In the next test, several school teachers led the children to this part of the Training Grounds.
Upon arriving, the students noticed a long white line drawn on the ground, with a pile of obstacles placed in front of it. Feng Zheng thought to himself.
"Is this an obstacle course?"
But he quickly shook his head, dismissing the idea.
"Impossible, this is too simple."
All 64 students stood behind the white line. Then Genshu appeared and announced.
"This is the next stage of your exam. It's an obstacle course where you must run 500 meters in a straight line to the white line drawn there."
This news excited all the students. They thought.
"Finally, an easy test!"
Those who had taken the graduation exam before wondered why this test wasn't there last year.
Such a simple test, yet Feng Zheng was completely bewildered.
However, he noticed another person standing behind Genshu. When Genshu finished his announcement, he looked at him and nodded.
Nara Takamasa chuckled as he watched the excited children, thinking.
"This test should be interesting."
Sadly, the children didn't know that the person standing there was an experienced Jonin from the Kurama Clan. He was Kurama Hikaru.
During previous wars, hundreds of enemies fell victim to him and his tricks.
Genshu then announced.
"On your marks, get ready, go!"
Then, as he announced, Kurama Hikaru was performing Hand Seals. Upon hearing "Go," he unleashed the Genjutsu - Demonic Illusion: Hell Viewing Technique.
As his Ninjutsu was cast, all 64 students were shaken!
It was as if someone had grabbed the ground and sky and turned them upside down! Gravity felt inverted! Most students were terrified, clinging tightly to the ground beneath their feet.
There were only 4 exceptions. A third-year girl from the Uchiha Clan. She activated her Sharingan the moment she felt the change.
Two fifth-year students from the Kurama Clan, both familiar with this Ninjutsu.
The other was Feng Zheng, who had been watching Kurama Hikaru and saw him perform the Hand Seals.
He felt someone trying to influence his nervous system, which told him it was Genjutsu.
He had intended to disrupt the Genjutsu, but seeing others affected, he didn't, to avoid drawing attention.
Although Feng Zheng noticed the Genjutsu, he was still impressed by this guy's ability to cast Genjutsu on sixty-four students simultaneously!
Kurama Hikaru watched all the students' reactions, a triumphant smile on his face. He had used a B-rank Genjutsu on them.
During the Third Shinobi World War, he had used this Genjutsu multiple times to disrupt enemies and allow his allies to kill them.
Nara Takamasa observed the students carefully, thinking.
"This test is to assess the students' willpower. If they don't complete the course, there's no way I can let them pass."
While all the students struggled, Feng Zheng was trying to find his balance.
He quickly pondered the purpose of this test. He soon came up with three possibilities.
"Either it's testing our ability to break through Genjutsu, or our willpower, or perhaps our reaction in unexpected situations."
"In any case, this is just Genjutsu. I should look down and keep moving. If others break the Genjutsu, I'll break it too."
With that thought, he took his first step.
Besides him, only the two students from the Kurama Clan were moving.
Soon, several others also took their first step.
The Uchiha girl resisted the Genjutsu and broke through it after fifteen seconds. Then she easily ran through the obstacle course.
Feng Zheng felt someone moving at an extremely fast pace and observed the girl. He exclaimed in surprise.
"Sharingan? So young?"
He continued to complete his course. After taking the initial few steps, he jogged along the track.
The other students were too slow, but they quickly realized the situation and sped up.
Feng Zheng ranked fourth in this test.
Only 41 students passed the exam in total. Of the remaining twenty-three, some were unconscious, and some didn't even dare to take a single step!
Nara Takamasa dismissed them, asking them to leave.
After the test, the Ninjutsu test immediately began. Nara Takamasa's idea was.
"These children have just been affected by this Genjutsu, so they won't be able to perform their Ninjutsu at full power. That's how it should be, because in a real battle, they won't get normal conditions to cast Ninjutsu either."
Six school teachers each observed one student.
To enhance the effect of the previous test, Nara Takamasa made this arrangement: those who finished the previous test last had to take the Ninjutsu exam first.
The requirements for passing the Ninjutsu exam were quite lenient. Just perform 3 Basic Ninjutsu and any one other Ninjutsu.
Although the children struggled a bit at first, they had no problem meeting the minimum requirements.
But to Feng Zheng's surprise, sixteen students performed Fire Release: Technique One, and another seven students performed Fire Release: Technique Two.
Feng Zheng's thought was.
"As expected of the Land of Fire. It's very likely they all have Fire Release Chakra. Looking at everyone's practice, I think most of Konoha's Fire Release Jonin can use the highest form of this Ninjutsu. Considering this, I think other villages should all have their own Ninjutsu strategies. But since they still ask children to focus on this Ninjutsu, I think it should still be very useful."
Besides this, most children performed the Ninjutsu their families specialized in.
When it was Feng Zheng's turn. He performed three Basic Ninjutsu. Then he performed the Shadow Clone Technique, creating eight Shadow Clones.
Next, he performed the Wind Blast Technique, and finally, the Great Breakthrough Technique.
Of course, he only used a quarter of his power, and he used Hand Seals, performing it a bit slower.
Although not too outstanding, his performance was still stronger than his classmates.
What surprised Feng Zheng the most was the Uchiha girl's performance. She announced that she would first perform: Fire Release: Technique Three.
When she made this announcement, Feng Zheng was very interested because he didn't know what this stage of Ninjutsu could do or how powerful it was.
As soon as she finished speaking, two school teachers stepped forward, holding a metal wire in both hands.
Feng Zheng was a bit puzzled, wasn't this the same as Fire Release: Technique Two? Except, instead of one teacher, two teachers came out.
After completing the Hand Seals, she raised her arms, extending her index and middle fingers.
Heat rays were released from the fingers of her hands, and within a few seconds, they cut through the two metal wires.
Feng Zheng thought to himself.
"That's it? It's the same as the Fire Release: Technique Two Ninjutsu. Except, they can release heat rays with just one hand. The power of this Ninjutsu basically hasn't increased, only the quantity has. It's still very weak for a C-rank Ninjutsu. Strange! Will this Ninjutsu suddenly become stronger in the later stages?"
