Ninja Academy

Outside the Konohagakure Ninja Academy, Shin smiled as he watched the many Commoner Ninjas arrive for registration.

"The school atmosphere is quite good. There's no discrimination between students from ninja clans and those from commoner backgrounds. Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi has thoroughly implemented the ideals of Second Hokage Tobirama Senju."

After his musings, he walked to the registration desk to queue. Seeing that the students' attention wasn't on him, he couldn't help but doubt the plots from his Past Life Novel.

"Shouldn't a villain jump out and 'beg' me to beat him up? As expected, Face-Slapping Plots like those in novels don't exist in the Ninja World. Or is it that my aura is too powerful?"

Shin completely ignored Nawaki, who had just challenged him to a duel. After all, a five-year-old's thoughts were very simple.

As an adult, he hadn't fully adapted to interacting with peers. Nawaki just now was the perfect example.

"Next," the teacher in charge of registration said to Shin.

"Uchiha Shin."

The students from ninja clans around him all looked at him with strange gazes. They must have heard "false" rumors about the Uchiha from their elders.

Although the registration teacher was from a commoner background, he didn't treat Shin any differently. With a smile, he quickly completed Shin's registration.

After registering, as instructed by his father, Shin ignored the stares of others and walked straight towards the New Student Classroom.

"Swish..."

Shin arrived at the door of the New Student Classroom and pulled it open with a tug. Inside, the students were all chatting amongst themselves.

The clock in the classroom pointed to 7:40. It seemed Shin had been delayed significantly by Nawaki.

He walked to a corner of the classroom, chose an inconspicuous seat, and sat down. Then, he quietly began to observe his classmates for the next five years.

At 8:00 sharp, the classroom door opened from the outside.

A dark-skinned, robust Young Teacher walked into the classroom.

The Young Teacher went to the podium, glanced at the Student Roster in his hand, and then looked up. He began to introduce himself kindly to the students below, "Hello everyone, I am Nishinodera. I will be your Homeroom Teacher for the next 5 years. Please take care of me."

The students below applauded enthusiastically, and Shin was no exception.

"Next, I will explain the Ninja Academy Rules and Precautions. First..."

"Swish..."

A crisp sound of the door opening instantly interrupted Nishinodera, who was speaking. His facial muscles twitched as he turned his head towards the entrance.

He saw a Brown-Haired Boy open the door and step into the classroom.

Shin took a closer look. Wasn't this Nawaki, the classmate who had just dueled him?

"Student, I hope you can give a reasonable explanation. Why are you late on the first day of Ninja Academy?"

Nishinodera maintained his professional demeanor as a teacher. No matter who challenged his authority, he had to endure it. At the same time, he believed the student in front of him was deliberately defying him.

Elite Teacher Nishinodera stated that in his ten years at the school, he had never encountered a student who was late on the first day.

"I... I today..." Nawaki stammered, unable to give a reason.

Sweat beaded on his forehead as his eyes darted around, contemplating a solution. He immediately felt like he was having the worst luck today.

Not to mention being put to sleep by a Genjutsu that morning, leading to his current predicament.

Just thinking about his Pocket Money for this month, which would surely be "painfully" confiscated by his older sister, Tsunade.

Nawaki's heart was filled with agitation. He felt that someone was responsible for his current embarrassing situation.

His gaze suddenly fell upon a corner. With just one glance, he recognized the Culprit sitting there.

Their eyes met. Shin's gaze was full of teasing, while Nawaki's was sharp, as if he wanted to kill the other with his stare.

"Uchiha Shin, why are you here!"

Nawaki was furious. This person had caused him bad luck twice today. Now, he just wanted to beat the other guy up to vent his anger. However, after thinking about it, he ultimately held back. After all, if there was a Campus Brawl, he feared he'd lose all his Pocket Money for the year.

Nishinodera thought this student might not be very bright. One second he looked confused, and the next he was spewing threats at the student sitting in the corner.

He was a Promising Youth of Konoha, having been rated as an Excellent Teacher by the Ninja Academy for seven consecutive years.

However, their staring contest gradually made him confused.

"Are kids these days already dating?" Nishinodera's intuition, based on the other person's high appearance, told him this must be a girl.

What? A boy?

The elite teacher, with his single status for over thirty years, declared that someone this beautiful absolutely could not be a boy.

Therefore, there was a reason why he had been single for so many years.

In response, Shin had no intention of paying Nawaki any mind.

In the middle of summer, he even wanted to watch the show while eating watermelon.

However, Nishinodera's strange gaze made him feel uncomfortable all over.

"Is it still possible to drop out..."

Shin desperately wished for someone to break this awkward status quo.

Nishinodera felt the situation could not continue.

So, he cleared his throat, trying to divert everyone's attention.

"Ahem..."

The students in the classroom immediately focused their gazes on him.

Nishinodera felt that the students in this class were all very good.

Except for Nawaki, who was still glaring fiercely at a certain classmate.

"This classmate, since you don't want to say the reason for being late, then forget it..."

"But the school does not encourage early romance. Pursuing a girl can be done when you're older, it's all the same."

Shin saw that Teacher Nishino was beginning to draw everyone else's attention, and a sense of gratitude welled up in his heart.

Until he heard the topics of "early romance" and "girl," his expression instantly froze.

The good impression he had of Teacher Nishino in his heart completely vanished.

He immediately turned dark-faced and stated his gender to Teacher Nishino: "Teacher Nishino, I am a boy!"

"..."

The entire class was speechless, but being children, they quickly accepted this reality.

For a moment, all eyes in the classroom turned to Shin, this boy who was even more beautiful than a girl.

However, the girls all lowered their heads and whispered amongst themselves, their conversations quite ambiguous.

Shin's expression turned even uglier as he listened.

With his hearing enhanced by the Earphone Buff, he could hear the female classmates' discussions very clearly.

He couldn't help but roll his eyes and grumble inwardly.

"This lousy school, it seems I can't stay here any longer..."

Teacher Nishino thought for a while, his heart becoming even more shocked.

Looking at Shin and Nawaki, he suddenly felt a sense of "youth is truly wonderful."

So-called Bonds, aren't they formed gradually like this...