The Ninja Academy's curriculum was divided into two main subjects: theory and practical skills. What they studied in the classroom was theory.
Iruka drew a force diagram on the blackboard showing a kunai at the instant it was thrown, then explained it.
Yu flipped through the textbook and reached a conclusion: So that's how it is. Ninja theory is roughly on par with nine years of compulsory education.
But honestly, mastering all this theory in a six-year program while also training in ninja skills was no easy task.
No wonder the pass rate for the written test in the first round of the chunin ninja exams was so low.
Yu also noticed some interesting details.
The physics formulas in the Naruto world were the same as those in the real world.
For example, the formula for gravitational force was G=mg.
What differed was the constant g, gravitational acceleration. In reality, g was 9.8, but in the Naruto world, it was less than 3.6.
Hehe, no wonder even little Naruto could jump over a three-meter-high fence!
If that small detail points to a bigger picture, could other formulas not yet discovered in the Naruto world also be borrowed from reality, with the key being to establish the constants?
Yu twirled his pencil, letting his thoughts wander.
Explaining the Naruto world through science had a charm all its own.
For example, what exactly is chakra? Is it a substance? If so, wouldn't that fall under chemistry? If I could establish its reaction equation, could chakra also be manufactured through chemical engineering?
"Hehe..."
But Yu was only entertaining the idea. His interests lay elsewhere. If anyone could actually pull that off, it would be Orochimaru's field.
Still, he did have one idea he wanted to make a reality: bringing some interesting inventions from the real world into the Naruto world.
The entertainment available in this world was probably still stuck in the 1980s. By a certain island's calendar, that would be around the end of the Showa era.
Honestly, it was far too backward.
"Hmm... I'd better pay attention in class if I want to make that happen!"
Yu looked up at the blackboard and began taking notes in earnest.
Seeing Yu actually listening attentively, Naruto asked in surprise, "Yu, you can understand the gibberish Iruka-sensei's spouting?"
Yu smiled. "Hehe, more or less."
Naruto exclaimed, "You're amazing! Just like Sakura!"
His voice was so loud that everyone looked over!
But because of Yu's earlier, rather unconventional "self-introduction," no one offered an opinion.
"Ahem!" Iruka cleared his throat. "Naruto, no whispering during class! And Yu, that goes for you too!"
Once he resumed the lesson...
Whispers rose from the seats below.
"Hey, Sakura, I think they're talking about you!"
Sakura kept taking notes diligently, her face full of lofty disdain. "Are they? I didn't hear."
She thought, Who cares about losers who've given up on themselves? I'm definitely going to get a good score on the next test and make Sasuke-kun notice me!
Listening to the lesson didn't stop Yu from having a heart-to-heart with Naruto.
Yu asked, "Naruto, what do you think of Hinata?"
Hinata?
Naruto turned toward a window seat in the front row.
The quiet girl was also diligently taking notes.
Naruto replied casually, "Hinata? I don't usually pay much attention to her, but from what I remember, she's a pretty dull, weird girl..."
So that really was how it was.
Yu now had a clear picture.
Naruto was so hopelessly oblivious that without that stab from Pain, there was no telling whether the two would ever get together.
Thump! Thump!
Hinata's cheeks flushed, and her heart raced. N-Naruto-kun seemed to glance this way just now...
Yu thought, Hehe, just stick with me, Naruto~ I'll sort everything out for you~! Whether it's Kurama or Hinata~! I'll get you all to open up to each other as soon as possible!
Ding-dong~!
Time flew when he paid attention. Before he knew it, the bell rang.
Iruka paced his lessons wonderfully, so he had no bad habit of running over time.
"That's all for this lesson. Next is Mizuki-sensei's shuriken class. Please gather at the training ground on time!"
After deliberately glancing at the back row, Iruka put away his lesson plan and left the classroom.
Although class was over, the usual clamor was absent. The children looked as though they were waiting for a storm to break!
Sure enough, the boys who liked throwing their weight around gathered around him!
"You jerks, come at me if you've got a problem, believe it...!"
Naruto stood up. He wasn't actually stupid; he didn't really believe Yu could take these boys on!
But Yu gently pulled Naruto aside and asked a question he already knew the answer to. "What's up, guys?"
Their voices dripped with sarcasm. "Oh, playing dumb now? Forgotten what you said?"
Yu gave them an innocent smile. "Hehe~ I never named anyone. Don't assume I meant you!"
The boys exchanged looks, then glared fiercely at Yu.
"When you talked about someone having a bird's nest on his head, you meant me, didn't you?!"
"You called me an inferior life-form with a butt chin, didn't you?!"
"You said I was painfully average, way too full of myself, and a total turnoff! What's that supposed to mean? You'd better explain yourself, or this isn't over!"
Yu spread his little hands. "Settling scores after the fact, huh? Why didn't you come spar with me at the training ground right then? It's not like I didn't give you the chance!"
Bird's Nest said, "You're way too cocky, new kid!"
Butt Chin said, "If the teacher hadn't been there, I'd have knocked your teeth all over the floor!"
The painfully average, overconfident turnoff said, "You think being from the Hyuga Clan makes you special? A bunch of blind fools!"
Hinata had been insulted! Even Neji had caught a stray!
Yu's little face darkened. "So you're saying you want to hit me?"
"Damn right we do!"
Bird's Nest, the burliest of the three, rolled up his sleeves, clenched a sandbag-sized fist, and swung straight at Yu's face!
The punch rushed toward him with a gust of wind! He had put real force into it!
Naruto cried, "Look out!"
But Yu raised his little hand and caught the heavy punch as casually as could be!
The tremendous force behind it vanished without a trace, as though the fist had struck cotton!
"What?!"
Yu had already decided to teach these three a lesson they would never forget-and make an example of them for everyone watching!
Despite his usual easygoing smiles, he understood the rules of survival all too well!
He had one principle: either he didn't strike, or he drew blood!
And his justification? Naturally, it was perfectly aboveboard!
Yu swept his gaze over them and declared with ringing conviction, "Provoking me alone is one thing, but you dared insult our Hyuga Clan! I, Yū Hyuga, as a member of the Hyuga Branch Family, will teach you a lesson to defend my clan's honor!"
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