"I'm Ino Yamanaka."
Ino strode up to Kitazawa and asked brightly, "Are you our sensei?"
"I am."
Kitazawa offered a gentle smile. "Name's Kitazawa."
"Kitazawa-sensei, please take care of us!"
Ino confidently thrust out her small hand.
Kids in the ninja world matured early—and Ino was no exception. She was already a beauty enthusiast.
Then again, who wasn't? Everyone liked to sneak an extra glance at handsome men and pretty women; it was just that some people were more obvious about it than others.
"Kitazawa-sensei! I'm Sakura Haruno!"
Sakura poked her round head out from behind Ino, her eyes shining with curiosity.
"It's a pleasure to meet you all," Kitazawa said with a polite nod.
Hyuga Hinata watched their excited chatter, a flicker of envy flashing in her pale eyes.
"Hahaha! The great me has arrived! I came, I saw, I conquered! I'm totally gonna be Hokage!"
A short-haired boy suddenly burst into the classroom, striking a dramatic pose and yelling with all the flair of a true chuunibyo.
But the moment he noticed Kitazawa standing there, he shrank back in embarrassment.
"Uh… Hello, sensei. I'm… the great… I mean, I'm Inuzuka Kiba."
Kiba scratched the back of his head, cheeks flushed red.
"Go on and take your seat," Kitazawa said calmly.
At that age, kids were full of wild fantasies. They'd only learn the harshness of reality once they grew up.
Kitazawa glanced around but didn't spot Akamaru anywhere.
Though the Inuzuka clan didn't possess a Bloodline Limit, they were known for their unique techniques that allowed them to partner and merge with their canine companions.
"Yes, sensei," Kiba said quickly. He darted his eyes left and right, then slunk off to a seat near the back by the window.
If he could've dug a hole and hidden in it, he probably would've. It felt exactly like getting caught reading a novel in class, only to turn around and see the homeroom teacher glaring through the window.
"Shikamaru! Choji! Over here!"
Ino waved her slender arm energetically, calling out to two more boys lingering near the door.
Nara Shikamaru, sporting his trademark pineapple-shaped hair, cast a weary glance their way, looking utterly reluctant.
Three chatty girls plus a sensei? That spelled nothing but trouble to him.
Shikamaru hated trouble.
Beside him, a somewhat chubby Akimichi Choji wasn't so cautious. He simply grabbed a fresh bag of potato chips and ambled over without hesitation.
"Kitazawa-sensei, want some chips?"
Ino reached for the bag as she spoke.
"I'll pass."
Kitazawa glanced at Choji's distressed face, then added with a chuckle, "Though I wouldn't say no to some French fries."
'What a good person!'
Choji's shoulders slumped in relief.
Unbeknownst to Kitazawa, he'd just earned himself a mental "good person" badge from the Akimichi heir.
He didn't put on airs and quickly started chatting comfortably with the students.
As time ticked by, more kids trickled into the classroom.
Since it was the first day of the new school year, everyone was still getting to know one another.
Except for the corner where Kitazawa sat—it was practically buzzing with laughter and chatter.
The only one who seemed out of place was Hyuga Hinata.
From beginning to end, she remained quiet, only speaking in a soft voice when Kitazawa prompted her directly.
"Time's almost up. Let's pick this up another day if we get the chance," Kitazawa said, standing and moving toward the podium.
"So handsome and gentle! He's totally my ideal type!" Ino gushed, eyes sparkling.
"Too bad he's too old," Sakura said, shaking her head dramatically.
"Yeah…" Ino sighed with a tinge of regret.
Look! A handsome guy!" Sakura suddenly cried out excitedly, eyes locking on someone new.
Ino Yamanaka instinctively turned toward the door.
A cool-looking boy strolled in, hands stuffed casually in his pockets.
The girls in the classroom erupted into excited whispers.
Uchiha Sasuke didn't spare them so much as a glance. He picked a seat, sat down, and locked eyes on Kitazawa.
'I wonder how strong this sensei is… could he even be one-tenth as good as my brother?'
Kitazawa narrowed his eyes slightly.
'Sasuke's just trying to look cool now. The real shift will come after the Uchiha Clan Massacre, when he truly shuts himself off.'
But that wasn't his immediate concern. What caught his attention was the mission that suddenly flashed in front of his eyes:
Current Mission: Gain the initial approval of your classmate, Uchiha Sasuke.
Mission Reward: Fire Release: Phoenix Flower Jutsu.
[Accept]?
It was the same type of mission he'd received for Uzumaki Naruto—but the difficulty was worlds apart.
Sasuke still had both parents alive and an older brother who was a legendary genius, Uchiha Itachi.
Kitazawa was merely an ordinary Chunin; winning Sasuke's approval wouldn't be easy.
Still, it wasn't impossible.
'Just like Hinata, Sasuke craves his father's acknowledgment. The key might be the Fire Release: Great Fireball Jutsu…'
Kitazawa pondered silently.
Suddenly, the classroom fell silent.
A heavyweight had arrived—Uzumaki Naruto.
After the hush came a low murmur of gossip.
Naruto caught the whispers and froze, his eyes clouding with loneliness.
Even here, school wasn't any different.
"Naruto. Find yourself a seat."
Kitazawa's familiar voice jolted Naruto from his daze. He nodded vigorously.
"Quiet."
Kitazawa's tone turned sharp.
Instantly, the classroom fell silent. Though the hush settled, the judgmental stares remained.
Kitazawa's gaze swept the room until he spotted someone unexpected.
Hidden behind dark glasses and a high-collared cloak stood Shino Aburame.
'When did he get here?'
Kitazawa tried to remember seeing him arrive—but couldn't recall a single moment.
"Alright, let's begin class. But first, as tradition demands, we'll start with introductions."
Kitazawa picked up a piece of chalk, scribbled his name on the blackboard, and announced,
"Starting from the first row, come up one by one and introduce yourselves."
He stepped aside to clear space for the students.
One after another, they took the stage.
Other than the Konoha 12, most of the names were unfamiliar to Kitazawa.
Hyuga Neji, Tenten, and Rock Lee were in the year above them, so they weren't here yet.
"My name's Nara Shikamaru. I don't have any big dreams. I just wanna live a peaceful life."
Shikamaru yawned halfway through his sentence, looking utterly bored.
"My name is Uchiha Sasuke. I dislike many things… and there's nothing I particularly like."
Sasuke's face stayed blank. Only when he added, "My dream is to become a ninja like my older brother," did his expression soften, a flicker of admiration shining through.
"My name is Uzumaki Naruto! I love instant noodles and ramen—but I hate waiting three minutes for instant noodles!"
Naruto stood on the podium, took a deep breath, and declared firmly:
"And my dream is… to surpass the Hokage!"
Kitazawa nodded slightly.
'Exactly the same as in the original timeline. He really is terrifyingly persistent.'
The class, however, exploded in mocking laughter.
"Are you kidding?"
"Daydreamer! How could a monster become Hokage?"
"And he thinks he can surpass Lord Third? That's impossible!"
Naruto shrank back slightly, wounded by their ridicule.
Kitazawa stepped onto the podium, his face solemn.
"Is this funny to you?" he demanded, his voice echoing through the classroom. "Because all I see standing here… is an excellent inheritor of the Will of Fire."
He swept his gaze across the room, cold and unwavering.
"You all claim you want to become Hokage. But the moment you mocked Naruto, you lost that right."
All laughter and chatter died instantly, leaving the classroom in stunned silence.
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