Chương 21: Academy Days

Despite having been reborn into a new life, Dongye Zhen did not resent the idea of going to school; in fact, he looked forward to it. After all, the Ninja Academy was an entirely different beast from the educational institutions of his previous world. One focused on imparting scientific knowledge, while the other focused primarily on teaching you how to cut people down. In the early morning, after finishing his routine training and enjoying a hearty breakfast, Zhen set off for school.

The sun was shining, the flowers were smiling, and the little birds seemed to chirp,"Early, early, early! Why aren't you wearing your little backpack?" A backpack? Non-existent. A ninja tool pouch was all he needed—two at the small of his back and one strapped to his thigh. They were packed with kunai, shuriken, and other armaments. This was the core difference: here, even if one carried a backpack, it likely held oversized weapons like Fuma Shuriken that wouldn't fit in a standard pouch.

Of course, there was one slight departure from his usual gear—one pouch currently held two pens and a modest notebook. That was it; nothing more was required. Halfway there, Zhen met Gekko Hayate and Uzuki Yugao waiting at the crossroads, and the three continued together. For some reason, looking at them gave Zhen the fleeting sensation of walking to the county junior high with childhood friends in his past life. He never imagined he would experience such a thing again.

The people from his past could never guess he was now living in another world. Life was truly miraculous; as long as one stayed alive, interesting things were bound to happen—especially in this fantastical realm. Upon arriving at the school, Hayate headed to his second-year classroom while Zhen and Yugao went straight to Year 1, Class A. The designation alone marked it as the elite track for top-tier students. The Academy operated on a small-class system, with twenty-seven students per class.

If no one graduated early, they would eventually form exactly nine three-man squads. The lecture hall featured three rows of long desks, each seating three students. By now, more than half the class had arrived. Those who knew each other sat together, engaged in animated conversation, faces flushed with excitement. It was as if they expected to attend class today, graduate tomorrow, and ascend to the Hokage's throne the day after.

Only Shisui sat solitary, occupying a window seat on the right side of the middle row. It was unclear if the clan crest on his clothes acted as a "Muggle-Repelling Charm" or if his overly mature expression simply alienated the others. Regardless, his large, captivating eyes were striking enough that several girls stole frequent glances at him. When Zhen and Yugao entered, the room fell silent as everyone's gaze shifted toward them.

The boys looked somewhat defiant; after all, these two and Shisui had been the frontrunners in the entrance physical test. The girls' gazes were simpler, lingering mostly on Zhen's face. One could only say that inheriting his mother's looks had its perks. As Zhang Fei might have put it:"I possess quite a fine countenance!" Little Yugao, however, reacted like a puppy whose food bowl was being threatened, meeting every lingering gaze with a fierce glare of her own.

She was no longer the oblivious child of two years ago; she had instinctively learned to guard her "territory." Zhen was speechless. Are the girls of the Shinobi World all born with a PhD in jealousy? Dipping into the vinegar vat at such a young age?

"You're quite early," Zhen said as he sat down beside Shisui. While speaking, he pulled out the textbooks from under the desk to count them, eventually fishing out a small pamphlet.

"I had nothing else to do, so I came early. So, you were looking for this? Did you spot a problem, Zhen?" The pamphlet was the curriculum schedule for the semester. Zhen scanned it and nodded.

"As I thought. Compared to the past, the hours for literature, history, and science have been heavily compressed. The extra time has been allocated to training and combat-oriented courses."

"It really has! But why?" Yugao asked, looking at her own handbook. Shisui thought for a moment.

"Because of the war. The village doesn't know how long it will last. To prepare for any disadvantageous turns, prioritizing the students' combat effectiveness is the most logical choice." Zhen agreed.

"Exactly. We are in a state of war. Regardless of whether they actually deploy us, focusing on combat strength is the right move. Better to have it and not need it. This is a place for training ninja, not scholars. Foundational knowledge isn't a 'must' right now; it can be supplemented later if needed." Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

"Oh, so that's how it is?" Yugao muttered.

"Of course. But those interested can self-study. As long as it doesn't interfere with training, the school won't interfere." Zhen looked over the textbooks; every subject was represented. They were provided directly in the classroom, unlike his previous life where students had to fetch them. Moreover, they were free. The Academy didn't charge tuition. This was a place where people were trained to put their lives on the line for the village—essentially a boot camp. Paying for school here?

That would be like paying to join the army. What kind of 'American' behavior would that be? Soon after the students were all present, the bell rang. A young man wearing a green flak jacket entered and stood at the podium. He appeared to be in his twenties, of average height, wearing black-rimmed glasses. He was somewhat handsome, with distinctive black hair that stood up in defiant spikes, reminiscent of a Saiyan.

For a moment, Zhen almost expected him to turn into Gohan—he half-feared the man might get angry, turn blonde, and accidentally reduce the planet to cosmic dust with a single palm strike. Fortunately, his fears were unfounded. The young teacher wrote his name on the chalkboard and addressed the room.

"Hello, everyone. My name is Inoue Kuroiwa. From today on, I am your homeroom teacher. Now, please come up one by one and introduce yourselves—include your dreams, hobbies, and so on, so we can get to know each other. Let's start with the front row on the left." The students took turns. Some were nervous, some boisterous, some shy, and one even wore sunglasses to act cool.

When that boy announced his name was Muta Aburame, Zhen realized it wasn't an act—the sunglasses were practically part of the Aburame anatomy; the men of that clan were basically sentient shades. As for dreams, most involved becoming the Hokage or protecting the village. After all, a Leaf ninja who didn't want to be Hokage wasn't a "good student." Among the girls, fewer aspired to the hat.

They either wanted to be like Tsunade, open a bakery or flower shop, or—as one boldly stated—marry a kind and handsome "perfect husband."

Is this really a room of six-year-olds? Was their brain matter supplemented with hormone-enriched fertilizer? And when you say 'kind and handsome,' could you please stop staring at me? When it was Yugao's turn, she showed no stage fright.

"I am Uzuki Yugao. I like viewing flowers, and my dream is to have a massive garden where I can collect and grow every famous flower in the Shinobi World." Zhen remembered: two years ago, her patience for fishing lasted less than twenty minutes; she spent the rest of the day picking flowers in the forest—and accidentally gathering a pile of poisonous mushrooms. If he and Hayate hadn't already studied edible plant identification, the four of them would have been "lying in boards" that very day.

When it was Zhen's turn, he looked over his classmates, memorizing their faces, and said calmly, "My name is Dongye Zhen. My hobby is cultivation. My dream is to become a powerful shinobi and protect my comrades." Inoue Kuroiwa looked at his top-scoring student.

"Dongye-kun, do you not wish to become Hokage?"

"I do, of course. But, Inoue-sensei, we must look at the bigger picture. Does one need to be the Hokage to protect their comrades? Protection should not be tied to rank; it is a resolve every Leaf shinobi should possess."

"Ahaha! Well said! Dongye-kun, your understanding of the Will of Fire is profound. Very well, return to your seat. Next!"

"I am Uchiha Shisui. My hobby is eating grilled fish—especially with friends. My dream is for the people of the village, regardless of their origin, to understand one another and become true friends."

"A wonderful dream. Next." It wasn't until the introductions concluded that Zhen felt the sensation of being watched dissipate. The Third's Crystal Ball was indeed a handy tool. The Academy was the Hokage's primary base—a vital place for instilling the Will of Fire into the younger generation of shinobi clans. As the gathering place for this year's elite, there was no way Hiruzen Sarutobi wouldn't be watching.

"Mutual understanding... that really is a fine dream, Shisui."

"Do you think so too, Zhen?"

"Certainly. Mutual understanding isn't actually that hard. For example, if a starving ninja saw me holding a loaf of bread and tried to snatch it, I would understand his actions—because he's dying of hunger."

"So, would you give him the bread?"

"No, I'd beat him to death. Understanding does not equal agreement. If I give him the bread, what do I eat?"

"Could you not just buy another loaf?"

Truly, no matter how precocious, he's still just a child. Zhen looked at Shisui, exasperated.

"Am I really talking about bread right now?" Shisui: "Aren't you?" Yugao: "What are you two talking about? It's nowhere near lunchtime yet." Zhen, Shisui: "..."

Forget it. Let's just focus on the lesson. The first period was the "Glorious History of the Leaf," peppered with explanations of the Will of Fire. Indeed, no matter how much they trimmed general knowledge, the deep indoctrination of the Will of Fire remained essential. For a Hidden Village, a ninja's strength is secondary; loyalty is paramount. Just as Zhen had seen in the records at home and in the library, the history of Konoha's founding had been heavily edited.

Many key events were missing, and those that remained were briefly described before transitioning into long-winded interpretations of the event through the lens of the Will of Fire. Thoughts from the First and Second Hokage were included, but most were the philosophies of the Third. The problem was, by the time some of these events occurred, the First and Second were already long gone. Were they doing "reading comprehension" from the Pure Land? And where were the Uchiha in all this?

They were one of the two founding clans, after all.