Chapter 5: Academy Entrance Exam

Around 2 months after Fujin turned 6, the academy entrance exams were conducted.

Waking up early, Fujin freshened up, and prepared to leave for the academy. For the first time in 10 months, Fujin hadn't done his morning workout. He waited for Daisuke and Eichi to get ready as they too were planning to participate in the exams. In all, around 7 boys and 2 girls from his orphanage were taking the academy exams this year. They all left together, along with the caretaker Momonosuke from the orphanage.

Once they reached the academy, all the kids were surprised at the vast number of children that had gathered to take the exam. A girl named Naomi exclaimed, "What??? There are hundreds of participants here!!" Momonosuke then said, "Probably over a thousand. Last year there were over 1,600 kids attempting the exam. However only around 330 were selected" as all the kids looked at him.

Fujin thought, 'I didn't expect this. So many participants and so many selected? I guess Konoha is trying to fill the void left by deaths during the 3rd war and Kurama assault. Oh well, it doesn't really affect me in any way.'

On looking around, Fujin saw some groups within the crowd that wore Konoha headbands. Momonosuke looking at Fujin commented, "They are trained ninjas from various clans in our village and are probably accompanying their children. Probably all of them will pass the exam"

Hearing that, all the kids tensed up a bit. Looking at that, Momonosuke chuckled and attempted to cheer them, "But you shouldn't worry so much. Majority participants aren't from clans. So you have a good chance to pass. Just give it your best."

The other kids nodded nervously. At that time, someone wearing a Chuunin vest approached the crowd and announced to the crowd that exams would begin shortly and all kids were to gather at the training ground behind the academy.

After coming to the back of the Academy, Fujin's whole group took a look at the Hokage Rock, which had the faces of all four Hokage carved in it. Everyone was awestruck by it. Fujin thought, 'While I did see it from a distance, but up-close it looks magnificent! I do wonder if it serves a bigger purpose than just something that just looks good.'

Inside the academy, in a conference room, a few Chunnins, most of whom were teachers at the academy, were sitting and discussing the entrance exam. A chuunin then got up and gave a report to the one leading the meeting. Nara Kisho looked at that report and sighed. After 3rd great Ninja war, the 3rd Hokage had assigned him to supervise the entrance exams. And he was told to pass as many students as possible as Konoha had lost thousands of ninjas during the war. He was promoted to a special Jounin post the war due to his contributions. He sighed again and thought, 'What a drag…'

Looking at the report, he found that this year, 2147 children were participating in the entrance exam. Around 30% more than the previous year. He thought, 'Oh well, first let's just eliminate the physically unfit ones.' And gave the assigned Chuunin the signal to start the exam.

Doi Masashi, was the one assigned with the first phase. He announced loudly, "Everyone, the first phase of the exam will begin. You have to run 5 laps on the path marked in the training ground. Each lap is around 500m Everyone will be monitored during this run. I will run in front of you and you will have to follow me."

With that he disappeared and appeared on the track. Everyone reached out to where he was. Masashi started running and everyone followed. Fujin thought, 'Well this seems very simple. I could run this many on the very next day I transmigrated here. And after 10 months of training, yesterday, I managed to run over 8 kilometres and could push myself to over 10km if I used Chakra."

Everyone completed the first 3 laps, however, slowly a few started dropping out. By the time 5 laps were completed, everyone in Fujin's group, except Fujin himself, were tired. 1 girl and 2 boys couldn't complete the 5 rounds. Masashi announced loudly, "All those who couldn't complete the 5 laps are eliminated. They are to return to the front of the academy and can return to your guardians."

He continued, "Among the ones still left, you have 2 options. First, is to run another 5 laps. If you don't think you can, then return to the front of the training ground and wait there."

Many decided to return to the training ground, but a few hundred still continued. In Fujin's group, only Daisuke and another guy, Tatsuya, attempted it. After compiling the data, Nara Kisho noted, '438 participants couldn't complete 5 laps, and only 257 attempted to do the next 5 laps.'

Among the 257, 241 participants completed the 5 additional laps. The ones who couldn't complete the laps were sent to the group of students waiting in the training ground. For the remaining 241, the same 2 choices were provided again. Only 21 participants decided to attempt another 5 laps. The ones who didn't attempt were sent back and gathered in a different group as compared to others who stopped after only 5 laps.

Fujin was now the only one left from the orphanage. Most remaining were from clans. All the 21 were able to complete the additional 5 laps and they were placed together in a different group. Now the training ground was separated into 3 different groups. Fujin was glad that they weren't asked to do 5 more laps, or he may have had to back out. After that more physical tests were conducted and more participants were eliminated. Nara Kisho noted, 'All the 21 and 220 participants from the 2 groups passed, but many from the 1st group were eliminated. Only 636 from 1st group were still remaining.'

After the 1st phase was done, the participants were given a break and provided breakfast. After breakfast, the examiner for the 2nd phase appeared. Fujin noted that he was from the Hyuga clan. He announced, "In each of the group, the ones who have unlocked chakra step forward."

All except 1 from Fujin's group moved forward. In all there were almost a hundred kids who had unlocked their chakra. Everyone who was from a ninja clan had their chakra unlocked. Fujin sighed in relief as he saw a lot of civilian kids step out too. So him unlocking Chakra won't be very eye-catching.

The Hyuga activated his Byakugan and examined the chakra of the ones who stepped forward. He had to check for the amount of chakra and its quality. All the 20 from Fujin's group passed. Of the remaining, 64 students were passed too, whereas others were disqualified.

Then, a few chuunins then moved around and helped all the remaining students to unlock their chakra. Fujin was surprised, 'Wow, I didn't think they'd help everyone unlock their chakra. Konoha must be really desperate. That said, it's obvious that not all of the kids here will pass. So the direct effect of this move will be that there will be a lot of 'civilians' who will have access to Chakra. I wonder if these people serve some purpose. And how many more such people exist in Konoha?'

While the process of unlocking Chakra was ongoing, Nara Kisho was observing the situation. Looking at him, the examiner for the 2nd phase, Hyuga Hachiro, walked to him. The Hyuga said, "I'm surprised that the 3rd ordered to have all these kids unlock their chakras."

Nara Kisho nodded and replied, "Yeah, he doesn't have much other option. We lost too much in the past few years. In the past couple of years, he ordered training of the reserve Genins, to replace the dead, however even that's not enough. And while most of the kids here won't become a ninja, but with chakra enhancing them, they'll help fill many other roles in the future. Honestly, I'm impressed by the efforts the Hokage took in order to ensure that so many kids attempted the exam. Even the capacity of the academy has been increased."

Hyuha Hachiro replied, "Yeah, we just need a few years without any major conflict." Kisho dejectedly replied, "Yeah, but these exams are gonna be a pain in the ass till then." Hyuga Hachiro laughed seeing the Nara's annoyance.

The process of unlocking and examining chakra went on for a while. It was evening when it got completed. In all, around 430 kids were passed. Remaining 447 kids failed and were asked to return to their guardians.

The ones who passed were gathered together in the training ground. A few kids then saw that an old man with a smoking pipe was walking towards them. Fujin looked to his left, 'Oh, finally I'm gonna see someone from the story. To think that the first person I recognized would be Hiruzen himself!'