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Over a year had passed since Shin arrived in Konoha.
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In the training ground of Tsunade''s small courtyard, Shin practiced his Swordsmanship, his Katana flashing in the sunlight.
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Not many in the Shinobi world specialized in Kenjutsu. Most relied on Ninjutsu; it was the primary focus of their training.
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The most skilled swordsman in Konoha was probably Sakumo Hatake, though it seemed he hadn''t earned the moniker "Konoha''s White Fang" yet.
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Shin hadn''t even heard the name Sakumo Hatake before. He was probably still relatively unknown.
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Mastering Kenjutsu required not just hard work, but also finding your own path.
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From the beginning, Shin had known what path he wanted to take: one that Maximized His Strengths.
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And his strengths were? His [Perfect Sage Body], granting him monstrous Strength and Speed. His Kenjutsu would be one of overwhelming power and swiftness.
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"Three-Step Slash!"
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Shin unleashed three slashes in the blink of an eye, effortlessly slicing the wooden training dummy into four pieces.
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Three slashes per second were child''s play for him now. His limit was five.
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Five slashes in a single second, a True Testament to his speed.
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Even an Elite Jōnin, caught off guard, wouldn''t be able to withstand such an assault.
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"If I could combine this with Space-Time Ninjutsu... I can already imagine myself racking up kills on the battlefield."
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Unfortunately, he didn''t know any Space-Time Ninjutsu. He was eager to learn, though. Such Jutsu were incredibly versatile, invaluable for both offense and defense.
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"Shin, breakfast is ready! We have that test today, so we need to leave early," Kushina called out.
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Shin sheathed his katana and headed inside. Kushina had already prepared breakfast.
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It was a simple meal of bread and milk. Shin had baked the bread; Kushina had only set the table.
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He didn''t dare let Kushina cook. She was a master of creating culinary abominations. The one time he had tried her cooking, he had spent the entire morning throwing up.
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From then on, he had banned her from the kitchen.
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After breakfast. Shin packed their lunches and they headed out.
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Tsunade wasn''t home. As an elite Jōnin, she was always on missions.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
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At the Academy, the classroom was filled with a mix of anxiety and excitement.
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Those with good grades were eager to show off, while those who struggled dreaded the test.
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"Mikoto, I''m counting on you for the written exam."
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Shin said as he sat down.
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The morning was dedicated to the written test. Shin had no interest in studying those theoretical concepts, and the questions were often bizarre. Cheating was his only option.
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But he had to choose his source wisely. Most of the class were hopeless. Thankfully, Mikoto was a top student, consistently scoring first in the written exams.
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"Just don''t get caught," Mikoto said with a smile.
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"Don''t worry, I won''t," Shin assured her.
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Mikoto gave him a dubious look.
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"That''s what you said last time, and we both ended up getting punished."
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"Ahem, that was an accident."
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Shin cringed, remembering the time he got caught cheating. But that was a fluke; it wouldn''t happen again.
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The morning passed, and the written test concluded. Shin had copied Mikoto''s answers; he was confident he''d done well.
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He had also helped Kushina and Nawaki cheat. They were both terrible at academics.
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After the written test, they had a break for lunch. Shin, Kushina, and Mikoto found a quiet spot to eat their lunch.
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Over the past year, they had become close friends.
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"We have the practical test this afternoon. Are you nervous?" Mikoto asked.
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"Why would we be nervous? We''ve done this so many times already," Shin said nonchalantly.
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The Academy held tests every month.
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"These test scores don''t even matter. They don''t affect graduation," Shin added.
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"Then why did you cheat?"
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Mikoto''s question almost made Shin choke on his food.
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"Ahem, I just don''t want to be at the bottom of the class."
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"Yeah, me neither," Kushina chimed in.
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After lunch, they had a short break before the practical test. Tanaka-sensei led the class to the training grounds.
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"The results for the written test are in. Uchiha Mikoto scored a perfect score, placing first in the class," Tanaka-sensei announced.
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No one seemed surprised. Mikoto was always at the top.
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"Also, Uzumaki Shin, Senju Nawaki, did you two cheat? Who copied from whom? You have the same score, and you even got the same questions wrong."
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Tanaka-sensei glared at them. Nawaki avoided his gaze, while Shin remained calm.
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Inwardly, however, Shin was cursing Nawaki''s stupidity. He had helped him cheat, but did he have to copy everything?
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When Shin copied from Mikoto, he had deliberately answered a few questions incorrectly. Kushina had done the same when she copied from him.
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But Nawaki had copied everything, including the wrong answers. It was no wonder they got caught.
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''Nawaki, sorry buddy, but it''s time to ditch the dead weight,'' Shin thought ruthlessly.
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"Tanaka-sensei, Nawaki copied from me. I know it was wrong, but he threatened to beat me up if I didn''t let him. I didn''t have a choice."
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Shin put on an Oscar-worthy performance, as if he had truly been threatened.
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Nawaki gaped at him. He had begged Shin to help him cheat, but he had never threatened him!
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"Nawaki, I can''t believe you''d do that! I''m telling Grandma Mito! Well, maybe if you confess, I might reconsider..."
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Kushina said "Angrily."
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Shin mentally gave Kushina a thumbs-up. He decided he wouldn''t help Nawaki cheat anymore. This guy was a liability.
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Nawaki felt a wave of despair. Kushina''s words were a clear threat. She was forcing him to confess. Shin and Kushina were so mean!
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"I''m sorry, Tanaka-sensei. I copied," Nawaki confessed, hanging his head.
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"Copy the questions from this test a hundred times. You have three days," Tanaka-sensei said without a trace of sympathy.
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Nawaki felt like he had been struck by lightning. Copying the questions a hundred times? He''d be dead from exhaustion! And he only had three days! He wanted to cry.