Maki 1 could feel the difference between himself and the clone. Maki 2 could only use his chakra-based abilities. He could not implement the systems embedded in Maki 1's consciousness. In other words, the clone could not mimic or reproduce abilities that weren't chakra-based.
But Maki didn't focus on what the clone could or couldn't do. Instead, he looked at Maki 2. They stared at each other, communicating silently, their connection almost telepathic. Everything—their intentions, their awareness, their movements—flowed between them without words.
After a moment, Maki 2 went to the kitchen to prepare lunch, while Maki 1 watched carefully. He was inspecting the clone, trying to see whether it had replicated his memories and experiences. If it had, that would be incredible.
He observed Maki 2 as he cooked a simple egg. Every movement mirrored his own. The way he cracked the shell, the way he whisked, the slight adjustments while using the Sharingan—all perfectly replicated. Even such a simple task revealed the subtle genius of the technique. Maki 1 gave him a thumbs-up.
When Maki 2 finished cooking, Maki 1 tasted the egg. Perfect. Exactly how it should be. 🍳
Then he ran further experiments. What amazed him most was the clone's independence. It could think, plan, and act without needing constant direction.
To test this, he let Maki 2 watch a tutorial video on how to play the keyboard. Maki 2 followed it step by step, learning and practicing as if he were alive.
Meanwhile, at the UA building, Nemuri was on the 45th floor, in the left wing. This floor housed the faculty offices—forty rooms in total, one for each teacher. Twenty female teachers, twenty male. Each had their specialty, their subjects, and their own approach.
The main curricula of UA were divided into six core streams:
♤ Latros – Medicine and healing.
♤ Gnosis – Knowledge, theory, and intellectual mastery.
♤ Martialis – Combat techniques and strategy.
♤ Existentia – Survival skills and adaptation.
♤ Aegis – Support and defense.
♤ Ascendance – Evolution, growth, and personal advancement.
Each curriculum emphasized real-world applications over textbook theory. The teachers weren't there to teach basic concepts—they taught experience, application, and adaptation in real-world scenarios. Sub-subjects barely mattered.
Nemuri's office was Room 11. Below the number, her full name and hero name were engraved on a wooden plaque. Her curriculum: Gnosis, the mastery of knowledge and theory.
She sat at her chair, typing, organizing files on her monitor. She scrolled through the names of examinees who had scored 500 points or more. These were the students eligible to take the exam the next day, which would decide their class placements. Out of thousands, only around 100 were expected to pass.
She checked the registered Class S students—those who had already secured placement and were only waiting for the first day of school.
Class S wasn't about raw strength. It was about priority and potential. Students in Class S were given attention and resources that others were not. The class ranking descended from S down to A, B, and C, with D, E, and F appearing only rarely. Class S students were considered the future pillars of the country, and the academy treated them with extraordinary importance.
Last year, there had been around twenty Class S students. This year, there were nearly thirty. Nemuri knew Maki deserved a spot among them.
Yet he lacked basic knowledge. She knew the final question on the exam would be critical. It wasn't just a question—it was a gatekeeper. The answer would determine whether he would be placed in Class S or fail entirely.
Nemuri could already predict the kind of answer he would give. But she couldn't intervene; giving hints would violate UA's rules. Even if she tried, Maki would probably ignore the guidance anyway.
That was the challenge. Maki was strong and unique, but his mentality and cognition were the limiting factors. Nemuri was confident that the academy would help him grow—hopefully, before it became a problem.
In the condo—
While Maki was contemplating practicing with his clone, many examinees who had received confirmation of their passing were busy preparing for the final examination. They poured over notes, conducted research, and reviewed everything they could. To secure a spot—and even to have a chance at a favorable class—they needed to be ready for whatever challenges were about to come.
But Maki, on the other side, was just chilling, watching as Maki 2 proved to be a fast learner. Maybe his past memories were also being fused into the clone, and now Maki 2 was applying them along with new lessons. Maki used his Sharingan to study the video, processing it in real time, while the clone was learning independently, like two separate minds reacting and adapting.
After a while, he decided to call it a day and unsummoned the wood clone. Unlike the smoke-like clones, this one didn't vanish abruptly. It walked slowly behind him, then gradually returned to its wood-like state, sinking into his back.
When Maki 2 reintegrated, Maki's mind flooded with an overwhelming amount of information and insights—everything the clone had gained. It was as if he'd been doing all the analysis himself, but across multiple brains at once. If only he could apply this to studying, he thought, it would be incredible. For a moment, he even forgot that the examination was tomorrow.
Meanwhile, at UA, it was lunch break. Nemuri was still busy in her office, while Mei relaxed nearby, eating her lunch. Mei noticed something different about Nemuri—she seemed more mature, even more beautiful than usual. Mei studied her carefully, then her eyes widened. She jumped up from her seat, pointed a finger at Nemuri, and shouted, "Hey, you bitch! D-did you make a move on my husband?"
Nemuri froze, hands flying to her cheeks, a teasing smile spreading across her face. "Oh, it wasn't just a move," she said, voice dripping with amusement. "It was moves."
(ﾟーﾟ*)