Mastering the Elements - Chapter - 85

The classroom buzzed with nervous energy. Students chewed the ends of their pencils, scribbled last-minute notes, and whispered to one another as the academy graduation exam began.

Naruto Uzumaki slouched in his chair between Hinata Hyūga and Midori Uchiha, trying his best not to look too bored. His fingers tapped against the desk.

This is it? he thought. Gaara told me his exam in Suna was brutal… survival in the desert, fighting real shinobi. And here we are filling out kiddie worksheets.

Midori leaned sideways and whispered, “You look like you’re about to fall asleep.”

Naruto grinned. “That’s because this is way too easy.”

Hinata nudged him gently, her pale eyes scanning her own paper. “Don’t score too high,” she murmured. “We agreed, remember? Just enough to pass.”

So, instead of writing full answers, Naruto scribbled half-complete explanations. Midori intentionally left blanks in places she knew were obvious. Hinata carefully calculated which questions to get wrong so her grade looked “average.”

To anyone spies in the village, they were just three normal students.


After the written exam, the class was herded out into the training yard. Iruka-sensei and Mizuki waited with clipboards.

“Alright, everyone,” Iruka announced. “You’ll be asked to demonstrate three basic jutsu. Then, a short sparring session with an instructor. Remember, this isn’t about showing off. It’s about proving you can safely control what you’ve been taught.”

One by one, students went forward. Some stammered their hand-seals. Others barely managed to perform a henge or a clone. A few failed outright.

When it was Naruto’s turn, he stepped forward casually, hands behind his head. “Just three, right?”

Iruka nodded, pen ready.

Naruto cracked his knuckles and smirked. “Kage Bunshin no Jutsu.”

In a puff of chakra, ten perfect clones appeared beside him. The crowd of students gasped. Most struggled with even three illusory clone, yet Naruto’s were solid, breathing, grinning copies.

“Uh… Naruto,” Iruka said cautiously, “that’s a bit beyond the required level—”

Naruto cut him off with a Transformation Jutsu, turning into a perfect copy of Iruka himself. “How’s this?” he asked in Iruka’s own voice.

Laughter rippled through the class. Iruka pinched the bridge of his nose. “Fine. One more.”

Naruto grinned and used the Substitution Technique, swapping places with Mizuki’s clipboard. Mizuki stumbled, looking around confusedly while Naruto waved the clipboard in the air.

“Done.”

Hinata went next, performing each jutsu with flawless precision but deliberately without flourish. She looked as though she had practiced just enough to be competent, hiding the sheer fluidity of her chakra control.

Midori’s turn was similar. Her hand seals were sharp, crisp, and deliberate, but she downplayed her speed. To the untrained eye, she was simply another competent academy student.


Then came the sparring matches. Each student would fight an instructor for two minutes.

A nervous boy was quickly disarmed and subdued. Another girl burst into tears halfway through her match.

When Naruto’s turn came, Mizuki stepped forward. “I’ll handle this one,” he said with a little too much eagerness.

Naruto bounced on the balls of his feet, grinning. Two minutes? I can have fun with that.

The match began. Mizuki lunged, kunai flashing, but Naruto blurred to the side with speed unnatural for a “mere academy student.” He didn’t counter, though. Instead, he tapped Mizuki’s wrist lightly, as though to say, I could’ve disarmed you just then.

Mizuki growled and attacked harder. Naruto dodged every strike, never striking back, just brushing Mizuki’s arms, legs, or ribs in mock taps.

“Stop playing around!” Mizuki hissed.

“I’m not,” Naruto whispered with a mischievous smile. “If I hit you for real, it’d be over.”

When time was called, Mizuki was panting, sweating, and humiliated. Naruto hadn’t even broken a sweat.

Hinata’s spar was elegant. She slipped into a low stance, her movements graceful and precise. Every strike was measured, every dodge exact. She never once revealed the devastating power of her gentle step combined with gentle fist, simply appearing as a promising Hyūga heir.

Midori fought with cool detachment, moving with crisp footwork and sharp strikes. She too hid her kenjutsu style, keeping it to basic taijutsu exchanges.


When it was all over, the three of them walked together, grinning at how simple it had been.

“That was pathetic,” Midori muttered. “I held back so much I thought I’d fall asleep.”

Naruto stretched his arms behind his head. “I know! They didn’t even make us fight real opponents. Gaara’s gonna laugh when I tell him about this.”

Hinata smiled softly. “We passed. That’s all that matters.”

Naruto frowned. “But why so easy? Shouldn’t shinobi be tested harder?”

Iruka, overhearing, walked up to them. He gave Naruto a small smile. “The academy teaches the bare minimum, Naruto. Not every student here will become a shinobi. Some will leave the village, live as civilians. If they’re taught too much, if they misuse their training, they could become dangerous—bandits, thieves, mercenaries. The exams are designed to weed out who can handle the responsibility, not to create prodigies.”

Naruto scowled. “That’s dumb. What’s the point of teaching us so little? If we’re supposed to protect the village, shouldn’t we be strong enough to do it?”

Iruka sighed, shaking his head. “Strength comes later. This is just the first step.”

Hinata laid a hand on Naruto’s arm. “We’ll keep training at Pottaru Estate. Together. Like always.”

Naruto’s frustration eased into a grin. “Yeah. Together.”

Midori smirked. “And next time, let’s see who shows the most progress. Deal?”

Naruto chuckled. “You’re on.”

The three of them walked off, shoulders brushing, knowing full well they had only just begun—and that the real tests of strength lay ahead.


Naruto had never felt prouder than when Iruka tied the Konoha headband on his forehead. He wore it everywhere, even when Mikoto teased him about sleeping with it on. He’d strut around the Pottaru estate, grinning wide and tapping the metal plate with his finger.

One afternoon, Nawaki toddled toward him, clapping his chubby hands. At two years old, he was far more energetic—running instead of crawling, babbling in half-formed words, and constantly pulling at things that caught his attention.

“Nii-chan!” Nawaki squealed, reaching for the shiny headband.

“No, Nawaki, this isn’t a toy,” Naruto said, stepping back quickly.

But the toddler’s green eyes widened, lower lip trembling in a pout that could break anyone’s heart. Tsunade smirked from her chair, arms folded. “Looks like your little brother wants to be a shinobi too.”

Naruto groaned. “But this is mine. I earned it!”

Mikoto gave him a pointed look. “Naruto…”

With great reluctance, Naruto sighed, untied the headband, and placed it in Nawaki’s small hands. The boy giggled, clutching it tight and running clumsily around the room, waving it like a banner.

“Great,” Naruto muttered. “From legendary shinobi to plaything.”

Itachi, arriving just in time to see Nawaki trip over his own feet, caught the toddler before he fell. “That’s what being an older brother feels like.”


News spread quickly that Naruto had graduated early. Children whispered in the streets, parents pointed him out, and Konohamaru stormed into the estate, fists clenched.

“This isn’t fair!” Konohamaru declared. “You got to graduate early just because you’re the son of the Fourth! I’ll show you! I’ll graduate by the time I’m ten and then I’ll beat you, Naruto!”

Naruto tilted his head, bemused. “Uh… you’re already seven, Konohamaru. That doesn’t leave you much time.”

“Exactly!” Konohamaru said proudly. “I’ll work twice as hard. No—three times as hard!”

Before Naruto could respond, Midori came around the corner, smirking. “Oh good, a new training dummy.”

Hinata followed, smiling politely but with a glint in her eye. “Yes, Konohamaru-kun does need practice.”

Konohamaru froze. “W-wait, what?”

Moments later, the courtyard echoed with Konohamaru’s yelps as Midori and Hinata sparred with him. He stumbled, blocked, and got thrown to the ground again and again.

Naruto scratched the back of his head and laughed. “You brought this on yourself, Konohamaru.”

But to everyone’s surprise, Konohamaru kept getting back up, bruised but determined.


On the same day, Naruto crossed paths with Rock Lee near the outer gates. Lee was drenched in sweat, hair plastered to his forehead, and his legs trembling from endless laps.

“Lee?” Naruto asked, curious. “Didn’t you fail again?”

Lee paused mid-stride but flashed his usual bright smile. “Indeed, Naruto-kun! I failed for the last time… and now I have been granted the path of a true shinobi!”

Naruto blinked. “What do you mean?”

“My new sensei, Guy-sensei, convinced the Hokage to let me graduate!” Lee explained, striking a pose with his thumb up. “I cannot use ninjutsu or genjutsu. My chakra coils reject it. But with Taijutsu alone, I will become the strongest shinobi! That is my way of youth!”

Naruto stared, then grinned. “So you’re telling me… you can’t use a single jutsu, but you’re still gonna be a shinobi?”

Lee nodded vigorously. “Yes! And I will prove to the world that hard work surpasses natural genius!”

Naruto chuckled and slapped his new headband. “Well, Lee, then I’ll be cheering for you. But don’t think I’ll go easy on you if we ever spar!”

Lee’s eyes lit up. “A challenge of youth! I will accept it someday, Naruto-kun!”



The graduation hall had thinned out quickly. One by one, jonin instructors entered, greeted their new genin teams, and left with them. The room that had once buzzed with chatter now grew quiet, leaving only a few students behind.

Naruto sat tapping his foot impatiently, Hinata’s hands were folded neatly on her lap, and Midori leaned back against the wall with her arms crossed, pretending not to be restless though her eyes kept darting toward the door.

“Why is it taking so long?” Naruto muttered. “What if no one picks us? What if they make us go back to the academy?”

Midori rolled her eyes. “Stop whining. No jonin in their right mind would refuse to take us. We’re the only team graduated early.”

Hinata spoke softly, her tone calm but laced with a little nervousness. “Still… I-I wonder who it will be.”

Naruto rubbed the back of his head, grinning nervously. “I just hope it’s not some boring old guy who’ll make us read scrolls all day.”

At that exact moment, the door slid open.

Every head in the room turned, but Naruto’s eyes widened instantly.

A tall figure walked in, confident but relaxed, short spiky hair and the unmistakable Uchiha fan on his back. His dark eyes had a warm glint to them, and his mouth carried the hint of a smirk.

“Shisui Nii-san!” Naruto jumped to his feet in excitement. “Are you—are you our jonin sensei!?”

Shisui chuckled, scratching the back of his head. “Of course. Who else would be crazy enough to take you three on? Come on, let’s get out of here.”

Hinata’s eyes widened. Midori straightened instantly, her cool demeanor slipping as a spark of excitement flashed across her face. Everyone in the village knew Shisui Uchiha by reputation—the ‘Body Flicker Shisui,’ one of the fastest shinobi alive, Itachi’s closest friend, and a legend even among the jonin.

Naruto could barely contain himself as he followed Shisui out the door. “Yes! This is awesome!”


Shisui led them out of the academy and across the village until they reached one of the more secluded training grounds. Birds chirped overhead, and the wide field gave them plenty of space.

Turning to face them, Shisui clapped his hands together.

“Alright, brats, listen up. I’m not going to waste time on introductions—you all know who I am, and I know who you are. I’ve been keeping tabs.” His gaze flicked over each of them with sharp, measuring eyes.

Hinata swallowed under his stare, Midori’s lips curved into a confident smirk, and Naruto stood tall, determined not to look small before his new sensei.

“But here’s the thing,” Shisui continued. “I don’t care that you passed the academy exams. I don’t care about your grades, your family names, or your reputations. What I want to know is how strong you are right now, and how far you’ve come. So…” He slipped his hands into his pockets, looking infuriatingly casual. “You’re going to fight me.”

Naruto blinked. “W-wait, fight you? Like… right now?”

Shisui grinned. “Right now. One by one. Give me everything you’ve got. I want to see your strengths, your weaknesses, how you think, how you adapt. Don’t hold back.”

Midori stepped forward immediately, kunai spinning between her fingers. “Good. I was getting bored. I’ll go first.”

Hinata’s hands tensed at her sides, but she nodded. “I’ll watch carefully.”

Naruto cracked his knuckles, smirking. “This is gonna be fun.”