Ryuji woke up the next morning with a lazy stretch, rolling out of bed with a groan. "First day of the academy, huh?" he muttered, staring at the ceiling for a moment. His mind was already racing through the possibilities of who he'd face today. Neji Hyuga, Tenten, and that weird kid Lee were going to be there. "Well, they're all just a bunch of kids," Ryuji thought, smirking.
He threw on his ninja sandals, strapped his kunai pouch to his leg, and tucked the basic ninja tools he'd bought into his belt. Sure, he didn't need them. He was already far stronger than most of the students, but it didn't hurt to be prepared. Today was the first real step toward his plan: dominating the academy and becoming the strongest ninja in Konoha. Maybe even stronger than the Hokage.
Walking to the academy, he noticed other kids in their uniforms, chatting excitedly about starting their journey as shinobi. Ryuji snorted. To him, this was just another obstacle to overcome, a small bump on his way to greatness. He wasn't here to make friends or enjoy school life—he was here to win.
The academy was buzzing with energy. As he stepped inside, Ryuji couldn't help but feel slightly irritated by the noise. Kids were running around, showing off their new gear, while others nervously clutched their bags. Some were excited, some were scared, but Ryuji was just bored.
He found his classroom, sliding the door open and taking a seat in the back row. From here, he could observe everyone without drawing too much attention. As expected, the other students trickled in, chatting about what they'd heard, who was strong, and which clan would dominate the academy this year.
Neji Hyuga walked in next, his pale eyes scanning the room. He looked composed, even for a six-year-old, with the kind of quiet confidence you'd expect from a Hyuga. His head was held high, and he ignored the glances he got from the other students. Ryuji's eyes narrowed. "So, that's him, huh? Neji Hyuga. Doesn't look like much right now."
Neji didn't even glance in Ryuji's direction. Instead, he took a seat near the front, already getting the attention of a few kids who seemed curious about the prestigious Hyuga clan.
A little while later, Tenten entered. She had an air of determination around her, with her hair tied up in buns and a serious look on her face. Ryuji noticed she was already carrying a small pouch of weapons, likely kunai or shuriken. "Huh, maybe she's not all talk after all," Ryuji thought, although he wasn't too impressed.
Then came Lee. Ryuji raised an eyebrow. Lee was... different. The kid had a goofy haircut and huge eyebrows, but his posture and the way he carried himself screamed eagerness. It was like he was trying too hard. He looked determined, but he lacked the composure and finesse Ryuji expected from someone who would later become a taijutsu beast.
Ryuji smirked. "He hasn't even met Guy yet, has he?" he thought. "This version of Lee is just a kid who can't use ninjutsu or genjutsu. What's he even doing here?"
The classroom slowly filled up, and finally, the instructor walked in. He was a middle-aged man with a calm, stern expression. His eyes scanned the room before he started speaking.
On the first day of the academy, the classroom buzzed with nervous energy. Ryuji sat toward the back, arms crossed, watching the other kids shuffle around, unsure of what was coming next. He was still getting used to this whole "academy" thing. He hadn't signed up for any of this shit back in his previous life, but now? Now he had to deal with sitting in a classroom with a bunch of six-year-olds, some of whom thought they were the next big thing in the ninja world.
At the front of the class, a man in his late thirties stood tall. His dark hair was pulled back into a tight ponytail, and his sharp brown eyes scanned the room. This wasn't Iruka, the guy Ryuji remembered from the anime. This dude looked like he took no bullshit.
"Alright, listen up!" the man barked, his voice cutting through the chatter. "My name is Sato Daigo, and I'll be your instructor for the next few years. You can call me Sensei, and I expect nothing but your best. Now, before we start, I want each of you to introduce yourselves. Tell us your name, where you're from, and what your goals are."
A few groans rippled through the class. Ryuji rolled his eyes. Great, another pointless exercise. But he figured he'd play along. After all, he didn't want to stand out too much. Not yet, anyway.
One by one, the kids started introducing themselves. The first was a scrawny kid with messy hair. "I'm Yamada Hiro, from the civilian district! I'm gonna be the strongest ninja, like the Hokage!"
A few kids chuckled, and Ryuji had to bite his tongue to keep from rolling his eyes. Hokage? Yeah, good luck with that.
Next up was a girl with her hair tied back in buns. "My name's Tenten! My goal is to
become a legendary kunoichi like lady Tsunade.
Lee was next. He jumped to his feet, practically vibrating with excitement. "I'm Rock Lee, and I don't have any talent in ninjutsu or genjutsu, but I'm going to work harder than anyone else! I'll become a splendid ninja through pure hard work and perseverance!"
The kid was yelling by the end of his intro, and the entire class was staring at him like he'd lost his mind. But Ryuji couldn't help but smirk. This kid's insane... I like him.
Then it was Neji's turn. The Hyuga stood up slowly, eyes scanning the room like he was already better than everyone else. "I am Neji Hyuga, from the Hyuga clan. My goal is to surpass the limitations set upon me by my fate and to prove that destiny can be changed."
Oh, here we go, Ryuji thought. Destiny this, destiny that. Kid's six years old and already acting like he's got the weight of the world on his shoulders. Get over yourself.
Finally, it was Ryuji's turn. He stood up, hands shoved into his pockets, and looked around the room. He could feel the eyes of the other students on him, waiting to hear what the new guy would say.
"I'm Ryuji Suzuki," he said, his voice calm but firm. "And my goal... is to become the strongest. That's it."
Simple. Direct. No bullshit. He wasn't about to give some long speech or talk about his destiny. He'd let his actions speak for themselves.
There was a brief silence, then Daigo nodded approvingly. "Straightforward. I like that."
Ryuji sat back down, not caring about what the others thought. His goal wasn't to make a name for himself just yet. He was here to get stronger, to push himself beyond the limits of what he knew. The rest? It could wait.
As more kids introduced themselves, Ryuji zoned out a little, his mind wandering. He thought about the training he'd been doing, the system's damn quests, and the challenge ahead of him. This academy stuff better not be a waste of time. If I don't get stronger out of this, I swear...
His eyes flicked back to Neji. That kid was going to be a problem. Not because of his talent, but because of his damn attitude. Ryuji had a feeling they were going to butt heads sooner or later. As much as he'd wanted to befriend the guy at first, he wasn't about to kiss anyone's ass.
The introductions wrapped up, and Daigo clapped his hands together, calling the class to attention again. "Alright, now that we know who everyone is, let's get to work. You're here to become ninja, and that means hard work, discipline, and dedication. Some of you might already think you're special—" his eyes flicked briefly toward Neji "—but let me make one thing clear: no one in this room has what it takes to be a ninja yet. Not even close."
Ryuji smirked to himself. Yeah, we'll see about that.
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