[Entrance Exam!]
It didn't take long for Hyūga Bin to let it go.
The reward for completing the optional mission was just the Eight Trigrams Sixteen Palms.
As a member of the Hyūga clan, he had formally begun practicing the clan's Jūken (Gentle Fist) style from the age of five. Learning techniques like the Sixteen Palms was merely a matter of time—it was bound to happen as he advanced through his training.
Besides, the result he got was more than enough:
He defeated Kakashi Hatake.
In a one-on-one match, no less.
You have to understand—the number of people in the entire ninja world who could take on the Sixth Hokage, Kakashi Hatake, and walk away with a win could be counted on one hand.
This was Kakashi of the Sharingan, Konoha's Copy Ninja, the genius who copied over a thousand jutsu, the man who once fought against Kaguya Ōtsutsuki, the progenitor of chakra, and landed a Kamui Raikiri straight into her.
To defeat Kakashi in a fair match was a feat bordering on the absurd.
Bin couldn't help but think to himself—if I can beat Kakashi... doesn't that mean I could even face Kaguya Ōtsutsuki?
…Though perhaps not in the same way Kakashi did. His thoughts briefly drifted into less noble territory.
---
When they returned home, Hyūga Masato frowned at the sight of his son—clothes filthy, skin scraped, bruises on his cheeks.
"Bin," he asked, concern thick in his voice, "were those Uchiha brats bothering you again?"
The last time Hyūga Bin came home beaten up, Masato had gone straight to the Uchiha Police Force. After a brief investigation, they'd confirmed that three Uchiha boys had ganged up on Bin.
The result? Those three Uchiha kids were disciplined harshly by their own families.
Say what you will about the Uchiha—they were proud and often difficult—but they were not without a sense of honor. They valued strength. If one Uchiha beat a Hyūga in a fair duel, they'd gloat. If they lost, they'd bring in a stronger sibling. But three-on-one bullying, and still losing? That was unacceptable.
It was a disgrace to the Uchiha name.
But this time, Bin shook his head.
"No, I had a sparring match with Kakashi," he replied calmly.
Masato blinked. "Kakashi? You mean Kakashi, the son of Lord White Fang?"
The name Hatake Sakumo—the White Fang of Konoha—still held heavy weight, even years after his tragic death. A man some had once said rivaled the Legendary Sannin.
"Yeah," Bin nodded.
Masato's expression shifted. "Did you lose?"
"I won."
Masato stood still for a beat, then beamed with pride.
"As expected of my son. I can brag about this for years!" he laughed, the tension melting from his shoulders.
He was already imagining the next morning, casually slipping it into conversation at work:
"My son's a prodigy, you know. Beat Kakashi Hatake in a match."
Hyūga Bin: "…"
---
One year later.
It was now Year 38 of the Hidden Leaf calendar, and once again, it was time for the annual Ninja Academy entrance exam.
As a child marked by the Hyūga clan's caged bird seal—a branch house member—Bin had little say in his own life. Naturally, Masato signed him up for the exam.
To Masato, his son was a genius—he had bested Uchiha Obito in a duel and defeated Hatake Kakashi. He wasn't going to let a technicality like "being too young" hold him back.
On the day of the entrance exam, Bin arrived with Hyūga Rin—his older cousin—since he still couldn't tie his own belt properly. A small sign of how young he truly was, despite the power he had shown.
When they got to the Academy, the courtyard was already crowded with children between the ages of five and six. More were still arriving.
Once the exam began, Bin followed the crowd inside.
The Academy accepted students aged five or six. Technically, younger children—like Bin and Kakashi—could take the exam too, if they had the confidence.
The assessment was straightforward:
Run 50 laps around the Academy's training field within two hours.
That was it. Pass or fail.
For most aspiring ninja, physical conditioning was critical. In the shinobi world, only a small percentage ever made it to the rank of jōnin. Konoha, for example, had over 10,000 active ninja—but fewer than 1,000 were jōnin, with another 3,000 chūnin. The remaining 6,000-plus were genin.
And for genin, battles often relied more on physical prowess and taijutsu than fancy jutsu. The foundation was stamina and strength.
As the Academy instructor finished explaining the rules, Bin received a new mission prompt from the system:
---
[Optional Mission Triggered!]
Option A: Finish first in the assessment.
Reward: C-Rank Technique – Shurikenjutsu (Shuriken Technique)
Option B: Give it your all, regardless of placement.
Reward: B-Rank Technique – Shadow Clone Technique
Option C: Leave it up to fate. Just pass.
Reward: +0.1 to random attribute.
---
"Hm. Option A isn't bad... Shurikenjutsu would definitely help with ranged attacks."
"Wait—Option B gives the Shadow Clone Technique? That's way better!"
He paused.
"Eh, whatever. I'll go with Option C."
With his choice made, Hyūga Bin joined the first group of children and began jogging at a steady pace.