Strength From Within (A Naruto Neglect Book)

8

-Edited-

When it came to training, one of the first things that Naruto was taught how to do was to make shadow clones. With his ever growing chakra reserves, it was clear to Kurama that it would be the most beneficial to his training because of their properties. The ability to obtain information and relay it to the user after being released or destroyed meant it could increase the amount he could learn at once. While Naruto could only make six without feeling completely drained because he was young, it was still more than some jounin could make and as such boosted his training. It also meant he could get used to the sensation of receiving the information without it overloading him.

He left one clone at home to study books that Shizune had given him, so that if anyone were to visit him things would seem natural, and there would be no questions asked because he did not know the content his adoptive sister would test him on.

Two of his clones would work on chakra control exercises, another two went to the library to look up taijutsu and kenjutsu styles under the transformation jutsu which had been one of the first things he learnt. His transformation was special, it was solid, thanks to the ability that Kurama had given him, and it was quite useful since it didn't dispel even if he was hit. The last clone stayed nearby Naruto in case he needed it, and practised basic survival skills such as trap building, setting up camp, hunting and gathering.

The original Naruto worked with Kurama on things such as physical training, practising his dojutsu and when he was exhausted, taking him into the mindscape to look at the strategic side of things by playing a few rounds of shogi or analysing scenarios that Kurama would manifest from his memories such as a battle scene or Tsunade chasing after a certain super pervert with a bloodied nose.

Both Naruto and Kurama were happy with the progress he was making, even if it was slower than Kurama hoped, only because of the limits of Naruto's five year old body.

Naruto was not the only one making improvement, however. It was clear, even from the outside, that his biological siblings were going to become prodigies. It was not unusual for clan heads to start training their children early, as Motoshi and Katsuko had, but for them to excel in the ways that they already had was drawing the attention of the other clans.

The scariest thing about it all was that these two children were not just all talk, actually had some skills that many children a few years into the academy did not, and were not bratty or arrogant as many prodigies were. Kushina had quickly disposed of that attitude.

Minato had also taken action because of the pair, making sure that the academy curriculum would be changed at the start of the new school year, in five months time. In the new curriculum, graduates who passed above sixty percent and below 90 percent would become genin, those who passed above that mark in every aspect (written, taijutsu, ninjutsu and weapons throwing) would receive the title of tokubetsu chūnin, and would be placed in a team with other tokubetsu chūnin and automatically entered into the chūnin exams that took place a month after they graduate.

Tokubetsu chūnin would allow that person to take lower level C-ranks and D-ranks alone, and higher ranked C-ranked or low B-ranks with another team of chūnin or tokubetsu chūnin. They are superior to genin but lesser to chūnin that have completed the exam and gained the rank. If they fail to pass the chūnin exam the first time round, they will be stripped of their title and become a genin, still eligible to take the next chūnin test in six months.

Ordinarily, the increased difficulty would have been frowned upon by the civilians, but with the chance for them to still become genin, and increased motivation for the children from Ninja families to pass it wasn't something that they were against. There was also the argument that it would make Konoha stronger, and hopefully keep casualties down.

Children who had been enrolled before the curriculum change would be graded during the end of year tests in three months time, and placed into classes with other people in their skill range. People who were deemed unable to continue by the teachers at the academy would be given the choice of a ten week trial with the new curriculum and if they could not keep up, would be sent to civilian schools.

Along with other changes, such as decreasing the power of the civilian council to simple advisors and not giving them the ability to vote (as they could overpower the shinobi council on any matter), Konoha was set to become a force to be reckoned with.