Learning Helps Me Improve and Change Classes

Ninja Academy classroom.

The teacher had yet to arrive, and the students were gathered in twos and threes. Some were chatting and bragging, while others were busy with their own things.

The three sitting together up front were probably this class's Ino-Shika-Cho. The one still stuffing his face was said to be Akimichi Todō, the one sleeping out of boredom was Nara Shikaji, and the one sitting properly and seriously seemed to be Yamanaka Shinno.

The one next door was definitely from the Inuzuka clan. Taiichi just did not know his name. His head was practically buried beneath the desk as he played games with the ninja hound hidden in his drawer, having the time of his life.

Over there, a Hyuga boy wore an icy expression. His Byakugan stared straight ahead without any focus, making the student seated in front of him shudder.

Taiichi looked over the classroom full of students. In the future, some of these classmates would become famous throughout the Ninja World, while others would die in war. This was the world of the Hokage. Of course, Taiichi would not waste time. Beneath the desk, his hands continuously practiced hand seals, repeating the twelve seals forward and backward until he could form whichever seal he needed by instinct.

Once the classroom was full, a burly ninja walked in carrying a stack of booklets.

"I'm your teacher, Yamada Mitsuki." The ninja wrote his name on the blackboard, then turned around. "I like obedient children and dislike children who break discipline. I specialize in taijutsu and Fire Style, and I'll be teaching you taijutsu while also serving as your homeroom teacher."

"Now, introduce yourselves according to the list. First, Taichi Matsushita."

Taiichi had not expected to be called first, but he was not nervous. He stood up openly and said, "My name is Taichi Matsushita. I like learning new things, and there is nothing I particularly dislike. My dream is to become the strongest ninja and protect the Orphanage and Director Nonō. That is all." With a mental age older than his actual age, Taiichi naturally knew how to answer in a way that would satisfy the teacher.

"Dream on. The strongest in the Ninja World is an Uchiha."

"Idiot, the Hokage is the strongest."

"Quiet!" Teacher Mitsuki shouted. "That is a very good dream, Taiichi. You may sit down."

"Next, Obito Uchiha."

"Hello, everyone. I'm Obito Uchiha. Rather than my favorite thing, it would be more accurate to say my favorite person... ahahaha." Obito scratched his head and laughed foolishly, his eyes drifting toward Rin Nohara.

"The person I hate most is Kakashi." Obito said that without the slightest hesitation. Kakashi merely rolled his eyes and could not even be bothered to look at Obito. The class burst into laughter; everyone had long heard about the grudge between Obito and Kakashi.

"My dream is to become Hokage!"

"Damn it, Obito! I'll be Hokage!" someone below hurriedly shouted.

"My dream is to become the absolute strongest ninja, even stronger than Hokage-sama! Whenever you see me, you'll have to bow to me."

Ignoring those unreliable dreams, Taichi Matsushita silently memorized every classmate's name and basic information.

Hatake Kakashi, Obito Uchiha, Rin Nohara, Shizune, Sarutobi Asuma, Yūhi Kurenai, Might Guy—these ninjas who would become famous in the future were currently just a bunch of little brats, all classmates in the same year as him.

"Alright, that concludes the introductions. Now, let's begin class officially," Yamada Mitsuki said.

"First, does anyone know the most basic requirement for becoming a ninja?"

"Chakra!" everyone answered in unison.

"That's right, chakra. But do you know what chakra truly is, and where it comes from?"

This time, hardly anyone could answer. The few who could were children from ninja clans. Obito was naturally not among them.

"The physical energy absorbed by the human body's 130 trillion cells represents the yang aspect. Mental energy, tempered through training and accumulated experience, represents the yin aspect. The power formed by harmonizing and blending these two energies is chakra. It is the foundation for ninjas to use ninjutsu, Genjutsu, and even taijutsu. Ninjas are able to become ninjas because of chakra."

"Of course, possessing chakra does not mean you can use ninjutsu. Between simple energy and ninjutsu with various effects, there are also 'seals.' But that will be covered in later lessons. Today, we will focus on chakra."

"For those determined to become ninjas, the first step is both the most important and the most difficult. Although the concept of chakra is not complicated to explain in words, extracting physical energy itself is no easy task, while so-called mental energy is even more intangible."

"Fortunately, through the efforts of generations of Seniors, we have developed a very effective method: the Chakra Refinement Technique. Now, do as I say."

Next, everyone followed Teacher Mitsuki's instructions and found the most comfortable posture. They formed the Ram seal to help sense their physical and mental energy, and the classroom gradually fell quiet.

As his mind calmed, Taiichi followed Teacher Mitsuki's method to circulate the Chakra Refinement Technique. He gradually felt streams of warmth gathering from all over his body toward the Shanzhong Acupoint in his chest. At the same time, streams of cool air within his mind flowed toward the Shanzhong Acupoint. The two gathered and collided there, slowly giving birth to a new power. Most of that power settled in the Lower Dantian near his navel, while a considerable portion spread throughout his body.

Taiichi could feel that the chakra scattered through his body strengthened and nourished it. It seemed chakra was not without benefits to the body. Ninjas merely shortened their lifespans because frequent high-intensity battles caused them to overextract chakra and damage their bodies.

As the first wisp of chakra was successfully refined, panel notifications occasionally sounded beside his ears. But Taiichi was focused on refining chakra and ignored them all. While someone was watching over him, he wanted to become as familiar with chakra refinement as possible.

In the classroom, Teacher Mitsuki was patrolling around to prevent the students from having accidents when he noticed Taiichi.

That was too fast. It hasn't even been twenty minutes. Thinking this, Teacher Mitsuki approached Taiichi and carefully sensed him. "That's right, chakra fluctuations. It seems a genius has emerged among this year's commoners as well. I should report this good news to Hokage-sama early today."

Over the next hour or so, two more students successfully refined chakra: Rin Nohara and Might Guy.

Clap.

"Alright, everyone, stop for a moment." Teacher Mitsuki clapped his hands, releasing faint chakra fluctuations that woke several students immersed in chakra refinement. Taiichi was naturally among them.

"That is all for today. Those of you who have already refined chakra must not become complacent. Go back and continue reinforcing that feeling," Mitsuki urged.

"Those who have not refined chakra yet should not be discouraged. It is perfectly normal to be unable to sense physical and mental energy at first. Your teacher took two days to refine chakra back then. Go home and keep working hard," Mitsuki encouraged.

"Class dismissed."

With Teacher Mitsuki's dismissal, the classroom became lively again. Everyone gathered in groups, asking about one another's progress. Some were dejected, while others were delighted.

"Taiichi, did you refine chakra?" Might Guy ran over excitedly and immediately grabbed Taiichi to ask.

"Of course. I refined it a while ago. What about you? You must have refined it too, right?"

Guy stretched out a hand, raised his thumb, and flashed his trademark dazzling white teeth. "Hahaha, as expected of my Taiichi! You guessed it! Ahahaha, youth truly requires friendly competition!"

Seeing how happy Guy was, Taiichi was sincerely happy for him as well. Guy, who had been specially approved by the Hokage to enroll, had actually been worried that he would not be able to refine chakra. Now, all those worries could be thrown away.

Thinking that, Taiichi shifted his attention to the panel in his mind. The notifications he had not checked earlier appeared one after another.

[You have learned Chakra Refinement Technique Lv0 (0/10)]

[You practiced chakra refinement, increasing your related comprehension]

[Your Chakra Refinement Technique skill has improved. Experience +1]

...

[Your Chakra Refinement Technique skill has improved. Experience +1]

[Congratulations, your Chakra Refinement Technique skill has risen to Lv1 (0/100)]

[You have refined your first wisp of chakra and met the class advancement requirements: Constitution 6, Spirit 6, Chakra Refinement Technique Lv1]

[Beginning class advancement...]

[Class advancement successful. Relevant experience converted. Class: Genin Lv1 (85/100)]

[Constitution +2, Strength +1, Agility +1, Spirit +1]

[Acquired talent: Academic Overachiever]

[Academic Overachiever: There is nothing an Academic Overachiever cannot learn, unless their physical conditions do not allow it. Focus increased tenfold, thought processing speed increased by 100%, learning effectiveness doubled.]

[Attribute Points +1, Skill Points +1]

...

Name: Taichi Matsushita

Class: Genin Lv1 (91/100)

Talents: Diligence Makes Up for Mediocrity, Academic Overachiever

Age: 6

Constitution: 9

Strength: 10

Agility: 9

Spirit: 18

Chakra: 500 (4000) The value in parentheses is the maximum amount of chakra a person can extract in one day. Exceeding it will cause bodily damage.

Attribute Points: 5

Skill Points: 5

Skills: Basic Taijutsu Lv6 (113/1000), Basic Meditation Lv6 (754/1000), Chakra Refinement Technique Lv1 (23/100)

Evaluation: Outstanding among your peers, but you are still a nobody in the Ninja World.

Looking at the brand-new panel, Taiichi kept a calm expression, but inwardly he was overjoyed. He had taken another step toward his goal.

Next came an afternoon of theory lessons. Perhaps children from certain ninja clans did not care, but Taiichi studied with great seriousness. This was all the foundation for survival and progress in the future!

[You studied ninja-related knowledge. Genin class experience +1]

So studying could also grant experience. Taiichi became even more focused.