Iruka stood at the front of the classroom, looking at the eager faces of his students.
With a warm smile, and not dragging things out any longer, he began his explanation.
He carefully demonstrated how to perform the Three Basic Techniques—Substitution, Clone, and Transformation—and how to weave the correct hand seals for each.
He explained how to circulate chakra throughout the body.
How to mold it.
How to control it.
And how to execute the jutsu with precision.
The students all paid close attention, jotting down notes and practicing seriously—especially the aspiring shinobi.
Well, most of them.
One notable exception was Uzumaki Naruto.
While the others listened intently, Naruto's eyes were distant. But he wasn't just spacing out.
In fact, after watching Iruka's demonstration and hearing the explanation, something strange happened inside him.
It was as if he had performed the Three Techniques countless times before.
The Substitution Jutsu, the Clone Jutsu, and the Transformation Jutsu—
He understood them all perfectly, like a hidden part of his mind had just awakened.
He didn't just learn them.
He mastered them.
...
Perfect Substitution Jutsu: No hand seals, no delay—activates automatically when under attack!
Perfect Clone Jutsu: Instantly creates a large number of intangible clones—no hand seals required!
Perfect Transformation Jutsu: Immediate transformation into anyone he imagines—with no seals or delay!
In that instant, Naruto's mind surged with understanding.
It felt as if he had practiced these jutsu for years, endlessly refining them until they reached perfection.
Compared to the ordinary Three Basic Techniques, these perfected versions were on a completely different level.
They weren't just improvements.
They were revolutions.
But just as Naruto was mentally reviewing the Perfect Substitution Jutsu, a sudden voice cut through his thoughts.
"Uzumaki Naruto! I noticed you weren't paying attention. Did you even understand what I just explained?"
Iruka's voice was sharp, edged with sarcasm.
"If you've already learned it, then come up and demonstrate for the class."
Naruto looked up, calm and unbothered.
Iruka stood there, arms crossed, eyes fixed on him with suspicion and contempt.
Just moments ago, while he was teaching the class the Three Techniques, he'd noticed Naruto staring blankly into space.
He wasn't paying attention at all.
Again.
To Iruka, Naruto was a constant source of frustration. He couldn't understand how someone like him—the so-called demon fox—could sit there so carefree.
He still remembered how the Nine-Tails took his parents away from him.
And now that very same beast, in human form, was allowed to attend the Ninja Academy?
It was outrageous.
The Third Hokage had ordered that Naruto be treated like any other student. That was the only reason Iruka tolerated his presence.
But deep down, he didn't believe Naruto deserved it.
Especially after what he said on the first day of class—
"I'm going to be Hokage!"
A fox demon… becoming Hokage?
Ridiculous.
Iruka had disliked Naruto from the very start.
And if it weren't for the Hokage's direct order, he wouldn't be teaching this class at all.
But Naruto, unaware of Iruka's inner resentment, simply stood up and walked toward the front.
Calmly. Confidently.
Whispers and giggles filled the classroom.
The other kids—many of whom had heard rumors about the "demon fox"—looked at him with mocking grins.
"Here we go!"
"This is gonna be good."
"Haha! That fox freak's about to embarrass himself!"
But they had no idea what was coming.
But not everyone mocked Naruto.
Some students were actually worried about him.
Hinata Hyuga, sitting near the back, watched Naruto walk up to the podium. Her hands clenched nervously, her heart filled with worry.
She didn't want to see him embarrassed.
Naruto stepped forward and glanced at Iruka, who gave him a nod to begin.
Seeing this, Naruto shrugged casually.
Then—
He executed the Three Basic Techniques with textbook precision.
Substitution. Transformation. Clone.
Each one was performed so perfectly, so seamlessly, that there wasn't a single flaw to be found.
In that moment...
The entire classroom fell silent.
Eyes widened. Mouths dropped.
They couldn't believe what they were seeing.
Iruka-sensei had just finished teaching these jutsu.
And yet—
That demon fox... actually mastered them all? Instantly?!
Even Hinata was stunned. Her eyes sparkled as she whispered, "So amazing…"
Her admiration for Naruto only deepened.
Shikamaru, Choji, Ino, Shino—and even those who hadn't taken Naruto seriously before—were visibly shocked.
Naruto had performed the jutsu with more grace and skill than Iruka himself.
Even Uchiha Sasuke narrowed his eyes, suddenly feeling a spark of competitiveness.
That dobe... mastered the Three Techniques that fast? I can't fall behind.
He made up his mind right then and there—after class, he would ask Itachi for help mastering the techniques as well.
Iruka was stunned.
He hadn't expected this. Not from Naruto.
In fact, he realized with a touch of unease—
Naruto's demonstration had been more standard, more refined than his own.
Of course, Iruka didn't know the truth:
Naruto had been holding back.
He could perform the Perfect Three Techniques with no hand seals at all.
If he wanted, Naruto could simultaneously activate all three—Substitution, Transformation, and Clone—in a single instant.
But right now, he didn't want to stand out too much.
He didn't want to cause unnecessary trouble.
So he held back.
Finished with his demonstration, Naruto dispelled the techniques and looked at Iruka.
"Sensei," he said calmly, "can I go back to my seat now?"
Though phrased as a question, his tone was more like a quiet statement of fact.
Iruka stared at him, dazed, before nodding slowly.
"...You may return."
He couldn't find any valid reason to criticize Naruto further.
Still, in the back of his mind, Iruka searched for some explanation—any excuse to explain Naruto's sudden proficiency.
It must be the Hokage's doing!
That old man must've taught Naruto these techniques in advance...
Yeah! That's the only explanation!
There's no way he learned them just now...
As Naruto walked back to his seat, the stares of his classmates followed him—shocked, confused, and awestruck.
Back at his desk, Hinata leaned over and whispered:
"Y-You were really amazing just now…"
Naruto smiled and gently patted her on the head.
My little Hinata is still the cutest.
Iruka, still rattled, quickly returned to the lesson.
He let the class begin practicing the Three Basic Techniques on their own.
But by the end of the period...
No one else had managed to master all three.
Some students had grasped one or two, but even those who succeeded were clumsy and clearly lacked full control.
Only Naruto had performed all three with ease.
While the others continued to fumble through basic practice, Naruto had already begun thinking ahead.
The Perfect Three Techniques don't require hand seals...
In the world of ninja, that alone was a huge advantage.
Naruto knew that in the early stages of becoming a shinobi, the speed at which you could form hand seals often determined whether you lived or died in combat.
Sure, in the later stages, you could unleash massive jutsu with a mere clap of the hands or even with sheer willpower...
But in the beginning, speed and control of hand seals were everything.
There were twelve basic hand seals:
Rat, Ox, Tiger, Hare, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Ram, Monkey, Bird, Dog, and Boar.
By combining these seals in different sequences, nearly every ninjutsu in the world could be formed.
Naruto recalled a fact he'd read before—
Uchiha Itachi, even as a child, could form five hand seals in a single second.
If a jutsu required forty seals, he could complete it in just eight seconds.
Meanwhile, the average Genin might take fifteen or even twenty seconds to finish the same sequence.
And if your seals were slower than your opponent's...
You were done for.
In short:
Speed. Simplicity. Efficiency.
Those were the keys to surviving as a ninja.
If a shinobi could simplify their seals—or even cast jutsu without any seals at all—they would gain a huge edge in battle.
But that kind of mastery required one thing first—
Complete understanding of the jutsu itself.
Naruto thought about that.
He was the son of the Fourth Hokage, after all. Shouldn't he have inherited at least something?
Some scrolls? Secret techniques? Legacy knowledge?
But no.
Everything his parents had left behind—
Had been taken by that scheming old man, the Third Hokage.
Naruto hadn't received anything.
Not even a single scroll with Genin-level techniques.
He clenched his fists.
Old man Hiruzen... you owe me.
I'm keeping count. And I'm updating that list every single day.
Bang bang bang!
...
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