Little Sasuke was very enthusiastic, showing Ryosuke around the campus.
By the time they returned to the classroom, there were already many children inside.
To his surprise, little Hinata was among them.
Ryosuke also noticed a few familiar faces.
The one snoring away was little Naruto, right? He should have been only five this year. Was he already attending school?
The one with a puppy perched on his head was Kiba.
The one stuffing himself with snacks was Choji.
The ones gazing lovestruck at little Sasuke were Sakura and Ino.
These familiar faces were all so much younger than Ryosuke now.
Standing among them, he couldn't help feeling awkward.
Quite a few of the other students also cast curious looks his way.
One child even called out, "Hey, are you a teacher?"
"He's a kid just like us. How could he be a teacher?"
"Then why haven't we seen him before?"
"Uchiha are all weirdos. What's so surprising about that?"
Little Sasuke's hands were trembling. Only then did Ryosuke realize that even the children could sense the Uchiha Clan's standing in Konoha.
No wonder the Uchiha Clan members were so aloof. They had grown used to being shunned.
Ryosuke sighed inwardly, then led Sasuke to sit in a corner.
Soon, a teacher wearing the standard Chunin uniform entered the classroom.
He first took attendance against the roster. When he called Ryosuke's name, he gave him a second look and muttered, "There's actually an Uchiha Clan child attending school here. What a headache."
A headache?
Ryosuke could hardly tolerate this open hostility.
Even the teacher was like this.
"Big Brother Ryosuke, don't mind him. Actually, only Brother Itachi and I from the clan attend the Ninja Academy. The others are taught by their own parents. But my father is the clan head and doesn't have time, so..."
It seemed little Sasuke was already used to this.
"Okay, we'll start with the D-rank ninjutsu, the Clone Technique."
After taking attendance, the Chunin began demonstrating the technique.
[ Ding! C-rank ninjutsu, Clone Technique, detected and recorded. ]
Hm? The teacher said the Clone Technique was D-rank, but the system classified it as C-rank. What was going on?
Could the same technique have different effects depending on who used it?
That was interesting.
He thought of the Uchiha Clan's specialty, Fire Release Ninjutsu.
In the hands of an ordinary ninja, it might only have C-rank power, but in Uchiha Madara's hands, it rivaled A-rank ninjutsu.
"Teacher, I've learned it."
Ryosuke stood up.
The students around him all looked at him in surprise.
"Uchiha Ryosuke, class is in session. Don't cause a disturbance."
"I said I've learned it."
As he spoke, Ryosuke walked to the front and performed the Clone Technique.
He produced four clones at once.
The Chunin teacher gaped in shock.
The whole class held its breath, as if watching a show.
Only little Sasuke clapped. "Big Brother Ryosuke is amazing!"
"Did you learn this technique from someone else?" The Chunin teacher finally came to his senses.
"That's none of your concern. I just want to know how soon I can graduate from here," Ryosuke asked flatly.
"You can graduate once you turn twelve and pass the graduation exam," the Chunin teacher replied.
"Twelve? Isn't the graduation exam held every year? Why was Itachi able to graduate from here at seven?"
Ryosuke asked, displeased.
What a joke. He wouldn't be twelve for another four years. By then, everything would be over.
"The graduation exam is held every year, but not everyone—"
"When is the graduation exam?"
Ryosuke cut him off.
The Chunin teacher finally lost his temper.
"Uchiha Ryosuke, please stop disrupting the other students' class. If you have questions, you can go ask the principal."
"You should've said so earlier."
Ryosuke finally smiled, then formed the seal for "Release."
With a pop, Ryosuke and his clones vanished on the spot.
The Chunin teacher's eyes widened.
"A clone? How could a clone use the Clone Technique too? Is this really a technique an eight-year-old can master?"
He looked around the classroom and saw that Ryosuke really was gone.
He could only suppress his anger and continue teaching, deciding to report the matter to the principal.
By then, Ryosuke had already reached the door of the principal's office.
"Come in."
Before Ryosuke could knock, a familiar voice came from inside.
He sighed. "I should've known. The Hokage is the principal too."
Ryosuke pushed open the door and went in.
"Ryosuke? What brings you here? Isn't today your first day of school? Shouldn't you be in the classroom?"
"They have nothing to teach me. I want to graduate as soon as possible," Ryosuke said honestly.
"Hahaha, I've never heard of anyone graduating on their first day of school. If that's the case, why bother coming to school at all?"
The Third Hokage picked up his pipe, taking a puff as he asked with a laugh.
"I came because the clan head asked me to, and I do need to graduate from here to become a ninja," Ryosuke explained, taking a deep breath.
"Oh, I see. But the Ninja Academy doesn't just teach ninjutsu. It also teaches you the principles and mindset of a ninja, so you'll understand why you want to become one."
The Third Hokage spoke slowly.
That's just brainwashing, isn't it? Do you think I'm an idiot?
"Lord Hokage, I think what you said makes a lot of sense, but it doesn't apply to everyone. I want to graduate early, like Itachi."
Ryosuke spoke patiently.
"Itachi? That child has a strong sense of purpose. He once witnessed the horrors of war, so he understands the value of peace even more."
The Third Hokage seemed to sink into thought as he recalled something.
"Lord Hokage, I'm only a year younger than Itachi, and both my parents died in the war. I think I have an even stronger sense of purpose than he does."
Suppressing his anger, Ryosuke continued.
The Third Hokage stared at Ryosuke. After a long while, he said, "All right. The school graduation exam is in three days. If you pass, I'll agree to let you become a ninja."
"Thank you."
Ryosuke turned and left.
The Third Hokage fell into deep thought.
But soon, he summoned an Anbu member waiting nearby.
"Have Itachi keep an eye on that child named Ryosuke. I don't want another Uchiha Madara to be born."
"Yes, Lord Hokage."
With a bang, the Anbu member vanished from the spot.
The Third Hokage gazed at the portrait of the Second hanging on the wall and fell into thought.
"Second, your policies brought the Uchiha Clan to its current state. What should I do now to resolve this peacefully?"
Before you continue