"I'm Yamanaka Ino." Yamanaka Ino walked up to Kitazawa and asked, "Are you our teacher?"
"Yes," Kitazawa replied with a gentle smile. "Kitazawa."
"Teacher Kitazawa, please take care of me!" Yamanaka Ino reached out her small hand with confidence.
Children in the ninja world mature early—Ino, like many, was a sucker for good looks. To be honest, everyone is. When they see a handsome guy or a pretty girl, they're bound to sneak another glance. Some are subtle, others not so much.
"Teacher Kitazawa, I'm Haruno Sakura!" Haruno Sakura poked her round head out from behind Ino.
"Nice to meet you," Kitazawa nodded slightly.
Hinata Hyuga glanced at the two girls chatting excitedly, her eyes filled with quiet envy.
"Hahaha! I'm here! I come, I conquer, and I'll become Hokage!" A short-haired boy burst into the classroom, shouting in a very boisterous manner.
But after yelling, he noticed Kitazawa standing there and instantly turned sheepish.
"Teacher, uh… hello. I'm Inuzuka Kiba." Inuzuka Kiba scratched his head awkwardly.
"Sit anywhere you like," Kitazawa replied calmly.
This was the age for big dreams. Only after growing up do they realize how cruel the world can be. Kitazawa looked around—he didn't see Akamaru yet.
Although the Inuzuka clan didn't possess a Kekkei Genkai, their beast-partner techniques were unique, especially the bond they shared with their ninken.
"Yes, Teacher." Kiba quickly found a seat by the window in the back row.
If he could, he looked like he'd rather dig a hole and hide. It was like sneaking a peek at a comic book during class and suddenly meeting the teacher's death glare through the window.
"Shikamaru, Choji, over here!" Yamanaka Ino waved her slender arms excitedly.
Nara Shikamaru, with his pineapple-like hairstyle, glanced over and instantly looked reluctant.
Three girls and a teacher? That sounded like a lot of trouble, and Shikamaru hated trouble the most. Akimichi Choji didn't think much. With a bag of chips in hand, he lumbered over.
"Teacher Kitazawa, want some?" Ino asked, reaching into Choji's snack bag.
"I'll pass." Kitazawa noticed Choji's distressed expression and added with a smile, "But I do like potato chips."
What a good person! Choji breathed a visible sigh of relief.
Kitazawa, unaware he just earned a 'good guy' card, didn't act like a distant teacher.
He quickly blended in with the students. As more time passed, the classroom gradually filled up.
Most students still felt unfamiliar with one another since the term had just started.
Only around Kitazawa's seat did the conversations feel more natural and lively.
The only exception was Hinata Hyuga—She remained silent most of the time, only speaking in whispers when Kitazawa addressed her.
"It's almost time. Let's chat more later." Kitazawa stood and walked toward the podium.
"Handsome and gentle—he's totally my type!" Ino said excitedly.
"It's a pity he's too old," Sakura sighed.
"Yeah…" Ino replied, disappointed.
"Look! Another handsome guy!" Sakura suddenly exclaimed.
Ino instinctively turned to the door. A cold-looking boy walked in with his hands in his pockets, completely aloof.
The girls in the classroom couldn't help but stir. Uchiha Sasuke didn't spare them a glance. He picked a seat and sat down, his eyes landing on Kitazawa.
I wonder if this teacher can even match one-tenth of my brother's strength.
Kitazawa narrowed his eyes slightly. Sasuke's putting on his cool act now. He'll become truly broken once the Uchiha clan is wiped out.
But his thoughts were soon interrupted by a system prompt:
[Current Task: Gain initial recognition from Uchiha Sasuke.
Task Reward: Fire Style: Phoenix Fire Jutsu ~]
[Do you accept?]
Same type of task as Naruto's, but significantly harder. After all, Sasuke's parents were still alive, and he had a genius brother, Uchiha Itachi.
Kitazawa, being just a regular Chunin, wouldn't easily earn Sasuke's approval. But not impossible. Sasuke and Hinata both yearned for their fathers' recognition.
The key might just lie in the Great Fireball Technique—a Uchiha rite of passage.
Just then, the classroom fell silent. Because the last key figure had arrived—Uzumaki Naruto.
The moment he entered, whispers and murmurs erupted. Naruto felt the reactions pierce through him and looked down in disappointment.
Even after joining the ninja academy, nothing had changed.
"Naruto, find a seat," a warm, familiar voice said from the podium.
Naruto's eyes lit up. He looked at Kitazawa and nodded firmly.
"Quiet." Kitazawa's tone became serious.
The room went silent instantly, though the stares remained. As Kitazawa scanned the room, his eyes locked onto someone.
There stood the final 'Little Strong' of Konoha—Aburame Shino, in his trademark robe and sunglasses. When did he even get here? Kitazawa couldn't remember at all.
"We'll begin class shortly. But first, let's start with self-introductions." He picked up a piece of chalk, wrote his name on the board, and stepped aside.
"Start from the first row—introduce yourselves on the podium."
The students went up one by one. Aside from the Nine Little Strong, Kitazawa didn't recognize many of the others. The other three—Hyuga Neji, Tenten, and Rock Lee—were in second grade.
"My name is Nara Shikamaru. I don't have any dreams. I just want to live a quiet life."
Shikamaru yawned.
"My name is Uchiha Sasuke. I hate a lot of things and don't like anything. My dream is to be a ninja as strong as my brother."
Sasuke's tone was flat, but his eyes softened a little when he mentioned 'brother'.
"My name is Uzumaki Naruto. I like instant noodles and ramen. I hate waiting three minutes for the noodles to cook!" He took a deep breath and added, "My dream is to surpass the Hokage!"
Kitazawa nodded slightly. Exactly like his introduction from the original series. This kid was as stubborn as ever—maybe even a bit terrifying in how determined he was.
"Are you kidding?"
"What a joke! A monster wants to be Hokage?"
"He wants to surpass the Third Hokage? That's impossible!"
Mockery echoed through the classroom.
Until—
"Is that funny?" Kitazawa stepped up with a serious expression. "All I see is a worthy successor of the Will of Fire."
"You all dream of becoming Hokage, yet the moment you laughed at Naruto… you lost that qualification."
The classroom fell completely silent.