When he entered the classroom, Ronin immediately looked for a seat without paying attention to anyone. He had thought about making a few friends for potential connections in the future or simply finding someone he liked, but he quickly remembered that it was a class of elite five-year-old children.
The probability of all these elite kids being arrogant and self-centered was too high for Ronin to bother trying anything. 'They'll come down to Earth on their own,' he thought.
As he planned to catch up on the sleep he had lost while meditating at night, someone leaned over his desk.
"Hey! Wake up!" exclaimed a young boy in his ears. He had light brown curly hair and small square glasses through which one could see lavender-colored eyes that complemented his childish face.
"Mmm... What?" Ronin replied, annoyed. The class didn't start for another 25 minutes, and he hoped to take advantage of that time to get some sleep.
"What, 'what'?! You're sleeping at the ninja academy! On the first day!" the young boy retorted immediately, also in an annoyed tone. He couldn't understand how someone could dare to fall asleep on the first day of the academy.
"...I don't remember asking for your opinion," Ronin continued, exasperated by the young boy's attitude and slightly amused to see him surprised and immediately turning red with anger after that statement.
"Sorry, I was kidding," Ronin apologized, letting out a slight chuckle that didn't go unnoticed by the young man.
"... " The young boy couldn't find the words to express his annoyance. He, who was always quite strict with himself and others, couldn't tolerate the recruit's behavior in front of him.
Then Ronin looked around and saw that the boy was the only one who hadn't yet taken a seat. Based on his analysis, he must be in the same situation as Ronin, meaning he was neither from a clan nor the son of a talented shinobi.
The desks for the students in this room could accommodate two students. Ronin quickly realized that this seat was the only one left for him. Not wanting to deal with immature kids, it was better to spend the year with someone who was similar to him.
"So, go ahead and sit down, and by the way, my name is Ronin," declared Ronin. Despite their recent interaction, he wasn't the type to label people right from the first meeting, at least not anymore. He remembered what it had cost him in his previous life…
"Ah... Uh, thanks, and my name is Kenta," Kenta expressed,quickly calming down and displaying a slight smile before sitting next to Ronin.
And so, a small conversation began between Ronin and Kenta as they slowly got to know each other.
The classes on the first day were mostly useless, at least according to Ronin, who spent his day playing with his belongings while Kenta took notes seriously.
During their small conversation, Ronin learned that Kenta no longer had parents and was an orphan. He lived in a small apartment he obtained through his entry into the academy.
He was quite impressed and understanding of Kenta's determination to make a name for himself.
The second day, however, was quite busy. Several tests were conducted throughout the day to assess the students' abilities and help them get to know each other.
As potential future teammates, it was important to build group chemistry as early as possible.
In the morning, there was a chakra control test, which involved balancing a small stone on the tip of one's finger. Even though Ronin tried his best, he couldn't be the top performer, managing only 32 minutes compared to the two children from the Gonama clan, known for their stone golem techniques. They held the stone for 44 and 49 minutes respectively.
In the afternoon, there was a Taijutsu tournament. Ronin was very confident about this tournament. The goal wasn't necessarily to see students display Taijutsu techniques, considering that some of them might not have access to them.
The aim was to see their potential, and Ronin understood it well. He set aside his knowledge and started fighting on instinct. It reminded him of very old memories, sometimes good, sometimes bad.
Even so, he managed to stand out and win the tournament. However, he struggled in the final battle against one of the children from the Gonama clan. With their significant physicality, it was challenging to rely solely on instinct to defeat them.
His victory in the Taijutsu tournament drew a lot of attention. Ronin knew it would happen, but he didn't plan on losing in his area of expertise. Moreover, winning a Taijutsu tournament could be justified by his intense physical training over the past two years.
Kenta, on the other hand, performed well in the chakra control test, maintaining the stone for 29 minutes. In the Taijutsu tournament, he once again performed admirably, reaching the quarter-finals before being defeated by the future tournament finalist.
Ronin was very impressed by Kenta's performance. He already held him in high regard for his determination and hard work, but seeing him in action only increased his respect for him.
After the tournament, Kenta approached Ronin.
"Well! You didn't tell me you had excellent Taijutsu skills!" exclaimed Kenta, hands on hips and wearing a smile.
"Ah... It's a lot of training. I trained by myself during the two years my father was at war," Ronin complimented, using the excuse he had prepared in advance.
"I see... Well, you also outperformed me in chakra control!" Kenta continued, placing his hand on his chin, lost in thought.
"You're not the only one working hard, Kenta," Ronin replied with a fixed gaze and raised eyebrow.
Embarrassed, Kenta couldn't help but scratch the back of his head, chuckling slightly and affirming Ronin's statement.
Interrupting their conversation, a tall and decently well-built young boy approached Ronin. "Hey, you! You're strong... Let's have a rematch whenever you want," he declared.
"Thank you, and you are…?" Ronin replied out of politeness, although he was quite annoyed by the young man's abrupt interruption.
"Oh, sorry, I often forget introductions. I'm Nagai. Nagai Gonama," declared the young child, standing at 1.25 meters tall, a very large size for a five-year-old. He immediately extended his hand towards Ronin.
He looked like a skyscraper compared to Ronin and Kenta, who were respectively 1.17 meters and 1.19 meters tall.
"I'm Ronin Bushida," added Ronin, shaking Nagai's hand. Nagai wore a reassuring smile, coupled with his hazel eyes and short black hair. He didn't seem like a future ninja from a renowned clan.
'He seems like a good person. And there's nothing wrong with getting along with a clan child, especially if he doesn't act immature like the others,' Ronin analyzed.
Shortly after, Nagai went to join his friends. Then the instructors came to dismiss the recruits, announcing the end of the day.
"Alright, the beginning of the year went well. Let's now focus on intensive training!" Ronin thought to himself, ready to embark on the rigorous training ahead.