Chapter 176: Big Sister's "Protecting Her Man" Declaration
A few days later, while the air still held the residual bite of late winter, the atmosphere around the newly opened gates of the Konoha Ninja Academy was already reaching a boiling point.
Sunlight filtered through the budding branches, casting dappled, dancing shadows on the clean stone paths. Children dressed in colorful clothes or simple training gear merged into a vibrant stream, flowing toward the school amidst parental reminders, peer laughter, or solitary jitters.
Menma walked through the crowd with steady steps, wearing clean but clearly well-worn red and black clothes. His azure eyes swept calmly over the excited or nervous faces. He felt no internal ripples.
Ninja Academy? To him, this was just a necessary stage for his disguise. Much like the Naruto fanfics he'd read in his past life, very few protagonists managed to skip the academy years.
His gaze fell on a golden figure bouncing like a small sun just ahead.
"Brother Menma! Look, look! So many people! And the playground is huge! Whoa, that training post is way taller than me!" Naruto, wearing a brand-new bright orange tracksuit, scampered around Menma like a puppy with too much energy. His blue eyes sparkled with pure, unreserved excitement.
"Do you think we'll be in the same class?! I definitely want to make friends today!"
Listening to Naruto's hopeful declarations, the corner of Menma's mouth twitched upward almost imperceptibly. "Mm, we will," he responded simply. Seeing Naruto so happy just to be able to attend school like a normal person softened Menma's sense of "transmigrator's detachment."
The two followed the flow into a spacious classroom. Rows of wooden desks smelled of fresh lacquer and paper. Menma recognized several faces from the screen of his previous life: Shikamaru Nara was already face-down on a window seat looking "exhausted"; Chōji Akimichi was carefully opening a bag of chips; Kiba Inuzuka was lively, though he didn't have Akamaru yet. Ino Yamanaka and Sakura Haruno sat together, whispering while glancing toward the door.
Except for Neji's year, the rest of the 'Twelve Genin' are all here, Menma noted. Wait... am I forgetting someone?
Naruto dragged Menma to a seat in the back, still looking around eagerly. Menma sat quietly, observing the classroom like a dynamic scroll.
Suddenly, a commotion erupted at the door.
"Look! It's Sasuke-kun!"
"Sasuke-kun is so handsome!"
Sasuke Uchiha walked in with his hands in his pockets, wearing his high-collared blue shirt. His refined features held a coldness and pride that didn't match his age. His gaze instinctively locked onto the glaring golden figure—Naruto—and then shifted to Menma.
Naruto's face turned from sunny to stormy in an instant. "Hmph! Stuck-up!" He stood up and pointed. "What are you posing for? Just because a few people like you? Big deal!"
Sasuke paused, his icy gaze meeting Naruto's. "Your voice is as loud as ever. Annoying. You're an eyesore."
"What did you say, bastard?! You wanna fight?" Naruto rolled up his sleeves.
"Bring it, loser," Sasuke replied, his eyes sharp as knives.
The classroom went silent. Ino and Sakura looked worried; Shikamaru sighed. Menma placed a hand on Naruto's shoulder to calm him. Just as the tension peaked, a hearty voice cut through:
"Hey, hey! It's the first day and you're already at it? Sit down! Save the fighting for combat class!"
Iruka Umino walked in, clutching a stack of registers. With a scar across his nose and a stern but warm smile, he commanded the room. Naruto grumbled and sat back down, while Sasuke moved to a seat in the back, ignoring the girls' stares.
"Welcome to the Ninja Academy! I'm your homeroom teacher, Iruka Umino!" he announced enthusiastically. "To get to know each other, let's start with self-introductions! Tell us your name, your dreams, or what you like!"
The process began. Chōji liked food; Shikamaru wanted a boring life; Ino and Sakura liked flowers (and glanced at Sasuke); Kiba wanted to be Hokage.
When it was Sasuke's turn, he stood up expressionless. "I am Sasuke Uchiha." He sat down immediately.
The brevity triggered a wave of squealing from the girls. Naruto looked like he was about to explode. "Dammit! What's so great about a jerk like him!"
"Next! Naruto Uzumaki," Iruka called out.
Naruto jumped up. "I'm Naruto Uzumaki! My dream is to become a Hokage that surpasses all the previous ones! I'll make the whole village recognize me! And I'll definitely beat that stuck-up Sasuke!"
He shouted until his face was red, but the laughter from some girls made his confidence wither. He sat down dejectedly, looking at Menma.
Menma stood up, his voice level. "I am Menma." He sat back down before anyone could blink. He was already considering sending a Shadow Clone to attend class in his place.
Finally, it was Hinata Hyūga's turn.
The Hinata currently standing up was wearing a hooded white coat, her long blue hair flowing behind her. She looked down, her fingers fiddling with her hem, her face blushing. "I... I'm Hinata Hyūga... I... I li... like..."
She trailed off, her head dropping lower. The class waited. Ino and Sakura exchanged looks that said, She's so shy.
Suddenly, Hinata's body jerked as if struck by lightning. She snapped her head up. The blush vanished, replaced by a wild, predatory energy. Her pure white eyes didn't hide; they swept over the room like a sharpened blade, settling with a "The Queen is here" aura.
Big Sister Hinata had arrived.
She put one hand on her hip and pointed her other finger at the girls—specifically Ino and Sakura. Her voice was loud, clear, and utterly domineering:
"Listen up, all of you! My name is Hinata Hyūga! My favorite food is Ichiraku Ramen! The person I like is my sister, BUT!"
She pivoted, her gaze turning sharp as a razor as it pierced through Menma. She surveyed the room, enunciating every word with bone-chilling weight:
"If anyone dares to make a move on Menma... I will slaughter them!!"
Silence.
Dead, absolute silence.
The classroom was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Everyone stared at the aggressive Hyūga heiress as if seeing her for the first time. Iruka dropped his chalk. Ino and Sakura's mouths were wide enough to fit eggs. Shikamaru's "troublesome" expression froze. Even Sasuke turned his head to look at her like she was a monster.
Naruto was completely petrified, glancing between the terrifying Hinata and the now-center-of-attention Menma.
As for Menma—the recipient of this "Protecting Her Man" declaration—his calm facade finally cracked. He raised a hand and slowly, stiffly, pressed it against his forehead, feeling a pulse throb in his temple. His blue eyes were filled with a mix of helplessness, embarrassment, and a deep, unshakeable sense of cringe.
Outside, the spring sun was bright. The first class of the Class of Year 57 had begun in a way no one expected.
"Strange, am I missing one?" Iruka looked at the last name on the list after the silence broke.
"Teacher..." a voice spoke from a shadow in the corner. "I haven't introduced myself yet."
"Ah! Hahaha! Sorry! Please go ahead," Iruka laughed nervously.
"My name is Shino Aburame," Shino said, silently adjusting his round sunglasses.