________________________________________
Iruka cleared his throat and introduced:
"This is Toshi Ikeno, and he will be everyone's new classmate from now on."
As soon as Toshi walked into the classroom, he was hit by stares from every direction.
"Hey, isn't that the apprentice from the blacksmith shop? Why was he transferred to our class?"
"Yeah, I heard he dropped out of school before. Couldn't even learn the Three Body Technique."
"My dad told me his mom was a kabuki dancer..."
Toshi understood that most of the students here came from famous clans or were prodigies. His sudden appearance would naturally raise some eyebrows.
He smiled nonchalantly, flashing his white teeth, causing a stir among the girls.
"Wow, he's so handsome!"
"Could he compete with Sasuke?"
"Too bad he's an orphan... and just a blacksmith."
Toshi's eyes met Sasuke's, and he smiled in a friendly way.
But Sasuke turned away without any expression.
"A warm greeting for a cold response…" Toshi thought, unfazed.
Iruka then began roll call.
"Uchiha Sasuke."
"Here."
Sasuke's voice was emotionless, his face cold.
Iruka sighed softly and continued.
"Uzumaki Naruto."
The class suddenly fell quiet, as if the name carried a weight.
"Uzumaki Naruto?" Iruka repeated, scanning the room.
Then, there was a loud crash as the door swung open.
A blonde boy stood in the doorway, panting.
"Hehe... I'm late... sorry."
It was Naruto!
Compared to Sasuke's brooding demeanor, Ikeno found Naruto's carefree energy much more refreshing.
During class, Toshi happened to sit next to Naruto. They hit it off quickly and became friendly within no time.
The school subjects covered both theory and practical skills: the history of the Five Great Nations, ninjutsu, taijutsu, tactics, and weaponry. Although the theoretical subjects bored him, Toshi was looking forward to more hands-on training.
After school, as the sun dipped below the horizon, Toshi walked home alone.
"To—Toshi..." a timid voice called out.
Toshi turned to see the shy figure of Hinata Hyūga. She nervously twirled her fingers in front of her chest, her face flushed.
"Hyūga Hinata!" Toshi smiled warmly.
Seeing that he remembered her name made Hinata's heart leap with joy.
"You saved me last time... I-I never got to thank you properly... Can I treat you to something to eat?" she asked, blushing.
Toshi nodded. "Sure, let's go."
They walked together toward Konoha's main street. Hinata followed him quietly, shyly trailing behind.
At Ichiraku Ramen, they ordered food—Toshi with a full meal and Hinata opting for a modest bowl of ramen.
Hinata ate quietly, her face peaceful. As she drank the soup, Toshi couldn't help but smile, reaching out to ruffle her hair. This startled her, and the noodles stopped halfway to her mouth. Her face turned bright red, but soon she smiled sweetly.
After finishing their meal, they parted ways. Hinata returned home with her heart fluttering, while Toshi made his way back to his universal space to train.
The next day at school, it was time for taijutsu practice. Uchiha Sasuke naturally became the center of attention. His cold demeanor and skill made him the object of admiration, particularly among the girls.
As the new student, Toshi stood next to Sasuke, though his position became contested when Haruno Sakura rushed over and knocked him aside.
"Sasuke-kun!" she greeted sweetly, glaring at Toshi and Naruto.
"Why are you standing next to Sasuke-kun?!"
Before the situation could escalate, Iruka called for order, and the girls returned to their seats—though not without continuously praising Sasuke.
Toshi couldn't help but find it amusing as the girls showered Sasuke with compliments, thinking to himself, "If only they knew there are way more handsome people out there..."
Iruka then asked Toshi to introduce himself.
"My name is Toshi Ikeno, and my biggest dream is to become Hokage."
He said this not just to introduce himself, but knowing full well that the Third Hokage was likely observing through his crystal ball. He wanted to make his ambitions clear.
Naruto quickly followed up with, "Me too! I'm Uzumaki Naruto, and I'm gonna be Hokage one day!"
The class burst into laughter at Naruto's bold declaration.
"The class clown wants to be Hokage? That's hilarious!"
"Yeah, it would be a miracle if Naruto became Hokage."
Even Sakura chimed in. "Sasuke-kun deserves to be Hokage more than you!"
Naruto's face flushed with frustration. "I will prove it! I'll become stronger than all of you, and everyone will respect me!"
Feeling the pain behind Naruto's words, Toshi leaned in and whispered, "You will become the Seventh Hokage, trust me."
Naruto's eyes widened in shock. "Really?"
Toshi nodded, a reassuring smile on his face.
Naruto was moved. He was used to being mocked and ridiculed, so hearing these words from Toshi meant the world to him. He hugged Toshi tightly.
From that moment on, their bond was sealed.
________________________________________