Kamishiro Kirito smiled at the students and said, "Well, my dear baby beans. Now that you have sprouted healthily, it's time to harvest…cough cough…I mean, it's time for you to graduate."
Suddenly, the classroom went completely silent. The students couldn't help but exchange uneasy glances.
And Seimei? He just rolled his eyes.
Kirito just gave them a mysterious smile before adopting a serious expression.
He continued, "I prepared a good, long motivational speech for your guys before the start of the graduation exam. After all, after the exam is over, you will finally become official ninjas protecting Konoha and the Land of Fire."
"But on a second thought, fuck it. No one likes long speeches."
"I hated them when my clan leader and commanders used to preach for hours. I am sure you will hate it, too."
"And I am more experienced in busting enemies' balls and obliterating their existence, literally, than giving bloodpumping, motivational speeches."
"So, I will keep it short."
"You are the S-class students."
"You ARE my students!"
"I have seen you fumbling during your first lessons. And I have also seen you enduring countless hardships to push yourself beyond your limits."
"Each of you had persisted for five gruesome years of training and missions, becoming the finest of the ninjas I have ever seen in a very short span of time."
"You sweat. You bled. You transformed."
"All in front of my eyes."
Kamishiro Kirito stopped for a moment and looked at every single student in the class, including Seimei and his friends, for a few good moments.
It was as if he was trying to imprint the faces of all those twelve and thirteen-year-old kids, who had become true ninjas, into his mind.
He smiled again, but this time, it wasn't the devilish smile he usually sported while training his students.
This smile was pure, hiding a hint of pride for the pupils in front of him.
Soon, he ended the brief pause and spoke again. "So, today, I will say this."
"Good job, my students. I am very proud of you."
"I know the upcoming exam is gonna be tough. But it won't be able to stop you from graduating."
Kirito's expression became solemn once more as he said, "However, do not forget the nature of our world."
"It's one hell of a cruel world. In this world, the weak, the careless, and the helpless people have no voice or future."
"And you will be stepping into this very world, the cruel world, that will not hesitate to devour you whole."
"The enemy ninjas will try to plot against you. The chakra beasts will try to slaughter you. Heck, even the very environment and plants in some places can kill you."
"Always be alert. Remember, my students, caution and constant vigilance are two of the most important traits for a ninja."
"They will keep you alive."
"In the last five years, I have drilled everything you needed to survive and thrive in this world."
"I have tried everything I could."
"As ninjas, we shoulder the burden to protect everything we hold dear."
"We go on missions and serve our village to protect the ones living here."
"I just hope that my guidance is good enough to help you survive any ordeal while you do your job as a ninja."
Kirito clapped his hands once and raised his voice.
"Well, I have spoken so much that my mouth is about to fall apart from strain. So, you'd better survive out there."
"Now, let's talk about the graduation exam, shall we?"
The students, still a bit dazed from the impact of the motivational speech, instinctively nodded their heads.
Yuto couldn't help but clench his fists in excitement. This was what he was waiting for. Soon, he would become an official ninja and travel to different places.
As for the dangers of the missions? Well, the danger was lurking everywhere anyway.
As long as an exceedingly powerful or an S-rank Shinobi didn't pop up, he could always find a way to survive and come with reinforcements.
Nara Shikamo's eyes also became sharp. But all his sharpness soon evaporated when he thought about his troublesome assignments as a ninja graduating from the Anti-Army division.
Damn it, it's too late. The world is really cruel and vicious. It won't even let me relax and sleep in peace. I just wanted to slack off a bit. Is it really too much to ask for? Kirito-sensei's words are indeed true. The world is filled with 'malice.'
Shikamo thought while shaking his head.
Ishimori Haneda was also a bit excited. How could he not be? He was going to be the first ninja in his family line.
Although this profession was filled with countless dangers, at least being a ninja gave him multiple options and opportunities.
Uchiha Touma and Uzumaki Keiko? These two battle maniacs were also excited.
Reina was completely calm. But she still felt a bit strange.
She couldn't help it. She was graduating from the academy for the second time after regressing. So, she was essentially repeating her life.
It was boring. Weird even.
Fortunately, she made some very good friends in this life.
Especially…
She looked at Seimei, who was looking forward to the graduation exam content.
He placed his left elbow on the desk, clenched his left hand into a relaxed fist, and rested the fist on his left cheek to support his face, which he tilted slightly to the left.
His eyes were clear. His expression was calm.
No one knew what he was thinking.
As for what he was thinking…
Okay, okay, Kirito-sensei. Your public speaking skills are indeed superb. It almost feels like a shame to place you as an academy teacher rather than throw you into the higher echelons of Konoha.
And this guy possesses Elite Jonin-level strength, too.
What a perfect Konoha higher-up material!
You will be a fine elder and a leader.
Your heartfelt emotions also carry a superb brainwashing effect.
But I feel like you genuinely believe in what you say, which is even more terrifying.
Has my father truly brainwashed you with the Genjutsu: Will of Fire to this extent?
Scary!!! (Yeah, three exclamation marks are necessary to emphasize this point)
Whatever. Out with it. Tell us about the graduation exam structure already.
And Kamishiro Kirito didn't disappoint.
He immediately started explaining the exam structure.
"As always, the exam will be divided into two parts: The written exam and the practical exam. However, the practical exam of the fifth year will be different from the last four years."
"Since you chose at least one separate division at the beginning of the fifth year, the content of your practical exam was decided by your division heads."
"For example, if you choose Anti-Personnel specialization, your practical exam content will be decided by the Anti-Personnel combat division's head."
"Simple, right?"
"As for what exactly the practical exam's content is…"
"Okay, boys and girls, before you even think about that, you will have to pass the exam you have today."
"And that is…"
With that, Kirito suddenly grabbed a scroll from his ninja pouch, placed it on the table, and opened it.
The scroll had a complex seal imprint, which Seimei or any competent Fuinjutsu expert would immediately recognize.
It was a storage seal.
Kirito placed his hand on the seal and channeled his chakra into it, making the pitch-black seal glow with a faint blue light.
Puff!
And in the blink of an eye, a stack of papers appeared on the top of the scroll out of nowhere.
Kirito placed his hand on the stack of paper, grinned, and said, "Of course, it's your favorite written exam."
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