Chapter no.52 Party part 3

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At the table, the aroma of party food wafted through the air—sushi rolls neatly arranged, skewers of yakitori with just the right char, bowls of fluffy, seasoned rice, and platters of crispy tempura. It was a feast that made Naruto's mouth water, especially since he had only dreamed of such spreads at the celebrations he'd heard his classmates chatter about.

As he took in the lively scene, Naruto felt a warmth spreading through him. Tenten and Hinata were caught up in their own world, their laughter mingling with the festive atmosphere.

Their happiness seemed to light up the room, making the food even more appealing.

Off to the side, Hanabi and Konohamaru were huddled around an old game console, their competitive spirits in full swing. Hanabi's face was set in a fierce frown, determined not to let Konohamaru win. Naruto chuckled to himself, recognizing that fiery determination; Hanabi was just moments away from either throwing Konohamaru out of the building or finally beating him at the game.

His attention was drawn away when he heard his name.

"Naruto."

He turned to see Tenten holding up a green bottle, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

"Sake?!" Naruto blurted out, a mix of surprise and curiosity in his voice.

Tenten's smile widened. "Tomorrow's a big day, you two officially become Genin. So, in celebration of your first step into the real world, let's give you your first taste of alcohol."

Hinata bit her lip.

"But is that allowed?"

Tenten's response was quick, a grin spreading across her face.

"Old enough to kill, old enough to drink," she declared, popping open the bottle.

The rich, potent smell of sake filled the air immediately, drawing a deep breath from Naruto as the aroma tickled his senses.

Tenten poured sake into three cups, handing one to Naruto and another to Hinata, keeping the third for herself.

"So, do we say something?" Naruto asked, lifting his cup awkwardly.

"Toasts," Tenten corrected with a pause, watching Naruto's confusion.

He looked puzzled. "I'm going to get the bread."

"Why?" Tenten asked, laughter bubbling up.

"You said toasts," Naruto replied earnestly, only to see Tenten giggle.

"No, Naruto, I meant a toast as in a cheer, not bread."

Naruto blinked, his cheeks flushing.

"Oh," he chuckled, shaking his head slightly at his own confusion.

He held the small cup more confidently now, ready to mimic whatever Tenten did next.

Tenten raised her cup, her expression turning a bit more serious but still friendly. "When we drink sake like this, it's traditional to make a toast—to honor a moment, celebrate a victory, or just wish for good luck."

Naruto nodded, his focus completely on Tenten as he absorbed every word. He noticed Hinata beside him, holding her cup with both hands.

"Let's make this toast about stepping into new beginnings and facing challenges with courage," Tenten proposed, her gaze shifting between Naruto and Hinata, including them both in this shared moment.

"To new beginnings and courage," Naruto echoed, lifting his cup slightly higher, his voice growing steadier with resolve.

Hinata smiled softly, her voice a gentle whisper, "To new beginnings and courage."

They clinked their cups together gently, the soft sound crystallizing the moment. Naruto took a cautious sip of the sake, the flavor bold and warming, spreading through him like a comforting fire. His eyes widened in surprise at the strong taste, but he welcomed the heat, feeling it ignite a spark of excitement about the future.

Hinata's reaction was more subdued; she sipped her sake with a slight grimace, unaccustomed to the alcohol's strength.

Naruto's eyes widened as Tenten gulped down her sake, clearly more accustomed to the sharp bite of alcohol than they were.

Naruto watched her for a moment, then turned his attention back to the array of food laid out before them. He picked up a piece of tempura, the crispy batter light and golden, and bit into it, the crunch satisfyingly loud in his ears.

"Speaking of graduation, what are you going to do?"

"Go in, do awesome, go out as genins," Naruto declared confidently.

"No, I meant after the exam," Tenten clarified, skewering a piece of yakitori and examining the char before taking a bite. The savory smell of grilled chicken filled the air, mixed with a hint of sweet soy sauce.

"Go home," Naruto replied, still confused. Beside him, Hinata delicately picked up a bowl of fluffy rice.

"Oh, you guys don't know. I forget they don't tell you to build up the tension for the second exam," Tenten said, her tone turning informative.

"Second exam?"

"Yeah, so Genins are divided into two ranks: Solo Genins and Team Genins. Academy graduation gives you the rank of Genin but after which, when you are introduced to the Jonin leader, they will give you a test to determine if you are worth their investment," Tenten explained, pausing to sip her sake again.

"Investment?" Hinata asked, her voice tinged with confusion as she paused in her eating, a piece of sushi halfway to her mouth.

"Yeah, Jonins are very important to the ninja village as a whole because of their power and skill. So when they take on a Genin team, they are essentially substituting their work hours to train a bunch of newbies. If the newbies don't show what the Jonin are looking for, then they fail the Genins. Genins that pass are called Team Genins or Genin Teams," Tenten elaborated.

"And what about the Genins that fail?"

"They are called Solo Genins, and they are essentially thrown into what's known as the Genin Reserves. As you know, being a shinobi is a dangerous job, and the mortality rate for Genins is 80%," Tenten said gravely.

Naruto and Hinata both sucked in a breath at that statistic, the weight of their future suddenly pressing down on them.

"The Genin reserves mostly do E ranks and train since they can now access the shinobi library in the hokage tower until the Chunin exams happen where Genins can apply either solo if they have a B rank jutsu on their arsenal or just team up with other reserve Genins," Tenten finished, setting down her cup with a soft clink.

Naruto chewed slowly, his mind racing with the new information.

The sushi tasted less vibrant now, and even the char on the yakitori seemed to echo the burn of uncertainty. Beside him, Hinata quietly resumed eating her rice, her expression thoughtful and a little troubled.

"Will we pass?" Hinata asked quietly, a trace of vulnerability in her voice.

"You will definitely pass," Tenten replied confidently, her gaze then shifting to Naruto with a playful shrug.

"Hey," Naruto protested with a grin, feigning hurt. He knew Tenten well enough to catch her humor.

Tenten's face turned serious as she continued, "Both of you have the capabilities to pass, but the second exam is different. Each Jonin has their own criteria—some look for teamwork, some for power, others assess the Genin's attitude or skill."

"What about bushy brows sensei?"

"He looked for our determination. That even if we are up against insurmountable odds, will we give up or stand tall," Tenten said, her voice tinged with nostalgia. She paused, seemingly lost in thought for a moment, then shook her head slightly as if to clear it.

"What do you recommend we do?" Hinata interjected, her voice steady but her eyes reflecting the seriousness of their conversation.

"Try to ask your teacher about your team," Tenten advised, leaning back slightly in her chair.

"Why?"

"Well, Genin teams are chosen based on the overall evaluation of the skill and grade of the student, alongside recommendations of teachers who noted down compatibility between Genins while they trained. Asking your teacher can give you a general idea of who your teammates are and what you all bring to the table," Tenten explained.

"You can either talk to your potential teammates or just train," she concluded.

Naruto and Hinata nodded, absorbing the advice. Tenten's eyes brightened as she offered, "I think you two will pass both exams with flying colors and to make the process a bit sweeter, I'm going to make you two custom weapons for the second exam. How does that sound?"

"Hell yeah!" Naruto exclaimed, his voice booming with excitement, which inadvertently caused Hanabi, who was engrossed in a video game with Konohamaru, to lose her focus and the game.

As Hanabi glared at him, Naruto winced slightly but quickly recovered, offering her a cheeky grin.

"Do you need some tips?"

Hanabi huffed, clearly not amused, while Naruto signaled for Konohamaru to go easy on her. Konohamaru gave a knowing nod and dove back into the game.

Hinata toyed with her rice, each grain seeming heavier under the weight of Tenten's information about the upcoming exams.

Her focus was broken when Tenten addressed her directly.

"Hinata," Tenten called, capturing her attention.

"I'm going to need to do some measurements for your Neko Te."

Hinata looked up, a small smile breaking through her nervousness.

"Okay."

"Tenten, do you have some more sake?" Naruto asked.

"You'll regret it if you drink too much."

"Come on, it's a party," Naruto cajoled, trying to lighten the mood.

"Fine, but don't say I didn't warn you," Tenten relented, reaching for the bottle. She poured another round of sake into their cups.

.....

[ Morning ]

[ You have slept on your couch. HP & CP are fully stored. ]

Naruto's head throbbed painfully as he blinked open his eyes, the light too harsh for his senses.

The room spun slightly, a telltale sign of his first hangover.

Groaning, he pushed himself up from the couch where he had apparently collapsed last night.

His stomach churned uneasily, a reminder of last night's indulgence.

As he looked around, the aftermath of the party was evident.

Empty snack plates and cups littered the floor, a few overturned.

Streaks of spilled sauce stained his table, and there was a pile of napkins thrown haphazardly in one corner.

The smell of stale food mixed with the lingering scent of alcohol made his stomach turn again.

Naruto rubbed his temples, trying to ease the pounding in his head.

Each movement felt like too much effort, his limbs heavy and uncooperative.

He stumbled slightly as he made his way to the bathroom, the room tilting around him.

He managed to turn on the shower, the sound of running water somewhat soothing.

Stepping under the hot spray, he let the warmth wash over him, hoping it would wash away the remnants of last night's mistakes along with the splitting headache. As the water cascaded down, he closed his eyes, willing his body to recover and regretting not heeding Tenten's warning about the sake.

Stepping out of the steamy shower, Naruto felt the lingering ache of last night's party ease away. He quickly dried off, tossing the towel aside with a careless flick. The kitchen was his next stop; the morning light spilled across the countertop, casting a warm glow over everything.

As he scrambled some eggs, his movements were lazy but efficient, a stark contrast to his usually energetic self. Each stir of the pan was methodical, mirroring his attempts to organize his thoughts and shake off the fog of the hangover. The sizzle of eggs hitting the hot pan brought a satisfied smile to his face. Breakfast, he decided, was a good start to sobering up and facing the day with whatever it decided to throw at him.

His eyes sparkled with excitement as he mentally reviewed the glowing system window in front of him.

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[ Name: Uzumaki Naruto ]

[ Status: Chakra Imbalance (Difficulty in controlling chakra, -70% performance in executing simple Jutsus) ]

[ Title: Academy Student ]

[ Level: 6 ]

[ Class: Shinobi of the Uzumaki Clan ]

[ Race: Human ]

[ HP: 447 / 447 ] (Base 352 + 20 from Jacket + 50 from Pants + 25 from Gambeson)

[ AC: 27 ] (Base 22 + 5 from Gloves)

[ CP: 14k / 14k ]

[ Racial Traits: ]

  - [ Chakra Chains ] ( Locked )

  - [ Mind's Eye ]

  - [ Healer's Body ] ( Locked )

[ Class Features: ]

  - [ Scrolls Arts ]

  - [ Fuinjutsu ]

[ Feats: Observer, Weapon Master ]

[ Stats: ]

  - [ STR: 17 ] (Base 12 + 2 from Jacket + 2 from Pants)

  - [ DEX: 23 ] (Base 14 + 3 from Jacket + 3 from Pants + 3 from Gambeson)

  - [ CON: 12 ] (Base 10 + 2 from Gambeson)

  - [ INT: 13 ]

  - [ WIS: 12 ]

  - [ CHA: 9 ]

  - [ VIT: 19 ] (Base 11 + 3 from Jacket + 2 from Pants + 3 from Gambeson)

  - [ LUK: ? ]

[ Stat Points Remaining: 8 ]

[ Allies: --- ]

[ Equipment: ]

  - [ Weapons: Black Fingerless Gloves with Metal Back Plate ]

  - [ Armor: Bright Orange Sleeveless Jacket, Dark Blue Gambeson ]

  - [ Gear: Bright Orange Light Armored Pants ]

[ Exp: 15400 ]

[ Description: Uzumaki Naruto is the dead last of the Konoha Academy, having failed the graduation twice before and clearly not prepared to graduate. While most of his past is a mystery, Uzumaki Naruto has found his clan. ]

"All of this," Naruto thought to himself, "and I didn't even have to sit through those boring academy lectures."

His chakra control skill had been a mixed bag.

The skill made his chakra imbalance more manageable and even given him the skill academy clone jutsu but also boosted his chakra capacity from 10K to 14K points.

You win some, you lose some.

The relentless string of E-rank missions had proved surprisingly beneficial. They weren't just menial chores; they were experience goldmines.

Leveled up from 3 to 6, not too shabby, eh?

He scrolled through his skill list, a proud smile plastering his face as he noted each high-grade skill.

[ Skill Tab ]

[ Ninjutsu:

- [ Substitution Jutsu - Level: 7 ]

- [ Transformation Jutsu - Level: 8 ]

- [ Academy Clone Jutsu - Level: 2 ]

- [ Fire Style: Fire Ball Jutsu - Level: 2 ]

[ Taijutsu:

- [ Kunai Bukijutsu - Level: 10 ]

- [ Shuriken Bukijutsu - Level: 10 ]

- [ Uzumaki Clan Taijutsu: Swirling Kata - Level: 10 ]

- [ Scroll Arts - Level: 10 ]

- [ Senju Clan Taijutsu: Flash Fist - Level: 10 ]

[ Genjutsu:

- [ None ]

[ Senjutsu:

- [ None ]

[ Kenjutsu:

- [ None ]

[ Fuinjutsu:

- [ Class Features: Fuinjutsu - Level: 10 ]

(Click to check Fuinjutsu Scroll Library)

[ Description: ]

- [ This tab displays the current skills and abilities mastered by the player. Each category lists the skills along with their respective levels, indicating the player's proficiency and expertise in each domain. Users can explore detailed descriptions and potential upgrades by clicking on individual skills. ]

The Weapon Master feat had turbocharged most of his physical skills to level 10. According to Tenten's evaluation, my shuriken skills are at a high Chunin level.

So, it's safe to say level 10 is now going to be the benchmark for high Chunin level.

He slapped the table playfully.

I wonder what skills are going to be affected by the Observer feat.

So glad I skipped that academy for some actual experience.

He tapped his foot impatiently as he addressed the system, "Come on, give me the graduation quest."

[ Alert: World Quest ]

[ Quest Title: You Can Do It: Pass the Graduation Exam ]

[ Objective: Successfully complete all parts of the ninja academy's graduation exam. ]

[ Rewards:

- 1000 Experience Points.

- Award of Konoha Forehead Protector.

- Skill Stone Rune. ]

[ Penalty for Failure:

- 500 Experience Points.

- ?

- ? ]

[ Action Required: Acceptance or Declination of Quest ]

....

As Naruto stepped out of his apartment, the crisp morning air greeted him. The sky was a canvas of vibrant colors, strokes of pink and orange blending into the early blue. He couldn't help but grin, feeling the thrill of a new day pulsing through him.

With every breath, the cool air seemed to invigorate him, filling him with a sense of possibility. He remembered Tenten's toast from the night before, a salute to "new beginnings and courage," and it echoed in his mind like a promise

....

In the quiet after storm's own rage, 

A tender light scripts a fresh page. 

Horizons blaze with morning's glow, 

Where shadows of the old fears go.

Courage whispers in the rising wind, 

Urging hearts to heal, to mend. 

With every step on paths untrod, 

Each soul finds strength, profoundly awed.

New beginnings beckon with open arms, 

Welcoming the past's disarm. 

With every dawn, we rise anew, 

Painting hopes in skies of blue.

So, lift your gaze, embrace the light, 

In every end, new dreams ignite. 

With courage, let your story sing, 

In every change, new life begins.

....

[ Author Note:

Okay, the poem at the end might have been just me showing off.

1- How did you guys like the expansion on the Genin role I did in this chapter? Also, I want to pivot this question: do you guys want Tenten to remain a solo Genin as she takes the Chunin exams, or somehow be convinced by Gai or Lee to at least participate in the Chunin exams as a team?

...

2- Speaking of Tenten, she is going to make a custom weapon entirely out of chakra metal for Naruto. What do you want Naruto to wield? It can be any weapon because Naruto can wield any weapon.

...

3- Okay, since it's clear that Naruto can easily graduate and get a skill stone rune, which gives him a random skill from any class, my question to you all is: what skill should Naruto get?

To narrow it down, Naruto is going to get a Shinobi class skill, particularly Earth Style, so now suggest what you think Naruto will get.

...

Thank you for enjoying my work, and thank you for your support. I hope you guys have a blessed rest of the day, and please give me your thoughts in the comments.