"Good morning, everyone. I am your homeroom teacher, Goppu Sarutobi. It's a pleasure to meet you all. Before we dive into our curriculum, I'd like to get to know you a bit better.
"Let's start with some self-introductions. Tell us your name, your age, your likes and dislikes, and your dream for the future. We'll go row by row, starting from the front left, then moving right, then snake back for the second row, and so on."
At eight o'clock sharp, a young shinobi had entered the classroom with a warm, easy smile. He gestured toward a spiky-haired student in the first row. The boy stood up, chin held high and chest puffed out.
"Tenfu Uchiha, five years old! I like defeating members of the Hyuga clan. I hate the Hyuga clan. My dream is to prove that the Uchiha is the most powerful dojutsu clan in history!"
"An Uchiha?!" "Dojutsu?"
The freshmen hadn't yet learned the virtue of silence. The room erupted into immediate chatter. In the back row, a boy with a pineapple-style ponytail frowned and muttered under his breath, "An Uchiha? What a drag of a clan."
Goppu Sarutobi gave a light cough and pressed his hands down to quiet the room. He didn't comment on Tenfu's introduction; the rivalry between those two clans was a matter of historical baggage far beyond the pay grade of a simple Academy teacher. He simply signaled for the next student to continue.
"Chomei Gekko. I like..."
The next few introductions went smoothly, allowing Goppu to breathe a sigh of relief. However, the peace was short-lived. A student with long, flowing hair and the distinct, pale eyes of the Hyuga stood up.
"Chinto Hyuga, six years old. I like practicing the Gentle Fist. I hate the Uchiha clan. My dream... I don't have a dream, because the Hyuga is the strongest dojutsu clan. There is nothing left to prove."
"What did you say?!"
Tenfu Uchiha bolted upright, glaring across the room at Chinto. The Hyuga boy didn't flinch, meeting the glare with icy indifference.
"Next!" Goppu shouted, cutting through the tension before it could boil over. He pointed toward the second row.
A boy shrouded in a high-collared trench coat stood up. "My name is Aburame..."
After he finished speaking, he sat back down. Goppu blinked, coming back to his senses. "I'm sorry, could you repeat that? I drifted off for a second and didn't catch it."
"Shibi Aburame..."
When Shibi sat down again, Goppu once again felt a strange sense of disorientation. He realized he had heard the name, but everything else the boy said had vanished from his mind instantly. Looking around, he saw the other students wore equally baffled expressions, as if they were silently asking, Wait, did someone just talk?
Not wanting to hurt the boy's feelings by asking a fourth time, Goppu quickly moved his gaze to the next student. It was a girl. She stood up with a burst of energy.
"I'm Tsume Inuzuka! I'll be five soon. I like training dogs and I hate cats! My dream is to become the first female Hokage!"
Tsume's voice was loud and clear—a stark contrast to Shibi. Goppu's ears actually rang slightly from her volume. He realized then that the issue with the previous introduction wasn't his hearing; it was just an Aburame thing.
One by one, the students continued. Tatsuma paid close attention to his peers, specifically noting the "Ino-Shika-Cho" trio: Inoichi Yamanaka, Shikaku Nara, and Choza Akimichi.
He noticed that a certain red-headed girl was missing from the roster. He figured she hadn't arrived yet; if he remembered correctly, the "Red-Hot Habanero" was a transfer student.
With only thirty students in the class, it was soon Minato and Tatsuma's turn. Minato was a bit reserved. He didn't outright claim he wanted to be Hokage, instead stating that he wanted to be a shinobi as reliable and respected as the Hokage.
After Minato sat down, Tatsuma stood up. "My name is Sakamoto Tatsuma, five years old. I like making friends and training with them."
At the word "training," Minato instinctively shivered.
Tatsuma ignored him and continued, "I don't have any particular dislikes at the moment. My dream is to earn everyone's recognition."
Tatsuma kept it grounded. He knew that at his age, making grand speeches about "world peace" would only sound fake and pretentious.
Once the final two students finished, Goppu began distributing textbooks. Academy students didn't just have practical combat drills; theory was equally vital.
However, as Tatsuma flipped through his books, he realized they weren't what he expected. He'd assumed the curriculum would lean heavily into shinobi history and the nuances of the Will of Fire. Instead, the pages were packed with technical data on ninja tools, jutsu mechanics, and the tactical strengths and weaknesses of various hidden villages. As for history... it was barely a footnote.
Is it because things haven't stabilized yet? Tatsuma mused.
This wasn't a curriculum for well-rounded, liberal arts education. This was a streamlined manual for the mass production of combat-ready soldiers. In an era where the flames of war refused to die out, education was merely a servant to the military machine. The Leaf couldn't afford to let its children grow up slowly and holistically; it needed a constant stream of fresh reserves.
Minato noticed Tatsuma's frown. "What's wrong?"
Tatsuma shook his head. "I just think some of this looks a bit complicated."
Minato was too young to understand the sociopolitical implications, and explaining them would only cause unnecessary trouble. Hearing this, Minato smiled warmly. "Don't worry. If there's anything you don't understand, I can help you."
"I'll be counting on you then."
For the rest of the morning, Goppu Sarutobi went over the school rules, including attendance times, holiday schedules, and the grading system. These were things the clan kids and children of active shinobi likely already knew from their parents, but Goppu took his time for the sake of the orphans like Tatsuma and Minato.
After the briefing, a few other teachers dropped by to introduce themselves and their specific subjects. Goppu eventually left the room, presumably to repeat his welcome in other classrooms.
By the time the logistics were settled, it was lunchtime. Some students left the Academy grounds to eat at home. Tatsuma and Minato pulled out their pre-prepared bento boxes and headed toward the water station to get some hot tea to go with their meal.
Just then, the pineapple-haired Shikaku Nara approached them, flanked by Inoichi Yamanaka and Choza Akimichi.
"I heard you say you like making friends, right?"
As Tatsuma wondered what the trio wanted, Shikaku took the lead. Tatsuma nodded. "That's right. And I remember you saying you dislike 'pointless' social interaction."
Shikaku let out a small, weary smile. "Interacting with you two... I have a feeling it'll be productive. Nice to meet you. I'm Shikaku Nara. This is Inoichi Yamanaka and Choza Akimichi."
"Hey." "Crunch... Nice to meet you."
Inoichi gave a polite nod. Choza swallowed a mouthful of potato chips and nodded as well, though he kept a protective, iron-tight grip on the bag in his hand.
Tatsuma didn't mind. He knew all about the Akimichi clan's legendary protectiveness over their food. He returned the nod with a smile. "I'm Sakamoto Tatsuma."
He then looked at Minato, who introduced himself with a friendly grin. "And I'm Minato Namikaze."
"Well, we won't get in the way of your lunch," Shikaku said. He wasn't the type for over-the-top enthusiasm, and half the reason he'd come over was because of his father's instructions. "Let's play a game of Shogi sometime."
With that, he led Inoichi and Choza away.
"It seems not all the clan kids are arrogant," Minato noted, clearly having formed a good impression of the three.
Tatsuma agreed. "Those three are definitely worth getting to know. And look at you, Minato—not even a full day in and you're already a social butterfly."
At the phrase "look at you," Minato's shoulders tensed. He instinctively waited for Tatsuma to drop another training challenge, but when he saw Tatsuma just keep walking toward the water heater, he felt a strange sense of anticlimactic relief.