The "competitive" summer vacation flew by, and today was the day Ninja Academy students returned to school.
Ninja Academy, first year.
Uchiha Akihime, Kageka Maple, Kitamura Yuusuke, Takano Takezo, and the other students entered the classroom one after another and took their seats.
After a long while, the class bell rang, and only then did Ootani Yuuto slowly walk in from outside.
As a teacher who loved teaching students, Ootani Yuuto had barely seen this group of adorable children over the summer vacation. He actually missed them a little.
So, as soon as he entered the classroom, Ootani Yuuto warmly greeted the students and even brought some small gifts to hand out to everyone present. Then they began some casual chatting, a precious moment of interaction between teacher and students...
"Teacher Ootani!"
Suddenly, Akihime stood up. She frowned at Ootani Yuuto and called out anxiously.
"Akihime, what is it?"
Ootani Yuuto looked toward Akihime, his gaze casually sweeping over the empty seat beside her before he knowingly asked.
"Why didn't Hyuga Yuzuru come to school today?"
Akihime pointed at the empty seat beside her and asked Ootani Yuuto. She had thought Yuzuru was merely late, but he had actually skipped class!
Kageka Maple remained calm upon hearing Akihime's words, as though she had already heard that Yuzuru would not be coming to school.
Most of the other students, however, looked confused. During the summer vacation, they had constantly heard talk about Hyuga Yuzuru. He had even become the "other people's child" their fathers and mothers kept mentioning. It was because of Hyuga Yuzuru that they had endured an "extremely competitive" summer vacation. What should have been a longed-for holiday had instead become a nightmare they would never forget...
Yet such a prominent figure at the Ninja Academy had skipped class today. That did not seem normal at all.
"As for Yuzuru, he completed his graduation assessment early during the summer vacation. He is now officially a Genin, so he no longer needs to attend school."
Ootani Yuuto's words left Akihime, who regarded Yuzuru as her lifelong rival, completely stunned. Then, after her shock came overwhelming anger. That guy had secretly graduated behind her back!
Was he trying to shake her off?
Damn Hyuga!
The students in the classroom were similarly stunned at first, but soon understood. With Hyuga Yuzuru's strength, he would have been more than qualified even as a Chunin. It was only natural that he could graduate early from the Ninja Academy and officially become a Genin.
"Teacher Ootani, then I want to apply for early graduation too!"
Akihime's expression had visibly darkened as she immediately spoke to Ootani Yuuto. In her heart, if Hyuga Yuzuru could do it, then she had to be able to do it too!
"..."
Ootani Yuuto fell silent as he looked at Akihime of the Uchiha. If judged solely by her strength, becoming a Genin was naturally no problem. But her personality did not seem particularly mature, and her emotions sometimes became extreme. Like right now—upon hearing that Hyuga Yuzuru had graduated from the Ninja Academy, her emotions had begun to fluctuate uncontrollably...
"Fine."
After a moment of silence, Ootani Yuuto still agreed to Akihime's application. However, he would only submit it to the principal. Whether it would be approved was beyond his control.
"Teacher Ootani, in that case, please include me as well."
After hearing that Ootani Yuuto had accepted Akihime's graduation application, Kageka Maple slowly rose to her feet as well, speaking with a serious expression.
"Maple, you..."
Ootani Yuuto looked at Kageka Maple and immediately wanted to say something, but she stopped him.
"Teacher Ootani, if we are talking about actual strength, I probably wouldn't be weaker than you. So you needn't worry that I can't complete the graduation assessment."
"..."
Black lines immediately appeared on Ootani Yuuto's forehead. Why was this little girl being so irritating today? A comparison was one thing, but why did she have to drag him into it?
"If Teacher Ootani doesn't believe me, you can take a look behind you."
Kageka Maple spoke, her gaze falling behind Ootani Yuuto. The surrounding students also looked over in surprise. As for Akihime beside her, her eyes showed wariness as she involuntarily examined Maple. It had only been one summer vacation, yet she had mastered Shadow Release so skillfully!
"W-What?"
Ootani Yuuto still did not understand. Only after hearing Kageka Maple's words did he turn his head in confusion to look behind him. The sight instantly made cold sweat break out across his body. A three-dimensional humanoid shadow had appeared behind him, pressing an ink-black Shadow Blade against his throat. Its faceless visage was utterly terrifying, while its deep, hollow blackness resembled an abyss capable of devouring all things...
Gulp...
Ootani Yuuto swallowed involuntarily. Though he knew the Shadow Warrior behind him would not truly hurt him, nervousness and fear still rose instinctively within him.
"M-Maple, then I'll include you too."
Only after a moment did Ootani Yuuto sigh and speak.
"Thank you, Teacher Ootani."
Upon hearing Ootani Yuuto's words, Kageka Maple finally revealed a sweet smile. Her adorable tiger teeth and charming dimples appeared on her face.
"Come back, Shadow Warrior."
Then Kageka Maple spoke softly. The Shadow Warrior behind Ootani Yuuto directly transformed into a line of shadow, swiftly sliding across the floor before slipping into her own shadow and disappearing.
Only then did Ootani Yuuto come to a realization. No wonder there had been no Chakra fluctuations when Kageka Maple formed the Shadow Warrior. She had already created it long ago and hidden it within her own shadow...
Just from this ability alone, it was clear that Kageka Maple had greatly developed her Kekkei Genkai once more and become even more proficient with her Shadow Release. She had even caught Ootani Yuuto, a "veteran Chunin," off guard with the Shadow Warrior's ambush...
"Ahem, are there any other students who want to apply for early graduation?"
Since there were already precedents, Ootani Yuuto did not mind submitting a few more names.
Upon hearing Ootani Yuuto's words, the classroom instantly fell silent. They were not geniuses like Hyuga Yuzuru, Uchiha Akihime, and Kageka Maple. None of them dared guarantee that they could smoothly pass the Ninja Academy graduation assessment.
Moreover, for most of these students, who were commoners, graduating early from the Ninja Academy brought more drawbacks than benefits. Even if they could pass the graduation assessment, they would not apply for it...
"Since there are none, we'll begin class now. As for Akihime and Maple's graduation applications, we'll discuss those after class."
After saying that, Ootani Yuuto directly gestured for Akihime and Kageka Maple to sit down.
Akihime and Kageka Maple exchanged a glance before sitting down one after the other. Yet sparks seemed to crackle where their gazes met...
"Today's lesson is..."
Ootani Yuuto quickly entered teaching mode and began instructing them on the contents of the textbook.
As expected, members of the Hyuga main family rarely leave Konoha...
Kakuzu carried several bloodstained packages as he slowly made his way toward an underground exchange. Ever since accepting that ninety-million bounty mission, he had been operating around Konoha while conveniently completing a few "side jobs."
Soon, Kakuzu entered the underground exchange, handed the "packages" in his hands to the person in charge, and received the corresponding bounty money as usual. He then carefully counted it.
Not long afterward, Kakuzu sealed the bounty money into a storage scroll and prepared to take on more "side jobs."
"Lord Kakuzu, all the recent million-level bounty missions are here. Please take a look..."
The person in charge of the underground exchange respectfully handed Kakuzu the bounty list.
"Hm? Why have so many bounty missions on this list suddenly disappeared?"
Kakuzu immediately frowned. More than a month ago, he remembered there being quite a few appealing "side job" bounties. Yet today, most of them were gone.
"Lord Kakuzu, those missions have already been completed, so the bounties were naturally removed."
The person in charge spoke to Kakuzu, then added another sentence.
"And they completed them far more efficiently than you did, Lord Kakuzu..."
"They?"
Kakuzu's dark green eyes turned toward the underground exchange's manager. Killing intent flooded from his gaze, making even this manager, who had seen plenty of death, struggle to endure it. Fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, and cold sweat soaked his back.
"Yes. They belong to a small group. Each of them wears a mask painted with the image of some unknown, vicious, ferocious beast. They appeared suddenly not long ago and took on many accumulated bounty missions as wandering bounty ninjas..."
The manager hurriedly explained. He knew something about Kakuzu and understood his almost obsessive fixation on money. Usually, bounty ninjas who dared to "steal" his bounty missions would become "items" he exchanged for money. Clearly, this suddenly emerged mysterious bounty ninja group had touched Kakuzu's reverse scale.
"Give me their information!"
Kakuzu spoke coldly.
"Lord Kakuzu, that would be against the rules... Besides, they only appeared recently, so we have not gathered any specific information about them. We only know their codenames..."
The manager spoke awkwardly.
"Codenames?"
"Let me hear them."
Kakuzu asked.
"They seem to be called something like 'Suzaku' and 'Tengshe'..."
The manager spoke with a thoughtful expression.
"Suzaku? Tengshe?"
Before you continue