The classroom settled into a hush.
Takeshi-sensei stood at the front, arms crossed, gaze sweeping across the rows of young faces. His scar caught the morning light, a pale line against weathered skin.
Then he spoke.
"What is a ninja?"
Silence.
A few students shifted in their seats. One raised a hand, then lowered it. Another opened their mouth, then closed it again.
Takeshi-sensei waited.
Kaito's eyes narrowed. He didn't speak, but the question echoed in his mind.
A weapon. A protector. A killer. A tool of the village.
A survivor...
Takeshi finally continued, voice calm but firm.
"A ninja is more than someone who throws kunai or casts jutsu. A ninja is discipline. Precision. Loyalty. Intelligence. Strength. A ninja is someone who endures. Who adapts. Who overcomes."
He paused, letting the words settle.
"Over the next four years, you'll be trained to become one. But not all of you will make it."
The room tensed.
"Let's talk about the entrance examination," he said, turning to the chalkboard. With practiced ease, he wrote out a list:
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Entrance Examination Components – Total: 100 Points
General Education: 50 points
(Japanese, Math, Physics, History, Science)
Obstacle Course: 10 points
Basic Jutsu: 30 points
(Substitution, Clone, Transformation – 10 points each)
Chakra Measurement: 10 points
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"These scores determine your class placement," Takeshi explained. "The higher your score, the better your class rank. Class 1 is the elite. Class 18 is the lowest. Right now, you're all randomly assigned. But in three months, that changes."
He turned, eyes sharp.
"Every three months, you'll be tested again. Your class can go up… or down. If you score below 50 three times in a row, you'll be expelled. If you reach 90 or above, you'll be eligible for graduation."
Gasps rippled through the room.
"You heard me. You can graduate early. If you're good enough."
He let that sink in.
"Itachi Uchiha graduated after one year. Scored a perfect 100. Top of his class. A prodigy."
Kaito's fingers curled slightly.
He remembered the name. The stories. The quiet awe in Daiki's voice.
Takeshi-sensei moved to a cabinet and began pulling out stacks of books.
"These are your textbooks," he said. "You'll use them for the next four years. General subjects. Military strategy. Shinobi history. And these—" he held up three slim manuals, each marked with a different symbol "—are for the three basic jutsu."
He passed them down the rows. Kaito received his set and flipped through the pages.
Substitution Jutsu – replacing oneself with a nearby object in an instant.
Clone Jutsu – creating illusory copies to confuse the enemy.
Transformation Jutsu – altering one's appearance to mimic another.
Each technique was labeled E-Rank. Basic. Foundational.
But to Kaito, they were magic.
Takeshi returned to the front.
"There are eighteen classes per year. Thirty-six students each. Class 1 is for prodigies—clan heirs, bloodline holders, those with exceptional talents. Class 18 is the bottom rung. You're in Class 9. Middle of the pack. Of course, it is random right now, but..."
He looked around.
"That can change. Every three months, your score will determine your class. Work hard, and you rise. Slack off, and you fall."
Kaito's gaze drifted to the panel still hovering in his mind.
No bottlenecks.
All effort yields progress.
Experience gains scale with knowledge and intent.
He didn't have a clan.
He didn't have a bloodline.
But he had the panel.
And with it, every step forward would be solidified and never forgotten.
Takeshi clapped his hands once.
"Now," he said, voice shifting. "Let's begin with the foundation of all shinobi power."
He turned to the board and wrote a single word:
Chakra
Kaito leaned forward, heart quickening.
"This," Takeshi said, "is where your journey truly begins."