Introductions moved quickly.
"Yamanaka Inoichi."
Polite, reserved. The kind of presence that lingered without demanding attention.
"Nara Shikaku."
Sharp eyes, calm voice. Thinking three steps ahead already.
"Akimichi Chōza."
Broad shoulders, round face. Even as a child, solid in a way that inspired trust.
"Uzumaki Kushina!"
Her voice rang out bright and fierce. She stood with hands on her hips, red hair blazing, declaring her dream without hesitation. Several children laughed. She didn't care.
Then—
"Namikaze Minato."
Simple. Clear. A smile like morning light.
The next turn came too quickly.
"Um, I'm—"
What Senju Mayū actually said was lost to noise. By then, the class had broken into side conversations, whispers, and barely contained excitement. Minato listened with interest, but the room itself swallowed everything else.
Eventually, the last introduction ended. Kimura Shitao cleared his throat. The sound alone snapped the classroom into silence.
Years of being shouted at by jōnin had given him that much authority.
"Now that you've met one another," he said, voice steady, "you already heard the rules during the assembly, so I won't repeat them. But during lessons, I expect proper behavior. Can you do that?"
"Yes!" the children answered in uneven chorus.
Kimura nodded, visibly satisfied.
"Good. Today's first lesson will be an introduction to chakra. We'll go deeper later. For now, your goal is simple. Learn how to draw it out."
Mayū straightened.
This mattered.
Chakra was the foundation of everything here. Without it, there were no techniques, no movement, no survival. Talent meant nothing if this step failed.
He closed his eyes and focused.
At first, there was resistance. A vague pressure, uncooperative and unfamiliar. He eased into it, patient, careful not to force anything. Slowly, warmth stirred. Something answered.
A thin stream began to move.
Not rushing. Not straining.
Flowing.
Five minutes passed. Then more.
When he opened his eyes again, the sensation remained. Chakra circulated through his body in a smooth loop, faint but unmistakable.
Relief washed over him.
He leaned back slightly, staring at the ceiling, breathing out.
"Mayū?"
Kimura approached, puzzled. The memory of the boy clinging to his finger earlier still lingered.
"Yes?" Mayū answered, snapping back to attention.
Kimura studied him, then smiled gently and placed a hand on his head. "It's alright. Chakra extraction is difficult your first time. Completing a full circulation usually takes days. Even beginners need hours."
Mayū blinked.
He looked around.
Most of the class sat stiff and tense, faces twisted in concentration. Some peeked around nervously. Minato was calm but still only barely settling into focus.
"…Sensei," Mayū asked carefully, "when do people usually manage their first circulation?"
Kimura chuckled. "One or two days, if they're talented. A full cycle takes an hour or two at first. As for me, about half an hour."
He left, satisfied.
Mayū sat still.
Then quietly pinched his leg.
It hurt.
So this was real.
He stared forward, expression blank, while a single thought echoed through his mind.
This… might be better than expected.