I never thought I'd experience school again. Not that I have a problem with school itself; the real issue is those annoying troublemakers in it. Shanks thought to himself.
Shanks:
"Yesterday, I used both my Evolution and Adaptation abilities. I applied Evolution to itself to enhance it and used Adaptation on the evolution process to reduce the time it takes. From what I felt, it should take around 15 months. But in return, my Evolution ability will improve significantly, and that's a huge win. Hehehe, I have big plans for these two abilities. Once the evolution process of my Evolution ability is complete, it'll be Adaptation's turn. After that, my real training begins.
For now, I need to focus on physical exercises, swordsmanship, and chakra control. Yesterday, I managed to walk on a tree and, for a fleeting moment, felt like I'd mastered it. I was all set to start water-walking, but after a nightly review in my mental library, I realized I'd been overly optimistic. I need to stand on the tree for 30 minutes to an hour without slipping to ensure I've fully mastered this training.
This week, since I have to attend the academy, my training time will be cut short. Damn it! Guess I'll need to tweak my schedule.
After gathering his thoughts, Shanks quickly ate breakfast, packed his things, and got ready. He wore his favorite gray t-shirt and black shorts, then dashed out the door toward the academy.
Upon reaching the academy's entrance after a brisk walk, Shanks thought:
"My muscles are still sore from the past two days of training. I've always considered myself a determined person, but this is a whole new level of challenge for me. It's tough, but I have to push through. Muscle soreness is a good sign; it means the exercises are effective and I'm building real strength."
Shanks entered the academy and walked into Classroom A1. It could accommodate around 50 students—several times larger than the classrooms he remembered from his previous life. Looking around, he noticed some familiar faces: Hinata Hyuga, Choji Akimichi, and a few NPCs who weren't even mentioned in the anime.
Shanks found a seat in the back corner by the window. It was his favorite spot, where he could occasionally glance outside and lose himself in thought.
His gaze fell on seven-year-old Hinata, who immediately sensed the weight of his stare. When she turned to look at him, her face turned bright red. Shanks was surprised.
"Okay, Hinata's shy, but she shouldn't be this shy. Is there a specific reason why she blushed so hard?"
After pondering for a moment, Shanks slapped his forehead internally:
"Crap. Now I remember. Naruto-kun, it looks like I've accidentally stolen your future wife. I showed up earlier than naruto and saved Hinata myself."
As more students filled the classroom, it quickly reached capacity. When the bell rang, Iruka entered and greeted everyone warmly. After taking attendance, he asked the students to pull out their geography books and began the lesson.
"The great powers of the world are the five nations of Fire, Water, Wind, Earth, and Lightning," Iruka explained, pointing to a large map. "These countries dominate most of the continent, and at the heart lies the Land of Fire. The capitals of these nations host the five great ninja villages: Konohagakure, Kirigakure, Sunagakure, Iwagakure, and Kumogakure."
While Iruka continued, Shanks leaned back in his seat, lost in thought:
"Math and chemistry? Easy. But when it comes to geography or ninja skills, I might struggle a bit."
When geography class ended, the bell rang for a short break. Shanks ate some snacks he'd brought with him while observing the other kids.
Hinata stood quietly in a corner, eating her lunch. Ino and Sakura seemed to have become friends, judging by their giggles and chatter. Sasuke leaned coolly against the academy's big tree, eyes closed, radiating an aura of superiority. Meanwhile, Naruto, Shikamaru, Choji, and Kiba were running around playing tag.
After the break, the students of A1 gathered outside instead of returning to class. Iruka and Mizuki arrived, announcing that it was time for shurikenjutsu practice.
Iruka demonstrated the correct form, holding three shuriken between his fingers before launching them toward the targets with precision. The students watched in awe.
"Awesome!" Naruto exclaimed.
"Hmph," Sasuke muttered. "My brother's way better than this."
Shanks, unimpressed, thought:
"The academy is honestly underwhelming. At best, shurikenjutsu can kill or injure a genin, but the real world is far crueler than this childish class. Instead of drilling them on mental resilience, psychology, and practical skills, they're pushing this 'Will of Fire' nonsense. Maybe the academy's curriculum will improve in the future, but I'm not holding my breath. Based on the genin's abilities in the anime, I know there's no advanced training here. Still, since this is an alternate universe, there's a chance things could change."
After the demonstration, Iruka and Mizuki supervised the students as they practiced. Sasuke scored the highest with 8 out of 10 hits, while an NPC Shanks didn't recognize scored the lowest. Shanks managed to hit 5 targets, while Naruto hit only 3. Among the girls, Hinata ranked highest with 8 hits.
Shanks thought:
"Learning shurikenjutsu isn't hard. If I dedicate some time, I could easily master it. But honestly, it feels like a waste of time, so I'm not sure it's worth the effort."
During the final class of the day, Iruka talked about the Will of Fire and the Hokages of the village. Shanks recalled how most kids in the anime aspired to become Hokage at a young age. But as they grew older and faced hardships, most of them abandoned their dreams.
Shanks reflected:
"In my previous life, I was wronged so many times. My successes and inventions were stolen, and I never managed to prove myself or reclaim what was rightfully mine. Over time, I lost my hope and ambitions. But this world is different. With enough effort, I can gain the power I need. Then I can achieve my dreams, protect myself, and challenge the system."