Final Test (III)

"Are you alright, you look pretty tense…" Jira asked me, looking concerned after the first part of the final test was finally over. We were given a small break before the start of the second part of the exam to get a better grip. A lot of us were quite rattled after taking our first lives.

"Yeah… Kinda…" I admitted lamely. I would like to say I wasn't bothered by the fact that I killed someone, but the fact was, I was really bothered.

"Ugh… You killed a bandit, big deal!" Jira groaned, unable to understand my plight. Not that I expected her to, after all, killing was pretty normal in this world, but the memories of my past life were making it difficult for me to shrug off the incident. "He wouldn't have thought twice before burying his kunai in your throat if you had given him the chance" Jira pointed out with a sneer.

First of all, she was shit at consoling a person and maybe, she was right… I couldn't keep moping around. I needed to get over the fact that I killed a person… Maybe, dehumanizing would help me get over it. After all, if I freeze up during a fight then it would mean certain death for me or my comrades.

"Stay strong" Azui said with a deep nod while patting my shoulder comfortingly.

"Thanks, guys" I thanked them with a smile on my face as I threw grateful looks toward both Jira and Azui. Yes, Jira wasn't very good at comforting anyone, but she did try and I was able to glean something useful from her words, and Azui was basically Azui, he could convey so much with just two words.

"By the way, do you think we are going to get a team or become an elite?" Misa asked, changing the topic and at her question, I became thoughtful. To be honest, I wasn't sure. On one hand, none of us managed to get into the special courses, while on the other hand, elites were selected based on their skills and not based on the fact if they ever managed to get into the special courses or not.

It could go either way since the 2nd Shinobi War was finally over, but I wasn't sure why the War came to an end in the first place. Information regarding the outside world was extremely scarce and the only thing I knew was the fact that Kumo had sustained heavy losses just like the other villages. Hence, the War came to an abrupt end so that the Villages could lick their wounds.

While they never said that outright, I was smart enough to read between the lines… I wonder if the destruction of Uzushiogakure finally brought an end to the 2nd Shinobi War… I will need to pay a visit to the public library after graduating to see what was really happening out there while we were cooped up in here.

"Stop dreaming, we will be getting a team. After all, we aren't special enough!" Jira growled as she threw a dirty look at the group of kids who managed to get into the special courses.

"Then I hope that I have at least one of you on my team" Misa sighed in a hopeful tone. I was also hoping for that as if I get saddled with complete strangers then it would be awkward for some days before I finally get to know them, and I also wanted to have someone I could trust from the get-go on my new team.

"Alright! The break's over!" Gankona snarled, getting our attention. Why did M have to send this bitch? I groaned internally before we quickly gathered in front of her. "Good, M is waiting for the second part of the test" Gankona added before leading us back toward the arena. Once again, I started to wonder what kind of horrors we were about to face next, but we didn't have to wait long.

We finally arrived in the arena only to find M and the other instructors standing near a group of prisoners, but unlike the bandits, these prisoners aren't healthy… They were extremely malnourished and weak. It looked like their skin was barely hanging to their bones.

"This is going to be the second part of your test" M voiced as he gestured toward the group of prisoners. "Before they were captured, they used to be Shinobis from various villages" M added before he paused and his gaze sharpened. I already knew what was coming, so I simply took a deep breath and decided to wait for M to finish talking.

"It is easy to kill a person in the heat of battle, but killing a person in cold blood? That is a completely different matter…" M nodded his head with a grin. "Kumogakure has wasted a lot of resources to support them, but we can no longer afford to waste any resources on them. Now, as your superiors we ask you to execute them" M finished, somehow managing to sound completely righteous.

I shuddered at the thought of killing a man in cold blood… Soon, M started to call our names one by one. Regardless of their personal feelings, all of them managed to execute their targets… "Raijin" I was broken out of my thoughts when M finally called out my name. I slowly stepped forward while I pulled out a kunai from my hip pouch.

Suji yanked the chain of a prisoner, making the frail-looking man drop to his knees… The man looked at me with teary eyes… Please don't. Please don't look at me like that! I begged inside my mind. After all, if I failed the test then I wasn't sure what was going to happen to me and no matter what, I would always choose my own life over a stranger's.

"Please… Please… I beg you! Please don't kill me!" The man wailed hysterically, but I simply stared at him coldly. My hand trembled, but I simply forced myself to move.

I didn't want to look weak… I couldn't look weak and I refused to look weak… With that thought in my mind, I simply stepped forward and buried the kunai in my hand into his head. For what it is worth, I decided to make his death completely painless…

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