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The shinobi turned toward the long table lined with weapons. "Alright, pick your weapon of choice," he said, motioning toward it. "Show me what you can do with it first, then we'll test your accuracy."
Kaito's gaze flickered past him to the target mounted on the far wall. Simple enough.
The shinobi raised a brow. "Simple?"
Kaito rolled his shoulders, already making his way over to the table. "Yeah, I got it."
Kaito was decent with a few weapons, but nothing worth showing off. With the money from his book sales, he'd bought some new ones to train with, but he wasn't where he wanted to be yet. No point in overcomplicating things.
Better to stick to what he knew.
His fingers hovered over the selection before settling on a kunai. Solid, and reliable. This would do.
The Shinobi raised a brow. "Is that the only weapon you can use?"
Kaito's expression tightened for a second before he answered. "Yeah... I'm poor, so a kunai's the only thing I've ever had to practice with." He didn't have to say that, but it felt necessary. Just in case they started questioning his abilities.
The man went quiet for a moment, then gave a small nod. "That's fine... Not everyone has the luxury of money." he continued. "Alright, now show me what you can do," he said, stepping back to give him space.
Kaito adjusted his stance, flipping the kunai into a reverse grip before lunging forward, slashing through the air with a few sharp, controlled movements. He followed up with a spin, bringing the blade down in a downward arc before stopping abruptly, the tip hovering inches from an imaginary target.
The shinobi watched with an unreadable expression before turning on his heel. He grabbed a kunai of his own and, without even looking, flicked his wrist, sending it sailing over his shoulder. The weapon spun through the air before sinking dead center into the bullseye behind him with a solid thunk.
Raising a brow, he glanced back at Kaito. "Can you do that?"
Kaito smirked, flipping the kunai between his fingers. "Yeah I can do that."
He turned back to the table, grabbing a second kunai before positioning himself in front of the target. He took a steady breath, narrowing his focus. In one swift motion, he snapped his wrist forward, sending the kunai flying.
It struck the target, just slightly off-center, but still very close.
Not perfect, but solid.
The shinobi walked over, eyeing the placement before nodding slightly. "Not bad," he admitted, crossing his arms. "That's enough. You're done with the physical portion of the exam."
Kaito lowered his arm. "Just like that?"
The shinobi smirked. "Just like that."
Kaito raised a brow. "So… move on where?"
The man didn't answer right away. Instead, he lifted a single hand into a seal. In an instant, a plume of smoke burst near the far wall, and as it cleared, a lone door stood where there had been nothing before.
Kaito stared at it for a moment before glancing back at the shinobi. He wasn't about to question it, but he wasn't exactly thrilled about whatever was next either. Still, he gave a respectful bow. "Thanks for your time."
The shinobi smiled, nodding back. "You're welcome."
Kaito straightened up, rolled his shoulders, and turned toward the door. Without another word, he stepped forward and pushed it open, walking into the next room.
As soon as Kaito shut the door behind him, he found himself standing in a long, dimly lit corridor. The air felt… off. Not heavy, not cold, just slightly wrong, like a place that wasn't really there.
He didn't move. Just stood there, eyes scanning the details around him. The walls, the floors, the flickering lights above. His gaze landed on the signs above the classroom doors—1B, 2B, 3B.
'Yeah… this isn't real.'
Kaito let out a quiet sigh, shifting his weight to one side. This hallway was on the complete opposite side of the school from where he is now. There was no way he could've walked through one door and ended up here. Not to mention, there was no echo when he stepped inside, even though this corridor should've had one.
It was subtle, but noticeable enough. A genjutsu.
'So this is the next test, huh?'
He sighed, his hands sliding into his pockets. He could break out of it now, sure. But that'd make him stand out more than he wanted. Letting them think he was just "figuring it out" would be the smarter move. It's why he held back a little in the Taijutsu test too. Just enough to pass, not enough to raise eyebrows.
So, for now, he played along.
With an easy pace, he started walking, his footsteps silent against the floor. After a few moments, he came to a stop.
"Wait... this is a genjutsu!" Kaito said deliberately, his voice cutting through the silence.
He brought his hands together, forming a single seal. In an instant, the illusion shattered. The long corridor around him cracked like broken glass, dissolving away to reveal a small room with the same one way glass panel at the side. Sitting behind a desk was a woman, watching him with an unreadable expression.
Kaito's eyes flicked around the now-revealed room, his mind already processing what had just happened. The genjutsu shattered cleanly, dissolving into reality like glass breaking away to reveal the truth underneath.
His gaze landed on the woman seated behind the desk. She was watching him closely, her expression calm yet amused. Her long black hair was tied back, her Leaf headband resting neatly on her forehead. Unlike the examiner before, she had a more stylish look—her uniform crisp, with a white undershirt peeking from beneath the standard vest.
But what really caught his attention was the tattoo running along her neck. It was intricate, curling slightly beneath her collar like it extended further down. He couldn't make out what it was, but something about it gave the impression that it wasn't just for decoration.
She met his gaze and smiled, red lipstick accentuating the curve of her lips. "Hello."
Her tone was light, but there was an edge to it...like she was sizing him up.
"Uh... Hello," Kaito said, his voice coming out a bit "nervous".
The woman smiled when she noticed his "nervousness", gesturing to the space in front of her. "Please, stand right there, and we can begin the test."
Kaito nodded and took a step forward, positioning himself in the center of the room, facing her as he stood.
She clasped her hands together, her gaze locked with his. "Before we begin, may I ask you a question?" she asked, pausing just long enough to make sure Kaito was paying attention. "How did you know it was a genjutsu?"
Kaito tilted his head slightly, thinking for a moment. "Um... it just felt like it," he answered with a shrug, his smile just a little awkward as he finished. "I don't really know how to explain it... just a gut feeling, I guess."
The woman's smile didn't budge, but her eyes narrowed slightly as she studied him. "Just a feeling, huh?"
Kaito scratched the back of his head. "Yeah, I mean… something felt off. People often say I have great intuition." He kept his tone casual, but he watched her reaction closely.
The woman's smile widened just a bit. "Interesting." She tapped her fingers against the desk before leaning forward slightly. "Okay... we can move on with the test," she said. "This test is simple, I just need to see if you can perform all three of the Academy's basic jutsu."
She studied him for a moment, her eyes narrowing slightly. "Can you do any of them?" she asked, genuinely curious.
Kaito didn't hesitate. "Of course, ma'am," he replied confidently.
She gave a small, approving smile. "Charming fellow, I see... Alright, start with whichever one you prefer."
Kaito stepped back, eyes focusing on the space around him. He had practiced all these jutsu to the point they became second nature to him as breathing. He wasn't worried, not even a little.
"First up," Kaito muttered to himself. He clasped his hands together in the familiar seal for the Clone Jutsu.
In an instant, a puff of smoke erupted around him. When it cleared, two identical versions of Kaito stood in the room, each mirroring his stance. One raised an eyebrow, mimicking his exact expression.
The woman didn't seem fazed. "Impressive."
Kaito nodded, not letting the praise get to him. "Next, Transformation Jutsu." He quickly shifted his hands, performing the required seals.
Another puff of smoke, and in the blink of an eye, he had transformed into a perfectly detailed copy of the woman sitting at the desk. Kaito even adjusted his posture to match hers, trying his best to mimic the way she sat, arms folded neatly, with a slight tilt of the head.
The woman's lips curved into a small smile. "Well, you certainly paid attention in class."
She gave a satisfied nod, her eyes briefly flicking to her hands as she formed a single seal. A puff of smoke burst around Kaito, and when it cleared, thick ropes were now tightly wrapped around him, binding him in place.
"And lastly, the Rope Escape Jutsu," she said expectantly as she watched him.
Kaito glanced down at the ropes, testing them for a moment by trying to shuffle his hands free. It didn't work. 'The thing about the Rope Escape Jutsu,' Kaito thought to himself, ' Is that it's not really a jutsu at all. It's all about knowing how to break out on your own, finding your own way around it. '
His gaze narrowed slightly as he threw up a quick seal with his free hand tied behind his back. In an instant, the ropes shifted. They loosened, slipping free from around his body, falling to the floor in a puff of smoke.
Kaito stood there for a moment as the last tendrils of smoke dissipated. He looked at her, a small glint of satisfaction in his eyes. "Done."
The woman gave a small nod. "Well, that concludes the exam," she said. "You'll get your results in a few days."
Kaito gave a short bow. "Thank you for your time," he said, keeping it polite.
She smiled, but just as he turned to leave, her voice stopped him.
"Before you go, let me ask you something."
Kaito glanced back, raising a brow.
"Ten of our brethren have been shipwrecked," she started. "One of them has caught a nasty, infectious disease. If he's allowed to live, the other nine will get sick and die. If you were the captain of that ship, what would you do?"
Kaito blinked, then let out a short breath, a faint smirk pulling at the edge of his lips. He tilted his head slightly, pretending to think it over, but his answer came without a second thought.
"I'd kill the infected one," he said. "The lives of one don't outweigh the lives of nine."
Silence.
The woman studied him, fingers tapping lightly against the desk. For a moment, there was nothing...just that quiet, unreadable gaze. Then, slowly, she leaned back in her chair.
"I see," she murmured. "That'll be all. You can leave through the door you came in." She dismissed him with a wave.
Kaito gave a small nod and turned toward the door. But just as he reached for the handle, he paused, glancing back over his shoulder.
"Not to be rude… but you've got lipstick on your teeth."
The woman stiffened, her eyes widening slightly before she quickly ran her tongue over the top row of her teeth, trying to clean it off. "How embarrassing…" she muttered under her breath.
Kaito chuckled. "It's fine..It happens." He shot her a grin. "Well, see ya."
And with that, he stepped out the door, leaving the woman momentarily stunned.
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