Souta Kiryuu had put on a little act just now.
He knew very well that the last thing he said didn't sound like something a five-year-old child should be able to come up with. But this was the shinobi world—Itachi Uchiha had been praised for having the mind of a Hokage while he was still in the Academy!
What Souta had said was, without a doubt, in line with the Will of Fire. Absolute political correctness.
Unfortunately, his words only drew the attention of a few people.
For example, his teacher, Ninoki Ryusei, couldn't help but glance at him.
Wanting to become Hokage was a dream most children had. Back when he was in school, even Ryusei had declared the same. Now, when he remembered it, he couldn't help but feel embarrassed.
Becoming Hokage wasn't that simple.
But Souta's answer was different—it carried weight.
Without realizing it, Ninoki smiled and nodded."Well said. I believe, Souta, that one day you'll truly become a shinobi capable of protecting the village, your family, and your comrades."
From his seat, Kakashi observed Souta closely.
This seemingly ordinary classmate had caught his attention. The words Souta had spoken just now were strikingly similar to the ones his father had often told him.
As Souta stepped down from the platform, he noticed Kakashi's gaze. Souta responded with a bright smile and a small nod.
Masked, Kakashi replied with a silent look.
It was their very first exchange.
Back in his seat, Shizune leaned over and whispered,"Souta-kun… why do you say you like dango, but also don't like it?"
Souta answered in a hushed voice,"Just call me Souta. As for why…"A grin tugged at his lips."It's because my family runs a dango shop."
Shizune blinked in surprise, not quite sure what he meant. But before she could think further, the teacher was already calling her name from the front of the class.
The first period passed entirely with student introductions.
When it ended, Souta, along with Asuma Sarutobi, Kakashi, and Obito Uchiha, were called by name. Together with a few others, they went to receive their textbooks.
That's right—the Academy had textbooks.
And quite a lot of them. Titles like:Detailed Guide to Hand Seals, Chakra Fundamentals, Introduction to Genjutsu, A Brief History of the Ninja World, Konoha and the Will of Fire, Mathematics for Shinobi, Basic Fūinjutsu…
Souta flipped through them and chuckled. Of course shinobi had to study math—it actually made perfect sense.
In Chakra Fundamentals, he found the basic theories, including the five elemental affinities.
No wonder Naruto never learned a thing—he never paid attention in class.
Then came A Brief History of the Ninja World. It provided overviews of the different clans and factions, as well as a rather shallow recounting of shinobi history.
Reading it, Souta could only shake his head in private."Uchiha Madara really suffered for his lack of education. Otherwise, Black Zetsu would never have tricked him so badly."
After textbooks were distributed, the second lesson began.
This one was on chakra.
But instead of teaching them how to refine it straight away, Ninoki Ryusei started from the very basics, explaining what chakra was, where it originated, even mentioning the legendary Sage of Six Paths.
Souta noticed that most children from shinobi families weren't listening at all—they were busy with their own things. Only the ones without prior training paid close attention.
Glancing at Shizune, who was quietly reading A Brief History of the Ninja World, Souta picked up his pen and began taking notes seriously, following the teacher's rhythm.
After all, his "genius" image couldn't rely solely on mastering the Rasengan.
His true strength was already at genin level, but he needed to reveal it gradually throughout the year. Chakra refinement, chakra control, the three basic techniques, taijutsu, shuriken throwing, sparring… all would be unveiled slowly, step by step.
Because while his grandfather had once been a shinobi, both his parents were now ordinary people. His skills couldn't just appear out of nowhere without raising suspicion.
Of course, genin strength wasn't much. But in the body of a first-year civilian-born Academy student, it would be more than enough to be seen as a "genius."
Souta didn't want to suddenly seem monstrously overpowered and arouse doubts. He wanted to be seen as a grounded, meticulous genius—one whose growth could stand up to the closest scrutiny.
Most importantly… Souta believed these fundamentals truly mattered.
The more basic something was, the more important it became. Like the foundation of a house—without it, the whole structure crumbled.
The class passed quickly.
Souta listened attentively the entire time, filling his book with notes.
Beside him, Shizune's eyes widened. She realized Souta wasn't only writing what the teacher explained—he was adding his own insights, neatly marked in parentheses.
"...Souta, have you studied this before?" she whispered.
Souta shook his head lightly, then nodded."My grandfather used to be a shinobi. I've read some of the training notes he left behind."That part was true.
"But the way the teacher explains it is much easier to understand."That part was half-true, half an act.
Shizune's expression softened into admiration."Souta, you're amazing. My uncle left notes behind too, and Lady Tsunade has taught me before, but… I don't understand things as clearly as you do."
Tsunade?
Souta's eyes lit up immediately."Shizune, you're being too modest. Lady Tsunade is one of the Legendary Sannin!"
Shizune's cheeks colored slightly."Her teaching is wonderful… I'm just not as smart as you."
Compliments like that? Keep them coming. Souta thought smugly.
Aloud, he said generously,"Let me ask the teacher first. If he approves, I'll share my notes with you."
Shizune nodded quickly."Thank you, Souta."
Waving it off casually, Souta got up and caught up with Ninoki Ryusei to ask if his interpretations were correct.
The teacher glanced at the notes, and almost immediately a smile spread across his face."Excellent, Souta. Your understanding is spot-on. Keep it up!"
"Yes, sensei!" Souta responded obediently, the perfect picture of a model student.
Back in the classroom, he handed his notes to Shizune, then opened Detailed Guide to Hand Seals for himself, even as the room filled with chatter.
Hand seals were an indispensable part of a shinobi's arsenal.
What's that—you say the Sage of Six Paths didn't need seals?
Sorry, but Souta didn't even consider the Sage of Six Paths a "ninja" in the conventional sense.
Even Madara Uchiha and Hashirama Senju required seals to unleash their jutsu—though Hashirama often looked like he just slapped the ground and miracles happened.
Even Hiruzen Sarutobi, the "Professor" of shinobi arts, relied on seals.
And some shinobi, like Kisame or Zabuza, were downright meticulous with their hand signs.
But Souta knew something deeper—hand seals originated from Indra, the eldest son of the Sage of Six Paths.
So, whether or not he needed to maintain his "genius" image, Souta decided he absolutely had to study hand seals in depth.
Right now, with his genin-level skills, his seals were average—not fast, not slow.
He'd need more practice, of course.
But beyond that, he felt he needed to understand not just how to form seals—he needed to uncover their very essence.