Ninja Academy

Outside Konoha's Ninja Academy, Shin smiled as he watched the many civilian-born ninja arrive to register.

"The atmosphere here is pretty good. Students from clans and civilian families aren't treated differently. Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi really carried out Second Hokage Tobirama Senju's ideals thoroughly."

After sighing, he headed to the registration area and joined the line. Seeing that none of the students were paying attention to him, he could not help doubting the plots from Past Life Novels.

"Shouldn't some villain have jumped out and 'asked' me to beat him up? So those face-slapping scenes really don't exist in the Ninja World. Or is my presence just too overwhelming?"

Shin completely ignored Nawaki, who had just challenged him to a duel. Besides, five-year-olds had simple minds.

With the mindset of an adult, he had not fully adjusted to dealing with children his own age. Nawaki had been the best example just now.

"Next." The teacher in charge of registration spoke to Shin.

"Uchiha Shin."

The students from clans around him all gave him strange looks. Their clan elders had probably told them some "untrue" rumors about the Uchiha.

Although the registration teacher was civilian-born, he did not treat Shin differently. With a broad smile, he quickly completed Shin's registration.

After registering, Shin followed his father's instructions. Ignoring everyone's stares, he headed straight for the New Student Classroom.

"Whoosh..."

When Shin arrived at the New Student Classroom, he pulled open the door and saw the students inside chatting among themselves.

The clock in the classroom pointed exactly at 7:40. It seemed Nawaki had delayed Shin for quite some time.

He walked to a corner, chose an inconspicuous seat, and sat down. Then, he quietly looked over the classmates he would spend the next five years with.

At exactly eight o'clock, the classroom door opened right on schedule.

A dark-skinned, muscular young ninja teacher entered the classroom.

The young teacher walked to the podium, glanced at the Student Roster in his hand, then looked up and warmly introduced himself to the students below. "Hello, everyone. I'm Nishinodera. I'll be your homeroom teacher for the next five years. Please take care of me."

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

"Next, I'll explain the Ninja Academy's rules and matters requiring attention. First..."

"Whoosh..."

The crisp sound of the door opening instantly interrupted Nishinodera. His facial muscles twitched as he turned to look toward the doorway.

A Brown-Haired Boy opened the door and stepped into the classroom.

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

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

Nishinodera still possessed professional conduct as a teacher. No matter who challenged his authority, he had to endure it. At the same time, he believed the student before him had come to provoke him.

Excellent Teacher Nishinodera had taught at the academy for ten years, yet he had never encountered a student who was late on their very first day.

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

Fine sweat covered his forehead as his eyes darted around in search of a solution. He immediately felt that he had been unbelievably unlucky today.

Not only had someone put him to sleep with Genjutsu that morning, creating his current predicament—

His older sister, Tsunade, would definitely "heartbrokenly" confiscate this month's allowance as well.

Nawaki was furious inside. He felt that some guy was responsible for leaving him in such an awkward situation.

His gaze suddenly swept toward the corner, and with a single glance, he recognized the culprit sitting there.

Their eyes met. Shin's gaze was full of teasing, while Nawaki's was sharp enough to kill with a look.

"Uchiha Shin, why are you here, you bastard?!"

Nawaki was furious. This guy had made him suffer twice today, and he only wanted to beat him up to vent his anger. But after thinking it over, he held himself back. If there was a Campus Brawl, he was afraid he would lose this entire year's allowance.

Nishinodera wondered whether this student's brain was working properly. One second he had looked utterly lost, and the next he was threatening a student sitting in the corner.

For seven consecutive years, he had been named an Excellent Teacher by the Ninja Academy—a Promising Youth of Konoha.

Yet the eye contact between the two gradually left him confused.

"Are kids starting to fall in love this early?" The high looks of a certain transmigrator made Nishinodera's instincts tell him that Shin was definitely a girl.

What? A boy?

This Excellent Teacher declared that, based on his more than thirty years of single experience, someone this pretty could absolutely not be a boy.

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

As for Shin, he had no intention of responding to Nawaki.

In the middle of summer, he even wanted to eat watermelon while watching the show.

Still, the strange look Nishinodera gave him made him feel intensely uncomfortable all over.

"Is it still too late to drop out...?"

At this moment, Shin desperately hoped someone would break this awkward deadlock.

Nishinodera felt that things could not continue like this.

So, he cleared his throat, attempting 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 quite good.

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

"Student, since you don't want to explain why you were late, then forget it..."

"But the school doesn't encourage puppy love. As for pursuing girls, it'll be the same if you wait until you're older."

When Shin saw Nishinodera draw everyone else's attention away, gratitude welled up within him.

Until he heard the words "puppy love" and "girls," and his expression instantly froze.

Every bit of goodwill he had toward Nishinodera vanished completely.

His face darkened as he immediately clarified his gender to Nishinodera. "Teacher Nishino, I'm a boy!"

"..."

The entire class was speechless, but since they were all children, they quickly accepted reality.

For a moment, everyone in the classroom looked at Shin, a boy even prettier than a girl.

The girls, however, all lowered their heads and whispered among themselves, and the topic was rather suggestive.

Shin's expression became even uglier as he listened.

With the Earphone Buff enhancing his hearing, he could hear the girls' discussion very clearly.

He could not help rolling his eyes and silently grumbling to himself.

"This lousy school doesn't look like a place I can stay..."

After thinking for a while, Nishinodera became even more shocked.

Looking at Shin and Nawaki, he suddenly felt that youth was wonderful.

Wasn't this how bonds gradually formed...?