December in the ninja world was quite cold.
However, in the Land of Whirlpools, due to the ample supply and affordable prices of charcoal and cotton cloth, most residents could still feel a bit of warmth during the chilly winter.
"Tobi-sensei, move forward a little more, please." Konan, along with Nagato and Yahiko, stood on their tiptoes, trying to see ahead, and complained, "Really, Tobi-sensei, what kind of spot did you pick?"
"We can't see anything at all."
"I didn't pick it," Tobi scratched the back of his head helplessly. "This was assigned by the higher-ups. Our class's spot is here, and besides..."
"I can see just fine!"
"Ugh!" Hearing Tobi's words, the "Frog Trio" sighed and shook their heads. "Tobi-sensei, this won't do."
"Don't you realize we're still kids?"
Seriously!!
Konan pouted unhappily at Tobi. "We really can't see!"
"No choice!" Tobi spread his hands helplessly. "The supervisor said we can't move around freely, and you're just too short."
"..."
The Frog Trio stared at Tobi expressionlessly.
"Tobi-sensei..." Konan stood on her tiptoes and patted Tobi's shoulder, sighing in an old-fashioned tone. "Tobi-sensei, you'll never find a girlfriend like this."
He couldn't do anything, wasn't good at anything!!
Bad at drawing, not sweet with words, and aside from playing around, he had no other talents. Just who hired him for the daycare?
Was it through connections or something??
"Girlfriend?" Tobi scratched his head. What would he need that for?
He just needed to stay by Madara-sama's side.
Then, craning his neck to look below, he wondered inwardly.
"Madara-sama is supposed to be a taijutsu professor at the affiliated academy, right?" Tobi muttered to himself. "Why don't I see him?"
He had heard that because graduation was approaching, Madara-sama hadn't officially started teaching yet and was currently familiarizing himself with the curriculum. He would officially take over the new students next year.
And apparently, the academy had even assigned Madara-sama a free faculty dorm!!
So Madara-sama hadn't been home these past few days.
He really missed Madara-sama.
"Sigh!!" Konan sighed helplessly. With a teacher like this, they had no choice but to rely on themselves.
She blinked at Yahiko and Nagato, as if asking, "Should we sneak off?"
Nagato, however, slumped lazily in his seat. He just wanted to sit quietly. Why bother running around?
Wasn't it fine right here?
As for Yahiko...
He shook his head and whispered, "That's not good. What if we get caught?"
But...
Konan put her hands on her hips and narrowed her eyes, giving them a look that said, "No candy if you don't obey."
So...
"Fine!!" Nagato and Yahiko reluctantly nodded.
...
"Graduation, huh?" Uchiha Madara took the tea Uchiha Mikoto handed him, took a sip, and said indifferently, "Have you mastered the fire release, Uchiha taijutsu style, Uchiha sword style, and Uchiha throwing techniques I recently taught you?"
He hadn't expected the Uchiha clan to avoid complete annihilation under that monkey's rule. Instead, some had escaped to the Land of Whirlpools...
How disgraceful!!
Back then, if Hashirama had dared to treat the Uchiha clan like this, Uchiha Madara would have slapped him hard.
Hashirama would have just grinned and said, "Whatever you say, whatever you say."
Unlike now...
They were like stray dogs, with barely any survivors left.
Of course...
At least they were better off than the Senju clan!!
The Senju had even fewer left!!
So this time...
The Uchiha clan had once again defeated the Senju clan.
"Hehe." Uchiha Mikoto scratched her head sheepishly. "I haven't mastered them yet."
"Useless!!" Uchiha Madara said coldly. "This generation of Uchiha is hopeless!!"
They couldn't even master such basic things.
If not for the fact that she was a member of the Uchiha clan and his assistant, he would have ignored her long ago.
His assistant had to be strong!!
"Madara-jii, how do you know so many Uchiha techniques?" Uchiha Mikoto asked curiously. "And you're so skilled at them."
She was already used to Madara-jii's harsh words. She knew he was a gruff but kind-hearted old man!!
However...
Uchiha Madara glanced at Uchiha Mikoto indifferently and said nothing. He picked up his cane and stood. "Let's go see how that useless Shijō is doing."
"Okay, okay." Hearing that Uchiha Madara was going to attend the graduation ceremony, Uchiha Mikoto quickly packed her things. "Madara-jii, do you need a wheelchair? I can push you there. It's quite a distance."
But...
"Hmph!!" Madara-sama snorted coldly and said flatly, "This old man isn't so frail that he can't walk!!"
...
The first graduation ceremony was very important for the Land of Whirlpools.
It symbolized that the new generation of the Land of Whirlpools had officially grown up...
Of course, certain cheaters didn't count.
So early in the morning, not only did the Uzumaki clan leader, who was also the vice-principal, attend, but most of the Uzumaki clan's higher-ups were present.
As for the other clans...
They participated only as parents.
After the clan leader's speech about the Land of Whirlpools' past, present, and future, the graduation ceremony officially began.
Uzumaki Jun didn't simply copy the ninja world's graduation exams. The Land of Whirlpools' ninja academy graduation test wasn't just about the basic three jutsu but also included ideological education, basic mathematics, physics, and other miscellaneous subjects.
The students of the Land of Whirlpools emphasized well-rounded development in morality, intelligence, and physique. From a young age, they were taught to establish correct worldviews, values, and outlooks on life, molding every student into useful talents for the nation, not failures who would slaughter their clans or kill their teachers!!
Otherwise, no matter how smart they were, they wouldn't contribute to the country and might even endanger society.
Thus...
Ideological education was extremely important in the Land of Whirlpools.
However...
The Uchiha clan's mindset was too extreme.
Uzumaki Jun rubbed his temples helplessly. Recently, the ideology teachers had been complaining that most Uchiha, whether adults or children, had very dangerous mindsets. If left unchecked, they would spiral into unhealthy fixations.
It was frustrating for the teachers.
But...
Uzumaki Jun didn't know what to do either!!
In the ninja world, children as young as five or six already had independent thinking, and some had even started killing. So...
For this batch of kids who hadn't grown up with the Land of Whirlpools' ideology, the only option was to slowly correct their mindsets.
Right now, the most important issue was Uchiha Fugaku.
Uzumaki Jun glanced at Uchiha Fugaku, who was sitting among the Uchiha parents. According to Muroto Jōmon's reports, though Uchiha Fugaku had been going to work lately, his overall demeanor seemed increasingly gloomy.
So, Uzumaki Jun suspected that he...
Had depression!!
This wasn't a minor issue. If ignored, it could cost him his life.
But for now...
"The only option is to try teaching him with love and bonds," Uzumaki Jun sighed helplessly.
At that moment...
After the clan leader's speech, it was his turn as the academy principal to present diplomas and awards to the outstanding graduates.
After all, he was still the principal of this academy!!