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Arc I Chapter 9

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Kurenai didn't know what to think of her newest student. Asami was incredible. There were no other words to describe her, which wasn't exactly true. Kurenai had a few other words in mind, but they weren't particularly nice.

Asami was exceedingly prideful, haughty, conceited. Her little vainglorious princess was worse than an Uchiha. Still, the girl was talented, extremely talented. Her skill indisputable. Despite her raising the bar continuously, the girl passed her little tests with apparent ease. They were not much of a bother, just some minor nuisance.

The girl wielded her kunai with years of experience, experience she shouldn't possess. She proved to be a fast learner. Always attentive, always listening. Her chakra control was advanced. Her reserves without a doubt considerable, even when she was playing dumb. Chakra? What is that? Can you eat it? Can you buy it somewhere?

Kurenai didn't believe her for a second. The girl survived all her training without using a droplet of chakra? Impossible. A certain idiot in green might be able to pull that off, but not Asami.

Her fighting style combined speed and agility. Their sparring matches showed her as much. Her attacks were fast, swift, precise. They aimed to break your defence with overwhelming force.

Once again, the girl displayed an uncanny degree of prowess she shouldn't possess. Even at this young age, her sheer natural skill surpassed all expectations.

The girl was beyond doubt a certified genius. With her potential, Asami was destined to become a powerful, if not legendary kunoichi. A kunoichi whose legacy would even put Tsunade to shame. But that was the distant future and not the present. For now, she still had the upper hand.

Kurenai grinned with a certain sense of satisfaction. Their sparring match ended, and as usual, she won.

Asami was resting on the ground, exhausted, out of breath. Licking her wounds. Bitter about being defeated again and again, she cursed, grumbled, complained. Not that it helped much.

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Asami considered Kurenai a smile of fate. Her training simplified information gathering immensely. Kurenai shared everything with her. She taught her about the origins of the ninja, their history, their techniques, their jutsu.

Asami had access to knowledge that was difficult to come by for a mere civilian like her. After all, knowledge was power, and power was what she desired.

Armed with this knowledge, Asami finally understood chakra. So far the strange force called chakra had eluded her, but not any more. She understood. She comprehended. She grasped chakra in its entirety, its secrets uncovered.

Chakra was a mysterious substance. Stable, reliable, and easy to use. As if her chakra was the extension of your own will, which was the case. Much evidence over the years suggested so. Chakra was strongly linked to your own emotional state. Asami observed it more than once. When she was angry, her chakra boiled. When she was happy, her chakra bounced. When she was sad, her chakra comforted her. When she was nervous, her chakra enveloped her, protecting her like an armour.

Its form was malleable. Shaping chakra was merely a question of practice. With the according skill, you could even change the elemental nature of your chakra. Water, fire, lightning, earth, wind, your chakra filled all roles.

But why change? Asami was quite happy with her elemental affinity. The chakra paper told her that hers was katon, fire. An affinity that suited her temperament perfectly.

Asami didn't complain. In general, she saw little reason to complain about her chakra. Although her chakra was primarily composed of yin, chakra was still chakra. Conventional wisdom dictated that the formation of chakra required spiritual and physical energy, yin and yang, which was true, but the reality was more nuanced. Her chakra was plentiful, and her reserves seemed near endless. The chakra that coursed through her veins was strong, powerful. Even her old signature colour had returned, eager to join her in this life.

A dark sphere of purple brilliance surrounded by a corona of swirling amethyst beauty sprang forth from the palm of her hand. Its violet light radiated magnificence and splendour that illuminated even the darkest night. This was true power. Asami fell immediately in love with her child. Her chakra was so cute and sweet, wasn't it?

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“Asami-chan, we have arrived.” Okaa-san squeezed her hand after guiding her to the academy gate. The day of the entry exam had finally arrived, yet first impression was already found lacking. The academy building was in a terrible shape. The academy was an old, rotting, decrepit ruin only waiting for demolition

“...” Asami frowned. This place would be her second home for the next years. Fantastic.

Fortunately, Okaa-san was there to cheer her up. Everything was better with Okaa-san around. “Asami-chan, don't be nervous. Just give your best. No matter what, I will always be proud of you.”

“...” Asami blushed, her cheeks reddening. Okaa-san's words didn't touch her, at all. They didn't warm her heart. “Okaa-san, will you be there to watch me during the practical part of the exam ...”

Okaa-san ruffled her hair, rewarding her even with a kiss on her forehead. “Of course, I will be there. Of course, I will be there to watch you and cheer for my cute little treasure.” Asami was happy.

And thus the entry exam began. The day to prove her worth had come. With Okaa-san accompanying her, they passed the gate and entered the academy. The school yard was filled with children, overeager parents, happy relatives, and other fellow humans. Meh, humans.

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