Time seemed gentle, yet it never stopped surging forward.
In the blink of an eye, Konoha's cherry blossoms had withered and bloomed, then bloomed and withered again.
The days at the Ninja Academy slipped quietly by.
For Genya Uchiha, who was living a second life, these academy years held an entirely different meaning.
The hazy memories of school in his previous life overlapped with this Ninja Academy, a place filled with chakra.
He knew better than anyone that these seemingly ordinary, even somewhat "childish" days of youth...
Would be an all-too-brief luxury amid the bloodshed awaiting the shinobi world.
You can't have both youth and an understanding of youth at the same time.
That thought had occasionally flickered through his mind.
Instead, he cherished this "youth" more than anyone, immersing himself fully in the present.
He was like an insatiable observer and participant.
He savored the "boredom" of class, the childish arguments between classmates, the exhilaration of being drenched in sweat after training, and the aimless walks and meals with friends after school.
Besides, this was the Ninja Academy.
Here, the energy and vitality of youth mingled with chakra, the clash of taijutsu, and bonds quietly taking root.
Genya remained the most unusual presence in the class, but after long enough, even that became a kind of normal.
He still often slept in class, and Iruka and the other teachers had long since learned to turn a blind eye.
As long as he did not disturb anyone else, he could turn in near-perfect papers on every theory exam and demonstrate unfathomable ability in practical exercises.
Within his little circle, the sight of Naruto and Genya heading out for ramen with their arms slung around each other's shoulders had become a familiar part of Konoha.
Sasuke complained about him, but his