Chapter 24: Tech Up and Exam

Tekku used his free time until his exam to construct some advanced machinery for his workshop. Fuinjutsu was praised because without it, his apartment would have been cramped, and he would no longer have any space. By modifying the standard storage seals, he created an alternate version of the capsules from his past lives. These were small scrolls with a fuinjutsu formula written on them, and another formula was on the piece of furniture. The storage scroll was stored in the seal on the furniture. Once he activated the seal by touching it with chakra, the furniture would switch places with the small scroll, which would remain in its place.

With this method, he had enough flexibility to always have enough space in his apartment for anything he needed to do. On his body was a storage seal that carried all his advanced tools in the form of small scrolls, as he didn't want to leave them behind. After all, they were quite advanced. Each of them worked with a combination of fuinjutsu and electricity, and he had constructed a small but efficient steam generator to power his machines. Wood and water were, after all, abundant resources that he could use.

By using fuinjutsu, he could compensate for his lack of more precise tools in the beginning to construct his advanced machinery. Exchangable tool holders on a CNC machine? Just use storage seals. Precise sensors? Well, there are different kinds of trigger seals usually used for traps, a bit modified, and he had sensors without precise tools and advanced materials. Anything he couldn't compensate with fuinjutsu, like the moving parts, he did with rudimentary circuitry. And with this method, he created his first version of modern machinery.

A steam generator was only a very basic form of power. In the long term, he was planning to use chakra, like his past self, as Dr. Gero used ki. But his understanding of chakra was still too rudimentary, as he hadn't gained much insight into more advanced forms of chakra yet. The elemental sealing methods gave him a starting point on how to absorb chakra, as he figured out how to absorb neutral chakra besides nature-transformed chakra. The problem was that his understanding of elemental chakra was still too rudimentary, as he had only studied Earth Nature Chakra for now.

He had ideas on how to use the other elements in a power generator, but his ideas for Earth weren't working. Lightning was the simplest one; all he needed was a transformer, and lightning chakra could directly generate power. Fire could be used in any form of thermal reaction. It was the most common form of power generation in modern worlds. Water and wind could be used as kinetic power sources, basically compact forms of water and wind wheels without relying on outer sources as long as they had chakra.

Only Earth was giving him trouble as his theory that gravity was a form of Earth Manipulation seemed more complex than assumed. He took the idea from the Third Tsuchikage, who could manipulate the weight of things and even fly through what Tekku assumed was Earth Manipulation. But his own experiments on such techniques were failures for now. However, he knew it had to work since these techniques existed, so he didn't give up and moved on to more advanced forms of Earth Nature training. His current assumption was that his control over the Earth Element wasn't good enough yet to manipulate more than earth itself.

And in this manner, he spent his free time, steadily advancing towards his goals of surviving in this deadly world and reaching the top. One of the next major goals was definitely to get a bigger home, like a house and a secret base where he could do the more atrocious things like dissecting his experimental subjects to study their biology and the human chakra network.

In the blink of an eye, the day of his exam arrived. As he was always doing something, early in the morning, Tekku headed towards the administrative part of the academy where his exam would be held. Entering the room, he was assigned to, another person was already there. Tekku recognized the scared face anywhere, "Iruka-sensei, it's a pleasure to see you again! What are you doing here?"

A smile formed on the chūnin academy teacher's face as he saw his former student enter the room. He was, after all, the teacher in the academy who held the fuinjutsu elective and helped Tekku learn the basics of the art. "Tekku-kun, good to see you. Isn't it obvious? I am the second proctor of your exam. Although Hokage-sama could hold the exam himself as a fuinjutsu master and doesn't need a second proctor, he felt that I, as your first teacher in fuinjutsu, should be present," explained Iruka.

"That's a pleasant surprise," said Tekku with a smile of his own. But inside, he already realized what the ulterior motive of the Hokage was. After all, he wouldn't be a Kage for such a long time if he wasn't good at schemes and political games. 'The old man tries to create more bonds for me. Since I don't really have anyone in the village I am truly close to, he tries to create more such opportunities for me. He is probably worried that I will walk the path of Orochimaru. After all, there is enough darkness in me to not care about other people,' realized Tekku as he saw through the schemes. Not that they bothered him much. "Where is Hokage-sama?"

"He should be here any moment. Once he arrives, we can begin with your exam. I already have everything ready," replied Iruka, holding a stack of sealing scrolls and writing materials. Tekku had already felt the chakra of the elderly Hokage outside, who was clearly giving them more time to chat with each other. Since he wasn't in a hurry, he just did that and told Iruka about his genin life.

After a while, the Hokage decided he had given them enough time to bond and knocked at the door before he entered the room himself. "Hohoho, sorry for letting you wait," he greeted with a kind smile.

"No worries, Hokage-sama. I spent the time catching up with Iruka-sensei," said Tekku with a bit of fake enthusiasm.

"Good to hear. I hope you are ready, Tekku-kun? These exams are not easy, or we would have more than a few handful sealing experts in the village," said Sarutobi kindly.

"Yes, I did my best to prepare myself. I should pass them with a breeze," nodded Tekku.

"Then let's start!" said Iruka as he pulled out a paper, handing a copy to the Hokage.

They were a list of randomly decided topics that they quizzed the boy on. The questions ranged from the absolute basics to the far more advanced topics of the art. He was even questioned on some theoretical parts that weren't in the books, but he had to develop his own theories on.

After the theoretical part of the exam came the practical one, where he had to complete multiple different seals. First, he had to make the basic ones, like explosive tags and storage scrolls, as they were the absolute base requirement for becoming a sealing expert. Next, he had to complete three different advanced seals. They didn't expect one to be a master of all the arts but have enough knowledge and have a good enough arsenal of advanced seals.

Tekku completed these without trouble, showcasing the fire sealing method by asking the Hokage for a fire technique to seal, a small trigger seal barrier that could be used as a trigger for traps, and the paralysis tag. With the perfect execution of these seals, he showed enough understanding in different branches of fuinjutsu to successfully complete the exam.

"Congratulations, Tekku-kun. That is enough. You have succeeded in the exam. I am really proud!" announced Iruka after the last seal worked perfectly. "This is your certificate."

Taking the official scroll with the signature of the Hokage with a smile, "Thank you, Sensei, Hokage-sama."

"It seems I have to complete our part of the deal too. Here, this is the official permit," said the Hokage, handing the boy another scroll that would allow him to access the copies of the advanced fuinjutsu books of Jiraiya. As a genin, he wasn't allowed to take the copies out and could only study them in the archives.

"Thank you, Hokage-sama. I won't disappoint you," nodded Tekku.

"I know you won't. Have a good day," replied the Hokage as he left the room.

Once the door closed, Iruka turned to the boy. "How about I invite you to some food to celebrate? What do you like?" asked the teacher.

"I didn't really eat out yet. Inoichi-sensei always invites us home, where his wife cooks for us, and else I usually hunt my food. Maybe you can recommend me something," replied Tekku.

"Hmm, I think I have the right place in mind," said Iruka thoughtfully.

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