Kazuki looked up at the top of the tree with horror in his eyes. He gulped as he thought, 'Just how many days will I have to do this to reach the top?' he thought, his tone a mix of dread and resolve as he steeled himself for the challenge ahead.
After four days of relentless practice, Kazuki managed to climb halfway up the tree. Each attempt left him bruised but more determined, his movements growing steadier with every fall, his focus unwavering despite the pain.
Back in his apartment, Kazuki stood with a water balloon between his hands, his brow furrowed in concentration as he channeled chakra into it. The balloon began to shake wildly, the water inside swirling chaotically. After a tense moment, his eyes widened as the balloon burst with a loud pop, water splashing everywhere, soaking his clothes and the floor.
Kazuki jumped in joy, a rare grin breaking across his face as he punched the air. 'Let's fucking go! After so much hard work, I finally succeeded—I cleared the first step!' he thought, his voice in his mind brimming with excitement. He paused, taking a deep breath to regain his composure, his expression smoothing into a more controlled one as he wiped the water from his face. 'But I shouldn't get too excited,' he thought, 'It's just the first step, and the easiest one at that. The remaining two steps are much harder than this one.'
He then picked up a rubber ball he had bought a days ago, placing it between his hands with a determined look. He started pouring and spinning his chakra into it, his fingers steady but his brow creasing with effort. The ball shook slightly, trembling in his grip, but it didn't burst. Kazuki sighed, his shoulders slumping as he set the ball down, running a hand through his hair. 'Huh, what did I even expect?' he thought, a dry edge to his tone. 'I'm not a prodigy like Itachi or Minato. Man, this is going to be fucking difficult.' He shook his head, his lips pressing into a thin line as he steeled himself for the long road ahead.
A few more days passed, and Kazuki finally achieved his goal. He stood at the top of the tree, his chest heaving as he balanced on a high branch, a mix of relief and satisfaction washing over his face. The view of the training ground below was breathtaking, the setting sun casting a warm glow over the clearing. 'Finally, I did it,' he thought, a faint smile tugging at his lips. 'Man, my hips hurt from all this torture I put myself through—I'm so glad it's finally over. Now, I think my chakra control is good enough to learn some jutsu. I'd like to start with the most basic and one of the most useful ones: the Transformation Jutsu.' He paused, his expression turning thoughtful as he gazed at the horizon. 'I'm allowed to enter the F and E sections of the library, and since this is a E-rank jutsu, I should be able to find information about them in Section E.'
For reference, Konoha's library was divided into six sections, each with specific access levels:
Section F: Contained books on theory subjects like science, math, and basic chakra control and elemental affinity. Anyone could enter this section.
Section E: Contained E-rank jutsu, including elemental jutsu. Anyone could enter this section.
Section D: Contained D-rank jutsu. Only Genin rank and above were allowed to enter.
Section C: Contained C-rank jutsu. Only Genin rank and above were allowed to enter.
Section B: Contained B-rank jutsu. Only Chunin rank and above were allowed to enter.
Section A: Contained A-rank jutsu. Only Jonin rank and above were allowed to enter.
The next day at the academy, Kazuki found himself facing Itachi for a spar. He stood across from Itachi, his expression calm but his eyes bright with anticipation. 'I get to fight Itachi,' he thought, a small smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. 'Man, I'm so glad I'm in this batch. I know I'm going to lose, but still—who wouldn't want to fight one of their favorite anime characters unless its someone ridiculously strong like Goku?' His gaze flickered over Itachi, taking in his composed stance and unreadable expression.
A slight frown creased Kazuki's brow as a thought crossed his mind, his eyes narrowing slightly. 'Wait a second. Is this really Itachi, or just his shadow clone?' he wondered, his tone cautious. 'I remember that Itachi used to skip the academy by using his shadow clone while training with Shisui.' He tilted his head, studying Itachi closely, but kept his suspicions hidden behind a neutral facade.
Hiroshi raised a hand, his voice firm as he announced, "Begin!"
Kazuki rushed forward, his movements quick but controlled, launching a jab at Itachi's chest with his right fist. Itachi sidestepped effortlessly, his movements a blur of precision, and in an instant, he countered, shoving Kazuki to the ground with a swift push of his right arm. Kazuki hit the dirt with a soft thud, his breath escaping in a sharp exhale, his eyes wide for a brief moment before he masked his surprise.
'Tch—that was so quick,' he thought, a grim expression settling on his face as he pushed himself up, brushing the dirt off his clothes. 'Is this the difference in power between us? Man, now everyone's going to laugh at me again.' He glanced around, his shoulders tensing as he braced for mockery.
But to his surprise, no laughter came just some chuckles from Hayato and his group. The other students watched in silence, their expressions a mix of awe and understanding—everyone knew Itachi was the strongest in the academy, and no student could hope to defeat him.
Kazuki exhaled softly, his tension easing as he stood up fully, his expression returning to its usual calm. 'I guess I got lucky this time,' he thought, a dry edge to his tone as he walked back to his spot on the sidelines, his steps measured and composed.
After the academy, Kazuki made his way to the Konoha library, his pace steady as he clutched the ID card he'd received from the academy. The library was a large, quiet building with towering shelves and the faint scent of old scrolls in the air. He showed his ID card to the librarian, a stern woman with glasses who gave him a curt nod, and entered Section F, his eyes scanning the rows of books with a focused intensity, ready to begin his research on the Transformation Jutsu.