Hiro adjusted the strap of his weapon pouch as he and Kaya stepped onto the path leading away from the Academy. The tension from the exam had settled, but an uneasy weight still clung to his shoulders. Kaya walked beside him, silent, though her presence was grounding. They had done all they could—now all that was left was to wait for the official results.

  A shinobi in a standard genin outfit appeared in front of them, blocking their way. His fk jacket bore the insignia of the Academy, his posture rigid with authority. Hiro stopped immediately, his heart skipping a beat. Kaya stiffened beside him.

  “Hiro,” the shinobi said, his tone ft. “One of the instructors wishes to speak with you.”

  Hiro blinked, confusion prickling at the back of his mind. He hadn’t broken any rules—none he knew of, at least.

  Kaya took a step forward, her voice sharp. “And why is that?”

  The shinobi didn’t waver. “He will expin inside.”

  Hiro gnced at Kaya. Her lips pressed into a thin line, but after a moment, she exhaled and nodded. “Fine,” she muttered. “Let’s go.”

  The shinobi stepped aside, leading them back into the Academy.

  Inside a dimly lit cssroom, Nara Hisomu sat at a desk, a thick stack of papers spread before him. His dark hair was tied back in a loose ponytail, and his half-lidded eyes regarded Hiro and Kaya with the kind of disinterest that suggested he had already decided the outcome of this conversation.

  Kaya knocked once before stepping inside with Hiro at her side. Hisomu gestured zily to the chairs in front of the desk. “Take a seat.”

  Hiro did as instructed, though his stomach twisted into knots. Kaya sat beside him, her gaze sharp and unwavering.

  Hisomu tapped a scroll against the table, exhaling slowly before speaking. “The css of new Academy students this year is particurly rge. More importantly, it’s filled with exceptionally talented candidates.” His gaze flicked to Hiro. “In a normal year, your scores would have been enough.”

  Hiro’s grip tightened on the edge of his seat. He didn’t like where this was going.

  Hisomu continued, his tone matter-of-fact. “But this isn’t a normal year. The vilge is not in the habit of wasting resources on students who may never properly harness chakra. You have passable taijutsu, but that alone is not enough to warrant admission.”

  Kaya’s eyes darkened, her posture stiffening. “You’re saying that, despite excelling in every section except for the chakra test, you’re denying him entry?”

  Hisomu didn’t blink. “The ability to mold chakra is the foundation of a shinobi’s training. If a student is already behind before formal instruction begins, there’s no reason to invest in them.”

  Hiro’s throat tightened. He had expected challenges—his situation had always been different—but hearing it said so pinly still stung.

  Kaya’s fingers curled into fists. “That’s absurd. Chakra control develops over time. Not every child awakens their abilities at the same rate.”

  Hisomu raised an eyebrow. “That’s a fair argument, but it’s also irrelevant. The Academy exists to produce capable ninja, not students who might become one someday if they get lucky.”

  Hiro shrank into his chair as Kaya’s frustration fred.

  A knock at the door interrupted the growing tension.

  The door swung open, revealing Shinji Uchiha, his arms crossed over his chest. Behind him, Natsume peeked around the frame, her brows knit together in concern.

  Shinji stepped into the room, his voice even. “Step outside. I’ll handle this.”

  Hisomu’s lips twitched in mild amusement, but he said nothing further. Kaya exhaled sharply and stood, pcing a hand on Hiro’s shoulder. Without another word, she led Hiro toward the door, motioning for Natsume to follow. As they stepped out of the room, Hiro cast one st gnce at Hisomu before the door shut behind them.

  Outside, Kaya paced furiously, her arms crossed tight. “You did more than enough,” she muttered under her breath. “That zy Nara probably just wants to cut down his css size to make things easier for himself.”

  Hiro stood nearby, silent. His hands clenched at his sides, the weight of the conversation still pressing against him.

  Kaya turned to him, her expression softening just a fraction. “This isn’t your fault, Hiro. You belong here.”

  Before he could answer, the door to the Academy swung open again.

  Shinji stepped out, his expression unreadable.

  Natsume, who had been waiting anxiously, immediately rushed up to him. “Did you fix it?” she asked, hope threading through her voice.

  Shinji ignored her and kept walking—to Hiro.

  Natsume defted, her head dropping.

  Shinji stopped in front of Hiro, resting a firm hand on his shoulder. “You have one more test to pass,” he said simply. “If you succeed, you’re in.”

  Hiro’s breath caught.

  Shinji turned, already heading toward the Academy training field. Without hesitation, Hiro gathered his weapons and followed.