MANA [Sarutobi Konohamaru]

Chapter Thirty-Seven

The day of Mana's exam came, Iruka and Kakashi called for her at the Academy. She has been studying with Sakura for days and has been training with Naruto. It was clear as day that she was going to pass the exam. When Iruka placed the thick stack of papers before Mana, she didn't even flinch, but Naruto – who stood beside Kakashi and Sakura – gasped in shock.

"YOU CAN'T BE SERIOUS!" Naruto said. "That many?"

"It's a compilation of the test that Mana missed, so yes." Iruka said.

"But, that's just too much!"

"Relax, Naruto, it's Mana who's going to take the exam, not you." Kakashi said.

"But, still, I think that's just overkill!"

"Don't worry, Naruto-kun." Mana spoke. "I prepared for this."

Mana glanced at Sakura and sent the woman a smile, Sakura did the same and gave her a thumb's up.

"You'll do great, Mana-chan."

"Alright, you have two hours to complete the test." Iruka said. "Your time starts, now." Iruka pressed his timer.

Naruto was at awe, he never seen anyone answer a test that fast, in the first few minutes, Mana was already finished with the first few pages of the exam and didn't have to double take it. She was fast and he wondered what kind of brain the child had.

"Why don't we wait outside." Kakashi said.

Kakashi led his students to the roof. Kakashi sat on the railing, while Sakura stood next to him, and Naruto sat on one of the steps, lazily looking the Hokage.

"Man, I've never seen anyone answer those questions as fast as Mana-chan." Naruto chuckled.

"Never, huh." Sakura raised a brow, clearly showing that he was wrong.

"Oh, right, sorry, Sakura-chan." Naruto scratched the back of his head. "I wouldn't be surprised if she finishes that exam in less than two hours."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that." Kakashi said.

Naruto and Sakura had a confused look, they both turned to their teacher and waited for him to explain.

"Iruka wasn't the only one who made the test, I was too." Kakashi said. "So, expect some things that an ordinary ninja would know to come up."

"That's not fair!" Naruto said.

"Is it?" Kakashi said. "From what I remember, Mana is no ordinary ninja. And I'm not just saying that because of her being an Uchiha who has awakened the Mangekyou Sharingan in such a young age."

"Then what is it?" Naruto asked.

"I'm talking about that Seal at the back of her neck."

"Oh, that." Naruto muttered.

"So, you saw it too?" Kakashi asked.

"Yeah, Mana-chan showed it to be when she visited Konoha about a year ago." Naruto said, "She said something about it being a parasite?"

"It's the Natsukasa mark." Kakashi said.

"Natsukasa, what is that?" Sakura asked.

"It was a clan that created its own village in the Land of Snow, but they're whole clan separated ways after a civil war. Their main way of living has always been circling around violence and blood. And that mark is their clan's special ability."

"But what does that have to do with the exam?"

"Mana mentioned that she was trained by a personal teacher, and I have a feeling that that teacher of hers gave her that mark and taught her how to use it. From what I heard, the Natsukasa Seal is a parasite that eats chakra and transform it into what they call Dark Chakra."