The academy, in many ways, feels like a formality. I learn a bit from the lectures, but I often think I can learn it just as easily and much more quickly from a book. However, when it comes to actual life application, it certainly does help. Having instructors to guide your movements is ideal. However, now I have Izumi to help with that, even if perhaps that is a bit of unfair pressure to put on a not-yet teenager. Any help, however small, should be readily welcomed, in my opinion but what about when that help becomes dangerous in and of itself?

Chakra use is something I have been practicing few and far between for a while now. Still, I know I am far ahead of my peers, having already mastered the leaf-sticking exercise. I have sometimes, when alone and bored, continued to practice it, but now more often than not, I practice hiding my chakra rather than using it. Today though, we are expected to start USING our chakra in class.

"Who can tell me what chakra is?" Daikoku-sensei asks the class during the review. Many hands shoot up around the room, and I notice that Naruto isn't even in class. Did he oversleep again? "Sakura?" Daikoku asks, and the girl with her bright red ribbon in her pink hair smiles triumphantly for being called on over all the others in the class.

"Chakra is the combination of a person's physical and mental energies moulded together and is used to perform jutsu," Sakura states in the textbook—no dictionary definition, literally. I think if you looked up chakra in the dictionary, it would be that word for word.

"Excellent, Sakura," Daikoku states and Sakura blushes a little at the praise. "Today, we will work to unlock your chakra through meditation…" Daikoku begins but is cut off when a swell of chakra and a whirl of leaves fills the room. I instantly feel on guard but settle with the feeling of Naruto's very distinctive chakra. With him, though, is an anbu with long purple hair. She looks young, maybe in her late teens? Though it's hard to tell with the face covered.

"Please refrain from attempting to lay traps in the Jonin lounge." The woman says in evident exasperation, releasing the blonde's shoulder. Dizzily he stumbles, nearly falling over, grabbing onto a table for support. It usually would earn snickers if an anbu of all things weren't here. As quickly as she came, she disappeared, but I am happy to say that I got a good read on her chakra…

"Right…" Daikoku says, taking a moment to compose himself. "Get to your seat Uzumaki-san." He says angrily.

"Stupid Neko…" Naruto mumbles but obeys and finds his seat. I look curiously over at him. Is no one else wondering how he tried to prank the Jonins of the village and why?

Chakra concealing proficiency level has risen!X1

Chakra Concealing Proficiency Level 78

The ability to hide one's chakra from others. Active hiding to completely hide your presence. Success increases per level. Cannot perform jutsu while concealing chakra, requires less concentration per level to maintain.

My mind flickers to the notification right as Daikoku resumes his lecture.

"As I was saying," Daikoku says, clearing his voice and glaring at Naruto. "We will begin to work to unlock your chakra through meditation. Using meditation to look inwardly, following the stream of mental energy to your chakra reserve and forcing it open. Those who already have activated their chakra networks will start control exercises." He states and whispers fill the class. You would expect them to be confused. They probably are, but that isn't what they are whispering about. Everyone is sharing brags about how awesome their Justus is going to be.

"Ya, this is going to rock!" Kiba declares loudly, and Akamaru barks and like a damn breaking, the whispers turn into yells. Daikoku tries to regain control of the class, failing to do so. As he does, I have to think. How will I avoid using chakra with them knowing that I already have mine activated? Maybe I can pretend I can't figure out how to move it. Play ignorance? It's not like I have a lot of options here…

"Alright, class, follow me outside now!" Daikoku yells he doesn't have to ask twice, and everyone moves to follow eagerly doing so. No theory today!

We all end up sitting in a giant circle in the middle of the track. Daikoku wordlessly separates myself and a few others from the rest of the group, among them Shikamaru, Sasuke, Hinata, Shino, and Naruto.

"Hey, sensei! Hey, sensei! Is this group the best? You know the elites?!" Naruto asks excitedly at getting chosen to be a part of the group.

"How troublesome…" Shikamaru grumbles as I stand between him and Sasuke. He covers his ears with his hands, looking at Naruto, who doesn't react or even bat an eye. I can feel the glares of the fangirls (None of whom are in the small group with active chakra networks) directed toward me for standing so next to 'Sasuke-kun,' but I am getting so far past caring.

"This is the group who has active networks either because of talent…" Daikoku-sensei says, his eyes roaming over the clan heir and (the hair on the back of my neck is now standing on end) me. "Or by sheer DUMB luck." He adds in a biting tone staring at Naruto, whose smile falters, and his eyes become sad with the silent, desperate question of 'Why?'

"Bastard…" I say under my breath, but apparently not quietly enough, as he spins to look at and I smile innocently up at him with the 'what are you going to do about it?' Look, which is probably stupid, but no backing down now.

"Everyone grab a leaf and hold it to your forehead using chakra. See how long you can hold it." Daikoku says, and I can hear his chakra jumping all over the place as he grinds his teeth, gesturing to a nearby tree. He then storms off to instruct the other group on meditating and activating their chakra. Our group grabs leafs. Some with a sense of familiarity sit down and begin to do the leaf-sticking exercise. Naruto grabs it and looks at Daikoku's stiff and tense figure as though debating the merits of asking him a question or not, but then plops down on the ground and starts to try and get the leaf to stick as it slips off again and again. I don't even feel his chakra moving in any direction. He is just getting it to move with no thought as to where, or rather no idea how to direct it at all. At least that means my idea on how not to use chakra with an excuse has merit. I sit down, putting a leaf to my forehead with my fingers and almost with a sense of deja vu want to push my chakra to it but hold back and instead pull my chakra deep within me, hiding it the best I can.

Academy student (the rate at which all ninja skills and jutsu during class time level up 5% faster)

This title says DURING CLASS TIME it doesn't say it has to be what we are actually studying in class. I don't know how long the excuse of being unable to direct chakra will last, so I need every help I can get.

Aspiring Prodigy (increase in the rate of levelling up all stats by 10%, increase in speed in levelling up all skills by 15%)

Now this title will definitely be helpful. I refuse to use chakra in class until I have mastered at least this stage of concealing and using chakra without glowing eyes at home using eye drops. How fast can I force 22 more levels when constantly concealing my chakra using these titles? I'll have to see.