"Ugh, I feel like shit today." I woke up.

A while ago I and Ino had a big fight. I think she was jealous that I was not spending time with her. So, she threw a tantrum to get my attention, sometimes I forgot I was dealing with children.

There were 2 months for the entrance tests of the academy, around two weeks ago I had anted up my training to three times a day. I had already reached my pullups and dips goals and was now ready for some weights.

For mornings I ran around the neighbor for 5 times, to increase my stamina I did 3 laps of regular laps and 2 laps of sprinting. Day by day I could feel my limit increasing.

For midday I did my leg exercises and after completed my daily stretch routine. And after dinner I went to the park for an upper body session.

Since starting my training, I had lost my baby fat and had a lean gymnasts build. I had broader shoulders than boys around my age, and could see little bit of a peak in my biceps.

My jawline was sharper and my hands were callused, hardened like a veteran lumberjack.

I didn't have really much time for socializing, and with me and Ino's fight our friends' group just kind of dissolved. The girls from our friend group, Ame and Arisa, decided no not enter the academy. Their parents were not approving they said. Traitorous little shits. What about the talk about all of us entering the academy together and sitting in the same classroom?

The boys entered the 'girls are gross' stage and completely shut off all communications.

Hah… Bunch of children. I was dealing with a bunch of children! I should not forget about that.

Anyway, the serious training I submit myself to was noticed by my parents and was received with complicated responses. On the one hand they can tell I was enjoying getting stronger and having a goal to work towards to, and on the other hand the downright obsessive training was concerning for them.

Well obsessive for them, I had goals to look forward to.

My training was just 5 hours a day split into three parts to give me enough recovery time.

Not overly insane, but it was a serious training regime.

As far as I can see there was no other child trained like me, so I was pretty confident in my composition.

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With a huff I dropped the boulder I was carrying on my arms to its designated spot. Its spot as the base of a dead tree, which I had cut with my dad to make space for the boulder. It must have weighed as much as myself.

I took off the thick armbands off my arms, to make it easier to carry the stone I had covered the wraps of the armband with rice starch. Before I would use it, I could just water it a little and it could give me a nice sticky grip to hold on to.

There were 2 two weeks left for the exams and I was anxious. To relieve my stress, I added eccentric moves to my workouts like boulder carrying. Even though I had become stronger I still felt bad.

I think my parents could sense my anxiety; they were super nice to me for the last week. They always cooked the food I like. I tried do as much as they say without bothering them. I wanted to show them my appreciation through my actions.

Sometimes I did not want to get out of the bed but through sheer will I always force myself to get up and move.

Through my weightlifting training, I had gained a few extra pounds in muscle but my face could relay how much I pushed myself. My eyes were sunken and had a little bit of dark circles around them. I could not unwind and constantly under stress.

I was a little bit bulkier than normal but that give me extra power during hard lifts.

Definitely, the pullups should be harder due to my extra weight but, I had long since started using extra weight with bodyweight exercises.

"Good job kiddo" My father said without looking away from his book.

And due to my tough training, I had visited the hospital a few times already. At some pint I really need to learn firs aid, but for now my knowledge was enough to sustain me.

After the first time I injured myself by dropping the stone that I was carrying, and it nicking me in the arm resulting in a few stiches, a family member always accompanied me.

Sometimes it was one of my bigger cousins and other times it was one of my parents. My parents had limited time to come and watch me train so I either had to lessen the number of my training sessions or find a replacement overseer.

One of my bigger cousins was handicapped. He had a tumor in his right leg and it had to be amputated while he was a baby. He did not have a lot to do, our current world was not welcoming towards handicapped. He usually sat in their home and helped his mother while his father was out. When we spoke and I asked to come and oversee my practice he begrudgingly agreed. Him and I was not the best duo at the start but as the time passed, we started to get used to each other. My training allowed him to get out of the house and him being here allowed me to socially interact to someone. Most of the time he watched me train and gave me suggestions on how I should make things more challenging.

"Let's go home." My father spoke.

"Ok." I responded. I did not feel like talking much these days.

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The next day, my mother took me a natural spring to relive my stress and to relax a bit. We were there with some of her lady friends but they were nice to me.

I was worried because I was wasting precious training time but my mother reminded me resting and letting your body repair yourself was necessary too.

We spent close to three hours in that natural spring, washing chatting and eating stuff.

Some of the kind ladies offered me even a massage, which I accepted. There were some nods in my back that needed opening and the ladies did an amazing job opening them.

"Ooh honey you need to relax, I can feel your fatigue from your back." One of the ladies told me as she massaged my back.

A moan escaped my lips as she opened up my muscles, with the hot water and the massage I felt completely relaxed.

The lady let go of my back and lied on the hot stone next to her daughter. Her daughter was a shy kid, she always hid behind her mother but was a good kid. I could tell that she had good intentions.

Maybe I was pushing too hard, the exams of academy meant for kids.

But then again it was an academy that thought supernatural arts.

I should relax and let my creatine depots refill themselves I decided.

My mother decided that the hot springs were doing good for me and said that we would be coming here every three days.

I could live with that.

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There was only two days for the academy exam.

That visits to the hot springs were really good for me. I cut my training sessions to once a day and I clearly saw the difference. I had more energy I could do more reps; I could lift heavier and was feeling better. And I had made friend with that lady's daughter. She was still shy but at least I had company when I visited the hot springs.

I was done being stressed out for the exams. I had completed my goals twofold. I was confident.

Today my father had a talk about the ninja world and its hardships, apparently when he was my age, he tried to be a ninja but there had been a massive war. His father had been killed in an enemy raid and he tried to go after the enemy to have his revenge. My mother stopped him from dying a fool's death and reminded that there were more things to live about. They were together since.

"The path of the ninja is filled with blood and tears. There is dishonor and disbelief amongst many of those who reap discord within us."

"The ninja are traitorous, they lie, ransom kill and cause agony all over this wretched world. And quite frankly I don't want my only daughter to be swept away in the rivers of blood."

"I know how hard you worked for, I used to bee same like you, but please come to us if you fell that you are slipping by. There are always other choices, like me and your mother." My father finished his worlds. I could see that my father was broken at some point, done dirty by those who are in the world of ninjas.

Although he was hurt, he was a just man. A good man who gave importance to the dedication. He saw my ambitions and my willpower during my training. He had seen how much I worked for this. He knew he could not stop me from becoming a ninja, so he gave me alternate choices. I really appreciated that.

After he told me about his story, he asked me to reconsider to become a ninja. I really thought about it but the mystical world drew me in. My curiosity was too much to contain by barely reading books.

I was hungry for more, I wanted to delve deep in the mysteries of the ninja way.

I gave my answer, to follow the ninja's path.

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When it came to the morning of the exam day, I drank some water and ate a fruit for my breakfast. Any more food and I felt like I would throw up.

I wrapped my wrists, done my hair in a tight bun and for extra measure to keep my hair from falling into my face, I had donned a headband. It was a black cloth that I just wrapped around my head but it did the trick.

My mother had bought me a sleeveless red qipao dress for this exam. It was flexible and easy to run around, and I quite liked the color red.

Under the dress I had worn a black thigh short, made from both flexible and durable material.

I got out of the hose before there was an hour for the exams to commence with my father. We walked the entire way without talking. I was on full focused game mode and my father was too stressed to chat about.

When we got to the academy, there were still 45 minutes left so I decided to meditate and picture the events. I had done this before my big tournaments before and it helped me to improve.

In my opinion there would be running, bodyweight exercises and maybe some strength measuring exercises. Maybe there would be some ball or hammer throwing but I had developed my muscles and was confident with my chances with any events.

My father informed me that there were 10 minutes left, like I asked him to do.

I started stretching and getting into the zone, when I was done with stretching, I started shadow boxing with my imaginary foes. By the time that an instructor called for the participants, I was sweating and fully in the zone. I was eyeing every other kid that come here with predatory looks.

With a thin layer over my muscular arms and legs, glistening in the morning sun I stepped forward.

The kids parted the way as I walked towards the instructor. I heard some nervous gulps but I paid no heed. I was fully focused on the test.

And by God I was ready to demolish everything that stood in my way.