42 The Academy

"I know just yesterday we had an assembly for the start of the semester. But todays is different. As most of you know, yesterday the Fourth Great Shinobi War officially started. That means we are at war. Luckily for all of you - we were already training you like it. There will be no curriculum adjustments bar one thing." Naruko took a moment to look around before continuing,

"If you wish to graduate you no longer need your Senseis permission. However, if you are a member of a clan congratulations - you now officially need your clan head's permission. Do note, that if you are a part of a clan and don't get your clan head's permission, but still try to graduate early, you officially get to graduate at 12 years old in your final semester. If you fail your early graduation wasting my time when you chose not to get your senseis permission and fail your early graduation I'll shove my foot so far up your ass you'll be spending time in the hospital."

She let loose a tiny bit of her chakra at that, just enough so that they would subconsciously understand she was being deadly serious. "Finally, my Assistant will be seen more in your classes as he publically reviews each of the classes." Sai managed to do a magnificent job of not reacting at all as she said that with absolutely no forewarning to him. 'Shame, I thought he'd react at least a little.' 

"As a note, if you're in your last semester already, no you may not early graduate. Unless things are in an emergency state you aren't fucking up our Genin schedules because you want to graduate a couple of months early. On another note, if your clan doesn't have a clan head you need to get approval from the Hokage or Ten Jonin and myself. Sadly all meetings with the Hokage need to go through multiple levels so good luck academy students that this specifically applies to." She ignored the ONE student who looked angry at this.

'Or in other words, Itachi threatened some Amateratsu-fun-time if Sasuke graduated early. Orders received Gramps. Oh well, that's why my Special Class exists. I totally haven't been teaching Neji the Hyuga Main Brach techniques either or anything. Nope. That would be very, very illegal.' 

"Now get back to class! I'm pretty sure I'm not running a fucking dayca- oh wait, I definitely am. Shit y'know?" Muttering to herself she'd jump off the stage. "Oh right, I take no questions like usual."

She flickered out of the arena and back into her office, a few moments later Sai came in as well. "Impressive! You almost matched the speed of a tortoise this time Sai."

"Thank you for the compliment mistress." 

Naruko scrunched her nose slightly before sighing. "Whatever, I can't say I don't like being called that in this context. You really do need a bigger spine, however. We'll get there eventually. Anyways, you have the reports?"

"Yes, I do mistress." With that said he'd unfurl a scroll before laying it on her desk.

"Your ink animals are truly getting better and better! Soon they'll be useful in combat I suspect. You need to work on your water style, however. This ink is a bit on the watery side." Sai nodded along to both her compliments and her critique without saying much, knowing she didn't want any response. "Alright, this report looks good Sai. Thank you for the work."

Opening up a drawer in her desk she'd pull out a scroll. "Here's your reward for the totally-not-a-mission in my totally-not-clandestine splinter ANBU group that totally-isn't-known about by Danzo and Gramps. That they're totally-not-allowing because I'm going to be the Godaime Hokage."

For the briefest of moments, she got the ghost of a chuckle from him before he took the scroll. "Of course mistress. Your special class isn't meant to recruit not-ANBU at all either." 

She blinked. "Don't be silly Sai, of course it is. Everyone knows that. Why else would I teach them Uzumaki and Namikaze Jutsu as well as my own personal techniques?"

A grin appeared on her face as Sai's eye twitched slightly. "Of course mistress, how silly of me - you obviously are recruiting from your special class." In response, she patted him on the shoulder.

"Don't worry Sai, you'll get it eventually." Oh! Was that a hint of killing intent? Maybe she was finally fixing him.

-Neji Hyuga POV- 

"Many would tell you that your strikes are not fast enough to use the Eight-Trigrams 64-palms, and that is why you are failing. Those people would be fucking stupid. The reality is that you simply aren't accurate and efficient enough. Each of your strikes has slightly superfluous movement, your wrists aren't stiff enough, and as you rotate your hips and your core moves, you aren't doing it as efficiently as possible. All of this for every blow combines into you consistently failing the Eight-Trigrams 64-palms, but managing to succeed in the Eight-Trigrams 32-palms."

Naruko-senseis clone would walk back and forth in front of him. "So we could ignore the problem by increasing your speed with weight training, by improving your chakra control, or by teaching you lightning or wind style manipulation. We won't be doing that, because I don't teach idiots who cripple themselves." He barely managed to stop himself from shivering when he thought of the public lesson Naruko-sensei taught the first, and only idiot in the special class. 'Poor Hyfei.' 

"As such, what we will do is simple. Repetition. Repetition. Repetition. But, I've got a nifty little seal. As long as you stand in it and it has enough chakra, it will record you. Then, a clone I've placed in it will be summoned once you put chakra into it, and perfectly replicate your actions. This way you can time after time practice, then watch your actions."

Naruko-sensei tapped her foot and a titanic seal flowed from her and surrounded the area of the training ground they were in. 'Amazing! This could revolutionize all training!' "Yes Naruko-sensei I'll start right away."

"Good."

-Rock Lee POV-

His brows were scrunched up as he stared at the shogi board before slowly moving a piece. "Better Lee. By the time you graduate, you should be able to properly think with your brain, since Guy is already teaching you how to use your brawn when he can train you."

He looked up with a blinding smile on his face. "Thank you Naruko-sensei! Guy-sensei has said that my training has progressed far more smoothly because of this!"

Naruko-sensei would smile. "Of course. I'm teaching you how to think, and so now you know how to think about your training. Now tell me, how are the new mandated D-Ranks doing for you and your class?"

-Sasuke Uchiha POV-

He did his best to stay still be- CRASH!

He landed on the ground with a groan. "Better, you actually lasted for a little while this time."

Sasuke sent a glare. "I don't see how this is helping my training."

Naruko rolled her eyes, "Of course you don't. But I'll break it down again for you. You're too prone to anger. The Uchiha use their emotions to fuel their Sharingan and thus their chakra - but you need to be in control. Also, more control of your emotions means more control of your spiritual 'stamina' and thus more Chakra." 'She has a look on her face like there's something else.' 

Naruko giggled, "Of course, Konohomaru that little brat has already completed this - so I guess a Uchiha can't handle long-term or slow exercises?" He didn't blush. Uchiha didn't blush.

"Hn." He set up the board on top of the rock again. Completely forgetting about the look passed by Narukos face.

-Shino Aburame POV-

"Your colony has slowly begun to adjust to taking in my denser chakra. Have you noticed a noticeable increase in combat efficiency?"

"Indeed. Their propagation rate has also increased, the same with their growth cycle. My own chakra has improved its growth rate as they've improved as well."

"Interesting, is that normal with your connection to your colony?"

"Indeed. What is abnormal is their growth rate, not mine in relation to theirs."

His friend adjusted her position making herself sit cross-legged instead. "I see, do you believe they are ready to begin trying to absorb Kyuubi Chakra y'know?"

A pensive look crossed his face behind his collar before he slowly shook his head. "No, not yet. We can try it next semester however. Father will be teaching me more methods soon."

"Alright then. So how was dinner with the Yamanaka's last night, as annoying as usual?"

-Shikamaru Nara-

BOOM! "Will you stop you crazy woman?!?"

"NO! RUN YOU LAZY BASTARD!" A titanic gust of sharp wind blew behind him. 'Why am I getting a strange case of deja vu?!?' 

-Choji Akimichi-

"If you manage to hit me I'll give you some Fuinjutsu Ram-"

His arm grew to titanic size as he immediately tried to slam his sensei into the ground. "Well, that was easy. Fuinjutsu Ramen is 2nd best Ramen after all." As the blow came down dust being shot up, a second later he felt someone standing on his arm. "You still need to be faster, and showcase your attacks less however Choji." 'Your Ramen is more important Naruko-sensei!' 

-Konohomaru Sarutobi- 

She shucked a rubber balloon at him. "You've completed the first Chakra Control exercise I gave you, now this is the second one - doing that same method you have to pop this filled balloon."

He nodded his eyes spitting fire. "Yes, big sis! Then I'll be one step closer to beating you!" She chuckled before patting him on the head.

"Indeed, every step in your training is a step further. But don't expect me to be standing still. Now how about you tell me how your Fire Jutsu training has been going?"

A blush flushed on his cheeks. "Wellll...."

"You ducked your training with Ebisu again?" 'He's just so boring!' "You just thought Ebisu was boring, didn't you?" 'Ahk! Big sis is a mind reader!' "I'm not reading your mind Konohomaru, you're just speaking out loud."

He fell onto the ground in shock. "I was?!?"

Big sis snorted. "No, it was just funny to say. But listen to me Konohomaru." Big sis bent down so she could look him in the eyes. "You know this unique training we do? We can only do that because Ebisu can teach you that boring basic stuff. You know everyone has to learn it. Myself. The Fourth Hokage. Gramps. Even the First Hokage had to learn it at some point, y'know? So give him some slack, it's his job to teach you, but only if you're willing to learn from him." 

He looked at the ground for a moment before looking up. "Alright big sis! I'll learn from him." She grinned at him.

"I thought so. Besides, he's not that bad. You know what I saw him doing one day?"

-Kage Shimura- 

Flipping through hand seals she gently blew on her Shuriken before throwing them at, the wind jutsu empowering them so that they could tear through the target. "Good job Kage."

"Thank you Naruko-sensei. The Clan Head said you requested him to teach me this." Her Sensei nodded.

"Indeed, so that I could teach you these Jutsu as well, so you could combine them in battle." Flipping through handseals of her own, Naruko-sensei would grab a handful of Shuriken that would begin to sparkle, before she flung them and they would slice through the target, sparking midway inside and searing the internals of it.

"There's also this." Flipping through more handseals water would cover the next batch, which would proceed to on contact with the target and reach the middle of it, before exploding water everywhere from the inside out. "Now, I have the scrolls for these here. Next lesson your job is to tell me how you can combine the three Jutsu in interesting ways, and when you could and should use them.

"Yes, Sensei!" 'Three Elements. Sensei really do believe in me!' 

-Tategata Dokasu-

His fists launched forward like a cannon towards the target, blow after blow. "Good. Now the Earth Jutsu." The voice of Naruko-sensei echoed behind him. 

"Yes, sensei." With steady hands he went through the handseals before placing his hands on the ground, a moment later they were covered with a layer of rock.

He began to punch the target again, this time completely shattering it within three blows. "Good Tategata, you've improved. Here's what you can do..."

His brown eyes sparkled as he listened. 

-Naruko Academy Primary Clone-

Overseeing the special training class from the roof of the academy she'd raise an eyebrow as the tap of a cane was heard behind her. "Danzo, I wasn't expecting you."

He didn't respond immediately, but instead leaned his cane against the railing. "Your special class interests me. For some students, it catapults their training, but for others not so much, yet it in the end will make them better Shinobi. In essence, they're getting a proper apprenticeship for free. They truly owe you."

She chuckled. "Owe me? I don't know what you mean. I'm simply just overseeing the academy."

A snort escaped from his lips before he nodded in her direction. "Of course. Indulge my curiosity, why no Sakura Haruno"

Naruko grimaced slightly. "She doesn't need training. She doesn't need mental exercises. What she needs is a reality shock and one that even for ME goes beyond what the Academy is for and should be able to do."

Danzo nodded and blandly said, "She needs to see her comrades die. Or at least be close to it. Her Will of Fire has succumbed to the Will of her Hormones."

"Hahah- oh shit. That was actually good, y'know?"

"I try sometimes."

Hearing the dry raspy reply she let out another few chuckles. "Of course. So why did you really come here Danzo?"

His eyes got serious. "Don't train the next few days. We have reports that Yugito Nii is on the move in the Land of Frost heading toward the Land of Hot Water."

Naruko's hand clenched on the railing, denting it slightly. "I see. I'll be ready." The conversation trailed off as they watched the students below.