The next day, when Naruto approached the class at the Academy, he immediately heard familiar loud voices - it was Sakura and Ino, who, as usual, were arguing over Sasuke Uchiha. Naruto just sighed and walked into the classroom, sitting next to his friends Shikamaru and Choji.
-God, those two fools are yelling about that nerd again,- Naruto muttered softly, shaking his head.
Shikamaru nodded in agreement:
- That's not the word, they've already lifted up their screams because of Uchiha. I'm so tired of it.
Naruto shot a quick glance at Sasuke. Uchiha, as always, sat with a detached look, ignoring the screams of the fans. It seemed that he didn't care much about the girlish passions around him.
-This guy definitely needs to work on his social skills,- Naruto thought.
The teacher entered the classroom, urging everyone to calm down. Naruto got ready for another school day, looking forward to evening training with Anko after class. After classes at the Academy, Naruto went straight to the school library. He remembered the promise of the need to find books and scrolls on the theory and practice of chakra control. Looking through the shelves, Naruto found several suitable books: -Fundamentals of chakra Control-, -Development of chakra reserves for beginners-, as well as a more advanced volume -Subtleties of chakra manipulation-. Satisfied with his find, he took these books with him. Upon arriving home, Naruto immediately went to his mother, proudly showing her the loot from the library.
- Look, Mom, I found something useful! He exclaimed, handing the books to Anko. - I think they will help me with my chakra management training.
Anko nodded approvingly, looking through the titles.
- Well done, Naruto. These books will definitely come in handy. Theoretical knowledge is very important for understanding the principles of working with the chakra.
Anko patted Naruto on the head as a sign of praise.
- Now study these materials diligently. The more you learn about the chakra, the easier it will be for you to control it in practice. And later we will start the first lesson!
Naruto beamed with Anko's approval. After a short break, Naruto and Anko started the first practical lesson on chakra control. Anko started with basic meditation and concentration exercises, explaining how important it is to learn to feel the flow of chakra inside yourself.
-The chakra is not just a source of energy for jutsu,- Anko said. - It is closely connected with your mind and body. To control it means to control yourself - your emotions, movements, even breathing.
Naruto concentrated on following Anko's instructions, trying to feel this inner flow of the chakra. At first it was difficult, but gradually he began to distinguish subtle streams of energy. The next stage was exercises for concentration and chakra release. Anko showed how to collect it at different points of the body - palms, feet, and then release it in a controlled manner. Naruto gamely started practicing, but several times he had uncontrollable chakra emissions, which led to minor damage on the site. Anko patiently corrected his mistakes.
- Control comes with experience. Don't worry about failures - it's part of the learning process,- she encouraged Naruto.
By the end of the training, Naruto felt exhausted, but determined to keep working hard.
-Great job today,- Anko praised when they were done. - Tomorrow we will continue with new exercises. The main thing is practice and concentration.
Naruto nodded, looking forward to the next training session. Time passed, and it's been three years since Anko started training Naruto hard. During these years, a clear routine was developed - Naruto attended classes at the Academy during the day, and upon returning home, additional training with his mother awaited him. Through tireless efforts and strict discipline, Naruto has made significant progress in his skills. He has completely mastered the control of the chakra, this key skill that we have been working so hard on from the very beginning. In addition, Naruto has honed his mastery of traditional ninja weapons - shuriken and kunai. His accuracy has become truly amazing thanks to countless hours of practice. The biggest surprise for Anko was that Naruto could create a huge number of shadow clones. Since such an amount required a lot of chakra. However, due to his incredibly large reserves, many times superior to an ordinary person, Naruto could perform this jutsu almost effortlessly. Anko was amazed by the hidden potential of her adopted son.
-It seems that I have the blood of a real monster flowing in me, and in a good way,- she thought proudly, watching Naruto improve his abilities every day. One day, Anko was walking in the company of her old friend Kurenai Juhi. The welcoming atmosphere seemed to create the right moment for one request that Anko had been hatching for some time.
-Listen, Kurenai, I have one request for you,- Anko began, trying to make her voice casual.
Kurenai turned to her with an interested look.
- I wonder which one? Come on, I'm all ears.
Anko gathered her thoughts and continued:
- You see, I recently learned that Naruto has truly enormous reserves of chakra. They are many times superior to the reserves of an ordinary Shinobi. And I felt that it definitely wouldn't hurt for him to learn genjutsu in order to effectively use such a huge potential.
Kurenai frowned in puzzlement, trying to make sense of what she had heard.
- Wait, are you saying that your kid has more chakras than many experienced Jonins? But how is this possible?
-It's a long story,- Anko said. – Well, in general, Naruto will definitely not have problems with reserves, I guarantee that for sure.
Kurenai shook her head in puzzlement, but then nodded decisively,
-Okay, your truth. Genjutsu is the best suited for Shinobi with large reserves of chakra. Don't worry, I'll be happy to help with your son's training.
Anko beamed with gratitude.
- great! Thank you so much, Kurenai! With your expertise and his talents, Naruto is sure to become an unsurpassed master of illusions.
-Oh, take it easy on the turns,- Kurenai grinned. - Genjutsu is a subtle art. But I will try to put all my skills into it.
Anko was overjoyed. After agreeing with Kurenai, Naruto's training has entered a new exciting phase. To their usual daily training in various aspects of ninjutsu, regular genjutsu classes have now been added under the guidance of an experienced kunoichi specialist. In the early days, Naruto plunged into studying the theoretical foundations of creating illusions with his usual enthusiasm. Kurenai patiently explained to him the principles of projecting the chakra to influence the mind of the target, the importance of concentration and visualization.
-Genjutsu is not just smoke tricks with mirrors,- Kurenai instructed. - This is the art of deceiving all the senses of the enemy, subordinating his perception to your will. It requires virtuoso chakra control and impeccable awareness.
Naruto diligently took notes of every word of the mentor, trying to delve into all the nuances of this refined discipline. It became clear to him that creating high-quality illusions is a much more subtle task than straightforward attacking jutsu. Soon they began practical exercises. At first, Naruto had difficulty with the exact distribution of the chakra and the concentration of consciousness necessary for genjutsu. His first attempts at creating the illusion were quite crude and unstable. However, as always, perseverance and perseverance played a role. Gradually, following Kurenai's clear instructions, Naruto became more and more proficient in the nuances of projecting illusory perception through the chakra. His genjutsu became more realistic and stable. Kurenai was impressed by the speed with which her new student learned genjutsu, because this direction was considered one of the most difficult even for advanced ninjas.
-You know, Naruto, I'm starting to think that with your abilities and chakra reserves, you can achieve a level of genjutsu that we never dreamed of,- Kurenai once admitted after a particularly impressive demonstration.
Naruto gave her a confident look and smiled broadly:
-You can be sure of that, Kurenai-sensei! I will become the best illusion master this world has ever seen! It's just a matter of time and training.
From someone else's mouth, this might seem like an empty boast. But Kurenai had already studied the character of her ward well and saw sincere determination in his words.
Days of training and training inexorably brought Naruto closer to an important milestone - the final exams at the Ninja Academy. This day was supposed to mark the transition from the status of a student to a full-fledged genin - beginner Shinobi Konohagakura. But unlike most of his classmates, Naruto did not feel much excitement about the upcoming trials. Years of additional training with Anko and Kurenai, as well as his phenomenal abilities and hard work, led to the fact that he was completely confident in his training. Naruto owned a whole arsenal of ninjutsu, honed to perfection, including his signature jutsu - Shadow Clones. His weapon skills were impeccable - kunai and shuriken obediently flew off his hands, hitting targets with incredible accuracy.
But perhaps Naruto's most outstanding achievement was that at such a young age he mastered the middle level of genjutsu, one of the most sophisticated and difficult illusion techniques to master. Under Kurenai's tutelage, he honed the skill of projecting illusory reality using the chakra. His skills were so impressive that Naruto even allowed himself to use genjutsu while helping Shikamaru and Choji during boring lectures. With the help of an imperceptibly induced illusion, he could give them the impression that they were awake and listening attentively to the teacher, while in fact they were dozing sweetly in class.
So by the time of the final exams, Naruto's confidence in success was completely justified - his many years of tireless work, phenomenal abilities and excellent mentors had formed him into an exemplary candidate for ninja. On the long-awaited day of the final exams, Naruto entered the Academy classroom with his usual positive and confident attitude. After looking around the familiar audience, he sat down at his desk, ready to demonstrate all his skills. Soon Sensei Iruka, one of the main teachers and examiners, entered the room. His face was serious as he looked around at the assembled graduates.
- Today is the decisive day for you, when you will have to prove that you are really ready to become a Konoha ninja, - Iruka began in a loud voice. - The exam is divided into two parts - written and practical. Successful completion of both is required to obtain the rank of genin.
Iruka paused for effect, letting his words echo in the silence of the classroom.
-In a written test, you will have to demonstrate your knowledge of Shinobi history, traditions and code. The second, practical part is the creation of at least two effective shadow clones. Only by succeeding in both disciplines will you be able to get a decent rank.
Naruto could barely contain a grin as he listened to the instructions. He knew that these trials were just a formality for him after years of hard training. The written test really did not make the slightest effort for him - Anko carefully studied all the necessary areas of knowledge with him. Naruto outlined in detail the history of Konoha, the principles of life and the Shinobi code of conduct. But the main intrigue awaited during the practical part, when it came to creating clones. Naruto went to the center of the hall and, folding his hands into a seal, began to concentrate. A moment later, a cloud of smoke erupted around him, from which it emerged...
A whole army of identical Naruto! Hundreds of completely real shadow clones filled the classroom space, grinning and taking up fighting positions. It was a truly stunning display of skill, far beyond the ordinary final exam. Iruka and the other examiners looked at this splendor with their mouths open, in complete shock and amazement. None of them could even imagine that the young genin was capable of such a thing. At this moment, Naruto allowed himself a triumphant grin, contemplating the effect produced. Even those who knew Naruto well and had heard about his phenomenal abilities did not expect to see something like this. Such a scale and quality of execution of Shadow Clone jutsu went far beyond what an ordinary genin, or even an experienced Shinobi, was capable of. Ino and Sakura were so taken aback that they forgot to even argue about Sasuke, as they usually did. Hinata had to take her hands away from her mouth so as not to give away her shock. Shikamaru and Choji just silently shook their heads, unable to find words. However, among this general shock, the reaction of one person stood out - Sasuke Uchiha.
Unlike most of his classmates, there was not a drop of amazement or delight on his face. Instead, he pursed his lips in displeasure and turned away, as if he was completely unimpressed by what was happening. The truth was that envy and annoyance were literally eating away at Sasuke from the inside because of such an impressive demonstration of strength on the part of Naruto. After enjoying the effect produced by his incredible demonstration, Naruto raised his hand, signaling to the numerous clones. In the next instant, the entire squad of his identical copies disappeared in a cloud of thick smoke, leaving only stunned silence in the classroom. Smiling with satisfaction, Naruto sauntered back to his desk. His confident, slightly lazy gait indicated that he was completely convinced of passing the exam successfully. Sinking into a chair, Naruto cast a smug glance at his dumbfounded classmates. After the announcement of the successful results of the exam, Iruka called the newly minted genins to silence.
-Congratulations to everyone on this outstanding achievement,- he began solemnly. - From now on, you are no longer students, but full-fledged Konoha Shinobi. You will have a great responsibility and honor to protect our Village.
Iruka paused significantly, letting his words be imprinted on the minds of those present. His gaze radiated pride for his former students.
-Dangerous missions, challenges and continuous improvement of skills are waiting for you ahead. But I am convinced that you will carry the title of Shinobi List with honor.
Then Iruka turned his gaze to Naruto, not hiding his admiration for the achievements of the best graduate.
- And you, Naruto, with your brilliant example, showed us all true courage, perseverance and dedication to the Shinobi path. Your phenomenal abilities and tireless work have brought you to the highest level of mastery today.
For a moment, there was a reverent silence in the classroom, everyone was aware of the scale of the approval expressed towards Naruto.
-I hope all of you will take an example from his boundless zeal for excellence and dedication in serving Konoha,- Iruka said, looking around the entire issue.
Naruto was deeply moved by his mentor's words. He bowed low to Iruka as a sign of his deepest completing the ceremony at the Academy, Naruto hurried home, barely restraining his excitement. He couldn't wait to share the good news with his foster mother. As soon as Naruto crossed the threshold, Anko greeted him with a seemingly ordinary expression.
- How did it go? -What is it?- she asked with feigned indifference, although her eyes danced with mischievous sparkles.
Naruto beamed, unable to contain his delight.
- Mom, I passed the exam perfectly! Received the highest rating out of the entire issue. Iruka-sensei even praised me in front of everyone for my perseverance and skill!
Anko pretended to gasp and pressed her palm to her chest.
- Is that so? Well, wow, I kept wondering if my stupid son would be able to achieve at least something in the life of a Shinobi,- she sighed gratefully, but immediately broke into a huge grin. - Come on, who am I kidding! I knew you could do it, Naruto!
She hugged the young man, beaming with pride, tightly, putting all her motherly love and tenderness into her arms.
-I'm so proud of you, honey. You have come such a long and thorny way, but in the end you proved your uniqueness to everyone. I never doubted your abilities for a moment.
Tears of happiness shone in Naruto's eyes from these words of approval. He nodded reverently, responding to Anko's embrace.
- Thank you, Mom... If it wasn't for your guidance and support, I would never have reached such heights.
At that moment, an understanding silence hung between them. Anko was proud that her adopted son made the most of every lesson and workout. And Naruto was immensely grateful to Anko for her boundless faith in him and wise guidance. Finally, pulling away, Anko looked at Naruto with a sly grin:
- Well, genin Mitarashi, I think we need to celebrate! Maybe we'll go to some cozy restaurant, I'll treat you in honor of your success!
Naruto broke into a happy smile and nodded in agreement. After hugs and joyful exclamations, Naruto and Anko went to a cozy restaurant. On the way there, they chatted and teased each other. In the restaurant, Anko, as always, teased the waiters with her sharp jokes, making them blush and giggle. Naruto just chuckled into his fist, getting used to her eccentric behavior. Eating noodles, Anko casually asked:
- Well, when are you supposed to be assigned to the Genin team? I don't want my son to relax after graduation.
-Tomorrow morning,- Naruto replied with his mouth full. - Iruka-sensei will announce the teams, and in the afternoon we will meet with the mentor-jonin.
-Great,- Anko grinned. - I hope you get a stern but smart sensei. Only someone like that can get the most out of you.
-Yes, Mom-sensei,- Naruto laughed, deftly dodging her playful slap on the back of the head.
After finishing the rest of the broth, Anko looked at her son with a sly smile:
- Well, Naruto Mitarashi, are you ready to show these green genies what my pupil is capable of?
Naruto clenched his fist with a determined glint in his eyes:
- You can be sure of that! I will make you the proudest mom in all of Konoha! You'll see!
Anko patted his tousled golden hair:
- I'm already proud, honey. I'm already proud.