Chapter 5: Testing
Just as Yamada Shu and Moto Tako finished talking, another ninja, appearing to be in his forties and exuding a strong and intimidating presence, walked into the classroom. His fierce aura immediately silenced the noisy students.
The man walked to the podium and surveyed the classroom before quickly locking his gaze onto Adrian and the others.
"Class 11, come with me."
His words were brief and to the point. This ninja was their instructor. Without further explanation, he walked out of the classroom, leaving the students to follow.
Yamada Shu looked frightened and whispered, "Why is our teacher so scary?"
Moto Tako also seemed anxious, adding, "It seems we're in for trouble."
Adrian, however, remained indifferent. He thought to himself, "This man is powerful. He carries the smell of blood... likely from ANBU."
"Still, this might be a good thing. Being a member of ANBU means he's strong," Adrian mused as they left the classroom.
As Adrian and the others exited, Naruto, sitting in the back, breathed a sigh of relief. "Phew! Adrian's doomed with that teacher. He looks really tough."
Sakura, sitting beside him, nodded in agreement, "That teacher felt like a killer."
Only Sasuke sat in thought. "That ninja has a similar aura to him. He must have been in ANBU too," he concluded, recognizing the instructor's dangerous presence.
Adrian and his new teammates followed their instructor silently out of the school and to one of Konoha's many training grounds. Yamada Shu and Moto Tako remained silent, both still uneasy in the presence of their daunting teacher, while Adrian, characteristically, kept to himself.
The group stopped in front of the instructor, who stood in front of them with an intense gaze. Apart from Adrian, Yamada Shu and Moto Tako were visibly trembling. The instructor focused his attention on Adrian, and a heavy pressure suddenly bore down on him. Adrian, despite feeling uncomfortable, did not waver. He knew this pressure well—it was the instructor testing him.
Despite the weight pressing on his mind, Adrian remained calm, not showing any signs of strain. His composure surprised the instructor.
"Interesting kid," the instructor thought.
The pressure had no effect on Adrian, a feat that most wouldn't be able to pull off—especially not fresh academy graduates.
The instructor let out a laugh. "Hahaha, kid, you're surprising me. I thought I'd just be handed a bunch of brats, but you... you're different."
Meanwhile, Yamada Shu and Moto Tako, barely enduring the aftermath of the pressure, were pale and trembling. Their consciousness had almost slipped away. ANBU-trained, the instructor's aura was too much for them to handle.
Adrian, sensing their distress, finally spoke up, "Teacher, it's a bit much to subject trainees to such bloodlust."
Though he had resisted, Adrian's mental focus had slipped momentarily under the weight of the instructor's test. If it weren't for his recent improvements, he might have broken like his teammates.
The instructor blinked, surprised by Adrian's straightforwardness. He had meant to respond but instead waved a hand. "You're right. I suppose I'm not really suited to be teaching kids. If you'd talked back to me like that before, I'd have given you a good thrashing."
He grinned, adding, "Adrian, right? It seems the academy's evaluation of you was way off. You're far from ordinary."
The instructor's pressure lifted, allowing Yamada Shu and Moto Tako to recover. They were still shaken, though, looking at Adrian in awe. The boy, who they had thought was just another student, had stayed calm under such terrifying pressure.
What they didn't realize was that Adrian had borne the brunt of the instructor's test. If they had known, their shock would have deepened even further.
Adrian, however, didn't care to explain. His performance spoke for itself.
The instructor seemed pleased. "Alright, let me introduce myself. My name is Kimoto Totsu, but you can just call me Totsu. What I just did was a little test. You all did well—especially you, Adrian."
Kimoto Totsu's demeanor shifted, his earlier menacing aura replaced by a more approachable attitude. "Now, how about you all introduce yourselves?"
Yamada Shu eagerly raised his hand. "Teacher, my name is Yamada Shu! My favorite food is barbecue, and I hate green peppers. My dream is to become the strongest ninja in the world, and then become the most powerful Hokage of Konoha!"
Totsu chuckled, "Well, you've got quite the ambition. But remember, there are many powerful ninjas out there. You'll have to work harder than anyone else."
Yamada Shu's dream was familiar. It resembled Naruto's, but then again, becoming Hokage was the aspiration of many kids in Konoha.
Next was Moto Tako. Still shaken from the earlier ordeal, she nervously stammered, "I... I'm Moto Tako, and I'm twelve years old."
Her voice was so quiet, it was barely audible. She looked timid and vulnerable, but her waist-length blonde hair made her strikingly beautiful. Even Adrian was momentarily taken aback.
"Such a beautiful girl... she must have died on some mission in the original timeline," Adrian thought, frowning. Both Moto Tako and Yamada Shu had made a good impression on him. Despite only just meeting, Adrian already regarded them as his teammates.
"I wonder if my presence here will change their fate," he pondered.
Finally, it was Adrian's turn. "My name is Adrian. My dream is to become an excellent ninja," he said calmly. It was an ordinary dream, but it was true enough. He didn't have grand aspirations—at least not before he had gained the power of the system.
As the introductions wrapped up, the group had passed their first test under their new instructor.