Shizuru stood stunned, staring at the dulled kunai lying on the ground with faint electric charges still escaping from it. She turned back toward me, only to find me jumping around like a maniac, screaming about my shirt.
"Noa!" she shouted, finally grabbing my attention away from the hole in my shirt that would be a pain to fix.
"What?" I asked irritably.
Her eyes widened slightly as she nodded towards the kunai, faint trails of smoke rising from its edges. I raised my eyebrows in confusion before realization struck, and a confident grin spread across my face. "Pretty cool, huh?"
"It actually is pretty cool," she admitted reluctantly. "How did you do it?"
I answered smugly, "Wouldn't you like to know?" before breaking into manic laughter. The reality was just sinking in. My theory had worked. I'd successfully added another aspect to Stormdrive, one small step in its evolution.
Finally calming down, I vaguely explained, "It's related to my chakra nature. I had an idea based on the theory behind other lightning jutsu structures. I developed it carefully, and today was the first test." I straightened proudly, adding, "A test I passed with flying colors, I might add."
I began chuckling again, less crazily this time. Shizuru narrowed her eyes thoughtfully. "I swear your body was almost shining before the kunai hit. What was that about?"
I laughed nervously, quickly making something up. "It's just… my awesomeness shining through!" I couldn't help but burst out laughing again. Shizuru rolled her eyes, clearly noticing that I was evading, but thankfully she didn't press further.
With a resigned sigh, she asked, "So, now what? Should I throw more stuff at you?" She sounded suspiciously excited about the prospect.
I nodded carefully. I needed more tests before I could be completely sure Static Shell was viable in active combat. And so began a long series of trials where I activated Stormdrive for brief moments to use Static Shell, quickly deactivating it again to minimize backlash. We spent the waiting periods between each activation analyzing previous results and discussing observations. After all, I was just as new to this as Shizuru.
By the time I walked Shizuru back to her house, I was sore from several failed timings of Static Shell activation but still deeply satisfied that I'd made real progress. Shizuru wore a suspiciously big, satisfied smile, probably from throwing kunai at me all day. A win-win situation, I suppose.
The next few days passed in a blur. Daiken continually hinted at our upcoming year-end exam until, on a particularly cloudy day, he finally addressed us directly with his usual intimidating tone. "Tomorrow is your second-year final test. It will determine your ranking, give you clarity about your current level, and inform your future prospects. The student ranked first can ask for a reasonable jutsu or specialized training course provided by the best instructors. This time, I'll make sure it's different. So get excited."
Not a single student seemed excited, something Daiken completely ignored as he continued his lecture, punishing any distracted students afterward.
I was indifferent until he mentioned that the first-ranked student could request a jutsu or specialized training as a reward. That immediately caught my attention since I already had a jutsu in mind. The mere thought of it brightened my entire day. Even though the rest of the day's lectures, like Tactical Formations and Team Roles or Trap Recognition and Disarming, were interesting and genuinely important, my thoughts remained stuck on that particular jutsu. I spent the day smiling absently, pretending to pay attention, a skill I'd mastered by sheer necessity after watching the punishments doled out over the year.
As Shizuru, Genta, Sena, and I left the academy later, Shizuru asked anxiously, "Should we meet today and study for the exams?"
I raised my eyebrows skeptically, an expression irritatingly mirrored by Sena. Sena smiled, patting Shizuru comfortingly on the back. "They'll probably focus more on the physical and ninjutsu aspects rather than theoretical. Just prepare accordingly."
A determined look settled onto Shizuru's face, matched by Genta. Apparently, he hadn't realized this either. I totally had noticed this earlier. Totally.
On exam day, our usual group found itself standing together in an unexpected location. As soon as we arrived at the academy, instructors herded us like clueless chickens toward one of the outdoor training fields, a spot dense with thick trees, uneven terrain, and countless natural obstacles.
Daiken stood facing the assembled students, his expression unreadable. The wind rustled gently through the leaves behind him, bringing scents of earth and moisture. He surveyed us carefully before speaking, his voice calm yet commanding enough to carry clearly across the clearing.
"You've all made it through two years of academy training. Some of you did a decent job, while others have pushed yourselves well beyond your limits. Either way, today we find out exactly where you stand."
He turned slightly, gesturing towards the rugged, chaotic terrain behind him, trees tightly packed together, low-hanging branches, twisted roots protruding like traps.
"This is your exam field. It's modeled after an actual mission environment. Because if any of you believe fights happen in tidy dojos or flat classrooms, you're already a liability."
He paused briefly, letting the message sink in.
"Your test has two parts. First, a chakra control obstacle course. You'll use tree-walking, water-walking, and somewhat advanced chakra control techniques to navigate through. The terrain will punish anyone who believes they can simply brute force their way past."
A faint, unsettling smile briefly appeared at the corner of his mouth.
"The second part is tactical sparring. Modified rules, no killing blows, no excessive force, but don't expect leniency. You'll be randomly paired and given mission-based scenarios. Retrieve a scroll, protect a target, ambush, defend. You're expected to demonstrate your training, think under pressure, and act like shinobi."
His eyes narrowed slightly, adding seriousness to his words.
"If you lag behind or freeze up, it'll be noted. Right now, your theoretical skills or how quickly you throw a shuriken mean nothing. If you can't perform under pressure or achieve your mission objective, you're simply not ready."
He scanned the assembled faces again.
"No teams today. If you think your family name, not your efforts, grants you special treatment, test that theory during the spar."
He stepped back slightly, adopting a military-like stance.
"You'll go through the course individually. The order will be posted in five minutes. Until then, keep your heads clear and your mouths shut."
Every single student wore their game face, starkly different from last year's exam. Apparently, the academy was slowly but surely adjusting us to the realities of shinobi life.