At dawn, Kizaru, already dressed and ready, slid open the door to his room.
In the courtyard outside, one of the Shimura household attendants had just arrived carrying a breakfast tray.
She gave a small bow, then set it neatly on the table.
"Kizaru-sama, good luck today," she said with a gentle smile.
"Thanks, Keiko-neesan," Kizaru replied easily.
Keiko smiled, bowed once more, and quietly withdrew.
After sitting down, Kizaru began eating breakfast at an unhurried pace.
Outside the courtyard, four small figures were already waiting excitedly for him to finish and come out.
Yoshihiko, Shinobu, Yuki, and Shintarō.
Today was the day of the graduation assessment, and the entire Shimura clan was stirred up because of it.
Everyone was waiting for Kizaru to appear.
Everyone was waiting for Kizaru to win.
In the eyes of the Shimura clan, Kizaru was the child carrying their hopes for the future.
As the clan waited, time slowly passed.
At last, Kizaru finished breakfast and stepped out of the courtyard.
By then, dozens of clan members had already gathered outside. Men, women, elders, and children all stood there looking toward him.
"Oh? Everyone's up pretty early," Kizaru said with a relaxed smile, not the least bit nervous under all those eyes.
"Kizaru-nii, you have to win!" Yoshihiko was the first to shout. He raised his fist high, his voice full of excitement. "You definitely can't lose!"
"Kizaru-nii will win!"
"He'll win for sure!"
"Kizaru-nii!"
The moment Yoshihiko started it, the entire crowd burst into noise.
The gathered clan members looked at Kizaru with bright, eager eyes as voices rose one after another around him.
The cheering lasted for a while before finally settling down.
Then all eyes turned back to Kizaru, waiting for his answer.
Kizaru looked around at them.
At every face filled with expectation.
At every pair of eyes fixed on him.
Then he smiled.
And in a calm, certain tone, he said...
"Yeah. I'll win."
The moment those words fell, the crowd erupted again.
Standing farther back and watching the whole scene, Danzo and the three elders all wore faint smiles.
The Shimura clan truly was fortunate to have a child like this.
With his clansmen seeing him off, Kizaru slowly made his way toward the gate, then gradually disappeared from view.
"It's about time we left as well," Danzo said, drawing back his gaze.
"Yes, yes!" the Third Elder said, nodding repeatedly with a grin.
The Great Elder stroked his beard and said with a smile, "Today is the day that child spreads his wings. Even if these old bones gave out, I'd still make it there somehow."
That got a laugh out of the others.
Danzo didn't laugh, but the smile in his eyes deepened slightly.
Surrounded by his clansmen, Kizaru headed toward the Academy at an easy pace.
Today's graduation assessment would be held on the Academy training grounds.
Considering the level of both participants, the Third Hokage had already ordered the grounds and nearby area reinforced the night before.
And because this match had attracted so much attention, the Academy had even given the students half a day off so they could watch.
So by the time Kizaru arrived, there were no regular classes going on. Aside from a few teachers and the ANBU assigned to security and order, the place was nearly empty.
Standing at the entrance, Seiji Yamakawa, Kizaru's homeroom teacher, looked at him with complicated feelings.
A student like this actually ended up in my class...
Not even seven years old, yet already challenging a jōnin.
It was unbelievable.
There was some envy in his heart, sure.
A little bitterness too.
But more than anything, there was pride.
After all, Kizaru was still his student.
He had taught him for more than half a year.
Even if that student had spent most of his time sleeping through class.
"Kizaru-kun," Yamakawa called out.
"Morning, Sensei," Kizaru replied with a smile.
Yamakawa had quite a few things he wanted to say.
But after looking at Kizaru for a moment, he just smiled and gave the only words that really mattered.
"Do your best."
"Thanks, Sensei," Kizaru answered sincerely.
"Go on in. Everyone's waiting for today's match," Yamakawa said, stepping aside.
"Oh? Then I'd better make it interesting," Kizaru said lightly before walking into the Academy under the gaze of his clan.
Today was only the graduation assessment, so ordinary clan members weren't allowed inside. They could only remain outside and wait.
Watching Kizaru's figure disappear inside, Yamakawa said nothing more.
He only smiled and shook his head.
Not long after Kizaru entered, the Uchiha arrived as well.
Compared to the Shimura side, they were much quieter.
After exchanging a few words with Uchiha Kensuke, they watched him head inside under the guidance of a teacher.
Now that both sides had arrived, the atmosphere outside the Academy grew even tenser.
The Uchiha and Shimura clans, who already had plenty of friction between them to begin with, stood on opposite sides of the entrance, openly wary of one another.
Thankfully, Hiruzen had prepared for that and stationed ANBU nearby to keep order, so neither side crossed the line.
There was no shouting match.
No direct provocation.
Just cold looks, stiff expressions, and absolute confidence in their own side's victory.
That heavy tension lasted until the arrival of the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, along with Danzo, the Uchiha clan head, several elders, and other senior figures of Konoha.
Only then did the atmosphere loosen slightly.
The two clans, along with the gathered villagers, all turned to look at the approaching group.
"Hahaha! Looks like today's assessment really has everyone's attention," Hiruzen said with a smile, pipe in hand, as he looked over the gathered crowd.
"Well, it is Shimura Kizaru's match," Homura Mitokado said. "It would be stranger if people weren't paying attention."
"Yes," the Uchiha clan head said with a polite smile. "Elder Danzo is fortunate to have such an outstanding child."
There was a bit more behind those words than appeared on the surface, but everyone present understood that much without needing it spelled out.
Danzo glanced at him and replied in his usual flat tone, "That brat's too full of himself. A hard lesson today might do him some good."
No one there was simple enough to miss the meaning underneath that exchange.
But whatever they thought, none of it showed on their faces.
Everyone kept smiling.
"It's about time," Hiruzen said, casually cutting through the tension. "Let's go in. I'm looking forward to seeing how this turns out myself."
With that, he took the lead and walked inside under the guidance of the Academy staff, followed by the others.
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