Naruto: My Progress in Konoha.

"Ah!"Haruki was brought back to reality by Shizuko Mizutani's gentle call. He shook his head and said, "It's nothing."

After a brief pause, he continued from where he left off:"My dream is to awaken the Sharingan and become a powerful ninja."

Although he said that aloud, Haruki didn't truly consider it his real dream.

Why? Because with his continual improvement in the "Insight Reflection Technique," awakening the Sharingan was just a matter of time.And with the proficiency system supporting him, it was practically inevitable that he would grow into a powerful shinobi.

So really, it didn't count as a dream—not to him.

If he had to define a true aspiration, then it would be this:To transcend this world and see the broader universe.

No matter how vast the shinobi world seemed, it was still just a tiny speck in the grand cosmos.Chakra—the extraordinary force that defined this world—only came to exist because the Ōtsutsuki clan had planted a tree.

If the Ōtsutsuki existed in the universe, it was unlikely they were the only ones.To witness more of the universe and master greater power—that was the only dream worthy of his rebirth in this world.

But for now, he could only keep that idea buried in his heart.It wasn't something he could share with anyone.So, he just used a convenient excuse and called it his "dream."

"Sharingan? What's the Sharingan?"Ryosuke blinked in confusion, while Shizuko Mizutani turned a curious gaze toward him.

They were still just kids—mature for their age, sure—but they were naturally curious about anything beyond their understanding.

Before Haruki could answer, Furukawa stepped in.

"The Sharingan is the bloodline ability of the Uchiha clan," he explained."Any ninja who awakens it, even at the weakest level, is usually at least chunin-tier. As for the strongest among them…"

He paused, eyes drifting in the direction of the Valley of the End, before saying slowly,"…the strongest could rival the very Gods of the Shinobi World."

The existence of Uchiha Madara wasn't a secret among veteran jōnin.But for the younger generation, few knew the details.

Still, the title "God of the Shinobi" wasn't unfamiliar.That was thanks in large part to the presence of the Hokage Monument.

Anyone with aspirations of becoming Hokage would naturally learn about the legends tied to the monument, especially the First Hokage.

And once they learned about how the First Hokage brought peace to the chaotic shinobi world and founded the Hidden Leaf Village, admiration followed.

So, when they suddenly heard that someone else could rival the First Hokage, it was only natural to be shocked.

But Furukawa didn't continue down that path.

Though Uchiha Madara wasn't exactly a forbidden topic in the village, it wasn't wise to speak too freely about him either. Too much talk could cause unnecessary trouble.

He'd only brought it up because of Haruki's so-called "dream."Furukawa didn't know much about the Uchiha, but one thing was clear—if Haruki had a high chance of awakening the Sharingan, the clan would've had one of their own elite jōnin train him.

That meant awakening the Sharingan was likely just a distant hope for Haruki.Still, Furukawa wouldn't crush that hope out loud—having a dream was good. It kept people motivated.

About half an hour later, Furukawa clapped his hands and said,"Alright, everyone rested? If so, it's time for your next test."

"Huh? There's more?"Ryosuke shot upright in shock.

Shizuko also looked anxious.

Haruki, however, remained calm.In fact, he'd expected this.

Although every jōnin had their own style, pre-mission training exercises before a new team officially started always followed a pattern—and it was never that simple.

Haruki had already guessed there'd be a second part.

I wonder what they'll test? Team coordination? Mental resilience?

Whatever it was, Haruki wasn't too worried.Unless it was some extreme scenario like Kakashi's trauma test, the exercise shouldn't be too brutal.

Besides, the Hidden Leaf was currently in dire need of manpower. If they kicked everyone back to the Academy, what would've been the point of early graduation?

Even if he was sent back to the Academy, Haruki wouldn't mind. In fact, that might be better.Another year of cautious preparation would boost his strength significantly—and he'd have a much better chance of surviving on the battlefield.

But realistically, he knew that was unlikely.

As for intentionally failing?The higher-ups in the village weren't fools.

A single scan with the Byakugan could expose everything:Your chakra is off the charts, yet you're this weak? Yeah, something's not right.

At best, they'd label you a deserter.At worst, a spy—and that would be a far bigger problem.

So, the safest bet was to let things unfold naturally.

"That was just a basic physical test," Furukawa said."Now comes the real one."

He paused, then gave a wicked-looking smile."Oh—and I've got some news for you."

Gulp.Seeing that sinister smile, Ryosuke nervously swallowed and asked,"What news?"

"If you don't pass the next test… you'll be sent back to the Academy and have to repeat the year."

"WHAT?!"Ryosuke shot to his feet in disbelief.

Clearly, the idea of repeating a year was horrifying to him.

"Furukawa-sensei… You're not joking, right?"Ryosuke asked, his voice faltering.

"Hehe~"Furukawa chuckled and pulled out a scroll from his robe.

"Your task is to take this scroll from me. As for the time limit…"He looked up at the still-rising sun."…you've got until noon."

"But Sensei, you're a jōnin. We're just genin. How can we possibly take the scroll from you in two hours?"Ryosuke wasn't being naive—he had a decent grasp of the gap between ninja ranks.

Even if there were thirty of them, let alone three, they'd still have trouble taking anything from a jōnin.

Furukawa glanced at the disheartened Ryosuke and said,"Don't be so quick to panic. I'm not done explaining."

"For this exercise, I won't attack you directly. And I'll restrict my techniques to the genin level."He pointed toward a mountain in the distance—about an hour's run from their current location.

"I'll head over there. You can ambush me, sneak attack me—whatever you want. As long as you can take the scroll before noon, you pass."

"Huh… That actually sounds doable."Ryosuke scratched his chin, pretending to think deeply.

Haruki rolled his eyes internally.Where's that confidence coming from? We're just basic genin. Even if he's holding back, Furukawa's battle experience is the real deal.

Still, Haruki didn't say anything aloud.He knew Furukawa wasn't trying to make them fail.

The design of the test clearly leaned toward realism.Most likely, it was meant to evaluate their combat strategy, cooperation, and adaptability under pressure.

By observing their behavior during the exercise, Furukawa could identify their strengths and weaknesses, and adjust their future training accordingly.