The Second Girls journey in Naruto

Konoha's graduation assessment isn't just about passing the Three Basic Jutsu test.

That's just the bare minimum.

The real test of whether a ninja student is qualified comes down to actual combat.

Konoha's tradition is the infamous "bell test," but not all Jonin instructors follow that method.

The woman standing before them was a prime example of that.

Dressed in a ninja vest, her black hair tied into a single ponytail, and a sword strapped to her back, she stood with a faint yet confident smile.

Sakiya had no recollection of her face.

It seemed clear—this Jonin wasn't anyone famous.

Sakiya, along with her two teammates, followed their instructor into a small clearing in the forest.

The woman turned, still smiling.

"This will do," she said.

"First, let's start with introductions."

Resting a hand on her hip, she radiated a relaxed but commanding presence.

"My name is Fujiwara Chiho. I'll be your instructor. You can just call me Chiho-sensei. Hmm… let's see, I like having barbecue with my family and friends.

"And I have a small wish—to always be able to eat barbecue with my loved ones."

She finished with a playful wink at her three students.

A boy with spiky hair suddenly spoke up.

"Sensei, won't you get fat eating that much barbecue?"

Chiho's expression darkened slightly as she turned to him, her gaze unreadable.

"Oh? That's an interesting observation."

Then, with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes, she added, "Why don't we start introductions with you, since you seem to have such a keen sense of detail?"

The spiky-haired boy, completely oblivious to any hidden meaning, grinned and pounded his chest confidently.

"My name is Tsuchiya Tsukakami! I'm a man destined to be a hero! My hobby is helping people in need—I love hearing them say 'thank you!'

"And my dream? Simple! To become a great hero that everyone admires!"

Chiho's expression softened. She could tell he was an earnest boy.

"Good! That's the kind of energy I like!"

Next, she turned to the boy wearing glasses.

He looked much quieter, almost unnaturally composed for someone his age.

Adjusting his glasses, he spoke in a calm, measured tone.

"My name is Sakuragi. My hobby is reading.

"As for my dream… I don't have one. I just want to live a quiet life."

Chiho blinked at his serious demeanor. The atmosphere around him felt strangely subdued.

"Ahem," she coughed, trying to lift the mood. "Well, that's… quite the noble goal in its own way."

Finally, she turned to the last student—the girl with an eyepatch.

But when she looked, Sakiya wasn't there.

"Huh?"

Chiho scanned the area, only to find Sakiya a few steps away, crouched on the ground, carefully sprinkling powder from a small bag.

She was drawing something.

A very large, intricate symbol.

It was only as she completed the last part of the design that she noticed the stares of her instructor and teammates.

Sakiya immediately froze. Then, as if nothing had happened, she casually dropped the bag and bolted into the trees.

Chiho stared after her, completely baffled.

"…Huh???"

It was only then that she realized what had been drawn on the ground.

A massive, complex magic circle.

And Sakiya had just completed the final piece of it.

Chiho frowned. "What the—"

At that moment, a dramatic voice rang out.

"Ahahahaha! Rejoice, mere mortals! You are fortunate indeed, for today, you shall hear my true name!"

From the treetops, Sakiya declared,

"I am the leader of the Infinite Dimensional Organization's Deed of Death! The wielder of the Eye of Death! The great sealer of the Demon God!"

A long silence followed.

Chiho massaged her temples.

"...This is going to be a long day."

Chiho's eyelid twitched.

She had heard Iruka mention this morning that one of the students might be a bit... mischievous.

But she hadn't expected this level of mischief.

Chiho shifted her gaze slightly to the side.

She had already spotted Sakiya Muhana lurking in a blind spot, just waiting to see what other antics she would pull.

"Wait! You all heard that, right? My true name!"

Sakiya had been sneaking around, her movements exaggerated and comedic.

Then, without warning, she used the Transformation Jutsu, turning into a rolling stone and slipping straight into the magic circle she had drawn earlier.

Chiho narrowed her eyes.

For someone so ridiculous... she had serious talent.

Even if there was clearly something wrong with her head.

"Sakiya Kihana!"

Just then—

Boom!

The magic circle ignited in a flash, flames racing along the symbols.

Sakuragi's eyes widened, while Tsuchiya Tsukakami let out a startled yelp.

As they reeled from the sudden explosion, the rolling stone transformation dispelled in an instant—revealing Sakiya standing at the center of the magic circle, striking a dramatic pose with her arms raised toward the sky.

Boom—

A hidden gunpowder trap in the center erupted in a burst of light, momentarily blinding Tsuchiya and Sakuragi.

When their vision cleared, they found Sakiya now standing in a completely different pose, head tilted upward in theatrical reverence.

The two boys were speechless.

Chiho, however, crossed her arms and smirked at Sakiya.

"Alright, Sakiya, what are your hobbies and dreams?"

Sakiya lowered her arms and met Chiho's gaze with complete seriousness.

"Hobbies? I have none. My duty is to seal away evil."

"As for my dream—it is to spread the name of my Eye of Death across all dimensions!"

She clenched her fist, eyes burning with determination.

"Oh? The Eye of Death?"

Sakiya's lips curled slightly.

"Of course! One day, you shall witness its power. But not yet. A mighty force lies dormant within my eye."

She pointed dramatically at the blindfold covering her left eye.

"This is the seal."

"It must never be removed. If the power within is unleashed, the consequences will be... catastrophic!"

Sakiya's tone was grave.

Chiho simply raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, really?"

In the next instant, her hand blurred—so fast that only an afterimage was visible.

Swipe—!

The blindfold was gone.

Sakiya froze.

Her two teammates stood there, mouths hanging open.

Her left eye—

...was just a normal, perfectly ordinary eye.

Nothing special. No strange markings. No forbidden power.

"...Eh?"

Sakiya panicked, waving her hands frantically, unsure how to recover from this disaster.

Chiho silently held out the blindfold.

Sakiya hesitated for a moment before quickly snatching it back, turning away to hurriedly tie it around her head again.

Then, as if trying to reset the scene, she turned back and faced Chiho with a straight face.

"Ahem. Uh... Can you grab it again?"

Chiho sighed.

"Alright."

She reached out slowly this time, fingers grazing the edge of the blindfold—

Flash!

A sudden burst of light escaped from beneath Sakiya's fingers.

Sakiya winced in pain, clutching her eye.

A faint glow flickered through her fingers.

Her expression shifted—from pain, to shock, to a mad grin.

"If I can't suppress it... then I shall unleash it fully!"

Tsuchiya and Sakuragi, who had been silently watching, exchanged looks.

Then, after a long pause, they both muttered,

"...Wow."

Sakiya suddenly removed her hand—revealing a glowing magic circle reflected in her left eye.

Tsuchiya and Sakuragi let out two more unenthusiastic "wows."

Sakiya raised her hands toward the sky once more.

"Break! Space! Burst! Reality! Collapse! World! Eye of Death, open—!"

She was halfway through her chant when—

She noticed Chiho's face looming very close to hers.

A cold breath.

A dangerous smile.

"...Sakiya-kun," Chiho murmured, "you've had enough fun, haven't you?"

Sakiya immediately shrunk in fear, her small frame trembling.

But even then, she whispered defiantly,

"…My Eye of Death…"

Chiho's eyes flashed red.

A real terrifying aura surrounded her.

For a moment, Sakiya forgot how to breathe.

["...This… This is the true Eye of Death…!"]

Smack!

Chiho chopped Sakiya lightly on the head.

"Uh... uh…~"

Tears welled up in Sakiya's eye.

Chiho wasn't done.

"Oh? A sealed power, was it?"

Smack.

"Uh... uh…~"

"The Eye of Death, huh?"

Smack.

"Ugh~"

"And you were going to break the world?"

Smack. Smack. Smack.

"Uh… uh uh uh uh… uh~!"

After several consecutive hand chops, Chiho finally sighed, shaking her head.

She looked down at Sakiya—who was now squatting on the ground, teary-eyed, and pitifully sniffling.

"Honestly... being a ninja isn't about playing pretend."

She turned to the rest of the team.

"In ten minutes, we'll begin the real test."

"If you don't perform well, you'll go back to the Academy and start over."

"And don't hold back. If you're not fighting as if you mean to kill me, you won't stand a chance."

She then gave Sakiya a pointed look before disappearing into the trees.

Tsuchiya and Sakuragi stood there in silence for a moment.

Then, Tsuchiya scratched the back of his head.

"...So... should we, uh... come up with a plan?"

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