Four cloaked figures were huddled together in a small room. One was seated behind a desk while the other three were standing at attention. It was very early in the morning and the normally impassive operators were all, some more than others, giving off the feeling they wanted to be done with it.
The absence of comfort did not facilitate their mood. In exchange for serving chocolate-flavored porridge, ANBU had to make do with relatively small offices. Money was not infinite after all and budget cuts had to happen.
The seated ANBU cleared their throat and, with the usual, distorted monotone, Dragon spoke.
"So soldiers, what is the first-week assessment? Tiger, you go first."
The tiger-masked ANBU nodded.
"Hai general." His voice ever controlled and professional, Tiger summed up his week with Naruto quickly.
"Overall, he is mid chunin level in term of speed and endurance and his strength is coming along fast. At this rhythm, I estimate recruit Uzumaki will be at jonin level, physically speaking, in something like three months."
The declaration kept the room in silent contemplation before Dog shuddered. "That's too quick."
"It is," confirmed Dragon in their usual blank tone of voice.
"Any idea how it is possible, Tiger?"
The ANBU allowed himself a second or two to gather his thoughts on the matter. He had obviously been thinking about his latest recruit's performances. From a purely physical point of view, Naruto Uzumaki was a monster, largely above what any chakra user his age should be. The exact passive and active effects of chakra on humans were not perfectly understood, not even by Tsunade Senju herself but the Greatest Medic in History had postulated some theories.
One, namely the "cultivation approach", tried to explain why ninjas had greater physical capacities than normal, even without actively flooding their system with chakra. When a human exercised, muscles would break down, triggering muscle growth, a process most effective during a period of rest. For a ninja, whose muscles were constantly fed chakra, the process was similar but with some differences. First of all, muscle growth happened undeniably faster. Second of all, it was also proven that chakra could and would alter muscle on a cellular level.
Muscle growth worked by adding more volume to muscle. It was certain that chakra also made the fundamental building brick more efficient, be it a conscious effort or a subconscious reaction. It was one of the bases for Tsunade Senju's super strength technique, one the medic had shared long ago.
How to properly activate the cultivation was still a very inexact science -something Tsunade had kept a secret- and how the passive process worked was all but unknown.
Tiger summarized all that to his general who only nodded and waved his hand. The ANBU wasn't surprised his general knew that already.
"What does this aspect of physiology have to do with Uzumaki, Tiger?" Dragon asked, something bleeding in the monotone this time.
Tiger did not snort but did roll his eyes behind his mask. He knew, when Dragon used this voice, that the general knew the answer already.
"I believe the regenerative factor of recruit Uzumaki allow muscle growth to happen instantly. I also believe that his chakra is rebuilding his muscles entirely. Lastly, having a proper diet is bound to have some positive effects. Recruit Uzumaki grows stronger while he trains, not after."
Dragon joined his fingers. "What makes you say that?"
"While recruit Uzumaki already gained more defined muscles, the ratio of muscle mass to strength is not consistent. By volume alone, recruit Uzumaki should be weaker than he truly is."
Silence once again fell on the room until Dog broke it, her voice a disbelieving whisper.
"Is that… Really possible, general?"
Dragon pressed his palms together.
"Why do you think we consider jinchuurikis to be strategic weapons, operator? Much like ninjas are beyond what is possible for most humans, a jinchuriki is beyond what is possible for most ninjas. A jinchuuriki, trained appropriately, will always reach the S-rank threat level somehow."
Tiger gave no outward reaction to the statement, Cat swallowed with difficulty, and Dog opened her mouth to say something that died on the tip of her tongue.
"Now, before you allow fear to invade your heart, remember that recruit Uzumaki is first and foremost a ninja of Konoha. Is that clear?"
Three simultaneous, mechanical "hai" were the given answer. The general nodded and motioned for the assessment to continue.
"Due to recruit Uzumaki's high healing factor, I fear HSRB process might not work properly. I request authorization to triple the dose."
Dragon stayed silent for a pair of seconds before he nodded. "Granted but only under direct supervision. We don't want any accident."
"Hai, general."
"Continue."
"As far as skills go, recruit Uzumaki shows weird talent and is around the skill level of a chunin in some areas, Genin is some and even jonin in some. That being said, the determination and dedication he puts into his drills will ensure that his close combat will become feared. His mind is already used to thinking deviously and outside the box due to his old pranking habit. I intend to encourage him to apply it to combat in general."
Having said his peace, Tiger stepped back and Dragon motioned for Cat to talk.
The purplette haired woman stepped forth and cleared her still uneasy throat. "He shows innate talent in kenjutsu. It took a day to get him master the Leaf style Kenjutsu. I feel like he is a curious boy but hesitated asking too much at first, a habit we are collectively," stressing the word, the operator shot a glance at Dog who fidgeted slightly. "Breaking him out off. By Friday, he wasn't showing this particular reluctance anymore in my case. To finish, I'm quite certain there is a gap in his learning ability. Anything physical is learned rather quickly but book smarts are harder for him to acquire. It took four days to memorize ANBU marking, rather than the average two. I am honestly surprised he can do fuinjutsu at all."
Dragon nodded. "It is supposedly in his blood. And fuinjutsu is not so much about book smarts than people tend to believe. If that is all?"
Cat nodded and fell in rank again as Dragon called forth Dog.
"So?"
The teenage ANBU fumbled a second with her words before she took a deep breath and looked at her commander. "Well... " She began hesitantly, unsure if there was any way for what she was going to say to make sense.
"Even though he can do the chakra control exercises pretty well, I tried to get him to have better understanding of it so that he could use Chakra Burst."
Dog paused a second and before anything could be asked she pushed on.
"I think we may have a problem."
"Which is?"
Under her mask, Dog bit her lower lip. She had thought hard and long at her sessions with the Naruto replica. How she had been at first, dismissive and frankly, angry. She had given her sweat and blood to Konoha for three long years after the Academy, working her ass off, before she had been promoted to chunin and noticed by the corps.
When a lone ANBU had knocked at the door of her clan's compound one fine morning, a little more than a year ago, it was a dream come true. She had always wanted to join the prestigious elite.
So the fact a snot-nosed, milk drinking brat, not even out of the Academy, dead last what's more, had been noticed because of his pranking had Dog a bit peeved. A tiny, little bit, not much.
Truth was, she had been and still kind of was incredibly frustrated and angry at the "luck" of recruiting Uzumaki. So jealous had she been that she had also refused to take into account what the files she had been given about her charge said. She had ignored the ostracism the boy was the victim of and the general unpleasantness of his life was as a result.
She had been so angry she had immediately dismissed his execution of the vertical walking chakra manipulation as just mediocre talent that she had convinced herself it was nothing and there was no proof that the boy needed to be in the ANBU.
When Tiger and Cat had insisted she discuss with Naruto about the vertical walking exercise to see if Naruto has any shortcomings, she had, after putting her feelings aside for a moment, came to realize what could be a boon and a problem.
"This is only a theory but I think he doesn't... Understand the chakra as we do?" said Dog in a questioning tone, still unsure of herself if she was entirely correct.
Dragon inched forward ever so slightly. "Tell me more."
....
[ Author Note: If it wasn't obvious they are all underestimating Naruto to extreme degree because Naruto is purposefully not showing off his numerous elemental Jutsu and they don't know his recent level ups from the dungeon. Naruto at this point if he used everything he has in his arsenal, is around Low jonin level easily and if he had prep time, he could kill any mid jonin in Konoha. ]