Thursday.
As soon as Kitazawa arrived at his office, he found an unexpected visitor waiting inside.
"Kitazawa."Mizuki stood up with a broad smile and greeted him.
He hid it well—there was not the slightest hint of jealousy toward Kitazawa in his words or demeanor.
"What do you need?"Kitazawa nodded lightly and asked calmly.
Mizuki's expression stiffened for a moment, irritation flashing through his heart.
What kind of attitude is that? How annoying!
"Next Monday after school, there will be a meeting in the second-floor conference room,"Mizuki said, suppressing his emotions."It's mainly to discuss the content of this month's monthly exam."
"Thank you,"Kitazawa replied politely.
Mizuki nodded and turned to leave.
Only after he exited the office did his true expression surface—his face twisted with displeasure.
Kitazawa didn't care what Mizuki was thinking. His mind was already focused on the new task that had suddenly appeared.
[Current Task: Place first in the April monthly exam.][Task Reward: Wind Release · Vacuum Bullets.][Accept?]
Under normal circumstances, teachers obviously weren't allowed to take student exams.
But his system had always been… extraordinarily "intelligent."
If he sat in the examination room and answered the test himself, would that count as completing the task?
Kitazawa rubbed his chin.
Whether it worked or not, he had to try.
Because Wind Release · Vacuum Bullets was a B-rank ninjutsu.
B-rank might not sound high, but in reality it was already extremely rare. Many chunin couldn't even master a single B-rank technique.
As a "three-no" chunin with no background, no bloodline, and no special inheritance, Kitazawa didn't possess a single B-rank ninjutsu.
Wind Release · Vacuum Bullets would become the first B-rank technique he ever mastered.
And its power was terrifying—it was one of Shimura Danzō's signature techniques in the original story.
The class bell rang, and Kitazawa entered the classroom.
The previously noisy room instantly quieted as the students returned to their seats.
"Open your textbooks. Today we'll continue with the story of the First Hokage, Senju Hashirama,"Kitazawa said from the podium."Under Hashirama's leadership, Konoha prospered rapidly—but unfortunately, the good times didn't last."
Curiosity immediately spread through the room.
With Senju Hashirama around, how could the invincible Konoha ever fall?
"…The Uchiha clan leader of that era, Uchiha Madara, eventually broke away from Konoha due to ideological differences,"Kitazawa continued."He fought the First Hokage in an unprecedented shinobi battle at the Valley of the End."
Uchiha Sasuke's eyes widened.
Something like that actually happened?
Could the current state of the Uchiha clan be related to this Uchiha Madara?
"The result was Madara's crushing defeat. He died at the Valley of the End."
As soon as Kitazawa finished, the classroom erupted into chatter.
"As expected of the First Hokage!""Wood Release is invincible!""Of course! Even Konoha's name has 'wood' in it!"
Senju Hashirama was known as the God of Shinobi, and Wood Release was legendary.These students were still young—naturally, they worshipped strength.
Only Uchiha Sasuke remained silent.
After all, the one who lost was his own legendary ancestor.
"There's physical training in this afternoon's combat class. Don't eat too much at lunch,"Kitazawa reminded them, then left precisely as the dismissal bell rang.
Noon arrived.
A knock sounded on the door.
Hyuga Hinata walked in, carrying a lunchbox.
"Come over,"Kitazawa said, sitting on the sofa. He opened a space storage scroll and, in one motion, took out eight lunchboxes.
Hinata froze on the spot.
Only now did she understand why Kitazawa had told her to eat lunch with him.
So many lunchboxes… all prepared for her.
"What are you standing there for?"Kitazawa picked up his chopsticks."Sit down and eat."
Hinata suddenly remembered something. She took out a pink wallet and handed it to him.
"What's this supposed to mean?"Kitazawa raised an eyebrow.
Trying to get me to live off you? Do I look like that kind of man?
"Money for the bento,"Hinata explained.
"That little bit doesn't matter,"Kitazawa shook his head and refused.
"No!"Hinata said firmly—rarely this assertive.
"Oh?"Kitazawa glanced at her twice and smiled."That kind of presence isn't bad."
Hinata shuddered slightly, lowered her head, and two faint blushes bloomed on her cheeks.
"Alright, I'll take it. Eat up,"Kitazawa said, accepting the pink wallet.
After lunch, Hinata returned to the classroom for her nap.
In the afternoon combat class, the students lined up neatly on the track.
"This is your first physical training session,"Kitazawa said from the field."So today there's no time limit and no lap limit. I want to see your limits."
"When we're done, I'll hand out snack packs to the top ten."
"Yay!"Cheers broke out immediately.
"First place is mine!"Uzumaki Naruto shouted confidently.
"The top spot belongs to me!"Inuzuka Kiba said with his arms crossed.
This wasn't bragging.As a member of the Inuzuka clan, he had grown up playing with ninja dogs, developing speed far beyond ordinary people.
Uchiha Sasuke stood calmly with his hands in his pockets.
In his eyes, none of his classmates were a threat.
From this moment on, this track was officially renamed Uchiha Plaza—everyone stand up and watch him perform.
"They're really fired up,"Nara Shikamaru yawned."Choji, how about we put in some effort, then bow out early?"
"I'm fine with that,"Akimichi Choji agreed readily.
Snacks weren't guaranteed anyway.And for a big guy, running was pure suffering.
"Ino, want to compete?"Haruno Sakura shook out her arms."If you lose, don't fight me over Sasuke today."
"No need. I'll give him to you,"Yamanaka Ino replied, looking toward Kitazawa.
She still planned to do tree-climbing later—and Sasuke would be there too.Sakura was destined to lose badly.
"…?"Sakura whipped her head around.
What's going on? Why do you suddenly feel so unfamiliar?
"Quiet,"Kitazawa clapped his hands and smiled."I'll be running with you. If anyone manages to overtake me, you'll get a special prize."
Uchiha Sasuke's eyes instantly sharpened.
He longed for worthy opponents.
Among his peers, he believed there were none—so he would look further ahead.
Kitazawa was a chunin. If he could beat him, it would prove he already possessed chunin-level speed.
Maybe then his father and brother would praise him.
"Ready!"Kitazawa shouted."Go!"
Sasuke and the others shot forward like arrows released from a bowstring.
Kitazawa didn't rush.
Starting with a sprint in long-distance running was a fatal mistake—you needed proper pacing.
He glanced around.
At the very front was Uzumaki Naruto, followed closely by Uchiha Sasuke, Inuzuka Kiba, Haruno Sakura, and others.
As time passed, the situation quickly changed.
After sprinting for half an hour, Naruto slowed down, while Sasuke took first place.
From the start, Sasuke had maintained steady breathing and a solid rhythm.
Kitazawa followed behind him, running with ease.
After all, physical condition mattered.
At his age, Kitazawa was at his physical peak.
Sasuke and the others were geniuses, but they were only six or seven years old—their bodies weren't fully developed.
After fifty laps, most students reached their limit and dropped out, turning into a cheering squad on the sidelines.
"Sasuke-kun, you can do it!"Sakura shouted weakly from the ground.
Sasuke couldn't hear her at all.
In his eyes, there was only Kitazawa—but no matter how hard he chased, he couldn't close the distance.
"Can you still run?"Kitazawa glanced back and asked.
At this point, only Sasuke remained.
So frustrating!
Seeing how relaxed Kitazawa looked, Sasuke trembled with anger—sweating profusely despite the heat, his hands and feet icy cold.