In this place, strength decides everything.
A full hour passed.
Amid thunderous applause, Hiruzen Sarutobi concluded his speech with a smile. His final bow drew even louder cheers.
Kai, whose legs were already sore from standing, couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
The Third Hokage wasn't just skilled at wielding his massive adamantine staff—
his tongue was just as formidable.
With the ceremony over, the parents gathered behind the field were guided out by the academy staff.
According to their assigned classes, Kai and Itachi headed to their respective classrooms.
They weren't in the same class.
Kai was in Class 1-3.
Itachi was in Class 1-1.
With Itachi's talent, he would graduate at the age of seven. The academy was merely a brief stop in his life.
Kai, despite his own strength, had no intention of graduating early.
Upgrading his bloodlines came first.
Stepping into the classroom, Kai immediately noticed several gazes fall upon him.
Some carried clear hostility.
The Uchiha didn't have the best reputation, and his clan attire made his identity obvious.
Kai didn't react.
Calm and indifferent, he walked to his seat near the corridor and sat down.
Once seated, he casually observed the room.
His classmates came from various clans.
The Inuzuka clan—with a small white puppy perched atop one student's head.
The Akimichi clan—snacking endlessly, loudly crunching chips.
The Nara clan—known for their shadow techniques.
And others—
Yamanaka.
Aburame.
A gathering of Konoha's next generation.
"Um… excuse me… can I get in?"
Not long after he sat down, a small voice spoke beside him.
A young girl stood there, mustering her courage.
The moment she finished speaking, she lowered her head, unable to meet his eyes.
Clearly shy.
"Oh—sure."
Kai stood up casually and stepped aside, letting her pass.
"My name is Uchiha Kai. Nice to meet you."
"G-Kai… hello… I'm Hyuga Nami," she replied softly, her voice barely above a whisper.
As soon as she finished, her face flushed red.
Only then did Kai get a clear look at her.
She was beautiful.
Delicate features, fair skin, bright, watery eyes, and long, smooth black hair.
When she smiled shyly, faint dimples appeared on her cheeks.
A natural beauty in the making.
But what stood out most—
were her pure white eyes.
Byakugan.
"The Hyuga clan…" Kai thought.
One of Konoha's founding clans, the Hyuga possessed the Byakugan, a powerful dōjutsu.
To protect it, the clan was divided into the Main House and the Branch House.
The Main House held authority.
The Branch House bore the Caged Bird Seal.
A single thought from a Main House member could activate the seal—destroying the target's brain.
Absolute control over life and death.
A mark of power for one side—
a symbol of humiliation for the other.
Kai noticed the white cloth wrapped around Nami's forehead.
When she realized he was looking, she instinctively lowered her head further.
Insecurity.
"Branch family…" Kai sighed inwardly, a trace of sympathy surfacing.
The Caged Bird Seal was not just a mark.
It was a shackle.
While Kai was lost in thought, Nami carefully took out a pink lunchbox from her bag.
A faint, pleasant aroma spread through the air.
"Kai… I made these takoyaki myself… would you like to try some?"
"My mom said that at the academy, I should get along well with my classmates. I don't have much allowance, so… I made these myself."
"They might not taste very good… so please forgive me if they're not…"
She placed the cute pink box in front of him, her expression both nervous and hopeful.
Kai blinked in surprise.
He hadn't expected this.
"Let me try."
He picked up a skewer and speared one.
"…This is really good!"
He immediately grabbed another—and then another—before giving her a thumbs-up.
Her cooking was genuinely impressive.
"Really?" Nami's eyes lit up, her smile blooming. "My mom said I could even sell these at a stall someday. I didn't believe her before… but now I do!"
After that, she shared the remaining takoyaki with the rest of the class.
The response was overwhelmingly positive.
Praises filled the room.
Her confidence grew visibly.
Not long after, their homeroom teacher arrived.
Watanabe Yū.
A man in his early twenties—tall, thin, and utterly unremarkable in appearance. The kind of person who would disappear in a crowd.
A Chunin.
The next segment was simple—
self-introductions.
With over thirty students, it took more than an hour.
Afterward, Watanabe began the lesson.
The content was basic:
An overview of the Five Great Shinobi Villages.
The world was divided among five major nations, each with its own hidden village.
At present, Konoha remained the strongest.
It had produced legends—
Hashirama Senju.
Madara Uchiha.
Tobirama Senju.
Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Minato Namikaze.
It also possessed the Nine-Tails, the most powerful tailed beast.
Even after losing the Fourth Hokage and Kushina Uzumaki during the Nine-Tails incident, Konoha still stood at the top tier.
Second was Kumogakure.
Then Iwagakure, Kirigakure, and Sunagakure.
However, Kumogakure, with the Fourth Raikage and Killer B—who could fully control the Eight-Tails—was rapidly closing the gap.
The weakest was Sunagakure, trapped within the harsh desert.
Although the Third Great Ninja War had ended, bringing an era of relative peace—
it was only on the surface.
Underneath, tensions simmered.
Of the five nations, only the Land of Fire had fertile land.
The others were harsh, barren.
Especially the Land of Wind—
a desert.
When people couldn't eat or stay warm—
war became inevitable.
Peace was always temporary.
The morning passed quickly.
Kai ate the lunch he had prepared.
In the afternoon, they had basic training—
chakra control, physical conditioning, taijutsu fundamentals.
Though Kai had already mastered most of it, he kept a low profile and followed along seriously.
By the end of the day—
"Class dismissed."
Watanabe's voice marked the close of their first day.
Most students cheered, grabbing their bags and heading home in small groups.
Just as Kai picked up his bag and prepared to leave—
a cold voice sounded from behind.
"Hey, Uchiha."
"The future Hokage… wants to challenge you."
◇ BONUS & SUPPORT ◇
◇ 1 bonus chapter for every 10 reviews — drop a comment!
◇ 1 bonus chapter for every 100 Power Stones.
◇ Read chapters ahead on Patreon → patreon.com/c/CelestialInkstudios