The atmosphere in the classroom was unusually solemn that morning. Fujimoto-sensei had replaced his usual blackboard with seven wooden stands, on each of which was painted the outline of one of Kirigakure's legendary swords.
"Today," he began in a voice that betrayed an emotion rarely shown, "we will pay tribute to our valiant Seven Swordsmen, who fell defending the village against the Green Beast of Konoha."
'More like a tribute than a lesson,' Ren thought, noting how their usually stern teacher showed an almost reverential respect as he approached the first stand.
"Kubikiribōchō, the Decapitating Sword," Fujimoto pointed to the first drawing. "A blade that regenerates itself using iron in the blood of its enemies. Its wielder was known for its unstoppable brute force."
Jun'ko raised his hand timidly. "Sensei, is it true that the sword was as tall as two men?"
"Almost," Fujimoto smiled slightly. "And heavy enough to break bones with a single blow."
Turning to the second stand, he continued, "Kiba, the Lightning Swords. The only weapons in history capable of generating electricity independently."
"Technically," Aoi whispered aloud before he could restrain himself, "the electrical conductivity of the special metal used to forge Kiba should be..."
"Kaito," Fujimoto interrupted him, but his tone was surprisingly patient, "the real magic of the seven swords is beyond science."
As the lesson proceeded, Ren carefully observed the reactions of his classmates. Shinji, for once fully awake, was frantically drawing each sword in his notebook. Yukiko seemed particularly interested in Hiramekarei, the sword that could transform into various chakra forms.
"And finally, Samehada," Fujimoto concluded, "the most fearsome of the seven. A living sword that devours chakra itself."
"Sensei," another student asked, "is it true that only some can wield these swords?"
"It is," he nodded gravely. "Swords choose their wielders as much as wielders choose them." His gaze wandered over the class. "And who can say? Perhaps a future swordsman of the mist lurks among you."
"But sensei," Hiroshi intervened in his usual arrogant tone, "aren't we too young?"
"Age doesn't matter as much as determination and heart," Fujimoto replied. "Our fallen men were young when they began their training, but their spirit was already that of true Kirigakure swordsmen."
During the lunch break, the excitement about the lesson was still palpable.
"I want Nuibari!" exclaimed Jun'ko, mimicking sewing movements in the air. "Imagine being able to sew together the shadows themselves!"
"The statistical probability of being chosen as a wielder is approximately 0.001%," Aoi began, but interrupted himself upon seeing the stares of the others. "But I suppose dreams don't follow statistics."
"I would like Hiramekarei," Yukiko said softly. "The ability to shape chakra into that form..."
Ren remained silent, thinking about how cleverly history had been rewritten. The "Green Beast" was actually a single genin who had sacrificed his life to save his team. But here, in this classroom, she had been transformed into a monster against whom the valiant swordsmen had fallen defending the village.
"What about you, Ren?" asked Shinji, interrupting her thoughts. "Which would you prefer?"
Before he could answer, Fujimoto-sensei called the class to order. For the rest of the day, he continued to tell stories of the exploits of the seven swordsmen, mixing history and legend in a way that made his young students' eyes sparkle.