JOURNEY OF AN ORDINARY NINJA

Chapter 19: Commencement of Exams

The First Year  Exam Begins

As Akira and Kaede continued their conversation, they were interrupted by the loud, authoritative voice of their classroom teacher, Tanaka Uzumaki. His booming announcement filled the room, cutting through the chatter like a sharp blade.

"The exams are about to begin!" he declared, his tone leaving no room for dissent. "There will be two parts. The first part is a written exam, and the second part will be a practical round. I hope everyone has prepared well and will perform to the best of their abilities."

As his words settled in the air, Tanaka's gaze fell briefly on Akira. For a fleeting moment, his eyes gleamed with malice, a dark intent barely hidden beneath his otherwise neutral expression. The moment passed quickly, but Akira caught it. He held his composure, refusing to react, though the brief exchange sent a clear message: Tanaka was up to something.

"Take your seats according to the hall tickets you were assigned yesterday," Tanaka continued.

The students quickly shuffled to their places. Akira noticed his desk was uncomfortably close to Tanaka's, far closer than the other students' desks, which were grouped together further back. It seemed deliberate, but Akira didn't let it faze him. He offered Kaede a reassuring glance as they parted ways to their respective seats, exchanging silent wishes of good luck.

The written exam began promptly. The questions covered a wide range of topics taught during the first year: history, the theory of chakra, mathematics, physics, and chemistry. For most students, the exam was fair and aligned with the material they had learned.

Sitting at his desk, Tanaka Uzumaki watched the students intently, his focus lingering on Akira. His thoughts churned with a mix of malice and smug satisfaction.

Although Lord Hokage told me to ensure Akira graduates within two years, he didn't say what would happen if Akira failed this exam. Heh, this is my chance. I personally prepared Akira's exam paper, filling it with questions from advanced mathematics, physics, and chakra theory—topics taught to fourth-year students. There's no way he'll pass. And to ensure that, I've set his passing score at 70%, far higher than anyone else's. I'll play it off as a fair assessment, but when he fails, I'll report to the Hokage that it was his own fault for not studying. My ego will be satisfied, and I'll keep my job. Akira, you're finished.

Tanaka smirked to himself, glancing at Akira occasionally to gauge his reaction.

When Akira saw his exam paper, he raised an eyebrow in surprise. The questions were far beyond the first-year syllabus—clearly designed to trip him up. For a moment, he considered confronting Tanaka outright, but then he smirked to himself.

So this is your game, Tanaka-sensei, Akira thought. You're underestimating me.

What Tanaka didn't know was that Akira had anticipated something like this. While he had only attended the academy in person a few times, his use of the Shadow Clone Technique had allowed him to stay far ahead of the curriculum. Every day, one of his clones attended class, diligently taking notes, while another spent hours in the library devouring books on chakra theory, history, and even Kenjutsu techniques. Over the months, Akira had read through the academy's entire library collection.

As Akira scanned the advanced questions, he realized answering them would be no challenge. He could finish the exam in half an hour if he wanted. But that would raise suspicion. Instead, he decided to play it safe.

Akira began writing at a steady pace, deliberately slowing himself down to match the other students. He made a show of pausing occasionally, pretending to think, and even left a few questions unanswered to make his performance appear believable. However, he ensured that his answers were correct and calculated his responses to achieve a score of at least 85%.