Introducing Myself

"...Ding."

"School's over? When did the bell ring? It got my hopes up for nothing." Genichi had gotten excited for a moment—or maybe he hadn't. Actually, it was more like he had.

Time slipped by before he knew it. The Third Hokage had been speaking at the podium for over two hours straight.

"That concludes the opening ceremony. Now, each class should return to its classroom. I look forward to seeing you grow into excellent ninja."

Sarutobi Hiruzen looked at the energetic children before him. As they grew, they would help build the village, eventually becoming its strong foundation.

For a moment, the sight of all that vitality and growth seemed to unfold before his eyes. He couldn't help remembering how, many years ago, he had been entrusted with the village's fate in a time of crisis and taken the Hokage Position from Second Hokage Tobirama Senju.

"Ever since becoming Hokage, I've carefully maintained Konoha's hard-won peace and tirelessly handled the village's affairs, great and small. I've worked day after day, and that's how Konoha came to thrive as it does today.

"Yet peace has lasted only a little over ten years, and the situation among the nations is growing unstable once again. Teacher, I've spent my whole life walking on thin ice. Do you think I can make it to the other shore?"

"Mikoto, want to sit together in class later? I'm really interested in the Uchiha Clan. Tell me more about it when you have time." Genichi shamelessly invited her.

"Um, all right." Mikoto hesitated, but eventually agreed. Her first friend at the Ninja Academy was occasionally a bit of a weirdo, but he was probably a good person, right?

When they reached the classroom, Genichi immediately picked a seat by the window in the second-to-last row. There were three seats on the aisle side; Mikoto sat by the window, and Genichi sat in the middle.

It wasn't that he didn't want to sit in front and pay attention. The Ninja Academy didn't teach much beyond theory and basic skills.

He'd be better off hoping the Old Man Six Paths would appear in his dreams and pass on his powers while he slept than expecting his teachers to turn him into a master.

The student on his right arrived too. She was a girl with a gentle air and a smile on her face. He hadn't gotten the chance to greet her when—

"Bang, bang!"

The teacher at the podium wore a formal flak jacket and had a full beard and a stern face. He rapped hard on the blackboard to get everyone's attention, then said:

"My name is Sarutobi Kimura, and I'll be your homeroom teacher for the next few years.

"I'm also a Special Jōnin recognized in the village for my teaching ability. I specialize in Fire Style and Konoha-Style Kenjutsu. I like students who listen, and I dislike those who don't. Now, let's go around and introduce ourselves."

The students up front were quick about it, and their introductions were all over the place. Some liked cats and disliked dogs; others liked dogs and disliked cats.

The classroom was lively. If they hadn't been in class, it felt like they might have started arguing. A lot of students whose names he couldn't recall, and who looked like generic background characters, dreamed of becoming Hokage.

Genichi nodded along, but inwardly shook his head. Looking at the line of Hokage succession in the original story, aside from blood ties, it all came down to the teacher-student relationship. You had to become part of the Hokage's circle first before you'd get the chance to become Hokage.

Next up was a chubby boy with red hair. He stood and introduced himself:

"My name is Akimichi Choza. I like eating delicious food, and I don't like it when people call me fat. As for my dream, I hope there'll be endless delicious food in the future."

Genichi casually glanced around him. The boy with light yellow hair who looked so aloof was probably Yamanaka Inoichi.

And the one with his hair sticking straight up, looking listless and a lot like Shikamaru would in the future, was probably Nara Shikaku.

All three future clan heads of Ino-Shika-Cho were here. This class was full of talent. But compared to the person who would appear next, they seemed to pale into insignificance:

The ninja who truly brought the Flying Thunder God Technique to prominence, known throughout the Ninja World as the "Yellow Flash." He had trained under one of the Sannin, Jiraiya, from a young age. Though born a commoner, he became the Fourth Hokage at just twenty-three and was hailed as the fastest man in the Ninja World—Minato Namikaze.

"My dream is to become Hokage and protect everyone in the village," the young sun said.

Next, Chiba Genichi slowly rose to his feet, the corners of his mouth lifting as he spoke in a friendly tone:

"Hello, everyone. I'm Chiba Genichi. For now, there's nothing I particularly dislike. In my free time, I like playing chess or fishing. As for my dream, I hope I can live a peaceful life someday."

"Chess and fishing? And a peaceful life?" Shikaku, who had been slumped over his desk, couldn't help glancing up. For a moment, he almost thought his shadow clone was standing up there.

He hadn't expected to meet someone with the same interests and dream. For once, he felt a little hopeful about the next few years.

"I'm Hyuga Hana. I like sweet foods and beautiful flowers. For now, there's nothing I dislike. I hope I can live a little more freely in the future."

Genichi looked at the girl sitting beside him. Her voice and appearance were as gentle as water. She seemed like someone who'd be easy to get along with.

"What's wrong? Why are you looking at me like that?" After sitting down, Genichi noticed Mikoto glancing at him from time to time.

"I just didn't expect you to give such a serious introduction. I thought you'd deliberately say some of those weird things again."

Afraid the teacher might notice, Mikoto leaned close to Genichi's ear and explained in a soft voice.

Her warm breath brushed against his ear. He could even catch a faint, sweet scent. Was it her shampoo?

"Is that what you thought? Then, Mikoto, do you know the first step toward living a peaceful life?"

"What is it?" Mikoto asked, puzzled. Her life had always been peaceful.

Leaning closer to Mikoto's ear, Genichi joked in a voice only the two of them could hear: "Of course, you have to find a kunoichi and marry her first. Preferably someone as gentle and pretty as you, Mikoto."

"You're so annoying!" In a fit of embarrassment, Mikoto shoved Genichi back into his seat. Her cheeks turned red as apples.

"Ahem! Since this student can't wait any longer, she can go next." Teacher Sarutobi spoke helplessly from the podium and pointed to Mikoto Uchiha.

They hadn't even officially started classes on the first day, and she was already fooling around. She had no respect for her teacher. Who knew what she'd do next? He couldn't even imagine.

"Ah, are you calling on me?" Mikoto jumped in surprise and hurried to her feet. Trembling slightly, she said:

"My dream is to live a peaceful— I mean, a happy life. I like cooking delicious food. I dislike Genichi—oh, no, there's nothing I dislike."

As soon as she finished, she sat down without a moment's pause, her head lowered so she wouldn't have to look at anyone else.

"What should I do? Now everyone's going to think I'm weird. My Ninja Academy life has failed before it's even begun! How did things turn out like this...? I left my clan compound for the first time to attend the Ninja Academy and successfully made my first friend from another clan. Two happy things had come together.

"And those two happy things should have brought me even more happiness. I should have had a blissful time, like something out of a dream... But why did things turn out this way...?"

Poor Mikoto had been toyed with by the naturally wicked little Genichi on the very first day of school.

Mikoto gently bit her lower lip and clenched her fists. She couldn't help turning her head to glare at the innocent-looking culprit, silently steeling herself:

"Grandpa always says I'm gentle, but that doesn't mean my fists are weak. And my Kunai can still be plenty sharp."