Chapter – 11 The First Class & Self-introductions (Patreon)

Next Day

Tatsumi woke up and arrived at the Ninja Academy.

The trees at the entrance of the Academy were filled with beautiful Sakura petals. Even though Tatsumi is not like those elegant, romantic, and poetic people who like to watch flowers, he couldn’t help but admire the beautiful scenery in front of him.

Of course, this was only for a few moments, as the beautiful cherry blossoms in his mind were quickly replaced by the ugly faces of the trainees he is going to beat during the academic year.

Of course, beating fellow trainees is not for the sake of bullying them; the ultimate purpose is naturally to improve so that Tatsumi can become strong and admired by the beauties of this world.

After all, points are true art!

Just as Tatsumi was imagining the sight of all the ugly classmates getting thrashed by him, and all the beauties cheering for him, suddenly a cold and deep voice interrupted him, “Uchiha Tatsumi, if you keep wasting time here… you are going to be late.”

Broken out of his thoughts, Tatsumi turned around and looked in the direction from where the voice came. There stood a Shinobi wearing a light green Konoha Ninja vest, along with standard Ninja clothes over his muscular body, and a forehead protector on his forehead.

As soon as Tatsumi saw him, he exclaimed, “Ah… you almost scared me to death, Uncle Black Fa–no, it’s Nishimura-Sensei… Good Morning!”

Phew, it was dangerous; Tatsumi had almost called him ‘Uncle Black Face.’

“Just now… you were about to call me ‘Uncle Black Face,’ right?” asked Nishimura with a tick mark on his forehead.

“Eh? How is that possible? I respect my elders; how could I call you ‘Uncle Black Face’? You are just overthinking, Nishimura-Sensei. You shouldn’t do that at your age; your hair will turn grey quickly,” said Tatsumi while shaking his head.

“What do you mean by ‘your age’? I am only in my early twenties!” shouted Nishimura as another tick mark appeared on his forehead.

Tatsumi was taken aback, “What? I always thought that you were in your late forties!”

“You kid!” said Nishimura as a dangerous glint appeared in his eyes.

For those who don’t know, ‘Uncle Black Fa–‘ Cough-Cough Nishimura-Sensei is the Chunin instructor who examined the trainees yesterday.

After the entrance test was completed, for some reason, everyone started to call Nishimura-Sensei ‘Uncle Black Face,’ and no one except a certain ‘Uchiha Tatsumi’ seems to know the origin of this name.

“Putting that aside,” Nishimura-Sensei changed the topic and said, “But… normal people probably wouldn’t say ‘Good Morning’ at this time!”

“Oh…” nodded Tatsumi, then he suddenly questioned, “By the way, Sensei, how come your complexion is darker than I remember?”

“You kid… does the color of my skin matter more than the fact that you are late on the first day?” said Nishimura-Sensei as his eyebrow twitched in annoyance.

“Oh… so that’s what happened, I was starting to wonder why you were wasti– Cough-Cough I am sorry… Sensei.” Tatsumi apologized.

Nishimura-Sensei sighed, “Forget it…” then said, “Hurry and go to the classroom!”

“Okay.” Nodded Tatsumi as he turned around and left.

As Tatsumi disappeared, Nishimura looked at the kid with a smile. From this brief interaction with Tatsumi, he couldn’t help but think, ‘His temperament is really different from the other Uchiha kids.’

…

The Konoha Ninja Academy is divided into various classes, and all the trainees are grouped into these classes based on the results of the entrance exam.

Simply put, the trainees with the best grades and performance will study in the best class, while those with average grades and performance will study in an average class.

The Best Class naturally includes most children from strong backgrounds (Large Clans), and the average class mostly consists of children from civilian backgrounds and small clans.

While the trainees of the best class are the cream of the crop, they are the focus children who will grow up to become the pillars of Konoha. They are the children upon whom the teachers at the Ninja Academy pay special attention; they receive preferential treatment, and even after they graduate, excellent Jonin guides are assigned to them for their growth and safety.

On the other hand, the trainees in the average class receive no such preferential or special treatment. They are the children who will grow up to become cannon fodder on the battlefield. Even the guides assigned to them are ordinary Chunin. At most, these children will grow up to become Chunin, or in some special cases, Special Jonin. But beyond that? Quite unlikely… unless they are willing to fight against their fate, which hardly anyone among them would be determined to do.

This is the cruel reality of the Shinobi World. If you do not have a strong background, or if you are not talented (valuable enough), no resources will be spent on you. But all of this has nothing to do with Tatsumi, who was running through the corridors of the Ninja Academy in order to reach his class.

‘Phew… finally found it,’ he thought as he stopped at the gate of Class 1-A.

He didn’t immediately open the door and enter. A lot of questions were running through his mind: ‘This is the first stage… how to make an epic entrance?’ ‘Should I present myself as the funny type like Obito, or the cool type like Shisui, or the elegant type like Itachi, or maybe the cold type like Sasuke, or perhaps the domineering type like Madara?’ ‘What should I do in order to earn as many points as possible without earning a negative image?’

But then, he shook his head, ‘Maa… I am thinking too much… only five- or six-year-old kids are here, and although they are quite developed EQ-wise, I don’t have to care too much… I just have to be myself, there is no need to worry about too many things.’

Moreover, he is already five minutes late, and being too late wouldn’t be very good for the first impression. So, Tatsumi pushed the door open and cordially smiled at fellow trainees. However, most of the populace in the classroom returned his cordial smile with cold or hostile eyes. Even though Tatsumi is not that good at reading others’ hearts, he could read their hostility simply because it was too apparent. Tatsumi even believed that if not for the fact that they were at the Ninja Academy, these children would gang up on him!

Feeling the hostility, Tatsumi looked in the direction from where it was most obvious and suddenly realized the reason. It was the trio of Ryota, Kazama, and Hiroshi who were beaten up by him yesterday.

Of course, these three aren’t the only ones; there are also other children from different backgrounds. Because they got swept by Tatsumi’s momentum yesterday, their performance was not as good as it should have been. So, when they returned to their Clans, they were probably reprimanded by the Elders of their Clans.

Feeling such hostility, not only Tatsumi wasn’t worried but smiled brightly, “Well… this is what happens when you are up against a genius.”

Tatsumi, of course, did not take their hostility seriously. In fact, this is rather good… and he would be happy if these children come to him with the intention of making trouble.

If they were to provoke him, that would be really helpful. He wouldn’t have to go to them and bully them to earn points.

Imagining all the points he will be able to earn, Tatsumi’s smile brightened, “I can’t wait!” and lightly shook his windbreaker.

And that bright smile as well as that posture of shaking his windbreaker lightly naturally attracted the attention of a different type of crowd.

“So handsome~!” “So cool~!” “I am in loooovee~”

Immediately, exclamations resounded in the classroom as Tatsumi felt a lot of intense and hot gazes on him. Of course, these were all girls.

Tatsumi’s performance on the entrance exam, his background, and most importantly his cute features naturally made him an eye candy for all the girls in the class.

The first day of Ninja Academy hasn’t even started, and Tatsumi already became a part of the secret list, ‘Wants to be his Girlfriend.’

This secret list is only known by the girls at the Ninja Academy. Currently, his stock is surging, constantly rising up, throwing away the other candidates on the list.

‘Heh.’ Smirked Tatsumi as he heard the exclamations of all the girls in the class.

‘This is how it should be, but for now, I should find an empty seat and sit down.’ He thought as he intentionally ignored the exclamations of all the girls.

As Tatsumi was looking around, of course, he felt a lot of fiery gazes. All the girls in the class wanted Tatsumi to sit with them, but how could he? He has to be eye candy for the most, and they can only watch from a distance but should never be able to get close. The ones who will be able to approach him will, of course, be limited.

So, he paid no attention to all the fiery gazes and continued to look around when suddenly he noticed Mikoto waving at him lightly, “Tatsumi-kun… here.”

“Oh… Mikoto-chan…” said Tatsumi with a smile as he approached her and sat beside her.

The moment everyone in the class realized that it wasn’t them with whom Tatsumi would be sitting, but Mikoto, there were a lot of sighs. Not just from girls, but also from boys. But Tatsumi and Mikoto paid them no mind.

As Tatsumi took his seat beside Mikoto, he grinned and greeted her, “Good Morning Mikoto-chan.”

Mikoto spoke, “Tatsumi-kun… you are late again.”

“Eh… sorry-sorry, I was just helping an old woman cross the road, so I got late.” Answered Tatsumi with a helpless smile.

“Ohh… Tatsumi-kun is really kind.” Muttered Mikoto with a smile. She did not doubt him and believed his words.

Tatsumi felt embarrassed, “Uhhh…”

In order to divert his attention, Tatsumi looked around and found that on the seat opposite to him was the little sun, Namikaze Minato. He hadn’t paid attention to all the drama that occurred a few moments ago as he was busy previewing the textbooks.

Feeling someone looking at him, little Minato raised his head and noticed that it was the boy who came first in the entrance exam, and greeted, “Hello.”

Tatsumi returned the greeting with a smile, “Hello.”

Then an awkward silence followed as there was nothing to talk about. Little Minato did not know what to say, so Tatsumi spoke, “You can continue what you were doing.”

Little Minato nodded, and once again got busy with the books. Tatsumi smiled, then looked at the front.

Sitting one seat in front of him was none other than Konoha’s little prince, Senju Nawaki, who looked at Tatsumi eagerly.

Facing Nawaki’s eager and intense gaze, Tatsumi felt a bit uncomfortable and chose to completely ignore him. Instead, he turned to Mikoto and asked, “Mikoto-chan, isn’t Sensei here yet?”

Mikoto nodded, “Yes… Nishimura-Sensei seems to be late.”

Tatsumi was taken aback, “What, Uncle Black Face will be teaching us? I just ran into him at the gate!”

Internally, he couldn’t help but wonder, ‘Is it really okay for Uncle Black Face to roam around the campus during the classes?’ His salary must be deducted!

‘Sooner or later, I will definitely go to the Hokage's Office to complain–!’ Tatsumi hadn’t even completed his thought when suddenly the classroom door opened, and Uncle Black Face walked in with an imposing demeanor. He was carrying a textbook in his hand.

As soon as Uncle Black Face walked in, the classroom fell silent. He stood at the podium and waited until the room was completely quiet before he began to speak, “Good morning, everyone. I am Nishimura Akio. I enjoy teaching at the Academy, and I'll be your instructor for the next few years. Please take care of me.”

He had initially intended to write his name on the blackboard, but seemed to give up midway.

‘Wow… Uncle Black Face is too lazy!’ Tatsumi thought, amused by the sight.

Unaware of the children’s thoughts, Uncle Black Face continued, “Well, since we'll all be spending the next few years together, let’s introduce ourselves. I've already told you a bit about myself, so now it's your turn. I want each of you to share your name, your hobbies, and your aspirations. Let's start with the girl sitting in the first seat by the corridor.”

The girl he pointed to stood up and introduced herself, “My name is Kinoshita Rei. I enjoy planting flowers, and my wish is to become a Jonin.”

“Good… next,” said Uncle Black Face, shifting his attention to the girl seated next to Kinoshita Rei.

As each child stood up and introduced themselves when their turn came, Tatsumi observed the classroom around him. In various corners, spiders were busy weaving their intricate webs, and a slightly musty smell seemed to permeate the room.

Following Tatsumi’s slightly disgusted gaze, Mikoto chimed in with a different perspective, “But spiders are cute, Tatsumi-kun.”

Tatsumi couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. Unlike most girls who might shriek at the sight of a spider, Mikoto seemed to have an unusual fondness for them. And it wasn't just spiders; she had a unique taste in various things that differed from the norm.

Tatsumi offered a wry smile and muttered softly, “I wouldn’t be surprised if the renovation funds were pocketed by the principal.”

Nawaki couldn't help but snicker at Tatsumi’s remark, adding, “I bet the Hokage is the principal.”

Tatsumi immediately clamped his mouth shut, realizing he might have ventured into dangerous territory with his comment.

…

Time ticked away, and soon it was little Minato’s turn to introduce himself. With his signature sunny smile, Minato stood up and began, “My name is Namikaze Minato. I enjoy training and studying, and my wish is to become Hokage and protect the peace of Konoha.”

Minato's charm was undeniable, and his smile had a mesmerizing effect on a few girls in the class. While he might not have officially joined the "Wants to be his Girlfriend" list, he certainly became a potential contender for it.

His aspiration to become Hokage and safeguard Konoha's peace was met with nods of approval rather than surprise. After all, it was a common dream among the trainees, aligning with the core values instilled by Konoha: a love for the village, reverence for the Hokage, and an ambition to rise to that esteemed position.

…A few more introductions later, it was finally Nawaki's turn to stand up. He introduced himself, "I'm Senju Nawaki. My goal is to become just like my grandfather, and..." he paused, glancing at Tatsumi before continuing, "My current aim is to defeat Uchiha Tatsumi."

Tatsumi couldn't help but smirk at this declaration. It wasn't only Nawaki who had this goal; it seemed to be a common ambition among the trainees. However, Tatsumi was confident that none of them would be able to achieve that goal. In his eyes, becoming Hokage would be a simpler task than defeating him.

With a nonchalant attitude toward Nawaki's statement, Tatsumi turned his attention to Mikoto. It was her turn next, and many eyes in the classroom were on her. Mikoto's undeniable beauty had captured the attention of several boys who were already starting to show some emotional awareness.

Unaffected by the gazes and comments, Mikoto stood and introduced herself, "I'm Uchiha Mikoto. I enjoy cooking for...," She paused, intentionally omitting the name of the person she likes cooking for, then continued with her wish, "My goal is to become strong enough to protect the people I care about." With a warm smile, she concluded, "I hope we can all get along."

“Kawaaaiii~!” “So elegant~!” “So beautiful~!”

The classroom was filled with various reactions from the students, ranging from liking to admiration to infatuation. Mikoto's charm had undoubtedly captured the attention of her classmates.

Now, it was Tatsumi's turn. He took a calming breath and stood up, aware that the first impression he made would be important. He wanted to show Hokage and the others that he was unlike the stereotypical Uchiha, that he was cheerful and confident rather than cold and brooding.

Standing up, Tatsumi decided to start with a lighthearted joke to set a cheerful and approachable tone. "My name is Uchiha Tatsumi, and you can all call me 'Anata'!" he announced with a playful grin.

The classroom was filled with puzzled murmurs and questioning expressions at his introduction. However, before things could get too awkward, Tatsumi quickly added, "Just kidding! Don't actually call me Anata!"

Amidst the mix of reactions, Tatsumi noticed that some of the boys seemed to like the idea of calling him 'Anata,' which made him feel quite uncomfortable. He immediately dismissed the idea and moved on.

Taking a different approach, Tatsumi decided to flaunt his confident side. He cleared his throat and addressed the class, "Listen up, my dear classmates. If you're curious about my status, look no further. I'm right here, and if any of you can defeat me, my status can be yours!"

The classroom fell into a momentary hush as Tatsumi's words sunk in. He gazed around at his fellow students, gauging their reactions. As some of the gazes turned icy and hostile, Tatsumi's smirk grew wider. He was excited by the challenge that lay ahead and eager to earn points by interacting with his classmates, whether it was through admiration or rivalry.

‘This is going to be fun.’