"Kurenai, be careful on the road. And did you have lunch at noon? Just because you're on vacation from school doesn't mean you should forget to go home early..."
"I know, I know, un!"
After enduring another round of his father's nagging, Kurenai quickly jumped out and ran toward the main gate.
"Finally, I can start my ninja training, un... Though I need to prepare first!"
With thoughts of the new friend he made yesterday, Kurenai felt a growing excitement about school life.
Before long, she arrived at the academy and found her assigned classroom.
Even though she had woken up early, by the time she entered, a large group of students—around sixty or seventy—had already gathered in a circle.
At the center of all the commotion was her good friend—Shimizu Rinseishi.
"Shimizu!"
Even in front of strangers, Kurenai couldn't completely hide her excitement and greeted him with a somewhat reserved enthusiasm.
"Hey, Kurenai!" Rinseishi responded cheerfully, then turned to introduce the others. "This is Amagimi Jitsuki, this is Mori Ebi, and this is..."
"Nice to meet you all! Please take care of me!"
"Likewise!"
The greetings were a bit formal at first, but once Rinseishi took the lead in guiding the conversation, the atmosphere quickly became lively.
"It's because of Rinseishi that everyone is getting along so well," Kurenai thought to herself, admiring how easily he brought people together.
Under his guidance, the students quickly found common topics to talk about, and the relationships between them naturally grew closer.
At first, Kurenai had rushed to meet her good friend, but as she listened, she found herself gradually drawn into the group.
Because of this, when the class bell finally rang, most of the new students instinctively gathered near Rinseishi—except for a few loners who kept to themselves.
Most of the students didn't even realize what was happening. They were simply having fun, and their nervousness about the unfamiliar environment had completely disappeared.
However, a few sharp-minded individuals noticed it—Rinseishi had an astonishing ability to bring people together.
When their homeroom teacher, Yagami Hiraku, walked into the classroom with an air of confidence, he was immediately taken aback.
It was chaos.
The seniors had warned him about this year's first-years being wild, but he hadn't expected this. Almost every new student was sitting obediently in their seats.
And then, as soon as he stepped onto the podium—
"GOOD MORNING, TEACHER!"
The voices were a mix of different tones and laughs, making it seem more like a fun game than actual discipline. But even so, Yagami felt a lump in his throat.
Such good kids...
At the same time, he couldn't help but mentally curse the senior students.
How could they call these adorable kids "devils"? Where is your conscience?!
"Alright, students," Yagami said, scanning the class with a composed gaze. "I'm your homeroom teacher for the foundational courses. My name is Yagami Hiraku, but you can call me Yagami-sensei."
"I understand that many of you are excited and anxious about becoming ninjas. That's why I'll do my best to guide you. At the same time, I ask that you don't be afraid—treat me as your ally rather than your superior."
"Now, let's start with introductions. Tamura, you first."
"Yes!"
The first student—who had accidentally entered the wrong classroom earlier and ended up sitting in the front—stood up nervously.
"Uh... My name is Kimura Shin'itsu. Nice to meet everyone."
After his short introduction, he quickly sat back down.
Yagami chuckled. "That was... short and sweet. But we have time, so the next students can share a bit more—like your hobbies, dreams, and so on."
The second student stood up without hesitation.
"I'm Takiya Ryousuke! My hobby is fighting, and my dream is to become the Hokage and be the strongest ninja in the village!"
Yagami smirked. "Quite the bold declaration. Alright, next?"
"I'm Serizawa Hayato. I don't have any hobbies, but my dream is to become Hokage!"
"Hey! I just said I'm going to be Hokage first!"
"What are you, a four-year-old? You can't just call dibs on the title!"
"Shut up! I, Tsukitsuki Noburu, will be the true Hokage!"
"Idiot, you wanna fight?!"
"Bring it on!"
Before Yagami could intervene, the classroom nearly erupted into an all-out brawl.
Sweating nervously, he shouted, "Wait, calm down!"
Unfortunately, no one was listening. Worse, some students were even cheering.
"Yeah, fight! Fight!"
At that moment, Rinseishi suddenly stood up and spoke calmly.
"Takiya, Serizawa, Tsukitsuki... Can I say something?"
"? Rinseishi, what is it?" Ryousuke scratched his head.
"Hmph. You think you can change my mind?" Hayato crossed his arms smugly.
"Wait, Rinseishi... don't tell me you want to be Hokage too?" Noburu asked, looking puzzled.
Surprisingly, as soon as he spoke, the entire classroom quieted down.
Even Yagami was shocked.
"Why do you all want to be Hokage?" Rinseishi asked softly.
"Because the Hokage is the strongest ninja in the village, obviously!"
"I want to be acknowledged by everyone!"
"...If I become Hokage, my parents won't hit me anymore!"
The room fell silent for a second. The first two reasons made sense, but the third...?
Rinseishi's expression remained calm. "I see... But in my opinion, it's not strength that makes someone Hokage."
The three students looked at him in confusion.
"It's not about becoming Hokage to gain approval—it's about being approved first, and then becoming Hokage."
His words weren't some grand, earth-shattering revelation, but they had a certain weight that resonated with the young minds in the room.
Even Yagami was momentarily speechless.
Watching the boy's calm, yet passionate gaze, Yagami thought to himself:
Maybe... just maybe... this kid truly has what it takes to become Hokage someday.