Just Another Day

[Ninja Academy Dojo]

The sparring match was in full swing, with the sound of quick movements and sharp breaths filling the dojo. However, one person sat motionless in a corner, his eyes fixed on the ceiling above, lost in thought.

He was Satoru.

As he gazed up at the wooden beams and rafters, his mind began to wander, reflecting on all that had transpired in his life up to this point. Memories flooded his mind, from his earliest recollections to the present day.

'Thud Thud'

Lost in his own thoughts, he was startled by a loud thud that echoed through the room, jolting him back to reality. It was the sound of the spar between two young kids coming to an end. He recognized them as..... Uchiha Obito and Might Guy.

Might Guy emerged victorious from the bout, a look of satisfaction on his face. Obito, on the other hand, seemed dejected, his head bowed in disappointment.

Satoru couldn't help but think, "Man, they both are really giving it their all for the honor of being second last." As he glanced around the room, his eyes fell on a boy with striking grey hair and a mask that concealed the lower half of his face. It was Kakashi.

Satoru couldn't help but feel that Kakashi had undergone some sort of transformation in the past few months. Though he couldn't quite put his finger on what had changed about him, one thing was certain - he seemed more distant from others than ever before.

Kakashi had never been the most energetic or outgoing kid, but he had at least talked to a few people like Rin and Obito in the past. Now, even those occasional conversations seemed to have ceased.

Satoru couldn't help but feel a sense of unease as he recalled the events of a ninjutsu class a week ago. He had sensed a few of his classmates whispering and snickering about Kakashi, and despite their attempts to be discreet, their hostility towards him was palpable. It was as if they were trying to make him feel unwelcome.

Satoru couldn't help but draw a parallel between the way his classmates were treating Kakashi and the discrimination faced by the jinchurikis of the hidden villages.

Satoru couldn't help but wonder what could have caused such a drastic change in Kakashi's demeanor. Satoru tried to guess what could have changed Kakashi so much. "Kakashi changed after Obito's death and Rin's death. But they both are alive."

He pondered for a while, "Hmmm, I think there were three people who died in Kakashi's life. Obito and Rin were two, but who could the third person be?"

His memories had become hazier over the years, and he couldn't recall the name or face of the third person. He wondered if it was due to the Otsutsuki god or simply the passage of time since he arrived in this world.

"Must have been a filler character that didn't affect the story much." Satoru thought before moving his interest elsewhere.

"Only four more months until I can take the advanced genin graduation test," Satoru mused. He had been eager to move on from the academy. After all, there was only so much he could learn from basic theory and physical training.

After a long day at the academy, Bob and Satoru were making their way home when Satoru suddenly stopped in his tracks.

Bob turned to him and asked, "What's wrong?"

Satoru shook his head and replied, "Nothing's wrong, I just remembered that I wanted to stop by the library."

Bob furrowed his brow, looking confused. "But your theoretical grades are already top-notch. Why do you want to study more?"

Satoru sighed, "It's not about improving my grades, Bob. I want to apply for advanced graduation this year."

Bob's eyes widened, clearly surprised. Graduating from the academy in just one year was an impressive accomplishment, especially for someone who hadn't even reached the age of ten yet.

"Advanced graduation? Are you sure you're ready for that?"

Satoru replied confidently, "Absolutely. And I think you could do it too, Bob."

Satoru further elaborated, "Since the Second Great Shinobi War, Konoha has faced a significant number of casualties and is likely to prioritize rebuilding its military strength as quickly as possible. Therefore, I believe that this year, they will be more open to graduating genin early, and it won't be as challenging as it would be in a regular year."

Bob's eyes widened in amazement as he heard about Satoru's goals. He could hardly believe what he was hearing, but the sheer audacity of the plan was too thrilling to dismiss outright. He needed some time to think about whether he wanted to graduate this year or not. If he did graduate this year, he would definitely make the Uchiha clan proud.

After bidding Bob farewell, Satoru traveled for a short while before finally reaching his destination: Konoha's library.

It was a vast and impressive structure, a testament to the village's love of knowledge and learning. It was situated in the heart of the village, surrounded by a small garden and a tranquil pond. The building itself was tall and imposing, with rows upon rows of shelves filled with books of every size and description.

As he entered the library, he was greeted by the warm scent of paper and ink, as well as the gentle hum of voices as scholars and students alike pored over their studies. The shelves were neatly arranged, with each section carefully labeled and organized for easy access.

In one corner of the library, there was a small reading room, filled with comfortable chairs and low tables for those who wished to study in peace. The room was bathed in the soft glow of lanterns, giving it a cozy and inviting atmosphere.

Satoru visited the library with two main purposes in mind. Firstly, he needed to prepare for the upcoming genin evaluation test that was only four months away. And secondly, he had hit a standstill in his training of changing chakra nature. Although he had been able to cut leaves in half, he had no idea how to progress further and needed to consult some books for guidance.

There is a special section in the library that is exclusively accessible by academy students and shinobi. Although Satoru hoped to find some ninjutsu scrolls there, he was disappointed to discover that there were none. He understood that having ninjutsu scrolls and books in a public library could pose security concerns and that people could easily misuse them.

He gathered the books he needed to study for the genin evaluation exam and set them aside to be issued later. However, one book caught his attention: "Chakra Nature Transformation." He picked it up and found a nearby seat to finally read and understand what to do for his chakra nature training.

Six hours had passed, and the sky was now painted with breathtaking hues of pink, orange, and red. As the warm glow of the setting sun gave way to the cool darkness of the night, the sounds of the day slowly faded away. Satoru finally closed the book on Chakra Nature Transformation and began to contemplate what he had learned from it.

Training nature transformation can be broken down into three levels.

The first level involves strengthening the chakra nature by maintaining its effect on a material object. This process typically takes around six months for an average shinobi. Satoru had already completed this level as he had successfully managed to cut a leaf in half.

The second level is to increase the speed and scale of the transformation by magnifying the ability to release large amounts of transformed chakra in an instant. Like learning to instinctively gather chakra as fast as possible to be more combat effective, it allows them to cast elemental ninjutsu efficiently. In anime, Naruto learned to cut a waterfall with the help of Kakashi and Yamato. He can't afford that kind of expensive resources. So, he decided to cut tap water and some harder substances instead of leaves like twigs, branches, and even cardboard. While Satoru's training may not be as effective as Naruto's, he knew that he had enough time to master the wind element.

And the third level is to merge nature transformation with ninjutsu, either consciously transforming their chakra themselves when casting an elemental ninjutsu or by introducing the chakra into a non-elemental ninjutsu to grant it additional properties. This was something troublesome, cause he did not know any wind-release ninjutsu.

After much contemplation, he finally discovered a solution. His mind had been racing for what felt like an eternity, but the breakthrough had finally come. He knew there was one ninjutsu he indeed could try which doesn't require complicated hand signs.

It's been a long day of studying, so he decided it was time to call it a day and made his way back home from the library. His mind was buzzing with all the new knowledge he had gained, but his body was tired from hours of reading and research.