at the front, his presence immediately steadying the crowd. His forehead protector caught the light as he surveyed the group, clipboard tucked under one arm.
"Good morning," he said. "Today marks the beginning of your path as shinobi of Konohagakure. Before formal instruction begins, we will assess your current capabilities. This is not a test you can fail."
A murmur of relief rippled through the children.
"These evaluations exist to place you where you can learn best. Group A, B, or C. Placement reflects your current condition and potential, nothing more."
His gaze sharpened slightly. "Address instructors properly. Follow instructions. Do your best."
"Yes, Iruka-sensei!" the children responded, voices uneven but earnest.
---
The endurance test came first.
A clearly marked course looped around the Academy grounds. "You will run," Iruka-sensei explained. "When you can no longer continue, step aside. Medical staff are present."
The signal sounded.
Kiyoshi started at a measured pace. Ren matched him for the first stretch, breathing controlled. Around them, several children sprinted ahead immediately, enthusiasm outweighing judgment.
One blond boy laughed loudly as he shot forward. "I'm gonna finish first!"
A dark-haired boy followed at a steady pace, expression unreadable. Not far behind, a pink-haired girl adjusted her stride carefully, determination clear in her posture. A boy with heavy-lidded eyes jogged with his hands tucked into his pockets, already looking bored.
Kiyoshi registered them briefly, then returned his focus to his own movement.
He settled into rhythm. Each step was placed deliberately, breathing kept even. He let faster runners pass him without concern.
By the third lap, the field began to thin.
Children peeled off one by one, some collapsing onto the grass, others stepping aside reluctantly, faces flushed. Ren slowed, then stopped entirely, hands braced on his knees.
"I'm good," Ren said, forcing a grin. "Go on."
Kiyoshi nodded once and continued.
He ran until Iruka-sensei raised his hand. "That's sufficient. Stop where you are."
Kiyoshi slowed, coming to a controlled halt. His pulse was elevated but steady. He remained upright, breath evening out within moments.
Iruka-sensei marked his clipboard.
---
Reaction speed followed.
Wooden projectiles launched unpredictably from concealed mechanisms. The objective was simple: avoid or deflect.
Kiyoshi stepped onto the marked position.
The first projectile came from the left. He shifted half a step, letting it pass. The second required a raised forearm. The third demanded a pivot of the hips and shoulders.
He did not rush. He did not hesitate.
Around him, some children flinched too late or moved too much, stumbling out of position. A few froze entirely.
Iruka-sensei's pen paused briefly before continuing to write.
---
The physical limit test came last.
Push-ups, pull-ups, controlled lifts. Fundamentals.
Kiyoshi paced himself carefully, stopping before strain set in. His form remained precise, movements efficient. Sweat beaded at his temples, but his breathing stayed controlled.
Ren struggled nearby but pushed through, earning quiet encouragement from an assistant instructor.
When it ended, Kiyoshi straightened without wobble.
---
As the children were dismissed to rest, Iruka-sensei conferred briefly with the other instructors.
"There's one worth watching," an assistant said quietly.
Iruka-sensei nodded. "I noticed."
---
High above, in the Hokage Tower, Hiruzen Sarutobi exhaled smoke slowly from his pipe as Iruka-sensei delivered his report.
"The boy from the orphanage," Iruka-sensei said. "Kiyoshi. No clan affiliation. His performance surpassed several children with shinobi backgrounds."
Hiruzen raised an eyebrow. "In what way?"
"Consistency, Hokage-sama. He doesn't overextend. His fundamentals are unusually refined for his age."
Hiruzen was silent for a moment. Then he smiled faintly. "Place him in Group A. Quietly. Let us see how he grows."
"Yes, Hokage-sama."
---
Back on the Academy grounds, the provisional lists were posted.
Ren scanned them quickly, then turned, eyes wide. "You're A group."
Kiyoshi glanced at the board. "So are you."
Ren stared, then laughed. "Guess they didn't mind me almost collapsing."
"You didn't," Kiyoshi said.
Around them, voices rose—excitement, disappointment, quiet resolve. The Academy building stood behind them, solid and imposing.
Kiyoshi looked at it once more.
This was the start.
---
The crowd slowly began to break apart once the lists were posted.
Some children left immediately, pulled along by parents or guardians. Others lingered, comparing placements, replaying moments from the tests aloud with animated gestures. A few stood alone, staring at the Academy building as if trying to decide whether they were excited or afraid.
Kiyoshi remained where he was, letting the noise wash past him.
Ren leaned closer. "So… Group A. Didn't think they'd put me there."
"You didn't stop when it hurt," Kiyoshi said. "They notice that."
Ren snorted. "Easy for you to say."
Someone slipped into the space beside them, close enough that her elbow nudged Ren's side.
"I *knew* it," a girl's voice said brightly. "I told myself not to get my hopes up, but I knew it."
Ren blinked. "Aiko?"
Aiko grinned, eyes shining as she looked between them. Her dark hair was tied up hastily, strands already escaping. She bounced slightly on her heels, excitement barely contained.
"All three of us," she said. "Group A."
Ren stared. "Seriously?"
She nodded enthusiastically. "Right there. Same line as you two."
Kiyoshi glanced at the board again. Her name sat just beneath Ren's.
Aiko noticed and smiled wider. "See? I wasn't imagining it."
Ren laughed. "Guess they finally realized how stubborn you are."
"And fast," Aiko shot back. "Don't forget fast."
She turned to Kiyoshi. "You saw, right? On the reaction test?"
"I saw," Kiyoshi said.
That seemed to satisfy her.
For a moment, they simply stood together, three familiar figures amid the shifting crowd. It felt natural—like the orphanage yard had simply stretched outward and turned into something larger.
Around them, voices rose and fell. A blond boy complained loudly about sore legs. A dark-haired boy ignored him completely. A pink-haired girl listened carefully to an instructor's explanation, posture stiff with focus. Another boy yawned openly, hands shoved into his pockets.
Aiko followed Kiyoshi's gaze. "You think we'll be in the same class as them?"
"Probably," Ren said. "Big Academy. Small village."
Aiko clasped her hands behind her back, rocking slightly. "I can't believe we're actually here."
Kiyoshi could.
The difference was subtle but unmistakable. This place carried weight. Everyone here was being watched—not openly, but carefully.
An assistant instructor raised a hand. "Group A, with me."
Ren straightened. "That's us."
Aiko inhaled deeply, then let it out in a grin. "Don't fall behind."
She stepped forward confidently, taking her place in line beside them.
As they followed the instructor toward the Academy doors, Kiyoshi glanced back once. The lists fluttered slightly in the breeze, names inked neatly, futures quietly redirected.
The doors closed behind Group A.
And whatever came next, they would face it together.