Ninja Academy(1)

1st October

It's been a week since new changes were made to the curriculum of the Ninja Academy in Konohagakure no Sato. Ninja Academy was a huge building in Konohagakure located directly at the base of the Hokage Mountain. It was where prospective ninja were trained and where official ninja received their assignments. It was founded by the Second Hokage out of military necessity.

The Academy was quite large and was comprised of several buildings which were erected over time. The building could be identified by the tree in front of it which had a swing on it and more so, by the giant sign with the kanji for "fire" on it. Classrooms in the Academy were large and had high ceilings, based on a theory that larger classrooms lead to expansive education, expanding even to the blackboard itself. In front of the blackboard was a podium, situated far from the students' desks and put in a position where the teacher can view everyone at once.

Along with being a school, it was also the area where the Hokage's office is located, which was where missions are dispatched and the day-to-day running of the village took place. The Hokage's office was a large, somewhat oval room usually filled with stacks of unfinished paperwork. Behind the Hokage's desk was a large window through which the Hokage could survey the entire village. On the desk itself was a stylized kanji for shadow (kage) followed by the symbol of the village. The Mission Assignment Desk where missions were usually dispensed to shinobi was located on the premises. The Jonin Standby Station was also located on the compound.

Graduating from the Academy before consisted of taking both a written exam and a practical exam, administered by a chunin instructor, to earn enough marks to pass. Upon graduating, students would receive a forehead protector, proof of their achievement. Graduating students were then separated into squads of three genin and assigned to a jonin-sensei to instruct them further, the members determined by their overall factors to create a well-balanced team.

Students who didn't pass the initial graduation tests or who were failed by their jonin-sensei might either be sent back to the Academy or, if their jonin believed them to be unsatisfactory, they could be dropped from the programme entirely.

Genin were the lowest level of ninja and also the ones that displayed the most difference in power. When they became genin, ninja started to do their bit for their village's economy – being sent on missions that the village got paid for. They were typically sent either on D-rank missions, which were almost entirely risk-free jobs of manual labour, or, rarely, on C-rank missions, which were a cut above that and began to verge on real "ninja" work that had a very low possibility of risk to the ninja involved. If Konohagakure was short-handed on upper-level ninja because of the invasion, the village had to occasionally send genin on higher-ranked missions.

Genin were put in four-man cells, or squad, consisting of three genin and a jonin-sensei, in order to learn teamwork and experience true ninja life under the supervision and protection of an elite shinobi. The make-up of these teams was based on the individual skills of the genin, so that there would be a balance between the teams.

Due to the fact that genin were the lowest level ninja, they were normally assigned D-rank or C-rank missions so as to gain experience before taking on harder missions or being promoted to the rank of chunin, by successfully completing the Chunin Exams, a set of difficult tasks made to test the skills of genin to see whether or not they were fit to become chunin.

The Chunin Selection Exams were an opportunity for genin to be promoted to chunin. The exam structure and evaluation processes differ from one exam to the next so that genin cannot come prepared. Villages held their own individual exams.

These exams presented up-and-coming ninja to clients, and created an opportunity for gambling.

Although the exams, specifically the final round matches, were designed for there to be an ultimate "winner", success did not guarantee promotion nor did failure preclude it; if the observing ninja and daimyo felt a genin displayed the necessary qualities for a chunin, that genin would be promoted regardless of how they placed in the exams. For this reason it was possible for as many as all of the finalists to pass, or even for none of them to. Being victorious simply expanded the participant's chances of demonstrating their qualities in the next match.

Having too many participants to advance to the next stages seemed to be an undesired result, as the examiners tended to run additional preliminaries to reduce the number of finalists.

But now to increase the survival of genin who would be joining in the upcoming war, 3rd hokage had ordered to increase the standard of the curriculum. The entire curriculum had been revamped. Advanced chakra control lessons (such as tree and water-walking) and scroll storage were made a part of the curriculum and a requirement to pass the ninja courses. Other skills, including nature transformation and medical ninjutsu, were also made optional to learn, which was previously held off on for students before they officially became genin.

Many new teachers were added to the academy. Retired jonin who had left the life of shinobi for spending the rest of their life without bloodshed, were offered to take the position of teachers for various fields. Advanced chakra control, basic sealing, nature transformation and medical ninjutsu were totally new curriculum. So these subjects were taught by experienced jonin and medical staffs. Students were even given free access to jutsu library up to C-rank jutsu. But students needed merit point and teacher's recommendation for them.

Merit point was another system added to the academy as a motivation for the students. Performing better in a subject earned them merit points. For example, if a student managed to complete advanced chakra control he would be awarded 100 points which he could use to learn a D-rank jutsu from the library.

Another way to gain merit points was to complete E-rank missions which gave 50 points. These steps helped the village to complete more missions. This freed shinobi's time which they could spent in training and village could accept extra missions without the need to worry for overload.

These advanced subjects were optional but students would gain extra credit for them. If student managed to learn them they were directly made genin without test after graduation. Also the missions they had completed would be added to their ninja resume.

These helped the village not only to gain more strong ninja but also to earn more from missions. Within a week of announcement village had already started to gain more than they previously did a month ago.

Arashi and Kushina arrived at the academy with Nawaki and Tsunade. Today was the day the two were joining the academy. Yesterday an ANBU had come and informed them of their admission.

"It's unfair. How come they get to directly go to advanced class. I also want to go. I want to learn real shinobi stuff not math, history etc." Nawaki was constantly bugging Tsunade from yesterday about this. But Tsunade didn't listen to his childish rants.

"Look if you want to join them you just have to finish your current course and obtain high marks. Why are you complaining to me? Just wait for another two years and you can join the advanced class." Tsunade finally replied to his constant whining. Tsunade was irritated by his behavior. He had been acting like a spoiled brat. Though Tsunade wouldn't agree if someone asked if she had spoiled him rotten.

Being the only two family members left, Tsunade had always spoiled him whenever she had time. So Nawaki had a habit of demanding anything he wanted to his elder sister. He knew she wouldn't disappoint him. But this time he was wrong.

Looking at the two siblings, Arashi had a smile on his face. Last month living with the Senju had been a new experience. Slowly they had managed to heal some of the pains from his and Kushina's hearts. They had become as close as a family. The five of them often spent time together whenever they were not training or learning. Arashi and Kushina had come to like them more as the time passed.

Grandma Mito had been very helpful while teaching them about fuinjutsu. She had given them her vast experience on how to use them for combat purpose, how to distinguish between different seals and had given them her own written notes regarding advanced seals. Slowly they were progressing from basic level to intermediate level in just one month.

Besides fuinjutsu, she also had given tips for training. One day I asked for using gravity seals that I had found in the Uzumaki scrolls. She explained it to me in details regarding the advantages and disadvantages of them for their current body. But after showing her the scroll which had a different type of gravity seal than the usual ones, she immediately agreed to help us use that seal.

As a matter of fact the new gravity seal was a very advanced level seal. It was invented by an Uzumaki ancestor many decades ago for training younger generation. The seal was to be used in with another seal to produce better results.

These two seals were named 'Inryoku Fujin and Chakra Sokubaku Fujin'. They're special seals that increases the gravity force exerted on the body and restrained ones chakra reserves as they grow bigger. They're far more advanced and more effective than wearing weights on your body and you could adjust the amount of gravity exerted on your body. This also helps to strengthen and increase and control your speed and chakra output.

These seals would require a great deal of getting used to as it restricts your movement with the added effort needed to even lift regular objects. But in time, your body would adjust with each level of difficulty as they increase. With these two seals, your strength, speed and chakra control and reserves would greatly increase faster than it would have through regular training.

When these seals would be activated, it would spread all around ones body from a central point, in the center of your chest, right in the area where your heart was located. But only a seal master could write and apply the Inryoku Fujin and Chakra Sokubaku Fujin to either oneself or another person.

Just looking at the two names, grandma Mito agreed to write the seals for the four of us. She had known about those seals after she had become a seal mistress. Too bad she was already older and didn't apply the seals to herself. Otherwise she might have been much stronger. Though she knew even without it she already became stronger using her own ways. But for the four of them who were just starting there ninja career or academy, it would help them to rapidly increase their strength.

Without further delay, she brought them to her private study room where she kept her sealing equipment.

"So, who will be the first one?" asked Mito to the four. Arashi raised her hand first followed by others.

"Its good to know that all of you did not back away. But I will be starting with Arashi followed by Nawaki and finally the two of you." said Mito while gesturing Arashi to come and lie down on a nearby bench.

"Ok I need you to remove your shirt." said Mito. "Why?" confused about her demand Tsunade asked her.

"Because that's where the source of the Inryoku Fujin and Chakra Sokubaku Fujin were designed to originate, near the heart. Your heart is what will be used to empower the two seals. So long your heart beats, the Inryoku Fujin and Chakra Sokubaku Fujin will always work and your increase of chakra will add to its strength, but you can control how much chakra you want to put into the seals or take out. That was where I place the two seals on my own body." explained Mito.

Taking the ink brush, Mito started writing the outlying of the seals around the designated area on his body. Arashi giggled, "That tickles grandma Mito."

"Bear with it for few minutes. It will be over soon." Mito grinned back at him. It took another ten minutes until Mito was done with the intricate outlining of the Inryoku Fujin. When that was done, she carefully began filling in the outlining of the seal with ink and made sure not to miss a spot or drop ink in the wrong region of the seal. After another fifteen minutes, Mito was done with that task.

"Alright Arashi" Mito said as he cleaned and put the ink brush and bottle away, "Now for the Chakra Sokubaku Fujin."

It wasn't until twenty-five minutes when Mito was done writing and drawing the second seal around the first one.

While Mito was drawing the seals Kushina and Tsunade were watching with great concentration. She would sometime explain about the process and the reason behind the drawings.

"Now," Mito said, "I'm going to finalize and activate the seals simultaneously."

Mito gave the ink several minutes to dry first. After seals dried, she gathered the required amount of chakra before performing a set of complex hand signs and then placing her right hand on spot where the seals were.

"Fuin Jutsu: Seigo Fujin," Mito said as she sent chakra from her hand and into the seals to activate them. Arashi cringed when he sudden felt pain traveling all around his body as seal writings started appearing and spreading all around her body and head.

"Wh-What i…is this," Arashi managed to say, "Why does thi-this hurts so much?"

"It's part of the integration process," Arashi said, "The two seals are spread all around your body and chakra coils as your body is being forced to adjust and adapt to the new seals."

Two minutes later, the seal disappeared from sight into Arashi's body. When that was done, the immense pain Arashi felt was completely gone, although he felt some heaviness and restraint with his body and chakra coils now.

"I feel better now," Arashi said, "But it's difficult to even move right."

"That's your body responding to the adaptation of the force now placed around your body," Mito said, "The seals are now activated. Surprisingly, you're currently on level 2 on both seals. Now you can put your shirt back on."

Slowly but steadily Arashi put his shirt back. 'I definitely need to adapt to this heaviness. But the benefit surely is worth the try.' thought Arashi.

Soon it was Nawaki's turn. This time Arashi watched the seal drawing process carefully. After forty minutes Nawaki felt the same pain as Arashi but his seal level was 1.

"Now boys you stay outside the room while I draw the seals on the girls." said Mito.

Nawaki was going to complain but Arashi quickly covered his mouth and dragged him out of the rooms. Ones they left the room, Mito started to draw seals on Kushina.

After waiting for one and half an hour outside, Arashi and Nawaki finally heard Mito's voice. "You can come inside now." said Mito. Quickly the two of them rushed inside and found Kushina and Tsunade trying to familiarize themselves with the added restrains.

"Damn these seals are really a piece of work. These are way better than putting weights." said Tsunade. She was especially happy about the seals. Now she didn't have to put on weights again. Though they were useful, they weren't useful for the whole body. But these seals were far better.

"Well these seals were first developed for these purpose. Putting on weights tended to have adverse effect on growth of human body. But these seals didn't have such effect. But I must warn you though. While doing chakra extensive workouts, you should cancel the chakra restrain seals. Otherwise it will prove to be very hard to use chakra. Also while fighting enemies, do not activate these seals. Cancel both the seals before the fight. Underestimating the enemy will sometime result in death. And your enemies are not going to wait for you to adjust.

Also everyday try to cancel your seals and get used to your improvements. These seals will rapidly raise your speed and strength. Get used to them. If you manage to reach advance level in your sealing techniques, you can look into these seals. You can improve them further or use them for business purpose. Smaller version of gravity seals will surely be popular among shinobi." explained Mito.

Hearing her explanation, Arashi already started forming several ideas for selling gravity seals. He suddenly had an enlightenment.

"If gravity seals make us feel heavier what if we manage to invent another seal which will do the opposite of it. Rather than making it heavier it will make them lighter by decreasing the gravity or by simply cancelling the earth's original gravity on the object. It will make the object weightless. Flying in the air suddenly becomes a possibility." said Arashi loudly with a sudden burst of excitement.

When the rest of them heard his new idea, they were left dumbstruck. Well they never had thought of using the seals in that way. But it was not impossible.

Clearing her mind from her train of thoughts, Mito said "I am very happy for the new interesting idea you have proposed, Arashi. If what you said is done properly, then yes, flying will the least of its application. This seal has many different applications in day to day life as well. Its look like we have an interesting seal to research and develop. Oh this surely is going to be exciting."

Mito was currently exciting like a child. Its been many years since a new seal was invented. She was a seal mistress and she was not going to pass an opportunity where she be one the original developer of a new seal. It could bring her some joy in participating in its making.

"What are we going to name it?" asked Nawaki. Though he didn't have any knowledge in seals, he was excited to fly.

"Anti-Gravity Seal" the trio answered simultaneously.

From that day on they were spending extra time on improving their sealing knowledge. But their training didn't get a cut. Rather it became more extensive with the seals on. Everyday they could slowly feel getting stronger.

Mito was already working on the seal. She was breaking down the gravity seal and trying to reverse it. Though she didn't manage to complete it, everyday she got closer to her goal.

Waking from his thoughts, Arashi was welcomed with the sight of many children entering the academy and their parents waving them goodbye. In front him stood Konoha's Ninja Academy.