Chapter 11: A New Battleground
Arata slipped away from Mori's taunts and stepped into the Ninja Academy, his heart still heavy from the caged bird's lingering pain. As he entered Class A, a dozen pairs of eyes locked onto him—some curious, some hostile. The Uchiha kids, especially, glared like he'd personally insulted them. Arata figured Fuzen's disgrace as an examiner had painted a target on his back. He ignored them, scanning the room.
"Arata!" A familiar voice cut through the tension. Minato waved him over, his grin bright as ever.
Arata smiled back, taking a seat next to him. Then he noticed the red-haired girl beside Minato, her energy practically crackling. Not many redheads in Konoha, he thought. And definitely not this striking.
"Who's she?" Arata asked, keeping his tone light.
"Uzumaki Kushina!" the girl declared before Minato could answer, her voice bold and unapologetic.
Arata's eyes widened slightly. Of course. Kushina. The future Nine-Tails jinchuriki, Minato's partner. He kept his face neutral, but inside, he was piecing things together. The class was small—twelve students total. Besides Minato and Kushina, he spotted the Ino-Shika-Cho trio, already thick as thieves. The other six were Uchiha, their clan symbols bold on their clothes, their glares sharper than kunai.
Just like the rumors, Arata thought. Class A's practically an Uchiha stronghold.
The classroom door swung open, and two teachers strode in. One, stern-faced with a no-nonsense vibe, scanned the room like a hawk. The other, all smiles, seemed friendly—but Arata's gut twisted. That smile felt hollow, like a mask.
The stern teacher spoke first, his voice cutting. "I'm Unno. Don't think Class A means you're special. My standard is simple: meet it, you stay. Fail, you're out. Genius or not, I don't care."
The smiling teacher chuckled, waving a hand. "Now, now, Unno, don't scare them. I'm Sai, your other teacher. I'm sure you'll all graduate and become fine Konoha ninjas."
His words eased the room's tension, but Arata's eyes narrowed. Sai? Like the Root guy from Naruto's time? The name wasn't common, and that fake smile screamed Root—Danzo's shadowy operatives. Is he here to spy?
Unno snorted at Sai's softness. "You're too kind, Sai. The Land of Rain's a mess right now. The Land of Earth's sniffing around, ready to pounce. If Rain falls, Konoha's next. You kids need to be ready for war, not coddled. Understood?"
His shout made the class flinch, but Arata caught the resemblance. Unno… Iruka's dad? The strictness fit, but unlike Iruka's warmth, this guy was all steel.
Sai smiled again, deflecting. "Let's move on. Tell us your dreams, everyone."
The Uchiha kids went first, their answers predictable: make the Uchiha name echo across the ninja world. Arata shook his head. No loyalty to Konoha, just their clan. No wonder the village turned on them.
The Ino-Shika-Cho trio surprised him. "We'll carry the will of fire, like our seniors," Nara said, his voice steady. Yamanaka and Akimichi shuffled awkwardly, clearly dragged into the speech. Arata smirked. Nara's idea, for sure.
Sai's eyes flickered with something cold at their words, but he hid it fast. He's watching them, Arata noted. Maybe all of us.
Kushina stood next, slamming her hands on the desk. "I'm gonna be Konoha's first female Hokage!"
The Uchiha kids burst out laughing. "Tomato hair wants to be Hokage?" one sneered. "Get real, girl."
Kushina whirled on them, fists clenched. "Say that again, and I'll paint your face black and blue!"
Arata couldn't help it—he laughed, loud and genuine. The Uchiha turned their glares on him. "What's so funny, Hyuga crane's tail?" one snapped.
Arata's smile vanished, his voice calm but sharp. "No one gets to mock someone's dream. Not you, not anyone."
Kushina blinked, then flashed him a warm grin. Even Unno gave a small nod of approval. Sai, though, tilted his head, his smile too perfect. "Hyuga Arata, right? Top of the entrance exam. What's your dream?"
Every eye in the room locked on him. Arata stood, his voice steady. "To break the order."
The class stared, confused. Break what? He didn't explain, just sat down, his forehead's curse seal hidden under his hair. Sai nodded, like he understood more than he let on.
Minato went last, standing tall. "I want everyone in the village to respect me and become the greatest Hokage ever!"
The Uchiha laughed harder than before. "A commoner? Greater than the First?" one jeered. Even Kushina raised an eyebrow, but Unno clapped, impressed. "Two Hokage hopefuls in one class. Not bad."
The rest of the day was about sizing them up. The teachers tested their skills, wanting a baseline. Uchiha Genka, tied with Arata for top exam score, stole the show with a Fireball Jutsu that left Unno and Sai wide-eyed. A real prodigy, Arata thought, watching the flames. The Uchiha's reputation wasn't just talk.
Arata, though, played it safe. He showed his Byakugan and a basic taijutsu move, nothing flashy. The teachers seemed underwhelmed, expecting more from the exam's co-topper.
Genka smirked as Arata stepped back. "No idea how you tied me for first. Must've been a fluke."
Arata didn't respond—until he moved. In a blink, he vanished, reappearing behind Genka with a kunai to his throat. "Talk less," Arata said, voice low. "It suits you."
The class gasped. Unno and Sai exchanged a glance, shocked. Sai's right hand twitched, signaling Unno. Arata caught it—Sai had noticed he'd used a single-hand seal to fake the jutsu. He's sharp, Arata thought. Definitely Root.
Unno muttered, "That speed… chunin-level. No wonder he scored so high."
The day ended, and Arata's "crane's tail" label was officially dead. But as he left the classroom, the Uchiha kids surrounded him, their eyes cold.
(End of Chapter)
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