Chapter 21: Entrance Exam

Through the morning mist, Uchiha Toshiro slowly stepped into the yard. In the corner of the yard, a clear and graceful young girl was sitting cross-legged on a large stone ball built two years ago for meditation practice. It was Uchiha Mika.

Though the two years of meditation had not yet allowed him to sense natural energy, the benefits were apparent. He had achieved a state of mental peace, stability, and increasing energy. Most notably, he had made significant progress in controlling his mental energy, physical energy, and chakra.

Six months ago, after establishing a new training ground, under Toshiro's strong recommendation, Uchiha Mika also started this form of training.

Unable to resist Toshiro's persistent coaxing, after three months of trying, she felt a significant improvement in her fine chakra control and medical ninjutsu. 

Every day, she would voluntarily engage in what she considered an oddly "strange" training. After all, what girl wouldn't prefer a meditative practice that didn't make her sweaty and smelly?

Indeed, the "truth" holds true everywhere.

Toshiro didn't worry about any accidents occurring. Without the toad oil of Mount Myoboku and its unique environment, simply sensing natural energy and losing control, turning into a stone statue, was almost impossible. 

As for Mika being a one-in-a-million genius at Senjutsu who could easily sense natural energy, that was highly unlikely.

After removing his own weights, Toshiro stepped outside. He leaped onto the roof of the house on the right. A large new skylight revealed a thick, three-to-four-meter-long wooden spear when opened.

The spear was fixed inside the dojo, with its tip touching the ceiling. The flexibility due to the material gave it some elasticity. This was where Toshiro practiced his meditation every morning.

He was determined that without the big three sanctuaries' inheritance, he would still master Sage Mode. If one year didn't suffice, then he'd spend three years; if three years weren't enough, then five, ten, or twenty years. One day, he would thoroughly understand and master Senjutsu.

After finishing his meditation and having breakfast, Toshiro stood at the gate of the Uchiha compound.

"Toshiro, are you sure you don't want your sister to accompany you to the ninja academy?" 

"No need, Mika-nee, you should focus on your new medicine. The entrance exam will be a piece of cake!" Waving goodbye as he spoke, Toshiro joined other kids gathering at the compound's gate and headed towards the ninja academy together.

The ninja academy was located in the central area of Konoha, surrounded by various official departments. Five hundred meters to the north was a residential area and marketplace, while a few hundred meters east lay the Hokage's office and the famous Hokage Rock.

Upon entering the red gate, the spacious square was crowded with people. Being the start of the academic year, many parents were giving last-minute instructions to their children, filling the air with noise.

A large banner hung on the school building, reading "Entrance Ceremony."

Having attended school for 16 years, Toshiro was no stranger to the scene.

Familiar with the situation, Toshiro followed the school signs and led a few Uchiha orphans through the crowd, quickly finding the administrative office handling new student affairs.

After lining up for quite a while, they finally faced two Chunin in green vests handling the admissions process. After reporting their names, each received a medical examination form, and under the surprised gazes of the Chunin, they headed towards the school's infirmary.

Becoming a ninja wasn't simple. One's body, mind, reflexes, and will were all crucial. Moreover, it wasn't wartime, so the academy had no need to produce lots of cannon fodder.

About an hour passed. A young ninja holding a list appeared in the square.

"The people I call next, gather at the school field for the physical assessment!"

At the field, a black-faced ninja with several scars and a green vest awaited them.

"Kids! I'm the examiner for this physical test. Starting from here, run around the field 60 laps!"

"So far, how is that possible?"

"That's too many laps. Considering the size of the field, 60 laps would be at least tens of kilometers!" Various complaints arose from the crowd.

"What are you waiting for? A ninja's primary duty is to follow commands and complete tasks. Now, run!!!"

A group of children slowly jogged around the field. This was the main content of the entrance exam, assessing both stamina and perseverance.

It was easy to see the difference between children of ninja clans and ordinary civilians. The group gradually divided into two tiers, with the gap widening.

Toshiro was naturally among the faster runners. Having undergone physical training early on, he surpassed most children from ninja families in terms of physical condition.

It wasn't long before Toshiro led the pack. Unlike the kids striving to catch up behind him, Toshiro appeared at ease. Running was his basic training, and for ninjas, running long distances was common.

So while running might seem mundane, it was essential for enhancing endurance, a critical trait for ninjas.

In this regard, Toshiro had a significant advantage over the others.

His performance greatly impressed the examiner, who nodded in approval. By the end of the test, Toshiro was still far ahead of everyone.

As for hiding his abilities, Toshiro found it unnecessary. The clan's relationship with the village wasn't as strained as it would be post-Nine-Tails attack.

Once the last candidate crossed the finish line, the exam officially concluded.

All children who gave up midway were eliminated. However, anyone who finished, even the slowest, passed the exam.

(End of the Chapter)