The practical exam came to an end.

Iruka stepped forward and announced the rankings for the Genius Class’s theoretical scores.

As for the practical exam rankings, those would only be released next week—after the weekend’s mission had concluded.

“There are still nine students who haven’t participated in this practical exam.”

Kitazawa looked over the group of students and said calmly, “Go home and prepare yourselves. We’ll meet here again tomorrow morning.”

“Yes, Kitazawa-sensei!”

Naruto, Sasuke, and the others responded in unison.

Among them, Naruto and Kiba’s voices were the loudest, practically echoing across the training ground. They had been itching to go on real missions for weeks.

“Kitazawa,” Hiruzen called out, his tone carrying a note of caution. “Keep a close eye on Naruto.”

Of course, the warning was expected. Naruto was the Nine-Tails’ jinchūriki.

If Hiruzen were still Hokage, he never would’ve allowed Kitazawa to take the boy outside the village. But Tsunade had given her approval—so there was nothing more he could say.

“I understand.”

Kitazawa nodded, then handed over the scroll containing the Limb Regeneration Jutsu to Hiruzen.

With his strength and mastery of ninjutsu, the former Hokage didn’t need anyone’s guidance. The same was true for Tsunade—though being “taught” saved her time, and given their relationship, Kitazawa didn’t bother explaining further.

After dismissing the Genius Class, Kitazawa returned to the Anbu base.

The moment he entered his office, he found Konan sitting elegantly on the sofa, her amber eyes scanning a bill.

Since Hiruzen had been present earlier, he hadn’t let her accompany him to the Academy.

Kitazawa approached, glancing at the paper in her hand.

“Sorry,” Konan said softly, snapping out of her thoughts. “I was lost in calculation.”

“Running out of Akatsuki funds already?” Kitazawa teased with a faint smile.

“Not quite,” Konan replied, tucking the bill away.

She wasn’t lying. The Akatsuki had been around for years, and its members were all formidable Kage-level shinobi—naturally, they’d accumulated wealth.

But most of that money was already allocated to the Hidden Rain. Spending too much on Nagato’s treatment would disrupt everything.

Konan had been trying to think of ways to raise more money.

Kitazawa didn’t press further. He wasn’t exactly wealthy himself at the moment.

Still, the situation got him thinking.

It might be time to focus on earning more money—after all, if Konan ever ran short, that would make her easier to control.

A spark of inspiration hit him. He suddenly recalled the mutated insects from Shino Aburame’s experiments—creatures capable of breathing underwater.

And since Konoha was about to begin negotiations with the Hidden Mist Village, perhaps he could request access to a coastal zone for research.

A collaboration with the Aburame Clan could be quite profitable.

Ideals and the “Will of Fire” aside, even a shinobi’s survival often came down to money. And the Aburame were no exception.

By noon, Kitazawa returned home—at Kurenai’s request from the previous night.

As for what she wanted, she hadn’t said.

“You’re back? Let’s eat,” Kurenai greeted him warmly, stepping out of the kitchen in an apron.

“It’s already noon, and you still won’t tell me what’s going on?” Kitazawa asked as he approached, helping her untie the apron.

“It’s nothing serious,” she replied with a small smile. “I registered for the Jōnin Promotion Exam yesterday.”

“Already? Did you pass?” Kitazawa raised an eyebrow.

“No,” she said with a laugh. “Because the exam’s this afternoon.”

Taking his hand, she led him to the dining table. “We’ll eat, and then go see Lady Tsunade.”

“Nervous?” Kitazawa asked teasingly.

“Of course not!” Kurenai huffed, bumping his side. “Why would I be nervous about something that’s guaranteed?”

“Is that so?” he smirked, sliding his hand up from her waist to her chest. “Funny—your heartbeat says otherwise.”

“H-how could that be?” she stammered, glaring up at him.

“Or maybe it’s my perception that’s off,” he said thoughtfully. “The fat here is pretty thick.”

“What fat—” She froze mid-sentence, realized what he’d said, and quickly shoved his hand away, cheeks flushed. “Eat your food properly!”

Kitazawa only chuckled, deciding to spare her further teasing—for now.

After lunch, the two of them made their way to the Hokage’s office.

“Hokage-sama,” Kurenai greeted respectfully, bowing. “I’m here to take the Jōnin Promotion Exam.”

Tsunade nodded, her golden eyes flicking immediately toward Kitazawa.

Kitazawa blinked, puzzled. Why are you looking at me like that?

“Kurenai, I know your abilities well,” Tsunade said, smiling faintly. “But protocol is protocol—Kitazawa will serve as your chief examiner.”

“Eh?” Kurenai’s eyes widened.

“Wait, me?” Kitazawa frowned. “What exactly am I supposed to test her on?”

He had a feeling Tsunade was doing this just to mess with him.

“Kurenai’s leadership has already been proven in war,” Tsunade replied with a knowing smirk. “Just assess her strength.”

Kitazawa thought for a moment, then nodded. “Fair enough.”

If he were the examiner, he could… adjust the difficulty.

“Let’s head to the nearby training ground,” Tsunade said, rising from her chair. “And Kitazawa—don’t hold back.”

Kitazawa didn’t answer but shot her a glare.

Tsunade met his gaze evenly, her look saying, Respect your teacher.

Kurenai, oblivious to their silent exchange, tried to calm her nerves.

She’d claimed she wasn’t nervous earlier—but standing on the edge of the Jōnin exam, her heart told a different story.

After all, being a true Jōnin in Konoha wasn’t the same as being a Chūnin.

And she didn’t want to be left behind by Kitazawa.

Still, having him as her examiner made it all feel a little less daunting.

“Begin!”

Tsunade’s voice rang out as she retreated to the edge of the training ground, her sharp gaze following every movement.

Ninja Art: Moonlight Beauty!

Without hesitation, Kurenai unleashed a storm of crimson petals. The flowers spiraled gracefully through the air, glimmering in the sunlight as they drifted around Kitazawa like a swirling vortex of color—then, in the next instant, she vanished.

A sharp rush of wind sliced the silence.

Kurenai dove down from above, her leg cutting through the air toward Kitazawa like a blade.

Wind Release: Vacuum Blade!

Kitazawa twisted his wrist, infusing Wind Chakra into his kunai until it shimmered with a faint edge of blue. The short blade met her attack head-on.

Kurenai reacted swiftly—her right leg snapped out, striking his hand and knocking the kunai away. In the same motion, she spun, her left knee arcing upward toward his ribs.

Kitazawa raised his forearm just in time, blocking the blow.

Super Strength!

Kurenai shifted her weight and drove her fist forward with all her might.

Kitazawa met her punch with one of his own.

The impact thundered across the training ground. Dust exploded outward, and Kurenai’s body was flung backward by the sheer force of his counter.

She flipped midair, landing neatly several meters away, and immediately formed a string of hand signs.

Demonic Illusion: Tree Binding Death!

Kitazawa’s vision blurred. Roots burst from the ground, snaking around his limbs, pinning him in place. From the branches above, an image of Kurenai appeared, descending silently with a kunai aimed at his neck.

He blinked once—and the illusion shattered.

Forming his own seals, Kitazawa called forth a roaring torrent of water that coalesced into a dragon’s form.

The Water Dragon Jutsu lunged from her blind spot.

Kurenai’s eyes widened. She dropped her kunai and leapt back, narrowly avoiding the dragon’s first strike—only for it to whip around and chase her with unrelenting speed.

Rasengan!

With no time to dodge, Kurenai braced herself. Chakra swirled in her palm, forming a dense sphere of spinning wind.

Her Rasengan met the water dragon head-on. The beast’s head exploded in a burst of water, soaking the field in a glittering mist.

Kurenai exhaled sharply, then moved again.

Ninja Art: Hundred Petal Storm!

More petals flooded the air, dancing beautifully before they began to shimmer with faint chakra light.

Kitazawa recognized the illusion instantly and dispelled it before it could take hold.

But the moment he stepped forward, he froze. Four glowing seals had appeared around him in perfect symmetry.

A Sealing Formation Array.

“So you hid the seals among the petals, huh?” Kitazawa said, his tone amused.

“I’m pretty clever, aren’t I?” Kurenai smirked, rushing in while he was restrained.

Wind Release: Rasengan!

The new Rasengan howled with cutting wind—its power visibly sharper.

Kitazawa simply waved his hand. The seals burst apart in an instant. But by then, Kurenai was already in striking distance.

Leaf Great Whirlwind!

Kitazawa’s leg shot out, striking her wrist and knocking the Rasengan off course.

Ranshinshō!

Before she could recover, his palm pressed lightly against her abdomen. A subtle current of chakra pulsed through her nervous system.

Kurenai tried to redirect the Rasengan—but her arm refused to obey. Instead, her right hand slammed downward.

BOOM!

The Rasengan exploded on the ground, shaking the field.

Kitazawa grabbed Kurenai by the waist and pulled her out of the blast zone, landing softly a few feet away.

“What… what kind of jutsu was that?” she asked breathlessly, realizing she could barely move her limbs.

“This is Ranshinshō,” Kitazawa explained, his tone calm. “Your motor nerves are scrambled. Move your hands, and your legs will respond instead.”

As he spoke, he gently tapped two chakra points on her body. The sensation returned to her limbs almost instantly.

Kurenai flexed her fingers experimentally, then glanced toward Tsunade, her voice a bit shaky. “Hokage-sama… Did I pass the Jōnin Promotion Exam?”

She knew full well she couldn’t win against Kitazawa, but that wasn’t the standard. What mattered was whether her performance met Tsunade’s expectations.

Tsunade nodded approvingly. “Your Genjutsu, Wind Release, and Taijutsu are all well-polished—and you’ve even mastered sealing techniques. Congratulations, Kurenai. You’ve earned the title of Jōnin.”

Kurenai’s eyes brightened. “Thank you, Hokage-sama!”

Even Tsunade looked mildly impressed by her growth—especially the seamless combination of the Sealing Formation and Wind Release: Rasengan.

“Kitazawa, take her to complete the registration,” Tsunade instructed before turning to head back to her office.

As soon as she left, Kurenai couldn’t hold back anymore—she threw her arms around Kitazawa, laughing in relief.

Her soft frame pressed against him.

Kitazawa patted her back with a small smile. “With your skills, becoming a Jōnin was inevitable.”

“Easy for you to say,” she teased, looking up at him, eyes shining. “Still… it feels amazing.”

“That it does,” Kitazawa agreed. “Come on, let’s get your Jōnin vest.”

“Let’s go!” she said, grabbing his hand and tugging him toward the Hokage Building.

The registration procedures were quick—barely half an hour later, it was done.

“The last step is to post the official notice,” Kitazawa said. “But you can skip that part.”

Kurenai nodded, stroking the fabric of her new Jōnin vest fondly. “Then I’ll head home first. I’ll wait for you there.”

“Get some rest,” Kitazawa reminded her. “Tomorrow, you’re coming with me to the Land of Rivers for a mission.”

“Mhm.” She nodded and departed, still smiling.

As for Kitazawa, he had other plans for the afternoon—first, to train his Wood Release, and then to visit Konoha Hospital for limb regeneration surgeries.

The list of injured shinobi had already been compiled, and it would take time and effort to treat them all.

Once Tsunade and Nonō mastered the technique, only then could he finally relax a little.

The next day—Saturday morning.

After breakfast, Kitazawa and Kurenai arrived at the Ninja Academy. They were early; only Neji was already there. Sasuke and Naruto had yet to appear.

“Kitazawa-sensei.”

Neji greeted politely, then glanced at Kurenai, clearly uncertain how to address her.

He knew about her relationship with Kitazawa, but since they weren’t married, calling her Shishou’s wife felt too forward. “Auntie” would probably offend her.

“For this mission,” Kitazawa said, stepping in to ease the awkwardness, “Kurenai will also be serving as your squad leader.”

“Understood. Kurenai-sensei,” Neji corrected quickly.

“Kitazawa-sensei! I’m here!”

Naruto’s excited voice rang out across the training field as he came barreling toward them, kicking up dust.

“He’s always so full of energy,” Kurenai said with a soft laugh. She had met Minato Namikaze before—Naruto’s father—but their personalities couldn’t have been more different. Other than the blond hair, it was hard to imagine they were related.

“Kitazawa-sensei, am I late?” Naruto asked, panting.

“No,” Kitazawa replied, checking his watch. “You’re ten minutes early.”

“Sasuke’s not here yet?” Naruto looked around, puzzled.

“He’s probably sleeping in,” Kurenai guessed.

“That can’t be right.” Naruto frowned. “Sasuke must’ve gotten delayed by something important.”

“You seem to know him quite well,” Kurenai said teasingly.

“That’s the bond of youth!” Naruto declared, giving a proud thumbs-up. “Sasuke’s my lifelong rival!”

“I’m not,” came Sasuke’s cool voice from behind.

“Sasuke? When did you get here?” Naruto spun around, startled.

“Just now,” Sasuke said flatly. “Breakfast at my house ran late.”

The Uchiha Clan had recently moved back into their original compound, and the night before had been one long celebration. Fugaku and Yashiro had drunk themselves senseless, and even though Sasuke hadn’t touched any alcohol, the laughter outside his window had kept him up most of the night.

“It’s fine. You’re not late,” Kitazawa said with a small smile, clapping his hands to gather attention. “Listen up. This mission is going to be a little more difficult, so Kurenai will be joining our squad.”

“How difficult?” Naruto asked eagerly. “Is it one of those legendary S-rank missions?”

Kitazawa flicked his forehead. “Don’t get ahead of yourself. With your current strength, an S-rank mission would only mean certain death.”

“He’s hopeless,” Sasuke muttered under his breath.

“Oh yeah?” Naruto shot back. “Then what rank do you think it is?”

“B-rank,” Sasuke replied confidently. “An A or S-rank wouldn’t be assigned to Academy students. But if they’re adding another Jonin, it’s definitely above C-rank.”

“B-rank, huh? That’s still awesome!” Naruto grinned.

“Close enough,” Kitazawa said. “Our target is a rogue ninja named Aoi Rokusho. He has Jonin-level strength.”

Sasuke’s composure faltered. “A Jonin?”

Even Neji’s expression shifted. He hadn’t even graduated yet, and his first real mission was against a Jonin? Despite his Hyuga pride, the thought weighed on him.

“Why would a ninja betray Konoha?” Naruto asked, frowning.

“People are complicated,” Kitazawa said quietly. “Some live and die for Konoha. Others… turn their backs on it.”

“I don’t get it,” Naruto admitted. “Everyone in Konoha’s so nice.”

“You’ll understand someday,” Kitazawa said, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “Now let’s move. Aoi won’t wait around for us.”

“Sensei, will we be leaving the Land of Fire this time?” Naruto asked, eyes shining. “It’ll be my first time outside the village!”

“Our destination is the Land of Rivers,” Kitazawa replied. “It’s just south of here.”

“What’s it like there?” Naruto asked eagerly.

“You’ll find out soon enough,” Kitazawa said with a faint smile.

“Okay, Kitazawa-sensei!” Naruto said, barely able to contain his excitement.

“Alright then—time to move out. Keep up.”

As soon as they passed through Konoha’s gates, Kitazawa suddenly accelerated, vanishing ahead in a blur.

“So fast!” Naruto yelped, sprinting after him.

Sasuke used Body Flicker to overtake him effortlessly.

“Sasuke!” Naruto shouted as he too started using body flicker. “Let’s have a race of youth! First one to the Land of Rivers wins!”

Sasuke didn’t answer, but his speed increased again.

“Neji,” Kitazawa said calmly, not even winded, “you’re in charge of reconnaissance.”

“Yes, Kitazawa-sensei,” Neji replied, activating his Byakugan.

By nightfall, they crossed into the Land of Rivers.

“Haha! I won!” Naruto cheered, hands on his hips.

“…” Sasuke’s face darkened. He wasn’t in the mood to talk.

“During a mission, you shouldn’t waste your stamina,” Kitazawa said evenly. “Since it’s your first offense, I’ll let it slide. Neji performed well—two points added.”

Naruto froze, his grin fading instantly. He’d been so caught up in the excitement that he’d forgotten this was still part of their practical exam.

Meanwhile, Sasuke’s jaw tightened. Not only had he failed to outrun Naruto, but Neji had also gained extra credit.

It was, without a doubt, a defeat before the battle even began.

——————

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