Tobirama the Diligent Bee of Konoha

The midsummer sky quickly shed its twilight to don the morning robes of a scorching sun, the temperature climbing step by step as the sun rose, while the chirping of cicadas outside the window disturbed the lessons within the Ninja Academy.

Rikusei spun his pen unconsciously, listening intently to the shuriken throwing techniques being taught by Tobirama.

The difficulty of the lessons on the blackboard now far exceeded those at the start of the term, and such unreserved instruction was deeply beneficial.

These methods, which clearly carried the throwing techniques of the Senju Clan, had Rikusei focusing his full attention, yet the noisy sounds outside the window distracted him somewhat.

He had long since grown accustomed to the cicadas in the din, but what truly diverted his attention were the hearty laughs of Baru and the others.

Today was the enrollment day for the Ninja Academy, and after several days of discussion, the village had finally allocated the quotas.

The names of the students and their classes had already been posted on the wall outside the school; Rikusei and Naori had even paused to read them carefully when they entered.

They were divided into three classes—B, C, and D—with twenty students each, while their own Class A remained unchanged at nineteen.

Good grief, looking at that was enough to drive a perfectionist to madness.

Before he knew it, class was over, and Rikusei stood against the wall in the hallway with the other boys from his class, observing the jubilant new students with the calm, indifferent attitude of a veteran.

Kagami's focus was on his fellow Uchiha clansmen; when he saw Baru, Rai, and Naka completely scattered, one to each class, he couldn't help but reveal a genuine smile.

Sarutobi Hiruzen, meanwhile, watched Biwako enter her classroom before his eyes lit up with a probing light, scrutinizing the girls in the other classes with a level of concentration comparable to his diligent study of ninjutsu.

Rikusei, silently observing everything, sighed to himself, Good grief, he has such a spirit of exploration at such a young age. Why don't I ever see you investigating your own class? I suppose a rabbit doesn't eat the grass by its own burrow.

Danzo was observing with great interest, checking to see if there were any students in the three classes who could surpass him.

Naturally, it was inevitable to run into fellow clansmen, and the crowd instantly swarmed the hallway, blocking it completely until the bell rang and they scattered like birds and beasts.

Rikusei keenly observed the members of the Hyuga Clan among the newcomers; they were all branch family members with their foreheads covered, and he sighed helplessly—the affairs of the Hyuga family were not his to worry about.

As a great family that had stood for hundreds of years in the ninja world, they certainly wouldn't stake their entire future on a newly formed village.

Even if it was established jointly by the other two great families, because they had not entered the core of power, they had reason to suspect this was a conspiracy against them.

The afternoon curriculum was simple, based on the books compiled by Tobirama.

It was akin to an encyclopedia of the ninja world, seeming to touch upon everything yet detailing nothing, with the specific content left to the teachers to explain in depth.

As for the subsequent content, according to the compiler himself, it was still being written; with so many countries in the world, it couldn't be finished so quickly, and the collection of intelligence alone required a great deal of time.

There was no need to rush; everything would come in time, just like the fledgling Konoha, which could not be hurried.

In a workshop in the southwest corner of Konoha.

After a loud bang, thick smoke began to rise in the room, only to be completely blown away by a Wind Style technique.

Kohei leaned on his cane, stroking his soot-blackened beard, the pride in his eyes unconcealed by the gray dust on his face as he said to the Uzumaki clansmen beside him, "Quick, try it out and see if it can perfectly coordinate with your sealing techniques."

Ashina, whose hair was dyed black and white, took the tea kettle and channeled his chakra into it to test its conductivity, nodding with satisfaction.

Seeing that the renowned ancestor of sealing in the ninja world approved, Kohei couldn't help but put his hands on his hips, looking even more smug as he gazed at the ninja tools his clansmen had worked so hard to forge.

"Kaimi, hurry and take out the sealing tags," Ashina said softly while holding the kettle.

The eyes of everyone around focused on the red-haired man, who nervously rummaged through his ninja pouch before solemnly handing over the sealing tags.

Tobirama, acting as an escort, watched the vigorous Ashina concentrate chakra in his hand and write the sealing formula on the blank paper.

"This won't be enough to seal a complete Tailed Beast," Ashina said, frowning as he glanced around at those who knew about the operation.

"That is correct, Clan Leader Ashina." Tobirama, who had been standing behind the crowd, stepped forward, preparing to explain.

"I understand now." Ashina's gaze swept over the wooden cabinet behind the table, which was filled with tea kettles identical to the one in his hand, and he realized, "You intend to seal one Tailed Beast in multiple batches."

Ginger is still spicier when it's old; Tobirama nodded to his cousin, confirming the assessment.

"The Uzumaki Clan will first use the Adamantine Sealing Chains to control the Tailed Beast, then extract the Tailed Beast's chakra and seal it into these small things, am I right?" Ashina toyed with the kettle confidently, his eyes full of wisdom as he guessed slowly.

Tobirama's cold face ruthlessly shattered his fantasy: "The Uzumaki Clan only needs to be responsible for the sealing."

"That's true; with the abilities of Hashirama and Madara, suppressing those Tailed Beasts should be an easy matter." Ashina placed the kettle on the table, clapped the dust off his hands, and said lightly.

The room fell into silence at the mention of the two names.

Ashina coughed nonchalantly, patted his foolish son on the shoulder, and as his gray-dusted palm returned to its original color, he put on a satisfied expression and said sternly, "Kaimi, I will leave some clansmen here to stay in Konoha with you. You must cooperate well with their actions from now on! The glory of the Uzumaki Clan is temporarily entrusted to you."

Tobirama looked at the excited Kaimi and turned his head away, unable to bear it, while calculating the required quantity in his heart. At this rate, they would be able to seal the first Tailed Beast in a few days.

After accompanying the Uzumaki clansmen through the workshop and cleaning the dust from his body, Tobirama returned to the Ninja Academy, sipping tea leisurely while gazing at the Hokage Building in the distance.

With Madara there to provide reference for his older brother, there shouldn't be any major mishaps; in any case, he would review all the documents they approved.

At the thought of them bickering in the office, black lines of sweat slid down Tobirama's forehead like rain; an outsider would think they were just children squabbling.

It would never make one associate them with their illustrious reputations.

Looking at the assignments waiting to be graded on his desk, the mountain of documents piled up at home, and the textbooks waiting to be compiled, he couldn't help but recall the happy times spent developing forbidden techniques.

Although his older brother had sealed away all the results, the joy within was not something that could be put into words for outsiders.

Every day was packed full, yet he still reserved time for his own tea, and Tobirama finished his tea in one gulp and began his daily work.

Until the bell rang for the end of the school day, Tobirama rubbed his sore neck, organized the various intelligence reports spread across his desk, and placed them into the cabinet, locking it.

Most of these were intelligence reports painstakingly collected by the newly formed Anbu, who had easily infiltrated other hidden villages that were currently being established or expanding.

Information within their village was not something easily obtained.

A knock at the door drew his attention.

It was Rikusei.

Sitting in his chair, Tobirama knew from that sincere smile on his face that he had come to claim the benefits promised yesterday, he thought to himself.

An Uchiha brat who was far too clever was truly annoying.