The first year at the Academy was almost entirely focused on the basics—
theory, classroom learning, and simple physical drills.
Ninjutsu and genjutsu?
Not even on the syllabus yet.
Taijutsu was barely scratching the surface, just enough to build a foundation.
After all, every child allowed into the Academy
was already capable of refining chakra.
Those who couldn't?
They were eliminated at the entrance stage.
Only a handful of students came from shinobi clans.
Most of them had already refined chakra before joining,
and were receiving guidance from family chunin or even jonin.
Many had already dipped into their family's secret techniques.
Truth be told, clan heirs often progressed faster at home than in the Academy.
But ever since the Second Hokage founded the school system,
all children of the great houses—including the Uchiha and Hyuga—
were required to attend from the age of five or six.
The clan kids hardly needed the teachers' attention.
Traditionally, the Academy existed to raise up civilian-born shinobi,
and to serve as a safety net for the "dead-last" children of the clans.
Different backgrounds meant different starting lines.
The gap was obvious.
Clan children already molded chakra and trained techniques.
Meanwhile, civilian-born kids had to start from scratch:
learning what it meant to be a shinobi,
what chakra was,
and—most importantly—
how to refine it and use it.
Among the shinobi's three tools—
ninjutsu, genjutsu, taijutsu—
taijutsu was the easiest entry point.
Ninjutsu and genjutsu required chakra control,
so they were pushed to later years.
Even the most basic ninjutsu—
the three basic techniques—
was normally taught only after the first year.
So for Naruto, barely over a year into the Academy,
it should have been impossible to touch ninjutsu at all.
But rules meant little to him.
With his obedient, diligent, and unusually sharp behavior,
this lifetime's Naruto had earned a place in Iruka's heart
as a bright, optimistic, and serious student.
So when Naruto approached him on a day off,
asking to learn the three basic techniques ahead of schedule,
Iruka hesitated—
but only for a moment.
Naruto was the Nine-Tails' Jinchuriki,
a fact known to nearly all shinobi in the village.
And though his heritage as the Fourth Hokage's son was kept secret,
Iruka knew the boy's potential wasn't inferior to any clan child.
The three basic techniques were hardly dangerous.
So, the second time Naruto asked,
Iruka relented.
He taught him the hand seals and basic points.
And just like in the original story—
something strange happened.
Transformation Technique.
Substitution Technique.
Naruto learned them almost instantly.
Mastery still needed practice,
but the foundation was solid.
The real problem… was Clone Technique.
That one, he couldn't grasp at all.
Not then.
Not now.
For three whole months,
he had been stuck.
Substitution?
One day.
Transformation?
One day.
Efficiency and speed just improved over time.
Clone Technique?
Still impossible.
It disrupted his training plans.
He had intended to polish his body further,
maybe even coax a genjutsu or ninjutsu out of Iruka—
something at least C-rank.
Iruka was a chunin; he had to know a few.
But plans never survived reality.
His stubborn streak ignited.
Naruto refused to admit defeat.
So what if Clone seemed useless in combat?
If it was part of the "Three Basics,"
then he would master it.
No excuses.
Morning training was taijutsu as usual.
After lunch,
Naruto sat cross-legged, ready for ninjutsu practice.
He first refreshed Transformation and Substitution,
paying extra attention to timing, speed, and misdirection—
Substitution, in his view, was the most practical of the three,
useful even at kage-level battles.
Then he turned to his nemesis.
"Clone Technique!"
Poof!
A burst of white smoke filled the clearing.
When it cleared—
Naruto stood in the center, frowning.
Beside him lay… two lumps of unidentifiable flesh.
They twitched faintly,
half resembling him,
half like melted wax.
Utterly grotesque.
Naruto's mouth twitched.
"Release!"
Poof!
The blobs vanished.
Naruto sighed, sitting down heavily.
"Where the hell am I going wrong…?"
He had failed yet again.
N times over.
The hand seals were correct.
Chakra flow, correct.
It was supposed to be the simplest technique.
So why—
why didn't it work?