There was no need to relearn what had already been mastered.
Sato Takeru glanced over the bored faces of the children from the ninja clans and began to explain in detail the fundamentals of chakra extraction. His gaze swept across the classroom and settled on Uchiha Obito, whose expression was one of utmost seriousness. He was genuinely trying. Takeru could sense it, but wasn't this boy from the Uchiha clan? Did he really need to start from the very basics...
Inuzuka Ryōto yawned and laid his head down on his desk. Beside him, Mai and Miyoko did the exact same. They already knew how to extract chakra and had no need for a repeated lesson. Beneath the desk, their feet were engaged in a lively but unnoticed battle, secretly kicking one another. It seemed they were getting along rather well.
On the other side of the room, the masked Kakashi, of course, knew all of this as well. He sat with a vacant look, staring at the blackboard with his dead-fish eyes. Nara Shigure wore the same bored expression. Her friend, Akimichi Ren, was heartily munching on snacks, while Yamanaka Senku, seated between them, pretended to be listening intently. Sarutobi Asuma, with his arms crossed over his chest, cast proud and disdainful glances at his classmates. In contrast, Kurenai and Rin were studying diligently, listening attentively to the teacher.
After explaining the theory, Takeru moved on to practice. He walked around the classroom, offering encouragement to the children. The students began to try extracting their chakra, but it was impossible to learn in a single lesson. Might Guy was soaked in sweat, his face red with exertion.
"Take a ten-minute break. We'll continue in the next lesson!"
The moment Takeru left, the classroom once again filled with noise. Ryōto stretched, intending to step out, but... Miyoko and Mai stared at him, showing no intention of letting him pass. After a moment's thought, Ryōto sat back down and, resting his head on the desk, decided to take a short nap.
Rin hesitated for a moment, then stood up. Seeing this, Kurenai shifted to make way for her. The words Rin had held back for so long were bursting to come out. She had wanted to say them for a while, but the opportunity never arose, and the feeling was as unbearable as if ants were crawling all over her.
Rin approached Ryōto's desk, only to be met by the two small "gatekeepers." Miyoko and Mai lifted their heads and looked at her. Any sensible person in their place would have already moved aside. Unfortunately, these two, who had grown up in isolation due to their illnesses and were not used to playing with their peers, were not such people. In their lives, others had always yielded to them, not the other way around. Rin didn't know how to begin.
Seeing Rin's silence, Miyoko and Mai exchanged a glance, never ceasing their war under the desk: you kick me, I kick you right back. A vicious cycle. Rin pressed her lips together, feeling terribly awkward, and said, "Please, stop fighting."
"Hmph!" both girls snorted simultaneously, ignoring her.
In despair, Rin returned to her seat. As she sat down, Kurenai gave her an encouraging fist pump. "Don't give up, there'll be another chance."
A faint smile appeared on Rin's face. I should have sat next to Ryōto-kun on the first day, she thought, though back then, he wouldn't let anyone near him.
The second lesson began, some students calm, others not so much. Right on time, Takeru entered the classroom and, frowning, looked at Miyoko and Mai. The two were astonishingly stubborn—they were still continuing their scuffle. With a headache coming on, he said, "Ryōto-kun, stand up."
"Huh?" Ryōto stood.
"You, sit between them!"
Hearing this, Ryōto felt his own head begin to ache. Without a word, he climbed onto his chair, placed one foot on the windowsill, and, looking at Takeru, asked, "Teacher, would you believe me if I said I'm about to jump out of here right now?"
The entire class stared at Ryōto. Takeru's headache intensified. This one was also a handful. "I'd believe you, but this is the first floor. Now, get back in your seat."
Ryōto obediently sat down. Takeru clapped his hands and said, "I see some of you have nothing better to do. In that case, let's have me teach you a ninjutsu technique."
At the word "ninjutsu," the eyes of the boys in the class lit up.
"One of the Three Basic Academy Techniques—the Transformation Technique."
Children from ninja clans might know their own family's techniques, but they didn't necessarily know these common jutsu. With that, Takeru drew the hand seal for the Transformation Technique on the blackboard, then turned to the class, formed it himself, and transformed into another male teacher.
"So, amazing, right?"
Although they lived in a ninja village, many of the children had rarely seen shinobi use their techniques. Some of the boys gasped in amazement. But Kakashi could no longer stand it. Day after day, they were wasting time on such nonsense.
"Teacher!" Kakashi stood up. "I didn't come to the Ninja Academy to learn such boring techniques."
A genius, is he... Takeru thought, looking at Kakashi. "And you know how, Kakashi-kun?"
"Of course!" Kakashi nodded. He stepped out from behind his desk into the open space before the blackboard, quickly formed the hand seals, and transformed into a perfect copy of Takeru.
The students gasped, some in admiration, others with contempt.
"It seems you've mastered it quite well," Takeru said, his eyes scanning the class. Some children, who hadn't even mastered chakra yet, grew somber as they recognized the gap in their abilities. "However, a level like this is far from sufficient. Your technique is full of flaws."
Hearing this, Kakashi frowned. Reverting to his true form, he looked defiantly at the teacher. This sensei's level was no higher than his own.
"You don't seem to believe me. Then watch how a true genius transforms," Takeru smirked. "Ryōto-kun."
"Huh? Me again?!"
"Could you please demonstrate your technique for Kakashi-kun?"
Seeing everyone looking at him, Ryōto stood up. This time, Miyoko and Mai made way for him. Under the intense gazes of his classmates, with clear annoyance in his eyes, Ryōto walked up to Kakashi and shot him a sidelong glance. You're the source of all this trouble! Why are you showing off! So boring!
Sensing something, Kakashi tensed up.
"Alright, I'm starting. Watch and learn carefully."
Ryōto raised his hands to form a seal and froze. A long time passed, but nothing happened. Who the hell knows this Transformation Technique! he thought. I know the Beast Mimicry Technique!
A vein pulsed on Takeru's forehead. "Ryōto-kun, what are you doing?"
"Teacher, I don't know how," Ryōto lowered his hands and turned to Takeru with an innocent look. Just because you said I can do it, does that mean I have to? Did you even ask me? Surprised, are you? I'll play the part of a laggard to the very end!
Kakashi breathed a sigh of relief and, crossing his arms, looked at Ryōto, muttering under his breath, "A real blockhead."
Ryōto's ears twitched, and he glanced at Kakashi. Seeing that Ryōto was so "incompetent," Obito also relaxed a little. Mai, watching the scene, whispered, "He's pretending."
Miyoko looked at Mai with a puzzled expression, kicking her under the desk in the process. Mai immediately returned the favor.
Takeru's patience snapped. He slammed his hand on the desk and roared, "You don't know how?! Then what the hell are you doing sleeping in class! How dare you not study diligently!" He pointed a finger toward the corner. "Get over there and stand! And no sleeping!"
Fine by me, I can sleep while standing, Ryōto thought as he headed to the corner. He looked at his classmates staring at him and smiled. Some of the girls blushed and lowered their heads. He's so handsome...
Kakashi smirked and started to return to his seat. Takeru slammed his hand on the desk again and bellowed, "And where do you think you're going, Kakashi?!"
"Huh?" Kakashi stopped and looked at Takeru in confusion. "Teacher, I already know how to do it."
"You know it, so what?! There's a lot you don't know! If you're so capable, then graduate from the Academy right now!" Takeru jabbed a finger at Kakashi and snarled. "As long as you're here, you will listen to me! Talking back to a teacher! Disrupting the class! Who gave you permission to speak?! Next time, raise your hand to speak! You will speak when I allow it! Insolent brat!"
Takeru pointed to the spot next to Ryōto and shouted at Kakashi, "Get over there and stand! And think long and hard about your behavior!"
Kakashi was stunned. After hesitating for a moment under Takeru's scorching gaze, he trudged over and stood next to Ryōto.
"Idiot," Ryōto snickered.
Kakashi's fish-like eyes widened as he turned to Ryōto. "Are you talking to me?"
"Is there anyone else here?"
A vein throbbed on Kakashi's forehead. "You, it seems, haven't even mastered the Transformation Technique."
"Idiot."
"And you probably can't even extract chakra."
"Idiot."
"Is that the only word you know?"
"Idiot."
Gazing at Ryōto's profile, Kakashi clenched his fists. "Arguing with you is the same as being an idiot myself."
"You've gotten smarter, idiot."
Can I just hit him? Kakashi clenched his fists until his knuckles hurt and turned away.
"Continuing the lesson, everyone focus," Takeru resumed, walking around the classroom and giving the students instructions on extracting chakra or forming hand seals.
Everyone trained diligently. However... Noticing the distracted girls who kept glancing at Ryōto, Takeru pointed a finger and shouted, "You lot, get to the back of the class! You're being a distraction!"
Ryōto and Kakashi started to move.
"Um, Kakashi, you don't move."
"Ha?" Kakashi looked at Takeru, completely bewildered. Teacher, what do you mean?
Rin glanced furtively at Ryōto. Excellent, I'll have a chance to talk to Ryōto-kun during the break!