Naruto: I Copy Skills

A/N: If you want another Double Release, lets get to 500 powerstones by Sunday. This story's continuation depends on your support—so don't forget to give the story powerstones! Goal: 500 Powerstones.

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The next morning, Goro left the Takikage Mansion and made his way toward the Academy. He arrived just as the academy students did, watching them filter in through the gates. 

Standing at the entrance were two chunin guards, their postures stiffening as Goro approached. Between them stood the principal of the academy—an overweight man with a bald top, black spiky hair on the sides, and a thick mustache. He wore a baby blue robe and nervously rubbed his hands together, clearly anticipating Goro's arrival.

As Goro approached, the principal bowed deeply, his voice stuttering with anxiety. "N-nice t-to m-meet you, Lord Takikage."

"I assume this is the real you, correct?" the principal asked nervously.

Goro raised an eyebrow. "Yes," he replied. "I detailed everything in the file I sent yesterday. You received it, didn't you?"

"Y-YES!" the principal responded a little too quickly, still sweating nervously.

"Good," Goro said calmly. "Lead the way."

As they entered the academy, Goro began to think about the interaction. 'I kept this man as principal because he listens to orders without questioning them. The last thing I need is someone who will challenge my judgments. Still, he's lacking in character. It's no wonder the village's ninja were sub-par before.'

The principal led Goro to his office and, rather than sitting in the oversized chair he usually occupied, he humbly offered it to Goro, choosing to sit in a small, creaky wooden chair himself. The sight was almost comical, as the chair barely supported his weight, threatening to give out at any moment.

"You really don't have to do this," Goro remarked, glancing at the unstable chair.

"No, no, please sit, Lord Takikage," the principal insisted, waving his hand.

Seeing the man was adamant, Goro sat in the large chair. The principal fumbled through a drawer before pulling out a thin stack of papers, which he handed over with both hands.

"These are the results of the top students, as you requested," the principal said with a hint of pride.

Goro accepted the papers, thinking, 'He's trying too hard.' He scanned the reports, his eyes narrowing slightly as he read over the test results. Though most of the students were performing well, three names in particular stood out to him: Tomio, Hideo, and Riko.

'Impressive,' he thought as he reviewed their scores. "The academy is doing well," Goro remarked, looking up from the papers. "The sudden jump in test scores and physical aptitude is astonishing. You've been following my orders, Principal."

The principal, who had been sweating with anxiety, beamed with relief and joy at Goro's praise. "T-Thank you, Lord Takikage!" he blurted out.

"Calm down," Goro said, raising a hand. "The kids will hear us."

The principal looked down, clearly embarrassed. "Oh… sorry…" he mumbled.

Goro continued, "Hideo and Riko, the second and third top students, are in the same class. We'll visit them first. Then we'll meet Tomio."

"Yes, Lord Takikage!" the principal exclaimed, getting to his feet and eagerly opening the door.

Goro sighed inwardly. 'So much for staying quiet. He's too excitable.' He exited the office, with the principal following close behind. They made their way to a classroom on the third floor, where one of Goro's clones was already teaching.

The clone opened the door, allowing Goro and the principal to enter. As they stepped into the classroom, the students broke into hushed whispers, clearly intrigued by the presence of another Goro.

"Another clone?" one student muttered. "Why is there another clone?" another asked, while a boy in the front row murmured, "This doesn't usually happen…"

Goro's clone raised its hand, and the classroom immediately fell silent.

"The Takikage has decided to pay you all a visit today," the principal announced, his voice still trembling with nervousness.

One of the students, a boy with spiky orange hair, scoffed. "He's already in the classroom, you fat fool!" he shouted.

The principal's face flushed a deep shade of red, humiliated in front of Goro. "Behave yourself, brat!" he barked.

But the boy wasn't intimidated. "Stop giving me attitude before I beat you blue! You're only acting tough because the Takikage is here!" the boy threatened.

Goro had to suppress a chuckle. 'Pfft…' he thought, while the rest of the class burst into laughter, except for a few who remained silent.

"That's not very nice, Hideo," a girl with long hair and a fringe covering her eyes commented lazily. She wore a white t-shirt under a black jacket, with black shorts and boots.

Hideo turned to her, his temper flaring. "Shut up! Do you want to get beat up too, Riko?" he snapped.

Riko sighed, blowing her fringe out of her eyes and resting her head on her hand. "Whatever," she muttered, clearly unbothered.

'They're a lively bunch,' Goro mused. 'It's good not to suppress their personalities. This isn't the Root, after all.'

"I'm not a clone," Goro said, his voice cutting through the room's noise. "I'm the real one. I've seen the test results from this class, and I'm proud of all of you. Keep up the hard work." Shifting his gaze to the two vocal students, Goro continued, "Hideo and Riko, come with me and the principal."

Hideo was the first to rise from his seat, walking confidently out of the classroom, with Riko following at her own pace a few seconds later.

"Continue studying hard," Goro said to the remaining students, nodding at his clone before stepping out of the room.

Goro, the principal, Hideo, and Riko made their way through the academy halls, heading toward one of the several combat rooms built within the facility. Goro's mind was focused on assessing the talent of these two top students, while Hideo and Riko seemed to be thinking about what the Principal and Goro were up to.

As they entered the combat room, Hideo's eyes lit up with excitement. He couldn't contain his grin as he turned to Goro. "What're we doing here? Do you want to fight me, Lord Takikage?!" he asked, his voice full of eagerness.

Riko sighed, crossing her arms. "Don't be silly, Hideo. Lord Takikage probably wants to see our skills, not fight you."

Goro interrupted the conversation. "No. Hideo is actually correct." He paused, watching their reactions before continuing. "The two of you will be facing me. You're both part of the top three students in the academy. I want to see what you're made of."

Goro observed the two closely. 'This should be interesting…' he thought.

Hideo laughed confidently, pointing to himself with his thumb. "No one can beat me—not even Tomio!" he declared, full of bravado.

"Let's test that theory," Goro said, taking on a fighting stance. His gaze was intense, but his posture remained relaxed.

Hideo immediately took a more stiff stance, a nervous smile spreading across his face. "I'm going all out, Lord Takikage!" he shouted, his face radiating nervous excitement as his muscles tensed, preparing for the battle.

Riko, meanwhile, stood back slightly, watching the interaction. She hadn't taken a stance yet, but her eyes were focused, scanning Goro's movements. She was cautious but determined. "I wonder how hard he'll go on us… Hopefully it isn't too much to handle.." she thought.

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Reminder: If you want another Double Release, lets get to 500 powerstones by Sunday. This story's continuation depends on your support—so don't forget to give the story powerstones! Goal: 500 Powerstones.