"Classmate, what's your name? You're from the Hyuga clan, right? Since we're desk mates, let's get to know each other."
Uchiha Tsukiki wasn't about to argue with a child. In the shinobi world, kids matured early, but that didn't mean their worldview was fully developed.
"Hyuga Rin. Branch family. I know you—Uchiha Tsukiki, the only Uchiha in this class. I won't waste words. See this line?"
She pointed firmly at the "38th parallel" drawn across the desk, making sure he couldn't miss or ignore it.
"I see it. What about it?" Tsukiki nodded, already feeling a headache coming on. The intelligence he'd gathered lately was stressful enough, and now this? But seeing who he was dealing with, he held back.
Arguing with a child—especially a girl—was a losing battle. Who knew how much pent-up frustration a Hyuga branch member might carry under such strict clan rules?
"Don't cross this line, or you'll regret it. Don't think being an Uchiha makes you special. I know all about you—a branch family member. You might have some talent, but without the Sharingan, you're no match for me. Don't ask for trouble."
For emphasis, she activated her Byakugan and stared straight at him, asserting her power.
Tsukiki's lip twitched. We're all cannon fodder here—what's there to boast about?No matter how you looked at it, they were all discarded by their clans, yet still fighting for status.
He glanced around subtly. Everyone was watching—gathering intel. Underestimating clan-trained shinobi, even branch members, was dangerous. Many paid for overconfidence with their lives on the battlefield.
Even their teacher was watching, not to stop things but to observe—typical shinobi behavior from day one.
"Hmph. Only children do something so childish. But honestly, even if you invited me to cross, I'd think twice. You think everyone's curious about you?"
His indifferent tone struck a nerve. Hyuga Rin didn't know how to respond. The Hyuga were Konoha's most conservative clan, and branch family members especially struggled with social interaction.
"Alright, everyone settle down. Uchiha Tsukiki, take your seat and get along with your classmates. You're all future pillars of Konoha."
As the teacher spoke, the noisy classroom instantly fell silent. Everyone became model students again.
Tsukiki wisely sat down. Rin also relaxed slightly—Uchiha were known to be troublesome, even branch family members.
Their homeroom teacher introduced himself as Sarutobi Tetsusuke, a special jonin from the Sarutobi clan. Thanks to the Third Hokage, the Sarutobi had gained many jutsu and rapidly grown in strength.
But compared to other major clans—especially the Uchiha—they were still insignificant. Even Hiruzen Sarutobi himself lacked confidence facing the entire Uchiha clan.
The ANBU, the Hokage's direct force, couldn't suppress the major clans either. Hiruzen's early policy was balancing clan relations while secretly strengthening the ANBU.
Thus, many Sarutobi members were placed in various positions—including the academy. Most teachers here were Sarutobi or civilian shinobi. It was said many disliked teaching, but the Sarutobi sacrificed for Konoha's future.
Regardless, except for the police force (the Uchiha's domain), the Hokage had installed Sarutobi members and smaller allied clans everywhere. Civilian shinobi naturally supported the Hokage.
By midday, Tsukiki realized the academy was in chaos. The sudden enrollment surge had overwhelmed facilities—every yard was packed between classes.
Teachers were in short supply. Besides Sarutobi Tetsusuke, no other teacher came to their class. All fourth-year and above classes were likely the same.
Perhaps Hiruzen hadn't anticipated this. The academy's scale was built step by step since the Second Hokage's time—it wasn't as simple as he thought.
In the afternoon, all new students gathered on the field—a crowd of kids aged 7 to 12, all enrolled in the same year.
They lined up neatly under their teachers' directions. Tsukiki, among the tallest, stood at the back. There, he saw the Third Hokage in his prime.
At his peak, supported by the legendary Sannin, his position was unshakable.
"Konoha, of the Land of Fire, is a village that loves peace… Shinobi strive hard for their ninja way. Since Konoha's founding, generations have passed the will… Where there is life, the fire of will burns!"
The speech went on for nearly two hours. Tsukiki only remembered the gist—the rest went in one ear and out the other.
He noticed many students growing impatient but didn't want to disrespect the Hokage. Clan children, trained strictly, stood straight with attentive expressions—even if their minds were wandering.
If Hiruzen looked closely, he'd see their eyes were glazed over, thoughts far away.
After the endless speech, the Hokage finally declared the ceremony over. The students cheered wildly—Hiruzen thought his speech inspired them.
In truth, they were just relieved it was over. Tsukiki himself nearly cursed out loud—Two hours of hypnosis? That's torture.
After the ceremony, each class was led back by its teacher. No free time was allowed—the crowd was too large.
Even going to the bathroom was a challenge. The teachers' explanation: "Shinobi must endure. Even on missions, you hold it." It sounded noble, but eventually, pressure forced expansion—using ninjutsu to enlarge training grounds.
Classes like Tsukiki's even used village training fields for practical lessons. With the war on, the fields were empty, so the Hokage allocated them to the academy.