The Graduation From the Academy

After hearing the words of the Hokage, Yoshi inwardly smiled, but on the surface still politely replied, "I understand, Lord Hokage, I will!"

Kakashi looked at this scene with a somewhat knowing look in his eyes.

Anko looked quite proud and happy that Yoshi was being so close to the Hokage.

Takumi and Kosuke both looked very surprised.

But, soon they realized that Hokage just wanted to win over and buy Yoshi with that behavior.

The Hokage just nodded while smiling and said, "Alright, I won't take any more of your time. Your friends are waiting outside for you. You should all go now!"

"Yes, Lord Hokage!" Yoshi replied politely alongside the other newly graduated genin and went towards the exit of the Academy.

Towards their way there, Yoshi grinned and said, "Congratulations on graduating, you guys!"

"I hope that we will still remain good friends in the future!" Yoshi continued while looking mainly at Kosuke and Takumi.

Kosuke suddenly looked at Yoshi as well.

He has a somewhat good impression of this red-haired little guy, due to his friendliness and carefree nature it was hard to not like him.

So he also grinned and replied, "Alright, you guys can all come to the Uchiha Police Force Station if you want to meet me again in the future."

"Invitation accepted," Yoshi grinned again.

"I hope we will also meet again, Yoshi, when I find my way in the future."

Takumi who was mostly silent until now, also said all of a sudden.

Yoshi looked at him deeply and replied, "We will meet again Takumi, remember nothing is impossible in this world. I'm sure you'll manage to find your own way and realize your dreams one day."

He said encouragingly while giving him a thumbs up and grinning.

Takumi looked at him for a few moments and then nodded seriously.

"Don't worry Yoshi, I won't fail your expectations. I'm not so hopeless anymore."

He said while subconsciously touching his forehead.

The other three people looked at this curiously but didn't ask much.

Soon they all came towards the Academy's exit door and officially left this building for the last time in their lives.

And as soon as they finally went outside, a large crowd of Academy students swarmed over them all the while looking at their Konoha's forehead protectors excitedly.

Immediately they started firing a barrage of questions and praises.

The five of them just smiled helplessly while looking at each other.

Asuma looked at all of this from the side and just sighed helplessly.

Might Guy already went to enforce his self-rule for failing to meet the standards for the Academy graduation test. He went running five hundred laps around this village.

But, Obito didn't take all of this too well.

He went there and stood in front of them while yelling loudly.

"Don't be too proud, now! I'll catch up with all of you in no time!"

"Just you wait!"

After yelling that, he went and quickly run ahead into the distance, being visibly agitated.

"Obito..." Rin looked at his back worriedly.

"Ehh, just what is wrong with this clown?" Anko exclaimed loudly.

Kakashi looked at his back blankly, no one knew what he was thinking about.

And Kosuke just exclaimed scorningly, "This waste has always been like this, just leave him alone."

Yoshi ignored the whole fuss and said, "Alright, let's go back."

Soon they all went on their own separate ways,

Just how far will each of them go in the future still remains to be seen.

But, one thing is certain, they all more or less entered into the world of adults right now.

On their way home, Yoshi suddenly said, "Kakashi, Anko, how could've I forgot, let's go somewhere to celebrate our graduation."

"Yes, that's it, let's go to the Dango shop right now!" Anko replied excitedly, just thinking about Dango.

"No, we go there all the time, let's listen to Kakashi this time around," Yoshi replied and turned around to look at Kakashi.

"I don't know, how about the barbeque?"

Kakashi shrugged helplessly and answered, "Okay, let's go there then!"

And against Anko's protest, they all went to the nearby barbeque shop.

While they were inside the barbeque, eating happily, Yoshi suddenly toasted.

"Towards our new shinobi life! Cheers!"

"Cheers!", "Cheers!"

After a while, Kakashi asked abruptly, "Yoshi, did you forget that you promised Hokage to meet him later!?"

"Oh, yes, Yoshi, how could've you forgot!?" Anko added hurriedly.

Yoshi just shrugged nonchalantly and replied quietly, "That old fool can wait for a while. He needs me, not the other way around."

Kakashi nodded in an agreement, while Anko appeared really shocked now, "W-What, how can you say something like that about the Lord Hokage!?" She almost couldn't believe her ears.

"And what did he say that was wrong? That old bastard just wants to buy Yoshi over to his side now!" Surprisingly Kakashi replied a little bit angrily.

After hearing Yoshi's analysis of what happened to his father at that time, he already grew to hate that so-called 'good' and 'kind' village Hokage to the bones.

He even started hating this whole village a little as well.

After all, the people who could turn against their village hero in a matter of hours just for some small amount of money and after hearing a few negative rumors about him, don't deserve his respect, nor his protection and care in the future.

"Even you, Kakashi!?" Anko exclaimed unbelievably again, she would have never expected even Kakashi to think like that.

"He's right, Anko, that old geezer really isn't what he appears to be on the outside," Yoshi said seriously, then continued explaining.

"Basically, every time he speaks to anyone, he's full of deceiving intentions towards them."

Anko still looked at him a little unsurely.

Seeing this, Yoshi sighed slightly and gradually started his next speech.

"Sigh... Then I will explain to you everything from the beginning, regarding my clan, my ability, and the thing that happened recently to uncle Sakumo..."

Soon, many minutes passed by, and Anko's face grown more incredulous every minute while hearing Yoshi's unbelievable story, 'I didn't know about any of this, at all!'

Anko though while thinking about Yoshi's unfortunate past.

'His whole hometown and family were destroyed, and they were betrayed by my own village?'

Seeing this, Yoshi just patted her on the shoulder and stood up while saying.

"Just think about it slowly, Anko. I'll go now to see him. See you later!"

Yoshi knew that this was too much for a young girl to handle at once, so he gave her some time.

He nodded to the Kakashi a little and exited the building, heading for the Hokage's office swiftly.

Once he got there he reported to the guards first.

"I'm Yoshi Uzumaki, Lord Hokage should be expecting me."

They sized him up curiously and said expressionlessly.

"You can go in."

As soon as he got in, he noticed the Hokage was already standing in the center of the room as if he was expecting him.

"Lord Hokage, I'm really sorry. I got carried away with my friends while celebrating our graduation together," Yoshi touched his hair embarrassingly and explained sheepishly.

"Haha, no matter, it's good to be young. And, I didn't specify it when I was expecting you to come, I just said you should come later," Hokage replied magnanimously, full of charm of a kind and big-minded leader.

"Here, I just wanted to give you this. Consider this your graduation present from me and our meeting gift that came late a bit late," Hokage smiled generously and gave him some kind of a ninjutsu scroll.

"I hope you're feeling good in our village. This should help you well in your future shinobi journey."

Yoshi took the scroll and almost couldn't believe what he was seeing.

'Multiple Shadow Clone Technique!!'

Seeing his shocked look, the Hokage smiled and explained patiently. "There is one jutsu called the "Shadow Clone", a jutsu that allows the user to create one or more copies of themselves."

"The user's chakra is evenly divided between themselves and their clones: creating one clone will give it half the user's chakra, creating two clones will give each a third of the user's chakra, and so on."

"Unlike the basic Clone Technique, shadow clones are physically real. They possess the same clothing, damage, and transformations as the user at the time of their creation. Most tools and weaponry are copied when the shadow clones are created."

"Because they are visually identical and possess the same chakra as the user, shadow clones are indistinguishable from their original."

"Generally, only jonins are able to learn this technique successfully, due to its high levels of difficulty."

Yoshi regained his composure and just listened to him explaining it so seriously.

'It's really the professor of ninja, his explanation ability is first-class.'

Yoshi thought of that while Satutobi continued his long speech.

"This jutsu I have you is just a larger-scale version of the standard Shadow Clone Technique."

"There is no real difference between them beyond the number of shadow clones being created."

"Because of how many clones are created with the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique, the chakra cost is far greater, rendering it unsafe to use for most people other than the Hokage. For this reason, the First Hokage declared it forbidden and hid it away."

Hearing this, Yoshi pretended to be a little scared.

Sarutobi smiled after seeing this and added in the end, "But this technique is pretty safe for you to use. Yeah, you guessed it. It is because of your huge amount of chakra reserves that this jutsu will even be very beneficial for you instead of dangerous."

Yoshi looked at him like he realized something.

"It could even become your main type of attack jutsu in the future. That's why I decided to give it to you. You're also the only person in this whole village that can use it successfully and to it's fullest potential right now."

Yoshi looked at him a little gratefully now and Sarutobi continued his speech, "So, instead of allowing it to rot in my office, it's better to give it to the Konoha's future excellent shinobi and the village hero, you!"

Yoshi abruptly bowed again, his expression full of sincerity, "Lord Hokage, don't worry, this powerful jutsu will be in the right hands. I already decided to guard this village with my little life a long time ago!"

Hokage looked at him approvingly and thought, 'I hope you don't disappoint me, Yoshi Uzumaki!'

He then smiled and said kindly, "Alright, Yoshi, you can go now, your friends are presumably still waiting for you."

"Thank you again for everything, Lord Hokage, I promise I won't disappoint you!" Yoshi thanked the Hokage again and stated firmly, after which he exited the office promptly.

The Hokage just looked at his direction kindly.

But, after seeing Yoshi exiting, he resumed his usual blank and soulless look while continuing sorting through some papers again, like a machine.

As soon as he exited the office and gone a little further, Yoshi thought sneeringly.

'This old sucker doesn't realize he's feeding his own enemy right now generously, haha...'

Yoshi looked at the grandiose Hokage's building in the distance while smiling menacingly.

'I'll take everything from you, old moron...'

But all of a sudden, he noticed some kind of commotion in the village.

After moving closer to the location of that commotion, he realized what was happening.

It seems that Might Guy somehow fell down on the ground after doing his usual self-rules.

A circle formed around him of people looking at him curiously, some even mockingly.

Yoshi instantaneously disappeared from his position and appeared behind Might Guy.

"Let me see that injury."

Might Guy was startled a little, but quickly recognized that voice, it was his classmate Yoshi's.

"Yoshi, my rival, did you come to compete with me in running too?"

"Haha, let me first see that injury, my friend, I want to try something."

The people who were surrounding Guy before looked at this scene curiously.

A red-haired cute boy suddenly appeared out of nowhere and asked the weird boy to see his injury.

"O-Okay, Yoshi," Might Guy replied a little confusingly not realizing what the later wanted to do.

"Right," Yoshi crouched down and looked at the injury on Guy's ankle.

All of sudden he moved his hand closer to that wound, his hand now glowing in mild green color.

Everyone looked shocked as he put his hand down on the wounded area.

'This is the first time that I'm trying this on a human,' Yoshi thought.

He learned this ability during the two years while the Second Ninja World War was still raging. It was one of the more easy abilities to learn from the Uzumaki training scrolls his father left him with.

The Uzumaki clan was pretty famous for its medical expertise amongst many other things as well.

He first practiced it on the living fish at home, as Sakura did in the original. And with his exceptional chakra control, it didn't take him too long to master it.

This technique is called the "Mystical Palm Technique", and it belongs in the medical branch of ninjutsu.

In this jutsu, the user applies their hand to the afflicted or wounded part of the body and sends chakra into it, accelerating the body's natural healing abilities.

Although its most obvious use is as a way of treating external wounds, it can also be used for internal illnesses.

Users must be careful to only use as much chakra as is needed for the specific injury. If too much chakra is sent into the body, this can disrupt the body's circulation, putting it into a comatose state.

Guy's wound started closing soon. It looked really incredible and magical in his eyes, it was his first time seeing anything like that.

"Yoshi, what kind of devil magic is that?" He yelled loudly, feeling a little disturbed.

"Haha, don't worry, Guy. This is just an ordinary medical jutsu, many people know of it in this village," Yoshi explained patiently, while still healing his wound with his hand.

"Uhm, thank you, Yoshi," Guy said earnestly.

"No problem, let's go for a youthful running contest next, I want to test my physical ability against yours now!"

"Yes!" Might Guy jumped excitedly as soon as he heard that, his wound already healed.

"Youthful showdown, let's go, Yoshi!" He yelled and started running in the distance.

"This guy is so energetic..." Yoshi smiled helplessly and started running in his direction too.

Their eyes were full of competitive spirit.

The other people looked in their direction, bewildered.

They enthusiastically ran around this village, until the sun started setting down.

Yoshi wasn't using his chakra, only his physical strength along with his amazing inborn vitality.

In one of the nearby Konoha's hills near the Hokage monuments, two figures were resting and panting heavily.

"...You're good Yoshi, this is youth!" Guy said gaspingly.

"You too, Guy. Considering that you train without any equipment, your progress today is simply amazing," Yoshi praised him sincerely.

"What do you mean without any equipment?" Guy replied curiously, not really understanding what he meant.

"What, you really don't know?" Yoshi asked incredulously.

"What do you think determines your body strength and endurance the most?"

"Hmm, let me think... Is it muscles?" Guy asked strangely.

"Yes, and how are muscles developed?" Yoshi continued to ask him questions.

"Well, isn't it by training and exercising?" Guy asked unsure of what Yoshi wanted to say.

Yoshi facepalmed and explained to him next.

"Yes, but exercising is just one of the ways for building muscles!"

"The correct answer is that muscles build when they endure long times under intense stress!"

"So, do you understand now why do you need to train hard?"

"Yes, I understand now," Might Guy finally understood why his father told him to train the way he is.

"Wait, you tell me there are other ways to build strong muscles?"Guy asked attentively, really looking forward to Yoshi's next answer.

"Yes, you could use weights too. And not just while exercising, you could have your weights on at all times and still get stronger. It's just that you need to have big willpower to do this, but I don't think you lack any, to be honest."

Guy looked incredulous, it was his first-time hearing about something like this.

"I recommend you, that when you graduate and earn your first money from shinobi missions, you buy some weights immediately and have them attached to you at all times," Yoshi thought about something quickly and continued.

"Actually, when you buy them, you can bring them to me to improve them a little with my seals. I'll make it so you could add as much weight as you wanted on them without buying new ones and occupying too much space on your body."

'Yes, with my current knowledge and mastery of fuinjutsu, it won't be much of a problem to do for him. It will count as my first full-fledged fuinjutsu project,' Yoshi thought.

During the last two years, he also basically completed the Uzumaki Clan Basic Fuinjutsu. But not many high-level Uzumaki seals were being learned about there.

In fact, that scroll was basically used in the Uzumaki clan's version of the Ninja Academy, so even kids could learn it pretty easily, not to mention him.

"Really, Yoshi, you would really do that for me?" Guy asked astonished, he was almost moved to tears.

"Of course, that's what friends are for, Guy," Yoshi smiled and said seriously.

"Yoshi..."

Guy looked at him a little sourly, but soon he wiped his eyes, showed him his thumb, and yelled strongly, "Alright, Yoshi my friend, let's run around a hundred laps around this village to celebrate this occasion, let's face youth!"

"Guy..." Yoshi smiled helplessly and went running alongside him again.

- - -

At a similar time, on the other side of the Konoha, near the forest.

There was an abandoned training field there.

After Yoshi went to see the Hokage, and Anko went to her home in a daze, Kakashi was left alone.

After coming to his home, for whatever reason, he decided that without Yoshi there, he would train outside for a change this time around.

After training for a while in the nearby forest, he decided to check on this training field in front of him. After moving a little closer, he saw that someone was already training fervently there.

Looking more carefully, he realized that it was his own classmate, Uchiha Obito.

He wore his unique blue jacket and orange goggles.

He was throwing shurikens around, doing body exercises, as well as training in his Fire Release, from time to time.

All the while muttering some kind of names under his breath.

Suddenly, someone appeared behind him,

"Obito, I didn't know you were a hard-working person like that," Kakashi said while looking at the worn-out training field.

"Who!?" Obito yelled ready to strike.

But, soon he stopped after seeing who was it that came here.

"Kakashi Hatake, what do you want?" Obito asked impolitely.

"Nothing, I just wandered here by mistake," Kakashi replied honestly.

"Good, since you're here, let's have a match like back then in the Academy!"

"Our last match," Obito added fiercely.

He really hated Kakashi. He can't even count how many times was he defeated by him back in the Academy spars. And, that guy always had that same proud look on his face, like he didn't even care that he defeated him!

"Okay, since you asked for it," Kakashi just nodded behind his mask.

"Fire Release: Flame Spray Jutsu!"

But, unlike the last time, Obito started with his jutsu immediately, in fear of Kakashi stopping it later. It seems like he learned his lesson from before.

But, as Obito's fire was coming closer to him, Kakashi just drew his sword upwards and made a slashing motion towards the fire.

The fire was divided into two parts and moved away from him. He then took a step forward and placed his sword on the Obito's neck effortlessly.

"You lost," He plainly stated and pulled his sword back.

Obito stoped his jutsu and promptly fell onto the ground, supporting himself with his bare hands.

He looked around at the worn-out training field where he lost countless hours of his life, training there silently, day and night.

For a few moments, Obito looked like he lost his soul. He couldn't even find an urge to cry!

Kakashi looked at all of this a little gloomily as well,

But, he couldn't find the right words of consolation.

But, soon he got an idea,

"Do you want to get stronger? Strong enough to defeat me?" Kakashi looked serious and asked.

Obito suddenly looked up, like he finally found some hope, his eyes full of yearning.

"Then don't behave like a little baby. Get up! I'll teach you how to defeat me."

Kakashi shouted a little after saying that pretty sincerely and convincingly. He then held his hand down for Obito to pick up.

Obito looked at Kakashi with wide eyes, he was really astonished right now,

To offer to teach your rival sincerely so he could defeat you someday?

He looked at Kakashi, but his gaze wasn't that cold, as it was before, towards him.

He picked that little hand and got up all the while thinking about something then,

'This guy really isn't that bad. Maybe I just misunderstood him before?'

- - -

After a dozen more laps around the village, Yoshi finally came towards Hatake's residence exhausted and tired.

"Anko, is something the matter?" He curiously asked the girl who was waiting for him near the entrance of his home.

"I understand a little about what you were talking about before," She suddenly said first while getting closer to him.

"That's why I won't hide anything from you. In fact, Lord Hokage asked me today to advocate to you about some kind of your supposed cousin girl from the village. He asked me to try and bring the two of you together closer since she is supposed to be your family and all of that..."

"Haha, thanks for telling me about this matter Anko. Also, don't worry, he won't be mad at you because of this. He'll just think that I'm still not ready to venture into that relationship yet."

He said while patting her on the head and then added fiercely.

"As for me getting closer to her? I don't have any reason to get closer to that traitor!"