The academy life continued in this manner for the first six months. After six months, Genki had to report to Hiruzen on the progress of his class.
He reached the Hokage office on the appointed time and knocked on the door. After being allowed in, he entered the room and respectfully said, "Lord Hokage"
Hiruzen nodded and said, "It's alright. How is your class fairing? Any talents?"
Genki replied, "It's going pretty well. While it's still too early to say, I believe the majority of these kids will become elite among chunnins, and few probably will become Jounins. Senju Teru and Uchiha Yori have been showing the most talent, as expected from someone of their clan. Hyuga Hoka and Hana have also been performing really well. Shimura Nobu is also pretty good. The remaining three from Senju, Uchiha and Hyuga clans and the lone Aburame are decent as well.
Among the civilians we've had a surprise. The orphan, Suzuki Fujin, has been progressing pretty fast. I've spied a little on him, he is very diligent and works very hard. He is definitely someone we should nurture for the future. There's another among the civilian kids, Aoki Nori, who is performing very well. The other kids are doing okay.
On average, the talent in this batch is higher than the previous one." He said enthusiastically. But then he sighed and said, "Sadly there's no one like Itachi in this class."
Hiruzen nodded and said, "That's alright. We can't get someone like Itachi every year. But your report still sounds very promising. If in the next 15 years, we get a dozen jounins and have the remaining at chuunin ranks, then it'll help the village a lot.
You've done a good job. Keep it up. You'll be responsible for raising this batch into good shinobi for our village."
Genki nodded his head and respectfully said, "Yes Lord Hokage" and exited the room.
After he left Hiruzen thought, 'Looks like we will be having another good crop of Shinobi. Still, to think we'd have another diligent orphan. I wonder how his story would turn out to be.'
The praise that Genki had for Fujin wasn't underserved. Fujin improved a lot in these six months. A lot more than Genki gave him credit for. After all, even he couldn't know the fact that even at his home, Fujin spent most time training in a very planned manner.
The most important improvement was in Fujin molding the chakra with hand signs. The speed had finally reached an acceptable speed and he was able to do six random seals one after another consecutively. He decided that it was finally time to start learning the basic jutsus.
In earth nature transformation, he managed to crumble the rock. The clay molding was also coming along well. He could now manipulate the clay freely. And could partially harden it, but couldn't harden it entirely.
Fujin noted that his progress with Earth nature was much slower than wind nature. But that was understandable as his affinity was wind. Fujin also managed to create deep cuts in stones using his wind nature.
In Taijutsu, he also adapted to the academy style very well. He frequently sparred with Teru, Hoka and Yori in the academy and now ranked within the top 4. Senju Teru in particular was kind of becoming a sparring partner to Fujin. In the tournaments, he also noted that his stamina was very high among his classmates. With only Teru being able to match his stamina. He wondered if this was only due to having a more trained body or was his chakra also higher than others. After all, it made sense for Teru to have higher chakra level thanks to him being a Senju.
Shuriken throwing was coming around properly too. He was able to hit all 6 shurikens on the target with his right hand. Though not all used to hit in the dead center yet. But left handed throwing still needed a bit of practice as he could only hit 4 out of 6 with it. He decided to practice till he can consistently hit the dead center with both hands. Then he can try to hit the target while running around. In the weekly shuriken throwing competitions, Fujin had slowly climbed into the top 10.
Probably the most surprising thing would be that he was able to pop the water balloon around 4 months after the academy had started. He moved on to rubber ball, but that was very difficult for him. He felt like it'd be years before he could pop it successfully.
The class went on in a similar manner. The enthusiasm of a new academy had died down, however competition between students had increased a lot.
A 'smug' Uchiha Yori had turned into a 'grumpy' Uchiha Yori. Though he was good, he obviously was no Itachi. In terms of shuriken throwing, he was matched equally by Teru and others were slowly managing to hit correctly with all 6 shurikens as well. Whereas in terms of Taijutsu, both Teru and Hoka were better than him and Fujin and Hana were at a similar level as him. And even in lectures, Hana and Teru used to outdo him. In all, Teru was obviously better than him and Hana was around the same level.
Fujin wondered, 'Does this kind of jealousy unlock Sharingan? Or does it have to be a major impact like the death of someone? Well I do hope he unlocks his sharingan though, it would be helpful to get some experience by sparring with someone with a sharingan.'
Those thoughts aside, Fujin had trouble of his own. His physical workouts in the morning were becoming stale. He had grown comfortable to them and didn't know how to make it harder without increasing the time of workout. Well saying that he didn't know any method would be wrong, he did know one method, that was adding weights. However he didn't know if restricting your body with weights when he ain't even 7 years old would create any problems or not. He had found out about the prices of the weights. After 6 months of saving, Fujin had saved up over 1200 Ryo and could afford to buy the lighter weights.
After thinking about it a bit, he decided to consult Genki. Unlike other things, there wasn't really much to hide about his physical workouts as he used to do it in the open anyways. Anyone who did a little investigation would have found it out.
So one day, after the lectures were over, he asked Genki for help. He explained his problem to his sensei properly. After thinking for a bit, Genki demonstrated him a few slightly more difficult exercises. He also helped out to design a new workout plan for Fujin.
After seeing the new plan, Fujin thanked his sensei politely for it while thinking, 'Hmm, this is really helpful. I should have asked him earlier! He actually seemed enthusiastic to help me. But then again, I'm pretty sure that even this will become comfortable for me after a few months.'
Hence after thanking him, he asked again, "Sensei, will it be fine if I make the exercises difficult by wearing weights?"
Genki was surprised by the question, he asked seriously, "Where did you learn about weights?"
Fujin acted to show that he was nervous and said, "Umm, I saw a weapons shop in the market when I was shopping. I saw the weights in that shop."
Genki understood and then explained, "I see. Well it's good to be curious, but don't use weights for training. They'll affect the growth of your body and it'll be bad for you in the long run."
He then put up a kind smiling face and said, "It is very good that you asked me. Next time you have any such ideas, ask me before trying, okay?"
Fujin nodded. Then after thinking for a bit he asked, "Sensei, then is there anything else I could use to make the workout tougher?"
Genki was a bit surprised by Fujin's obsession in making the physical workouts tougher. He thought, 'Fujin was genuinely happy with the new plan, and yet he still keeps asking me these questions. Does that mean that he is thinking that this new workout will soon become easy for him? That's surprising. I knew he was diligent, but not this much. Now he makes me really look forward to his future.'
Genki then said, "Actually there is another way. Instead of weights, you can have some seals do the same work without having any disadvantages. Like a gravity seal."
Fujin was surprised with this information. He thought, 'I guess I really need to learn Fuinjutsu.' He showed an enthusiastic expression to Genki. Genki was happy with the enthusiasm Fujin showed and decided to play a little trick on him.
Genki continued, "However these seals can't be given to anyone. Also they are very expensive if you try to get them, so you can't get them by yourself."
Fujin was instantly confused. He frowned a bit and wondered, 'What's he playing at? I think he is trying to bait me or something.' He decided to play along and then sighed and showed a dejected expression.
Genki was happy with the response he saw on Fujin's face and said enticingly, "However don't worry. Do you remember what I said on the first day? That the Hokage will watch your exams?"
Fujin, still confused, nodded his head. Genki continued, "If you perform the best among your classmates, then you can ask Hokage for a gift. So then you could ask Hokage for these seals to help you. Till then you should stick to the plan I made for you."
Fujin finally started to get some ideas. He nodded his head while thinking, 'Is he trying to motivate me to perform good in the exams? By dangling a carrot in front of me?'
Seeing Fujin nod, Genki smiled and said while ruffling Fujin's hair, "Good. But the exams will also have a theoretical part and not only physical exercises. So you have to study theory too if you want to come first."
Finally getting what's going on, Fujin said enthusiastically, "Yes Sensei, I'll study hard for the final exam."
Satisfied with himself, Genki finally left. After Genki left, Fujin laughed a lot internally and then thought, 'Sigh, it's hard to keep acting as a kid, though there is an aspect of fun in it and damn these adults, trying to manipulate little kids so much. It was the same in my previous life. Everyone just forces little kids to come first in everything they do. Sad part is I actually have to perform well in those exams.
Still though, it was very hilarious to watch. Him trying to manipulate a little kid. Sucks for him that I am no little kid. I guess he said that just because I don't participate much in those boring lectures. Come to think about it, I don't think I have ever even answered a single question he asked in class. No wonder he tried to manipulate me. I guess I'll have to improve my pretending to pay attention in class skill!
Anyways, I ain't really worried about theoretical exams. While I won't be arrogant to say that I am the smartest person in the room, but my brain is much more mature than theirs. These exams should be very easy for me.
That said, the seals do worry me a bit. After all, if someone messes with the seal while putting it on me, it would become very troublesome. I guess I should check up the gravity seal and some suppression seals in the library sometime later.'
Ending his train of thoughts, Fujin looked again at the new workout plan and walked to the library.
