The long day finally ended. Shorai was exhausted—not from training, but from "the not-his shopping." Sakura and Ino were glowing, having spent hours at Heavenly Lotus, the center of attention as whispers and speculation swirled around them. Aya tried to tease him, failing as always, but succeeding with the girls. Shorai remained calm and polite with her, yet kept his distance—unlike with his classmates, where he was warmer, even smiled more freely.
After farewells filled with gratitude and excitement, especially from Ino who kept thanking him for the thoughtful birthday gift, Shorai returned to his room. At last, he could begin the next phase.
Sitting on the floor, he closed his eyes, focusing inward. With his spectral construct offering real-time corrections, he began applying the healing technique on himself. The flow was slow, steady, deliberate—chakra carefully shaped into Yang energy, repairing the lingering imbalance from months of Yin-heavy training. A pleasant warmth spread through his body, a sign of progress. He maintained precision, avoiding overexertion.
The process continued for six months—until March.
During that time, Naruto grew restless, skipping classes and earning Iruka's ire. He grew closer to everyone, especially Sakura and Ino. Shorai's bond with them was casual, friendly—but while Sakura treated him like one of many, Ino sought him out more often, even trying to recreate their shopping trip. He always found an excuse to decline, but accepted her gift on his birthday.
When the fourth-year results were announced, the class rankings shifted. Sasuke took first in physical and taijutsu training, with Shorai in second. In survival and tactics, Sasuke led again, followed by Shorai, Sakura, Ino, and Hinata. Naruto climbed to top 15—except in theory, where he remained dead last, especially in math and written exams.
Mid-March came. Shorai forgot Sakura's birthday, consumed by the final stages of his recovery. He knew the delay had cost him—he'd been slowed by the unexpected imbalance, a reminder of how carefully he must wield the Aether.
Now, fully healed, he returned to his private training ground. The sentry pulsed crimson on the tree trunk. His hollow clone stood ready. He ordered a full scan—physical state, Yin-Yang balance. The verdict: Shadow Clone possible by second semester of the sixth year.
Relief washed over him. He rewrote his training plan.
He began with chakra control—tree and water walking, then advanced to combining Clone, Transformation, and Substitution techniques. He pushed into intense physical drills, sparring against replicas, and resumed his experiments: layering genjutsu into illusionary clones, seeking stability.
At the start and end of each session, he scanned himself—no setbacks. With his body restored, training flowed smoothly. His reflexes sharpened, chakra moved with greater efficiency. Shunshin improved—longer bursts, faster direction changes. Clone and Transformation became seamless.
When the fifth Academy year began, Sakura wasn't angry—but something had shifted. She greeted him normally, yet there was distance. Shorai suspected it was the forgotten birthday. He hadn't seen her or Ino since spring break.
Iruka entered, as always, and stepped forward.
"Today," he said, "your fifth year begins. And graduation isn't far away. Keep it up."
He passed out the topic sheets.
• Ninjutsu Efficiency – Chakra molding and hand sign reduction.
• Advanced Genjutsu – Detection and dispelling under stress.
• Stamina & Stealth Endurance – Long missions and combat scenarios.
• Tactical & Strategic Studies (Part 2) – Team ambushes, rescue ops.
• Mission Ethics & Chain of Command (Part 2) – Decisions under pressure.
• Reconnaissance & Infiltration Basics – Disguise, tracking, surveillance.
• Academics (Advanced) – Politics, diplomacy, Five Nations culture, finance, physics in combat.
• Medicine & Survival – Advanced first aid, poison detection, 24-hour solo survival.
• Specialization (Top Students) – Intro to Fuinjutsu, Medical Ninjutsu, Kenjutsu, Advanced Weaponry, Genjutsu, and Sensory Training.
Shorai smiled. So they're finally introducing Fuinjutsu and Iryo-ninjutsu… He studied the paper. And chakra control was now self-directed. He glanced at Naruto, whose face cycled from excitement to worry as he scanned the list.
Since classes resumed, Shorai had excelled in theory and academics. While others relied on experience, he thrived on deep understanding—though quick, off-the-cuff responses in infiltration drills still challenged him. Still, he improved with each lesson under Iruka and Mizuki.
He grew closer to the class through team exercises—even partnering with a silent Hinata once. Girls still vied to be near him and Sasuke. Naruto sought him out, determined to outperform. Shorai learned Naruto had been challenging Sasuke for a year, even outside class. That relieved him—no need to resume sparring with Sasuke and risk exposure.
Still, his modeling duties called. He'd visit Heavenly Lotus for new album shoots, often "coincidentally" meeting Ino and Sakura—sometimes Ino alone. Time with them, own training and recovery kept him balanced.
After warm-up and chakra control, he focused on full-body combat drills—accelerating limbs, testing limits. Then, it returned: the familiar frictionless sensation. Now, it came more often, lingering longer. He still couldn't sustain it.
He turned to his spectral construct.
"This," the construct said, "is the result of your kekkei genkai awakening. Wind chakra is now interweaving with your movements—unconsciously enhancing speed, reducing resistance."
Shorai's pulse quickened.
Swift Release… I'm ready.