From Soseki's perspective, the Ninja Academy's curriculum was actually subtly erasing the marks of family lineage.
But to children, none of that mattered. What truly attracted them was—
"Wow! I want to choose the First Hokage's Wood Release: Deep Forest Emergence!"
"Idiot! Wood Release is a Bloodline Limit. Even if you choose it, you won't be able to learn it!"
"You dare call me an idiot? Take this—Water Release: Great Waterfall Technique!"
"Who can't spit? Watch this—Water Release: Water Severing Wave!"
Amid the lively atmosphere, Asuma ran over and unceremoniously plopped himself onto the desk in front of Soseki.
"Have you all decided what to choose for your graduation gift? I'll go first. I'm planning to choose Fire Release: Dustless Camouflage!"
Kurenai lightly tapped her delicate chin with a fingertip. "I want to choose Illusion Technique: Dark Mist!"
Asuma eagerly continued, "What about you, Soseki?"
Soseki crossed his arms and smiled gently and lazily. "As for me... Mind Transfer Jutsu."
Just then, the girl seated behind Soseki suddenly spoke timidly. "M-Mind Transfer Jutsu?"
Soseki turned around and tilted his head. "Shizune, is there a problem?"
Seemingly unable to meet Soseki's eyes, Shizune lowered her head shyly and asked in a small voice, "Soseki-kun, why do you want to learn that jutsu?"
Soseki answered with complete sincerity, "If I can learn this technique, I'll be able to help everyone better in the future, right? Even if we go to the battlefield, I can grasp everyone's situation immediately."
Shizune could not help saying, "But anyone who learns this technique will be targeted by enemy villages. And when using it, the user's real body is at its most vulnerable. Why would anyone want to learn a jutsu that harms its user?"
By the end, even her soft, sweet voice had become agitated and shrill.
Soseki smiled gently. "Shizune, do you think the senior who invented this technique ever considered that?"
Hearing Soseki say that, Shizune instinctively recalled that man's gentle face. Though she had been very young at the time, his care and protection had already been engraved deep in her memories.
It was precisely because of those memories that she instinctively resisted answering. "I don't know."
Soseki smiled faintly, his eyes filled with yearning. "Aren't jutsu created by carrying on the will of those who came before us? Wouldn't it be a terrible shame if no one inherited the will behind a technique like this?"
Shizune looked lost as she murmured and repeated Soseki's words. "Inherit... will..."
"Wait, wait!" Asuma vigorously waved his arms, interrupting the two. "Mind Transfer Jutsu is an S-rank secret jutsu! Even for you, Soseki, learning it is almost impossible!"
"Asuma, that doesn't sound like you." Soseki turned back with a gentle smile. "Even secret jutsu were created by people, weren't they? If our predecessors could do it, are we incapable of even retracing the path they walked? If we don't even have that kind of courage, how can we create a better future?"
Hearing that, Asuma's blood boiled as he shouted, "You're right! I'm choosing a secret jutsu too!"
However, Ibiki's voice drifted over from the side. "There are no Fire Release secret jutsu in the Book of Forbidden Jutsu."
"Ahhh, no!"
Still smiling, Soseki turned his gaze back to Shizune. "As for that question just now, I already have the answer."
"Whether it's being targeted by enemy villages or the weakness of the real body, there is one answer to both—companions!"
"Asuma, Kurenai, if it were you two, you'd definitely protect me, right?"
Asuma, who had still been wailing over the lack of Fire Release secret jutsu in the Book of Forbidden Jutsu, abruptly stopped and shouted passionately, "Of course! Anyone who wants to hurt Soseki will have to step over my dead body first!"
Kurenai, meanwhile, ground her teeth in frustration. "Jerk, why did you answer so fast?"
At that moment, Shizune also came back to her senses. Looking at Soseki, her eyes seemed to sparkle with starlight. "Soseki-kun, the person who created Mind Transfer Jutsu was actually my uncle, Dan Katō!"
Soseki let a hint of surprise show at the right moment, then appeared to come to a realization. "No wonder you were so surprised when you heard I planned to choose Mind Transfer Jutsu. So that's why..."
Shizune bit her lower lip with her pearly teeth. "Although... although this technique now belongs to the village..."
Soseki was not surprised by that. After all, Leaf Village's "patent rights" would hardly continue for many years after an inventor's death.
"But Uncle's notes on cultivating Mind Transfer Jutsu are still around. If... if you need them, Soseki-kun, I can lend them to you!"
Soseki asked in "delight," "Really? You can?"
Shizune nodded her little head vigorously. "Mm-hm. If it's for you, Soseki-kun..."
Just then, Takitani Ryosuke rushed in from outside like the wind. He ran up to Soseki and said gleefully, "Aha, Soseki, guess what I saw when I went to the bathroom just now?"
Asuma looked disgusted as he said from the side, "Don't tell me you walked into the girls' bathroom?"
"Idiot! How could the great Ryosuke ever do something like that?" Ryosuke's face flushed red. "I'll just say it. Mizuki got cornered by some third year students!"
The moment he shouted that, the entire class looked over.
"Serves him right! Who told him to give the Class Leader attitude last time?"
"Exactly. If it weren't for Soseki, who would even care about him?"
"Now that you mention it, I kind of want to see how that guy gets unlucky."
Takitani Ryosuke was about to chime in when he suddenly saw Soseki's grave expression. He cried out in alarm, "Soseki, don't tell me you want to save that bastard?"
Soseki nodded seriously.
Seeing this, Ryosuke could not help feeling frustrated. "Is that guy really so important?"
"Every one of you is important to me!" Soseki's gentle gaze swept over everyone, his voice firm and powerful. "I know Mizuki's personality doesn't fit in well. You could even say he's somewhat withdrawn. But no matter what, he's still a part of our class. As long as he hasn't done anything to harm the class, he will always be our companion. We First Years don't need Third Years lecturing us!"
In truth, Soseki's words were not particularly inspiring. But thanks to his usual perfect image, everyone's enthusiasm was immediately roused.
"Our First Year is the best group!"
"That's right! Let those third year bastards know we aren't easy to bully!"
Like a raging torrent, everyone voluntarily followed Soseki and rushed out.
For a moment, the older students elsewhere on campus stared at the scene in bewilderment and fear. Were these new students planning to start a club at school?
How terrifying!
Thanks to Qing Leiyuan for the 300 reward, Zhutian Jie Kemang for the 200 reward, Xiaobai for the 200 reward, Both Snowing and Raining for the 100 reward, and Red Scarf? for the 100 reward.
Before you continue