Mission reward: Sage Mode!

A long line had formed outside Konoha Academy, with villagers young and old gathered there.

Today was the opening day of Konoha's Ninja Academy. Many of those enrolling had gathered because Hiruzen Sarutobi, the man known as the "strongest" Hokage, would be coming in person to give a speech.

For many villagers, this was an occasion they simply had to gather for.

"Hey, Kakashi, bringing your little brother to enroll?" A voice suddenly came from beside them. Sōkū looked up and saw Kakashi's Ninja Academy teacher, Umino Iruha. A boy about his own age stood beside him. This was probably Umino Iruka.

"Mr. Umino, this is my younger brother, Sōkyū Hatake. He just turned six this year. Sorry for the trouble, but please look after him from now on." Kakashi bowed politely. After resolving the knot in his heart, Kakashi had become much more cheerful, losing his former gloom.

"Of course, of course. I'm here to enroll my son today too. This is my son, Umino Iruka. Iruka, come say hello." It really was Iruka. Looking at the boy, who already had a scar on his face, Sōkū knew that he was the first important figure to guide Naruto, the future child of destiny. Although he wasn't strong, his teaching ability was among the best.

"Hello, Kakashi, Sōkū. I'm Umino Iruka." Iruka spoke openly, his cheerful personality rivaling Naruto's, and took the initiative to hold out his hand to Sōkū.

"Hello," Kakashi replied.

"Hello, Iruka. I'm Sōkyū Hatake. I look forward to getting along with you." As he spoke, Sōkū reached out and shook Iruka's hand.

"You two should get along from now on. Talk later, Kakashi. I'll take Iruka to check in first." With that, Umino Iruha led Iruka toward the registration desk.

Walking onto the school grounds, Sōkyū Hatake saw the class assignment list. He and Umino Iruka were both in Class A, and judging by their surnames, nearly everyone in Class A descended from ninja families.

There were the Uchiha, the Hyūga, and all sorts of other clans.

Once the class assignments were confirmed, the opening ceremony came next. The successfully enrolled students gathered on the grounds and sat with their classes, waiting for the Third Hokage to deliver his important address.

Wearing his signature Hokage hat, Hiruzen Sarutobi walked onto the podium accompanied by the Ninja Academy's principal. Looking down at the young faces gazing at him excitedly, he couldn't help breaking into a kindly smile.

"These children have all inherited the Will of Fire. They are Konoha's hope for the future!"

All the new students instinctively fell silent, looking excitedly at the old man on the podium. He was the goal most of them aspired to. Just as children in China dreamed of becoming scientists, the vast majority of children in Konoha dreamed of becoming Hokage!

When Hiruzen Sarutobi began his speech, the other new students listened with great interest. Only Sōkū's eyelids began to droop. After all, as someone who had transmigrated and experienced the routine of a short speech every three days and a long one every five, his eyelids always began fighting to close as a conditioned reflex whenever a speech began.

"Wherever leaves dance, fire burns. That firelight will illuminate the village, and new leaves will sprout again. As long as you work hard, the village will not let you down! I hope that in the future, you can take up the title of Hokage!"

Two hours later, Hiruzen Sarutobi finally finished his impassioned speech. The enthusiastic applause from the audience woke Sōkū from his date with the daughter of the god of dreams.

"Looks like it's finally over. Seriously..." Sōkyū Hatake really wanted to complain. Why were there people who spoke like this no matter where he went?

"Sōkū, don't you think that speech was amazing?" Umino Iruka said loudly, still clapping his hands.

"It was all right... I'd rather take another nap." Sōkyū Hatake yawned. Listening to this really wasn't as worthwhile as doing more training and checking in.

Those were the things that could truly make his strength soar.

[Ding!]

[Congratulations on becoming a Ninja Academy student, host. Issuing a mission now!]

Oh? A mission?

Looking at the system notification, Sōkyū Hatake narrowed his eyes.

It had been a long time since he had triggered a mission like this.

[Mission objective: graduate!]

[The host must graduate after more than six months but within one year!]

[Mission reward: Sage Mode!]

[Follow-up mission: unknown!]

Looking at the system notifications, Sōkyū Hatake almost jumped up on the spot.

The reward was actually Sage Mode!

Reading the notification, Sōkyū Hatake understood. This really was a good thing.

If nothing else, Sage Mode was something every powerhouse needed in the later stages.

Just look at Madara Uchiha. Unable to learn Senjutsu himself, he still had to steal Hashirama Senju's Senjutsu.

"Why does it have to be more than six months?" In fact, this was what puzzled Sōkyū Hatake most.

If not for this system restriction, he could have shouted at Hiruzen Sarutobi on the podium right then, "Sōkyū Hatake requests to graduate now!"

Of course, Kakashi would definitely finish him off for doing that.

[To prevent the host from graduating immediately and making a spectacle of himself, a minimum limit of six months has been set!]

[Host, you must understand that this is for your protection.]

The system produced two lines, which only left Sōkyū Hatake very annoyed.

"WTF! What the hell is this..." Sōkyū Hatake said, somewhat speechless. What even was this thing?

He clearly could have graduated immediately, yet now it had turned into this...

Damn scam of a system...

"Sōkū, what did you just say?" Umino Iruka was a little puzzled. Sōkyū Hatake seemed to have said something just now, but he hadn't heard it clearly.

"Nothing, Iruka. I'm going to the restroom. You keep listening," Sōkyū Hatake said hurriedly. He really couldn't bear listening to Hiruzen Sarutobi any longer.

"All right, then. I'll show you the summary I made later." Umino Iruka waved the notebook in his hand. He had written everything down just now.

"You actually took notes on this???"

[Talent can bring people closer together. Men will become aware of women's presence, and competition will promote mutual growth.]

[Before this vast world, human existence is far too insignificant, and the worries in the hearts of such insignificant people are negligible too.]

[If your ninjutsu isn't up to standard, I'll send you back to school to study it again.]

Yes, these were all Hiruzen Sarutobi's words that Umino Iruka had written down, leaving Sōkyū Hatake rather speechless.

No wonder someone like this could become a teacher. This level of note-taking really wasn't something an ordinary person could manage.