chsdbacks Chapter 293 Graduation Ceremony and Class Assignment
Chapter 293 Graduation Ceremony and Class Assignment
Colorful balloons filled the azure sky above the Ninja Academy in Shin-Konoha Village, with pink, blue, and yellow balloons floating in the air.
The gold lettering that read "Happy Graduation" shimmered in the sunlight.
The children's faces were full of anticipation and excitement. Some clenched their fists to encourage themselves, while others secretly exchanged glances with their companions.
Today, they will officially graduate from the Ninja Academy and become true ninjas.
At the front of the crowd stood Uchiha Sasuke, Uchiha Baiqi, Uchiha Kikyo, Uchiha Seichi, Karin, Uchiha Shiryu, Uchiha Shion, and others in the first row.
A silver badge of honor was pinned to the collar of their clothes, with the words "Outstanding Student" engraved on it, a reward for their outstanding achievements over the past six years.
Uchiha Sasuke crossed his arms, his black hair and black eyes standing out in the sunlight. He pursed his lips slightly, seemingly expressionless, but a hint of barely perceptible expectation was hidden in his eyes.
Uchiha Baiqi stood with Shiryu, his height exceeding that of other children his age by half a head, exuding a mature composure.
He turned to Zilong beside him and whispered, "Zilong, do you think we'll be assigned to the same team after graduation? I still haven't beaten you when you practiced martial arts with me last time!"
Zilong smiled and nodded: "Brother Baiqi, if we can compete together, we can compete every day, but you have to catch up with my strength first."
Bai Qi clenched his fists, his face full of defiance: "Just you wait, I'll definitely surpass you!"
The two men's voices drew laughter from the surrounding classmates.
Bai Qi wasn't angry at all. Instead, he grinned at everyone, revealing two small tiger teeth, looking very cheerful.
Kikyo and Shion held hands, both girls with their hair tied in ponytails, the ends of which were tied with matching light purple ribbons that swayed gently with their movements.
The two would occasionally exchange a glance, then smile knowingly, their eyes filled with anticipation for the future.
Karin and Xingchi surrounded Sasuke, the three children huddled together discussing ninjutsu...
"Next, please welcome student representative Uchiha Sasuke to the stage to speak!"
Minato Namikaze held a golden microphone, and his voice, amplified by the loudspeaker, echoed across the playground, instantly silencing the noisy field.
Uchiha Sasuke took a deep breath, straightened his collar, and stepped onto the podium.
When he took the microphone, he lightly touched the warmth of the microphone with his fingertips, and his gaze slowly swept over the students and parents below the stage.
He saw his father and mother standing in the distance in the principal's office, looking at them through the window.
Sasuke Uchiha composed himself, his voice clear and firm: "Respected teachers, parents, dear classmates, hello everyone. Thank you for the school's nurturing over the past six years, thank you for the teachers' patient guidance, and thank you for the companionship of so many classmates... From today onwards, we will become ninjas, and I hope you will all remember... to protect your comrades, protect your families, and protect this land we all live on."
The brief speech, devoid of flowery language, won rounds of enthusiastic applause.
Mikoto Uchiha looked at her youngest son on the stage, a gentle smile appearing on her lips.
She took out her camera and quietly snapped a picture of the scene.
Next up is Uchiha Baiqi... followed by brief speeches from Kikyo, Hoshino, Karin, Shiryu, Shion, and others.
Then, Minato Namikaze began awarding graduation certificates and Konoha headbands.
Seven children went up on stage one by one to receive their certificates and headbands, each with a happy smile on their face. The sunlight shone on them, as if gilding them with a golden halo.
After the graduation ceremony, the playground instantly erupted in cheers.
The trainees hugged each other in celebration, some exchanged graduation gifts, and some made promises to go on missions together in the future.
Parents were busy taking photos to commemorate the occasion, with the sound of camera shutters clicking incessantly. Some even brought out snacks and drinks to share with the children.
Seven children gathered under a large camphor tree, as scattered blossoms drifted down in the wind, landing on their hair and shoulders, like a blessing from nature.
"Which squad do you think we'll be assigned to?"
Stephen Chow sat under the cherry blossom tree, hugging his knees, and asked, his eyes full of anticipation.
He looked up at his older brother Bai Qi, his little hand tightly clutching the wooden kunai he had just received, hoping to be in the same team as his brother.
Bai Qi patted Xingchi's head and said cheerfully, "No matter which team we're assigned to, we have to work hard. By the way, Father once said that after we graduate, we'll go to an unnamed planet to train. The gravity there is twice that of the ninja world, so the training effect will be even better. Do you remember?"
"Remember!"
Sasuke immediately stood up, his eyes sparkling: "I've been looking forward to this day for ages! Training my taijutsu under double gravity will definitely make my strength increase even faster!"
Zilong nodded in agreement: "I also want to go as soon as possible to see just how powerful double gravity really is."
Kikyo and Shion exchanged a glance, their eyes full of anticipation. Karin also smiled and said, "I heard that the natural energy on the nameless planet is very abundant, making it easy to learn Celestial Mode. After Mom learned Celestial Mode and absorbed natural energy, her skin became smooth."
Outside the crowd, the Seventh Hokage, Minato Namikaze, held the squad list in his hand, his brows furrowed.
He looked at the seven children excitedly discussing under the camphor tree not far away, his heart filled with conflict.
These seven are the children of Uchiha Mitsumine, the daimyo of the Land of Water. They are princes and princesses, and each of them is exceptionally talented, far surpassing their peers.
At the age of 12, Uchiha Sasuke had already awakened the three-tomoe Sharingan, Bai Qi possessed taijutsu potential, Kikyo and Shion had genjutsu perception, Karin had medical talent, Xingchi had agility, and Shiryu had power. Each of these children had an immeasurable future.
Minato Namikaze sighed softly, his fingertips repeatedly tracing the names of the seven children on the list, countless combinations flashing through his mind: if the seven children were teamed up individually, they would stand out; if they were split into different teams, he was afraid that the combinations would be inappropriate and their talents would be wasted.
After much deliberation, he decided to report to and consult with the daimyo of the Three Peaks, since only the daimyo truly understood his child.
Inside the principal's office, a knocking sound rang out.
A guard's voice came from outside the door: "Your Excellency, the Seventh Hokage, Minato Namikaze, requests an audience!"
Uchiha Mitsunori raised a hand to rub his temples, then gestured, "Let Minato in."
Minato Namikaze entered the meeting room, bowed respectfully, and said, "Your Excellency, I am Minato Namikaze, and I have come to inquire about the division of the seven princes and princesses into different teams."
Uchiha Mitsunori took the list, his fingers gently tracing the children's names on it, a gentle smile playing on his lips.
He looked up at Minato, his tone calm and without any sense of superiority: "Minato, you don't need to be so reserved. This is, after all, your office. I had three considerations in mind when I sent them to the Ninja Academy."
"First, their ninja talent is indeed very good, and I hope they will all become strong individuals who can stand on their own. Second, I want them to have more contact with ordinary children and understand the weight of the word 'equality.' Only by training, enduring hardships, and growing together with ordinary comrades can they truly understand the meaning of equality. Third, I don't want my children to feel superior and not understand the suffering of people at the bottom of society."
Upon hearing this, Minato Namikaze's tone became even more respectful, even tinged with admiration: "I understand! I was worried that you might mind if they teamed up with ordinary students, fearing it would be unfair to the princes and princesses. It seems I was overthinking things and overlooked your good intentions, Daimyo."
Uchiha Mitsunori smiled and shook his head: "A ninja's growth is inseparable from the cooperation and teamwork with his comrades. I already have a preliminary plan; listen to it and see if it's feasible."
"First is Kakashi's team, consisting of Sasuke, Naruto, and Sakura Haruno. Then it's Uchiha Izumi's team, consisting of Kikyo, Karin, and Shion. Finally, it's Uchiha Shisui's team, consisting of Shiryu, Hoshichi, and Bai Qi."
Upon hearing the Daimyo's arrangements, Minato Namikaze quickly bowed and replied, "Your Majesty's plan is extremely comprehensive! The three teams each have their own focus, ensuring that their talents complement each other while allowing the princes and princesses to integrate into the team and not be isolated due to their special status. I fully agree!"
Uchiha Mitsunori smiled and pointed at him: "Minato, you're just too concerned about the word 'status.' Actually, my children are more sensible than we think. Sasuke told me yesterday that he was happy tutoring his classmates in ninjutsu at school; Bai Qi saved a junior from drowning, and Zi Long stood up for Xing Chi. They've never considered themselves special."
Just then, a series of light footsteps came from outside the door, and seven children skipped and hopped in.
They had just come from the playground, their faces still covered in sweat, and a few leaves stuck to their school uniforms.
Upon seeing everyone in the room, they bowed in unison: "Father, Mother... Hokage Minato, greetings!"
The children quickly went to their mother's side and looked at their father, Uchiha Mitsunori.
Sasuke Uchiha spoke first, his eyes filled with anticipation: "Father, we want to know about training on the nameless planet. You said before that the gravity there is twice that of the ninja world, and the natural energy is abundant, making it very suitable for training. When will you take us there?"
Uchiha Mitsunaga smiled and nodded, then suddenly changed the subject: "Before we go to the nameless planet, I need you to do something. You've lived in the Land of Water since you were little, a peaceful and stable place, which has made you unaware of the cruelty and chaos of the outside world. So I want to arrange for you to travel around the ninja world and see what's happening outside!"
Bai Qi was the first to raise his hand, his tone excited: "Father's arrangements are definitely fine; I've long wanted to go abroad for some experience!"
Sasuke nodded with a smile, "It's wonderful to be able to fight against ninjas from other countries! I'll make sure the entire ninja world knows the name of Uchiha Sasuke!"
The other children also agreed, their eyes filled with anticipation.
Looking at the scene before him, Minato Namikaze said in a calm voice, "Your Excellency, now that the plan has been finalized, I will begin making arrangements for all related matters... Let the children begin their mission."