Chapter 33: Welcoming Ceremony for New Students
Along the way, they encountered several other children who also seemed to be heading to the Ninja Academy. Some of them appeared excited, chatting with their friends, while others walked nervously, perhaps because it was their first time truly entering the world of ninjas.
When they arrived at the Ninja Academy, Souta was taken aback by the sight before him.
The academy grounds were larger than Souta had imagined, already filled with many children his age. If Souta made a rough estimate, there were probably around seventy to eighty people there. A considerable number, more than Souta had previously thought.
Souta stood next to Pakura, observing his surroundings. Some children stood alone, like them, while others were accompanied by their parents.
Souta didn't think much of it at first, but then he noticed Pakura staring at the children with their parents with an expression that was hard to explain. Souta squinted slightly, and although Pakura's expression remained flat, there was a hint of sadness there—a feeling that Pakura was trying to hide.
Souta fell silent. He knew that Pakura was an orphan.
After a moment, Souta finally asked, "What's wrong?"
Pakura flinched slightly, then shook her head gently. "No, it's nothing."
Pakura's response sounded flat, but to Souta, it felt like a forced lie.
Souta remained silent for a moment before suddenly asking, "Hey, what's your dream, Pakura?"
Pakura looked a bit surprised. She glanced at Souta, who was looking at her with a faint smile.
"I... I don't know," Pakura replied, her voice sounding uncertain.
Souta smiled slightly. "As for me... right now, I just want to become stronger."
Pakura frowned. "Become stronger?"
"Yes. Right now, my dream is to become stronger so that I can survive in this world," Souta said lightly, as if it were the most natural thing.
Pakura fell silent, processing his words. After a moment, she nodded slightly. "That... makes sense."
Before their conversation could continue further, Souta suddenly turned toward the academy building and exclaimed, "Ah! Look, the event is starting!"
Above the academy, a man spoke loudly. "Welcome, everyone! You are the chosen children who have successfully passed the Entrance Exam for the Ninja Academy! Today, you gather to begin your journey as students of the Ninja Academy. First, Lord Kazekage will give a speech...!"
As a man stepped forward, Souta fell silent. He recognized the person.
The Third Kazekage.
...
...
...
The Third Kazekage's speech felt so long and boring that Souta couldn't even remember a single word the man said. Souta's eyes were half-closed, his body slightly leaning forward, and his head nearly fell before he hurriedly straightened it again.
Several other students seemed to be experiencing the same thing. Some sat with their hands propping up their chins, some began glancing sideways to chat quietly with their friends, while others simply stared blankly at the sky, as if hoping time would pass quickly.
Finally, after what felt like a century, the Third Kazekage concluded his speech.
"Alright, that's it. I hope you all study diligently and become true ninjas!"
As soon as those words were spoken, the Kazekage immediately turned and walked away from the roof of the Ninja Academy. His cloak fluttered lightly in the hot desert wind, while several escorting shinobi quickly followed behind.
Souta let out a long sigh. "Finally..."
However, before Souta could enjoy the tranquility, a teacher stepped forward and spoke loudly.
"Alright, students whose names are called, please follow the teacher calling you. You will be taken to your respective classes!"
...
Chapter 34: Going to Class
Some students who were still daydreaming immediately snapped back to reality, while others appeared a bit anxious waiting for their names to be called.
One by one, the names of the new school year students were announced. There were three classes that had been divided, each containing twenty-seven students.
As the names continued to be called, Souta just stood with his arms crossed in front of his chest, occasionally glancing at Pakura, who was also waiting calmly.
Suddenly, a voice called his name.
"Souta!"
Souta quickly turned and saw a woman standing not far away. The teacher had a stern expression, but her gaze was soft and friendly.
However, before Souta could step forward, he turned to the side and gave a small smile to Pakura.
"Hey! I'm first!" Souta said jokingly.
Pakura, who had been standing with her arms folded in front of her stomach, turned to Souta and nodded slightly.
"Yeah."
Souta then walked casually toward the teacher. However, before he could get too far, another voice was heard.
"Pakura!"
Pakura stepped forward without much talk. As she aligned with Souta, they exchanged glances for a moment.
"It seems we're in the same class," Souta said with a small grin.
Pakura just nodded again. "Looks like it."
Once the last name in their class was called, the woman teacher spoke again.
"Now, follow me to your classroom."
With steady steps, the woman began to walk, and the students followed her in a somewhat disorganized line.
As they entered the Ninja Academy building, the air inside felt cooler compared to the hot and dry outside. Sunlight streamed through the large windows along the hallway, illuminating the characteristic sandy-colored stone walls.
The hallway was long and had several sturdy wooden doors on both sides. Some rooms appeared empty, while others were already filled with students sitting neatly inside. From outside, the faint sounds of children chatting or laughing could be heard.
As Souta glanced into one of the rooms they passed, he saw several other students who had entered earlier. They looked to be sitting with various expressions—some were enthusiastic, some were nervous, and others were immediately looking for friends to talk to.
After passing two occupied rooms, they finally arrived at their own classroom.
The woman teacher stopped in front of the door and opened it calmly.
"Please enter."
As soon as Souta stepped inside, he immediately observed the room.
The classroom was quite spacious, with rows of seats arranged in tiers. There were three long rows, each consisting of three large tables. Each table was designed to accommodate three students, making a total of nine tables in the room.
The classroom walls were made of sturdy stone with a large window on one side, allowing natural light to flood in freely. At the front of the class, there was a blackboard with some chalk neatly arranged underneath.
The woman teacher turned around and spoke clearly.
"You may choose any available seat."
Souta quickly looked for a spot that he found comfortable. He then decided to sit in the third row—the back, right in the middle.
As soon as Souta sat down, Pakura confidently took the seat to Souta's left. Meanwhile, a small girl with short brown hair sat to Souta's right.
It didn't take long before all the seats were filled. The students began to speak softly to one another, while some just sat quietly, waiting for what would happen next.
The woman teacher observed them for a moment, then smiled faintly and nodded her head.
"Alright, how about we start with introductions? Please state your name, something you like, something you dislike, and your dream."
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