Application for Early Graduation

Applying for Graduation

After testing Kōsei's dōjutsu and chatting for a while longer, Kakashi released the summoning and let Kōsei return to Ryūchi Cave...

Hatake Sakumo said to Kakashi, "I just went to the Hokage's office to hand in the mission report, and the Third told me that you've been using a Shadow Clone to attend classes..."

"The theoretical classes and such, the clone listened very carefully. Up to now, I've mastered them all," Kakashi explained.

"Do you feel it's a waste of time? The Third also brought it up, asking if you wanted to graduate early." Since Kakashi said he had already mastered the theoretical knowledge at the school, White Fang chose to believe him. As for the practical combat classes, neither father nor son brought them up.

"How about after this semester is over, I apply for the graduation exam?" He voiced the plan that had been in the works for a long time. If it weren't for the current Konoha regulations stating that all Konoha shinobi must first receive education at the Ninja Academy barring special circumstances, Kakashi would have been eager to directly apply to become a shinobi.

"Mhm, if you're confident, then do it like that. As for your leading instructor after graduation... we'll talk about it then."

Kakashi's situation was a bit special; he was officially apprenticed to Orochimaru, so the best scenario would naturally be to have Orochimaru personally lead him, but given Orochimaru's current status, the possibility of him leading a Genin squad like Kakashi's was not high. Yet if it were changed to some other capable veteran Jonin, out of face, few people would dare to casually mentor the Sannin's personal disciple. So with the words on the tip of his tongue, Hatake Sakumo didn't know what to say.

The matter of an instructing Jonin isn't important to begin with. I already have a rough training plan. All that's left to do is continuous training, accumulating experience in missions, and growing. Kakashi quickly figured out Hatake Sakumo's unspoken hesitation.

Besides, right now isn't a time of world war; there aren't as many dangerous missions as before. Ultimately, if I'm a bit more careful, the missions Genin can do won't put me in too much danger. Rather than considering these things, it's better to teach me more things.

Speaking up to this point, Kakashi grew enthusiastic, taking out the birthday gift Hatake Sakumo gave him last year from the room—a costly samurai sword.

This blade was slightly shorter than a regular samurai sword, fitting Kakashi's adolescent physique, yet it was longer than the short blade Hatake Sakumo used.

The reason Hatake Sakumo's short blade was so short was because his own swordsmanship had already reached ultimate mastery; in pursuit of faster form changes to maximize lethality, he intentionally kept it short.

"You really don't give me any break time at all." Smiling helplessly, Hatake Sakumo had no choice but to act as a sparring teacher.

"Doesn't this give you a chance, while you can still beat me, to let you be smug for a while longer?"

"Hahaha, with a brat like you wanting to win against me, it'll take at least twenty years." Hatake Sakumo didn't mind Kakashi occasionally joking and teasing him.

In an instant, two flashes of sword light fluttered and intersected in the courtyard. The clanging sounds of ding, ding, ding were endless.

Kakashi's swordsmanship was also growing continuously under the accumulation of day-to-day practice.

For ordinary people, concentrating all their energy on a single point was the only way to break through a surface with a point and achieve perfection.

After all, for shinobi, most went far with a single specialty. Being well-rounded often meant mediocrity.

At first glance, Kakashi seemed to learn all sorts of miscellaneous things, giving the feeling of learning too much without chewing it thoroughly. But in fact, he studied taijutsu to better solidify his physical foundation; a good physical foundation was the prerequisite for mastering swordsmanship, and also the prerequisite for practicing Senjutsu later on.

From infancy, Kakashi had begun to ponder the path he wanted to walk.

Combining his studies and consultations with Hatake Sakumo and Orochimaru over the years, he would constantly fine-tune and perfect his planned route, ultimately finding the most suitable path to success for himself.

The next day, with Hatake Sakumo's consent, Kakashi officially submitted an application for early graduation to the school, preparing to take the assessment at the end of this semester.

This matter didn't cause too much of a ripple because the students and teachers in the Ninja Academy already knew from that day that Kakashi's strength was very strong, and ordinarily Kakashi's theoretical scores were also at the top of the list.

In the class, the only ones who paid special attention to this matter were Might Guy and Obito.

Might Guy felt that because of Kakashi's choice, he should practice even harder and more desperately. As for the reason Obito paid attention, on one hand, he hoped Kakashi would fail his promotion so he could mock him, while on the other hand, he hoped Kakashi would leave the Ninja Academy quickly so there would be less time for him to be together with Rin Nohara—wouldn't that give him more opportunities? A youth's infatuation was always so entangled.

Kakashi, who didn't make any special preparations, remained as immersed as ever in the enhancement of his own strength. This pleasure of clearly perceiving his own progress would make a practitioner increasingly addicted.

There was still one month left until the graduation exam. Upon learning that Orochimaru had just returned from completing a large-scale mission and had plenty of rest time, Kakashi sought him out.

"Mhm? You said you want to go to Ryūchi Cave?"

Orochimaru furrowed his brows tightly, wondering what his disciple was in such a rush for.

"If it's about the graduation exam, with your ability, it's not a problem at all. Then you purely want to practice Senjutsu. But you should know that your current level is still a long way from mastering Senjutsu."

Today Orochimaru was resting at home, and Jiraiya had come over to find him. At the moment, he was also looking at Kakashi with interest.

"I know, Teacher, but it's not a must for me to learn Senjutsu on this trip. I simply want to experience natural energy firsthand. In addition, I've had an idea for a long time; if I don't try it now, I'm afraid I'll regret it in the future," Kakashi continued with a resolute gaze.

"Although natural energy also exists in the outside world, because the reserves are scarce, it's very hard to perceive it on your own. Only where the so-called Three Great Sage Regions are located can you achieve a breakthrough from zero to one. I've always wanted to know, if I purely use natural energy and proceed step by step from shallow to deep, whether I can replace the chakra in my body with natural energy."

Kakashi, speaking these remarks, scared Orochimaru and Jiraiya out of their wits.

Orochimaru had told Kakashi very early on that the end result of directly drawing natural energy into the body was only a single path of death. Why was Kakashi still stubbornly insisting on it this way?

He just wanted to scold Kakashi for being fanciful, but then he thought of this disciple of his always being steady, as well as what he had asked once before.

What kind of relationship do natural energy and chakra actually exist as? This possibility seemed to have a flash of inspiration streak across Orochimaru's mind, so he fell silent.

Jiraiya on the side didn't have so many twists and turns and directly burst out laughing.

"Hahaha, Orochimaru, this disciple of yours has too bold an idea. Although I don't know what the difference is between Ryūchi Cave Senjutsu training and Mount Myoboku's, as far as I know, once natural energy enters the body, without a sufficient amount of chakra and the ability to control balance, you'll turn into stone and lose your life in a minute!" Speaking up to this point, Jiraiya glanced at Kakashi, whose expression didn't change at all.

"It's good for a child to have ideas, but isn't the role of us mentors to let you take fewer detours and wrong paths? Mhm... Kakashi, just listen to Orochimaru and go try it in a few years." At this time, Jiraiya thought that Orochimaru's gradually stern expression was due to dissatisfaction with Kakashi's failure to know his limits, and he attempted to smooth things over for Kakashi. Jiraiya also liked the exceptionally clever Kakashi quite a bit.

"I only have ten days of vacation. Deducting the travel time to and from, I can only give you seven days. I can watch over you to prevent any problems." After careful consideration, Orochimaru's hoarse voice sounded like heavenly music to Kakashi.

"What!?! Orochimaru, how can you accompany this brat in making a fuss?" Jiraiya was startled by Orochimaru's decision.

"Many thanks, Teacher! Then I'll go to the school to apply right now, and then go home to pack my things. I'll come find you immediately." Kakashi bowed and left quickly.

"Hey hey, Orochimaru..." Jiraiya, who was about to continue persuading, was interrupted by a wave of Orochimaru's hand.

"Rest assured, Jiraiya, I'm watching; he won't be in mortal danger. Furthermore, I feel this brat's idea might be worth a try. When I come back, I'll talk to you in detail."