Naruto: Divine Reward System

Those students who considered themselves more talented than Tatsuya, or at least on the same level, whispered among themselves.

"Wait, even Tatsuya, the so-called dead last, actually passed the exam? Maybe there's hope for the rest of us."

"Yeah, that's kinda shocking."

Shikamaru, known for his sharp intellect, studied Tatsuya's composed expression. Two possibilities came to mind.

First, he cheated.

Second, Iruka gave him a pass out of sympathy.

It wasn't a baseless assumption. After all, in a world filled with ninja tools and secret jutsu scrolls, there were plenty of ways to get around the system. Maybe Tatsuya had used something to fake his results.

As for sympathy, it wasn't out of the question. Tatsuya had struggled for so long, failing to even form a single shadow clone until recently. Maybe Iruka had given him a break after seeing some last-minute progress.

Just as Shikamaru was piecing things together, Kiba came rushing over, grinning like he had just stumbled upon the juiciest piece of gossip.

"Shikamaru, Ino, you guys won't believe what I just saw!"

"What is it?" Ino asked, intrigued.

"I took a quick peek at the exam records while Iruka-sensei wasn't looking. Guess how many clones Tatsuya made?"

"Three, right? That's the bare minimum," Ino guessed.

"Tatsuya's skill level is no secret. He couldn't even manage one clone in practice. I'd say he barely pulled off one," Choji added, siding with the sympathy theory.

Tatsuya was an orphan, barely scraping by with the village's support. He didn't have the luxury to buy training gear or special tools. If he had cheated and got caught, the consequences would be severe.

"One clone?" Sakura murmured. "But how would that be enough to pass?"

"Maybe Iruka-sensei saw that he finally managed to create at least one and, along with his other decent grades, decided to let him graduate," Shikamaru reasoned. "Think about it. Everyone else went in and finished pretty quickly, but Tatsuya was in there for a long time."

That logic made sense to most of them.

However, Kiba smirked, shaking his head. "Shikamaru, you're way off this time. Tatsuya didn't make just one clone. And he didn't make three either."

"Then… two?" Ino asked, frowning.

At this point, even Sasuke, who usually ignored such chatter, glanced over with mild curiosity.

Naruto, impatient as ever, blurted out, "Come on, Kiba, just tell us already!"

Kiba grinned. "Fine, fine! Get ready for this…" He paused for dramatic effect, then declared, "Fifty-three!"

Silence.

Then…

"Nani?!"

The entire group erupted in shock. Even Sasuke's usual cool demeanor cracked for a moment.

Sasuke had only managed sixteen clones, which was already considered elite for their class. But Tatsuya? The supposed dead last? Producing fifty-three?

"You're messing with us," Sakura said first, arms crossed in disbelief. The others nodded in agreement. Most of them could barely produce ten clones, let alone something that ridiculous.

Plus, Tatsuya had never shown any exceptional skill before. It just didn't add up.

Not since the academy's founding had anyone pulled off that many clones in a graduation exam. If this was real, then it meant Tatsuya had just become one of the most promising student in the school's history. No wonder Iruka and Mizuki had been so shocked.

Kiba folded his arms, looking smug. "I didn't believe it at first either! But I saw it myself on Iruka-sensei's grading sheet."

He sighed, frustrated at their skepticism. "Look, if you don't believe me, just ask Iruka-sensei after the exam. You'll see I'm not lying."

The room grew quiet as they considered Kiba's words.

Then, slowly, everyone's gaze shifted toward Tatsuya. Even Sasuke, who had always been the top of the class, seemed unsettled.

If what Kiba said was true, then Tatsuya had beaten him by more than three times the number of clones. That realization hit hard. Sasuke, who had always believed he was the strongest, suddenly felt like his title had been stolen overnight.

The tension in the air was thick.

Finally, Naruto, grinning ear to ear, broke the silence.

"Tatsuya! Is this true?"

Tatsuya smirked. "Why don't you go ask Iruka-sensei yourself?"

The confidence in his voice made everyone pause. The Tatsuya they had known before was hesitant and unsure. But now? He was standing tall, self-assured, almost like an entirely different person.

Could this really be true?

Sakura, still unwilling to accept it, clenched her fists. "I don't believe it! Sasuke-kun is the strongest in our class!"

"Yeah! Me too!" Ino and a few other girls chimed in, siding with Sasuke. Until they had proof, they weren't ready to let go of their long-standing admiration for him.

Naruto scoffed at them. "Tch, believe what you want! But Tatsuya don't need to give proof to all of you—I believe in Tatsuya no matter what!" he shouted with full conviction while pointing his thumb at his chest.

Sakura rolled her eyes. "Of course you do, Naruto. But besides you, who else would believe something this ridiculous?"

Then, unexpectedly, a small, timid voice spoke up.

"I… I believe it."

Everyone turned toward the speaker, eyes widening in surprise.

Hinata stood there, hands fidgeting, cheeks flushed, but determination in her eyes.

Even Tatsuya was a little taken aback.

At this moment, the class had naturally split into three groups.

Most students, like Sakura and Ino, refused to believe it. A smaller, more skeptical group—Shikamaru and a few others—chose to wait and see. But only Hinata and Naruto fully believed in Tatsuya.

If Tatsuya had to guess, Hinata's trust in him likely stemmed from Naruto. Given that he and Naruto were best friends, and Naruto was the one Hinata had feelings for, it made sense that she would believe him.

Maybe this was the so-called "If you love someone, you should accept everything and everyone that the person loves.."

But that was just Tatsuya's reasoning. Whether it was true or not, only time would tell.

Originally, Sakura, Ino, and the others wanted to argue with Hinata. But before they could, the students who had already taken the exam started returning to the classroom one after another.

All of them looked utterly defeated.

More importantly, none of them held a [Ninja Headband]—meaning they had failed the graduation exam.

This was shocking. Many of these students had scored higher than Tatsuya in previous tests and could even create a [Clone Jutsu]. Yet now, they had failed while Tatsuya had passed. It didn't make any sense.

Because of this, their skepticism toward what Kiba had just said only grew stronger.

Just then, another student stormed into the classroom, frustration evident on his face.

"This is ridiculous! I failed the exam, but somehow Tatsuya passed?" he grumbled.

He had been able to create two [Clones], yet he had still failed. How was that possible?

Sakura immediately stepped forward, stopping the growing murmurs.

"I have a question," she said firmly. "Did any of you actually see Tatsuya's test results?"

One of the failed students sighed. "What do you think? Those of us who failed weren't even allowed to step forward and receive a [Ninja Headband]." He then turned his sharp gaze toward Tatsuya. "I'm starting to think that kid cheated."

"It's possible," another student agreed. "After the assessments are over, we should ask Iruka-sensei to confirm."

A murmur of agreement spread through the class. If they didn't get to the bottom of this today, they wouldn't be able to sleep tonight.

Even Sakura, Shikamaru, and Ino shared the same doubts. Even Sasuke—who usually stayed out of group affairs—seemed interested.

It was just too unbelievable.

At that moment, a voice from the next room called out, "The last one—Uzumaki Naruto!"

"Finally, it's my turn."

Naruto felt nervous. Everyone who had performed at his level had already failed. The odds weren't in his favor.

Tatsuya saw the worry on his friend's face and immediately called out, "You got this! Just like how you believe me, I believe you!"

Naruto nodded with determination and strode into the next classroom. But when he returned, his expression mirrored the previous students'—completely dejected.

No need to ask. He had obviously failed.

Most of the class barely reacted to Naruto's failure. But Hinata stole a glance at him, her hands gripping her sleeves. For some reason, she didn't approach to comfort him.

Then, suddenly, Tatsuya stepped closer to Naruto and whispered in his ear, "Naruto, don't be discouraged. I know a way for you to pass the exam."

"For real?" Naruto's eyes lit up.

"Shh, keep your voice down."

"Oh, right." Naruto nodded eagerly, his despair from seconds ago completely vanishing.

His abrupt change in demeanor didn't go unnoticed. Sakura and the others exchanged confused glances.

"What did Tatsuya just tell Naruto?" Ino whispered.

"I don't know," Shikamaru muttered, narrowing his eyes. "But whatever it was, it sure changed his mood fast."

Before they could discuss further, Iruka walked into the classroom.

The students immediately surrounded him.

"What's going on?" Iruka asked, confused by the sudden commotion.

"Sensei, we need you to clarify something," Sakura said, stepping forward as the unofficial leader of the group.

"Oh? And what is that?" Iruka asked, folding his arms.

Before Sakura could speak, Ino jumped in first. "It's about Tatsuya! Did he really create fifty-three Clone Jutsus?"

The class held its collective breath, eyes locked on Iruka.

Iruka glanced at Tatsuya, then smiled. "I didn't think you'd find out so quickly."

The entire room exploded in shock.

"You believe me now?" Kiba scoffed. Though his tone carried satisfaction, there was a clear hint of disbelief as well.

It was only natural at their age.

Sasuke, too, looked shocked, and in disbelief. Even though he had only lost to Tatsuya in [Clone Jutsu], his pride as an Uchiha took a little hit

First, jealousy was inevitable.

Second, he was furious at himself. He knew that if he ever hoped to defeat his older brother, Uchiha Itachi, he had to become stronger—far stronger than this.

Aside from Naruto and Hinata, no one in the class could accept this outcome.

No one had expected Tatsuya, the dead last along with Naruto for the past six years, to become the top performer in the graduation exam.

Even if it was just [Clone Jutsu], it was still something worth bragging about.

"Sensei," one of the students blurted out. "Tatsuya's grades have always been average. How did he suddenly pull this off? Couldn't he have… cheated?"

Doubt spread through the room again.

Iruka's voice remained steady. "There's no need to worry. Mizuki and I both oversaw the exam. I can personally guarantee that Tatsuya-kun did not cheat."

That statement shattered their last hope of denial.

The way they looked at Tatsuya completely changed. The same person they had mocked and underestimated had now become someone they could only look up to.

What a ridiculous reversal of roles.

After a few stunned moments, the murmuring of the class quieted.

Iruka cleared his throat. "Alright, everyone, take your seats. I have an announcement to make!"

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