Eleven months later
Hidden Leaf Village, Ninja Academy
Yuto was sitting at his usual desk training his nature transformation.
Takashi came at 8 am and announced, "From the day after tomorrow your written exams will start after that practical exams will take place as stated before. I will only take doubts today as well so if you have any questions you can come to the desk and ask."
Some students started going to the desk to discuss their questions.
Yuto sat and thought, 'I have read all the portions for written exams way before so I don't have any problems with it. As for practical exams should I rank first or not?'
After contemplating for a few minutes he thought, 'I better not take first place as it will draw a lot of attention and I will also expose my skill. I should have no problem at 5th or 6th place so that at least Hiruzen can notice me and take me under his forces or ANBU, he can also help me in keeping that Cyclops bastard from reaching me. I will slowly increase my score and get 1st place at the time of graduation which will help me in having a good Jonin sensei.'
As today was doubt class the academy ended pretty early.
Yuto reached home and thought, 'Well my improvement has soared as I'm growing physically.'
His biggest improvement was chakra control and he moved from water walking to producing chakra threads 5 months ago, he could now produce 3 chakra threads but had trouble producing more. Finally, he should see if he has enough chakra to make a shadow clone. The three body techniques also had a great improvement. For Clone Jutsu he could make only one clone because of low chakra reserves he practiced it a lot at first clone only stayed for 1 sec now his clone was active for 10 sec. The Substitution jutsu was most important he trained a lot more than a clone or transformation jutsu, at the start, for one month he could only substitute within one meter, and now he could substitute within 3 meters it is not a lot but it has fixed range as he saw in the scroll which was around 6-7 meters. And lastly, the Transformation technique is also important in missions so he practiced making the transformation more detailed and realistic.
He also started practicing Body flicker jutsu around 6 months ago. On the first attempt, he broke his nose by smashing himself into a tree. After that, he practiced in a forest that had fewer trees in certain areas. Now, he could only do it 2 times before exhausting his chakra but he had some experience in it.
His taijutsu skills have also improved due to constant sparring and had adapted to academic style by pestering his teacher. Though he could take 2nd place as 1st place was taken by Hyuga Kito he kept his rank in between 4th - 6th rank only.
About his Kenjutsu skills, he now has a good but not a solid foundation. His Iaido technique also improved from seven seconds to six seconds. Also now he was able to incorporate breathing with his Kenjutsu though it took a long time it was fruitful.
His shuriken and kunai throwing was also going well, he now had good accuracy. He showed 6/10 in the academy but had perfect accuracy when he practiced himself. For moving objects, he could reach a perfect level in a year or two. Then comes the Uchiha style which has three years to reach an acceptable level and that should be enough as not many fell prey to this technique.
After thinking he proceeded with his usual training montage.
Fifteen days later,
His written exams were over in which he answered all correctly.
Physical exams were tomorrow so he had only done some warm-up to keep his body on top and gave it a rest.
Next day,
Suzuki Takashi and his students were standing in the training grounds, he gave them the instructions on what to do.
First was Shuriken and Kunai throwing, in which he scored 7 out of 10 in both. Two Uchiha scored perfect marks, Senju Akira got 9 in shuriken and 10 in kunai, and others got 9, 7, 4, 8, ....,5 respectively.
Then came the obstacle race in which Senju Akira scored 1st place and Yuto got 2nd place as not many have the stamina to outrun them.
At the last sparring match was held, he was in a group with Hyuga Kito who was 1st whenever the taijutsu match was held.
As the match was held Yuto got up to the semi-final and thought of losing as his opponent was Hyuga Kito.
Takashi called Hyuga Kito and Yuto Kazuya in the ring which was nothing grand just a rope of five meters in diameter.
Takashi said, "Do the seal of confirmation and START"
As the match began, Kito moved swiftly, using his precise strikes to keep Yuto at bay. Yuto dodged and weaved through the attacks, trying to create some distance to use his projectiles. However, Kito's close-quarters combat skills proved challenging to overcome.
With each clash, Yuto found it difficult to land a hit on Kito, who skillfully blocked and countered his attempts. Yuto's determination grew, and he started to strategize, waiting for the right moment to strike.
In a moment of opportunity, Yuto launched a barrage of shuriken toward Kito, forcing him to defend himself. Seizing the chance, Yuto lunged forward with a kunai, attempting to land a surprise attack. However, Kito swiftly sidestepped and disarmed Yuto with a well-placed strike.
Realizing his disadvantage in close combat, Yuto decided to retreat and create distance. He threw more shuriken, trying to keep Kito at bay. Kito, undeterred, closed the gap with impressive speed, blocking the projectiles with his precise strikes.
As the match reached its climax, Yuto noticed an opening in Kito's defense. Feigning another projectile attack, Yuto waited for Kito to counter before launching himself toward Kito's blind spot. Yuto managed to land a hit, surprising Kito momentarily.
But Kito quickly recovered and delivered a swift and unexpected strike that caught Yuto off guard. With a decisive blow, Kito managed to immobilize Yuto, effectively ending the match.
Breathing heavily, Yuto acknowledged Kito's skill, accepting the defeat. Though disappointed, a little but he knew he had gained valuable experience from the match. As the two completed the seal confirmation, they left the ring.
After their match ended the finals took place after half an hour between Senju Akira and Hyuga Kito which ended up in the defeat of Akira. With this, the practical exam was over.
Back at home Yuto took a rest for the day and planned that he should start running from his home to the top of Hokage Mountain as it can serve as training for breathing as shown in demon slayer anime. And check whether he could find Guy to ask some questions related to physical exercise.
As there was one week holiday he started training all day and started going to Hokage mountain first five days he did not find Guy but on 6th day he found him because of the time difference, he was doing a handstand run so he approached him and Guy took notice of him and stood before him saying, "What a youthful child. What are you doing here?"
Yuto spoke, "Hello there, you must be the Green Beast of Konoha, right? I've heard a lot about your taijutsu skills! And I'm interested in starting weight training and taijutsu myself, do you have any pointers for me?"
Guy: Ah, you've got the spirit of youth within you! I'm glad you're interested in training. Weight training can be beneficial for building strength, but remember to start with light weights and proper form to avoid injuries. As for taijutsu, it's all about mastering your body movements and channeling your chakra. Practice basic strikes and stances to develop a strong foundation.
MC: Thank you, Green Beast! I'll keep that in mind. Is there a specific age you think is ideal to start this training? I'm just 7 years old, and I want to make sure I'm not too young for it.
Guy: Youth knows no bounds! Starting at a young age can be advantageous. Just remember to listen to your body and don't overexert yourself. Take breaks when needed and have fun with your training. The most important thing is to enjoy the process and keep your spirit high!
MC: That's reassuring to hear! I'll give it my all. How can I balance weight training and taijutsu practice? Should I do them on the same day or alternate between them?
Guy: Great question! To maintain a balanced approach, you can alternate between weight training and taijutsu. This way, you give your muscles time to recover while still working on your martial arts skills. It's all about finding the right rhythm that suits your body and schedule.
MC: Ohh thanks for the idea, Green Beast! I'm looking forward to starting my training with renewed energy and determination!
Guy: That's the spirit, young one! Embrace the path of youth and train with all your heart. I have no doubt you'll become an incredible ninja! Believe in yourself and stay committed to your goals. Youth will carry you to greatness. You can also come to me if you have any questions related to taijutsu or building the body.
Mc: Thank you so much! I will surely come if I have any doubts.
After leaving Yuto thought, 'Ahh it was tiring acting like a kid at least I got the answer, but i think should start with the gravity seal which I found in Father's belongings and his notes of kenjutsu that he got from mother. I asked the Guy because he was training before joining the academy with his father Maito Duy and he has more experience.'