With the help of his shadow clone Shinra made explosive progress, he had managed to finally learn the three basic academy jutsu. 'Finally, I will be starting off with my shape transformation training. When I am done with that it will be time to learn lightning jutsus. I still don't have any idea how I am going to acquire them, since there are no elemental ninjutsu in the library.'
Luckily there was a lot of lightning style ninjutsu explained in the show, and it does help that two of the most relevant characters being Sasuke and Kakashi were lightning style users.
Shinra already knows the basics of nature transformation, in fact when he learned his first sensory technique he used it quite a bit. Changing the properties of chakra into the sensing type is also considered a successful use of Nature transformation, but changing them into one of the five basic natures is a different matter.
'In order to perform lightning release I need to convert my chakra into electricity.' Shinra thought as he began moulding and changing the property of his chakra.
After a bit of time Shinra succeeded and began to channel the electricity into the tips of his finger, the final result were quite disappointing for the effort used. A single short streak of electricity shot from his index finger and disappeared quickly. "Releasing the electricity without using an actual jutsu is very inefficient unlike the sensory field which can be easily expanded."
'Next up is Shape Transformation which is an advanced form of chakra control, that involves controlling the form and movement pattern of a jutsu.
Since I have already mastered tree climbing and water walking, next up is naturally the so-called highest level of shape transformation available— The rasengan.'
Although Shinra doesn't feel anyone spying on him right now, he wasn't careless enough to start training an A-rank jutsu out in the open. He quickly headed home and locked himself inside, 'If I could use a shadow clone for this it would be safer, but since the jutsu is simply a mass of chakra spinning in so many direction the clone wouldn't be able to sustain itself an disperse almost immediately.'
Shinra pulled out a balloon from a pack that he had brought on his way back and began filling it with water, the first step of the rasengan is rotation; which involves spinning chakra in multiple directions until the friction of the movements cause the water balloon to burst.
'I don't really expect to learn it as quick as Naruto did, since I don't have the chakra to keep spamming it after failing. I just hope it doesn't take a very long time, currently I can repeat step 1 quite often because it doesn't take much chakra, but once I start the next step I might not be able to do it more than 2 or 3 times before needing to rest.'
And indeed Shinra continued his life normally, he had the same training routine but the only difference was substituting the rasengan training into it instead of his usual chakra control training.
He did note that the overall level of the class did become quite a bit stronger than before, especially those clan kids. One person however who gave him a weird feeling was Uchiha Ren, rather than his usual aloofness and staring at him from time to time he now exuded unusual emotional fluctuations from time to time.
Sometimes he would be talking to himself incoherently, he would sometimes laugh, cry or go in a frenzy when sparring. Shinra observed as the once popular boy in class had barely anyone sitting close to him out of fear, Reigen has had him stay behind multiple times after class to speak to him but apparently it didn't fix anything.
'He was fine a few days ago, what happened to him?' Though Shinra was curious about his classmate at the end of the day they weren't close, so he left him be.
A few weeks later a surprising news was announced in class by Reigen, "Uchiha Ren has completed his early graduation exam, from today on he is a Shinobi…. Do your best to follow in his footsteps."
Naturally the class erupted in chatter, discussing Ren's achievements and there were even some talks about why Shinra doesn't graduate as well if he ranks above Ren. Shinra ignored the talks and continued to train everyday, if the academy still has things to teach him then he wouldn't graduate until he learns everything it has to offer.
The 3rd year of the academy was by far the most helpful to being a ninja, it focused more on camping, stealth, hunting and even tracking. Although such skills don't increase the strength of a ninja, it can save their lives a lot more and that was what Shinra focused on.
'Is the graduation exam easy to pass? or did Ren do some sort of special training.' Shinra didn't dwell long on the subject, because today he had managed to complete the first step of the rasengan training and moved on to the rubber ball exercise.
As he started the next step of the rasengan training he could immediately feel the difference in difficulty, 'I hope to finish this rather soon, Minato took 3 years to create this jutsu, whilst Jiraya learnt it quite quickly, the fastest was Naruto who learnt in a week.'
Naturally when he ran out of chakra he would end the rasengan training that day and after resting he would use his clone to spar with him, although it was far less efficient than sparring in the academy since both of their move sets are the same it allows Shinra to identify weaknesses in his fighting style and try to fix them.
From time to time Shinra would switch to use real kunai instead of pure body strength, 'I can't expect my enemy to use just taijutsu when fighting, he might as well be using poison or genjutsu mid battle to kill me quicker.'
Finally after a long two months Shinra had finally completed the 2nd step of the rasengan, Shinra stepped out of his house it was currently a weekend so he didn't have to go to the academy today.
'The village seems a lot quieter than usual.' Shinra noted as the usual bustling streets were now scarce of people.
After walking for a bit Shinra finally heard the reason from somepasserby, 'Kumo's envoy are in the village right now?'
Shinra calmed down a bit, 'I see so it's time for the kidnapping of Hinata, it really is a wonder on how they were able to enter the Hyuga compound and kidnap the heiress of the clan so silently. Did they have a spy in the clan?'
He continued his training normally and after two weeks the village announced the peace treaty between konoha and kumo, they didn't mention the Hyuga incident nor the sacrifice of Hyuga Hizashi.
The third great ninja war was officially over, such news travelled all across the shinobi world. There were some people celebrating, whilst some were still mourning. Such news were still welcomed by all.
Back in his house Shinra stood in his room his body soaking with sweat but in his was a sphere of chakra rotating in his hand constantly, 'Rasengan complete, it took me four entire months to learn this jutsu. All of that training for a jutsu I can't use in the open…nice.
The Shadow Clone jutsu took me two weeks, the rasengan took four months, how long would Edo Tensei take me? a century?'
Whilst Shinra was training he naturally had thought about how to acquire lightning release ninjutsu. Although the academy didn't provide elemental ninjutsu, not all paths are cut off it seems. After the academy hours, Shinra stayed behind and had a talk with Reigen.
Reigen seeing the eight year old Shinra asked him, "Are you here to apply for early graduation?"
Shinra shook his head, "I want to learn elemental ninjutsu."
Reigen looked Shinra with a deadpan expression, 'Last time he asks me for the Shadow Clone jutsu a B-rank jutsu, now he asks for elemental ninjutsu.'
Reigen coughed lightly and said, "Unfortunately I am unable to teach you for the exact reason as last time, and I am unable to ask lord third about it since he is very busy these days."
Shinra nodded his head and said, "I know that, since you are currently an instructor you won't be able to teach me. But Reigen-sensei has friends that aren't instructors right?"
Reigen re-evaluated Shinra in his mind, 'What kind of shamelessness is this? Is he ignorant of such matters or playing dumb?'
he stayed silent for a second before saying, "Do you know your nature affinity?"
Shinra nods his head, "Lightning"
Reigen nodded his head, "I indeed have a friend who is good at lightning release, but whether he accepts or not is up to him and if he asks for a fee, naturally you will be the one to pay."
Shinra bowed his lightly, "Thank you very much, Reigen-sensei."
Before Shinra turned around and left, Reigen asked him a question that he didn't want to hear.
"By the way, why aren't you taking the graduation exam? with your current level I am sure that you will have no problem in passing".
——
A/N: I am sorry if the chapter felt a bit chunky, I had to rewrite it twice before releasing this. Thankfully the academy arc is almost done and we are moving on to genin life.