"I'm Yamanaka Ino," she said, stepping forward to face Kitazawa. "Are you our teacher?"
"I am," Kitazawa replied with a warm smile. "Kitazawa."
"Teacher Kitazawa, please guide us well," Yamanaka Ino said, extending her small hand with confidence.
Children in the ninja world matured quickly, and Ino was particularly drawn to appearances.
To be fair, everyone was somewhat of a "looks-detective," glancing twice at handsome men and beautiful women. Some were just more obvious about it than others.
"Teacher Kitazawa, I'm Haruno Sakura!" Haruno Sakura popped her round head out from behind Yamanaka Ino.
"It's a pleasure to meet you both," Kitazawa said with a nod.
Hyūga Hinata watched their enthusiasm, her eyes filled with envy once again.
"Hahaha! The great me has arrived! I saw, I conquered! I'm definitely becoming Hokage!"
A short-haired boy suddenly appeared at the classroom door, shouting with dramatic flair.
After his grand entrance, Inuzuka Kiba noticed Kitazawa was also present, and he immediately felt awkward.
"Teacher, hello. I'm Inuzuka Kiba," he stammered, scratching his head.
"Take a seat," Kitazawa said casually.
At this age, children were still full of fantasies. Only later would they understand the world's harsh realities.
Kitazawa glanced around but didn't spot Akamaru, Kiba's dog.
The Inuzuka Clan, though lacking a Bloodline Limit, possessed a secret technique to merge with their canine companions.
"Yes, Teacher," Kiba replied, glancing left and right before settling into a back row seat by the window.
If he could, he would have dug a hole and buried himself.
It felt like getting caught reading a novel during class, only to turn around and find the homeroom teacher's death glare through the window.
"Shikamaru, Chōji, over here!" Yamanaka Ino waved her slender arm, calling out loudly.
The pineapple-haired Nara Shikamaru instinctively glanced over, his face immediately contorting with reluctance.
Three beautiful girls and a teacher—this lineup looked terrifying.
Chōji Akimichi, a slightly plump boy, hated trouble more than anything. Without overthinking it, he grabbed a bag of potato chips and walked over.
"Teacher Kitazawa, would you like some?" Choji asked, reaching for the chips.
"No, thank you," Kitazawa replied, shaking his head as he glanced at Chōji's pained expression. "I prefer french fries."
'What a kind person!' Chōji Akimichi thought, sighing in relief.
Kitazawa, unaware he'd just earned a "good guy" badge, quickly blended in with his students, putting them at ease.
As time passed, the classroom gradually filled up.
Since it was the first day of school, most students were still unfamiliar with each other.
Only Kitazawa's group was engaged in lively conversation.
The only one who seemed out of place was Hyūga Hinata.
She remained silent throughout, only speaking in soft whispers when Kitazawa addressed her directly.
"Alright, class, time's almost up. We'll continue this discussion next time," Kitazawa announced, standing up and walking to the podium.
"He's so handsome and kind—exactly my type!" Yamanaka Ino exclaimed excitedly.
"Too bad he's so much older," Haruno Sakura said, shaking her head.
"Yeah," Yamanaka Ino said with a hint of regret.
"Look! A handsome guy!" Haruno Sakura suddenly exclaimed excitedly.
Yamanaka Ino instinctively glanced toward the doorway.
A small boy with his hands in his pockets, radiating an air of cool detachment, strode into the classroom.
The girls in the class couldn't help but stir with excitement.
Uchiha Sasuke didn't even glance at them as he found a seat. His gaze landed on Kitazawa.
'I wonder how strong this teacher is. Can he even match a tenth of my brother's skill?'
Kitazawa's eyes narrowed slightly.
'Uchiha Sasuke is just putting on a cool act now. After the clan massacre, he'll truly become withdrawn.'
Of course, that wasn't what concerned him. What caught his attention was the sudden appearance of a new mission.