Shaye Enters the Academy

In the forty-first year of Konoha, cold winds whipped sand against Sunagakure's low stone walls. What the Second Shinobi World War had brought was not the glory of victory, but wounds carved deep into the bone and voids that could not be filled. This year, the Ninja Academy's crude stone gates opened especially early, taking in a far more complicated crowd than usual.

The order was mandatory: all children of eligible age had to enroll early, to replenish the village's nearly exhausted ninja reserves as quickly as possible. And so, five-year-old Shaye stood among the children in a gray ninja outfit altered from his father's old clothes, still far too large for him.

He stood out sharply. Not because there was anything unusual about him, but because he was excessively thin and pale. Among children his age who, despite everything, had mostly been toughened by years of harsh living, he looked as though a gust of wind could knock him over. Buzzing chatter filled the air, mixed with crying and fussing—some of the children were too young to understand why they had to leave home.

Shaliu's large hand rested on his son's frail shoulder, his brows knotted tightly. Looking at the motley group of children before him, ranging from five to seven or eight years old, his worries only deepened. He knew the academy's current state: too few teachers, crude facilities, and, more importantly, an atmosphere of defeat and despair spreading through the village. No one knew how it would affect these young seedlings.

"Listen," Shaliu said, crouching down and lowering his voice. "Things at the academy are... complicated right now. Protect yourself. Don't cause trouble, and try not to draw attention. Your health comes first, understand?"

Shaye nodded. His clear black-and-white eyes calmly swept over the surroundings. He took his father's words to heart, but trusted his own observations more. He saw faces that were ignorant, uneasy, or already sharpened by life's hardships. The air was thick with dust, sweat, and an indescribable tension.

Clang! Clang! Clang! Harsh strikes of metal replaced a bell. A tall, thin Chunin teacher with a sallow face and weary, impatient eyes emerged. He glanced over the chaotic crowd and shouted irritably, "Shut up, all of you! Line up in two rows by height! Move it!"

Like startled lambs, the children began shoving one another as they formed lines. Shaye silently took his place at the very end—he was undoubtedly among the shortest.

Following the line, they entered the largest stone-cave classroom. It was even darker inside, carrying the mixed smell of old wood, dust, and ink. The desks and chairs were crooked, many bearing signs of damage. Faint, indistinct marks—likely left behind by ninjutsu practice—still covered the walls.

"Find a seat! Quiet!" The Chunin teacher—whom they later learned was named Arai—slammed the lectern hard, sending up a cloud of dust. He clearly lacked both skill and patience when it came to handling so many small children.

"I'm your teacher from now on, Chunin Arai. Don't expect any nice-sounding nonsense from me!" he said bluntly, his tone stiff. "The war just ended, and the village lost a lot of people! You're sitting here not to play house! You're here to learn useful skills as soon as possible and become useful early! Do you understand?!"

The room fell silent. Most of the children had been frightened by his vicious tone. Only a few bolder ones nodded blankly.

"Hmph." Teacher Arai snorted, picking up a rough roster. "Roll call now! When I call your name, say 'Here'! And remember the people around you—they'll be your classmates from now on!"

"Black Ant!"

A dark-skinned boy with thick arms shot to his feet and answered in a booming voice, "Here!" A ripple of soft laughter spread through the room.

"Keli!"

A girl with two messy braids and freckles across her face answered timidly, "...Here..."

"Wenshu!"

A somewhat dull-looking boy in broken old glasses adjusted them, then rose to his feet a beat late. "...Here."

"Hushan!"

A boy who looked thoroughly mischievous, his eyes constantly darting about, sprang up with a cheeky grin. "Here~!"

"Shaye!"

Shaye rose calmly, his voice quiet but clear. "Here." His gaze quickly passed over the classmates whose names had just been called, memorizing their names and features before quietly sitting back down. His composure seemed somewhat out of place in this environment, and Teacher Arai gave him an extra look.

The roll call continued in an oppressive yet faintly comical atmosphere. Shaye silently memorized the names and initial impressions of the roughly twenty children in the class: some were honest and simple, some timid, some bookish, some mischievous. More of them were ordinary children like him, carrying confusion and a trace of fear. None bore those familiar names. This was Sunagakure's most real, most ordinary next generation.

After the roll call, Teacher Arai did not waste another word. He simply roared, "Everyone outside to the training ground! Physical fitness test! The last ten get no lunch today!"

The children immediately erupted in an uproar, fear instantly overwhelming every other emotion.

The wind and sand were even fiercer on the training ground. The so-called test was simple and brutal—run around the small field until they could no longer run.

At the sound of the whistle, the children charged out like a herd of driven little beasts, stumbling as they went. Shaye was nearly swallowed by the crowd the instant he started. His lungs felt scraped by sandpaper, and his legs were so heavy they barely obeyed him. Before long, the main group had left him far behind, making him one of the few trailing at the very end.

The sturdy boy called Black Ant took the lead. Keli's face had turned bright red as she struggled to keep up with the middle of the pack. Wenshu fell after only a few steps, even knocking his glasses crooked. Hushan sprinted quickly at first, but before completing half a lap, he had begun lazily walking, laughing as he watched those behind him.

Shaye gritted his teeth, ignoring the sympathetic or contemptuous looks cast his way by those passing him, and ignoring Teacher Arai's impatient shouts. He focused all his attention on his breathing and footsteps, doing his best to adjust his rhythm with the limited exercise knowledge he retained from his previous life.

One step, two steps, three steps... His lungs burned, and darkness repeatedly clouded his vision.

But he did not stop.

He knew his body was weak, but he also knew this was the first hurdle he had to face. In this cruel world, in this village that demanded strength, he could not fall from the very beginning.

He ran at the back, pitifully slow, but every step he took was incomparably firm.

Amid the howling wind and sand, Sunagakure Ninja Academy's first day taught him its first lesson in the most realistic, most brutal way: survival began when the very last shred of strength was spent.

(End of Chapter)