Bab 22: Graduation (2)
"After the Yondaime removed the rule of students allowed to take their graduation exam early, our jobs have really taken a turn for the bright side.
More rest time, more relaxation, right?"
A brown-haired chuunin elbowed her teammate as she smiled happily. After all, only taking one graduation exam every year became something that she was happy to do instead of indulging to the pride of snotty kids who came back running every day asking to take part in the exam.
Honestly, such a system reflected poorly on the Academy's organisation committee. Well, she wasn't the one to complain and tell, but after she finally got pissed, she sent a request to the Hokage, bringing the issue to his attention.
Although, the Chuunin lady felt miserable for making Yondaime work even harder, she felt that a need to change the current customs was severely in need. Hence, emerged the annual graduation exams.
"Honestly, aside from relaxation, we easily made more income by partaking in the missions in our free time."
Her teammate replied calmly.
They both stood in the middle of the platform constructed to accommodate the graduation exam.
"Now then—" Appearing out of thin air, Minato smiled as his loose hokage attire flapped with the gentle wind. His upper face covered in a shadow cast by his Hokage's hat but his smile was exposed to the sharp senses of every single shinobi present. At the Yondaime's appearance, nobody cheered and applauded. Most of the parents present were experienced shinobis while the other parents were already briefed with the general guideline during the Hokage's presence.
After all, in Minato's eyes, cheering and applauding were simply meaningless and a waste of time, something, he didn't have much to spare already.
"— let's begin with the graduation exam."
On his command, one of the students of Eio's class walked up to the raised platform confidently as the male examiner remained standing on his place. The lively female Chuunin, on the other hand, assumed the role of a referee and looked at the student.
"Are you ready? The rules are simple. The opponent is not allowed to use anything except for Taijutsu while the student can use any jutsu in his arsenal.
To graduate, you have to survive the match for one minute.
Of course, you can continue to fight if you wish to. Either way, if, in some special situation, should you fail to survive the match till the passing time, the decision of your graduation will be later handled by the Yondaime."
Her crisp voice rang out while the student took a deep breath and nodded.
"I am ready!"
***
Soon, the matches concluded as the same Chuunin made the survival of almost every genin difficult. Being the man of aspiring gender equality, he treated the female genins similar to male genins.
***
"*Hic* *sob*"
Sakura's tears kept on falling as Ino stood beside her placated her with soft and comforting whispers. After all, Sakura just lost the match and couldn't help but feel sad. Just like her, there were many who couldn't survive for even a minute.
Looking at Sakura and others crying from afar, Hinata couldn't help but frown and hesitate. She was one of the students who had easily passed the exam. Honestly, Hinata could continue further, but she didn't wish to stand out and gain the ire of other students more than she already had.
"Why don't you go and talk to her?"
Eio asked quietly.
By now, only Naruto, Sasuke and Eio were left. While this information caused the other jounins to raise their eyebrows, they didn't think much, except for the three Jounins already present in the room.
Shaking her head, Hinata shrunk her neck and whispered, fearing that her voice might attract unwanted attention.
"Sakura-san lost. If I go and try to talk to her, she might feel even sadder."
Her pupilless gaze focusing on her toes, Hinata sighed sadly.
"Ino-san, even if she won, can talk with Sakura and others because they have been friends for so long." Hinata continued, "I may not be the smartest... but even I know that Sakura-san would lash out on me..."
Kurenai and Eio were genuinely surprised by the emotional sensitivity shown by Hinata. Sighing at how pitiful the girl's life has been, Kurenai couldn't help but sigh while Eio nodded at her words.
"You may be... right. But, not even having the courage to try... is quite..."
Eio sighed out loud.
"Useless... pathetic, right?"
Hinata finally continued his sentences with an empty expression, none being able to understand her thoughts. Meanwhile, the memories of her father scolding her re-emerged in her mind. Yes, to her father, she was useless and pathetic. She shouldn't have even kept the thought of being something else other than being a disgrace.
"Do you get up?"
Eio suddenly asked, startling the Hyuuga lady.
"Eh? Eio...kun, what are you talking about?"
She immediately snapped out of her thoughts and whispered softly, her gaze still focused on her toes.
"Whenever you fell... during your training. Do you get up? Or do you stay down?"
His violet eyes staring at yer little body pressured her, but she still replied with a nod.
"I get up."
"Why?"
"Because I don't want to stay down...."
Hinata replied almost immediately and then felt that she had slightly understood something. Something extremely important and yet she failed to grasp it after getting so near that... thing.
"So, if you get lashed at or get shot down, does this means that it is the end of it?"
As Eio slowly guided her out of her own entangled thoughts, he was interrupted by Iruka Umino's voice, calling him to partake in the examination.
"Well, just think about it..."
He whispered before leaving. Meanwhile, Kurenai also prepared to leave after seeing his match.
"Eh? Kurenai-san, I thought you would observe Naruto and Sasuke and try to get them in your team."
Shisui asked with a polite smile. His intentions were clear. Since Kurenai was clearly their senior in understanding the psychology of the children and methods of observing and handling them, he wished to gain some advice from the red-eyed non-uchiha.
"Naruto and Sasuke are both holders of Kekkei Genkais... their requirements may be needed for more... mainstream mission. So I do not wish to hinder the village's growth for my own selfishness.
Eio, on the other hand, has gained my attention. He has quite a number of redeeming qualities. After observing his match, I will take my leave.
Either way, Naruto and Sasuke serve a more... special purpose, am I right?"
Her smile made the duo Uchihas understand that most of the Jounin-Senseis were already aware of the secret nomination of the next hokage.
***
Walking up to the raised platform, Eio immediately felt pairs of eyes trailing his body. His parents, Himawari, the red-haired prankster: Boruto, the starry-eyed Sarada, Minato's complicated expression and even the three existences observing him... everything was perfectly captured by Eio.
"Do you wish for me to repeat the rules?"
Shaking his head, Eio replied in denial while he slowly crouched.
"Ready?"
The female Chuunin raised her hand while another pair of eyes followed Eio. Taking his sweet time to realise the new observer, Eio took a deep breath. Maybe... just maybe, he could finally help someone... at least, substantially. Fighting wars could make a person realise how fragile... and priceless a life is.
At least, a friend's life is definitely priceless. A treasure to be protected no matter what, no matter how drastic one's actions are.
Of course, him being an extremist did not evade Eio's conscious thoughts... but a war can easily scar a person's mindset. Even he... Gohan wasn't an exception.
"Don't think of the past..."
Almost immediately, perceiving his drifting thoughts, Kefla's voice gently nudged his subconscious.
"You know what you want. You wish to help that little... that girl, right? No justification is needed for your actions... only your feelings should be counted.
You have made mistakes... while, in reality, they are not mistakes, yet you realise some of your past moments as a mistake."
"You don't understand, what I did was—"
The world around him had long stopped while Kefla's image appeared in front of him. After their first disagreement, their partnership did take a turn for the good. Not letting Eio finish his sentence, Kefla shook her head. Her black hair still tied into a ponytail looked as unruly as ever.
"It wasn't a mistake. How do you even think of THAT as a mistake? Two consenting elders embracing each other for a single night of passion isn't a sin.
It never is a sin.
The society made it a sin."
"I am the outcome of such a society."
"You are, but as you said to that little girl, you just made a blunder, right? Are you going to feel emo all day long, or, are you going to stand up?"
Kefla asked as her body grew closer to Eio's. Since Kefla wasn't extremely tall, Eio's head could easily reach her shoulder. Bending forward, Kefla let out a toothy grin.
"Come on, man. You fought bravely till your death. Scars? Pain? You feel it if you wish to."
Standing straight once again, Kefla's body started to disappear as her voice grazed Eio's ears.
"Once you truly move on, you may even look back and think of those mistakes as cherished experiences."
Whoosh
Failing to perceive the incoming leg sweep, Eio's balance was immediately crumbled. Bending his arms in front of his chest, Eio finally made it in time to stop the incoming upper-cut. Due to weight difference, Eio's body was still lifted off the ground, falling near the edge of the platform.
At this point, barely 10 seconds had passed.
The trained eyes of the other Shinobis couldn't help but frown at the stark difference of the reaction speeds shown by Eio. Slowly getting up, Eio saw Hinata watching him... intently.
He fell.
Now, what?
She couldn't help but question in her heart. Her own miserable appearance slowly coincided with his fallen figure, but one thing didn't match up.
Gazing right back at Hinata, Eio showed something that Hinata did not have the courage to do in such a situation. An action that was quite impossible for her to do when she herself fell.
A smile.
Smiling straight at Hinata, Eio immediately jumped behind the rushing Chuunin showing his incredible flexibility.
'He didn't jump behind...'
The Chuunin finally realised his mistake as he looked at the pair of feet right on his fist while he stood in his punching position shell-shocked.
Looking up, the Chuunin's eyes met up with Eio's violet eyes as he coolly stood at the examiner's fist.
Now, a full forty seconds had passed.
Finally, Eio truly jumped back, but this time, all the interested Shinobis frowned.
Eio had stepped outside the bounds.
PERTIMBANGAN PENCIPTA 
Broughtwaorld
Broughtwaorld huff, slightly shorter, but the task is completed
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone