Months had slipped by faster than Eli could track. The mornings blended together: sunlight spilling across the Konoha Academy fields, the scent of fresh grass mixing with dust from training dummies, the occasional metallic clang of kunai against wood. Eli had grown taller, leaner, and sharper in every motion. He moved with a rhythm that even the most advanced instructors struggled to catch, a dance of clones, weapons, and venomous insects working in harmony.
Calyx hummed lightly beneath his skin, almost purring in contentment.
"Nice, your bugs anticipate without commands. Chakra flows more stable. Your locked and loaded."
"Good," Eli muttered, twirling a kunai in his hand before tossing it with a flick of his wrist. "Try to keep up, Obito."
Obito grunted, dodging a shadow clone that sprang from nowhere. "Ugh! I swear, Eli! One day I'm going to land a hit!"
Eli smirked, spinning into a transformation jutsu and landing behind him. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!" A duplicate leapt forward, throwing a shuriken that Obito narrowly deflected. The insects followed the projectile, swarming around Obito's feet, buzzing sharply, forcing him to jump back.
"Cheating!" Obito yelled, half-laughing.
"Cry about it," Eli corrected casually. His real self dropped into a low stance, muscles coiled, preparing for the next move. He whispered, almost to himself, "Substitution!" He vanished, leaving only a small puff of smoke as he reappeared behind him, a wooden post in his place. Calyx rippled beneath his skin, ensuring his landing was stable and silent.
He flicked another kunai, calling out, "Transformation Jutsu!" as a clone leapt in to feint an attack.
Calyx chimed in with a teasing hum.
"Perhaps they'll notice, perhaps not. Your showmanship is improving, though your quips remain unrefined."
"Was that a ryhme," Eli said with a grin.
"Not in the slightest, that would a crime"
The next weeks blurred in a sequence of motions. Eli mastered chakra control on rivers, balancing on thin currents, walking along branches while keeping a single leaf stuck to his forehead with precise chakra. He refined his shuriken and kunai throws, integrating bugs to distract or disable opponents before the weapon even struck. Each day he experimented with Rasengan, rolling chakra in his hand until it refused to stabilize without Calyx assisting.
Calyx's subtle interventions allowed the technique to form, though Eli still struggled with full rotation and timing.
"Faster rotation required. But you're improving," the symbiote hummed.
"Yeah, yeah," Eli said, breathing heavily after another failed attempt. "I know. You don't need to nag."
Shadow Clone Jutsu became second nature, Substitution and Transformation fluid and instinctive. Even in mock combat against Kakashi, Rin, or Obito, Eli could hold his own and often dominate sparring sessions. Despite his prowess, he remained humble in conversation, cracking jokes mid-battle, teasing his opponents, or commenting sarcastically on obvious mistakes.
The Academy instructors watched with quiet amazement. "He's exceptional," Kakashi muttered once, though he didn't take his eye off the field.
Obito, panting after a failed attack, muttered, "I hate him. I really hate him."
Rin rolled her eyes but smiled faintly. "You'll get there eventually, Obito!"
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In the shadowed halls of the Hokage's office, Hiruzen Sarutobi presided over another meeting with Danzo Shimura and key advisors. Reports had arrived from the border villages, intelligence from scouts, and rumors from Kumo, Iwa, Suna, and Kiri.
Hiruzen's calm voice carried authority. "The other great villages forces are being spotted more frequenhly im the land of fire, we cannot assume peace will last."
"Especially with kumo"
Danzo's eyes narrowed. "And Konoha's genin? Are we prepared to deploy capable shinobi if these tensions escalate?"
"Yes," Hiruzen replied, glancing at a detailed report. "We have promising candidates. Some may graduate early, based on ability and field readiness."
Danzo leaned forward. "Early graduates. Do we have assurances of loyalty?"
Hiruzen's expression tightened subtly. "Some can be relied on. Others… must be monitored."
In another corner, advisors whispered about "the prodigy in the Aburame clan," noting a boy who had shown remarkable mastery in training exercises"
Obito crouched atop a training platform, observing Eli execute another flawless sequence: Shadow Clone Jutsu, Transformation, synchronized bug attack, kunai throws, and a tentative Rasengan attempt.
How is he doing all that? Obito thought, clenching his fists. I've been training just as hard. He's… he's insane.
Rin nudged him. "He's just… really good. Don't take it personally."
"I don't… it's not personal!" Obito muttered. "I just… how can someone be this good?"
Months later, the instructors officially recognized Eli's readiness. His skills, speed, and mastery of core jutsu far outpaced his peers. Even his theoretical understanding — kept in neat notebooks in his lab — complemented his field prowess.
"Eli Aburame," Natsume-sensei announced, "you are cleared for early graduation. You've passed all the tests and your now a genin congratulations"
Obito groaned dramatically. "Figures. Of course he'd be first. Typical."
Rin smiled faintly. "Congratulations, Eli. You earned it."
Yui gave a subtle nod. "Be careful… missions are different from training exercises."
"Yeah, I know," Eli muttered, a grin tugging at his lips. "Don't worry. I've got this."
Later that day, Hiruzen personally summoned Eli to the Hokage's office. Danzo was there, arms folded, observing quietly.
"You've proven yourself beyond your peers," Hiruzen said, voice calm but firm. "Your abilities make you an asset to Konoha. I am assigning you to ANBU. You will begin covert missions under supervision and gradually gain full field experience."
Eli blinked. "ANBU? That's… a lot sooner than I expected."
Hiruzen nodded. "Your skill warrants it"
"Hiruzen, I belive he belongs in my anbu."
Danzo smirked with obvious glee
"Danzo, I am the hokage"
"You'll regret this hiruzen"
Danzo slams the door and leaves
The night air hung heavy with moisture, mist curling around the rooftops of the outer village. Eli crouched atop a roof, his Aburame clan insects barely visible under the moonlight, their tiny forms moving with unnatural precision. Calyx pulsed beneath his skin, steadying his heartbeat and flow of chakra.
"Remember," Calyx whispered in his mind, " You are the eyes and hands of Konoha tonight."
Eli exhaled softly. "Yeah, yeah. I got it." He glanced down at the street below, where faint lantern lights illuminated figures moving in the shadows. This was his first real mission, the kind that mattered, and he wasn't about to blow it.
The target: an intelligence sweep in the border district, near the river that separated Konoha from neutral territory. Rumors indicated a small contingent of ninjas from Suna, testing defenses.
A sudden movement caught Eli's eye. A figure slipped along the alleyways, barely visible under the dim light. His bugs reacted instantly, dispersing and forming a subtle, swirling net around the area, they moved with precision, meant only to restrict movement, not harm anyone unnecessarily.
"Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Eli whispered, and a duplicate darted toward the figure, throwing a kunai with perfect accuracy. The clone disappeared, leaving Eli's real form atop a nearby roof.
The figure—an Iwagakure ninja—reacted, flipping backward, dodging the kunai
Eli smirked. Then leapt from the roof, body flickering
The Iwa ninja spun, attempting an earth-style defense jutsu, but Eli countered with a flurry of shuriken, creating enough distraction to force them back.
Eli felt Calyx's subtle hum beneath his skin, guiding his chakra.
"You can stabilize it if you focus. Begin rotation."
He clenched his fist, molding chakra into the spinning orb. "Rasengan!" The small sphere of concentrated chakra formed, slightly uneven, threatening to collapse. The Iwa ninja's eyes widened.
"Substitution!" Eli called mid-leap, swapping with a shadow clone, the real him vanished in smoke, and he slammed him with the rasengan
Eli had achieved the first semi-functional Rasengan in live combat.
"Not bad," he muttered, a small grin tugging at his lips. "Calyx, you happy?"
"Eh, couldve been better" came the dry response.
Other Konoha ANBU operatives moved through the streets, barely visible. Eli stayed in position, observing their coordination and silently matching it with his own strategies. This was different from the Academy. Mistakes here could be fatal.
He noticed a Suna operative attempting to flank the team. His insects reacted instantly, moving along the walls, buzzing and landing small acid stings to disorient the enemy. Eli jumped down, shadow clones following. "Substitution!" he called again, switching places with one of his clones mid-combat. The real him moved behind the enemy, throwing a kunai that clipped their arm.
Minor cuts appeared, but Calyx pulsed beneath his skin, mending him almost instantly.
"Thanks," Eli whispered, feeling the slight pulse of adrenaline. "You're too efficient."
"No prob"
Oblivious to his symbiote, other operatives whispered as they coordinated silently. Eli's mind buzzed, but he couldn't resist small jokes.
As the skirmish continued, Eli noted the abilities of the intruding shinobi. Suna relied on swift sand-based techniques, precise but predictable. Iwa favored brute strength and earth manipulation. Kumo ninjas were rumored nearby, testing the area, though none had yet engaged.
Calyx hummed quietly, not speaking much about strategy.
"Observation sufficient. Maintain stealth while testing Rasengan application in field conditions."
"Yeah, yeah," Eli whispered, spinning another shuriken, bugs swarming ahead. "Stealth and chaos. Got it"
By dawn, the rogue intruders were subdued, captured by non-lethal means, and Konoha's team withdrew silently. Eli crouched atop a roof, bugs returning to his body, Calyx stabilizing his chakra and minor fatigue.
"First mission complete," Eli muttered, watching the horizon. "Not bad for a rookie."
"It was acceptable." Calyx commented lightly.
Eli smirked. "Don't sound so smug. You're just lucky I like showing off."
The dawn light barely brushed the rooftops of Konoha as Eli crouched atop the outer wall, insects crawling subtly beneath his skin, their tiny legs brushing his arms and neck. Calyx hummed softly, steadying his chakra
Reports had come in of Suna and Iwa operatives probing Konoha's defenses. Eli's mission: intercept, contain, and gather intelligence.
"Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Eli whispered, forming a duplicate that leapt toward a shadow moving near the alleyway. The clone flung three shuriken, one landing against a metal pipe, forcing a Suna ninja to duck.
The Suna ninja spun, sand swirling defensively. Eli leapt, throwing kunai.
The insects swarmed along the ground, buzzing and delivering small stings of acid, distracting the ninja long enough for Eli to land a precision kick. The ninja fell backward into sand, coughing, his movements
Elsewhere, masked ANBU operatives moved silently. Eli communicated in whispers and hand signals, shadow clones running reconnaissance.
"Yui," he murmured, thinking of her subtle advice in the Academy. Stay calm, stay light on your feet… His clones mirrored his moves, surrounding a third ninja attempting an jutsu
Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Two duplicates appeared simultaneously, one creating a feint strike while the other hurled shuriken.
The enemy countered, but Eli's bugs flitted along the walls, delivering tiny acid stings to disorient them. Calyx pulsed warmly beneath his skin, helping him recover from the minor scratches that grazed his arm during the exchange.
"Not bad for a first real mission outside the village," Eli mumbled
The Iwa ninja executed a surprise earth jutsu, forming a wall of stone mid-strike. Eli quickly jumped, calling, "Transformation Jutsu!" His form blended with the rubble, then vanished with a Substitution.
"Shadow Clone Jutsu!" A duplicate appeared on the roof opposite him, throwing shuriken that forced the enemy to split focus.
Suna ninjas arrived from another alley, sand swirling in anticipation. Eli spun his kunai, calling, "Substitution! Transformation! Shadow Clone Jutsu!" His clones dispersed, the bugs swarming to distract, sting, and slow. The Rasengan orb formed in his hand once again, imperfect but potent. He lunged forward, yelling, "Rasengan!" The orb grazed one ninja, sending them stumbling backward.
A sudden sand javelin grazed Eli's shoulder, drawing a thin line of blood. Calyx pulsed beneath his skin, repairing the wound almost instantly.
He leapt again, Shuriken flying
The mission's pace was relentless, but Eli's energy and humor never faltered. "Hey, careful! You're letting me do all the fun work!" he called sarcastically as the bugs immobilized another enemy.
As the last rogue ninja fell, captured and restrained without fatal injury, Eli crouched atop a wall, watching the sunrise. The village below seemed peaceful, unaware of the chaos that had just unfolded.
Eli exhaled, his thoughts drifting. Rules, politics, orders… sometimes they slow you down. Sometimes they just get in the way.
A small, subtle frustration flickered beneath the surface. He shook it off. For now, he was a loyal shinobi. But the thought lingered, faint, like the hum of his bugs under his skin.
The mission had been a success, but Eli's mind was already moving forward: faster Rasengan, better bug coordination, more creative jutsu deployment, and the quiet acknowledgment that sometimes, Konoha's rules, stressed him out.
He was already giving a serious thought to becoming a rouge ninja