The next morning, at the Ninja Academy.
"The Hidden Mist Jutsu, a signature technique of our village, is a Water Release jutsu that defines Kirigakure. Few of you will have the talent to actually master it. But I expect every one of you to understand it, and know how to fight effectively within its mist."
At the front of the classroom, a young instructor was lecturing earnestly.
But most of the students clearly weren't paying attention.
To Tachikawa Tachibana's right, two boys were still buzzing with excitement from yesterday's combat trials, animatedly discussing the highlights of a few memorable battles.
"Swoosh, Thunk!"
A kunai, slicing through the air with a sharp whistle, grazed past the head of a student in the front row before embedding itself, quivering, in the desk between the two still-chattering boys.
The young teacher looked at them coldly, his expression like ice.
"Oh? Care to come up here and share your thoughts on the Hidden Mist Jutsu?"
"If you're lucky enough to graduate and become ninja, but have no clue how to fight within the Mist, what are you planning to do when your squad leader casts it during a mission? Just stand there in the fog with the enemy and wait to die?!"
"Well? Answer me!"
As his voice rose, nearly every student fell silent, snapping their attention back to the front of the room, sitting up straight with a chill running down their spines.
Everyone, that is, except Tachikawa Tachibana.
His focus was completely elsewhere.
He had just noticed the figure sitting in the very front row, shorter than everyone else in their year, likely due to his small stature, and it had caught his attention. That student had been staring dreamily out the window just a second ago, clearly not listening. But the moment the kunai flew, he turned his head sharply, muscles tensing slightly as if preparing to react.
'Momochi Zabuza... That guy's strength has improved again, hasn't it? He really wasn't going all out during the test yesterday.'
Ever since his transmigration, upon realizing he shared a class with this eyebrow-less future killer, Tachikawa had kept a close eye on Zabuza, especially knowing they'd both be taking the graduation exam together.
From what he'd heard about last year's exam, it was brutal: students were tossed onto an island, each given a token. Only those who managed to collect two tokens could board the boat at the end and officially graduate from the Academy.
By Tachikawa's estimate, Zabuza's strength must have already far surpassed that of their peers even then.
Four months from now, Zabuza might even be Chūnin-level, and only someone at that level could possibly slaughter over a hundred civilian candidates during the exam.
Yes, only civilian-background students were allowed to take this savage graduation exam. In fact, Kirigakure's Ninja Academy accepted only civilians, war orphans, and children from small clans.
Though modeled after the Second Hokage's Academy system, Kirigakure's school was nothing like Konoha's. In Konoha, even the Hokage's own child or a prodigy from the prestigious Uchiha clan would attend alongside civilian kids.
Here, only the powerless enrolled.
In the Academy's early days, a few side-branch heirs from bloodline clans or secret technique families did enroll. But ever since the Third Mizukage enacted the Blood Mist policy, capable families began training their own in-house, and only applied to register them as ninja once they were ready.
After all, with how random and deadly the exam was, no clan wanted to risk losing an heir for no good reason.
This divide only deepened the rift between Kirigakure's bloodline elites and the civilian ninja faction.
Tachikawa suspected that's also why Zabuza faced no consequences after killing all his fellow examinees. The victims had no background. Zabuza's actions followed the rules, and proved his talent as a ninja, no one saw a reason to hold him accountable.
Such was the cold, cruel nature of the shinobi world.
In the early days after transmigrating, Tachikawa had let it all go to his head. He believed that as a transmigrator with a cheat system, he'd easily overpower Zabuza in five months.
Then came his first "lottery pull", a slap in the face. Ten draws, and every prize had laughably little impact on his combat ability.
That was a reality check. He realized he couldn't rely on luck alone. If he didn't train hard, he wouldn't even be able to beat the average students, let alone Zabuza, in the graduation exam.
The crushing gap had even made him consider extreme options: maybe he should cozy up to a bloodline family and bide his time, or break a leg before the exam and repeat the year.
After all, next year, due to Zabuza's slaughter, the village would cancel the deadly exam format. He could safely graduate then.
He needed to become a ninja, there was no question about that. In such a dangerous world, ninja held privilege, and he had a cheat system. What he lacked was time to grow.
Still, yesterday's draw gave him [Water Release: Flowing Ring], a Water Release medical jutsu. That sparked a new idea.
'I'll visit Aunt Keiko at the hospital after school.'
But before he could follow that train of thought further,
"A standard Chūnin casts Hidden Mist Jutsu with an initial radius of 10 meters. How long would it take for the mist to spread across a forested area of 3,600 square meters?"
"Tachikawa, why don't you answer that?"
Apparently the teacher had noticed him spacing out, unusual for someone who'd recently been so active in class.
"Y-Yes, sir!"
"First off, the standard Mist Jutsu can be treated as spreading in a circular area. A typical Chūnin's expansion rate is xx, and considering forest density interference, the total time would be around @#%, "
"Well answered. Stay focused in class."
As he sat down, Tachikawa discreetly wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, then glanced at the boy beside him, who was already fast asleep on his desk. The forced smile on his face nearly cracked.
Thankfully, the Academy's questions were only elementary-school level mixed with a bit of ninja common sense. His recent good behavior had earned him a decent reputation with the teachers, which probably spared him from becoming a public example.
Ding! You've correctly answered 50 classroom questions. Achievement Unlocked: "Star Student Anya, On Stage!"
Nice. He'd even unlocked a new achievement.
Not wanting to risk the wrath of his clearly irritated instructor, Tachikawa quickly shoved his wandering thoughts aside and focused on the lesson. The Academy's curriculum would prove useful in his future shinobi life, after all.
As the setting sun filtered through the thick mist, it cast fractured light across the Academy courtyard. Buildings and trees loomed vaguely in the haze, while students trickled out of the school in small groups.
"Hey, Tachibana! You're heading that way? Not going to the training grounds today?"
A familiar classmate called after him, watching him hurry off.
"Got something to take care of. We'll train another day!"
Tachikawa responded with a cheerful grin but didn't slow down, racing toward Kirigakure Hospital.
The hospital wasn't far from the Academy, it had been built alongside the village itself.
Though both shinobi and civilians sought treatment there, the hospital remained low-priority in Kirigakure's culture. Compared to the Academy, the facility was visibly aged and worn down.
Its cylindrical stone structure was covered in moss, and if not for the large "医" (Medical) symbol on the wall, it looked no different from the surrounding residential buildings.
Most of the foot traffic was made up of ordinary villagers.
Just as Tachikawa was about to enter, he spotted a white-coated figure standing out front, speaking with a nurse.
Come to think of it, it was odd how far ahead medical technology was in the shinobi world.
For example, they'd long recognized how blood and filth could cause infections. White coats stained easily, making it easier to spot contamination and maintain hygiene. White also helped soothe patients' anxiety.
So, for many years now, doctors in the ninja world had worn white coats, surprisingly similar to modern hospitals from his previous life.
While Tachikawa's mind wandered, the doctor finished speaking with the nurse.
Turning around, she noticed him standing by the entrance, lost in thought.
"Little Tachibana! What brings you here today?"
A gentle voice called out, belonging to a middle-aged woman with long blue hair and a soft, graceful presence. She approached him with a warm smile.
Tachikawa immediately put on his trademark grin and responded politely.
"Aunt Keiko, I had something I wanted to ask you. So I came straight here after school."