Practical Exam

On an academy field, twenty-seven students were all lined up in a single file. In front of them were twenty-seven leaves all piled up neatly. The children strolled over to them and picked one each.

They all went back to form a line. Each of them now had a leaf in their hand. After this, the proctor walked over to them with an observing gaze. He yelled something and every single one of them raised the hand they had their leaf in

The proctor just nodded and signalled everyone to sit down on the floor. But this time everyone was not in a single line. They all sat down, apart from each other in rows.

There were now twenty-seven rows with only a single person in each. Soon everyone started to close their eyes tightly. This was while sitting in a lotus position.

--POV MC--

The leaf concentration exercise. Well, I can probably get top three in this. They're probably going to test us on how long we can maintain one leaf on our foreheads. I can probably hold it for over an hour and forty-five minutes.

Two months ago I could only hold for an hour. A bit slow but the improvements show. I don't just work harder than everyone. I especially work smarter than most of my peers. Probably excluding Guy and Kakashi. Obito... I don't know what he has been doing all this time.

It's been like this since he has met Rin. He does nothing but gets filled with wild fantasies of her every day. But then gets angry because we are ahead. Don't worry Obito you will soon become one of the most powerful Shinobi of your era and the next.

Ok, I need to concentrate now. I put the leaf in between my forehead and pinpointed the centre. I didn't channel the chakra yet. This was just to get my concentration levels to a higher level.

Imagine focusing all of your mind on one particular thing. It's nigh-impossible right?.. Well, that's what I am trying to do. Enter a new realm of senses. That is essentially what Sage Mode does.

It will take me a long time... Very long. But time is always flowing. The only thing I have right now on my side is time. Also the golden finger of knowing the future. Which is the best advantage I have over everyone.

That advantage will soon be gone. This is when I reach that level and explore up there. There should be a whole new world up there. Should I say universe?... Or multiverse?

Concentrating on this leaf my mind became clear of all thoughts. Imagine reaching a level of concentration where I could feel my heartbeat. The blood vessels, arteries or anything in the body I could feel do.

The inner workings of the body could be sensed by me. It's like becoming a God of your own body, instead of being a vessel. After that has been achieved, I have entered a realm of time that cannot be achieved without external help.

The eight gates remove the limiters throughout the body. What about removing all the limiters in your mind. This is still far away from my reach but in the meantime, the Sharingan will do.

Finally, I have peaked at my levels of focus. There is no going further. My reserves are maxed out. So I will maintain the least amount of chakra needed for this leaf exercise.

"Okay, time's up. You have all gotten ready."

"Now on the count of three-channel your chakra into the leaf and put your hands down." The proctor hoarsely said.

"Three"

"Two"

"One"

"Now!"

As soon as he said that everyone stuck the leaf onto their forehead and put their hands on their kneecaps. They all looked like they were in a meditating position and so was I.

I'm just going to keep my eyes shut without focusing on anything else. Others were not doing the same. They just looked around to see their own progress against others. This wasted their own chakra.

I could hear their heads turning in different directions. This just makes it easier for me since more people will waste their chakra early. Kakashi has probably got Peak Genin reserves.

I have got Peak Mid Reserves. My chakra control is also Mid Genin level. Guy will definitely come at the bottom. Since he doesn't have a talent for ninjutsu. But he will get better later on because he did graduate.

After ten minutes everything was normal. No one was struggling. People will probably start to struggle at the thirty-minute mark. Right now I still have loads of chakra to spare.

After the thirty-minute mark, I heard a few people stand up and walk off. Five footsteps it sounded like. So approximately twenty- twenty-two people left.

Forty minutes another seven or six people stood up. So only thirteen- fifteen people left.

The hour mark hit and ten people simultaneously went away. Only five people left. It's most likely Kakashi, Hisajami, The Shimura kid and Ebisu. That Ebisu has definitely got some talent for a civilian.

Especially his strategy in battle. If I didn't know his origin or name, I probably would have mistaken him as someone from the Nara clan. Also this Shimura kid. Right from the start of the academy, there was something off about him.

I just couldn't wrap my finger around it at first. But then new faces started coming to the academy to replace other people. Then I noticed this kid is just Danzo's eyes in the academy.

He just looks at kid's who don't have a backing and trains them for root. Danzo's test of killing the person you grew up with. It is a pretty good test I have got to say. But it still has its flaws. The person will not fully become a tool if there is a certain memory they hold on to.

After the hour and a half mark was done and a person stood up. Judging from the footsteps and the bottom of his shoes. They were Ebisu's considering clan kids don't wear rough shoes.

After an hour and forty-five minutes, a person stood up. It was probably the Shimura kid. Hisajami definitely has more chakra control than me. He is a Hyuga after all. They learn chakra control just from the gentle fist.

Which is essentially using chakra to push out from the tonkatsu points. Unless you have strengthened your inner body then you can't take more than five of these hits. That is even if you can handle the pain.

At this point, I could feel my reserves dropping. After the two hour mark, I have to milk out as much as I can from the little chakra I have.

After the two hour mark, my whole body felt like I was floating. I had a tingling sensation in my chest and throat. My mind was just out of it. So I just stopped and took the leaf of gently.

As I opened my eyes the bright light invaded making me squint. After closing my eyes for two hours consecutively it takes on your cornea. Which is the part of your eye which refracts light.

Far away from me, I saw Kakashi and Hisajami. They both had their eyebrows knitted to concentrate as much as they can. Kakashi is most likely going to win but Hisajami might come close.

I thought as I walked to the crowd of people who were sitting down and conversing. Some were happy and others were miserable depending on how they did.

Obito looked frustrated either at himself or us. Even I couldn't tell but it was probably us because we were going further and further away. At first, he didn't care since he thought he would catch up but now... He knows he is too weak.

Motivation, determination, a strong will and last but not the least luck is what you need to become strong. Someone like Naruto who had plot armour and luck became the strongest in history.

But one of the strong traits about Naruto was his smarts. He was more of a right-brained thinker. His emotional intelligence was quite high in the show. The talk no Jutsu was the basis of it.

When it comes to creativity and out of the box thinking Naruto is one of the best out there. He's a battle genius if you think about it, a master of devising unorthodox strategies and applying them.

His source of intelligence comes also entirely from the right side of his brain, where artistic capabilities and creativity are derived from. In contrast to Sakura, who while is skilled at using both sides of her brain is more inclined to the analytical left side of the brain.

He was the first one to notice that Rock lee works way harder than Sasuke or anyone else for that matter with just one glance. Not even Sasuke with his Sharingan could see that.

He used the ground against Byakugan and sun rays against Sharingan for his advantage. He was the first to figure out that sage mode will work on the Jubito. He used a shadow clone to master Rasengan and Rasenshuriken which is also very smart

Everyone turned their heads towards the direction of a person standing up with a pained expression. He had black long and smooth hair with a bandage wrapped around his head. Hisajami Hyuga.

There was no surprise on anyone's face since Kakashi was at the top of everything they did so they just accepted it. Soon after Kakashi also just stood up. Not because he had enough but he couldn't be bothered to stay on longer.

Hisajami just walked back with a dazed face while trying to keep himself balanced until he reached the crowd. He probably used almost all his chakra just to become second just like me.

But he was definitely more efficient with it since he has better chakra control. While Kakashi walked back without even sweat on his face. The instructor just nodded. Then started writing down something on the piece of paper.

"Well done everybody that was all for the first exams. All that you have done today is going to be added up and the scores will be put in the big hall of the academy the week after you come back."

"But first we will send the results to your hard work home later in the week before you come back. The scroll will come with information of everything you did and the scores you got."

"The percentile is the place you are in at the bottom of the scroll. Make sure you give this to your parents or we will find out if you didn't."

"Don't be discouraged if you have done bad. Just know that you still have three tries to become one of the top candidates for next years class." The proctor shouted with a stern and hope-filled voice.

Obito clenched his fist when he heard this and looked at Kakashi. He had a certain fire lit in his determined and hardened eyes. Well, Obito we will see how you do with this newfound resolve. Probably nothing since he did the same thing in the anime.

He was a rusty diamond in front of Madara. Obito was something he had to polish in order for his plans to work. He was the perfect tool for him. This love he had for Rin isn't simple but a clinging obsession.

He probably feels like he is missing a part of himself without her. So after she died he felt like he lost his human side. That's how he became the person he is in the future.

"Now everyone you can all go home for your one week break. Make sure you all use this time wisely. Study and train diligently if you want to become a top shinobi."

"Hai-Sensei" Everyone said simultaneously and walked through the front gates.

A one week break... Perfect. I could train 7 days a week for the whole day without anything bothering me. Like you said sensei I should use this time wisely. I do need to go meet the man I saved from committing suicide after all.

I thought as I walked out the front gates with my hands in my pockets and a grin on my face. While Kakashi, Guy, Obito and Asuma were conversing with each other.

-

Thank you for the power stones and support you guys have been showing me. I genuinely appreciate it.

Let me know what you think in the comments. I would appreciate you guys correcting my mistakes and giving constructive criticism.