Back home, Haruki took a bath and went to bed early. Though only five years old, his stamina and mental strength far exceeded others his age. But after a day full of grilling and conversation, even he needed a full night's rest.
As the warm moonlight filtered in through the paper windows, Haruki lay in bed and thought about the day.
"Making friends in this world… isn't so bad," he murmured, a small smile on his lips.
The next morning, the Ninja Academy held its opening ceremony.
As the sun peeked over the tiled rooftops of Konoha, Haruki stood at the main gates of the Academy. Children around his age milled about, some looking nervous, others excited. Parents watched from a distance before heading off to their own duties — shinobi and civilians alike.
Haruki stood straight and calm, his white Hyuga robes immaculately pressed, his long black hair tied back in a neat ponytail.
The Academy building loomed before him, its broad steps lined with engraved plaques bearing the names of past valedictorians — Sarutobi Hiruzen, Shimura Danzo, Mitokado Homura… and more recent ones like Jiraiya, Orochimaru, and Tsunade.
Haruki narrowed his eyes. "The Sannin… were already top of their class back then. I wonder how they compared to each other at this age?"
His thoughts were interrupted by a loud voice.
"Hey! Move it, shrimp!"
A tall boy with a stocky frame and jagged teeth shoved past Haruki. Behind him trailed two thinner boys, clearly his lackeys.
Haruki stepped aside without reacting.
"Another Konoha thug-in-training," he thought with a sigh.
The ceremony began shortly afterward. Sarutobi Hiruzen himself didn't attend — the war kept him busy — but the Academy headmaster, a retired jonin named Takumi, delivered the address.
"You are the future of Konoha. Study hard. Train harder. Survive — and protect your comrades."
Simple, to the point. That was the shinobi way.
Afterward, the new students were divided into classes. Haruki was placed in Class D — one of the lower-level beginner groups, likely due to his age.
Inside the classroom, children buzzed with chatter as they took their seats.
Haruki chose a spot near the back, by the window. Classic protagonist move — couldn't resist.
A moment later, someone tapped his shoulder.
"Hey. Is this seat taken?"
He turned. A girl with short, dark purple hair and pale eyes stood there. A Hyuga — probably from the main family.
"Nope. Go ahead."
She sat down and gave him a polite nod. "I'm Hyuga Hikari."
"Hinata Haruki. Pleased to meet you."
She blinked. "You're from the branch family?"
He nodded.
"Oh. You… don't look like most of them."
Haruki smiled. "That's a compliment, I hope."
She smiled back.
Then, another voice joined in — this one chipper and slightly nasal.
"Yooo! New kids! Mind if I sit here?"
A boy with spiky brown hair and round goggles flopped into the seat in front of them without waiting for a response.
"I'm Kotetsu! Kotetsu Hagane! Nice to meet ya!"
Haruki smiled again. "Hinata Haruki."
"Hikari," the girl replied shyly.
"Oho! Two Hyugas in one row? That's rare!"
Haruki chuckled. "We travel in pairs."
Class began shortly after, and the instructor entered. A chunin named Ueno-sensei — gruff but fair. He started by taking roll call, then gave an overview of the semester's goals: chakra control, physical conditioning, shurikenjutsu, hand seal training, and the Three Basic Techniques.
Haruki, of course, had already mastered most of these.
Still, he paid attention. It was a chance to see what kind of peers this world offered. And more importantly — to find allies.
As the day wore on, Haruki took mental notes.
Kotetsu Hagane: Noisy, a bit hyper, but friendly. Surprisingly good at throwing shuriken — his aim was off, but his mechanics were solid.
Hyuga Hikari: Reserved, disciplined. Already proficient in the Gentle Fist. Probably received special instruction at home.
Others stood out too — a girl with a fiery temper who kept challenging people to spar, a quiet boy with ink-stained fingers and an inkbrush holster, and a chubby kid who snuck rice crackers into his desk drawer.
"Life at the Academy might not be so boring after all," Haruki thought.
That evening, back at the Hyuga compound, Haruki found a scroll on his desk. It bore the seal of Elder Hyuga Gendo — the branch family's strictest overseer.
To Hinata Haruki,
You are hereby reminded: as a member of the branch family, your role is to support the main house without overreaching.Do not attempt to outperform main family children at the Academy.Observe, learn, and serve in silence.
— Elder Gendo
Haruki stared at the message for a long moment, then calmly burned it with a flicker of chakra from his fingertip.
"Yeah… I'll get right on that," he muttered dryly.
He returned to his training scrolls, flipping open one on advanced chakra molding techniques.
"Just watch me. One day, I'll be stronger than all of you. Main house or not."