"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up." In response to the silence of her ANBU protectors, she once more shoved herself off the ground and stared at the tree. "The least one of you could do is get me a Kunai."
A moment passed with no response before she shrugged. "Fine, fine. Watch me suffer without even knowing how much I'm progressing!" Another pause before she let out a sigh. "Darn, and here I thought emotional blackmail would work. Guess I just need to use actual blackmail next time..." Not even waiting for a response she'd once more slowly walk towards the tree before putting a foot on it. Taking a moment to pause she'd review the training exercise once more. 'Focus chakra on your feet, because it's harder to do so in your hands. This not only will help you cling to surfaces but is also a preview to Water Walking later. It'll help my chakra control, which as an active benefit lets one use less chakra for jutsu, but also use more advanced jutsu. Passively, Chakra Control has been shown to make Shinobi significantly stronger and faster. Overall, this is a simple exercise that isn't difficult but is just about consistency. It's mastered when you can do it subconsciously.'
With that minor review out of the way, she would begin. Not sprinting, but simply calmy walking, she'd one step at a time go up it, only for at around the dozenth step to slip and once more begin her descent.
Doing a quick flip mid-air she managed to this time land on her feet. She didn't stop, and just once again continued to walk towards the tree, before at a slow and steady pace walking up it. A dozen again. Fall. Repeat. Go again. Fall. Repeat.
"Hah! 13 steps this time! Only a few hundred to go before I've only preliminarily mastered just about the easiest chakra exercise in existence!"
'Was that optimistic or pessimistic? Aah, who cares!' It was a good thing to note, however, that they hadn't stopped her from trying, or even warned her. Did they expect her at some point to try this and other training methods? Was this the expectation, for her to learn such methods from observation, and not being taught? If that was the case, was that the same in the manga, or is that just here?
Naruko didn't know, and honestly, it didn't even matter. 'But it's good to know anyway. It seems like the expectation is for either students, or at least myself to search for training outside of the academy. Makes sense, considering Konohagakure was founded based on clans.'
In between one of her attempts she realized something, 'If that's the case, that's why the academy teaches such basic things, and also why Civilian students are often sent back or whatever form of Genin Corps exists, the Clan students know this, and the common Civilian doesn't recognize this.' Humming at the realization, she started up again an amused and high-paced tune escaping her lips. 'Truly an idiotic setup, but one that respects the clans, and one it seems like "I" will break in the future.'
Time passed as she tried again, and again before eventually as a bit of frustration began to take seed within her realization struck. 'Wait... am I an idiot?' Placing one foot on the tree and holding it there, she slowly closed her eyes and focused. Once more her 'view' of the world would change, and all of a sudden she could see the chakra within her, could see the chakra flooding her body, but also see the chakra wrapped around her foot. 'So this much huh?'
Keeping herself concentrated, the same amount of chakra would wrap around her second foot and she'd take a step forward. Another one, another, and another. 'No, don't fluctuate!' Keeping control with her new 'view' she managed to reach one hundred steps before her grip on her chakra fluctuated, and she was sent careening down.
Luckily, considering she was actively using chakra, she felt no pain as she landed on her feet. Instead of feeling disappointed, a wide grin spread on her face. "That'll work..."
A couple of hours passed, and as the rain broke showing the afternoon sun, Naruko could be found resting on the top of a tree. Sweat dribbled down the back of her neck, and her orange shirt was matted and filled with dirt, grass, and leaves. But - she was victorious! "Wooooh!" Taking a moment to bask in the sun shining down on her and her soaking, yet dirty form, with a broad smile on her face she'd once more open the Minds Eye of Kagura, before slowly walking down the tree. 'So what happens when you give the clan with the most Chakra the most broken Sensing technique? A free shortcut to all chakra control and manipulation, alongside the stamina to bash your head against the wall for a day straight!'
Stepping foot on firm ground once more she'd strike a pose, "I bet you all betted on how long I would take! I guess none of you guessed only a few hours, y'know?!?" She got no response, but her mind's eye was still open! "What? You did bet on me?!?" Turning towards the southeast in the general direction of the academy building, a shocked expression could be seen as she pointed at... a tree?
There was a moment where nothing happened before a sigh was heard, and then a neutral voice neither feminine nor masculine, neither deep nor soft was heard, "Please don't do that." There was a shuffling of movement that she tracked with her mind's eye but didn't call out the movement. All for one reason.
She recognized that voice from the anime. Taking track of his position, alongside the three others, realization struck her. She faced the dirt so none of the Squad would see the tears instinctively welling in her eyes. 'A triangle formation around me, his voice, and the fourth ANBU that's blending into the trees being separate from them. They... they really are still doing their duty after his death?' Taking a deep breath to steady herself at the realization, she forced a smile on her face, "Alright alright ANBU-san, I'll make sure not to do it next time!"
Seemingly not affected by the realization, she shut off her Mind's Eye of Kagura and began to once more begin to walk up a tree. This time she only got about halfway up before falling, but that was far, far better than what she could do before having 'cheated'. 'Especially considering I'm not focused on it... To think that they would be guarding ME after his death still. Was that an aspect of canon never shown? Is it because I'm a girl and not a boy? Is it because this is just a different universe?' Shaking her head she'd clear herself of all thoughts, and just focus on the training ahead of her. 'I can think about this later in bed, for now, let's just train!'
A few more hours passed before she began to slightly limp towards her apartment building looking absolutely exhausted. A few bad falls and near-chakra exhaustion did that to a person y'know!
-CHANGE-
"She recognized your voice." There was both doubt and confusion in the voice of his squad leader and best friend.
"Yes, she did Taichou. I've never met her before." A moment passed before the first voice said,
"She was also using Mind's Eye of Kagura - no one in the village besides us and the Sandaime could have taught her that." The second voice appeared to be thinking for a moment before the third popped up,
"You don't think he?" The three of them fell silent for a moment before his squad leader finally said,
"It's Yondaime-sama after all, it's possible. Especially when he used that Kinjutsu." There was no response for a while before his fourth squadmate far more dead and monotone sounding than the rest of them spoke up,
"There was no Kyuubi chakra, but her chakra was more erratic than usual. But it quickly calmed whenever she wasn't talking."
Silence fell for a long while as the night stretched on before finally, "Report it all to Jiraiya-sama. Tell Sandaime-sama that she's awoken Minds Eye of Kagura and that the secret of the Kyuubi won't last long."
In response, he and his squadmates said, "Hai Taichou!"
'Yondaime-sama, did you split your soul as well?' As the question rang through his mind, he couldn't help but grip a unique kunai hidden on his leg.