Salzem's Genin Exam

As Salzem made his way to the Genin, exams, more than one thought crossed his mind. I'm going to enter a world of death was the most frequent one. He wondered about what kind of person he would become, what life would bring now that he is entering it for real. As these thoughts coursed through his mind, his determination grew. Sure, he would be leaving his innocence behind, and sure, he would be putting himself in danger on a regular basis, but he wanted to grow up, see the world as it is. He was going to be a functioning member of leaf village society no matter what challenges stood in his way be it his mask, missions, or life threatening situations. He walked into the room were the exams would take place and waited patiently for the proctor to show up. He was ready.

The proctor walked in, smiled at the student to settle his nerves and spoke. "Please demonstrate the two basic jutsu you've learned."

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Salzem nodded in agreement with the proctor. He was almost shaking with fear of this test. He wasn't afraid of failing. In fact, he was quite confident in his ability to pass. Salzem was fearful because of what the test meant. Passing this test meant that he would be moving up in the world. It meant he would be able to aid his village and defeat it's enemies. It meant he could save lives, that he could rescue and help! But Salzem also was hit with three-hundred tones of pure, uncorrupted reality. With these perks, the downsides were also obvious. His life would be in danger on a regular basis. The missions he goes on could and most likely would end with him holding onto life by a string, watching enemy ninja finish his allies! The scenarios flooded his mind, almost threatening to make him loose sight of the bigger picture. Salzem was ninja already. He went to the academy, he learned jutsu, he could have died any time on his training but didn't. Salzem's fear stopped advancing and he looked at the proctor with eyes of determination from behind his mask. Hundreds upon hundreds die every day saving their village. This test was nothing! Nothing to Salzem, and nothing to every single other ninja who passed this test. Heck, this proctor sitting in front of Salzem probably had been putting her life in danger longer than Salzem had been alive. He sighed and looked at the proctor. He studied her but could get little information. Salzem heard stories from other kids that becoming a ninja would take it's toll on your humanity, that you would end up becoming nothing more than a killing machine with a switch flipped occasionally to serve your village. Salzem paid them no mind then, but now, standing at the door of becoming a full fledged ninja, he kinda wished he had. There was no telling what world awaited him, what challenges he would be called upon to face. There was no telling weather the mission he goes on will end in his life being taken or if an ally's was taken. But most of all, there was no telling if he would end up loosing himself, as he had when he beat up those three kids. He felt a sadness well up in his heart, convincing him that he should just give up the ninja business now and just head home. That thinking lasted for but a moment. Salzem had come this far, he had braved bruises, smashed dummies, and did it all with the joyous hope of proving that he was not the monster almost everyone saw in him. Even himself. Salzem's resolve doubled. He would not give up now. Not when his is this close to becoming what he shrived for. A respectable ninja. Someone that could be relied upon and someone who could rely on others. Salzem took off his mask. He felt that if he was going to attempt this test, He should do it with his real face looking at the proctor. He slammed his palms together in a seal, attempting to focus his chakra. Transformation was first on his plate, hoping to get the easiest one out of the way first. He closed his blood red eyes and focused. Chakra flowed through him like water in a river. Now, all he needed was a face to copy. He thought back to all the people he met. His father, those kids, strangers... No one he really knew well. He thought for but a moment before settling on his father. He was the easiest one for him to copy and he was the first. He planted that image in his mind as he weaved the signs giving him the details he needed to mimic. Dog, Boar, Ram! Poof! Salzem was enveloped in a white cloud of smoke, obscuring his vision. He waited for the smoke to clear before striking a pose that his dad often does. Salzem liked to call this pose the I just got out of bed and neglected my coffee pose. Salzem kept still before noticing the proctor's signal to continue. Salzem let his focus break causing him to return to normal in another puff of smoke. He swiped a quick breath from his mask before putting his hands together again. This was going to be the hardest part for Salzem. He thought back to when he first attempted the Clone Jutsu, and how he had neglected to pour enough chakra into the clone. This couldn't happen today. Failure is not an option! Salzem felt the flow of chakra through his body again. It was truly running and is ready for any command or hand sign Salzem requested. He hesitated before moving onto jutsu. With this jutsu being cast, he would leave behind most of the luxuries he had enjoyed throughout his life. With this jutsu, he would abandon the relatively helpless child he was in his youth. With this Jutsu, he would become what he most wanted. A ninja he can be proud of. He weaved the signs. Ram, Snake Tiger! As the signs were weaved, Salzem manipulated the chakra into his general shape beside him, giving the chakra form. Now all he needed to do was give it a face. Poof! A cloud of smoke erupted from the ground to his right. When it cleared a perfect copy of himself stood, mimicking Salzem's expression and hand signs. He had done it! He laughed uneasily to himself. He had preformed both jutsu as the test requires. He lets his focus slip and the clone disappears in another cloud of smoke. Salzem stood uneasily, waiting for the proctor's verdict.

(952 Words.)

"Very well done, you passed," the proctor congratulated, handing the new genin a konoha headband. "You are nowa ninja of the Leaf."