Formal Enrollment

Day four.

The Ninja Academy admission rankings were announced.

Jueming arrived early that morning.

The Ninja Academy was still packed with people.

Children, along with many of their parents, crowded around the notice board at the entrance, searching for their names.

"Tenth place, Rin Nohara..."

"Fifth place, Tekka Uchiha."

"Fourth place, Kurenai Yuhi."

"Third place, Asuma Sarutobi."

"Second place, Kakashi Hatake."

"First place... Senju Jueming!"

After looking over the list, Jueming found his own ranking.

"Jueming, you're incredible... You really got first place."

Rin Nohara looked at Jueming with admiration, her eyes full of curiosity.

Jueming said in a low voice, "Why is the Ninja Academy rigging the results?"

"What are you talking about?"

Mito Uzumaki's voice rang out.

He made it sound as though Konohagakure was corrupt and unfair.

"It's not rigged... Then why is Tekka Uchiha fifth instead of third?"

"..."

Mito Uzumaki fell silent.

Jueming said, "See? It really is rigged."

The Entrance Examination rankings gave Jueming a glimpse into certain things about Konoha.

Where there were people, there was corruption.

In the first elimination round.

Tekka Uchiha had better stamina than Asuma, second only to Jueming and Kakashi, placing third.

In the second round.

Tekka Uchiha tied Kurenai Yuhi for third.

And just like that.

He somehow ended up in fifth place.

What else could it be but rigging?

"I think it isn't just the Senju Clan that has declined. Even Konohagakure has declined."

When an organization started resorting to underhanded tricks.

It meant there were internal problems, and that the organization had begun to decay.

Having been part of many organizations in his past life, Jueming understood this well.

"I need to make another set of preparations..."

Jueming glanced at his mission objective.

—Make the Senju Clan great again.

If Konohagakure was declining, that meant there was a risk of national ruin and extinction.

If they truly encountered such turbulent times, preserving the bloodline would be extremely important.

So... when the time came, he just needed to find a bunch of girls and have a bunch of children with them.

If the Senju Clan really vanished, he would spread his seed throughout the Ninja World and create another Senju Clan!

"Rin Nohara, right..."

Jueming suddenly turned to Rin Nohara with a smile.

"Please take care of me from now on."

Jueming held out his hand to her.

"The feeling is mutual, Jueming." Rin Nohara raised her hand and clasped his.

Jueming gave it a little shake. Her hand was fair and soft.

So this was what a girl's hand felt like.

Three more days passed.

The Ninja Academy's "formal enrollment ceremony."

Early that morning, Jueming got out of bed and left home.

"Morning, Jueming."

Senju Akira, the girl next door, looked somewhat pale.

"Is the Ninja Academy officially starting?"

"Yeah." Jueming gave a slight nod and left.

"That's so nice..."

Senju Akira stared blankly at Jueming's retreating figure, envy filling her heart.

"I want to... enter the Ninja Academy too, study there, and become a Ninja..."

Creak, creak.

Senju Akira's head suddenly trembled.

This time, even her body was shaking.

It was a bright and sunny day at the Ninja Academy.

Though Senju Akira's gaze had been somewhat strange.

Mito Uzumaki said, "Senju Jueming, stay away from Senju Akira as much as possible from now on. Don't talk to her either."

"Why?" Jueming asked.

"You always ask why."

Mito Uzumaki said.

"Sigh... I won't harm you. You just need to listen obediently."

"You're telling me what to do again? Woman, I'm not your puppet."

Jueming shook his head.

"If you want to be a puppet on strings, that's your business. I have my own will and thoughts."

"..."

Mito Uzumaki fell silent.

A puppet? A puppet on strings?

When she had been alive, perhaps she truly had been a puppet... a puppet called the "Nine-Tails Jinchuriki"...

Ninja Academy.

First Year, Class One classroom.

"Students, we meet again."

The chubby Funano Daikoku stood at the podium and smiled.

He had been one of the examiners during the Entrance Exam.

"Starting today, I'll be your homeroom teacher. From now on, we'll spend our days at the Ninja Academy together."

After briefly introducing himself.

Funano Daikoku asked the students to introduce themselves as well.

"Kakashi Hatake, let's start with you."

"Yes."

Kakashi Hatake stood up.

"My name is Kakashi Hatake. I'm five years old, and my dream is to become an outstanding Ninja like my father!"

Young Kakashi spoke with great passion.

He took his father, Konoha's White Fang, as his role model.

"Well said."

Funano Daikoku nodded slightly.

Kakashi had made a fine start.

Encouraged by his example, the other students began speaking eagerly.

"I'm Rin Nohara..."

Rin Nohara stood up.

"My dream is to become an outstanding Medical Ninja and save lives."

Young Rin Nohara.

Having once seen many wounded, and even dead, Konoha Ninja carried back to the village, she had developed the desire to become a Medical Ninja.

"So, a healer."

Jueming nodded.

Ninja had support roles besides combat roles.

Medical Ninja, communications Ninja, Perception Ninja... those were among the categories.

There was even an Astronomy Department, composed of Ninja responsible for studying celestial phenomena and the universe.

"I'm Obito Uchiha!"

Obito Uchiha abruptly stood up.

"My dream is... to surpass Kakashi Hatake!"

"Hahaha..."

Everyone laughed.

Kakashi Hatake was the son of Konoha's White Fang, while Obito Uchiha's Entrance Exam ranking had not been high.

How was he supposed to surpass him?

"Where there's a will, there's a way."

Just as Obito was being mocked and felt like he wanted to disappear into the ground.

A warm voice encouraged him.

He looked toward the back of the room. The voice had come from a corner of the classroom...

So...

Where was Senju Jueming?!

At that moment.

Jueming was lying on a bench, training.

He had discovered that the classroom was a good place.

The desks and benches were rectangular.

Each desk was very long, and each bench could seat several people.

Yet Jueming alone occupied the seats of at least three people.

Lying quietly in the corner, he watched his stamina increase.

[Stamina +1]

[Stamina +1]...

With one person suddenly "missing" from the classroom, it seemed none of the students had noticed yet.

After the introductions went around the room.

Only Jueming remained.

He stood up and suddenly emerged from behind the desk, startling many of the students.

There was still someone there.

Eh, wasn't that... what was his name? The first-place student from the Entrance Exam?

Because of Jueming's handsome face.

Many people recognized him immediately.

"Jueming, just now you..." someone asked.

"Don't worry about the details."

Jueming told him.

Then he looked at the homeroom teacher.

"My name is Senju Jueming. I'm five years old, about the same age as everyone else. My dream is to become stronger."

Then—