Three months had passed since Yoko entered the academy, and in that short time she had awakened several talents within her system. Her Ninja Arts talent had risen to the novice rank, while her Shuriken Jutsu, Taijutsu, and Kenjutsu talents had each reached the average rank. Most impressive of all was her Ninjutsu talent, which had already advanced to the good rank, marking her as a promising student among her peers.
Yoko and Mabui soon became close friends with Akane, another orphan like them, and the three quickly formed an unbreakable bond. After classes ended each day, Yoko divided her time between the academy library—where she buried herself in study—and the training grounds. Whether she was practicing alongside Mabui and Akane or pushing herself alone late into the evening, Yoko spent nearly every moment sharpening her skills and strengthening her resolve.
Sujiro, the homeroom teacher of Yoko's class, spotted her in the training ground one day. She was calmly weaving through a series of hand seals, and a moment later, two clones materialized beside her. It was a flawless execution of the Clone Jutsu—clean, precise, and far beyond what he expected from academy student.
Sujiro's eyes widened in disbelief as two identical clones materialized beside Yoko, each one perfectly formed. Yoko smiled, clearly pleased with the result, before dispelling them with a soft puff of smoke. Without missing a beat, she flashed through another sequence of hand seals, and in the blink of an eye, her figure vanished—replaced by a wooden log that thudded onto the training ground.
Sujiro was stunned once again. It's only been three months since she joined the academy, he thought to himself, and she's already learned two of the graduation-level jutsu entirely on her own… incredible.
Before he could fully process it, Yoko flashed through another set of hand seals. A puff of smoke burst around her, and when it cleared, Mabui stood in her place.
Yoko paused by one of the academy windows and caught sight of her reflection in the glass. A bright smile spread across her face—her transformation jutsu had been executed flawlessly.
She then continued to practice the three jutsus repeatedly, determined to perfect each one.
"I need to report this to Lord Raikage as soon as possible. She's a remarkable talent—ready for graduation far sooner than expected." Sujiro hesitated before sprinting to the Raikage Tower, his thoughts turning inward for a moment.
_________
In The Raikage Office
The Third Raikage was buried in paperwork when Ay and Bee approached him to discuss an important matter.
A sudden knock echoed through the office. The Third Raikage shifted his gaze toward the door. "Enter," he commanded. Sujiro pushed the door open and offered a respectful bow to the three figures inside.
When the Third Raikage saw Sujiro, he raised an eyebrow and said, 'Sujiro, what a surprise! How can I help you?'
Sujiro stood up straight and respectfully addressed the Third Raikage. "Lord Raikage, I have come to report on something. You asked me to keep an eye on Yoko Ichimaru and regularly update you on her progress at the academy."
The trio's interest was piqued when Sujiro spoke, and he went on to describe how Yoko performed the three final-year academy jutsus with perfect precision.
The trio smiled broadly at his words, yet Sujiro shook his head in disbelief. "It's been only three months since she joined—how could she have mastered all three jutsus so quickly?"
The Third Raikage smiled and said, "You might not know this, but Yoko is an exceptionally intelligent child. She possesses chakra reserves on par with a Chunin and has excellent control. She is also highly skilled in medical jutsu; in fact, it was thanks to her that I survived."
Sujiro's eyes widened with curiosity. "What do you mean, Lord Raikage?" he asked.
The Third Raikage began his explanation. "I nearly lost my life when I stayed behind to confront the Mist Shinobi, giving everyone else time to retreat. When she found me, Yoko used her medical jutsu—learned from her mother—to save me. Thanks to her exceptional chakra control, mastering the basic academy jutsus was easy for her. I suspect she discovered these techniques in the academy library."
After hearing the Third Raikage's explanation, Sujiro nodded in understanding. The Raikage tapped his finger on the desk, a smile playing on his lips, before a brilliant idea struck him. "Sujiro," he said, leaning forward slightly, "I want you to examine her—both theoretically and practically—tomorrow. The exam must cover everything taught in the academy, from the first year all the way to the final year. Am I making myself clear?"
Sujiro nodded respectfully. "As you wish, Lord Raikage. But may I ask why you want me to examine her?"
With a persistent smirk, the Raikage replied, "I believe little Yoko will one day become a pillar of the Hidden Cloud, regardless of whether she is a genius." He paused for a moment before continuing, "If she passes my test, we will advance her to the final year, and she will take the graduation exam in six months alongside the rest of the academy's final-year students."
Sujiro, Ay, and Bee froze in shock at the Third Raikage's words. Taking a deep breath to steady himself, Sujiro finally nodded. "Your wish is my command, Lord Raikage. If you'll excuse me, I have an exam to prepare."
The Third Raikage waved his hand, and Sujiro bowed before leaving the Raikage's office.
After Sujiro left the office, Ay glanced at his father and asked, " Pops, is it really wise to move Yoko to the final-year class?"
The Third Raikage's expression hardened. "Ay, you know very well how much tension there is between us and Konoha, Iwa, and especially Kiri," he said, his gaze shifting between Ay and Bee. "A war could break out at any moment."
He folded his arms, his tone grave. "If Yoko truly is a genius, then we will need her when the war breakout. It will be your responsibility to make sure she's ready for it, Ay."
Ay nodded seriously, and Bee began to rap. "Killer Bee's in the house, Yoko's on the rise,Teaching her the ropes, ninja style, no disguise. From the Cloud to the streets, she's sharp like a sword,Killer-Yoko's coming through, better strike a chord! Oh Yeah" Ay said, eyebrow twitching, before yelling at Bee, "Shut up, Bee."
The Third Raikage burst out laughing at the antics of his two sons. 'HAHAHAHAHA!'
________
Next Day
After class, Sujiro's gaze fell on Yoko. "Yoko, stay behind."
The other students exchanged puzzled glances but quickly filed out, leaving only Yoko and Sujiro in the now-empty classroom. Sujiro reached for his storage scroll and summoned a sheet of paper, handing it to Yoko. She eyed it warily, curiosity and unease flickering across her face.
Sujiro smirked at Yoko and said, 'This is just an evolution exam. Don't worry—your performance here won't affect your final score in the academy's graduation exam.'"
Yoko nodded in understanding and began working on the exam sheet. She noticed that some of the questions weren't from the first-year martial curriculum, but thanks to her photographic memory and the time she had spent studying the available library books, she knew the answers.
After completing the exam, Yoko handed her sheet back to Sujiro. As he checked her answers, his eyes widened in shock—every single one was perfect.
Sujiro regarded Yoko with a newfound respect and smiled. "Well done, Yoko. Now it's time for the practical exam. Follow me to the training ground."
_______
In The Academy Training Ground
Sujiro handed Yoko ten shurikens, their metallic edges glinting under the light. "Yoko, we'll begin your practical exam with a test of your shuriken jutsu," he said. "Stand behind the line and try to hit the target ahead of you."
Yoko nodded to Sujiro and stepped behind the line. She gripped the shurikens and began throwing them at the targets, just as she had practiced with Mabui and Akane.
"SWISH, SWISH, SWISH.".
The shurikens struck the targets, almost hitting the bullseye.
Sujiro smirked at Yoko's performance. "Now I see why Lord Raikage is keeping an eye on her—she's truly talented," he thought.
Sujiro walked over to a nearby barrel and picked up two wooden swords. He tossed one to Yoko, who caught it effortlessly. "We will now spar in Kenjutsu," Sujiro said. "Yoko, you know the rules: if you step out of the circle or drop your sword, you lose. Our spar will last for ten minutes."
Yoko nodded and began walking toward the Kenjutsu sparring spot. Suddenly, a familiar chime sounded in her mind:
DING
New Quest: Survive the spar with Sujiro for ten minutes. Rewards: +3 REF, 5 Ninja Points. Upon completion, Kenjutsu Talent evolves from Average to Good Talent Rank.
Upon hearing the system's notification, Yoko's excitement surged. She immediately assumed the basic Kenjutsu stance taught by the academy. Sujiro's eyes lit up with satisfaction—her form was flawless.
Sujiro began swinging his wooden sword at Yoko with sharp, rhythmic strikes—"CLAK, CLAK, CLAK, CLAK." Yoko met each swing with her own blocks, but the gap in their physical strength was glaring. She struggled to stay within the circle, her fingers aching as she fought to maintain her grip on the wooden sword.
Yoko thought to herself, 'I need to deflect and dodge his sword swings; his strength is far beyond mine.' She focused, parrying and evading each of Sujiro's attacks. Whenever an opening appeared, she seized it—thrusting or swinging her wooden sword in quick, calculated counterattacks.
Sujiro was clearly impressed by Yoko's natural talent in Kenjutsu, and a small, almost imperceptible smile flickered across his face. They spent the full ten minutes sparring, the clash of wooden swords echoing in the training area. When the time was up, Sujiro lowered his sword and said warmly, "You did well, Yoko. I'm proud of you."
DING
Congratulation host, you have completed the quest; your Kenjutsu talent has evolved from an Average Talent Rank to a Good Talent Rank.
DING
Your REF increased by 3 points and you earned 5 Ninja points.
Yoko opened the system panel to check her status and gave a small smirk at her improvement.
Name: Yoko Ichimaru
Gender: Female
Age: 5
STR: 13
SPD: 12
FLX: 10
REF: 12
STM: 13
INT: 25
BAL: 14
BL: Storm Release
Chakra Reserve: Chunin.
Chakra Control: Excellent
Passive talent: Photographic Memory.
Talent
Medical Art ( Very good ),
Water Release ( Good ),
Lightning Release ( Good ),
Storm Release ( Good ).
Ninja Arts (Novice),
Taijutsu (Average),
Kenjutsu (Good),
Shurikenjutsu (Average).
Sujiro's gaze met Yoko's. "Now, I will test your Genjutsu ability. I will cast a Genjutsu on you—you must break free before it overwhelms you."
Yoko nodded to Sujiro, and he immediately began forming a rapid series of hand seals. In an instant, Yoko felt her body freeze; not a single muscle would obey her. She closed her eyes, steadying her thoughts. "According to the books I read in the library, there are two ways to break out of Genjutsu. First, I need to halt the flow of chakra in my body, then forcibly disrupt it. The second method… is through pain."
Yoko stop the flow of chakra within her, then unleashed a sudden, strong burst of chakra that shattered the genjutsu.
DING
Congratulation host, you unlocked Genjutsu talent, Genjutsu Talent Average Rank.
Sujiro was very impressed when Yoko broke very quickly out of his genjutsu; he didn't start teaching his class about genjutsu yet, and Yoko already knows how to break out of one.
He smiled at Yoko. "Good work," he said. "Now that only the Taijutsu and Ninjutsu tests remain, let's begin with the Ninjutsu portion. You will need to perform the Clone Jutsu, Transformation Jutsu, and Substitution Jutsu."
Yoko nodded and performed a series of hand seals before transforming into Sujiro. The real Sujiro glanced at the transformed Yoko and nodded in approval. "Good work, Yoko. Now, try creating at least two clones."
Yoko cancelled her transformation, performed another set of hand seals, and two clones materialized beside her.
Sujiro's smile widened. "Excellent. Now, Yoko, it's time to execute the substitution jutsu."
Nodding, Yoko executed another set of hand seals and vanished, leaving only a wooden log in her place."
Sujiro clapped his hands in approval. "Well done, Yoko. I'm truly impressed. Now, only the Taijutsu test remains. Just like the Kenjutsu test, you must stay inside the circle, and the test will last for ten minutes."
Yoko nodded thoughtfully. "I should focus on dodging and deflecting his attacks, just like I did during my Kenjutsu test."
Suddenly, Yoko heard the system notification:
DING
A new quest spar with Sujiro in Taijutsu for ten minutes. Reward: increase STR, STM, SP, REF, BAL, and FLX by 2 points each, and evolve your Taijutsu talent from Average to Good.
Yoko smiled at the notification of her new quest. She assumed the standard academy Taijutsu stance, and in a blur of motion, both she and Sujiro charged at each other.
Sujiro launched a flurry of punches and kicks, and Yoko concentrated on dodging, deflecting, and seizing every chance to counterattack.
They sparred for ten intense minutes in Taijutsu. When the time was up, Sujiro lowered his stance, and Yoko stood panting, sweat glistening on her forehead. Suddenly, a notification echoed in her mind:
DING
Congratulations, Host! You have completed the quest. STR, STM, SP, REF, BAL, FLX, and INT have increased by 2 points, and your Taijutsu talent has evolved from Average to Good.
Yoko gave a small smile at what she heard, feeling subtle changes ripple through her body. She noticed Sujiro smiling back at her. "Good work, Yoko," he said. "Now, it's time I tell you the truth behind this exam."
Yoko looked at Sujiro, confusion flickering across her face, but she decided to listen.
"I saw you training the academy jutsus on the training ground by yourself yesterday," he began. "I also saw how successfully you cast them, and I reported your performance to the Raikage."
Yoko's eyes widened in surprise, but Sujiro continued, "The Lord Raikage has asked me to examine you. If you perform well, you'll be promoted to the final-year academy class and be eligible for the graduation exam in six months."
DING
Quest Upgrade: Instead of becoming the Rookie of the Year, you must now graduate from the academy in six months. Reward Golden Ticket.
Yoko's eyes widened in surprise, and a bright smile appeared. "Thank you, Sensei," she said earnestly. "I promise to do my best and live up to lord Raikage's expectations."
Sujiro nodded in satisfaction. "Good. You may leave now, Yoko. I'll go report to the Raikage."
Yoko nodded, collected her things from the classroom, and stepped out, making her way back to the orphanage.
She she opened the system panel again to check on her status.
Name: Yoko Ichimaru
Gender: Female
Age: 5
STR: 15
SPD: 14
FLX: 12
REF: 14
STM: 15
INT: 27
BAL: 16
BL: Storm Release
Chakra Reserve: Chunin.
Chakra Control: Excellent
Chakra affinity: Water and Lightning
Passive talent alent: Photographic Memory,
Medical Art ( Very good )
Water Release ( Good )
Lightning Release ( Good )
Storm Release ( Good )
Ninja Arts (Novice)
Taijutsu (Good)
Kenjutsu (Good)
Shurikenjutsu (Average)
Genjutsu (Average )
Stats
Medical art (Good)
Ninja arts (Novice)
Taijutsu (Average)
Shurikenjutsu (Average)
Kenjutsu (Average)
Genjutsu (Novice)
A happy smile spread across Yoko's face as she thought, "Six months from now, how much stronger will I be? And what will the Golden Roulette of Talent grant me this time?"
After Yoko left, Sujiro wrote up his report on her performance, collected her exam sheet, and made his way to the Raikage Tower.
_____
In The Raikage Office
Sujiro knocked on the Raikage's office door. "Enter," came the voice. He stepped inside.
Raikage smiled as Sujiro entered. He was eager to hear the results of Yoko's examination. "Well, Sujiro," he said, "I hope you're bringing good news."
Sujiro smiled as he handed the Raikage a brown folder. "This contains my report on Yoko's exam and her answer sheet," he explained.
Raikage nodded and picked up Yoko's exam sheet first. His smile widened as he carefully reviewed her answers. Then, reading Sujiro's report, he threw his head back and laughed heartily. "HAHAHAHAHA! This girl did not disappoint me."
The Raikage asked Sujiro, "So, Sujiro, what do you think about my idea of moving Yoko up to the final-year class?"
Sujiro was silent for a moment before answering the Raikage honestly. "To be frank, it would be a waste of her talent if she remained with her classmates. She is exceptionally gifted, but what concerns me is her age. By the time she graduates, she will be only six years old. The life of a shinobi is harsh—she could be left mentally scarred."
The Third Raikage nodded solemnly at Sujiro. "You need not worry," he said. "I will appoint Ay as her sensei, and she will become his apprentice. Ay will prepare her to face the hardships of the Shinobi life."
Sujiro nodded happily, and after that, he excused himself and left the Raikage office.