For the next half month, Tanaka Haruki didn't leave the house to train. He even took a leave of absence from the academy. During that time, he focused entirely on writing manuscripts, honing his chakra control, and practicing his super-strength techniques.
Time flew by.
After transforming himself with a jutsu, Tamura Hiroshi took his manuscript to the publisher, arranging for regular printing and distribution. Once that was done, he returned home to prepare for today's big event.
First, he put on his inner armor, which had cost a staggering 100 million taels to custom-build. The core structure was a mesh made of special metals, with armored plates on the chest, back, forearms, calves, and shoulders.
According to the armorsmith, it was extremely lightweight—less than ten pounds in total—but also tough enough to withstand C-rank ninjutsu. The flexible structure provided both defense and shock absorption.
Next came the outer layer: a set of leather gear made from the hide of a rare ninja beast, offering natural resistance against elemental ninjutsu—especially fire techniques. At the very least, it would keep him from being roasted alive by a careless fireball.
Looking in the mirror, Tanaka Haruki admired his appearance.
"He looks like a young version of President Sa," he mused, "though sadly, he didn't inherit his parents' looks."
But his favorite part? The boots. Leather, reinforced at the toes and heels with the same alloy used in the armor.
He never liked traditional ninja sandals—those open-toe designs seemed ridiculous. If you kicked someone and broke a nail or stubbed a toe? Pure agony. So he ditched the sandals in favor of full-coverage combat boots. With armored reinforcement, even his kicks would hurt.
Satisfied, he stretched a bit, tested his mobility, then walked over to the sword rack. He picked up both of his custom-forged blades and sealed them into the arm guards on either side of his armor. Each seal was marked with the character for "cat."
Yes—these arm guards weren't just armor. They were ninja tools equipped with a simple sealing mechanism, not unlike the wrist-guards Sasuke and Itachi Uchiha used during the Fourth Great Ninja War.
With everything in place, Tamura Hiroshi left home and made his way to the ninja academy.
When he entered the classroom, his classmates gave him a brief glance but said nothing. Even though he looked noticeably different today, no one made a fuss.
Tanaka Haruki had always been low-key. He didn't talk much, kept to himself, and maintained a low profile. He had no close friends in the class.
Not long after, the homeroom teacher arrived and began the graduation speech. Then he pulled out a list and began reading team assignments aloud.
Each class at the ninja academy had a standardized student count, designed so that every graduate could be placed into a three-person squad. But things weren't always that neat.
Last year, two students in this class had a fight fueled by jealousy. One of them gouged out the other's eye. The attacker was expelled, and the victim had to drop out due to disability. Neither would become a ninja.
What a brutal, fast-paced world.
That incident left an odd number in the class. That meant one student would either be added to another team, placed under a solo mentor, or merged with a group from another class that didn't have enough members.
Tamura Hiroshi was that odd student out. But this wasn't an accident—it had been arranged in advance. His "reward," so to speak, was to receive private mentorship.
After the other students left with their jonin instructors, a man with long, half-white, half-green hair entered the classroom and looked directly at the only student left.
"Tamura Hiroshi?"
"Reporting, sensei! I'm Tanaka Haruki!"
Tanaka Haruki stood at attention and saluted. When he got a better look at the man's distinctive hair, he immediately guessed his identity.
This must be Fukai, the previous Jinchūriki of the Eight-Tails, and Haruki's new instructor.
Of course, he wasn't the Jinchūriki yet—Killer Bee might not have even been born.
Fukai observed Tamura Hiroshi for a few moments. The boy seemed calm and focused, and he made a strong impression.
"Sit down," Fukai said, taking a seat on the teacher's desk. "Let's talk."
He introduced himself: "I'm Fukai, a jonin of Kumogakure. I specialize in lightning-style ninjutsu and lightning-infused swordsmanship."
Fukai had many questions about this student. A few weeks ago, the Third Raikage had unexpectedly ordered him to abandon his current mission and take on just one student. Then Yeyue, the Raikage's eldest cousin, approached him and emphasized the importance of this child.
Neither of them explained why, but it was clear this boy was no ordinary student.
After asking around, Fukai learned that the kid had discovered a spy who had stolen 1 billion taels worth of funds earmarked for purchasing supplies from the Land of Iron. Not only had Tamura Hiroshi exposed the spy, but he also recovered the hidden money and returned it to the Raikage—saving the village from a catastrophic loss.
This wasn't just an honor student. This was a hero.
"Sensei Fukai, I'm Tamura Hiroshi—you can call me Haruki. I specialize in taijutsu and kenjutsu. My chakra nature is Lightning. Unfortunately, I have difficulty increasing my chakra reserves, so I've focused on control. I hope you can guide me further in that area."
Tamura Hiroshi gave a full introduction, even mentioning the results of his chakra thread training.
After two weeks of focused practice, he had mastered the use of six chakra threads at once, each three meters long and capable of delicate movement. While this wasn't groundbreaking, it demonstrated excellent control.
"You've already reached that level?" Fukai raised his eyebrows.
For most kids who just graduated from the academy, being able to climb trees or walk on water was impressive enough. Chakra threads? That was a technique usually reserved for puppet users from the Sand Village, and almost unheard of in Kumogakure.
Maintaining even one thread was challenging. Six? That was chunin-level control.
And the kid had already begun experimenting with Lightning Style chakra shaping—even if it was clumsy, it was a sign of rare dedication.
A ten-year-old reaching this level was shocking.
"My chakra talent is pretty average," Tamura Hiroshi said honestly. "So I'm focusing on control to maximize what little I have. I want to make every drop count."
He looked a little bitter as he spoke. This world put so much emphasis on bloodlines—it was disheartening. Children usually ended up at the same level their parents had reached. There were no "mutations," no sudden breakthroughs by talentless underdogs.
The so-called "Three Hardworking Legends" of Konoha? Even they likely had freakish genetics. The fact that they could endure such inhuman training probably was their talent.
When Tamura Hiroshi first tried those same routines, he nearly broke down physically. His muscles almost dissolved. Even after scaling back the intensity, he had to rely on daily medical-nin sessions and rare herbs just to avoid long-term damage. It cost a fortune.
It made him wonder if those "hardworking" heroes secretly had Senju blood or something.
That's why he decided to go all-in on chakra control, and it was already paying off.
"You're absolutely right," Fukai said, nodding. "Pushing your chakra reserves too far can damage your body. Right now, there's no shortcut for improving it. Better to refine what you already have."
He agreed with Haruki's approach. It was smart, practical—and rare among kids that age.
He'd also heard whispers around the village about secret experiments with the Eight-Tails' flesh and blood, trying to reproduce the Gold and Silver Brothers' results. But the outcomes had been disappointing—no real success, and certainly nothing stable.
In the meantime, students like Tamura Hiroshi, who took control into their own hands, were the real hope of the future.