Becoming A Genin

Travis stood in the center while Tsunade and Jiraiya eyed him carefully. He felt their gaze analyzing him, as if they were trying to see through him. The silence stretched for a moment, making him shift slightly. It was awkward, but he had expected this.

"Travis, how old are you?" Tsunade finally asked, her voice neutral.

'I died as a teen, so I'll be a teen here as well,' he thought.

"I'm 16," he answered.

Tsunade studied him with a thoughtful expression. 'He's certainly young—Naruto and Sakura's age, in fact. But the way he carries himself is different. He doesn't seem inexperienced, even if he claims to be a normal guy. His strength is uncertain, but my instincts tell me he might even surpass them…'

"Have you ever been a ninja before?"

Travis shook his head. "No, I've always been a normal guy," he replied casually.

"Would you be interested in becoming one? It's a straightforward process," Tsunade said, watching him closely.

"What would that help me with?"

"Well, for starters, becoming a ninja means you officially become a part of this village. You'd gain access to training, missions, and protection. I'd recommend it."

'Hmm, yeah, that's true... But I hate tests. Even though it doesn't take much to become a Genin. I don't really have chakra, though—at least not yet. But nothing's stopping me from adapting to it.'

"Um, sure. What's required?"

"It's simple. You need to do two things: perform the Clone Jutsu and pass an evaluation by a Jonin. Since Kakashi is testing his team right now, I'll have him check you as well."

'So basically, I can join Team Seven. What about Sai, though? He was pretty much fodder, so fuck him,' Travis thought. 'Time to get chakra flowing in my veins.'

As Travis stood there, he closed his eyes briefly, sensing the energy in this world for the first time. It felt vast, endless, yet strangely familiar, like an untapped reservoir waiting to be drawn upon. Slowly, carefully, he began to absorb some of it—not too much, just enough to feel it flow through his body like a gentle current.

'Alright, let's see… Since I know nothing about the Clone Jutsu, I'll just make a Shadow Clone instead,' he thought.

Bringing both of his extended fingers together in a cross, he focused, channeling the energy instinctively. He didn't say the technique's name aloud—because that would be cringe. Instead, he let his intent do the work. In an instant, a puff of smoke exploded beside him, and another version of himself materialized within it.

The room fell into silence.

Tsunade's eyes widened, her normally composed expression cracking for a brief moment. Jiraiya, who had seen countless strange things in his lifetime, was visibly taken aback.

Travis didn't miss their reactions. 'Yeah, I figured this would surprise them,' he thought with amusement.

"You just used a forbidden technique," Tsunade finally said, her tone serious. "The Shadow Clone Jutsu is locked away in our archives—something only one person can use freely without consequence… and that's Naruto."

Jiraiya folded his arms, looking at Travis with newfound scrutiny. The fact that he pulled off the jutsu effortlessly, without any apparent struggle, was unsettling.

Tsunade took a step forward, her golden eyes narrowing. "Where did you learn that?"

Travis smirked. "Wouldn't you like to know?" he said, folding his arms. "That being said… even though it's considered forbidden, you never really stopped Naruto from using it, did you?"

Jiraiya inhaled sharply but didn't respond. He knew Travis had a point.

'Naruto is a special case,' he admitted to himself. 'Unlike most people, he has a massive chakra reserve. We just… let it slide.'

Tsunade sighed, rubbing her temples. "Fine. Either way, you pass. Now let's go. You'll be tested by Kakashi—one of our best Jonin."

With that, they left the tower, heading toward the training grounds.

As they arrived, Travis took a moment to scan his surroundings. The sight of the clearing, the well-worn training posts, and the familiar large stump hit him with an unexpected wave of nostalgia.

'Damn… This is the spot where Naruto got tied up during the bell test,' he thought, his gaze lingering on the stump.

Even though he wasn't a die-hard Naruto fan, he had watched the series a few times in his past life—enough to recognize iconic moments like this. His issue with it wasn't hatred, just disappointment. The story had started off strong, focused on Naruto's dream of becoming Hokage, but somewhere along the way, it had shifted into a drawn-out saga of chasing Sasuke. The inconsistencies and plot holes had killed a lot of the enjoyment for him.

As he observed the training grounds, he noticed Team Seven standing together, their expressions noticeably downcast. The air around them felt heavy.

'Yeah, they just mentioned Sasuke,' he guessed.

Kakashi, who had been talking to the group, suddenly turned his attention to the approaching trio. The moment his gaze landed on Travis, his entire demeanor shifted. His body tensed ever so slightly, his single visible eye sharpening as if analyzing a potential threat.

'Damn, bro, I ain't even do anything yet,' Travis thought, resisting the urge to roll his eyes.

TO BE CONTINUED