Early Graduation II

Aki was used to waking up before the sun could rise, as he considered it a competition with the sun. If the sun rises before him, Aki loses.

He then tidied up his room and brushed his teeth, getting his training weight pads and vest on, he started training.

"Shadow clone jutsu."

Summoning his clones he started his Rasengan training, today the books will be arriving so he has to add that to his schedule.

After the sun rose up, Aki stopped training, dismissed his clones, and went ahead for breakfast. Being home alone, he had picked up cooking some time ago.

There used to be a chef before but for reasons A and Aki decided to dismiss him after Aki learned to cook.

After having a simple breakfast, the books arrived, and a ninja delivered the bag full of books to the door.

"Finally, time to start training… I mean reading the book for exams," Sighed Aki, took the books, and went back in.

"Shadow clone jutsu."

The newly appeared clones and Aki looked at each other, Aki pointed at one of them randomly, "You will be on studying books duty"

All others went for Rasengan training, including the original.

"Tsk tsk… does he forget I have the same personality?" Clone snorted and picked a book lazily, then began to read, eventually immersing himself in it.

The book was about the world's geographical conditions and so on.

(A/N: Aki is a Naruto world fan so there is no way his clone wouldn't be interested)

A month passed just like this, training Rasengan and reading books using the clones or sometimes personally reading them too.

Rasengan mastery was still far, but he had succeeded in memorizing and mastering the knowledge provided by the books.

As the sun finally broke the horizon, Aki paused his training. The first light of day filled the room, casting long shadows.

"That's enough for now," Aki said, dismissing his clones in a puff of smoke. The rush of memories and experiences from his clones hit him all at once, a sensation he was used to by now.

Today he will be having his genin exam.

Dismissing his clones, he started moving his feet towards the academy. He wasn't early today, as there was no class just an exam and it wasn't in the morning.

Aki walked the noisy hallways and navigated to the assigned exam room. He took his seat in the empty classroom waiting for the examiner.

The door opened, and the examiner walked in. He gave Aki a nod, acknowledging the significance of this moment.

"Are you ready?" The Jonin asked.

"Yes, let's start… I'm ready" Aki was feeling a bit nervous so he ended up saying a few more words than usual in a yes or no question.

Although, he was confident he had a perfect grasp of the contents he studied, being nervous is part of being an examinee.

The Jonin handed over the paper and sat over his seat looking at Aki, it was a pretty normal exam. Unlike the ones the main cast of Naruto had where almost all of them showed off their cheating skills.

(A/N: wasn't it the Chunin exam?)

Aki found the questions too easy, especially the math ones… He did practice math a little for the exam, being a graduate already in previous life did not mean he couldn't forget.

His cautious nature would not allow him to skip checking it all at least once, even if it was just the basic math.

Each question was gradually increasing in difficulty, there were even two questions that exceeded the level of a genin, most likely put there for the blank.

But it was Aki we're talking about; he has experience as this is his second shot at life.

'Hopefully, it doesn't end too soon'

Aki answered even those questions quite easily, "Instructor," he called out to hand the paper in.

The instructor started grading on the spot throughout which, Aki had to wait… bored

Aki once again drifted into his monologue session.

Aki knew the shadow clone jutsu so the next practical training should be an easy pass, they might have him spar a Chunin or something to check the skills… who knows?

(A/N: what should he think about? I ran out of monologues)

The instructor was soon done with his exam and told him it was time for the jutsu test. He just has to show a clone jutsu to pass the test.

"Shadow clone jutsu" Aki immediately summoned his clones without hesitation.

"That's a pass," the instructor commented then guided him to the arena, where he would assess his combat prowess.

(A/N: I don't know if they do that but… let۔s do this)

As Aki stepped into the arena, the tension was palpable. The examiner, a seasoned Jonin, stood across from him, his expression unreadable but his posture relaxed. Aki knew this was a test, but the gap in their experience was a chasm. He couldn't afford to fight fair.

"Begin," the Jonin said calmly, giving Aki the first move.

"Don't mind me," Aki muttered under his breath, already channeling chakra to his feet. In a burst of speed, he shot forward, his movements enhanced by the chakra pulse step technique he had adapted from his Rotation jutsu training. Though he had yet to perfect it, the speed it granted was impressive.

(A/N: He has yet to name it… can't call it a rotation step as you don't rotate or a gentle step, can I?)

"Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Aki called out, splitting into multiple versions of himself. Six identical figures sprinted alongside him, all armed with kunai. He knew he couldn't match the Jonin in raw power, so he needed to rely on strategy, deception, and the sheer unpredictability that clones could offer.

The Jonin's eyes narrowed slightly as Aki's clones rushed in. With fluid grace, the Jonin sidestepped the first assault, deflecting kunai and dispatching the clones with precise strikes. One by one, they burst into smoke, but Aki wasn't deterred. He had expected as much.

More clones emerged as Aki poured chakra into his jutsu, upping the number to fifteen this time. They attacked from all sides, their movements chaotic, forcing the Jonin to focus. Aki himself hung back, his eyes sharp, analyzing every movement, every reaction of his opponent.

The Jonin remained composed, weaving through the onslaught with almost effortless precision, dispatching clone after clone. But Aki was counting on the distraction. He quickly formed hand signs, preparing his next move. When Jonin's attention was fully occupied with the last clone, Aki took his chance.

In a blur, Aki activated his body flicker technique, vanishing from his previous position and reappearing behind the Jonin with a kunai pressed against his neck.

But before he could savor his victory, the Jonin smirked. Aki's eyes widened in realization as the Jonin he held dissolved into smoke—a clone!

Instincts kicked in, and Aki barely had time to react. He spun around, catching a glimpse of the real Jonin closing in, kunai in hand. There was no time to think—only act.

He flicked his wrist, launching his kunai at the approaching Jonin while simultaneously forming the hand signs for his substitution jutsu.

The kunai was deflected with a swift swipe, but Aki was already gone, replaced by a log that shattered under the Jonin's strike. Aki reappeared several meters away, breathing hard, but focused. This was no ordinary Jonin—he had underestimated the gap in their skills.

"Not bad," the Jonin remarked, his voice calm and somewhat impressed. "But you'll need more than clones and quick feet to take me down."

Aki's mind raced. His taijutsu skills were solid, but going head-to-head with a Jonin was a losing battle. He needed a new plan—something unpredictable.

Thinking quickly, Aki formed a few more clones, but this time, instead of attacking directly, they scattered throughout the arena, each moving with purpose, while the real Aki blended in among them.

The Jonin paused, eyes scanning the clones, trying to pick out the real Aki. He couldn't attack them all at once, and that hesitation was what Aki was counting on. With a flicker, one clone rushed in, seemingly reckless. The Jonin prepared to counter, but Aki had anticipated it.

Just as the Jonin moved to strike, Aki, hidden among the clones, lunged from an unexpected angle, using his body flicker jutsu to gain speed. He aimed not for the Jonin directly, but for the kunai the Jonin held, intending to disarm him.

The Jonin's eyes widened as Aki's kunai collided with his own, knocking it aside. The impact forced Jonin to take a step back—exactly what Aki wanted. The Jonin was off balance for a fraction of a second, and Aki seized the moment, closing the distance with a rapid series of taijutsu strikes.

The Jonin, recovering quickly, blocked and parried, but Aki's relentless assault kept him on the defensive. Aki knew he couldn't maintain this level of offense for long, so he pushed harder, each strike backed by every ounce of his strength.

But then, just as Aki thought he might gain the upper hand, the Jonin ducked under a high kick and with a swift motion, swept Aki's legs out from under him. Aki hit the ground hard, the wind knocked out of him.

Before he could recover, the Jonin was on him, a kunai pressed lightly against his throat. "You pass," the Jonin said indifferently.

Aki's face lit up at those words. Although he had lost, it was expected from a higher-level ninja. The Jonin smiled slightly, withdrawing the kunai and offering a hand to help Aki up.

"You fought well. Remember, it's not always about winning. Sometimes, the battles teach you what an instructor never can."

Aki took the hand, pulling himself up, feeling a mixture of frustration and determination. He had lost this battle, but he wouldn't forget the lessons it had taught him.

Aki had a firm belief that 'if it doesn't kill you, it makes you stronger,' though he was still cautious.