In class, Iruka-sensei was diligently teaching.
Naruto was already dozing off, slumped over his desk; Akimichi Choji was constantly snacking; Inuzuka Kiba was playing with his dog under the desk; and Nara Shikamaru was completely lost in thought.
Iruka lectured with all his might, saliva flying, only to see several students slacking off.
He roared.
"Naruto! Akimichi Choji! Nara Shikamaru! Inuzuka Kiba!"
"What's wrong with you all? Slacking off in class again!"
Akimichi Choji jumped in fright, crushing the newly opened bag of potato chips in his nervousness.
"Bang!"
Naruto, who had been dreaming of kissing Sakura Haruno, was startled awake and leaped up!
Iruka watched, his forehead twitching, and roared, pointing to the classroom door.
"You! All of you, go stand outside the classroom door!"
The four slunk out of the classroom. Hinata looked at Naruto, a pang of worry in her heart.
Iruka wiped his sweat, picked up his teacup, took a sip of water, and continued lecturing.
Outside the classroom door, the Naruto trio exchanged glances.
Then they stealthily crouched down and tiptoed away. Inuzuka Kiba saw them and quietly followed.
Iruka, who had just finished explaining a concept and paused for a drink, saw this scene and choked on his water in anger!
"Ah! You four brats!"
Hearing Iruka discover them, Naruto and the others ran even faster, leaping directly out the window. Inuzuka Kiba, bringing up the rear, almost tripped while carrying Akamaru in his haste.
Iruka was left leaning out the window, fuming and yelling.
"Ah! You four brats, openly skipping class!"
Kiyotaki had good luck today. His rock-pushing mountain training woke up a wild boar, and the wild boar roared and even offered itself up.
Dragging the wild boar, whose eyes were spinning in circles, Kiyotaki was incredibly excited.
"Big harvest! Big harvest!"
"Dinner is settled tonight!"
Coming from the opposite direction was Naruto's class-skipping quartet—four little rascals skipping class together again.
"Yo! Kiyotaki, I knew you'd be here!"
Naruto jumped up and waved. He ran over and started drooling at the sight of the wild boar Kiyotaki was dragging.
"As expected of you, Kiyotaki! You hunted such a big prey again!"
"Haha! Naruto, skipping class again today, huh? I just caught a big wild boar today, so I'm treating you to meat!"
"Oh~! We're having meat!"
Naruto jumped three feet high in joy.
"Ah! So it's you, you brat!"
Inuzuka Kiba, who had followed, immediately recognized this guy who used to frequently visit the Inuzuka Clan, causing trouble and chaos.
Akamaru even barked and pounced, biting Kiyotaki's pant leg and not letting go.
Kiyotaki gently lifted his foot to detach him and handed him to the gritting-his-teeth Inuzuka Kiba.
"I really envy Kiyotaki! He doesn't have to go to school every day, he can play around and even go hunting."
Naruto was incredibly envious!
"What are you saying, Naruto? Being able to attend the Ninja Academy is the dream of so many children!"
Kiyotaki shook his head.
Naruto squinted and mumbled, "That's not true! How great it would be not to go to school, so free! But school is good too, at least I won't be lonely!"
"Alright, Kiyotaki, these are the friends I wanted to introduce to you."
Nara Shikamaru extended his hand.
"Hello! Kiyotaki, let's introduce ourselves."
Naruto jumped out: "Me, me first!"
Shikamaru pushed him aside.
"Naruto, don't mess around."
Akimichi Choji, eating potato chips, introduced himself first: "My name is Akimichi Choji, and I like potato chips and barbecue."
Inuzuka Kiba gave an arrogant snort: "My name is Inuzuka Kiba, and you know, one day I'm going to defeat you!"
Nara Shikamaru continued: "My name is Nara Shikamaru, I like… Ah! Self-introductions are such a hassle!"
"My name is Tenzawa Kiyotaki, and I love good food! My special trait is that I can eat a lot, hehe."
Kiyotaki said, scratching his head with a smile.
Choji listened excitedly: "Kiyotaki is right, I also love good food, it's not because I'm a glutton!"
Saying that, he offered the potato chips: "Here, have some potato chips!"
"Thank you!"
Kiyotaki took a potato chip. Akimichi Clan's potato chips, genuinely delicious!
"You've come at a great time, today I'm treating everyone to barbecue!"
By the riverbank, a bonfire was already lit. Kiyotaki placed the prepared pork over the fire. He suddenly slapped his forehead.
"Oh! I forgot that all of the Akimichi Clan are culinary experts. Choji, I'll leave this barbecue to you!"
Choji rolled up his sleeves: "Everyone, don't worry, leave the barbecue task to me!"
Soon, the aroma of roasted meat wafted along the riverbank.
In the Hokage's office, the Third Hokage held the recommendation letter submitted by Might Guy.
It was a detailed information card about Tenzawa Kiyotaki, with multi-angle photos of Kiyotaki at the top, a hexagonal data chart below, and Might Guy's detailed introduction of Kiyotaki at the very bottom.
The Third Hokage looked at Kiyotaki's information, utterly astonished.
"A child without Chakra, yet he possesses such strong physical strength."
Danzo sat silently: "Sarutobi, give this child to me. He's just a child without Chakra!"
The Third Hokage shook his head: "No, this is a child Might Guy is concerned about!"
Danzo said nothing, in his eyes he was merely a child without Chakra, he had originally intended to study him, but it was fine if he couldn't have him.
And so, Kiyotaki, who spent his days freely, was about to receive his admission notice for the Ninja Academy.
Kiyotaki was very reluctant to go to school, and the Ninja Academy was in a heated debate over which class he should join.
The senior-grade teachers stated: "No, Kiyotaki has not received Ninja Academy education, he should start from the lower grades."
The junior-grade teachers protested: "Kiyotaki is already 9 years old, and the junior-grade students are all younger than him. He should go directly to the senior grades!"
Even the Third Hokage, as the principal, was getting a headache from listening.
Iruka saw that none of the teachers were willing to accept him. He pondered for a moment: "Since no one else is willing to accept him, let him join my class!"
He didn't want this child named Kiyotaki to lose the opportunity to go to school. Since no one else wanted him, he would take him into his class.
The Third Hokage tapped his pipe and made the final decision.
"Then let the Tenzawa Clan's brat go to the junior class first, to initially learn the will of fire, and then be promoted to your senior class, Iruka."
The Third Hokage had put a lot of effort into nurturing the will of fire in the next generation. If a child lacked the will of fire, he would rather not train him.
By the river, Kiyotaki was unaware that his future had already been decided.
At this moment, the five were full and lying on the grass. The Akimichi Clan's barbecue skills were truly excellent; the roasted meat was incredibly fragrant and delicious. All five rascals were stuffed, with most of the meat ending up in Kiyotaki's and Choji's stomachs.
"That was a truly enjoyable picnic!"
Choji patted his plump belly.
"Kiyotaki, you're the first person I've met who can eat more than me! Truly a connoisseur of good food!"
Kiyotaki also praised: "Choji-kun is indeed a young man of the Akimichi Clan; your cooking skills are truly outstanding. The barbecue you made was too delicious! This was the most satisfying meal I've ever had."
"Kiyotaki-kun, you flatter me. Here, have a potato chip."
Choji took a potato chip from the bag.
Naruto, Shikamaru, and Kiba watched Kiyotaki and Choji speechless. Those two could really eat; either of them ate more than the three of them combined!
When Kiyotaki returned home, he received the admission notice for the Ninja Academy.
"Tch! They're actually making me go to the Ninja Academy."