*"Introduce yourself, I’m Uchiha Yuji. Please guide me, senpai."*
Yuji bowed his head slightly to the tall young man in front of him.
The young man scratched the back of his head and chuckled softly.
"Hahaha, don’t be so formal. I’m Kobayashi. From now on just call me Kobayashi. No need for ’senpai’ or polite speech. We’re on the same team now."
He gave a thumbs up with a very relaxed, wide grin.
Yuji nodded slowly.
"Alright... Kobayashi."
"Good!" Kobayashi said, satisfied.
From the side, a bespectacled girl sitting next to Yuji also introduced herself. She pushed her glasses up with the tip of her finger before speaking.
"I’m Hana Sato. Please guide me as well."
Her voice was calm, but her eyes kept scanning Kobayashi from head to toe.
"..."
"What are you doing?" Kobayashi asked.
"Analyzing."
"Analyzing what?"
"Whether you’re actually a ninja or a traveling clown."
"..."
Yuji looked away.
For some reason, that sounded like a very serious question.
Kobayashi clutched his chest as if he’d just been hit with a heart attack.
"That hurts... your words are sharper than a kunai."
Hana just nodded slightly.
"Which means my first analysis was correct."
Yuji stared at the classroom ceiling.
This team... was probably going to be exhausting.
While the three of them were getting to know each other, the main classroom at the Ninja Academy was getting more crowded.
Dozens of new genin filled the room.
Chatter mixed with laughter filled every corner of the class.
Some kids looked so excited they were already talking about dangerous missions they might not even get yet.
"I want to fight a hundred ninjas!"
"I want to hunt S-rank criminals!"
"I want to become Hokage!"
In another corner, a small voice could be heard.
"I just want to go home soon..."
Yuji thought that last kid’s goal was far more realistic.
His eyes swept across the room.
Soon after, he spotted a short-haired boy with the Hyuga clan’s distinctive white eyes.
Hyuga Ko...
Yuji recognized him immediately when his name was called during the headband distribution.
From his memories of his past life, that boy would later become one of Hyuga Hinata’s personal guards.
Right now, he had just graduated as a genin.
Hyuga Ko was talking with his two teammates with a serious expression.
On the other side, several names Yuji had heard at the academy were also starting to gather with their respective teams.
A few new kunoichi glanced at Yuji and whispered to their friends. Inori Yamanaka even smiled sweetly at Yuji from across the room.
Everyone looked curious.
Then finally, some people started talking about their instructors.
Which jonin or chunin would be their sensei?
Not long after...
The classroom door opened.
A chunin walked in carrying a large scroll.
The noisy room slowly quieted down.
"Congratulations to all of you for officially becoming genin."
He unrolled the scroll.
"In a few minutes, each team’s assigned sensei will come to pick you up."
As soon as he finished speaking...
BANG!
The door opened again.
A black-haired chunin stood at the entrance.
He looked at the scroll in his hand.
"Team 2."
Three genin immediately stood up, nervous.
"Follow me."
"Yes, Sensei!"
They quickly walked out.
It wasn’t even thirty seconds later...
The door opened again.
"Team 11."
"T-That’s us!"
Three other genin hurried to stand up, and one of their chairs fell over.
Thud!
"Oops..."
Their teammates pretended not to know him.
The chunin just sighed.
"Let’s go."
Soon after...
"Team 4."
"Team 1."
"Team 9."
"Team 16."
One team after another was called out.
Every time the door opened, the whole class automatically turned to look.
Every time it wasn’t their team number...
They sat back down.
Kobayashi even started counting.
"That’s eight teams already."
"So?" Hana asked.
"If this keeps up, maybe our sensei got lost."
"..."
"Not funny."
"I’m not joking. I’m serious."
Yuji looked at him.
For some reason...
That line actually sounded more worrying.
Fewer and fewer students were left.
The room that was once full was slowly emptying out.
Now only a few teams remained.
Kobayashi started to get restless.
"Yuji."
"What?"
"What if our sensei turns out to be a grumpy old man?"
"Doesn’t matter."
"What if it’s a strict woman?"
"Still doesn’t matter."
"What if..."
Kobayashi swallowed.
"...a pervert?"
Yuji immediately pictured a white-haired man peeping at the women’s baths while holding a novel.
"..."
"That one is a little bit of a problem."
Hana let out a long sigh.
"You don’t even know who’s coming yet."
Right then...
The door opened again.
All the remaining students turned immediately.
A tall jonin entered the classroom.
His green vest looked neat.
His gaze was sharp yet calm.
His black hair was tied back short.
A slightly tilted Konoha forehead protector sat on his head.
He was holding a small book.
His eyes swept the room before stopping on one page.
"Team 7."
Yuji, Hana, and Kobayashi looked at each other.
"That’s us."
Kobayashi shot up too fast.
Thud!
His leg caught on a table leg and he almost fell.
"Whoa, the floor’s slippery."
Hana looked at the floor.
"The floor is dry."
"..."
"Then the chair attacked me."
Yuji pinched the bridge of his nose.
It’s still morning... and I’m already tired.
The three of them walked up to the jonin.
Before leaving the classroom...
Several senior girls who had been watching Yuji finally moved closer.
"Yuji!"
"Congrats!"
"When are we training together again?"
"Don’t forget to visit our class!"
One of the girls even tried to fix Yuji’s hair.
Before she could touch it...
Hana took one step forward.
"We’re busy right now."
Her smile stayed polite.
But for some reason, it made the girls stop in their tracks.
In the distance, Ayaka Hyuga was also walking over with calm steps.
Her gaze seemed to say, if you need help, I’m ready.
Yuji could only give an awkward smile.
"I’m... fine."
Kobayashi watched the scene with wide eyes.
He turned to Yuji.
"...Yuji."
"What?"
"How old are you, really?"
"Seven."
"That’s not what I meant."
"Then what?"
"Your love life is busier than your ninja life."
Yuji replied flatly.
"That’s not love."
"It’s a line."
Even the jonin, who had been keeping a serious face this whole time, let out a small sigh while holding back a smile.
"Enough."
His deep voice made everyone go quiet.
"You three are Team 7 starting today."
He looked at each of them in turn.
"Come with me."
Without another word, the jonin turned and left the classroom.
Yuji, Hana, and Kobayashi exchanged glances before following their new sensei.
None of them knew what kind of training or missions awaited them.
But one thing was certain.
Their journey as Konoha ninjas... had just begun.