It was a reward for her hard work preparing meals and diligently washing their clothes after long days of training.
"What is this?" Tenten asked curiously, her brown eyes fixed on the small, unusual kunai in her brother's hand.
"Infuse your chakra into the handle of this kunai, then throw it and see what happens," Kazuki instructed with a confident smile.
Tenten blinked in confusion, tilting her head.
Despite the uncertainty in her expression, she followed his instructions without hesitation.
Focusing, she refined her chakra, channeling it into the kunai before hurling it forward.
Suddenly—
Bang!
A puff of white smoke erupted mid-air, and when it cleared, an identical copy of herself stood before her, blinking back at her in surprise.
"It's the Clone Jutsu!"
Tenten gasped, clapping a hand over her mouth, her astonishment impossible to conceal.
How could this be?
Had she just performed the Clone Jutsu on her own?
But—she hadn't even learned the hand seals yet! Wasn't the Clone Jutsu a fundamental technique taught at the Academy?
"This is a special kunai I developed over the past two days," Kazuki explained, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "It mimics the Clone Jutsu when chakra is injected into it."
Tenten's eyes sparkled, her admiration for her brother written all over her face.
"Wow!"
Her excitement was boundless, her gaze practically glowing as she looked up at him.
"Brother, you're amazing!"
"That's why you should practice hard for now," Kazuki advised.
Although he had crafted three different types of ninja tools, he decided not to overwhelm her by introducing them all at once.
Tenten's chakra control was still developing—nowhere near his level.
For now, he would only give her this Clone Kunai, allowing her to train until she could use it flawlessly.
Once she mastered it, he would introduce the other tools.
Early morning—
After washing up and having breakfast, Kazuki stood before a mirror, adjusting his attire.
He opted not to wear the plain jacket he typically used while forging.
Instead, he donned a new outfit: a deep blue robe with wide sleeves, crossed at the collar, and secured with a neatly tied sash.
His long black hair was gathered into a high ponytail, giving him a composed yet sharp presence—almost reminiscent of a wandering samurai.
Beside him, Tenten wore a sleeveless, rose-colored qipao modified for easier movement, along with navy-blue shorts.
Her hair was styled into two round buns on either side of her head—just like the ones she would wear years later as a proud kunoichi.
"Let's go!"
With their belongings packed, the siblings stepped out together.
Today was the first day of their journey as shinobi—
The start of their time at the Ninja Academy!
At the Academy gates, a crowd of children and parents had already gathered.
They waited in organized lines as instructors—likely Chūnin from the village—tested each child's potential to become a ninja.
The exam was basic, mostly assessing their physical abilities and whether they could extract chakra.
Kazuki scanned the crowd, his sharp gaze sweeping over the unfamiliar faces.
Since this wasn't the same year as Naruto Uzumaki's generation, he didn't recognize any of the more famous names from the future.
However, he did spot symbols from notable clans—the Uchiha fan, the Sarutobi crest, and even the Inuzuka markings.
He pondered for a moment.
If his assumptions were correct, this should be the same class as Hyūga Neji and Rock Lee—two of the future Konoha 12.
Soon,
It was finally Kazuki and Tenten's turn to take the entrance test at the Ninja Academy.
For their fellow students from clan backgrounds, this was hardly a challenge—most of them had been training in their family's secret techniques since childhood. Neji Hyuga, hailed as a prodigy of the prestigious Hyuga Clan, passed effortlessly and was immediately recognized as the top student of their year.
When Kazuki and Tenten stepped into their assigned classroom, murmurs rippled through the crowd.
"Wow, that guy looks a little handsome!"
"What's the use of being handsome? He doesn't look like he's from a ninja family. He won't get far."
"That's right! This year, as expected, Young Master Neji of the Hyuga Clan is the top student. Not only is he good-looking, but his strength is also on another level!"
Hearing the whispers, Tenten turned to her brother with curiosity.
"Brother, who is this Neji they're talking about? Is he stronger than you?"
"Hyuga Neji," Kazuki explained briefly, "the genius of the Hyuga Clan and the son of the clan leader's younger brother." Then, a faint smile played on his lips. "As for strength… I can't say yet. But I think I might be stronger."
"Hee hee, I also think my brother is the strongest!" Tenten giggled.
As they talked, a boy with thick eyebrows and a bowl-cut hairstyle hesitantly approached them.
"Uh… c-can I sit here?"
Kazuki immediately recognized him—the future embodiment of perseverance, Rock Lee.
"Yes," Kazuki nodded.
"Hey… Hehe… H-hello! My name is Rock Lee!" he stammered nervously, his face flushed. "Are you two from civilian families too? C-can I be friends with you?"
"Of course." Kazuki smiled. "I'm Kazuki."
"And I'm Tenten, his sister!" Tenten grinned. "My brother's friend is my friend!"
"T-thank you! Thank you so much!" Rock Lee practically shouted, his face lighting up with emotion.
Tenten was startled by his reaction.
"It's not that big of a deal… We're just friends…"
At that moment, the classroom, which had been bustling with chatter, suddenly went silent.
All eyes turned toward Rock Lee. Then came the mocking laughter.
"Wow, someone actually wants to be friends with that loser Rock Lee?"
"So what if he's lucky enough to mold chakra? He'll never be a real ninja!"
"That's right. Civilians thinking they can compete with us? Ridiculous!"
Tenten's temper flared. She slammed her hands on the desk and stood up, her face flushed with anger.
"No wonder Lee was so touched earlier," she thought. "Just because he wasn't born into a powerful clan, does that mean he deserves to be treated like this?!"
The bullies flinched at her sudden outburst but quickly regained their smug expressions.
"Hah! What are you gonna do about it, civilian girl? Fight us? Let's see if you can even land a hit on a real ninja!"
"Tenten… just forget it," Rock Lee sighed. "They've been trained since birth. We don't stand a chance…"
At that moment—
Swish.
A blur flashed before Lee's eyes.
Kazuki?
Lee's mind froze.
"W-wait! Kazuki, hold on!"
But it was too late.
With lightning-fast movements, Kazuki closed the distance between him and the bullies. Before they could even react—
BAM! BAM! BAM!
Three bodies went flying.
Kazuki dusted off his sleeves and smirked.
"This is the so-called strength of 'real' ninja?" He scoffed. "Pathetic."
Silence fell over the entire classroom.
All eyes were locked on Kazuki, their faces pale with shock. Someone gulped audibly.