Chapter 8 - The First Year (End)

"Kakashi, my eternal rival! I challenge you to a duel!" Guy's smile shined like the sun as he pointed at him.

"No."

"AH!? Kakashi!"

"Hey! Get out! I'll be the one to challenge Kakashi!"

"Obito... you're such an idiot..."

"What? I dare you to repeat that!"

Sitting on the training ground, Tetsuya meditated slowly, with the last few months of studies and training, the only aspect he desperately needed to improve was his Chakra control.

Behind him, leaning on his back with eyes closed and sitting in a similar position was Anko. Both of them made the Ram seal and were gathering their Chakra. A ninja who needs to replenish his energy quickly can do so at the expanse of his physical and spiritual stamina.

While they forced their bodies to produce chakra, the excess was being expelled, remodeled, moved in between the limbs, and so on.

This type of training was very intensive, and while the others trained for a long time, in this free training class, Anko and Tetsuya were both covered in sweat and panting only after half an hour. Tetsuya hasn't been aware of this before, but Anko's chakra control was exceptional, far better than his even without training.

This was something he discovered some time ago, and after knowing that Tetsuya wanted to increase his chakra control, she end up trading with him this very method they were using, for the knowledge on how to use Chakra Enhanced Strength.

He let out a mouthful of air and swept away the sweat on his face, turning to look at Anko that was still going, he felt surprised and a little depressed, according to what she said, her training almost seldom involved increasing her Chakra control, and yet, hers was much better than his naturally.

Biting his lips, he lowered his head and contemplated whether or not he should have just tried to become rich... heh, he could have even monopolized this entire world's market if he wished, at least, nobody should be better than him at making money thanks to his knowledge.

After waiting for a while, he felt a tug on his arm as Anko leaned down on him and approached with her head from over his shoulder to look at him. She had a cheeky grin on her face as she spoke mischievously. "Hey, hey, Tetsuya-kun, I'm not embarrassing you right? You don't mind that a girl is so close to you, right? Right?"

"Anko... you..."

"Are, are we already past the use of honorifics? My, you're so naughty, Tetsuya-kun."

The corners of Tetsuya's eyes twitched and the reaction didn't escape Anko's keen perception and she grinned while passing her arms over his shoulder, hugging his neck and resting her head on his.

"So, Tetsuya-kun, when are you going to teach me how to fight like you, I already told you how precious this method of practicing chakra control is, right? It's equivalent to C-rank Ninjutsu, Tetsuya-kun... Tetsuya-kun, Tetsuya-kun..."

Hearing her repeating his name like that, Tetsuya felt helpless and somewhat annoyed as the veins on his forehead bulged.

Patching up Obito who had just brawled with Kakashi, Rin noticed Anko and Tetsuya's interaction and said in surprise. "Eh? Since when those two were so close?"

Hearing her words, Obito winced in pain as he moved his head, looking at the two, he grinned like an idiot and said. "Hehehe, I never thought that a tomboyish girl like her would get a boyfriend. But considering it's someone like Tetsuya, I'm not so surprised."

Rin however shook her head as she looked at the two of them. "I don't think that's really the situation... it looks more like Anko is trying to annoy him...?"

Speculations similar to those spread all over their class, but Tetsuya remained ignorant about them. Frustrated over his promise, he had no choice but to take the rest of the day to help Anko in improving her Taijutsu.

Although the time seemed to pass slowly, at least for Tetsuya, who was forced into becoming Anko's Taijutsu coach, the year soon came to an end, and the notice arrived.

"Everyone, last year's honor students are Hatake Kakashi and Izumi Tetsuya! Congratulations on passing every subject with perfect grades! By the rules of the Academy, you're already allowed to partake in the early Genin assessment!" Hiroko, their professor, explained.

Hearing his words, everyone was stunned and didn't know how to react!

Kakashi and Tetsuya got perfect grades in everything? How is that even possible?

Some were surprised, others were angry at themselves, and few were jealous of the two, such as Obito who was angrily biting his notebook like a dog playing with his food and getting teased by his owner.

"Tetsuya! Kakashi! Do you wish to take the Genin Exam?" Hiroko shouted loudly, pumping up the hearts of everyone present.

"Yes!" The two stood up at the same time and answered full of excitement in their eyes.

Nodding at the two of them, Hiroko gesture for them to come closer. His voice was loud, allowing everyone to hear. "Over this year, I was able to assess both your knowledge and abilities, it doesn't matter if it's shurikenjutsu, Taijutsu, or theoretical knowledge, I can say confidently that the both of you are already Genin level even without graduating!"

"Wow, so the two are already compared to Genins!"

"Damn, those bastards are so fierce!"

"Shit, man! I'm so jealous!"

With a smile, Hiroko continued. "This is only a formality to conclude your graduation. So, Kakashi and Tetsuya, as long the both of you can perform both Clone Technique and Transformation Technique, you'll officially become Genin and receive your forehead protectors!"

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"Hokage-sama!" Fuun said respectfully, the codename meant Unlucky and he wore a bird type of white porcelain mask with red markings near the eyeholes. He kneeled and looked at the Hiruzen.

"Fuun, how did it go?"

"Reporting to Hokage-sama, both Izumi Tetsuya and Hatake Kakashi graduated from the Academy. We estimate that the two of them might be among the most talented graduated shinobi from the Academy, however, after a year-long observation, we concluded that Izumi Tetsuya's talent is severely limited, and the longest he might go in his life is Jonin if nothing out of the normal happens."

Hearing this, Hiruzen was silent for a moment as he smoked from the pipe. Looking at the village through the windows, he looked again towards Fuun and said. "Anbu potential?"

"Both of them are very qualified for Anbu, Izumi Tetsuya even more than Hatake Kakashi. From our experiments, we discovered that he is immune to our killing intent, while Kakashi had nightmares on the night we put pressure on him from afar."

"You mean..."

"Yes! Tetsuya is much calmer and colder than he lets out on the surface, we believe that he pretends to be a little more normal to not make his parents worried, but overall, he should not have any bad feelings towards the village!"

Hiruzen nodded and after considering for a moment he said. "Write down their names in the list, the moment they become thirteen, I want them recruited into the Anbu, do you understand?"

"Yes, Hokage-same!"

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In a secret laboratory.

"So... any new interesting additions?"

Hearing that voice, Mito's body shook as he kneeled and spoke with sweat pouring down his face. "Master, this time, there should be only two who are worthy of you!"

"Hoo? You seem very confident. Go on, explain to me. Why are they worthy of my time?"

Thinking for a moment on which words to use, he summarized the knowledge in his head and started explaining.

"The girl is very cold, from the day she joined the Academy, she never tried to make any friend, most of the time she is reading very advanced academic books, her knowledge far surpasses the level of any Academy student..."

Mitarashi Anko.

From the day she joined, she showed zero interest in human relationships.

In her free time, she collected bugs, small animals, and birds at the nearby playground and performed experiments on them. She has a profound understanding of Chakra, she created the 'Chakra Refilling Technique' which allows any ninja to recover they spent Chakra at a faster pace, and it also can be used to train one's Chakra control.

Beyond intellectual, she has also demonstrated a very cunning and sly personality.

Through careful study of the Academy's layout and the security of the Academy, she invaded the data repository and learned the process through which most Genin teams are formed and stuck to Izumi Tetsuya in order to ensure that they end up in the same team.

Anko is very proficient in the control of her emotions and knows how to manipulate other people's feelings in order to make them feel friendly or at least, closer to her, as shown by her actions to befriend Tetsuya.

She is a natural-born spy and has a lot of talent in the research field.

"Hm... You're right about the girl, she is an interesting one." The man hidden in the shadows licked his lips with a smile on his face. "What about the other one?"

Nodding, the man continued.

Izumi Tetsuya, Anko's target. He is a very straightforward individual, does not actively seek to make any ties, doesn't attach a lot of value to human life, and despises those that envy power and do nothing to acquire it.

His natural talent is horrible, but his insight is horrifying, he understood the core of what makes a Ninja strong much before enrolling at the Academy, his theoretical knowledge far surpasses that of Anko, and his creativity seems to be far above that of his peers.

Answers collected from his tests, suggest a natural talent to become a researcher, but what far surpasses this talent is natural battle instincts.

Even without receiving training, he is capable of matching Hatake Kakashi and Uchiha Arata in combat.

It's speculated that with enough resources and an adequate teacher, he might be able to grow to the same level as Namikaze Minato, but his level of insight also suggests a possibility to surpass him.

Izumi Tetsuya's greatest achievement so far is supposedly being the first individual to find the technique Lord Second hid in the academy books, per Lord Second's arrangement, he would have become his personal disciple if he was still alive.

"Hehehe, old man, you can't blame me for taking those two, no matter what, they'll be coming with me. Mito-san, you did well this time... here, the cure your daughter so desperately needs."

"Thank you, master!" Bowing down after delivering the information, Mito stood up and left.

A flash of light came from the corridor outside of the laboratory when Mito opened the door, the light reflected on the surface of a scalpel and revealed a pair of eyes with slit-like pupils coldly glancing towards him.

Turning away from the door, the man looked at a transparent tank filled with green nutrient fluids, there were many similar tanks like these spread all the way to the back of the laboratory, most of them had small children with very similar faces, but the one that he was gazing at had something else, it looked like a slightly pink horn from a very big creature.

He smiled at the tank and spoke to himself. "I really have to thank you, if it wasn't for your existence, this project wouldn't be possible, I wonder what exactly you are that not even Tobirama managed to understand you."

"Well... your purpose has come to an end, but there might be another use for you if that technique is added into the mix. I wonder if your chakra will be compatible with anyone, or if I'll have to summon that guy from the dead to use it..." With a chuckle, he turned around and left the laboratory as well. Since he had decided to take those two under his wings, a lot of preparations had to be done.