The next day.
Konoha Ninja Academy.
The place was buzzing with voices.
"When you go to school, make friends. Don't fight with people, understand? And make sure to protect Rinko."
Inuzuka Reika earnestly advised them.
"Got it, got it. Tch. As long as I'm around, no one can bully Rinko. Rinko, come on—let's go recruit some little followers."
Ryoha Inuzuka walked inside while holding the hand of a timid little girl.
That little girl was Rinko Inuzuka.
"This kid, honestly… sorry for making you laugh, Misa."
Inuzuka Reika said to the woman beside her, Rinko's mother, Inuzuka Misa.
"Haha, not at all. Looking at it this way, our Rinko is really blessed. She's already found her perfect husband at such a young age. Reika, this is way better than how things were for us back then."
Inuzuka Misa said with a smile.
That boy Ryoha—he's definitely not bad.
The intuition of someone who's been through life can be trusted.
...
"Kamito, come on. I will show you around the ninja academy. Otherwise you might end up in the wrong classroom later. That's the bathroom, that's where the trash gets dumped, that's the first-grade area…"
"Sis, sis, let's go report in first. I'm worried I might be late."
"Oh right, right, right. The registration place is over there."
...
A boy wearing sunglasses.
Another boy wearing a hood and sunglasses.
They walked quietly.
Whether it was coincidence or intentional, none of the noisy children around them seemed to notice them at all.
"Hey… after school, let's go find Shikuro to play."
"Mm."
"We can play ant marching."
"Mm."
...
"Go on. Do not tarnish the honor of the Hyūga clan. And make sure to protect the two young masters of the main family."
"Yes."
Hiyasu Hyūga replied coldly.
Hiyasu Hyūga and two other young members of the Hyūga clan slowly walked through the school gate.
Seeing this, the adults also began to leave one after another.
"Hiyasu, actually we don't need—"
Hiyasu Hyūga shot the two of them a cold glance.
"What? Are the two noble main-family lords going to lecture me now?"
"Hiyasu~"
"Hiyasu~"
"Pfft, I'm joking. Come on, let's go make some friends."
After saying that,
Hiyasu Hyūga wrapped one arm around Hiashi Hyūga and the other around Hizashi Hyūga as they walked inside.
"Phew… Hiyasu, you scared me to death."
"Yeah, seriously."
"Hehe. You two are always so stiff-faced. Smile more, okay?"
The three of them walked in while playfully messing around.
...
"Damn it, Hideki. If sister hadn't forced me, I wouldn't have come to the ninja academy with you."
"You idiot, Nawaki."
"Damn it! Who are you calling an idiot?"
"You couldn't even clear something as simple as an explosive tag trap. If that's not idiotic, what is?"
"Bastard! Who the hell uses several hundred explosive tags to set up a trap? Do you know how wasteful that is?"
"Just answer this: if everything went according to plan, would you have died or not?"
"Bastard! We, the noble Senju clan, can't spend all day studying how to run away from explosive tags! Besides, who would waste hundreds of explosive tags just to kill one person? That's a huge loss!"
"You died."
"Hideki, you bastard! I'm going to beat you to death when we get back."
"You died."
...
Outside the school, a cheerful blond little boy walked along.
He carried a worn-out little backpack.
On the way, he helped an old lady cross the street, and helped an elderly person with limited mobility carry heavy things.
Great.
Another day of practicing the Will of Fire.
Oh no,
I'm going to be late.
I'd better hurry.
Whoosh—the blond boy suddenly dashed off like a flying arrow.
...
Ninja Academy.
First Grade, Class A.
More than fifty little kids sat packed tightly in the classroom.
All of them slumped in their seats,
listless and drained, each wearing the look of someone questioning their life.
Wasn't I supposed to come here to study? What was that three-hour speech just now?
The Will of Fire. The Third Hokage. The Third Hokage. The Strongest Hokage. And so on.
Their legs were weak from standing, and their heads were spinning.
Class A's teacher, elite chūnin Uehara Naraku, couldn't help sighing.
As expected of the Third Hokage. His speech skills are truly profound.
I must study hard and strive to follow in the Third Hokage's footsteps.
A gentle breeze drifted through the room.
At Uehara Naraku's waist, a small booklet briefly revealed its first page:
"Striving to Become the Principal of the Ninja Academy."
"Ahem. Today is everyone's first day in class. According to tradition, we'll start with self-introductions. Follow this example: My name is Uehara Naraku. I like ramen, I dislike onions, and my dream is to become a qualified ninja academy teacher."
"Let's start from the far left."
"Hello everyone, my name is Mitarashi Murasaki. I—"
"My name is Uchiha Hayato…"
"Hello everyone, my name is Shiken Aburame. I like bugs. I dislike bugs that I can't obtain. As for dreams… none for now."
"My name is Aburame Shibi. I like bugs. There's nothing I dislike. I don't have a dream."
Bugs? That's disgusting. I'd better stay far away from them.
Quite a few students below had the same thought.
"My name is Hiyasu Hyūga. There's nothing I particularly like, and nothing I particularly dislike. As for my dream… I will become the man who commands the Hyūga branch family."
Most of the students below looked confused.
What's the Hyūga branch family? And what's that green thing on his forehead? It looks pretty cool.
"My name is Hiashi Hyūga."
"My name is Hizashi Hyūga."
"My name is Ryoha Inuzuka. I like Rinko Inuzuka. I hate people who don't bathe. My dream is to defeat everyone who annoys me. Oh, and this is Eimaru. If you ever lose something, come find me—I guarantee I'll find it."
Ryoha Inuzuka boldly declared his claim.
The girl behind him, Rinko Inuzuka, immediately turned red from embarrassment, her speech stuttering.
"Um… m-my name is Rinko Inuzuka. I… I like Ryoha Inuzuka. My dream is to get ma-married, and…"
Before she could finish, she fainted.
Ryoha Inuzuka carried her back to her seat.
Cold sweat covered Uehara Naraku's face.
Are kids these days this mature already? They're confirming relationships this early? Compared to them, I really can't compete… can't compete.
But maybe it was just his imagination—he thought he heard four people curse at the same time.
It sounded like:
"Beast."
When Kamito Uchiha stepped up for his introduction, he was practically grinding his teeth to pieces.
"My name is Kamito Uchiha. I like my sister. I hate people who marry my sister. My dream is to become the strongest ninja of the Uchiha clan."
"My name is Hideki Senju. I like earth and water. I hate that idiot Nawaki. My dream is to make the name Senju resound throughout the ninja world once again."
Senju. Uchiha.
I'd better keep a close eye on them.
Based on past experience, any class that has members of both those clans has never once been peaceful.
Uehara Naraku thought with a headache.
"My name is Minato Namikaze. I like helping people. There's nothing I dislike. My dream is to become a great ninja like the Hokage."
"My name is Nara Shikaku…"
"My name is Yamanaka Inoichi…"
"My name is Chōza…"
...
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