The First Day at the Ninja Academy (Seeking Collection)

"Yes, Iruka-sensei!"

As Iruka's words fell, everyone in the classroom responded in unison with their youthful voices. After all, it was only their first day at the Ninja Academy, and making a good impression on their instructor was, at the very least, a rather important matter.

"Mm, very good. Now, let's have everyone introduce themselves. After all, you are companions who will be studying together for the next six years, and you might even be assigned to the same squad to carry out missions after graduation, so first impressions are quite important."

Iruka smiled slightly, then pointed to the first child in the first row on his right and said softly, "Let's start with you, Gakuto-kun. Just briefly state your dream and the things you like..."

"Yes!"

"My name is Gakuto Iguchi. My dream is to become a great ninja, and the things I like..."

A very humanized opening.

Or perhaps it should be put this way.

After experiencing so many reforms (or should one say changes?), the Konoha Ninja Academy was no longer the same as it was when it was first established by the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju. One could even say that if this same batch of students had been placed in the era when the Second Hokage had just founded the academy, they might not have even been able to step through its gates. Of course, this is not to compare which is better or worse, but merely to clarify the limitations of the era.

As these people took turns introducing themselves, Naruto was silently observing the children who would become his nominal companions for the next six years.

It had to be said that among those present, the vast majority would only ever be cannon-fodder genin for Konoha in the future; those who could become chunin were few and far between (do not underestimate chunin; one must know that chunin are already the backbone of a ninja village, and being able to serve as a squad leader is proof enough of a chunin's value and status).

Let alone jonin.

To put it in the most straightforward terms, there is no world that values bloodline more than the Naruto World.

One must realize that this world itself is merely a series of "farces" born from internal family conflicts, let alone anyone else.

Do ninjas from civilian backgrounds have the qualifications and potential to become great ninjas?

Yes!

Such a probability does exist!

One cannot erase the possibilities of all civilian ninjas.

But in the end, they are only the minority.

The era of competing by one's ancestors is absolutely not an empty phrase in this Naruto World.

Extrapolated, it becomes: Are you a ninja from a ninja clan?

It is not an absolute, but it is a universality. Most ninjas from ninja clans can become chunin or even higher. Compared to civilians, under the condition of equal objective circumstances, the former only needs to spend half or even less of the time the latter requires to reach the same goal.

Moreover, this is not a tortoise and the hare race.

Others will not deliberately stop in place to wait for the latter.

People who are more talented than you, people who can enjoy more resources than you.

Not to mention those who work harder than you.

Just talking about those who work just as hard as you!

What qualifications and opportunities do you have to surpass them?

No!

You don't even have the qualifications to walk alongside them!

This is the reality of the Naruto World.

Hard work indeed does not lie; as long as you put in the effort, you will definitely become stronger. But that is only based on your own individual progress—a vertical comparison is fine, but if you want to make a horizontal comparison...

Sorry.

Only the cruelest reality awaits you.

Naturally, shrinking this down to the current classroom, Naruto didn't care in the slightest about those "classmates" from civilian backgrounds who had almost never appeared in the original work. His attention remained entirely focused on the few individuals from ninja clans.

The so-called "Konoha 11" from the original work were naturally the first points of focus for Naruto.

Even in their childhood, the recognizability of the Konoha 11 was still quite high.

Especially the Ino-Shika-Cho trio.

The lethargic Shikamaru Nara.

Choji Akimichi, who looked a bit like a simpleton.

And Ino Yamanaka, who had been gazing toward Sasuke Uchiha with a lovestruck expression since she was six.

Naruto didn't doubt for a second that if not for the Ino-Shika-Cho dynamic, this girl Ino would probably be glued to that cold-hearted little brat's side already.

Honestly speaking.

In this classroom.

Almost eighty percent of the little girls.

That's right, just little girls.

They were only six.

Calling them young maidens would be a stretch.

Yet, this group of precocious little girls.

Each and every one of them looked at Sasuke with eyes full of admiration.

Although this was the Naruto World.

Naruto still couldn't help but complain in his heart.

They are just too precocious, these kids...

Excluding Ino-Shika-Cho.

The remaining Shino Aburame and Kiba Inuzuka were also very easy to recognize.

Not to mention Hinata and Sasuke.

Especially the latter.

During his self-introduction.

It was just a simple sentence.

"I am Sasuke Uchiha."

That cool-looking, yet actually pretentious expression.

Instantly ignited the entire classroom.

The girls' screams seemed as if they could pierce through the entire room.

But he only has less than a year left to play it cool, right?

Looking at Sasuke's profile.

Scenes from the original work in his past life flashed through Naruto's mind. While his outward appearance remained unchanged, he inwardly shook his head and thought silently.

If he remembered correctly.

The Uchiha Clan would be wiped out in about a year.

By that time.

This Sasuke Uchiha, who looked cold on the outside but was still a true child on the inside, would truly begin to sink into the darkness.

The meaning of his existence.

Would be reduced to two words—revenge!

Of course, these matters had nothing to do with the current Naruto, or rather, he had neither the ability nor the qualifications to intervene. Was there a hidden story behind the clan's extermination? That was a given. Even without memories of his past life, a simple logical consideration would reveal that the truth behind it was definitely not small.

However, what did that have to do with the current Naruto?

Spending these six years in peace and stability.

Improving his own strength as much as possible was what mattered most.

As for the rest, that could be discussed later.

Glancing past these familiar faces, the last of the eight rookies to catch Naruto's eye was Sakura Haruno, the heroine who received polarized reviews in the original work of his past life (from the perspective of screen time, she really did count as the lead actress).

He couldn't say he hated her.

And he certainly couldn't say he liked her.

Because the current Naruto was not the Naruto from the original story.

Whatever choices Sakura Haruno made, or whatever opinions she held.

Had absolutely nothing to do with the current Naruto.

As long as she didn't affect him.

Naruto wouldn't interfere in the slightest.

And as for when it was finally Naruto's turn to introduce himself.

Although he had expected it.

Almost the very moment Naruto stood up.

Over eighty percent of the people looked at Naruto with strange expressions in their eyes.

Of course, there was no disgust or rejection in the gazes of these children like there was with the adults.

It was simply because they had been warned by their families.

There was at least a hint of curiosity and confusion mixed in.

Naruto, naturally, turned a blind eye to it all. With a smile, he finished his self-introduction in a proper manner and sat back down obediently.

He would not be deliberately low-key, nor would he be ostentatiously high-profile.

He would follow the normal pace.

He would spend his six years at the Ninja Academy.

While constantly strengthening himself, he would wait for the necessary opportunity.

This was Naruto's most important, and only, core plan!