It was morning, during the break between classes.
"Did you hear? We're getting a new teacher today!"
"Really?"
"Yeah! I heard he's a young man. I hope he's handsome!"
The girls whispered excitedly amongst themselves. In contrast, the boys rested their chins on their hands, looking utterly listless, with only a few bothering to pay attention to the gossip.
"Shikamaru, I'm out of snacks..." Chōji muttered. "Want to sneak out of school next period and buy some?"
"You idiot. It's the new teacher's first class," Shikamaru sighed silently. "He's definitely going to take attendance."
Shikamaru glanced over at Naruto, who sat not far away. Today, Naruto seemed exceptionally dispirited. Inside the blonde boy's mind, a specific face—and those cold, indifferent eyes—refused to fade. He didn't understand. Why did everyone look at him with that same expression, those same eyes?
Bang!
"Damn it, damn it, damn it!"
Naruto leaped to his feet and roared, completely forgetting he was still in the classroom.
At that exact moment, a figure walked through the doorway.
Naruto froze in place. Then, as if prickled by a needle, he jumped onto his desk, forcing himself to act bold. "You actually dared to chase me here? Do you want a duel with the great Lord Naruto?"
However, the response he received was merely a look of helplessness from the handsome man standing at the podium, those same indifferent eyes, and a wave of screams rising from the surrounding students.
And then came the roar.
"Naruto, you idiot! Show some respect to strangers!" Sakura yelled.
Naruto shrank back, only to see that the man on the podium was ignoring him entirely. The man turned his back and began writing on the chalkboard. When he turned back to face the class, he wore a gentle, dashing smile.
"This is my name. Starting today, barring any accidents, I will be spending the next five years with you all."
Last night, Yagyu Masahiko had specifically practiced this "smile." He was confident—this expression was absolutely flawless.
Sure enough, a moment later, even louder screams and cheers erupted across the classroom. In stark contrast, Naruto, still standing on his desk, ground his teeth in frustration, muttering curses under his breath that he didn't dare speak aloud.
Masahiko's gaze swept over Naruto's face, pausing briefly. His expression stiffened just enough to be noticeable.
Naruto keenly sensed it. He was all too familiar with that shift in demeanor. His eyes burned with anger.
Masahiko wasn't surprised by this reaction. In fact, it was calculated. He had entered the classroom early for two reasons: to introduce himself, and to farm face-time in front of Naruto. Whether playing a villain or a hero, a supporting character who wanted screen time had to leech off the protagonist.
He needed to find every opportunity to coexist in the same frame, to provoke Naruto's emotions, and to push the boy onto the opposing side as much as possible. A series of such maneuvers would surely provide enough footage for the editors. He just didn't know how long a single episode was supposed to be...
Masahiko glanced at the time, then smiled warmly.
"Class is about to start. Since this is our first session, I'd like to ask for your opinion. Would you prefer to stay here and chat, or go outside for field training?"
He focused his gaze specifically on the boys.
Almost immediately, a cocky voice rang out. "Training! I'm going to challenge you!"
Masahiko gave a swift, refreshing laugh. As expected. The first one to shout out would definitely be him.
One by one, other figures stood up, their attitudes making their preference clear. The corners of Masahiko's mouth curled upward slightly.
"Let's go, then."
A second later—Ding, ding, ding!
The bell signaled the start of class.
________________________________________
On the training grounds, the boys and girls lined up on opposite sides.
Masahiko smiled gently. "So, Naruto Uzumaki, did you say you wanted to challenge me?"
"That's right! Because I am the man who will become Hokage!" Naruto jumped forward, his face full of pride.
Masahiko let out a low chuckle. "Don't keep hanging dreams on your lips like that. It only makes you appear weak."
"I'm not dreaming!" Naruto roared.
Masahiko offered a noncommittal smile, took a step forward, and formed the Seal of Confrontation. Naruto stepped up and mirrored the sign.
In the next instant, Naruto yelled as he charged, his fist driving straight forward. Yagyu Masahiko remained perfectly still.
"What is Sensei doing?"
On the sidelines, Sakura and Ino watched with anxiety. But then, the two girls exchanged an unconscious glance, snorted, and looked away from each other.
On the other side, a dark-haired boy stared intently at Masahiko. Just as Naruto was about to strike, the boy's pupils contracted, his face registering shock. Impossible!
Clone Technique? Body Flicker Technique?
But... he's so fast!
Naruto had been brimming with excitement, but just as he thought he'd landed the hit, the figure before him seemed to float, distort, and then vanish.
A clone? He froze, stunned.
In the blink of an eye, a figure appeared behind Naruto, effortlessly lifting the boy—who had just thrown his punch—into the air by the back of his collar.
Is this really the standard of an Academy teacher? Sasuke Uchiha was shaken.
Beside him, gasps echoed one after another. "So fast!!"
Most of them hadn't even seen Yagyu Masahiko move. Sasuke included.
"Looking forward without watching your back... a reckless brat like you..." Masahiko leaned in close to the dangling boy. "I wouldn't fear a hundred of you."
"Damn it!!" Naruto shouted, kicking and flailing his limbs.
But suspended by his clothes, with his short reach, he couldn't touch Masahiko at all. He looked utterly ridiculous.
"No one starts as a Hokage. If you want to become one, you first need to see if you're even qualified." Masahiko tossed him aside and offered a stinging critique. "Someone like you... should learn how to survive first."
Naruto looked unconvinced, but as he glanced around and saw the shocked, admiring expressions on everyone else's faces, he hung his head dejectedly.
The gap... was truly too wide.
Yagyu Masahiko looked at the rest of the class, his eyes crinkling into a smile. "Does anyone else want to try?"
"Sensei."
Sasuke Uchiha stepped forward. "Please instruct me!"
Masahiko swept his gaze around the circle before finally settling on Sasuke. After beating him up... that should be about enough footage.
He nodded slightly and formed the Seal of Confrontation.
The moment the seal was set, Sasuke vanished from his spot.
Body Flicker Technique!
Whoosh!
The figure in front of Masahiko disappeared. His attack hit nothing but air!
But Sasuke reacted instantly. He dropped his center of gravity, planting his hands on the ground to deliver a spinning counter-kick.
However, a kunai attached to a wire arrived a split second faster, precisely wrapping around his ankle. With a flick of Masahiko's wrist, Sasuke immediately lost his balance!
Although Sasuke's hands instantly formed the seals for the Rope Escape Technique, a force far greater than his own acted upon him—he, too, was hoisted off the ground.
The onlookers were already stunned, except for one...
"Hahaha! Stupid Sasuke, you got picked up too!" Naruto clutched his stomach, laughing as if he had won a great victory.
Sasuke gritted his teeth, turning his face away in silence.
Masahiko set Sasuke down.
"Sasuke's reaction time, tactics, and fundamentals are all excellent. Your loss today is solely because we have a ten-year age gap." Masahiko spoke with profound sincerity. "By the time you are seventeen, you will certainly be stronger than I am."
Sasuke was stunned for a second, unable to respond immediately.
To the side, Naruto exploded with indignation. "Damn it! Why are you speaking up for him?"
"Apologies, Naruto-kun. Teachers tend to have a bias toward excellent students, and Sasuke is indeed excellent."
Yagyu Masahiko kept that perfect, gentle smile on his face. "If you feel it is unfair... then work desperately hard to become as excellent as he is. That way, the person complaining about unfairness will be someone else."
Saying this, he turned his gaze toward the others.
At that exact moment—
Buzz!
A soft hum, audible only to him—like a camera powering down—sounded in his ears. Several lines of text imprinted themselves across his vision:
[ Naruto: The Prequel - Episode 1 Filming Complete! ]
[ Editing in progress... ]
[ Production Successful! ]
[ Performance Report: ]
• Total Screen Time: 5 minutes 23 seconds
• Lens Share: 27%
[ As a villainous role, your screen time exceeded 10%. Your paycheck has been increased. ]
[ Notification: Naruto: The Prequel will broadcast tonight at 8:00 PM. The playback function will be unlocked for you at that time, and Bullet Comments (Danmu) will be enabled. ]
[ It is hoped that you will adjust your acting skills and character direction based on the audience feedback. ]