Chapter 30 - Second Year 06.

[Chapter Size: 1400 Words.]

Third Person POV

Konoha, Year 33.

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At the dawn of the last day of the academic year, Minato woke up with a mix of satisfaction and anticipation. The day had finally arrived, marking the end of another year at the academy. Although there wasn't as much public as last year, Minato was determined to maintain his prominent position in the class.

Minato chose a simple and functional outfit for the last day of school. He wore a clean, well-fitted white T-shirt. Complementing the shirt, Minato wore black shorts that fell comfortably above the knees, creating a visual balance that was both discreet and elegant.

After dressing and eating with the other kids in the kitchen, he picked up his Fuinjutsu manual and other materials for one last review. Upon arriving at the academy, he felt the lively atmosphere. Students were torn between excitement for the imminent holidays and anxiety for the final results. Conversations and laughter filled the air, as Minato passed by other students from various years and classes.

In the classroom, he felt a climate of anticipation among his peers. Minato sat next to his friends, all immersed in the unique atmosphere of the day. The teacher began the class with reviews of the year, rekindling memories and lessons learned. Soon after, he distributed the written test, marking the beginning of the final exams.

While working on the test, Tsuna spoke to Minato.

"I heard we're going to start learning jutsus next year," Tsuna murmured.

"They're basic jutsus, we learn them easily in our clans..." Mikoto joined the conversation.

Minato couldn't help but mutter softly, "Lucky you..." He spoke more to himself than to the others. Unlike his classmates, Minato didn't have a clan or a family to teach him. The older children from the orphanage were all he had, and even that option was not ideal.

Turning his attention back to the test, Minato delved into the questions. He reflected internally on the simplicity of the subjects, noting how some questions could be solved using formulas unknown in this world. Yet, he answered each question with ease.

As the first part of the day came to an end with the conclusion of the written test, it was no surprise to anyone that Minato was the first to finish, achieving a maximum score. His exemplary performance was expected as usual by everyone.

After lunch, the practical exams came. The courtyard was reserved for the second-year students, and Minato stood out once again. He dominated the physical test, demonstrated almost perfect accuracy with the kunai on 95% of the targets, and won all the taijutsu fights, including a particularly challenging one against Akame Uchiha and his Sharingan. He finished the day again as the number one student.

At the end of the day, Choza approached him, "Hey, Minato. Do you want to go to the steakhouse with us?" Choza asked suddenly.

"Hm... Sure, why not." Minato thought for a bit; he had nothing to lose that day, after accepting to hang out a bit with his classmates, he turned to Tsuna.

"Do you want to go too?" He asked the Senju girl.

"Sure, let's go!" She replied easily.

"And you, Mikoto? Want to come too?" Minato turned to Mikoto as well.

Mikoto, however, hesitated, her expression mixing the desire to join and the obligation she felt. "Sorry, my father is waiting for me at the clan, I won't be able to accompany you..." Her voice carried a note of regret.

Minato nodded in understanding. "It's okay, we'll do something next year," he replied with a small smile.

With the class over, Minato approached Professor Aburame after coordinating with his classmates, carrying the Fuinjutsu book that had been so fundamental in his studies.

"Professor, thank you for lending me the book. I've studied it well and believe I could train on my own from now on, as the basics are learning calligraphy and some easy-to-execute seals."

The professor, recognizing Minato's dedication and skill, responded with sincerity and a touch of pride. "That's good. I don't know if I will be that teacher next year, but if you need, you can come to look for me."

With a "Ok, thanks, professor!" Minato said goodbye and left the room to join his classmates. Shikaku, Choza, Inoichi, and Tsuna were already gathered with others.

Shikaku, always practical, murmured, "Let's go already, I want to sleep early today..." noticing Minato's arrival.

They headed to the local steakhouse, a popular spot among Konoha's youth to celebrate special occasions. The atmosphere was light and full of laughter, a welcome contrast to the usual tension of ninja training and studies.

He spent most of the time with Tsuna, sharing laughs, stories, and plans for the future. They talked animatedly, with Minato occasionally exchanging words and jokes with the rest of the group. It was an unusual scene in Minato's life since he dedicated most of his time to training, only exchanging conversations with Tsuna and Mikoto.

Choza, known for his insatiable appetite, was already eyeing the biggest piece of meat on the grill. His eyes gleamed as he reached out, but suddenly, he leaned a bit too far and almost fell from the chair. The whole table erupted in laughter.

Choza, regaining his balance, said with an embarrassed smile: "I was just... checking if the chair was sturdy!"

Shikaku, always the lazy one, just shook his head with a lazy smile. "Sure, Choza, you were testing the chair... with your stomach!"

Inoichi, the most reserved of the group, watched the scene with a faint smile.

Tsuna, not wanting to be left out, decided to further instigate the situation. With an outrageously animated expression, she exclaimed: "Choza, you should try balance jutsus instead of eating so much! Maybe you'll become Konoha's most agile ninja?"

Tsuna's suggestion sparked another round of laughter and banter among the group. Choza, pretending to be offended, crossed his arms and grumbled something about "appreciating the local cuisine."

As the night progressed and 8 pm approached, the group acknowledged that it was time to head home. Each one said their goodbyes, promising to repeat the gathering next year, and departed for their respective homes.

Minato, arriving later than usual at the orphanage, found Madame Gorete waiting for him. With her arms crossed and an expression of mild reproach, she commented on his lateness: "You're late..." Minato, aware that he had lingered longer than planned, smiled in an attempt to soften the situation. "Sorry, I was with some classmates."

Madame Gorete, though strict, said: "Be that as it may, go rest, since I know you'll just train while there are no classes."

The next day, Minato began his holidays while some other children still had classes at the academy; he went to his training spot reflecting on his improvements this year.

He continued to be the top of his class, got a job to afford some things he needed. In terms of strength, he greatly improved his physical body, despite having reached the limit of his development at that age. Minato started to study new areas to better his yields from this year. He refined even more his chakra control and completely mastered 3 shadow clones. Besides that, he is almost ready to master a new level of observation haki which increases his range and started learning Fuinjutsu thanks to his teacher.

'It's a pity I still can't use my Pika Pika no Mi...' Minato reflected as he arrived at his usual training spot.

'But this year I will master it if my predictions are right, the war will start in the coming years, and I would have at most 2 years before becoming a genin.' Minato reflected.

'Then in this next year, I intend to quickly master the basic jutsus, focusing on my fruit and observation haki, in the coming years I plan to start studying the six styles to have a better chance of surviving the war. Minato did exactly that in the original, but I am not him, so my path is quite unpredictable, not to mention that I am being watched every week by someone, and I have no doubt that someone like Danzou would kill me if I represent a threat to him. So I must be discreet.' Minato concluded, ready to start his training alone in that forest location.

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