Naruto: Teaching to Become Stronger, Changing Tragedies 57

Chapter 57: The Real Exam Begins Before Even Entering the Exam Hall (Seeking Follow-Up Reads)

2025-01-18

Chapter 57: The Real Exam Begins Before Even Entering the Exam Hall (Seeking Follow-Up Reads)

The physical training was far more grueling than what Shisui had anticipated.

Before this, he usually only exercised by running, and rarely pushed himself to exhaustion.

But today was different. Shisui completed nearly every conceivable bodyweight exercise.

After 800 push-ups, Shisui felt his arms were no longer his own. After 800 squats, his legs felt as heavy as lead. After 800 sit-ups, his abdomen ached intensely.

After completing all these fundamental exercises, Shisui slumped against a tree, feeling he had lost control of his body.

He’d seen Might Guy train intensely before and didn’t think much of it, but experiencing it himself revealed just how torturous it was.

Towards the end, he was practically relying on sheer willpower to persevere. His bodily sensations were blurry; he was merely completing the repetitive motions mechanically, driven by sheer will.

Shisui almost couldn’t resist using Chakra to assist his movements; it was incredibly exhausting.

Imagine: sweat blurring your eyes, the salt stinging them, each movement of your heavy limbs testing your will and strength, yet you can’t stop, because you haven’t reached your training goal.

“Four hundred and twelve, four hundred and thirteen…”

Looking at Might Guy in the distance, still performing frog jumps, Shisui couldn’t help but feel admiration.

He and Might Guy had started training at the same time. Might Guy’s exercises were even more challenging. Shisui just did push-ups, while Might Guy did push-ups with a heavy stone on his back.

Even so, Might Guy completed more repetitions in the same amount of time, and even after Shisui was utterly exhausted, Might Guy still had energy to continue.

In fact, even in pure taijutsu combat, Shisui wouldn’t lose to Might Guy; he might even be stronger. But in terms of sheer physical strength, he was far inferior.

When Might Guy rested, Shisui couldn’t help but ask, “Guy, you must have trained regularly before, to be able to handle this much.”

Might Guy nodded and replied, “I started before I even entered the Ninja Academy. My father trained me.”

Hearing Might Guy’s words, Shisui felt a pang of melancholy and envy, because he had lost his parents at that age.

Shisui believed that if his parents were still alive, they would have taught him ninja techniques as well.

“Shisui, are you finding it too tiring to complete? I have a training secret you might want to hear?” Might Guy decided to share his father’s training methods with Shisui.

Without the same clan ties as Obito and Shisui, he hadn’t interacted much with Shisui, but through their frequent training sessions and shared meals, Might Guy considered Shisui a trustworthy companion.

“What secret?” Shisui was intrigued.

“Self-imposed constraints. Treat these exercises as challenges. Failure to complete the challenge means accepting a penalty, like if you don’t finish 3,000 push-ups on time, you do an extra 500.” Might Guy said.

“Using self-imposed restraints to push oneself is indeed a good training method,” Shisui pondered.

He felt Might Guy’s method was similar to Miyuki’s approach to problem-solving.

Shisui didn’t expect Might Guy, who appeared so carefree, to come up with such a self-motivational method.

“Pretty good, right? My father taught me this. Whenever I faced a difficult challenge, I would use self-imposed constraints.” Might Guy scratched his head and laughed.

“Your father must have been a very powerful Upper Ninja,” Shisui praised.

He felt that the father of someone like Might Guy couldn’t be weak.

“Haha, he was just a Genin, but I think my father is amazing.” Might Guy laughed heartily.

Although just a lifelong Genin (a low-ranking ninja), this didn’t stop Might Guy from believing in his father’s strength.

“Genin…” Shisui’s expression showed surprise, and he became even more curious about Might Guy’s father.

Considering Might Guy’s age, his father must be at least twenty-eight, likely in his thirties. A Genin at that age was unusual.

“I have a Chakra application technique for Taijutsu; let’s discuss it.” Shisui reciprocated.

…

Ninja Academy, Year One, Class One classroom.

“The Ninja Technique Theory 1 course is concluded. The final exam is in two weeks. Now, focus on reviewing and preparing.” Miyuki said.

It should have been finished a week ago, but Miyuki taught at a faster pace, hence the two-week review period.

“Miyuki-sensei, don’t forget my dango (rice dumplings)!” Dou said.

“As long as you do well on the exam, you’ll get plenty of dango,” Miyuki smiled.

“Miyuki-sensei, I want snacks,” Tetsu Kōgane raised his hand.

“Prepare well for the exam, and you’ll get plenty of rewards,” Miyuki tidied her lesson plan.

The bell rang, signaling the end of class, accompanied by a system message.

[Lesson Completion]

[Evaluation: A]

[Reward Obtained: Fire Release: Phoenix Flower Claw Red]

Miyuki picked up her lesson plan and nodded silently. This is a fairly practical Fire Release Ninja Technique.

“Two weeks of review? Just thinking about it makes me tired,” Tetsu Kougne complained.

“Then don’t review! We listened in class, anyway,” Kumo Suigetsu suggested.

Because of Tetsu Kougne’s unreliability, Kumo Suigetsu felt he had to find a girlfriend himself. He’d already found out that the girl next door also attended the Ninja Academy, in Year One, Class Six.

He planned to get first place in the theoretical exam and approach her using his top ranking as leverage.

Although Tetsu Kougne scored a few points lower than him last time, their recent mock exams were neck and neck. Kumo Suigetsu considered Tetsu Kougne a major rival for first place, so he wanted to discourage him from studying.

“No review. That sounds good. My older cousin from a higher grade said sometimes, not reviewing and facing the exam with a relaxed attitude can lead to better results,” Tetsu Kougne nodded.

Tetsu Kougne’s first complaint was a setup for this. He wanted to discourage Kumo Suigetsu from studying so he could secure first place.

He’d already bragged to Meihu about getting first place in theory, and Kumo Suigetsu was his main rival.

“Is that really true?” Dou was tempted; she felt two weeks of review was exhausting.

Tetsu Kougne and Kumo Suigetsu both nodded in agreement.

“Shisui, do you usually review for exams?” Dou asked Shisui from the back.

Shisui shook his head; he remembered everything from class.

Seeing that Shisui, who got first place in theory last time, said so, Dou’s eyes lit up. She felt she really didn’t need to review.

“Then let’s go out to play this weekend,” Dou invited her two friends.

“No, I have something to do at home this weekend,” Tetsu Kougne refused. He didn’t want to play; he wanted to study and get first place.

“What about you, Suigetsu?” Dou looked at Kumo Suigetsu.

Kumo Suigetsu also shook his head. “My family has a lot going on lately, so I can’t go either.”

Having successfully dissuaded them from studying, he naturally needed to stay home and study hard.

“Oh, okay, then I’ll find someone else to hang out with,” Dou didn’t suspect anything.

The real exam had already begun outside the exam hall, and Dou had already been eliminated.

(End of Chapter)

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