23 Chapter Twenty-Three: Shikakuro V

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December 2nd, Year 68, Training Ground 23

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"Excellent! You're all right on time. Now, let's get this show on the road," our new teacher announced with a mischievous grin.

So the older Nara is gonna get trained by the older Sarutobi, huh? Is this some kind of set up? Shikamaru would probably be on Asuma's team again this time... Sigh... At least I ended up with the cooler ANBU bro instead of the smoki-

Just as I was about to complain, our sensei casually took a cigarette, placing it in his mouth before effortlessly igniting it with a flick of fire, straight from his finger.

Sigh... And our sensei is a show off…

And it seemed to work, as Izumi looked at our sensei in awe of his pyromancy, while the troublesome guy with glasses wore a look of sheer amazement.

Honestly, having Kabuto on my team was unexpected. I mean, I knew he wasn't involved with the Root base or secretly trained by Orochimaru.

This Kabuto was just an orphan trying to prove himself. But given what I know, I can't help but remain cautious. I'll be keeping a close eye on him, just to be safe.

"Alright, you brats. Let's not beat around the bush. I'm not your average Jonin instructor. And before any of you start thinking you're special, don't. It just means my training will be ten times tougher than any other instructor you might have heard of. And since you were given to me, it means you won't be quitting, even if you drop dead," our oh-so-lovely sensei said with a wicked grin.

It seemed he was trying to intimidate, and it seemed to have the desired effect as my teammates trembled in fear.

Our sensei then turned to me, seeing me unaffected, he nodded appreciatively. He said with a grin, "Ah, Shikakuro… Yes, I'm aware of your condition, but it's still amazing to see it in person… With a little training, I'll turn you into the perfect ninja, brat!"

He was talking about my Special Shadows and my excessive Chakra…

I let out an annoyed groan and rolled my eyes at him. "Honestly, old man, I'm not interested in becoming the perfect ninja. I'd rather do the bare minimum so I can take a nap."

His laughter filled the air in response. "Sure, kiddo. I'll let you nap... once you're completely exhausted. Anyway, from this point on, you're all part of Team 1. And as a team, the first thing you need to do is familiarize yourselves with each other's abilities. I'm sure you all know each other's names, but now it's time to learn about your capabilities," he said, his tone turning serious. We all nodded in agreement.

Our sensei then shifted his gaze to Kabuto and commanded, "You're up, brat. Tell us about what you can do, your proficient techniques, and areas where you feel you're weak. Go!"

Kabuto instantly straightened up and began, "Yes, sir! I am good at academy taijutsu and the three academy techniques. I can perform clone jutsu with just one hand seal and efficiently dispel genjutsu. However, I don't know any genjutsu myself. My favorite throwing weapon is a kunai, but I'm also proficient in using senbon. I can also use medical ninjutsu, with my most proficient one being the Mystical Palm. Additionally, I can utilize the Healing Technique for a minute. I am currently working on learning the Chakra Scalpel, but I lack sufficient chakra control for it. As for my weakness, I don't possess any offensive ninjutsu."

Kabuto finished his introduction like a diligent cadet, and even our sensei seemed pleased.

"Good! We will see what we can do about improving your techniques. But for now, girl, it's your turn next."

Izumi nodded and took a deep breath before starting, "I am proficient in academy ninjutsu, as well as three fire ninjutsu techniques from my clan. My strongest jutsu is the Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire Technique, which is a C-rank jutsu. I can also perform two D-rank genjutsu, and with my bloodline limit, the Sharingan, I can utilize a stronger genjutsu. Apart from that, I prefer using kunai as my weapon. I am still in the process of learning my clan's taijutsu style. As for my weakness... I lack defensive techniques, and I would like to learn something to enhance my speed."

So she has only learned three ninjutsu? Isn't her clan treating her properly? She even awakened the Sharingan...

Izuna probably knows most of her clan's fire release jutsu up to A-rank by now.

I yawned as I observed my teammates and sensei looking towards me. In a cryptic manner, I asked my sensei, "How much?"

I was obviously asking him, how much I was allowed to reveal. But that damned old man… just smiled and shrugged, indicating that the decision was up to me.

Very well.

"Let's see... I am well-versed in all the academy techniques, as well as fuinjutsu, my clan Jutsus, and some of my self-made Jutsus. I also enjoy Kenjutsu when I'm forced to use a weapon. As for weaknesses... it's definitely working too much. Not napping makes me weak..."

I finished with another yawn. And just as I anticipated, Izumi exploded. That girl really needs to take a chill pill… I am pretty sure she wasn't this annoying in Naruto Canon…

Izumi crossed her arms and gave me a demanding look. "You didn't actually tell us anything! You lazy ass! What about your shadows? The ones you used against me?" she shouted indignantly.

Oh yeah, I did use my shadows on her during our last duel. So she knows about it… How troublesome.

"Shadows?" Kabuto asked curiously, clearly unaware of my unique ability.

"Well, he used these weird wiggly shadows to attack me when we dueled, so he skipped that!" Izumi informed our glasses-wearing teammate, a mischievous glint in her eyes.

I turned to our sensei, hoping to escape this interrogation. However, when I saw him smirking, I knew I was in for it. What a drag...

Reluctantly, I faced my teammates and responded with annoyance in my voice, "Fine... I can use shadows. It's my clan's secret technique. I can manipulate shadows to attack and immobilize my opponents. Are you happy now?" I directed the last part toward Izumi, who nodded with a satisfied smirk.

Kabuto seemed genuinely impressed, his eyes widening at the revelation. It was likely the first time he had heard of this technique, as clan techniques were rarely discussed in the academy.

Our sensei, still wearing his grin, decided to take charge. "Good! Now that you've revealed your skills, it's time to put them to the test. You'll have the opportunity to demonstrate your abilities, and based on that, I'll tailor individual and group training regimes for each of you starting today."

I couldn't help but feel a sense of dread. It was clear that our sensei would push us far beyond our limits. I had a feeling he would be even more demanding than Aunt Kushina, and she was already a slavedriver!

At least I can distract Aunt Kushina with Naruto and Ramen… But how the hell will I get out of this… This guy is already married and everything.

Sigh… I am too lazy for this...

Kabuto raised his hand, a hint of curiosity in his eyes. "Sensei, won't we be assigned any missions?" he asked, his voice laced with eagerness.

Our sensei grinned at that and said, "You want to do missions, huh? You will only do missions when I deem you worthy of doing them. Now, let's start with you, brat. Show us your skills." He said pointing at Kabuto.

Kabuto looked a bit nervous as he responded, "Um, sensei, how should I go about demonstrating my skills?"

A wicked grin spread across our sensei's face as he replied, "By sparring with me, of course!" The way he said it, coupled with his sunglasses, made him resemble a character straight out of a cheesy gangster film.

And with that, the skill demonstration began.

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4 hours…

For a grueling four hours, our sensei put us through intense sparring sessions, pushing us to our limits. While I managed to hold my own, thanks to my training with Aunt Kushina and my greater chakra reserves and stamina compared to my teammates, it was undeniably frustrating.

I had to hold back from using my shadows to their fullest extent. I knew that I would eventually have to reveal my full potential to my team, but I wanted to be sure I could trust them first.

I understood the village's desire to keep my powers a secret, and I agreed with their decision. I preferred to quietly grow stronger, surpassing others without drawing unnecessary attention. It was better to excel in the shadows than to be thrust into the spotlight.

After our skill showcase, our sensei generously provided each of us with personalized training routines to address our individual needs. While I recognized the importance of these exercises in our development, the mere sight of the extensive routines made me groan in exasperation.

"What a drag," I muttered under my breath.

At least the day's training was finally over.

"Alright, good work, kids. Starting tomorrow, follow your assigned routines as if your lives depend on it. Don't forget to adhere to the prescribed diet plan. If you have any trouble obtaining the necessary resources, come to me. And finally, meet here at 10 a.m. sharp tomorrow, when we'll begin focusing on your jutsu training," our sensei instructed, his tone firm yet encouraging.

We nodded in agreement, watching as our sensei disappeared in a swirl of leaves. Exhausted, I sprawled out on the ground, seeking some well-deserved rest. Kabuto and Izumi joined me, sitting on the grass, their breathing still heavy as they recovered from the rigorous training session.

After a few minutes of silence, Kabuto broke it. "Umm, what will you guys do now?"

Izumi replied with a hint of uncertainty, "I'm going to train with my mom in the evening. For now, I think I'll just take some time to relax. That sparring session was brutal!" She shivered at the memory, clearly still feeling the effects of our intense training.

I said nothing and only sighed before getting up, which startled both my teammates.

"Where are you going, Kuro-san?" Kabuto inquired.

"I'm going to meet a friend. It's been quite some time since I last came here," I responded casually.

"A friend? You have other friends?" Izumi mockingly questioned, feigning surprise.

Ignoring her comment, I started walking towards the nearby woods, with Kabuto and Izumi deciding to tag along out of curiosity. I welcomed their presence and allowed them to join me.

Before long, the magnificent Banyan tree came into view, standing proudly near the serene pond. Just the sight of my dear old friend filled my soul with a sense of rejuvenation, drawing me closer to its sturdy trunk.

Gently running my hand along the tree's bark, I greeted it with heartfelt emotion. "I am back, Benny... It's been a while," I expressed.

To some, it might seem strange to form a connection with a tree. But for me, this tree held a special place in my heart. It had been my sanctuary during my earlier years, a place of hiding and peaceful naps. It was also where I first met Izuna and where we would spend time together, discussing our troubles without a care in the world. Benny may be just a tree, but it held a deep significance for me.

Izumi, unsure of how to react, asked softly, "You named the tree?"

Kabuto, observing silently, remained absorbed in the interaction between myself and the tree.

I smiled as I looked at my teammates and confirmed, "Indeed. Benny is a very special friend."

They looked at me, surprised, as I continued with a smile, "I am quite grateful, really, to be assigned this training ground… It holds a lot of memories for me. And… I hope we can become a strong team here together. Because…"

Eagerly leaning closer, my teammates awaited my revelation, their curiosity evident.

So, I told them the reason with a big grin, "Because I want to finish our training fast so I can take naps again."

I tuned out Izumi's nagging and Kabuto's confused yet worried gaze, as I knew they wouldn't understand.

I turned back to look at Benny and felt innately happy about being here again. Enjoying the breeze as I patted its bark, I muttered, "I can't wait to nap here again!"

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Next Chapter, will show the start of another event! Though not like how you all might be thinking. After all. What do we say to canon?

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