NOVEL NEXT Chapter 15: Arrival of the third year
Chapter
15: Arrival of The Third Year
As Menma opened the bag, the cold,
black ninja tools inside gleamed. There weren't many, but all the essential
types were present. There were kunai, shuriken, explosive tags, and even a few
smoke bombs—everything a ninja-in-training would need. Menma was overjoyed. The
price of ninja tools was quite high, and even if Menma had money, he couldn't
buy them. He was still a "wild beast" that everyone in the ninja
world feared. Walking into a ninja tool shop without being kicked out was a
miracle.
In the original work, Naruto's
status and reputation in the village changed after graduation because ninjas
held a special status in this world. The villagers knew that ordinary people
couldn't compare to ninjas and had to respect them. Naruto's status changed
from the moment he graduated. In this life, Menma was still just a student in
the ninja school.
So, when Iruka brought so many ninja
tools, Menma was naturally very happy. "Thank you, Iruka-sensei! I will
definitely study and practice harder," Menma said, looking at Iruka with
genuine joy.
"Haha, it's best if you study
hard, but remember to balance work and rest. At your age, overtraining can be
counterproductive. Do you understand, Menma?" Iruka chuckled, touching
Menma's head and then adding a slight warning.
"Yes, Iruka-sensei," Menma
responded.
Iruka had started off like most of
the people in Konoha, finding it difficult to accept Menma as the container of
the Nine-Tails and even resenting him a little. But he was not an ordinary
citizen. He was a ninja trusted by Sarutobi Hiruzen, and he knew what being a
Jinchūriki meant. Intellectually, Iruka could separate the Nine-Tails from
Menma. It was just emotional resistance at the beginning.
After nearly two years of getting
along, Iruka realized that Menma was a hardworking and pitiful child. Menma's
life was more miserable and pitiful than his. Iruka had at least enjoyed the
warmth of a family, while Menma was born without parents. He was accidentally
found outside the village by the Third Hokage and brought back. Because of his
special bloodline, he became the container of the Nine-Tails without knowing
it.
Was Menma wrong? No, not at all. As
a container of the Nine-Tails, Menma could already be regarded as a hero of
Konohagakure Village. Iruka began to treat Menma as his own brother,
unconsciously.
"It's almost New Year again,
and we're about to enter the third year of Ninja School. Next, you'll be
focusing on practical training with supplementary theoretical knowledge.
Although you're talented and have mastered the Three Body Technique in advance,
it's still not stable enough. Stay modest and cautious. You know there are
other talented students in our class. I hope you can maintain this momentum and
graduate with the best results in four years," Iruka said seriously.
Now was not the era of war. Except
for those from ninja clans receiving exclusive guidance and training at home,
the study at the Ninja School was carried out step by step. There was no need
to quickly train graduates and send them to the battlefield as cannon fodder.
The approach was to steadily cultivate low- and mid-level combat power.
The first two years at the Ninja Academy focused primarily
on theoretical knowledge and chakra training. This was the crucial
foundation-laying stage, where students learned about the history of the ninja
world, basic ninja tactics, and the principles of chakra control. They also
studied subjects like reading, writing, mathematics, and geography, ensuring a
well-rounded education.
In the third year, the curriculum shifted to emphasize
practical training. The students began to practice the three basic ninja
techniques—Transformation Jutsu, Substitution Jutsu, and Clone Jutsu—more
intensively. These three body techniques were essential for any ninja and
required precise chakra control and timing. Additionally, physical training
became a significant focus, with exercises to build strength, agility, and
endurance. Students also began to learn and practice basic taijutsu
(hand-to-hand combat) and genjutsu (illusionary techniques), getting a taste of
the real ninja skills they would need in the field.
Now, they were truly diving into the core themes of ninja
training, preparing for more advanced techniques and missions in the future.
"Understood, Iruka-sensei. You don't need to
worry," Menma replied confidently, straightening his chest.
"That's good to hear. I have some other matters to
attend to, so I'll head back now. It's getting late, so make sure to finish up
and get some rest, Menma."
"Will do."
With the New Year approaching, another year had passed. The
56th year of Konoha was coming, and Menma had officially entered the third year
of study at the ninja school. The curriculum was packed with various practical
training subjects, including basic physical training, throwing ninja tools,
trap layout, investigation, sparring between students, and preliminary Three
Body Techniques training.
As these courses were added, theoretical courses were
reduced but still included. The gap between students officially began to widen
at this moment. Or to be more precise, it started from the second year, as the
real learning of pure theoretical knowledge was in the first year, and the
second year was a preparatory course for practical training.
Ninja learning was similar to most students: practical
significance was always greater than theoretical learning, making the gap very
apparent. The class became distinctly different levels.
Menma naturally belonged to the top rung in the class.
After mastering the Three Body Technique in advance, his overall score had
always been at the top. Sasuke, who was ranked first in the original timeline,
was second in this life. Although Haruno Sakura could keep pace with Menma in
theoretical knowledge, her actual results were not as good, placing her in the
lower-middle level.
The most important part of measuring a Ninja School
student's performance was the actual combat. Even if a student failed every
theoretical test, passing the actual combat and ninjutsu tests was highly
likely to ensure graduation.