After a few days, the academy yard bustled with the usual chatter of students enjoying their break. Asteru sat at their usual lunch spot beneath the shade of a wide tree, his bento untouched as he leaned back against the trunk. His gaze drifted across the yard, but his thoughts were fixed elsewhere.
'She hasn't shown up all week. I know she's fine—she won that fight with those genin—but still… Kushina never skips this many days.'
He exhaled quietly, his eyes narrowing. 'Tch, she better not come back acting like nothing happened.'
Then, a familiar flash of red appeared at the edge of the yard. Kushina hurried toward him, her vibrant hair flowing behind her like a fiery banner. Despite the wide grin she flashed at him, there was a subtle weariness in her eyes—like shadows that hadn't fully lifted since the fight.
Asteru pushed off the tree, arms crossing lazily.
"took you long enough, to come back to classes..."
Kushina laughed awkwardly, rubbing the back of her head. "Sorry for making you wait! I've been dealing with some extra training and... other stuff." She plopped down beside him with a heavy exhale, relief evident in the way her shoulders finally relaxed.
Some of their classmates noticed her return. A boy nearby nudged his friend.
"Hey, isn't that Uzumaki? She's back."
"Yeah, after all that drama last week… I thought she'd vanished."
A girl frowned slightly, lowering her voice. "She probably got in trouble again. With her temper, it's a miracle she's even here."
Kushina's ear twitched at the whispers, but she kept her smile fixed. 'Figures… they'd be talking behind my back. Whatever. I'm not going to give them the satisfaction.'
Turning back to Asteru, she tried to shake it off. "You wouldn't believe how hectic things got after that mess with Kiyou," she began, rolling her eyes dramatically. For a second, her gaze flickered toward him, as if checking to see how much he knew about the incident. "But hey, I'm here now! So what did I miss? Anything exciting happen while I was playing catch-up?"
Her tone was bright, almost exaggerated, but beneath it lingered genuine curiosity—and something else. Concern. She hated missing out on anything that involved him.
Asteru sat comfortably, finally glancing at her from the side. His voice was calm, but his words made her expression shift instantly.
"yeah, there are few things you need to know about."
He paused just long enough for her to lean closer, curious. Then he continued.
"Tommorow is the graduation exam, they said that we need to perform clone jutsu, transformation jutsu and substitution jutsu to graduate..."
Kushina froze, her wide grin fading into an uneasy smile. Her stomach dropped.
"Clone jutsu, huh?" she muttered, scratching her head with a sheepish laugh. 'Of all the things… it had to be clones. Why couldn't it be something I'm good at? Like Fūinjutsu.'
She sighed heavily, earning a few snickers from a group of boys sitting nearby.
"Figures she'd get stuck on something basic."
The other guy smirked mockingly.
"With all that talk about becoming Hokage, she can't even pull off a proper clone!"
Kushina clenched her fists but forced herself not to look their way. Instead, she turned back to Asteru, her expression softening. "Hey, do you think you could help me practice after lunch? I really don't want to mess this up."
Her eyes held a hopeful gleam—unguarded, honest. Passing this exam clearly meant the world to her. For all her bravado, the fear of failing, of being left behind, weighed heavily on her.
Asteru studied her quietly. 'There it is… the side of her no one else gets to see. She'll punch anyone who insults her, but when it comes to her own weakness… she asks me. Hmph~ well let's just help her for my sake atleast.'
Kushina, trying to lighten the mood, forced a grin and raised her voice. "I mean, I can handle pretty much everything else they throw at us... just not those pesky clones!" She laughed at her own expense, scratching her cheek in embarrassment.
A girl nearby giggled softly. "At least she admits it."
Another whispered, "Still… she's tougher than most of us. I wouldn't laugh too much."
The contrast of whispers didn't escape Kushina's ears, but this time, instead of letting it sting, she tilted her chin defiantly. 'Doesn't matter what they say. As long as I have someone willing to back me up… I'll pass this exam.'
After finishing their lunch under the tree, Kushina dusted her hands and stood, determination burning in her eyes.
"Alright, let's get this over with! You're helping me, Asteru."
Asteru arched an eyebrow, hands slipping into his pockets as he rose more lazily. "Heh, bossy as ever. Fine… show me what you've got."
They moved a little further from the chatter of classmates, into a quieter patch near the training posts. Kushina took a deep breath, forming the hand seals. Her face tensed in focus, red brows knitting together as she shouted:
"Clone Jutsu!"
With a puff of smoke, something appeared beside her… something that vaguely resembled Kushina—if Kushina were a half-melted wax doll. The clone's head was too big, its arm sagging unnaturally, and its eyes lopsided. It lasted two seconds before collapsing like a deflated balloon.
Kushina twitched, her eye narrowing. "…Tch! That doesn't count. I was just warming up!"
Asteru smirked, leaning back against a tree. "Sure, sure. Looked more like a nightmare than a warm-up, though."
"Shut it!" she barked, cheeks flushing. She tried again, putting even more chakra into it this time. "Clone Jutsu!"
Poof! Another clone appeared—this one slimmer, but completely pale with sunken features, like a ghostly sick version of her. It swayed once, groaned strangely, then fell flat on its face.
Kushina's jaw dropped. "What the—?! Ughhh!" She stomped her foot in frustration, her fists trembling. "Why can't I get this stupid thing right?!"
A few passing students glanced their way. Some snickered. "She's still at it, huh?"
"She'll never pull it off by tomorrow."
Kushina grit her teeth, fighting the urge to snap at them. She looked away, muttering under her breath. 'Don't cry. Not now. Not in front of him.'
Asteru's gaze softened just slightly as he studied her. 'It's not that she's weak… her chakra's just too wild for something as fragile as a basic illusion. Even if she practices all night, it won't change.'
But he didn't say that out loud. Instead, he pushed off the tree and walked up beside her, smirking in that infuriatingly calm way.
"Well, at least they're funny to look at. If you can't pass by impressing the instructors, maybe you'll pass by making them laugh."
Kushina glared at him, cheeks puffed. "Not funny! This is serious, dattebane!"
Her pout only made Asteru chuckle. Then he tilted his head, lowering his voice slightly so only she could hear.
"Relax, Kushina. Even if you screw this up tomorrow, it won't stop you. You've got something stronger than any clone jutsu could show."
She blinked, caught off guard by the unexpected words. Her lips curved into a small, stubborn smile. "Hmph… you better not be teasing me again."
Asteru just closed one eye and leaned back. "Guess you'll find out tomorrow."
Kushina clenched her fists again, but this time in determination. 'I'll pass… somehow. Even if I can't make a proper clone, I'll show them who I am.'
The sun dipped low, painting the sky with streaks of orange and purple. Students had already gone home after the long day, their laughter fading into the distance. The academy yard stood quiet, only Kushina and Asteru still lingering.
Kushina huffed, collapsing onto a swing at the deserted playground nearby. Her red hair glowed like fire in the fading light as she groaned, "Tch… no matter how many times I try, it always ends up the same. Asteru, maybe I'm just not cut out for this jutsu."
Asteru walked slowly toward her, hands in his pockets, his eyes thoughtful. He stopped near the other swing, pushing it back with his foot idly.
"Don't say that. It's not that you can't do it—it's that this jutsu doesn't suit you. There's a difference."
Kushina tilted her head, curious, "What do you mean? A jutsu's a jutsu, right? If everyone else can pull it off, why can't I?"
Asteru exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. 'I wasn't planning on showing this… not yet. But if it can help her, maybe it's worth it.'
He stepped forward, turning to face her. "Fine, I'll show you something. But you can't blab about it, alright? Not to Minato, not to anyone. Got it?"
Kushina perked up immediately, her earlier frustration vanishing into excitement. "Eh? A secret technique?! Hehehe, of course I won't tell!" She leaned closer, her eyes sparkling. "C'mon, show me already!"
Asteru sighed, then brought his hands together in a seal. "Watch carefully."
First, he molded chakra properly, showing her the difference in flow. With a puff of smoke, a proper clone appeared beside him—a flawless, lifelike copy that stood still.
"This is how the normal one should look. Basic. Empty. It's just an image, no substance. That's why yours collapse—they can't handle your chakra."
Kushina squinted at the clone, puffing her cheeks. "Tch… rub it in, why don't you…"
But before she could complain further, Asteru tightened his stance, fingers flashing into another seal. "Now… this is the one I shouldn't even be showing you."
"Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
With a sharp poof, two identical Asterus appeared—perfect copies, standing with the same lazy posture. They shifted their weight, even smirking like him. The air around them felt heavier, charged with real presence.
Kushina's jaw dropped, her eyes sparkling wide. "W-whoa… they're moving! They look so real! Wait, they ARE real?!"
One of the clones reached down, scooped up a pebble, and tossed it into the air before dispersing into smoke.
Asteru crossed his arms. "That's the difference. These aren't illusions. They're solid. They can fight, think, and act on their own. But—" His tone dropped more serious. "—this technique is dangerous. It splits your chakra into each body. If you don't have enough, you could collapse… or worse."
Kushina's awe shifted into determination. She clenched her fists. "Then I'll just have to handle it! If I can't make a fake one, I'll make a real one! Teach me, Asteru, please!"
He studied her face for a long moment, then finally sighed with a small grin. "You're impossible, you know that?"
The two of them stayed at the playground, practicing over and over. The night air grew colder, the moon rising high, but neither gave in. Kushina's first attempts ended in fizzled smoke or broken fragments of chakra.
"Arghhh! Again!" she shouted, panting, sweat dripping from her temple. Her fiery hair clung to her cheeks as she stomped her foot. "I'll get it this time, dattebane!"
Asteru leaned against the swing post, arms crossed. 'She's reckless… but her spirit is something else. She won't stop until she breaks through her weakness, just like Naruto...'
Hours passed. Finally, close to midnight, Kushina slammed her hands into the seal again, pouring everything into it.
"Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
A burst of smoke exploded—and when it cleared, another Kushina stood right beside her.
Her clone blinked, tilted its head, and smirked. "Hehehe~ about time!"
Kushina gasped, tears welling up instantly. "I… I did it!" She jumped up and down, grabbing Asteru's sleeve and shaking him wildly. "Asteru, did you see?! I really did it!"
Asteru chuckled, steadying her. "Yeah, yeah~ took you long enough." His smirk softened. "Though Good job, Kushina."
Kushina wiped at her eyes quickly, embarrassed, then hugged her clone tightly as if afraid it might vanish. 'I can do it. I really can… I'm not a failure.'
The swings creaked quietly in the night breeze as the two of them sat back down, exhausted but satisfied. Tomorrow's exam loomed large—but Kushina now had a secret weapon of her own.
Asteru yawned loudly, "Alright, than see you tomorrow... It's already midnight."
Kishina looked up at him, "Alright see you tomorrow, good night Asteru."
"Good night..." than Asteru disappeared into the dark towards the direction of his house.
THE NEXT DAY
Asteru came to class in a hurry and a little late than his usual timing, then sat back in some random chair at the back with Minato. His breath was still uneven from the dash across the training grounds, and a few stray strands of his dark hair clung to his forehead.
"Today will be our last day in the academy, Minato..."
Asteru said with a light, exhausted and excited tone, because they both knew their capabilities very well — how far they'd come, and how much further they could go.
The academy classroom buzzed with nervous energy as students fidgeted at their desks, wooden chairs scraping against the floor with each anxious shift. Morning light filtered through dust-speckled windows, casting long rectangles of brightness across scroll-covered tables where young shinobi hopefuls reviewed last-minute notes or practiced hand seals beneath their desks. The smell of chalk and paper mixed with faint traces of metal polish from shuriken holsters — the scent of endings and beginnings.
A few groups whispered nervously near the front.
"Do you think they'll test transformation first?" one boy asked, his voice cracking slightly.
"Nah, clone jutsu always comes first," a girl answered, though she sounded far from confident.
"I heard Hisoka-sensei[1] makes you repeat it if you mess up even a little."
Minato sat perfectly still amidst the chaos, his posture betraying none of the anticipation that electrified the room. Only his index finger tapping rhythmically against his thigh suggested any awareness of today's significance. His eyes, cerulean and calm as ever, briefly met Asteru's across the short distance between their seats.
"Last day," Minato agreed with characteristic economy of words, his voice carrying just far enough to reach his friend. Then, with uncharacteristic candor, [2]he added, "Though graduation merely marks the beginning of the true challenge."
Asteru smirked faintly.
'He's right. This is only the start... but for me, it's different. I already know what's waiting ahead — or I thought I did.'
A ghost of a smile touched Minato's lips as he observed the instructors arranging testing materials at the front of the room. Whatever private assessment he was making remained hidden behind that placid expression, though the slight narrowing of his eyes suggested strategic considerations beyond simple test preparation.
Several rows in front of them, Kushina's vibrant red hair stood out like a flame among the more subdued browns and blacks of their classmates. Unlike most students frantically reviewing jutsu theory, she projected forced nonchalance, arms crossed defiantly over her chest. Yet her foot tapped an anxious rhythm beneath her desk, betraying the nervousness she refused to acknowledge openly. Occasionally, her violet eyes drifted toward the two boys seated behind—lingering with a mixture of curiosity and something more complex before snapping back to the front with renewed determination.
"She's trying to look tough, but she's probably scared stiff about the clone jutsu," whispered a girl to her friend.
"Yeah, everyone knows she struggles with that one," another murmured.
The past months had transformed the three of them in different ways. Minato had grown more focused, if possible, his natural talent honed to razor sharpness through his training sessions with Asteru. The quiet orphan had pushed the prodigy in ways academy instructors couldn't—unpredictability forcing adaptation, unorthodox techniques demanding creative counters.
Asteru himself had changed perhaps most dramatically. The solitary figure who once huddled at the edges of academy life had developed a fighting style that defied classification—a fluid amalgamation of observed techniques, improvised counters, and instinctive movements that even jōnin instructors found difficult to predict. His purple eyes, once a source of mockery, now earned wary respect from classmates who had witnessed his capabilities during sparring sessions.
"First up for the practical examination," announced Hisoka-sensei, a scarred chūnin with perpetually tired eyes, "Uchiha Fugaku."
The Uchiha heir rose with practiced dignity, his face a careful mask of confidence that couldn't quite hide the tension in his shoulders. As he walked toward the examination room, his eyes briefly met Minato's — a silent acknowledgment between the two of them who had found their own paths to strength.
"Think they'll separate us into different teams?" Minato asked quietly, his gaze still fixed forward but his question clearly meant for Asteru alone.
Asteru was shaking his legs nervously halted at his question. He leaned slightly to whisper it quietly,
"I don't know... how they would do us. But if we two are together the missions as official ninja will be fun... hehe..."
Asteru smiled slightly at the thought.
'Oh Minato, but it was different in the anime and I think it's impossible to be with you now because I'm just an extra.'
The leg-shaking ceased as Asteru leaned toward Minato, his movement deliberate, keeping the conversation private amidst the examination-day chaos. The morning sunlight caught the edge of his purple eyes, momentarily highlighting their unusual colour before he angled his face away from the window's glare.
"First time for the written portion," announced chūnin-instructor Akane[3], her stern voice cutting through the classroom murmurs. "Then individual demonstrations of the three basic jutsu techniques. Remember, this determines not just if you graduate, but your preliminary rankings as genin."
Groans rippled through the room.
"Written first?!" someone complained.
"Great, I stayed up all night practicing transformation for nothing..." another muttered, facepalming dramatically.
Asteru's fingers drummed silently against his test paper as it was distributed, not from anxiety about the content — theoretical knowledge never troubled him — but from anticipation of what would follow. His gaze drifted briefly toward the redhead several rows back, noting how Kushina's confident posture contrasted with the nervous chewing of her pencil.
"They say the Hokage himself reviews the performance records for team assignments," Minato whispered, his voice barely disturbing the air between them as students began scribbling answers. "Strategic balance is the priority, but there are... exceptions."
The blond boy's eyes held a calculating gleam that suggested he'd already analyzed potential team configurations based on their classmates' strengths and weaknesses — the kind of advanced strategic thinking that marked him as exceptional even among prodigies.
The examination room door opened again as Fugaku emerged, his expression carefully neutral save for the slight uplift at the corner of his mouth — the Uchiha equivalent of triumphant celebration. He returned to his seat with measured steps, ignoring the questioning glances from fellow clan members scattered throughout the classroom and started writing his own paper.
"Namikaze Minato," called the examiner Daiki[4], consulting his clipboard with practiced detachment that couldn't quite mask the hint of anticipation in his voice. The academy instructors had long since recognized what they had in the blond prodigy.
Minato rose with fluid grace, offering Asteru the briefest of smiles — not the practiced social gesture he showed others, but something genuine and slightly conspiratorial.
"Let's see if they're smart enough to keep us together," he murmured, then walked toward the examination room with unhurried confidence, leaving Asteru to contemplate the possibilities that tomorrow might bring.
"Did you catch that lightning-fast substitution Fugaku pulled?" whispered Chōza from the seat behind, his large frame leaning forward enough to make his desk creak in protest. "Barely saw the hand signs."
Asteru took small deep breaths to control himself and looked at Minato with a smile.
"You saw only signs, but didn't saw my nervousness hmph~ Chōza."
Asteru's fingers curled tightly around his pencil as he watched Minato disappear behind the examination room door. The classroom's ambient noise faded to a distant hum in his ears, replaced by the steady rhythm of his own heartbeat. Despite months of preparation, despite knowing his capabilities exceeded most in this room, the reincarnated boy found himself caught in an unexpected wave of apprehension.
'This is a normal practical exam... I've done a lot before, I meant a slightly different than this ninja world before getting reincarnated, so why am I getting this nervous. Is it because my body is of a child but brain is of an adult?'
His purple eyes darted across his completed test paper, double-checking answers he already knew were correct. Small beads of sweat formed at his temples, betraying his outwardly composed demeanor. The stakes felt suddenly higher than anticipated — not just graduation, but the uncertainty of what lay beyond.
"Not even the Sharingan activates that young," Chōza continued, mistaking Asteru's comment for humor rather than genuine anxiety. The Akimichi heir unwrapped a small rice ball beneath his desk, managing to eat it in two quick bites when the instructors weren't looking. "But I'd bet my lunch Fugaku's already close."
Near the window, Inoichi Yamanaka glanced over with calculating eyes, his family's trademark perceptiveness catching the subtle signs of Asteru's nervousness. The blond boy raised an eyebrow but remained silent, returning to his own review materials with practiced focus.
Through the open window came the distant sounds of the village — merchants calling their wares, children playing, the occasional clatter of shinobi traversing rooftops — a reminder of the world that awaited beyond academy walls. A world where mistakes carried consequences far beyond failing grades.
"Asteru," called the examiner suddenly, the name echoing across the now-silent classroom as all eyes turned toward him.
The moment stretched like heated glass, fragile and transformative. Classmates who once mocked his eyes now watched with curious anticipation. Even Kushina, normally animated and distracted, stilled her fidgeting to observe him as he rose from his seat.
With one final steadying breath, Asteru straightened his shoulders and walked toward the examination room, his footsteps deliberately measured against the wooden floor. His path took him past Kushina's desk, and for a fleeting moment, their eyes met — violet meeting purple in a brief, wordless exchange.
'Good luck, Asteru.' She raised her thumb.
'Thank you, Kushina.' Asteru smiled a little with confidence.
The examination room door loomed before him, both barrier and gateway to whatever future awaited. As his hand reached for the handle, Asteru allowed himself one last glance back at the classroom that had been both sanctuary and battlefield throughout his young life.
'This is it. Time to see what kind of shinobi I'll become.'
[1] Hisoka is a chunin of different section, speaking frankly he is from class 2-C.
[2] Uncharacteristic candor: describes someone being unusually open, honest, and direct, especially about difficult or sensitive topics, in a way that is contrary to their normal behavior.
[3] she is from section 2-B
[4] This is the homeroom teacher of asteru and his friends, he is teacher of 2-A.