1. The Moment of Waiting
The sky above Konoha glowed in warm shades of orange as the sun dipped toward the horizon. Faint rays of light streamed through the tall trees that bordered the academy courtyard. The air was quiet—still—but heavy with anticipation. Every eye was on the western forest, waiting for the final participants of the trial to return.
On a wooden bench in the center of the courtyard sat Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage. His pipe glowed red as thin curls of smoke rose into the air, drifting in soft, hazy rings. His gaze was sharp—but behind that, there was warmth. The look of a teacher. A leader. Watching over the next generation of the Leaf.
Beside him stood Danzo Shimura, arms crossed, his usual stern expression betraying clear impatience. He remained standing, gaze cold and calculating.
Off to the side, the ever-flirtatious Isamu Ikeya, known for his "charming" reputation, subtly ran his fingers through his hair, sneaking glances toward Miss Ueda, who leaned casually against a tree, arms crossed, calm as ever—but her eyes held a trace of hope for her students.
Ayane, homeroom teacher of Shisui, stood near the Hokage, holding a small bag filled with prize money. She couldn't hide the pride in her smile, eyes fixed on the forest where her most promising student would soon emerge.
In the distance, Renji, Sugito, and Kimura chatted softly, but their attention never left the treeline.
The atmosphere was tense—but filled with expectation.
2. The Warriors Return
WHOOSH!
A shadow landed silently from the treetops.
Kakashi Hatake—his black ninja outfit stained with dirt—stood tall, eyes calm and piercing. Without a word, he took his place among the others.
Then—
THUD!
Might Guy burst out of the forest, grinning ear to ear, throwing up a big thumbs-up, his whole body still bursting with energy despite the tough battle he had endured.
"YOUTHFUL POWER!!!" Gai shouted, his voice full of fire, startling a few nearby.
Next came Shisui. No one saw him move. One moment, the air stirred. The next, he was standing there—composed, still, eyes sharp. He looked untouched, as if his battle had been nothing more than light training.
The fourth to arrive was Obito Uchiha, sweat on his brow, Sharingan still glowing. He smiled wide, hands on his knees, panting slightly but brimming with pride.
And finally—Asuma Sarutobi stepped out. His face was a little pale, sweat dripping down, but in his hand, he firmly held the Ten Character Scroll. His eyes were calm. Steady.
3. The Fallen Return
Though the five victors had returned, Hiruzen waited. He said nothing. He was still watching—for the rest.
Slowly, the other students emerged—those who had not claimed victory. Their expressions were heavy with regret.
Tatami Iwashi, defeated by Gai, walked silently back to the line, lost in thought. He still couldn't grasp how someone always called the class failure could be that strong.
Uzuki Yugao and Hayate Gekkou returned side-by-side. They didn't complain—but a vague emptiness lingered in their hearts.
Tokuma Hyuga, with the calm face typical of his clan, still had a fire in his eyes. He'd been defeated… by a child four years younger.
Kurenai Yuhi, who had fought with everything she had only to be bested by Iwashi, bit her lip. Disappointed. But then—she closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and whispered to herself:
"Next time… I'll be stronger."
No one blamed anyone. No one complained.
They all understood the reality of the ninja world—
There's no room for the weak.
4. Hokage's Announcement
Hiruzen rose from his seat. His gaze swept across every student, calm yet commanding.
"You've all done well. Win or lose, I saw your growth in this trial."
Then, his eyes turned to the five who stood at the front. His voice rang with pride:
"Kakashi. Gai. Obito. Shisui. Asuma. You have proven yourselves worthy—true rising stars of Konoha."
Applause erupted across the courtyard.
Admiring eyes turned toward the five. Even those who didn't win had to admit it—these five were the real deal.
The Hokage continued:
"Tomorrow, you'll be assigned an important mission—to engage with a team of ninja from the Hidden Mist Village. Prepare yourselves."
In the crowd, Satoru stood quietly, gaze distant, lost in thought.
Hiruzen looked at him and smiled.
"Satoru. I'm assigning you to guide this group. I trust you know what to do."
Satoru blinked, caught off guard. But then—he nodded. A small smirk formed on his lips.
The Reward – A Ramen Celebration!
When the Third Hokage announced the reward for the five winners, excitement exploded across the courtyard.
Ayane stepped forward and handed each of them a heavy bag filled with 10,000 ryo—a small fortune for academy students.
Asuma took the bag, expression unreadable. He didn't care much for the money. What mattered was the feeling of pride—the feeling of finally proving himself.
Gai, on the other hand, shouted with joy, raising his reward high into the air:
"YES!!! I can buy so much food to make my body STRONGER!!"
Obito stared into his bag, eyes lighting up as if a brilliant idea had just hit him.
"Guys!! We HAVE to celebrate!!"
Gai immediately pumped his fist:
"Absolutely, Obito!! A celebration for the warriors of Konoha is a MUST!!"
Shisui simply tucked his reward into his cloak. He didn't say much—but his eyes quietly scanned his friends, and deep down, he felt something warm. Something like… belonging.
Suddenly, Obito turned and looked around.
"Ah! We have to invite Satoru-sensei and Eren-san too!!"
All heads turned toward the two men standing off to the side, somewhat removed from the chaos.
Without hesitation, Obito sprinted over, grabbing Satoru's arm and shaking it excitedly.
"Sensei!! You HAVE to come celebrate with us! We can't do it without you!!"
Kakashi stepped up, arms crossed, tone cool but genuine:
"You two trained us nonstop. No way we're leaving you out."
Gai clapped Obito on the back, laughing heartily:
"Ramen brings comrades closer! What could be better?!"
Eren just laughed softly, feeling an unexpected warmth stir in his chest.
Satoru raised an eyebrow, pretending to hesitate:
"Hmm… Being invited out by my own students… not a bad deal."
Obito beamed, tugging harder:
"Come on, sensei!! No excuses! Tonight, we're buying!!"
Kakashi sighed, but the faintest grin tugged at his lips.
Gai raised his fist high into the air:
"THIS is what youth is all about!!!"
Satoru chuckled, finally stepping forward to follow them.
Their shadows stretched across the courtyard, the group of young ninja and their mentors disappearing into the setting sun—leaving behind a peaceful, glowing Konoha, if only for a moment, in this world of war.
End of Chapter.