So, that meant asking for help from the Uchiha was out. Who else could I try? The Akimichi were good in close quarters, but their style relied on their mass advantage. I was a comparatively scrawny Nara. If I tried to fight like an Akimichi, I'd end up way over my head.
I could ask help from Akira sensei but I did not think that she would personally instruct me as that would mean favouritism towards me. And she was not getting paid for personal instruction either.
I could just forget about training my Taijutsu and just focus on increasing my physical conditioning with the weights training, running around the village but I was still a kid and I didn't want to stunt my own growth by doing something wreckless.
I pursed my lips as I thought of another alternative.
"Alright, brats. We're done for the day. Go home or wherever it is you are when you aren't bothering me." Sensei said, pulling a flask out of her chunin jacket and taking a swig. I wasn't sure she was allowed to drink on school grounds, but she was off the clock and I wasn't going to pick a needless fight by asking her about it.
As the students began dispersing, I jogged after one of my classmates and said, "Excuse me, Hyuga-san? Could I have a moment of your time?"
The girl, Misa Hyuga, looked over her shoulder at me and fixed me with a suspicious look. "What do you need, Nara-san?" she asked slowly, turning to face me, her hands held in front of her properly.
"Thank you, Hyuga-san. I want to improve my taijutsu, but I have been unable to find a sparring partner. I was wondering if you would be interested in helping me improve. In exchange, I would be willing to tutor you in the written portions of the class."
A small frown pulled at Misaki's lips. "You believe I am struggling in class?"
I shook my head. "Not at all. I just want to be the best ninja I can be. If I can help my fellow students be the best they can be at the same time, then I believe that is an avenue worth pursuing."
Her frown was still fixed in place as she mulled over my words. It was looking like she would refuse. If she did, I'd ask my other classmates. If that failed, I would need to–
"I will think about your proposal, Nara-san. I will let you know my decision after school tomorrow." Misaki said, pulling me from my thoughts.
I smiled wide and bowed shallowly. "Thank you for your consideration, Hyuga-san. And please, call me Kagen."
"You can call me Misaki, Kagen." Misaki spun around and walked away without another word.
It wasn't a yes, but it wasn't a no either. If I could get a Hyuga, a clan that specialized in all forms of taijutsu, as my sparring partner, I'd improve leaps and bounds. It would probably be a painful process, but the progress would be worth the pain.
Of course I knew that she would teach me gentle fist or any of the clan specific techniques but she could tell the mistakes that I am making and help improve my own Taijutsu style.
I left the Academy, taking my time on my way back to the Nara compound. My parents were both out on a mission, so I was on my own for the time being, and I'd aged out of ninja daycare. That meant I had to keep myself occupied. I had an idea for that.
I walked to the public shinobi library and used a henge to turn myself into a young genin complete with a headband. I was taller than I was normally, and my black, unruly hair had turned brown.
"Hi, chunin-san!" I greeted the chunin attendant in a bubbly voice that no one would ever associate with a Nara.
The chunin looked over the top of his book at me lazily. "Don't burn anything down and don't bother me." he said tiredly, turning a page in his book as he lost interest in me.
Huh. I wasn't expecting this to be so easy. No wonder Kabuto could live as a spy in the village for years without anyone finding anything suspicious about him.
I passed the chunin and started combing the shelves. Genin were only allowed on the first floor of the library. The first floor was mainly filled with history and battle tactics.
Even the upper floors were more-or-less filled with chakra exercises. Jutsu scrolls and the like were stored elsewhere so they could be hoarded and protected, but there were some useful things in the library.
I found a book that helped with the tree-walking exercise and a book about projecting chakra strings and took both of them. Apparently, both were low-level enough that pretty much every ninja worth their salt could pull them off, so Konoha had no issue with genin trying them out.
Why none of the students in canon Naruto never thought to raid the library under henge was a mystery to me, but it had worked out pretty well.
"Bye, chunin-san!" I called as I was leaving.
"Don't damage the books or you have to pay for their replacements." he warned disinterestedly, turning another page in his book. He didn't even try to stop or look more closely at me. Was that guy really a chunin?
If the third Hokage was any similar to this chunin, no wonder Naruto managed to steal the forbidden jutsus scroll.
I let my henge fade a few blocks away from the library and made my way home. I waved to the sleeping guards at the gate and walked the short distance home. When I got inside, there was someone waiting for me.
"Sh-Shikaku-sama," I caught my curse and swiftly turned it into a greeting as I bowed to the Nara clan head, Shikamaru's father.