Chapter 49: Graduation and a Teacher's Fear
If there was one thing in this world that was truly relentless, it was the passage of time. It flowed like an unstoppable river, carrying all things forward.
In the blink of an eye, Shinra's graduation season had arrived. More than four years had passed since the night of the Susanoo attack.
Hatake Sakumo and his ANBU had scoured every inch of Konoha, but they had never found a trace of the Uchiha who had assaulted the Hokage. This was, perhaps, inevitable. Uchiha Ryo had been a Root agent. And Root was a place where shinobi went to have their pasts erased. Danzo had meticulously scrubbed all records of Uchiha Ryo's existence. The Uchiha clan itself had no knowledge of him; as far as their rolls were concerned, he was already dead.
The incident was a major event that had slowly faded into a minor mystery. Yet, in the eyes of Sarutobi Hiruzen, the shadow of blame still fell upon the Uchiha clan. Danzo had emerged unscathed, which didn't surprise Shinra in the slightest. The complex, intertwined history between Hiruzen and Danzo could fill volumes; the Hokage would never move decisively against his old friend.
However, in the aftermath, Danzo had grown quiet. The constant, subtle surveillance on Shinra had ceased. He no longer troubled the Hyuga prodigy.
Not that Shinra would have cared if he did. The boy who had to scheme from the shadows was gone.
The Shinra of today had no fear of Danzo or his Root. If the old warhawk dared to come for him now, Shinra wouldn't hesitate to reduce the entire Root headquarters to rubble.
His current strength was such that, without exaggeration, he could single-handedly challenge the entire village. Even if Uchiha Madara in his prime stood before him, it would be a fair fight.
This wasn't mere arrogance; it was a fact. He was confident enough to trade blows with a Sage of Six Paths.
Okay, that last part might have been pure bravado. But taking on Konoha alone? That was within the realm of possibility.
He now possessed chakra reserves rivaling a Tailed Beast. His physical strength could pulverize a small hill with a single punch. The current, aged Uchiha Madara would be hard-pressed to claim victory. This was the level of power he had achieved over the past few years, a growth rate more monstrous than anyone could have imagined.
In terms of both the quality and quantity of his chakra, only the Nine-Tails itself could surpass him. Even the Eight-Tails, Gyuki, would find itself outmatched. His taijutsu was undoubtedly the strongest in the shinobi world, and he could now fully utilize the abilities of his Tenseigan.
It was worth noting that his Tenseigan Chakra Mode was not the canonical vibrant green, but a deep, royal blue—the same hue as standard chakra, just infinitely more concentrated. He was rather pleased with this; he had no desire to be shrouded in a "color of forgiveness." The Tenseigan Chakra Mode of Ōtsutsuki Sheren was actually an indigo blue, after all.
Upon entering this mode, Shinra could briefly tap into the power of the Sixth Paths, a pseudo-Six Paths level of power. This was the source of his unwavering confidence.
His personal Mangekyo ability, granted him absolute immunity to all damage for its duration. It was different from Obito's intangibility via Kamui; this was true, absolute negation. Even if Ōtsutsuki Kaguya herself hit him with an entire volley of Truth-Seeking Balls, he would emerge completely unscathed. It was just that broken.
Of course, such a potent ability came with a massive cost. Even with his immense chakra and ocular power, he could only maintain it for a maximum of ten continuous minutes.
So yes, Shinra was swollen with power, and he feared no one.
(In a truly serious fight against a genuine Six Paths-level opponent, he would likely still lose. His ability was hax, but his raw power was still a notch below—unless he could fully liberate his Zanpakuto, Ryūjin Jakka.)
Over the past few years, the System had granted him four lottery draws. Perhaps his luck had been spent on drawing Ryūjin Jakka, for the results were mostly underwhelming—except for one incredible prize: Mangekyo Sharingan Evolution Liquid.
It was the only thing that mattered. With this single vial, Mikoto could evolve her Mangekyo Sharingan directly into the Eternal Mangekyo, bypassing the need for a sibling's eyes. In the System Mall, this item cost a staggering 300,000 exchange points. If he hadn't gotten lucky with the draw, it would have taken him over a decade to save up for it.
In a few days, he would have another draw. He could only hope his luck would return.
While Shinra's power had skyrocketed, Mikoto and Kushina had not been left behind. Their growth was equally terrifying.
Mikoto had awakened her Three Tomoe Sharingan, and her overall skill had reached the level of a Jonin. Kushina, with her immense Uzumaki vitality and chakra, was also a full-fledged Jonin, and in a straight fight, her raw power currently surpassed Mikoto's.
The three of them were, without a doubt, the most powerful students in the entire shinobi world. They were already moving in the circles of Jonin and Kage, yet they were still technically enrolled in the Ninja Academy.
Today was their last day. It was the graduation exam. Those who passed would receive their forehead protectors and become true shinobi of Konoha. Those who failed would either repeat the year or leave the shinobi path altogether.
Shinra, Mikoto, and Kushina walked into the classroom together. Their teacher, Ueno Kuri, was already waiting at the front, his usual energetic demeanor replaced by a somber silence.
He gave them a nod as they took their seats. The entire class was quiet, unnerved by their teacher's unusually grim expression.
Once the five-year students of Class A were all present, Ueno Kuri finally spoke.
"I have been your teacher for five years," he began, his voice thick with an emotion they rarely heard. "And now it's time to say goodbye. I know I've often found you all to be a headache... but now that you're leaving, this teacher's heart is truly heavy." He paused, and his eyes were suspiciously red.
"Pfft! Isn't it embarrassing for a teacher your age to cry?" Nawaki muttered under his breath, though not quietly enough.
Ueno Kuri's head snapped up. "Nawaki! Who's crying?! The wind is just strong today, that's all! It's blowing dust in my eyes! Honestly, I'll be glad to see the back of you troublemakers!" he retorted, his face flushing with a mixture of sadness and embarrassment.
"Don't worry, Ueno-sensei! I'm sure we'll see each other around the village all the time!" Namikaze Minato offered one of his characteristically bright, sunny smiles, trying to lighten the mood.
His words, however, only made the silence deeper. Ueno Kuri's face fell again.
"To be perfectly honest with you all," he said, his tone now gravely serious, "a part of me hopes that every single one of you fails this exam."
A collective, stunned silence filled the room. Minato's smile vanished, replaced by confusion. Had he said something wrong?
"Just a few days ago," Ueno continued, his voice heavy, "the Land of Fire and the Land of Rain went to war. The Land of Wind and the Land of Earth have joined the fray. They're using the Land of Rain as their battlefield for small-scale skirmishes."
He looked at their young, determined faces. "Graduating now... is not the blessing you think it is. Some of you... might be sent there. And some of you... might not come back."
Ueno Kuri had never been on the front lines himself, but he was old enough to remember the aftermath of the First Great Shinobi War. He had been a young boy, watching the "victorious" shinobi return to Konoha—a procession of the broken, the maimed, and the hollow-eyed. He had seen a village draped in mourning despite its triumph.
He never wanted his students to have to experience that.
"Teacher! I know you'll miss us, but you don't have to curse us to fail!" Nawaki protested, misunderstanding the depth of his teacher's fear.
Ueno Kuri managed a weak, strained laugh. "Haha... You're right, my apologies. Just... do your best. No matter what happens after today... just do your best."