Dead Eyes (Naruto)

Part 5: Graduation

-Naruto POV-
(Age 12)
It had been four years since I'd summoned Ma. I still called on her to spar sometimes and occasionally she thought of new things to teach me during said spars. I had attempted to summon Minato multiple times, but I wasn't able to.

I wanted to learn to use elemental chakra, but dad said I had to wait until I became at least a genin. Mom pointed out that he'd taught Sasuki and Itachi the fireball jutsu at a way younger age. He compromised to teach me 'Wind Release: Great Breakthrough', which I was happy with.

Ashina had taught me a lot about blacksmithing, I learned all he had to teach me and I had a lot of pride in my work. Mom and dad had a small forge built behind the house for one of my birthdays, so I spent a lot of time there. I was really good at making kunai, Shuriken, and swords. I was working on other things, but I needed teachers for those.

Me and my group of friends trained together a lot. My training method was kind of a shock to them, I found out that other kids my age were much more relaxed about their training. After finding out how much stronger I was, it drove them to train harder and said all they could to catch up. It was kind of embarrassing to learn how much they were working to get on my level. They were doing it in their own ways though, which was cool for me to learn about.

Kiba had been working with his mom and sister to improve his senses. He told me that he didn't take it that seriously before, but now that he was working hard, he understood why it was important. He now could tell people apart by their smell and what their footsteps sounded like. He could feel even the slightest vibration and taste when there was something in the air too. He'd started wearing earmuffs because of how sensitive his ears had become. He'd also learn a good amount of clan jutsu that he wouldn't tell me about.

One day we were sparring with taijutsu at the Inuzuka training ground right before my ninth birthday. I was paired up against Kiba, Akamaru was on the sidelines waiting happily. As we sparred, I noticed that he was reacting to my strikes before he saw them, but only when he blinked.

I swept his feet from under him and pinned him to the ground. "I have a question." I said as I helped him up.

He raised an eyebrow. "What?" He asked.

"Do you have a sixth sense?" I asked.

He furrowed his brow. "What?" He asked.

I pulled off my sash. "Put this over your eyes." I said.

He was about to protest, but I cut him off. "Just trust me." I said.

He sighed and did as I said. "Where is this going Uzumaki?" He asked.

I sent a slow punch in his direction and he dodged to the side. At this point the others were all watching. He was frozen. "Did- did you just try to punch me?... did I just dodge it?" He asked.

Shikamaru picked up a rock and threw it at him. He ducked. "What the hell Shikamaru?" He asked.

We were all staring in shock. Kiba realized what was going on. "Naruto, punch me!" He said.

I punched him in the nose, he almost dodged though. "He almost did it again, I was just too fast." I said.

From there, he began honing his new technique with his mom and sister. He would walk around with a blindfold on constantly.

Shikamaru had started reading a lot. Mostly books on strategy and historical battles and wars. He had been making his dad train him in the clan techniques by threatening to go to his grandfather instead. Apparently he could control shadows.

One day I was at recess when we were nine, next to Shikamaru on a grassy slope next to the academy. He was reading a book while laying down while I watched the others play tag. I had Akamaru in my lap, petting him while Kiba played.