Kitazawa's grades at the Ninja Academy were far from ideal.
Uchiha Itachi graduated at age seven, while Kitazawa barely managed to graduate at thirteen.
Uzumaki Naruto became the savior of the world at seventeen, while Kitazawa, at the same age, had only managed to become a Chūnin through sheer effort.
In this ruthless Ninja World where lives were taken without hesitation, Kitazawa was a "three-nothing" ninja: no talent, no bloodline, and no backing.
To survive until the grand finale, he chose to teach at the Ninja Academy, a job he had held for five years.
"Another peaceful day in Konoha," Kitazawa murmured, rising from his seat and approaching the window.
It was the annual opening day of the academy, and the courtyard buzzed with activity as students and parents milled about.
Kitazawa glanced down at the new student roster in his hand, familiar names leaping out at him:
Uzumaki Naruto, Uchiha Sasuke, Hyūga Hinata, Yamanaka Ino, Haruno Sakura, Akimichi Chōji, Nara Shikamaru, Inuzuka Kiba, and others.
"Five years... a full five years, and I've finally reached the protagonists," Kitazawa thought with a sigh.
From this point forward, only two major calamities remained in his life:
First, Orochimaru's Konoha Crush Plan, which wouldn't directly affect the Ninja Academy and thus posed little threat.
Second, Nagato's Pain Invasion, a far more perilous event.
That Almighty Push dropped from the sky would devastate half of Konoha.
Kitazawa's plan was to make a preemptive escape by requesting leave from the village.
As for the exact timing, he could calculate it based on when Uzumaki Naruto and the others would enroll in the Ninja Academy.
Just as he was pondering the timing, he suddenly heard a ding.
[Host has reached the age of six and successfully enrolled in the Ninja Academy. The Strongest Hokage Training System has been activated.]
Kitazawa froze in place.
After waiting twenty-one years, at the moment he had almost given up hope, the door finally opened.
Why is this system arriving now?
Wait a minute! What the hell is going on? I'm six years old?
"System, is there some kind of mistake?" Kitazawa couldn't help but ask.
[Please complete the first-stage main quest: Dominate the Ninja Academy and become its strongest graduate.]
Seriously? Dude, are you brain-dead?
I'm glad you're here, but I'm pissed you got the timing wrong.
How the hell am I supposed to graduate now? Answer me!
Kitazawa now understood: this system from the other world had arrived fifteen years late.
Could it be... that he had waited all this time for nothing?
[To dominate the Ninja Academy, you must first conquer your classmates.]
Current Mission: Gain initial recognition from your classmate, Uzumaki Naruto.
Mission Reward: Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique.
[Accept?]
Kitazawa stared at the notification, speechless.
He wasn't Uzumaki Naruto's classmate.
How was he supposed to complete this mission?
If he applied to return to the Ninja Academy as a student, Sarutobi Hiruzen would probably tell him, "Your family should consult a high-level expert—no, a Medical Ninja—to check if a zombie has eaten your brain."
"Who designed this System?" Kitazawa rubbed his temples, feeling a headache coming on.
There was no choice but to play along with this absurd situation.
If he couldn't complete the mission, well... there wasn't much he could do about it.
He could get angry, maybe even curse a few high-ranking Konoha's Elders.
But what if this idiotic System's mission could actually be completed?
Fortunately, the System imposed no penalties for failing to complete or even accept missions.
"Things can't stay this unlucky forever, right?"
Kitazawa chose to accept the mission.
He set down the student files and left the office.
As soon as he reached the school's training grounds, he overheard a barrage of crude remarks.
"Don't go near him. That guy's a monster."
"Whatever you do, don't play with him. Stay far away."
"I really don't understand why Lord Hokage allowed him to attend school."
Kitazawa glanced at the blond-haired boy sitting on the swing.
The boy's head was bowed, his silence creating a pitifully thick barrier between him and the surrounding commotion.
You guys are really something, Kitazawa thought.
Daring to curse on a kid who's basically a walking nuclear bomb, and not even afraid of becoming his "friend"?
Ignoring the curious stares, Kitazawa approached.
Hearing footsteps, Uzumaki Naruto instinctively looked up, meeting a pair of black eyes.
He froze, surprised by the gentle demeanor of the newcomer, sensing no malice whatsoever.
"What's your name?" Kitazawa asked patiently, sighing inwardly.