After enduring the Sandaime’s lengthy speech, Sora rubbed his aching eyes and bid farewell to Naruto and Sasuke, then followed the crowd into the teaching building where he would spend much of his time over the next few years.
Pushing open the classroom door, Sora scanned the desks and over twenty unfamiliar faces; as expected, there wasn’t a single person he knew.
Oh well.
He sighed softly, but his heart was already at peace.
Since this world already had an extra butterfly that shouldn’t have existed, he might as well treat it as getting to know a different new world.
“Hello everyone!
My name is Toya Yamashiro.
I am the homeroom teacher for Class 1-A, and I will likely be the one accompanying you as you grow over the next few years.” The black-haired young man at the podium wore a beige uniform with his sleeves rolled up.
He held a piece of chalk and wrote his name in neat characters.
His expression was gentle, and he looked only a few years older than Shisui.
“Next, I’d like each student to come up to the stage one by one, write your name on the blackboard, and give a brief self-introduction—this is so I can get to know you, and also to help you all become familiar with each other.” As soon as Toya finished speaking, a crisp voice came from the back row.
“Teacher!
You only wrote your name; you haven’t introduced yourself yet!” Toya turned around upon hearing this, a smile appearing in his eyes.
He raised a hand to scratch the back of his head, his tone carrying a hint of apology: “Oh, that was my oversight.
You already know my name, as for the rest…” “Tell us about your hobbies and dreams!” The same voice rang out again.
The boy speaking held up his hand, his eyes sparkling.
“I’m really curious!” Toya looked at the boy’s expectant face and curled his lips helplessly—this student was exceptionally lively.
He cleared his throat, his voice becoming serious: “As for hobbies, I usually like to spend my time reading in the library; I’m very fond of all kinds of knowledge.
As for dreams…” He paused, his gaze sweeping over the students below, a touch of tenderness added to his eyes: “I hope that among the students I teach in the future, someone will stand in the position of Hokage.” Compared to becoming Hokage himself, watching a student he personally taught become Hokage seemed more meaningful to him.
“Then, let’s start with you.” Toya looked at the boy who had been asking questions, his eyes encouraging.
“After all, I’m very eager to get to know you too.” The boy’s eyes lit up at the words.
Showing no sign of shyness, he strode up to the podium.
He grabbed a piece of chalk, his wrist moving briskly, and white characters immediately leapt onto the blackboard—”Aburame Renshi.” “My name is Aburame Renshi!” He turned around, his voice loud.
“My hobby is making friends with different people and getting to know all sorts of individuals; my dream is to become a great hero that everyone remembers!” Renji’s personality was like a small flame, completely different from the mostly silent members of the Aburame Clan.
If there was any similarity, it was probably only the swarm of insects being raised by the Chakra in his body, and the sunglasses that were always perched on the bridge of his nose.
“A hero…” Toya repeated the word softly, a hidden heaviness in his tone.
“That is a title that requires a lifetime of commitment.
I’ll be waiting for that day—when you truly become a hero, stand before me again and let me see just how excellent a student I’ve taught.” A faint sadness drifted through the air.
Sora rested his chin on his hand and turned his gaze out the window—pinkish-white cherry blossoms were drifting down with the wind, the petals brushing against the glass and leaving fleeting traces.
He took a soft breath, trying to suppress the strange feeling in his heart: This Teacher Toya seemed to hide many stories.
Was that sadness a mourning for a departed friend?
However, Toya quickly adjusted his emotions, his face returning to a gentle smile without a single flaw.
He raised a hand toward the next student: “It’s your turn next.
Don’t be nervous, just take your time.” Sora snapped back to reality and looked at these classmates, recording their appearances and names in his heart.
Soon, it was his turn.
Sora stood up, walked to the podium with light steps, and took the blue chalk Toya handed him.
He paused slightly, then wrote the three characters for “Uzumaki Sora” on the blackboard.
“I am Uzumaki Sora.” He turned around, his voice calm.
“My hobby is eating all kinds of sweets; it makes me feel very happy.
As for my dream…” He paused, his gaze sweeping over the students listening intently, his tone carrying a hint of seriousness: “It is to help the friends around me achieve their dreams.” After speaking, he bowed slightly.
Without looking at the curious gazes from below, he walked straight back to his seat and sat down.
“Sora-kun.” Toya’s voice came from the podium, tinged with helplessness.
“The first half of your self-introduction was very clear, but this dream…” He had originally been particularly curious about this youth with the strange hair color and special pupils, but this answer made him feel it was a bit tricky—this child, in a way, could be considered a problem student.
Sora looked up at the sound, and just then, a cherry blossom petal drifted in from the window and landed on his fingertip.
He pinched the petal, a relaxed smile playing on his lips as he looked at Toya on the podium: “Teacher, I think a self-introduction should consist of the truth.
What I just said is my true thought.” He paused and shook the cherry blossom in his hand, his tone carrying a hint of a reminder: “Shouldn’t it be time for the next student to come up?” Toya was snapped back to his senses by his words.
He smiled helplessly and raised a hand toward the student next to Sora: “Then next, please, this student.” The rest of the self-introductions went quite smoothly without any more surprises.
Toya quietly breathed a sigh of relief—children of this age should be full of vitality like this.
Sora leaned against the back of his chair, looking at the blackboard with interest: it was densely covered with names, the different colors of chalk handwriting overlapping, making it easier for him to remember these new classmates.
He tapped the tabletop lightly, mentally organizing the information: there were thirty students in this class in total.
Including him from the Uzumaki Clan, nine were from Ninja Clans, and the remaining twenty-one were from ordinary families.
No inherited Ninjutsu, no innate Bloodline Power, and no experienced elders to guide them…
Sora looked at those ordinary students listening intently, a flash of complexity in his eyes—these people living and breathing before him, their future paths as Ninjas would fall short for various reasons.
“Today is just the first day of school; we can take it slow.
Now that the self-introductions are over, let’s get to know this school properly!” Toya looked at all the names on the blackboard with satisfaction.
Although there was one child who seemed like a problem student, it was fine; he believed that under his guidance, this child would surely find his own goal.