In less than three months, Naruto had completely mastered both Wind Release: Invisible Shuriken Technique and Wind Release: Leaf-Borne Shuriken Technique.
Compared to the more than three years he had spent developing “Flying Flowers and Falling Leaves Can Wound”, mastering these two techniques felt unbelievably fast.
Of course, that was only because both techniques had been built upon the foundation of the earlier one.
And after successfully completing all three techniques, another ability underwent an unexpected transformation.
It was the Super Strength Technique.
The success of Flying Flowers and Falling Leaves Can Wound had pushed Naruto’s chakra control to an almost abnormal level.
Then, after perfecting both Wind Release shuriken techniques, that control improved even further.
Although the improvement seemed slight, at Naruto’s current level, even a tiny increase made an enormous difference.
The Super Strength Technique relied entirely on exquisitely precise chakra control to unleash explosive power in a single instant.
As a result, Naruto found himself naturally capable of using it.
Even he hadn’t expected that outcome.
Over the past few days, after repeated testing, Naruto concluded that his mastery of monstrous strength was probably second only to Tsunade’s.
Even Sakura during the era of Shippuden wouldn’t compare.
In fact, if Naruto had personally witnessed Tsunade’s full power—and if not for the modesty ingrained in him from his previous life—he might not even have admitted that she was stronger.
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As for his mental cultivation…
Five years earlier, Naruto had reached the state known as Constant Meditation.
Five years had passed, yet he remained at that same stage.
His spiritual energy and physical strength continued to grow rapidly.
However, his inability to break through into the next realm, Eternal Meditation, remained a disappointment.
The ninja world had no cultivation manuals like those from his previous life.
He could only rely on his own limited understanding of mental training.
Naruto guessed that Eternal Meditation represented a state where one remained completely calm even if Mount Tai collapsed before one’s eyes.
In his previous life, he had been an ordinary person.
In this life, although constantly monitored, he had never truly faced imminent death.
After all, he always believed in avoiding unnecessary danger.
Without ever standing before genuine catastrophe…
How could one understand the difference between ordinary calm and remaining composed while facing certain destruction?
Without experiencing that overwhelming pressure…
How could one truly comprehend the state required for Eternal Meditation?
And without that understanding…
How could one ever attain it?
So although he felt disappointed, Naruto also believed he had at least discovered the key to reaching that realm.
If his theory was correct, then as events unfolded in the future, as long as he never lost his courage, he would eventually step into the realm of Eternal Meditation.
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With the completion of his leaf techniques…
The annual Ninja Academy graduation examination quietly arrived.
“Tomorrow is the official graduation exam,” Iruka announced.
“So today we’ll review one last time.
Everyone, line up and transform into me.”
He had already repeated those words over a dozen times.
For nearly two weeks, the students had done nothing but review every graduation exam subject.
In the original timeline, Naruto had failed the graduation exam twice.
Those failures had occurred during this very review period.
“Awww…”
The students groaned in unison.
After so many days of nonstop practice, everyone was exhausted.
Still, complaining wouldn’t change Iruka’s decision.
They obediently lined up.
“Transformation!”
Sakura formed her seal and instantly transformed into Iruka.
“Excellent.”
Iruka wrote down his evaluation.
“Did you see that, Sasuke-kun?”
Sakura proudly showed off after receiving praise.
Sasuke, as cold and indifferent as ever, didn’t even respond.
He simply stepped forward.
Before Iruka could even tell him to begin—
Poof!
He transformed into Iruka instantly.
His speed and accuracy were both clearly superior to Sakura’s.
“…Very good.
Next…
Uzumaki Naruto.”
Even Iruka sounded impressed.
He deliberately used very good instead of excellent because he felt the word excellent no longer adequately described Sasuke’s performance.
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Unlike the Naruto of the original story, this Naruto had no intention of performing the Sexy Technique.
He calmly walked to the front of the room.
Calmly formed the hand seal.
Then calmly performed the Transformation Technique.
“Pass.
Next.”
Seeing Naruto’s transformation, Iruka judged it to be far too ordinary.
Its execution was also slower than Sasuke’s.
He simply marked it as a pass.
Still, a passing grade was all that was required for graduation, so Iruka said nothing more.
After all, unlike the original timeline, this Naruto had never become particularly close to Iruka.
The final day at the Ninja Academy passed quietly.
The following morning…
It was finally time for the official graduation exam.
“Listen carefully,” Iruka announced.
“The graduation exam will test the Clone Technique.
When your name is called, proceed to the classroom next door in order.”
“The Clone Technique?
That’s great!”
“Yeah!
Clone Technique is so easy!
Thank goodness it isn’t the Substitution Technique!”
“I was most worried about the endurance test.”
As soon as the exam topic was announced, the classroom erupted in celebration.
After all, every student had already mastered the Clone Technique.
Naruto was no exception.
“Quiet.”
“Although all of you have already passed the Clone Technique during normal practice, don’t let your guard down.”
“If nervousness causes you to fail during the actual exam, I won’t hesitate to mark you as unsuccessful.”
“Now I’ll read the order.”
“Listen carefully.”
“Uchiha Sasuke.”
“Haruno Sakura.”
“Hyuga Hinata.”
“Yamanaka Ino.”
“Nara Shikamaru.”
“Aburame Shino.”
“Inuzuka Kiba…”
“…Uzumaki Naruto.”
Naruto’s name came last.
“That’s everyone.”
“Follow the order I called and report to the classroom next door.”
With that, Iruka left first.
As the first name called, Sasuke naturally headed over first.
“Good luck, Sasuke-kun!”
Sakura immediately cheered for him.
“Darn it—you beat me to it!”
“Good luck, Sasuke-kun!”
Ino quickly followed, unwilling to lose.
Soon the rest of the girls joined in, enthusiastically cheering for Sasuke.
Even someone as stoic as Sasuke felt speechless.
It’s only a Clone Technique exam…
Why are they acting like I’m about to fight a life-or-death battle?
Do they seriously think I’d fail something this simple?
Lifting his head a little higher, Sasuke walked proudly toward the examination room.
A short while later, he returned wearing a forehead protector.
It was obvious he had passed.
“My turn!”
“Sasuke-kun, just watch—I won’t have any problems either!”
Sakura flashed him a cheerful V-sign before hurrying toward the examination room.
Whether Sasuke actually looked at her or not didn’t matter.
In truth…
He hadn’t looked at her at all.
ADD TO COLLECTION.