Chapter 5: Time flies

*Time skip 4,5 years*

It has been 5 years, since I started in ninja academy, and boy has the time flown by, and much has happened. Both for myself and the world. I am now 10 years old and were about 3 months into my fifth year in the academy. If my calculations are correct, the nine-tail attack is going to happen soon. Any day now, as I have seen Kushina in town sometimes, and she looks to give birth at any moment. That is a future problem, let me go over the important things that has happened over the last years.

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Class 1C

The first year in ninja academy was rather dull. My stay in 1C didn't yield me any friends or much useful information in that class. My goal the first year, was to become stronger, and demonstrate to my teachers, that I should be placed in another class. I was by far the best in all categories in class 1C at the beginning of the year. And through the school year I demonstrated this at every monthly test. I aced most of the theoretical subject, as subject such as math and reading/writing are the same in my previous world.

Outside of the academy, I still followed my aunts recommendation and trained in taijutsu, throwing weapons, chakra control and chakra level. While I had no huge spike in any category, I was still able to win against any kid in my class without breaking a sweat. The few times a year my aunt and me tested my abilities, she would say I was making good progress. I however don't see much progress at all, and looking back was becoming arrogant with no real challenge from kids my age.

For my non combat related studies, my cooking skill can only be described as beginner level. Just at the level where I can tell that something is burned or not. There is going to be a long way until I reach my ultimate goal in cooking (Cake!). In my previous world I never cooked, living from fast food or instant meals.

I also made a few friends in the Academy, though none in my class. I didn't see the point of making friends with anyone in 1C, as most would never become ninja in the first place. Of the about 35 student that started in 1C, only 20 remain after almost 1 year. Many have dropped out due to the "intensive" training.

I made friends with Uzuki Yugao from 1A, and Aburame Shira from 1B. Shira is from the Aburame clan and thus uses bugs. It was kinda the reason we ended up as friends, since all the other girls hate bugs, while I (a previous man) didn't mind them at all. So in any free period, we would hang out and find interesting bugs to scare some of the other girls with. Yugao didn't mind bugs as well, so her and Shira got along well. Although we are not in class together, the three of us hang out and train together. If I go by Shira and Yugao's skills, I should also be pretty good in the other classes as well.

When I had my birthday party, I invited both Shira and Yugao, and for the first time it was more than just me, mother and my aunt. At this point I am pretty sure I ruined other food for both Shira and Yugao with chocolate cake. Next year we need more cakes. The birthdays are my favorite days of the year.

In regards to the Ninja world. During this year, there was much talk and gossip in the streets about another war coming soon, as tension grew between hidden villages. Officially the third ninja war started, at the end of my first year in ninja academy. The hokage declared the war at an assembly, and the next few day it was the talk of the village. As time went, the atmosphere in Konoha became more and more depressed.

I presume that Obito has been declared "dead" at this point, although I am to young to get information of this kind. I base this on my knowledge from the anime, as I have yet to met anyone connected to team Minato.

Class 2B

The second year started out with me being promoted to class 2B. With my stellar performance last year, and me acing all the end of the year tests, I got what I wanted. Class 2B is smaller in number compared to class C. I think this is because some kids were demoted to class C as well. We are only about 15 in class B, while there are still 20 or so in class C.

The content of the lectures in second year, was largely the same, just slowly progressing in complexity. No new topics, but from what I understand, we will get new topics next year.

The goal for this year is to once again ace my tests, and get promoted to class A. I was the only one promoted to class B this year, so I think I have to be top of class B to get promoted to class A again. Shira got promoted to class A this year, so I am still not in the same class as my friends.

I quickly noticed that I was not as talented, as I thought. I was with no doubt the best in class C, but here in class B I am only average at best. For the first few months, it was a heavy blow to my self-esteem, however I intensified my training, and at the end of the year, I was one again in the top 3 of my class.

Outside the academy, I was getting tired of the same exercises I had done for almost 2 years, so I talk with my aunt about it. As my chakra control was still not good enough, my aunt did not recommend starting ninjutsu or genjutsu training yet. She introduced me to a few new exercises, the tree walking was the best of them, and what I would continue to do in my spare time. With my level of chakra, the tree walking exercise was very hard to do, and I don't see me mastering it anytime soon.

I was curious about the book my father left me. As I understood, fuinjutsu does not require much chakra control. Thus I started to study fuinjutsu. I asked my aunt if she had any books, or exercises to practice fuinjutsu. She gave me a few basic books on the subject, and advised me to focus on my calligraphy, as that was a very important part of juinjutsu. Thus many night of hand cramps exude.

My cooking has advanced as well. Now my dishes are seldom burned now. My dream of cakes are getting closer to reality. My mother has also started to show me other maid duties, like dusting and cleaning. While it is nothing that interests me, it is a good excuse to spend some time with my mother.

I have also started to spend more time with my friends Yugao and Shira. Yugao has gotten really good with her sword work, but is focusing most on the kenjutsu, and due to this she suffers in other categories. Shira is focusing a lot on her bugs, and secret clan techniques. One thing that very interesting is that Shira has developed a sensory sense, which she can also use through her bugs, which makes her a very good sensor. She is not very good at it yet, and she can't use it for all that long, but if she practices it, she would be a master of it in no time.

In regards to the world, the war is still going strong. And should be going on for the next two years or so. At this point Rin has either died, or that time is fast approaching.

Class 3A

The third year started out with my promotion to class 3A. I thought I had to best in class, to get the promotion, but it seems that the criteria for promotion is subjective. Thus we were 3 kids from class B who got promoted to class A. Finally I am now in the same class as my friends. I also found out, that due to the large drop off in class C and B, this year the were merged together to just class B. Class A has still about 30 student, and with C and B now together, they are also around 30 students.

This year, were finally starting to learn new subjects in school. Genjutsu and ninjutsu. While we learned the basic 3 ninjutsu (clone, substitution and transform jutsu), we didn't learn any genjutsu, but more how to defend against genjutsu and recognize when you were caught in a genjutsu. During these genjutsu classes, some of the students in class A showed that they could cast basic genjutsu. The Uchiha kids were very good at this. We all got to be tested for genjutsu talent, and I found out I have no talent for genjutsu what so ever. Thus I will not pursue genjutsu in the future. However I know how powerful genjutsu are and will need some kind of defense against it. Something to work on going forward.

In my time outside academy, both my taijutsu and chakra training has borne fruit. To such a degree that I can hold my own with the best of class A. My fuinjutsu and calligraphy has progressed nicely, and I can now do very basic fuinjutsu. The only problem is that they are very unstable. My chakra inlay in the fuinjutsu are not quite there yet.

My cooking has not progressed much, but I still hang out with my mother, so I still do it. At this rate cake is nothing but a fever dream.

Another note, my "automation" mode finally seems to have ended this year, and I am finally in control of my body at all times.

In world news, the war is still going on. I have however not heard anything about what is going on in the war, so I assume no major event has happened. At least no event that would trickle down to the general population.

Class 4A

The forth year continues the trend from last year. I performed well in classes, and have started to perform the 3 basic ninjutsu at a level where I could graduate if I wanted. My defence against genjutsu is still a work in progress, but no real development has happened on this front.

I started to reach the end of what I can get out of the academy teachings, and get much more out of my own study time. I have my aunt help me out, when she can, and she is happy to provide me with basic books on topics not covered in the academy. So far it has just been fuinjutsu, but I think my aunt is the best source for new learning material after the academy.

I knew that the third war should end this year, so I am considering if I should graduate early. However after weighing the pros and cons, I decided to stay in the academy, at least for now.

My friends are also doing good, and while we are not the most powerful students in class A, we are getting stronger, and close to the top performers.

While last year had almost no big world news, this year has almost to much world news.

First big news was the fall of perhaps the strongest ninja in the war, the third Raikage. Hailed as the strongest offence and defense ninja ever, he alone fought against 10000 ninja for over 3 days, before finally falling in combat.

Another big news was that Minato was hailed as the fastest ninja, and got nicknamed "The yellow flash". He alone stopped an invasion of 1000 ninja, and won that battlefield for Konoha.

The news brought a wave of fresh air to Konoha, and lifted the spirit of everyone.

Towards the middle of the 4 academy year, the third ninja war finally ended, with Konoha considered the victor. Although this could be just the way that the news was spun in Konoha. I am sure in the other villages the news was spun different. With the news of the war ending, it was also announced that the third Hokage would retire, and that Minato was chosen as the next Hokage. A new face was molded into the stone mountain in the middle of the village.

Class 5A

The fifth year started out with nothing different, as no new topics were introduced into the school plan. I was still trying to compete for the top spots, but with almost only taijutsu and my stamina, I could not beat the Hyuga and Uchiha geniuses, with their eye power. Although not all in the class, at least one Hyuga and one Uchiha had unlocked their eyes. Those are are cheating if you ask me. Can't wait to get strong enough to thrash them all.

I have talk with Shira and Yugao, and were are all on the same page. There is nothing really more for us to learn from academy classes, so were all thinking about early graduation. However I convinced them, that we should wait this year out, and go for graduation, at the end of the year.

It has only been 3 months in year 5, but I have had good progress in all my skills this year. I think both because of my body getting more mature, and that my basic training has born fruit.

The next plan is to find more ninjutsu and expand my arsenal. But that will have to be for after the nine-tails attack.

I have reach as high of a level in as much as I can, before the nine-tails attack, and from now on, I have to wait for that faithful night.

These are my stats now, here 3 months into my fifth academy year.

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Notebook performance

Taijutsu:

- Hand to hand combat: D-

- Throwing weapon: E

Ninjutsu:

- Clone jutsu: E

- Substitute jutsu: E

- Transformation jutsu: E

Fuinjutsu:

- Storage scroll: E

- Explosive note: D

Stamina: B+

Stealth: E

Chakra control: D

Chakra level: A

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