In the morning, the sun's golden rays cascaded upon Konoha's streets, casting a warm and inviting glow on its residents. In one of the residential area districts, a boy went on his way with a hushed pace and an excited gaze.
He wore a simple attire consisting of a long-sleeved all-black T-shirt and light gray pants. With a mind full of thoughts, he didn't even notice he already arrived close to the Academy.
Getting back on track, Raijin looked at his surroundings and saw the many children and adults going inside the Academy gates which had written a massive congratulations message to all new students. Pacing through the bustling entrance, he followed the direction boards put in place for the ceremonial day.
After walking through the corridors of the Academy, he arrived at an open field with a small wooden stage set up in front of the people gathered.
As he walked to the student's line, he saw many staff members whispering among themselves with an anxious look directed to one of the back doors that granted access to the field. Despite finding it strange, Raijin promptly followed the crowd and positioned himself among the students.
The adults circumvented the group in a rectangular shape, with only one of its sides reserved for the small stage and the staff members. Excited voices expressed in whispers and small chats overwhelmed the field.
Naturally, Raijin turned his head many times to observe those in attendance. His eyes scanned through the numerous people as he found clan crests such as the Uchiha, Yamanaka, and Nara in students and adults alike. He also noticed that many of the students there were from small clans.
As he took his time seeing his new classmates, the kid at his right side softly bumped his shoulder into his. Grasping the new contact, his eyes then went to see who perturbed his focus.
Observing the person at his side, he saw a simple-looking boy. His dark hair was arranged in a tight ponytail with a hair elastic. He wore a light blue shirt with a small circle drawn in it, as well as beige pants.
While his eyes wandered to see the boy's appearance, a voice promptly interrupted his thoughts.
"Hey, dude. Sorry, didn't mean to do that."
The boy quickly offered his apologies to Raijin. After his sentence, he turned to his friend by his side with his voice now taking a mildly aggressive tone. "Hey, Hobu! Stop pushing me!"
A boy with bowl-cut dark hair and large hazel eyes answered back with the same intonation. "I won't until you answer me! When is this ceremony going to end?! I'm already done with this, Isemi!"
Seeing the event play out, Raijin stared in surprise at the energy displayed by the boys. As he was about to say something to them, he heard a shout from one of the staff members in the distance.
"Lord Hokage!"
All adults stayed in salute for Hiruzen's presence and the open field's chatter died down gradually. As he calmly went to the small stage at the forefront, the Hokage acknowledged their subordination with a light smile.
Arriving at the platform, Hiruzen took his hand to his head's level. With a light cough, he started his speech.
"Welcome, young students.", his face showed a warm smile. "As the Third Hokage of the Hidden Leaf Village, it is my great honor to prestige all of you in this auspicious occasion.", his firm voice carried a soothing tone to all listeners.
"To all of you who worked hard to be here, today marks the beginning of your beautiful journey. I extend my heartfelt congratulations to those who have demonstrated determination, skill, and potential to embark on the path of the Shinobi.
Your acceptance into this Academy means not just an achievement, but a commitment—-to yourselves, to your families, and to the future of our village. Being a shinobi is not merely about mastering techniques or completing missions. It is about embodying the Will of Fire—the unyielding spirit that burns within each and every one of us, connecting us to our past, guiding us in the present, and inspiring us to shape the future."
As Hiruzen continued his speech, his eyes wandered around the crowd gathered. Looking at all the students with hopeful eyes, his sight stopped for a moment in Raijin's direction. In an acknowledgment moment, he promptly broke off of his stupor and continued to wander his eyesight to every person equally.
With a fierce voice, he continued. "The Will of Fire is a flame that has been passed down through generations of shinobi, a flame that has illuminated the darkest of times and forged the strongest of bonds. It is the belief that as members of the Hidden Leaf Village, we are bound by duty and honor to protect and defend all that we hold dear.
As you begin your journey, I urge you to nurture this flame within yourselves. Let it guide your actions, fuel your determination, and inspire your comradeship. In the days ahead, you will face challenges and trials that will test your resolve and push you to your limits. But always remember that you are not alone. You stand shoulder to shoulder with your fellow shinobi, your teachers, and the entire village behind you."
With him now turning to a soothing tone once again, his speech continued. "Congratulations on your acceptance into the Academy, everyone! From this day forth, do your best to reach your goals to become a shinobi."
After ending his sentence, a small clapping issued. All adults, including the Hokage, applauded the young students for their acceptance into the Academy. Some of the kids wore a shy look due to the commotion, while others puffed their chests in confidence.
As the event ended, the Hokage left the scene for more important matters. The teachers then again guided the small crowd of students to the Academy. Raijin followed them, however, unlike most of the people, his face was that of a frown.
'Why did the Hokage stare at me…? Does he know something?!', Hiruzen's momentary focus in his direction certainly didn't come unnoticed by Raijin. While he normally wouldn't consider anyone's stares, it was the Hokage we were talking about.
As his face contorted even more due to his intense thinking, he felt another bumping into his shoulder. Turning in its direction, Raijin saw the same kid from before.
"Hey, man… I don't mean to be intrusive but why are you so stuck up? That gives me chills…", Isemi voiced out his concern for Raijin's unnatural frowning face. "Look, we just got into the Academy. So, smile a bit, man. Is it that hard?"
Speechless, Raijin promptly turned his frown into a slight widening of his eyes. Seeing the boy who had interacted with him earlier, he answered him a bit awkwardly. "Well, I mean… I'm just not in the mood right now.", with a dismissive tone, he turned to follow the line quicker.
Isemi, seeing that Raijin was trying to evade his approach, observed the boy distancing himself from him and his friend. Turning to Hobu, Isemi voiced out in a whispering voice while slightly pointing in Raijin's direction, "Hobu, you see that guy?"
Looking to his left, Hobu didn't seem to catch his voice as his eyes wandered to the ceiling. Seeing his aloof state, he asked in a concerned tone. "Hobu, what's got into you?"
As Hobu registered his voice, the boy with large hazel eyes said in an excited voice. "The Hokage stared at me, Isemi! I think I have secret powers I'm not aware of!"
Hobu sudden outburst was accompanied by a few small excited jumps. Isemi, seeing his friend's state, he sighed. "Hobu… It wasn't you."
Breaking out of his state, the boy turned to Isemi. "Hm?! What do you mean??", he said in an incredulous voice. After a few seconds of no response, Hobu voiced out. "I see…", his face darkened.
"You are just envious of me! What a friend I've made, huh?! Just when I achieve glory, he starts to gaslight me into thinking that I am a fraud." he pointed at Isemi with a resentful expression.
Taking his hand to his forehead, Isemi's sigh deepened. "Hobu… It's not like that…", his eyes then darted to the corridor's direction while his finger pointed to Raijin's back. "See that guy?"
Hobu's eyes followed Isemi's as he saw Raijin once more. With a nod from him, Isemi continued. "Lord Hokage was actually looking at him."
Widening his eyes, Hobu burst out. "What?! But I saw—"
Interrupting him mid-sentence, Isemi voiced. "Yeah, he was by our side. That's why you're confused.", he clarified. "By the way… Don't you think it's strange?"
Frowning a bit, Hobu rebutted. "What do you mean strange, Isemi?"
Looking at him, Isemi said, "That guy attracted Lord Hokage's attention on our first day at the Academy. Also, judging by his face and attire, he doesn't seem to be a Sarutobi clan member.", his eyes glowed. "So what about him could have prompted the Hokage's attention?"
In a trance, Isemi couldn't help but think a lot about the matter. Hobu however, lashed out. "You and your Nara clan habits… Always complicating things.", he said in a higher tone. "There's nothing special about him anyway. You must be mistaken."
"Is that so?", Isemi's eyes squinted.