Jin, Sakyo, Chris, Miyamoto Shino, and Minakami Mei stepped onto the grounds of the Knight School, ready to begin their first day of training.
The first term had very few students—only a dozen occupied the vast academy grounds. However, this was no ordinary school.
Each student was selected with care, and the training that awaited them was rigorous.
The school had enlisted elite teachers for their education, many of whom were Jonin—battle-hardened warriors with years of experience.
Their curriculum was vast and intense, covering cultural studies such as history, geography, and even the languages of various nations.
Some subjects were more unconventional, including the ability to communicate with animals.
Among the students, Jin had an unusual talent for languages.
He picked up animal linguistics at an astonishing rate.
After just one class, he had already mastered the language of chickens, leaving both teachers and students in awe.
His classmates, Sakyo, Chris, Miyamoto Shino, and Minakami Mei, were quick to praise him.
"I didn't expect you to be this skilled!" Katsuragi remarked with surprise. "Unlike me, I've never been good at languages."
Miyuki smirked. "Just don't forget to train with your sword. Words alone won't win battles."
Michiki scoffed. "What's the use of knowing chicken talk? Focus on something useful."
The next session was the Ninjutsu Defense Course, held at the academy's large training grounds.
The class was taught by the renowned Master Yi, an unassuming man with an elegant and easy-going personality, highly popular among the students.
"Though we don't train you to be ninjas or teach you how to synthesize chakra," Master Yi began, "as knights, it is inevitable that you will one day face ninja opponents. So tell me—if your enemy is a ninja, how should you respond?"
The students fell silent for a moment before Michiki scoffed again. "Hmph, just use superior strength and crush them."
Katsuragi shrugged. "Why bother? Just use a kunai."
Miyuki grinned. "Forget the kunai—slice them down with a sword."
Master Yi chuckled. "Good answers, but let me show you a special method. First, let's have a demonstration. Mori, an elite ninja, will show us the process of performing ninjutsu."
The students clapped as Mori, dressed in full ninja attire, stepped forward.
"Hello, everyone. I'm honored to be invited as a guest instructor." Mori greeted them.
"Thank you, Teacher Mori!" the students responded enthusiastically.
Mori began his lesson. "To cast ninjutsu, a ninja must use hand seals. The proper term for this technique is 'Ninja Hand Seals.' These hand signs include Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Ram, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Boar. Each seal channels chakra in different ways, forming the foundation of all ninjutsu. Watch carefully."
With precise movements, Mori demonstrated each seal. Some students watched with fascination, while others, already familiar with the basics, remained uninterested.
To impress them further, Mori performed a sequence: "Substitution Jutsu!" In an instant, he vanished, replaced by a wooden log.
"Earth Style: Earth Dragon Bullet!" Mori slammed his hands together in rapid succession, weaving the Tiger, Hare, and Dragon seals.
The ground trembled before a massive dragon of solid earth burst forth, its eyes gleaming as it let out a guttural roar.
The sheer force of the technique sent a wave of dust and debris into the air, leaving the students awestruck.
They erupted into applause, marveling at the seamless execution of the jutsu.
Master Yi joined in with laughter. "Excellent demonstration, Mori! Now, students, if a ninja requires hand seals to cast jutsu, how should we defend ourselves?"
More ideas were thrown around.
Some suggested brute force, others suggested evasion. Master Yi waved his hand for silence.
"All good ideas, but let me show you something different," he said with a smirk.
He turned to Mori. "For this demonstration, treat me as your enemy and use ninjutsu seriously."
Mori nodded. "Understood."
The two took their positions, standing ten meters apart.
The students watched in eager anticipation, wondering what special technique their teacher would reveal.
Mori began forming seals for the Water Prison Jutsu—Snake, Ram, Horse, Rabbit, Snake, Ram, Horse, Rabbit.
His hands moved swiftly, taking only a second to complete the sequence.
But before he could finish—
Bang!
A sudden explosion of chakra and force sent a shockwave through the training grounds.
Mori's eyes widened in shock as he felt a sharp sting.
Master Yi had flickered forward with blinding speed, his kunai glowing with a faint blue energy.
With a precise strike, he jabbed Mori's shoulder, disrupting his chakra flow instantly.
Mori staggered, his technique fizzling out mid-cast.
The students gasped as he collapsed face-first onto the ground.
"Whoa! Did he just cancel the jutsu?!" someone exclaimed.
Master Yi chuckled. "Relax, he's fine. Just give him a second."
Mori groaned, attempting to speak. "Wha...wha…thhh…"
His words came out slurred, his entire body twitching involuntarily.
The jumbled chakra in his system rendered him unable to move properly.
Master Yi signaled for two students to help Mori up. "Haha, sorry about that, Mori. Didn't realize this technique would be that effective."
The students crowded around, intrigued. "What was that move?" one of them asked.
Master Yi lifted his hand, revealing a small, glowing kunai.
"This," he said,
"is an Anti-Ninjutsu Kunai, developed by the Hidden Sand's research division. It releases a chakra-disrupting pulse upon impact, preventing a shinobi from completing their jutsu."
A wave of excitement spread through the students.
This will be your standard knight equipment in the future," Master Yi continued.
"Remember, knights don't need to match a ninja's chakra—we just need the right tools to counter them."
Master Yi held a chakra-disrupting kunai and addressed the students, his expression filled with excitement.
"This is the latest technology developed by the Sand Village. When thrown at a ninja mid-seal, it disrupts their chakra flow, rendering them unable to complete their jutsu."
"So the key strategy is to strike before they finish forming their seals. That way, they're no longer a threat."
The students erupted into applause.
Michiki whistled. "Damn, that's awesome."
Katsuragi smirked. "See? I told you—keeping a distance and striking first is the best strategy."
Mori, who had finally recovered from the chakra disruption, yanked the needle out of his arm, jumped to his feet, and swung a fist at Master Yi.
"You bastard! You could've warned me first!"
Master Yi dodged with a laugh, effortlessly avoiding Mori's strikes. "Haha, well, the first-generation prototype isn't that powerful yet. Depending on the strength of the ninja, the disruption lasts anywhere from thirty seconds to a minute."
"So if you're unsure of your opponent's strength, just throw a few more for good measure."
Mori growled, rubbing his temple. "Yeah, if you can hit them."
The two continued their banter, lightly sparring as they jogged across the training grounds.
"You owe me a drink for this," Mori grumbled.
"Sure, sure," Master Yi chuckled.
Before long, the two instructors vanished, off to find refreshments, leaving the students standing around, confused.
"Uh… what about the rest of the lesson?" someone muttered.
The academy followed a free-learning system.
Instructors only needed to meet their teaching quotas, after which they could leave.
Students could choose to continue training or study on their own.
However, graduation requirements were strict—ten courses had to be passed with an A-rank, along with proficiency in combat, shooting, and riding skills.
Minutes passed. The students exchanged puzzled looks, unsure of what to do next.
Just then, a tall figure strolled across the training grounds.
"Well, well. Looks like I came at the perfect time," he announced, cracking his knuckles.
The man had a fiery red ponytail and carried a massive sword nearly as tall as he was.
He radiated confidence and battle-hardened experience.
It was their swordsmanship instructor—Blademaster Riven.
Miyuki's eyes gleamed with excitement. Drawing his twin blades, he grinned. "Riven! I'm ready!"
Riven smirked. "Glad to see some enthusiasm. Let's see if you can keep up."
In one swift motion, he unsheathed his massive sword, the sheer force of the swing sending a gust of wind through the area.
With a single sweeping attack, he knocked Miyuki off his feet, sending him skidding across the ground.
"Lesson one: Don't challenge someone way out of your league," Riven said with a smirk.
The students chuckled as Miyuki groaned, rubbing his back. "Ugh… Noted."
Riven then pulled out a scroll, releasing a flurry of practice swords onto the field. "Alright, grab a weapon. Class is in session."
The students eagerly armed themselves, and training commenced.
"Not bad," Riven muttered as he observed the students.
Miyamoto Shino and Minakami Mei, in particular, stood out. They quickly picked up on the swordplay techniques, mimicking his movements with impressive precision.
"You two… You're naturals," Riven said, nodding in approval.
Both students beamed at the praise, feeling a newfound sense of confidence. They doubled down on their training, eager to prove themselves further.
By midday, the lesson had concluded, and it was time for lunch. Like any school, the cafeteria was a chaotic rush as students scrambled to get their meals.
As they lined up with their trays, their attention was drawn to the cafeteria worker—though 'worker' might not have been the right word.
Behind the counter stood a woman with the upper body of a human, but her lower half resembled a sleek, mechanical spider. Her piercing gaze was sharp, and she said nothing as she mechanically distributed food.
Jin and the others hesitated at the sight of her, exchanging uncertain glances.
"Whoa," Chris muttered. "What's up with her?"
A passing senior student chuckled. "Oh, don't worry. That's Ms. Elise. She's a researcher who runs the cafeteria as a side job. She's not big on conversation, but once you get to know her, she's actually pretty cool."
Jin tilted his head. "What's with the mechanical spider legs?"
The senior shrugged. "She modified herself. Said it makes moving around more efficient."
"Huh," Jin muttered. "I guess that makes sense."
As if on cue, Ms. Elise silently approached and placed a vial in front of Jin, Chris, Miyamoto Shino, and Minakami Mei.
"Drink," she said flatly before walking away.
The students exchanged wary glances.
"Uh… what is it?" Chris asked.
"Just drink it."
Hesitantly, they downed the vials. Almost immediately, any lingering fatigue and muscle soreness faded away.
"Whoa… That actually worked," Jin said in amazement.
They turned back to Ms. Elise, but she had already returned to her work, as silent as ever.
Despite her intimidating presence, it was clear—Ms. Elise had a kind heart in her own quiet way.
_______________________________
Word count: 1753
Comment below on what you think so far.
Also, if you're interested in reading some advanced chapters, you can support me on my patreon.
patreon.com/Rai_jin
Thanks for reading guys.