Chapter 11: The
First Day at Ninja Academy
As Naruto stepped forward, his cheerful and confident
demeanor radiated throughout the classroom. Without the six fox whiskers, his
entire aura was completely different from that in the original story. Combined
with his handsome face, Naruto immediately stole the attention of all his
peers.
The little girls who were previously obsessed with Sasuke
were now looking at Naruto with stars in their eyes. After all, compared to
Sasuke, the aura around Naruto was undeniably stronger. Uchiha was indeed a
prestigious family in the Hidden Leaf Village, but could it compare to the
position of Hokage?
Not to mention that the Fourth Hokage had died fighting to
protect the village just six years ago. This naturally added a special aura to
Naruto, the orphan of the Hokage.
"Naruto sama is
indeed handsome!" "As expected of the Fourth Hokage's son!"
"Naruto sama will definitely become
a great ninja like the Fourth Hokage!" "Ah! What should I do? Now I
like both Sasuke-kun and Naruto sama !" "It's so hard to
choose!!!"
The excitement in the room was palpable. These kids were
practically hanging on Naruto's every word.
"Snort!"
And Sasuke, who had always been the center of attention,
felt a tinge of displeasure. He didn't really care about those 'fangirls,' but
it was a natural reaction for a child to feel uneasy about losing something
that originally belonged to them.
"Ahem, okay, everyone is here. Please be quiet,
classmates. I am your class teacher for the next six years and the teacher
responsible for teaching you theoretical knowledge—Umino Iruka! I hope that in
the next six years, you can listen carefully to the guidance of the teachers,
study hard, and not let down the expectations of your parents and teachers, so
you can become excellent ninjas in the future!" Iruka placed his hands on
the podium, looking at the fifty or sixty little students with a serious expression,
speaking in a calm and authoritative tone.
"Yes, Iruka-sensei!"
Whether or not these children fully comprehended his words,
they still straightened their bodies and replied in unison. At least for now,
Iruka, wearing the standard Konoha vest, commanded a certain level of respect.
Iruka nodded with satisfaction. As a teacher, he knew that
education didn't happen overnight. These children had just entered the academy,
and Konoha today was quite different from what it was a few years ago.
Expectations shouldn't be set too high at the beginning, but they needed to be
guided bit by bit.
"Well, very good. Let's get to know each other first.
If nothing else, you'll be studying together in the academy for six years, so
it's important to get acquainted! Let's start with you! Just tell us your name,
your dreams, and what you like!" Iruka pointed to a little boy on the left
side of the first row by the door.
"Yes, Iruka-sensei!"
The boy stood up excitedly, showing no signs of stage
fright. He turned to face most of his classmates and said loudly, "My name
is Okazaki Tomoya, and my favorite thing is dango! My dream is to become
someone respected by others!"
"Well, great, next one!"
"My name is Matsuoka Masaki, and my favorite things
are ...."
One self-introduction after another followed. Each child
bravely introduced themselves. Their likes varied, but most shared similar
dreams—either to become great ninjas or to be Hokage.
This was expected. Most children born in the five major
ninja villages and studying in ninja schools aspired to become the leaders of
their villages. It symbolized not only status and strength but also respect,
love, and admiration from countless people.
When it was Sakura Haruno's turn, she stood up with a bit
of hesitation but quickly gained confidence. "My name is Sakura Haruno. My
favorite thing is... um... studying and getting better at being a kunoichi! My
dream is... well, it's kind of embarrassing, but... I want to be as strong and
cool as the ninjas I admire!" Her bright pink hair and determined
expression left a strong impression on everyone.
Next was Ino Yamanaka. "Hi, I'm Ino Yamanaka. I love
flowers and helping my family at the flower shop. My dream is to become a
skilled ninja and support my friends!" She flashed a confident smile, her
long blonde hair tied in a high ponytail.
Then came Shikamaru Nara, who lazily stood up. "I'm
Shikamaru Nara. I like cloud-watching and playing shogi. My dream? Just to live
a peaceful life without too much trouble." His laid-back demeanor and
genius intellect were already apparent.
Choji Akimichi followed. "Hello, I'm Choji Akimichi. I
love eating barbecue and chips! My dream is to become a strong ninja and
protect my friends!" His round face and cheerful personality instantly
endeared him to his classmates.
Kiba Inuzuka stood up next, with his small dog Akamaru on
his head. "Hey, I'm Kiba Inuzuka, and this is Akamaru! We love training
together and going on adventures. My dream is to become the best ninja in our
clan!" His fierce energy and bond with Akamaru were evident.
Then came Sasuke's turn, maintaining his signature cool
demeanor. "My name is Uchiha Sasuke. I don't have any particular likes. My
dream is to become a great ninja like my brother!"
It wasn't indifference from a major life change but a
deliberately put-on attitude. Still, the little girls adored it.
"Ah!" "Wow, Sasuke-kun!"
"Kakkoii!"
Most of the little girls were practically swooning! This
marked the first wave of excitement in the classroom. The second climax
naturally came with Naruto's self-introduction.
"Hello, classmates, my name is Namikaze Naruto. My
favorite is Ichiraku Ramen. I don't particularly dislike anything. My future
dream is to become a great Hokage like my father!"
Same style, same words, but different due to his upbringing
and environment. This 'Namikaze Naruto' was less mischievous and more polite.
"Oh! It's truly Naruto sama !" "Naruto sama
!" "This is the son of the Fourth Hokage!" "Yabai! Totally
Yabai!!"
The central figures, the focus of all eyes: Namikaze Naruto
and Uchiha Sasuke. Despite the different plot, their fates seemed intertwined,
creating a sense of competition.
Sasuke had already regarded Naruto as someone he must
surpass. Admiring his brother deeply, Sasuke's goal before entering school was
always to be the best. Because that was the position his brother had easily
reached! Claiming to be a genius of the Uchiha clan, he was determined to keep
up with his brother's pace!
Finally, it was Menma's turn. His calm demeanor and gentle
words went unnoticed by most, except Naruto, who turned his head subconsciously
at Menma's introduction.
"My name is Uzumaki Menma. I don't have anything I
particularly like. My future dream is to be recognized by many people!"
An inexplicable emotion emerged in Naruto's heart. Did
Menma seem a little familiar to him for a moment? It felt like a deep
connection, but the feeling disappeared almost instantly, leaving Naruto
momentarily dazed.
However, Menma didn't glance at Naruto again. After his
introduction, he sat down quietly. When Naruto felt everything was normal
again, his carefree nature took over, and he stopped caring. Maybe it was just
an illusion.