After briefly looking at Naruto, Hiruzen started to explain the exam.
"Usually, the exam is conducted with these two phases: first, a written test, and second, a demonstration of E-rank Jutsu."
"Since you have only attended the academy for 4 months, you are exempt from the written test. Instead, you will face an official Genin. You will also have to demonstrate a C-rank Jutsu or above, excluding the Shadow Clone Jutsu. As long as you can do that and last 10 minutes against the Genin, you pass."
Naruto was calm after hearing this and nodded gently.
However, that wasn't the case with others, especially the staff members of the academy.
Iruka frowned; he was in disbelief. He didn't think Naruto would be able to pass the exam. Daikoku was also thinking along the same lines.
Others held similar opinions, but no one voiced any questions.
Kiba and the others just gave Naruto a thumbs-up, while Sasuke stared at him intently, and the other students obediently remained silent.
Hinata meekly, and in an almost inaudible voice, said best of luck to him.
An Anbu member came forward to Naruto and said coldly, "Now let's begin the first phase: Demonstration of C-rank Jutsu or above."
'What's with this cold tone?' Naruto grumbled internally.
Then he looked towards Hiruzen and asked, "Grandpa Hokage, the academy didn't even teach D-rank jutsus, so why do I have to perform a C-rank Jutsu?"
With a flicker of amusement in his gaze, he added, "Even if I graduate after completing the academy, all I would know are basic E-rank jutsus anyway."
Hiruzen flinched, unsure how to respond.
It is known that Genin can typically only learn Jutsu up to D-rank, and asking someone to perform a C-rank technique is overkill for a graduation exam.
He went quiet for a second but quickly recovered and said, "The exam for early graduation is tough for a reason."
"If you're not confident, you can always withdraw."
Naruto's eyebrows twitched at Sarutobi's shamelessness.
It still didn't answer how a Genin, who could typically only learn up to D-rank Jutsus, could perform a C-rank technique, unless they came from prominent clans.
The Anbu in front of him narrowed his eyes and said in the same cold tone, "Quickly make a decision, kid. We don't have all day."
Naruto inhaled deeply. His right hand shot up, and in his palm, a blue-white vortex of chakra~the Rasengan—spun into being.
Naruto didn't hold back and focused more chakra into the Rasengan, increasing its size to 50 cm wide.
Upon seeing and sensing the power in Naruto's hand, all the academy students were left in awe and astonishment.
"Wow! It looks so strong!"
"Will I also be able to perform this kind of Jutsu after becoming a Genin?"
"Is that powerful jutsu really C-rank?"
Choji: "It's remarkable!"
Shikamaru: "This Jutsu is really powerful; it can't be C-rank!"
Kiba: "I never knew Naruto had this kind of technique up his sleeve!"
"Woof!" Akamaru agreed with him.
Shino nodded in awe as well.
Sasuke: 'Just who is he really?!'
However, unlike the academy trainees, Hiruzen, the Anbu examiner, and the academy staff who knew about this jutsu were flabbergasted.
Even though some of them had never seen it, they still knew about the Yondaime Hokage's signature move: the blue-white spherical ball, the A-Rank forbidden Jutsu, Rasengan.
Hiruzen had a gloomy look. 'The report of him learning the Rasengan at age 5 was actually true!'
'But what's with this size? I know Uzumaki have high chakra reserves, but this level of chakra control is absurd for his age.'
'It is more like Jiraiya's Giant Rasengan, though not the same size.'
Beneath the Anbu's mask, sweat beaded on his forehead, and his cold demeanor had completely dissolved.
He stammered, "Y-you have passed the first stage."
Hiruzen believed that if Naruto knew the Shadow Clone Jutsu, then he definitely knew some other high-rank Jutsus as well, but to think it would be the Rasengan was a completely absurd thought.
Then he signaled the Anbu agent to proceed with the final stage of the exam. The Anbu nodded and called a stoic-looking, 13-year-old Genin forward.
"You have to face Hideki Hyuga for 10 minutes to pass this exam."
"Now, START!" the Anbu shouted, moving back to give the two combatants more space.
Naruto frowned; he hadn't expected that a branch member of the Hyuga clan would be his opponent. He suspected it was a deliberate arrangement made by the Hokage and elders.
And he was right. Hideki was indeed assigned by them to make sure Naruto didn't pass the exam.
The Hyuga are naturally stronger than most in Taijutsu. In a one-on-one fight, thanks to their Byakugan and Gentle Fist, defeating them is difficult.
"Give up, kid. You might get hurt badly," the young Hyuga said calmly.
Naruto didn't reply and charged towards him at an extremely fast speed.
The young Hyuga's eyes widened; he wasn't given time to activate his Byakugan, nor was he able to react to Naruto's speed.
Bang!
Naruto punched him in the gut, and the force of the blow sent the Hyuga flying, landing him a few meters away on the grounds.
Naruto frowned. He hadn't been able to hold back his punch. 'D-did I k-kill him?!'
"Don't worry, Naruto, he is alive but, of course, not in good condition!" Kurama reassured him.
'If he's alive, then that's okay. I don't like the idea of killing a branch member of Hyuga clan, they already living like Slaves.'
An unsettling hush fell over the grounds, leaving the spectators, Hiruzen, the Anbu, and the Chunin instructors in stunned silence.
The test required him to survive for 10 minutes against an official Genin, but he had defeated him in a single blow.
No one had expected this kind of result.
Hiruzen remained seated, surprised. That was quite a display of strength by Naruto.
The Anbu quickly got out of his shock and called the medical ninjas, who were initially present for Naruto; Hiruzen had never thought it would go the other way around.
"Um, I passed, right?" Naruto asked Hiruzen.
After that, Hiruzen got up from his seat, took a Konoha headband, and come forward to Naruto and wrapped it around Naruto's forehead.
Hiruzen nodded, "Yes, you are a Genin now." His shock was evident, but he still showed a calm expression outwardly.
He pondered Naruto's strength.
'With this strength, he's easily a Chunin-level shinobi.'
'My decision was right; I shouldn't let Danzo get close to him.'
Then Shikamaru, Kiba, Choji, and Shino came towards Naruto and congratulated him.
"Congrats, Naruto! You're even stronger than we thought!" Kiba exclaimed.
"Yeah, your strength is remarkable!"
Hinata, looking at Naruto, congratulated him internally but didn't muster the courage to approach him.
Meanwhile, the others were still in shock, and the fear of Naruto in their hearts only increased after seeing his strength.
With that, Daikoku, Iruka, and a few other instructors congratulated him. Meanwhile, Sasuke looked at him with envy and curiosity.
He couldn't comprehend Naruto's strength, as Naruto had never shown it during Academy spars. He felt that Naruto still hadn't used his full strength.
——
While Naruto took his friends to Ichiraku Ramen to celebrate, on the other side of Konoha, deep within the Root base, Danzo sat in his chair.
His lone eye coldly scanned the report detailing Naruto passing the exam and becoming an official Genin.
"Rasengan? Defeated an official Genin in one blow!"
"That damn Hiruzen! He is just wasting the potential of the Jinchuriki!"
He roared with anger, which made the kneeling Root ninja flinch with fear.
"Go and keep an eye on Naruto. I want to know how he became this strong," Danzo ordered.
"Yes, Lord Danzo!" the Root ninja said before swiftly vanishing into the shadows.
Danzo got up from his seat. He touched his covered eye and thought, "I am more worthy of becoming Hokage than Hiruzen. It will soon be my time to claim what should belong to me."
"I am the only one who can restore Konoha to the glory it once had."