The morning sun cast a golden glow over your field as you stood among the flowers, preparing for what was to come. You inhaled deeply, hands coming together in a practiced seal as you molded your chakra. Soft petals stirred around you, forming into an exact replica of yourself.

Your flower clone knelt in the grass, its (h/c) hair swaying slightly as it looked up at you with the same quiet expression you wore. You studied it for a moment, ensuring its stability before nodding.

Good. It'll hold.

With that, you turned and stepped out of the field, a small weight pressing against your chest as you did. It was always strange, that feeling of leaving, but with your clone here, you knew you'd be fine.

As expected, Sasuke was waiting just outside, arms crossed. He didn't say anything at first, simply giving you a once-over before turning. "Let's go."

Without question, you followed.

...

Sasuke led you through the village, the sounds of Konoha alive around you—vendors calling out deals, shinobi training in the distance, children laughing as they ran through the streets. It was still new to you, experiencing Konoha firsthand rather than just hearing about it from others.

Eventually, you arrived at a training ground where a lone figure stood waiting.

The moment you laid eyes on him, recognition struck you.

"Iruka-sensei."

You had never spoken to him before, never interacted directly... but now he could see you. That thought alone made something stir inside you—relief, maybe even happiness.

Iruka turned at the sound of approaching footsteps, his gaze landing on Sasuke before shifting to you. He studied you for a moment, his brows furrowing slightly, before he spoke. "You're the one taking the test?"

You nodded, keeping your voice steady. "Yes."

Iruka glanced at Sasuke, clearly questioning how this had been arranged, but when Sasuke remained silent, he sighed and turned his attention back to you.

"Alright," he said, motioning toward the wooden training dummy. "This will be a standard Genin evaluation. Since you didn't attend the academy, I need to see your practical skills. There will be three parts—accuracy, taijutsu, and basic ninjutsu. If you can meet the requirements, you'll officially be recognized as a Genin."

Your eyes brightened at that. This was it.

Iruka pointed at the dummy. "Let's start with accuracy. Show me what you've got."

You took a steadying breath, chakra flowing through you as you moved through your hand signs.

"Dancing Bloom Kunai Jutsu."

Kunai, infused with chakra and wrapped in delicate petals, shot through the air in a mesmerizing spiral. Each one struck its mark flawlessly—the head, the chest, the center of the torso. The final kunai embedded itself deep, petals fluttering down like soft rain.

Iruka nodded, clearly impressed. "Good precision and control. Now, let's move on to taijutsu."

He stepped forward, taking a stance. "You'll spar against me. Your goal is to land a hit. Don't hold back."

You swallowed, taking your own stance. You weren't the most skilled in taijutsu, but you weren't helpless either.

The moment Iruka moved, you reacted. He was fast—faster than you expected—but you used your agility to your advantage, weaving around his movements. A few exchanges passed before you saw an opening. Twisting on your heel, you used your momentum to bring your palm forward—

Tap.

Your fingers barely grazed his chest before he stepped back, signaling the end of the match. "Not bad," he said with an approving nod. "You still need work, but you're not sloppy."

You let out a small breath, relieved you had at least managed to land a touch.

"Alright, last test—basic ninjutsu. Perform the Clone Jutsu."

This one was easy. Pressing your hands together, you molded your chakra, and within seconds, a perfect clone of yourself appeared beside you.

Iruka studied it before finally smiling. "That's enough. You pass."

A small thrill ran through you. Genin. You had done it.

Before you could say anything, Iruka reached into his pouch, pulling something out.

"Here," he said, handing you a forehead protector. The fabric was (f/c), the metal plate gleaming in the sunlight with the Konoha symbol engraved on it.

Your fingers brushed over it in disbelief.

"Congratulations," Iruka said with a smile. "You're officially a Genin of the Hidden Leaf."

You carefully tied the headband around your neck, the weight of it unfamiliar but welcome.

As you turned back to Sasuke, you asked, "So... how did you get this to happen?"

He didn't look at you. "Does it matter?"

You frowned. "It does to me. You somehow got me into an official Genin test despite me not even being in the academy."

Instead of answering, Sasuke simply started walking.

You sighed but didn't push further. If he wasn't going to tell you, there was no forcing it.

...

By the time you returned to your field, your flower clone was still there, waiting like a silent guardian. The moment you stepped back inside, the petals that made up its form scattered into the wind, dissolving back into the earth.

Sasuke watched the fading petals before turning away. "Try not to fall behind."

You smirked slightly. Not a chance.

(899 𝘞𝘖𝘙𝘋𝘚)