"Today marks a significant milestone," Nakamura-sensei announced as our Advanced Foundations group gathered in the familiar training area. The morning air carried the crisp bite of early winter, and frost still clung to the practice equipment despite the climbing sun.
Three months at the Academy had created comfortable routines, but today felt different. Our instructor's tone carried an intensity that hadn't been there during previous lessons, and the training area had been rearranged with new equipment I didn't recognize.
"You've mastered environmental adaptation, demonstrated excellent teamwork, and proven your readiness through your recent assessment," Nakamura-sensei continued, his eyes moving across our group. "Today, we begin formal ninjutsu training."
Mei straightened with obvious excitement, while Daisuke's expression grew more focused. Takeshi maintained his characteristic calm, though I noticed his breathing deepen slightly. Rina checked her supply pouch with practiced efficiency.
I felt the familiar weight of my training bands, heavier now after months of progressive adjustments. The constant resistance had become so natural that I barely noticed it anymore, but it provided a steady reminder of how much had changed since Academy enrollment.
"The three fundamental Academy techniques," Nakamura-sensei explained, "are transformation, substitution, and clone jutsu. Most standard track students don't attempt these until their second year. You'll be learning them now."
He gestured toward a collection of training materials arranged on wooden tables. Practice logs for substitution, mirrors for transformation reference, and various objects for clone technique practice filled the space.
"These aren't just techniques," our instructor emphasized. "They're tools that will define your capabilities as shinobi. Master them properly, and they'll serve you throughout your entire career. Learn them carelessly, and you'll struggle with limitations for years."
Daisuke raised his hand. "Will we learn all three today?"
"We'll begin with the fundamentals of each," Nakamura-sensei replied. "True mastery takes months of dedicated practice. But by the end of today, you should understand the principles behind each technique and be able to attempt basic versions."
The first technique demonstration was the transformation jutsu. Nakamura-sensei moved through the hand seals with deliberate precision, each gesture clear and purposeful.
"Transformation requires perfect chakra control and complete visualization," he explained while forming the seals. "You must see yourself becoming something else, not just changing your appearance."
With a small puff of smoke, our instructor's appearance shifted. Where Nakamura-sensei had stood, an exact duplicate of Daisuke now faced us, matching his posture, expression, and even the slight tilt of his head when concentrating.
"Incredible," Rina breathed, studying the perfect imitation.
The false Daisuke smiled with Nakamura-sensei's confident expression. "The key is understanding that transformation isn't just visual. You must adopt the mannerisms, the way of moving, the subtle details that make someone recognizable."
Another puff of smoke returned him to normal appearance. "Now, you'll practice with simple objects first. Choose something from the equipment table and attempt to transform into it."
I selected a practice kunai, studying its shape and weight. The metal felt familiar thanks to months of material empathy exercises, but transforming into it would require completely different skills.
Following Nakamura-sensei's demonstrated hand seals, I channeled chakra while visualizing myself becoming the kunai. The technique felt strange, like trying to pour myself into a different container.
A small puff of smoke surrounded me, and when it cleared, I felt different but not dramatically changed. Looking down, I saw that my arm had taken on a metallic appearance, though the shape remained distinctly human.
"Partial transformation," Nakamura-sensei observed with approval. "That's actually excellent progress for a first attempt. Most students struggle to achieve any visible change initially."
Mei's attempt produced a similar partial result, with her hand becoming wooden-textured but retaining its basic shape. Takeshi managed to shift his hair color to match a practice dummy, while Rina's skin took on a stone-like appearance.
Daisuke's transformation was the most successful, his entire arm becoming convincingly rock-like in both texture and color.
"All excellent first attempts," our instructor confirmed. "Remember, this technique saved countless lives during the war. Perfecting it could mean the difference between mission success and failure."
The substitution technique proved equally challenging but in different ways. Instead of changing appearance, it required precise timing and spatial awareness.
"Substitution isn't teleportation," Nakamura-sensei explained as he demonstrated with a practice log. "You're using chakra to enhance your natural speed and agility, moving so quickly that observers don't track the motion."
He performed the technique, seeming to vanish and reappear behind us while a log took his original position. The movement was so fluid it appeared instantaneous.
"The key is preparation," he continued. "You must identify escape routes and substitute objects before you need them. In combat, there's no time for planning."
Our practice attempts were far less impressive. I managed to move quickly enough to confuse Mei's tracking, but the motion was obvious rather than seamless. The training weights added an extra challenge, requiring me to compensate for their resistance during the rapid movement.
"Better than expected," Nakamura-sensei noted. "Your enhanced conditioning is helping with the speed requirements, though you'll need to refine the chakra application for true effectiveness."
The clone technique was perhaps the most complex, requiring precise chakra division and projection.
"Standard clone jutsu creates visual duplicates without substance," our instructor explained. "They can't interact with physical objects, but they're perfect for misdirection and tactical confusion."
His demonstration produced two identical copies that moved independently, each mimicking different aspects of his personality. One stood at attention, while the other examined training equipment with obvious curiosity.
"The difficulty is maintaining chakra division while controlling multiple perspectives simultaneously," he said, with all three versions speaking in perfect synchronization. "Most students find this the hardest of the three techniques."
I formed the required hand seals and attempted to divide my chakra as demonstrated. The sensation was bizarre, like trying to think two different thoughts simultaneously.
A faint outline appeared beside me, translucent and unstable. The clone lasted perhaps three seconds before dissolving into wisps of chakra.
"Remarkable," Nakamura-sensei said, genuine surprise in his voice. "Creating even an unstable clone on your first attempt is exceptional. Most students require weeks of practice to achieve visible results."
Mei managed a brief flicker of duplication that appeared and vanished almost immediately. Takeshi produced a faint outline that remained stationary for about two seconds before fading. Rina's attempt created a barely visible shimmer that held its shape for just one second. Daisuke managed to create a brief outline that appeared solid for a moment but dissolved quickly after less than two seconds.
"Outstanding progress across the group," our instructor confirmed. "These techniques typically take standard track students months to grasp. You've achieved basic proficiency in a single session."
During our lunch break, the Advanced Foundations group gathered to compare experiences and observations.
"The transformation felt really strange," Mei said, still flexing her hand where it had temporarily become wooden. "Like I was trying to convince my body to be something it isn't."
"Substitution was harder than it looked," Daisuke added. "Moving that fast while maintaining balance and direction... it's like trying to run while calculating math problems."
"Clone technique was the most interesting," Takeshi observed thoughtfully. "The mental splitting reminded me of genjutsu exercises, but with external manifestation instead of internal illusion."
"I could feel my chakra wanting to divide," Rina said. "But controlling both parts simultaneously was overwhelming. My clone barely lasted a second."
I considered their observations while eating my lunch. Each technique had felt different, but they all shared the same underlying requirement: precise chakra control combined with mental discipline.
"Maybe they're connected," I suggested. "All three techniques require us to use chakra to do something our bodies normally can't. Change appearance, move impossibly fast, or exist in multiple places."
"That's a good insight," Mei agreed. "They're all forms of temporary impossibility made possible through chakra manipulation."
The afternoon session focused on practical applications rather than technique refinement.
"Understanding when and how to use these techniques is as important as performing them" Nakamura-sensei explained. "Poor timing or inappropriate application can be worse than not using them at all."
He presented various scenarios where each technique would be valuable: transformation for infiltration and disguise, substitution for escape and evasion, clone technique for distraction and tactical advantage.
"In your standard Academy classes, you'll learn these techniques systematically over many months" he continued. "Advanced Foundations students learn them quickly because you'll need them for complex exercises that standard track students won't encounter until their final year."
"What kind of complex exercises?" Daisuke asked.
"Team missions with multiple objectives, scenarios requiring stealth and deception, tactical problems that demand creative solutions," Nakamura-sensei listed. "Next month, you'll participate in your first advanced simulation that incorporates all three techniques."
The afternoon concluded with individual assessment and technique refinement. Nakamura-sensei worked with each student personally, identifying specific areas for improvement and providing targeted guidance.
"Your transformation shows excellent material understanding," he told me during my individual session. "The partial success suggests strong visualization skills. Focus on extending that understanding to complete shape alteration."
"For substitution, your physical conditioning provides advantages, but you need to work on chakra efficiency during rapid movement. The technique should enhance your natural abilities, not fight against them."
"Your clone attempt was genuinely impressive. Most students struggle to achieve any visible result for weeks. Continue practicing chakra division exercises, and you should achieve stable clones relatively quickly."
As our Academy day concluded, I walked home with Mei and Daisuke, discussing the day's lessons and planning additional practice.
"We should work together on these techniques," Mei suggested. "Having training partners makes it easier to identify problems and track improvement."
"Good idea," Daisuke agreed. "I could use help with the clone technique. The chakra division concept doesn't come naturally to me."
"And I need to work on substitution timing," I added. "The training weights change my movement patterns, so I need to compensate for that."
That evening, during clan training, I demonstrated the new techniques for Father and Elder Genzou. They watched with obvious interest as I attempted each Academy jutsu.
"Excellent progress," Father observed after my demonstration. "These techniques integrate well with your clan training. Your transformation benefits from the material empathy work we've been doing, and the substitution technique shows how your enhanced conditioning provides speed advantages."
"The Academy's systematic approach complements our methods well," Elder Genzou noted. "Advanced Foundations is clearly pushing you through the curriculum faster than standard pace. Most students don't attempt these techniques until second year."
"It's challenging but manageable," I replied honestly. "The techniques are complex, but Nakamura-sensei's instruction builds on fundamentals we've already covered."
"Good" Genzou-jii nodded. "Academy techniques form the foundation for everything else. Your clan training gives you advantages in execution, but mastering the standard forms ensures you can work effectively with any team."
During the evening's gravity-enhanced training, I found that the Academy techniques interacted interestingly with clan conditioning. The enhanced resistance made transformation more difficult but also more precise. Substitution became more challenging but potentially more effective. Clone technique remained unaffected by physical conditioning but benefited from improved mental discipline.
"The combination is valuable," Father observed as I practiced substitution under enhanced gravity. "When you perform these techniques under normal conditions, they'll feel effortless compared to weighted training. That's exactly what we want, techniques that become second nature through superior conditioning."
Later that night, I practiced the three Academy techniques in my room, working through the hand seals and chakra control exercises until they felt more natural. The clone technique showed the most improvement, with my duplicate lasting nearly a minute before dissolving.