3: Chapter 3 Graduation Exam, A Perfect PreludeOn the day of the graduation exam, the classrooms of the ninja academy were filled with a peculiar smell that was a mixture of tension and excitement.
Naruto Uzumaki pushed open the door and entered.
In an instant, dozens of gazes, mixed with habitual disgust, were fixed on him.Instead of hiding in a corner as usual, he straightened his back.
A warm and genuine smile spread across his face as he waved to Sakura Haruno and Kiba Inuzuka, who were closest to him.
"Good morning!"
Akamaru, standing next to Kiba Inuzuka, barked, while Kiba himself looked as if he'd seen a ghost and nearly fell off his chair.Sakura Haruno instinctively shrank back, her beautiful brows furrowed, her face full of wariness as if to say, "Has this guy taken the wrong medicine?"
[Ding!You have received 30 [Confusion] items from Kiba Inuzuka!]
[Ding!You have received 25 [Surprised] items from Sakura Haruno!]
[Ding!You've received 110 "Warning" signals from your classmates!]
A negligible gain.But Naruto didn't care; he was just testing a new persona.The accumulation of negative emotions was partially offset by the confusion brought about by the positive persona, but this was within his expectations.He needed a completely new identity, and any change would be accompanied by initial discomfort and doubt.
The first item is a written test.
Iruka Umino distributed the exam papers, and the only sound in the classroom was the scratching of pencils across the paper.
Naruto stared at the questions on the test paper, his mind calm and undisturbed.For someone with the soul of an adult and the memory aided by a system, these questions were ridiculously simple.He could recite every single word of the standard answers—about the history of ninja villages, the nature of chakra, tactical theories…
But he couldn't.
The character of "Naruto Uzumaki" is that of a complete idiot with absolutely no theoretical knowledge.
So he began his performance.
He quickly filled in most of the answers, then stopped at a few of the most crucial questions.One question asked, "What was the Third Hokage's signature summoning beast?" He thought for a moment and drew a cartoon monkey with a pipe in his mouth in the answer box.Another question asked, "Please explain the core of the Will of Fire," and he wrote: "Protect your comrades, and.eat the best ramen!"
Naïve and foolish, yet perfectly in line with his established persona.
He precisely controlled the score within a range that was neither too bad nor too good, so as not to appear deliberate.
The first step in playing dumb to outsmart others is to convince everyone that you really are a pig.
After submitting the papers, it was time for physical combat sparring.
"Next up, Naruto Uzumaki versus Kiba Inuzuka!"
He grinned, revealing a wild smile, his knuckles cracking as he clenched his fists: "Loser, today I'll show you what's what!"
Naruto stepped onto the field, adopting a starting stance riddled with flaws.
"The match begins!"
Kiba pounced like a cheetah, bringing with him a wild, pungent smell, his fist aimed straight for Naruto's face.
Naruto seemed stunned, but just before the fist hit him, his foot "just happened" to slip, and he fell backward.Kiba's fist grazed his nose and missed.
Then came Akamaru's charge.Naruto rolled awkwardly to dodge, but his elbow "accidentally" slammed backward, hitting Kiba's shin as he came after him, causing him to stumble.
The battle turned into a comical cat-and-mouse game.
Every attack from Fang, whether a tricky claw strike or a wild physical attack, was incredibly fierce.
But each time, Naruto managed to dodge it at the last moment in an extremely "lucky" way.
"Damn it!All you can do is dodge!" Ya's breathing became heavier and heavier.His attacks were always just a hair's breadth away.The feeling of almost succeeding but missing the mark was driving him crazy.
The students watching from the sidelines were also completely baffled.
"This guy's luck is just too good!"
"The teeth's attacks all missed."
No one could see that behind those "almost" moments in their eyes lay the subtle interference of the [Unlimited Technique].Naruto didn't need to completely stop attacking; he only needed to increase the "distance" between Kiba's fist and himself by a micrometer, or distort Akamaru's charging path by a millimeter.
This seemingly insignificant change, in reality, translates into repeated "missed opportunities."
Naruto himself appeared to be in grave danger, sweating profusely and panting heavily, perfectly portraying a weakling who was barely hanging on by luck.
Finally, after a failed lunge, the exhausted Ya lost his footing and balance.
Naruto seized the opportunity, stretched out his foot, and "accidentally" tripped him.
thump!
The sudden force knocked him over, and he fell off the field.
The entire room fell silent.
Iruka was stunned for a long time before announcing, "The winner is Naruto Uzumaki!"
Naruto plopped down on the ground, panting heavily, a relieved smile on his face.
lucky.
Everyone thinks so.
The final test was ninjutsu.
Iruka stood at the front of the classroom, his expression serious: "The final exercise, the Clone Technique.Everyone must create at least one qualified clone.Begin now."
One student after another stepped forward, successfully formed hand seals, and created two or three physical clones, thus passing through smoothly.
Finally, it was Naruto's turn.
The whole class's eyes were once again focused on him, this time filled with anticipation for a good show.
Naruto walked to the center of the classroom, took a deep breath, and began to form hand seals.
His hand gestures were precise, and chakra flowed within him.However, at the very last moment of release, he deliberately disrupted the chakra output.
Bang!
A cloud of white mist dissipated, revealing a pale-faced, limp "clone" that seemed to have been drained of its energy, lying on the ground.It twitched twice before turning into smoke and disappearing.
fail.
A failure as expected.
After a brief silence, a roar erupted.Laughter erupted without warning.
"Hahaha!I knew it!"
"What kind of thing did it conjure up?It looks like it's about to die!"
"A bottom student is a bottom student, he'll never graduate!"
Mockery, schadenfreude, contempt.an overwhelming barrage of negative emotions transformed into sweet nourishment, flooding into his system.
[Ding!You've received 1200 laughs from the entire class!]
[Ding!You have received 50 [Worries] from Hinata Hyuga!]
[Ding!You've received 800 points of schadenfreude from your entire class!]
[Ding!You have received 500 points of contempt from your entire class!]
[Shadow Points increased by 2500!Glory Points increased by 50.]
Naruto lowered his head, his golden hair falling down and obscuring his calm, unwavering blue eyes.His shoulders trembled slightly, and he looked so lost and helpless.
Only he knew that he was silently celebrating this bountiful harvest.
Iruka looked at him, a hint of disappointment, even pain, showing on his usually serious face.He opened his mouth, but ultimately only solemnly announced, "Naruto Uzumaki, graduation.failed."
Standing next to Iruka, assistant coach Mizuki glanced at Naruto almost imperceptibly, a smug look of smug satisfaction flashing across his face.
Night fell.
Naruto sat alone on the swing under the big tree, the afterglow of the setting sun casting a long shadow of him.
He lowered his head and remained silent, perfectly portraying the loneliness of a child abandoned by the world.
The sound of footsteps grew louder as they approached.
Mizuki, with his signature "gentle" smile, sat on the swing next to Naruto.
"Are you still upset about the graduation exam, Naruto?" His voice was full of care, portraying him as a perfect teacher.
Naruto raised his head and asked in a hoarse voice, trembling with tears, "Mitsuki-sensei.am I.really useless?"
"Of course not!" Mizuki immediately retorted, her tone earnest."Iruka is just too strict with you.Actually, there's another way for you to graduate."
They've arrived.
Naruto's face showed shock at just the right moment.
"Really?What method?"
Mizuki leaned closer, lowering his voice as if sharing a huge secret: "In the Hokage's office, there's a Book of Sealing Techniques.It contains many powerful forbidden techniques.If you can steal it and learn any one of the techniques on it, Iruka will definitely let you graduate!"
Naruto's expression shifted from shock to hesitation, and finally settled on a desperate, all-or-nothing longing that came from being pushed to the brink.
He perfectly portrayed a bewitched youth who pinned his last hope on a dangerous taboo.
"I.I understand, Professor Mizuki!Thank you!"
Watching Naruto's retreating figure, Mizuki's smile turned contemptuous and smug.
That foolish fox spirit is so easily fooled.
[Ding!You've received 500 "Triumphant" points from SMTH!]
[Ding!You have received 300 "Contempt" from SMTH!]
Naruto stopped in the dark alley, the excitement and longing on his face vanishing instantly, leaving only cold calculation.
"The actors are in position, and the stage will be set up soon."
He brought up the system panel.
Shadow Points: 6840
"System, exchange for [Aura Concealment LV1 (Pseudo)]."
[Confirmed consumption of 1000 Shadow Points?This ability can significantly reduce one's presence, simulating the disappearance of one's aura, but it cannot completely evade the detection of sensory ninjas.]
"confirm."
A chill enveloped his entire body, and Naruto felt his presence rapidly fading, as if he were blending into the surrounding night.
He didn't choose brute force; that would be too simplistic.
His figure transformed into an almost imperceptible afterimage, swiftly traversing the rooftops of Konoha Village, heading straight for the brightly lit Hokage Building.
Under the moonlight, he landed lightly on the roof of the Hokage Building without making a sound.
He found the window that Shuimu had mentioned and was about to approach it.
However, he stopped in his tracks.
In the shadows just ahead of him, another dark figure had already gotten there first.
The man, also dressed in black, was agile and squatted under the windowsill, holding tools and skillfully prying open the window lock.
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