Little Brat

The young boys and girls turned their heads one after another, and the sidelong glances they cast were accompanied by whispers—not too loud, yet just enough for Yang Xing to hear.

"Conquer the world? This guy must be crazy."

"I think so too. I remember his parents passed away during the Second Shinobi World War. Kids without parents just don't turn out right; this guy's brain is clearly broken."

"Hahaha! A guy who might not even be able to graduate successfully is calling the Hokage insignificant. His brain is definitely fried."

The chattering noise gradually faded into the distance, leaving only two people behind.

The dazed, snot-nosed little boy looked at Yang Xing, who was still staring into the distance as if nothing had happened.

"Yang Xing!" He sniffled before asking, "Are you really going to conquer the world?"

"That's right."

"Then can I come with you?"

Yang Xing glanced sideways, frowned slightly, and then looked away. "Come back when you've grown up a bit."

"Grown up? Why?"

"You're too long-winded, kid. You're only four years old and you want to conquer the world? You'd better head back. If you don't go now, your mom is going to come looking for you."

"Ah, right! My mom told me today that she made my favorite meal and wanted me home early. See you later, then!"

Watching the four-year-old kid skip away, Yang Xing let out a soft sigh. Over the past year, while trying to hone his chakra, he didn't know what kind of bad luck he'd had to get tangled up with this annoying brat. Even if this kid went on to achieve great things, his current personality was just too much. Forget it, his Mobile Dispute System was more important; he needed to figure out how it worked as soon as possible to strive for his grand goal.

Turning away from the small hill, Yang Xing walked off without looking back.

Summer, an unknown year, month, and day.

This was the start of the Third Shinobi World War. Battles of various sizes between nations had been ongoing for a long time, occurring right on the borders of the Land of Fire and constantly threatening the safety of Konoha Village.

The school curriculum had become exceptionally intense. Even four-year-old children were required to learn self-preservation skills at school, not to mention the eleven or twelve-year-old boys and girls who, in this era, were expected—and required—to complete important missions amidst the great war.

In any case, today was the second day since Yang Xing discovered the anomaly in his phone.

In the morning, the teacher walked into the classroom. As a special instructor for Konoha Village, he felt he had to put his heart and soul into teaching these "gems" of the village. However, as he entered, he noticed the anomaly in the class.

The atmosphere was extremely quiet, and in the classroom with its long rows of desks, there was a clear empty space in the very center where only one person sat.

He seemed to remember this kid was named Yang Xing. It was a very strange situation, and at the same time, this guy was the student who gave him the most headaches.

"Um, did something happen?" The teacher managed to put on a smile, his eyes resting calmly on Yang Xing.

Scanning his surroundings and seeing the students keeping a clear distance from him, Yang Xing just shrugged. "I don't know."

"Well, in any case, let's start the lesson." The ninja academy teacher glanced around at the whispering students and sighed softly. He looked up again, his expression turning serious as he addressed the group. "Actually, you should all know by now that this is the rule of the Konoha Ninja Academy. Starting from tomorrow, you will be divided into different groups and squads. From then on, all training will be conducted by squad, and there will be new teachers assigned to guide you."

"Squads? Really?" This news sent the classroom into an uproar.

"I heard the assigned teachers will definitely be at the Jonin level, and many are likely to be Special Jonin."

"Great! Finally, I can learn some powerful ninjutsu."

A group of excited students couldn't help but cheer.

"It's a bit too early to be happy." The teacher pushed up his glasses, maintaining a stern expression as he stared at the most boisterous kids. "Although every assigned teacher is an elite, their training is no joke. Don't think that just because you've graduated from Konoha Village, you'll automatically obtain the most powerful ninjutsu. If you fail to meet the teacher's requirements, there is a high possibility you will be sent back to the academy."

"Yes, we understand!"

The students shouted in response, their cheers turning into excited whispers. It was clear that everyone was full of enthusiasm about the squad assignments—everyone, that is, except for one person.

Hearing about the squad assignments, Yang Xing frowned.

Squads, huh? The current situation was indeed not ideal.

It was obvious that he would definitely be separated from the rest.

Well, compared to them, he had the mindset of someone in his twenties; how could he possibly mix with a bunch of brats? This might actually be a good thing.

Besides, at his current level, whether he could even graduate was a question in itself.

Yang Xing's contemplation was caught by the teacher's eyes.

Under normal circumstances, given Yang Xing's low level, graduating from the Konoha Academy would be impossible, but in these extraordinary times, the academy had to handle things in an extraordinary way.

"But, if I have to put this guy in a squad with others..." The bespectacled teacher muttered to himself with a wry smile. His gaze remained fixed on Yang Xing, and while the others were busy chatting, he walked over nonchalantly.

When Yang Xing snapped out of his thoughts, he saw the "good-natured" teacher standing there.

With a face blooming like a chrysanthemum, the teacher tried his best to sound gentle. "Um, Yang Xing, is there anyone you would prefer to be in a squad with?"

"Huh?" Yang Xing frowned, his arms crossed as he gestured with his right hand. "To me, playing house in a squad is meaningless. It would only drag down my progress."

The bespectacled teacher: "..."

Right. Ever since he entered this place a year ago, this guy had always been like this.

"I'm saying, hypothetically, if you could choose for yourself, what kind of squad would you want to be in, or perhaps, which teacher?" No matter what, the future of Konoha Village lay in the hands of these children; not one could be left behind. The teacher secretly vowed this to himself.

Yang Xing was stunned by such a generous offer. "I get to choose? That's special. Is this an exception, or some hidden rule? Or are you up to something?"

"Up to something your head! Where do you even learn these words? 'Hidden rule'? Hidden rule your head!" The teacher's fist clenched, and he almost took a swing at the little brat. This kid's attitude was exactly what gave him the most trouble.