Konohagakure no sato :
Konoha Academy :
It had been a month since the start of the new academy year, and the students of Class 4-A felt the changes more than anyone else. The once familiar rhythm of their daily routines now seemed subtly altered.
The source of this shift?
None other than Naruto Uzumaki.
From the start of the month, everyone could feel the wind shifting, heading in a different direction since the very first day
The boy who was normally so loud and boisterous had fallen silent. He no longer bothered approaching other students, nor did he shout about his dream of becoming Hokage .
He hadn't come late a single day this month, and there hadn't been a single prank at the Academy either. The halls felt strangely calm now. Laughter still echoed—children's voices full of happiness—but it felt distant, as if something important was missing .
But the students of Class 4-A knew something was wrong. The noise, the pranks, the nonsense they once dismissed were gone, leaving behind a silence that felt heavier than any laughter.
The class felt out of place every day. It wasn't just the students—even the teachers felt it too. The classroom seemed disturbed, or perhaps… not their class.
The students felt the pressure brought on by their class clown, who had changed drastically after just one summer holiday.
And when the person everyone had thought of as nothing more than a loser—dead last—became better at everything, even surpassing the class's best, that was the real blow.
No one wanted someone who had once been beneath them to become better—especially when that someone was the loser… and the Fox-Demon. The parents were not happy. The teachers, burdened by prejudice, were not happy either.
The students in the class weren't happy either, but there was nothing they could do. The momentum brought by the FOX-Demon forced everyone to become far more focused on their shinobi training
Teacher Iruka walked into the classroom after lunch and froze for a moment , He could see it in their eyes—the pressure, the change. Then he addressed the class.
" After a month of getting things back on track , Today we will begin Taijutsu class and sparring "
Hearing the word "sparring," everyone's mood shifted instantly, excitement lighting up the classroom. A special fire ignited in the hearts of some of the students
" Alright , Let's Go "
Iruka guided them toward the training grounds, the sound of footsteps and chatter following behind him. As always, small groups formed almost without thought.
This time, there was no Fox-Demon lingering alone at the back, nor one at the front causing trouble just to be seen.
The girls are divided by 3 groups .
Sakura stood among the group of girls, most of them clustered closely together. Their conversations, glances, and attention were all centered on Sasuke-kun, showing the same fanatism and admiration they always had for him.
Ino was gathered with her friends in another group, their conversation lively, punctuated by laughter and soft giggles
Hinata remained with the others, following quietly and keeping to herself, her shyness clear in the way she avoided attention.
The boys' group split apart—Sasuke moved ahead on his own, while several boys trailed after him at a short distance.
Kiba moved ahead with his three friends, excitement clear in his stride as he shot a challenging glance at a certain someone.
The last group came with Shikamaru and Choji walking side by side—one lost in daydreams, the other busy munching on a snack. Following behind them were Uzumaki Naruto and Aburame Shino.
Knowing that today was taijutsu class—and sparring as well—Naruto had dressed for the occasion. He wore a black tracksuit with orange stripes, a swirling fire symbol emblazoned on his chest.
IMAGE..!!!
Naruto stood out among the other kids—his shiny blond hair had grown a little longer, his light blue eyes sharp, and his frame taller and leaner than before. As they stepped onto the training ground, they headed toward the usual sparring circle.
While Iruka-sensei spoke to the gathered class, his words faded into the background. The protagonist was already lost in his own thoughts
( not a single skill had made it to level three )
In the entire month of training, Naruto hadn't managed to raise a single skill to level three. While disappointing, he cheered himself up by focusing on the progress he had made with his other skills and jutsu.
( Keen eye , Avian Link and Reading Skills have all reached Level 2 )
Keen Eyes wasn't just useful for gathering intelligence or noticing small clues—it was just as vital in combat, especially when paired with Dynamic Vision .
Level 2 Avian Link had a range of 200 meters, and the disorientation he experienced while sharing senses with pigeons had noticeably decreased.
The Reading Skill had accelerated his memorization and even improved his comprehension of textual material.
The Growth skill Academy Student (4th Year) had also activated. Combined with his other skills, it shouldn't be a problem to ace both the written and physical exams.
There are no new Passive skills .
The Clone Jutsu was already at Level 2, so Naruto didn't bother practicing it anymore unless he was really bored
He had decided to first raise all his skills to Level 2, which should be equivalent to an experienced genin for his plan. Useful or not, most jutsu needed to reach Level 2.
Rope Escape Technique and Ninja wire snake Technique have also reached level 2.
Both Kunai and Shuriken remained at Level 2, but Kunai was close to advancing, making it his current focus.
( Should be there in a month )
Naruto wasn't focusing on medical jutsu for now, which was why his training in Anesthesia and Diagnosis was almost nonexistent.
( I only use them once every night before going to sleep )
Naruto reviewed his progress in the E-rank Five Elements Ninjutsu one element at a time.
Fire Release had improved the most—simple ignition and heat control drills no longer wasted chakra, and maintaining a steady flame felt natural now.
Wind Release sharpened with precision; even the weakest currents responded cleanly to his chakra, blowing more smoothly instead of dispersing uselessly.
Lightning Release remained difficult, but his control had stabilized—no more erratic discharge, just tight, contained sparks that obeyed his intent.
Earth Release strengthened his patience, forming and maintaining small constructs without collapse, while learning the importance of grounding chakra properly.
Water Release focused on flow and consistency, producing clean, stable shapes instead of splashes that broke apart mid-formation.
None of it was impressive on its own. But together, the training refined his chakra control, efficiency, and elemental understanding—exactly what he needed before moving on to higher-ranked techniques.
( All have reached Level 2 )
After training a skill to Level 2, Naruto realized that it wasn't just the level that made the difference—but the experience gained from using it.
Even at the same level, experience mattered—a Level 2 skill at 22/100 experience was noticeably weaker than one at 50/100.
( Having bunch of Level 2 skills , I should be a veteran Genin .... only lacking in some Ninjutsu )
His chakra control had improved , and Naruto had even started playing with water balloons in his bathroom.
Throughout the month, Naruto had focused on studying fuinjutsu in the library. It was a completely self-driven project, aided only by his Reading Skill—neither Academy Student nor Medical Shinobi (Genin) covered this field.
( The Calligraphy Enthusiast Passive only helps in Writing ...sigh )
Naruto also practiced diligently, slowly improving his calligraphy over the days until it reached an acceptable rookie level—enough to begin fuinjutsu
Naruto also found two E-rank seals in the library: the Trigger Seal and the Release Seal. Just as their names suggested, both were connected to each other and were commonly used for traps. .
( A much more hidden traps )
The Trigger Seal responded to outside stimulus—pressure, chakra, or movement—while the Release Seal stored and unleashed whatever had been prepared beforehand.
Naruto remembered Tsunade's brother, Nawaki—how he had been blown apart in a burst of fireworks right in front of Orochimaru.
Naruto's thoughts were interrupted when Shino elbowed him lightly.
" Naruto "
"....huh "
" Sensei "
Looking over, Naruto saw a fuming Iruka-sensei standing in the sparring field—and beside him, fists clenched tight, a just-as-fuming Uchiha Sasuke .