The spirit of Saitama Uchiha suddenly ignited, and he declared loudly, mimicking the tone of those hot-blooded shounen anime protagonists.
After he finished, Saitama scanned the classroom.
"Wow!"
The surprised exclamation came from a wide-eyed girl sitting near the front row.
"Hmph, typical Uchiha. So full of themselves."
A boy with a pale face and drooping eyes muttered disdainfully.
As expected, Saitama's dramatic declaration sent the classroom into an uproar, buzzing like a pot of boiling water.
Shisui and Iruka both stared at him with admiration.
I didn't think Saitama had such a grand ambition!
Shisui thought to himself, eyes sparkling.
"Ahem... ambitious words, indeed. As expected of someone from the Uchiha clan. Alright, you may sit down now. Next."
Nobita Kitahara, their homeroom teacher, had originally taken note of the boy who ran ten laps during the entrance exam without even breaking a sweat. But now, after this flashy self-introduction, he couldn't help but categorize him as just another eccentric Uchiha.
The rumors were right... The Uchiha brain works differently from normal people, he thought with a sigh.
Saitama sat down slowly, completely unfazed by the chaos in the room, still wearing that cool, detached expression.
"Next, Uchiha Shisui."
"Hello, everyone! My name is Uchiha Shisui, and I'm going to be the second strongest shinobi!"
Shisui finished his introduction confidently and sat down, giving Saitama a playful wink.
Saitama blinked at him.
Uh... am I supposed to praise you for that?
Saitama was a little lost.
"My turn! I'm Iruka Umino! I will become Hokage one day! I'll protect the village I love with my life!"
Iruka introduced himself enthusiastically, standing up proudly as if proclaiming a sacred oath.
For a moment, the classroom went silent. Then it erupted into laughter.
Even at their young age, these children understood what it meant to be Hokage.
Hokage wasn't just the leader of the village—it was the most powerful shinobi in the entire Hidden Leaf. It wasn't a title you could just casually claim.
"Good ambition! But you'll have to work very hard if you want to become Hokage."
Teacher Kitahara, however, gave Iruka an approving nod.
Now that's the kind of goal we encourage in Konoha.
Not like those two Uchiha with their... interesting declarations.
"Alright, now that everyone has introduced themselves, let's get along and work hard together from now on."
"By the way, does anyone here know what we'll be learning at the Academy?"
Kitahara's tone turned mild as he addressed the class.
"We'll learn ninjutsu! Defeat Konoha's enemies and protect the village!"
One of the kids in the front row stood up eagerly and gave the textbook answer.
Saitama narrowed his eyes, noticing the tactical goggles strapped to the boy's forehead.
He's neither a main character nor an important villain... what's he doing wearing those? Trying to get sent off early?
"Good answer, but not entirely correct," Kitahara corrected gently, gesturing for the boy to sit down.
He picked up the wooden pointer from his desk and paced in front of the class, looking over each of them carefully.
"The Ninja Academy doesn't just teach ninjutsu."
"As future shinobi, you must learn many things—strategy, survival, history, teamwork, even basic etiquette."
"A ninja is more than just ninjutsu. Remember that."
"I am your theory instructor. I expect everyone to study hard, graduate with honor, and become valuable members of the village."
Kitahara glanced at the clock on the wall—it was already nearing noon.
Between the registration, exams, and introductions, the entire morning had passed.
"Alright, that's it for now. Welcome again to the Ninja Academy. Dismissed until the afternoon session at two o'clock."
---
According to Academy regulations, students were usually provided lunch on campus. But since it was the first day, things were more relaxed.
After leaving the school grounds, Saitama waved goodbye to Iruka's mother, who had been waiting anxiously at the gate. He also parted ways with Shisui and his Aunt KaKa.
Saitama decided to pick up a few things from the market before heading home.
Over the past few days, Aunt KaKa had been spoiling him with rich meals—fish, meat, and more meat. Saitama was starting to feel a bit overwhelmed.
Today, he wanted to balance things out with some vegetables.
He bought a few kilos of fresh produce from a nearby vendor and walked home with satisfaction.
Class resumes at two... That's a good three-hour break. Plenty of time.
Saitama strolled along, deep in thought, his mind already planning for the future.
Next month would be the sixth moon festival, and Shisui would turn six soon. He himself wasn't far behind.
According to his past-life knowledge, Shisui had graduated from the Academy in just one year.
And beyond that... the looming shadow of the Third Shinobi World War was drawing closer.