Konoha: Who Says the Shinobi World Can't Play Hunter?

Chapter 28: Graduation

After a full day of letting his thoughts run wild, Kazama had gone through every possibility—things he could think about and things he shouldn't.

Today, as he stepped out of his treehouse, he left all uncertainty behind.

At Konoha's Ninja Academy, in the graduating class, students sat scattered across the classroom—around thirty to forty students remained.

It might seem like a small number, but an entire class started with fifty to sixty students. However, as the years passed, many fell behind, dropped out, or were expelled. Those who remained had endured six years of training and were now about to graduate.

After today's team assignments, they would officially become Genin and receive their Konoha forehead protectors.

"Alright, quiet down!"

The teacher at the front of the classroom was clearly impatient, slamming his hand on the wooden podium with a loud smack, silencing the murmuring students.

"I'm going to call out names. The three-man squads I announce will head to the next classroom and wait for their assigned instructor to pick them up."

"Rookie One, Rookie Two, Rookie Three."

"Inoue Sawano, Watanabe Kumaro, Yamaguchi Yohki."

One by one, teams were announced, and the classroom gradually emptied as students left for their assignments.

Kazama's anticipation grew stronger.

Who would be his teammates?

He hoped for someone he knew, but if not, at the very least, he wanted teammates with good personalities. If they were difficult to deal with, that would be annoying.

Finally, the teacher finished reading the list.

"Alright, that concludes all team assignments. As for Marusei Kazama, you don't have a team yet. Someone will come to take you to meet your teammates later. Just wait in the next classroom for now."

With that, the teacher left without another word.

Kazama sat stunned.

What the hell?

Why am I the only one left?

Am I being singled out? Did I offend someone?

It didn't make sense—Kazama had always kept a low profile in class. Aside from occasionally punching loudmouths and thieves, he hadn't gotten into any major trouble.

And this was just a regular class, not the "genius class" next door—there were no big-name clan members here.

So why was he being treated differently?

Kazama sighed.

"A one-man team? Not bad—I could work with that."

He decided not to overthink it. If he really was alone, he could still take missions as a solo Genin.

Waiting was torturous. Kazama hated making others wait, but he hated waiting even more.

Just as he was about to fall asleep, someone walked into the room.

A stern-faced man, his jawline scarred, carrying a katana at his waist, silently scanned the room before speaking in a calm but commanding tone:

"Who is Marusei Kazama? Come with me."

Kazama, barely awake, snapped to attention at the sound of his name.

Standing at the front of the class was Hayate Gekkō, a skilled Kenjutsu master and Wind Release user, known for his Deadly Vacuum Sword technique. In the original storyline, he bravely fought against Iwagakure's forces, holding them off while allowing his Genin team, including Marusei Kokei and Uzumaki Naruto, to escape.

His strength and moral character were unquestionable.

Kazama's first reaction was relief—his instructor wasn't some random incompetent.

Gekkō Hayate narrowed his eyes slightly at Kazama's dazed, sleep-marked face.

He had been expecting a serious, sharp-eyed young ninja—not someone who looked like they just rolled out of bed.

Disappointed, but unwilling to judge based on first impressions, he turned away and said:

"Follow me. You'll meet your teammates shortly."

The two walked in silence, an awkward tension settling between them.

Soon, they arrived at their destination.

The Sixth Training Ground.

This area, located at the edge of Konoha, served as a barrier between the village and the surrounding forest. Metal fences marked the border, preventing wild animals from wandering into the village. The training grounds were divided into numbered sections, each with its own unique terrain and setup.

However, only official ninjas were permitted to use these facilities.

Kazama had never been inside before.

As they entered Training Ground Six, Kazama took in his surroundings.

Unlike the well-maintained fields of other training areas, this one seemed untouched—just a vast grassy plain bordering a dense forest.

No artificial structures, no training dummies, no equipment.

It looked like nobody used this place at all.

Standing in the middle of the field were two figures, waiting for them.

The moment they arrived, the girl on the left called out:

"Sensei! You're so late!"

The other, a tall, muscular boy, simply gave a small nod in greeting.

Hayate didn't react to the complaint, instead addressing the group calmly:

"Everyone's here. Time for introductions."

"My name is Gekkō Hayate, Elite Jōnin of Konoha. I specialize in Kenjutsu and Wind Release. I enjoy training and discipline, and I despise laziness."

His eyes flicked toward Kazama at the last word, making it clear who he was referring to.

The girl stepped forward first.

"My name is Mizutani Nobuko. I like powerful ninjutsu, I hate being mocked, and I want to become a strong, independent ninja."

Straightforward. Confident.

The tall boy followed.

"I'm Ryuuzawa Ichiro. I specialize in Taijutsu. I like strong teammates, and I hate losing comrades. My goal is to become a reliable and essential part of my team."

A big guy with a simple but loyal mindset.

Finally, Kazama introduced himself.

"I'm Marusei Kazama. I specialize in Kenjutsu and Archery. I enjoy hunting and sharing meals with my companions. I don't really hate anything, but I dislike arrogant and bad-tempered people."

At the mention of Kenjutsu, Hayate's eyes sharpened slightly.

"That's it for introductions," Hayate continued. "Tomorrow, you'll undergo a survival test in the wilderness. Only those who pass will officially join Team Six."

"If you fail, you'll be sent back to the Academy for another year."

"Understood?"

"Understood!" the three responded in unison.

"Good. Dismissed."

The moment he finished speaking, Hayate vanished, using Body Flicker to leave without another word.

The remaining three stood there, exchanging uncertain glances.

"Uh… should we…?" Nobuko hesitated, looking at Ichiro, but he simply blinked in confusion.

Realizing he wasn't going to help, she sighed and turned to Kazama.

"You should know who we are, right?"

Kazama blinked.

"Should I?"

He had no idea who they were.

Unlike other students, he spent most of his time outside—hunting, training, and avoiding school gossip.

Nobuko and Ichiro shared a knowing look before she sighed.

"Forget it. If you don't know, you don't know. But since we might be teammates, Ichiro and I agree that we shouldn't keep secrets from you."

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