-Menma's Pov-
Following the fulfillment of my promise, I dedicated myself to honing my skills for the Chunin exams and preventing certain events from happening. I underwent training in ninjutsu according to my elemental affinities: wind, water, earth, fire, and lightning. Despite the rigorous demands of the training, I made considerable progress within three months, having mastered various fire, water, and earth style jutsu as well as medical ninjutsu. In addition, I developed a powerful wind style jutsu called the Great Rasen Ring, which proved as potent as the Rasengan. Though my attempt to imbue it with lightning chakra failed, I made progress in creating a kekkei genkai by combining different elemental affinities.
In terms of taijutsu, I was able to outmaneuver most Genin, except for Lee, who was exceptionally gifted and hardworking, Neji, a Hyuga prodigy, Naruto, who was adept at adapting to different fighting styles, and Sasuke, who could read my attacks' trajectory and copy them with his Sharingan. To further enhance my training, I requested weights from Lee, who provided me with a pair of 3000kg weights, which I used to increase my strength.
Although I struggled at first, I eventually started making progress in kenjutsu, and I had attained an amateur level. However, genjutsu proved challenging for me as it required strong imagination to control my targets' senses and make them believe in the illusion. Despite my ability to perform a simple henge, I eventually gave up on genjutsu.
After two additional months of training, I mastered the fundamentals of being a ninja, such as stealth, strength, agility, physical and mental fortitude, and other essential skills. My rapid improvement took many by surprise, and I became known as one of the strongest Genin in Konoha.
Over the next six months, I continued to train and hone my body to an unprecedented level, even surpassing Lee's own physical prowess. Neji was amazed at my use of ninjutsu, and my chakra reserves had grown exponentially since my training began. Although I still lacked confidence in my Kenjutsu abilities, I had acquired a decent level of skill in the art. Unfortunately, I still lacked a sword of my own.
In terms of jutsu, I had also learned several new techniques related to the four elements. But that wasn't all. I had successfully developed the Wood Release kekkei genkai, just like the First Hokage. Though it was a slow process, I was confident that mastering this technique would prove to be incredibly useful in the future.
Creating this kekkei genkai involved combining the earth and water elements, and it took me a whole month to complete. Nevertheless, it was well worth the effort, as it not only had the potential to be used offensively, but also for healing and defense.
After completing my training, I took some time off to rest at home before celebrating my birthday with Naruto. We caught up and had a great time together.
Finally, graduation day arrived, and we all received our headbands. Naruto was overjoyed to have graduated, and I congratulated him and our classmates. We then went to Ichiraku and Yakiniku Q to celebrate. The celebration was fun, although I couldn't help but notice Sakura and Ino fangirling over Sasuke, and Hinata stealing glances at Naruto and turning red when he spoke to her.
As the sun began to set, we said our goodbyes and went home, feeling proud of our accomplishments and excited for the future.
The next morning we were in the academy classroom with all the people that graduated this year to form our teams which consisted of :
Kakashi Hatake's Team 7: Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura
Kurenai Yuhi's Team 8 : Kiba, Shino and Hinata
Asuma Sarutobi's Team 10 : Ino, Shikamaru, Choji
Tenji Watanashi's Team 5 : Tenya, Yuko, Menma
I ended up being a part of team 5 where I was paired up with. Yuko Mitarashi and Tenya Hyuga.
Yuko Mitarashi possesses several admirable qualities. She is known for being cool-headed and level-headed in high-stress situations, which makes her an asset to any team. Her calm demeanor allows her to think clearly and make rational decisions, even in the face of danger.
Yuko is also highly skilled in medical ninjutsu, which is the ability to heal wounds and injuries using chakra. Her knowledge of the human body and medical techniques would make her an invaluable asset on the battlefield. She is able to quickly assess and treat injuries, which can mean the difference between life and death for her comrades.
Despite her serious demeanor, Yuko is also a pleasant person to talk to. She has a friendly and approachable personality, and is always willing to listen to the concerns of others. Her compassion and empathy make her a comforting presence for those in need of emotional support.
Overall, Yuko is a highly capable and valuable member of any team. Her cool-headedness, medical expertise, and friendly personality make her a well-rounded person who is both skilled and easy to talk to.
Tenya Hyuga exudes an air of arrogance and superiority. He is confident in his abilities and has no problem asserting his dominance over others. He is an observant individual who is always aware of his surroundings, which gives him an edge in battles and other situations.
Tenya is also extremely intelligent and cunning, always thinking ahead and planning his next move. He is decisive and doesn't hesitate to take action when necessary. He has a keen strategic mind and is skilled at analyzing situations and coming up with effective solutions.
Despite his arrogance, Tenya is also fiercely loyal to his friends and family. He values their opinions and will go to great lengths to protect them. He has a strong sense of duty and takes his responsibilities as a member of the Hyuga clan very seriously.
Overall, Tenya is a formidable opponent and an invaluable ally. His intelligence, cunning, and decisiveness make him a force to be reckoned with, but his loyalty and sense of duty also make him a trustworthy friend.
Our jonin instructor, Tenji can come off as cold and distant to those around him. He often keeps to himself, preferring to observe others rather than engage in small talk or idle gossip. Despite this, he has a caring side to him that is often hidden beneath his aloof exterior.
Tenji is naturally curious, but he respects people's privacy and doesn't like to pry into their personal lives. He believes that everyone should have the right to keep certain things to themselves, and he doesn't want to make anyone feel uncomfortable or exposed.
However, when it comes to helping others, Tenji is always willing to lend a hand in his own quiet way. He is a good listener and can be counted on to offer thoughtful advice or a fresh perspective. Though he may not be the most outgoing person, those who take the time to get to know him will find that he is a reliable and trustworthy friend.
Overall, Tenji is a reserved and introspective person who values his own privacy as well as that of others. Despite this, he has a compassionate and helpful nature that he expresses in his own unique way.
As we settled into our new teams, we began to train under our respective Jonin instructors. For Team 5, our Jonin instructor Tenji Watanashi was a strict and methodical teacher, but he was also highly skilled and knowledgeable. He pushed us to our limits and demanded nothing but the best from us, but he also took the time to explain the reasoning behind his teachings and to help us understand the practical applications of what we were learning.
Yuko Mitarashi was an excellent medical ninja and she taught us a lot about the human body and how to heal injuries. She was patient and kind, always willing to take the time to explain things to us in a way that we could understand.
Tenya Hyuga was a skilled strategist and tactician, and he taught us how to think critically and plan ahead in battle. He could be harsh at times, but he always had our best interests at heart and wanted us to succeed.
As we trained together as a team, we learned to work together and support each other, both in and out of battle.
After months of training and completing various low-level missions, our team had developed a strong bond that went beyond just being teammates. It was during this time that I had reached a level of strength comparable to that of a special jonin, which was quite impressive.
However, our constant assignments to do menial tasks like picking weeds and catching a runaway dog became increasingly tiresome. We had even been assigned a C rank mission that involved guarding an old merchant for a week, which felt like a complete waste of time. It was a relief when our Tenji sensei informed us that all missions were canceled until the upcoming chunin exams.
Menma expressed his exhaustion with a sigh, glad to be free from the mundane tasks. Yuko laughed in agreement, pleased that we could finally focus on our training without distractions.
"The upcoming chunin exams are a great way to showcase out skills and be recognized by other villages." Tenya added, "But we needed to be fully prepared for it."
"Teamwork is crucial in the chunin exams as there would be team battles." Yuko noted.
Therefore, we needed to work on our coordination and support for each other during combat.
Tenji sensei emphasized, "The chunin exams aren't just a test of physical strength, but also your strategic skills and your intelligence. In the exams it is crucial to be well-rounded to succeed."
With a unanimous nod of agreement, the team renewed their focus and determination, continuing their training with even greater intensity in preparation for the highly anticipated chunin exams.