Kaelen had traveled for days.
The path through the forest had been long and exhausting. Tall trees stretched endlessly toward the sky, their branches forming a thick canopy that blocked much of the sunlight. The ground beneath his feet was uneven, filled with rocks, roots, and fallen leaves that made every step difficult.
Coming from a small and quiet town, Kaelen had never traveled this far before. His legs ached, and his clothes were covered in dust from the journey. Yet despite the exhaustion, his eyes were filled with determination.
His dream was simple but powerful.
He wanted to become a ninja.
For years he had heard stories about the Ancient Masters Village, a place where the strongest ninjas lived and trained. Many warriors from different towns and regions traveled there to test their abilities and learn the secrets of becoming true ninjas.
Now, after a long and difficult journey, Kaelen was finally close to that legendary place.
After walking through the forest for several more hours, the trees slowly began to thin. The narrow forest path widened, and soon Kaelen could see something large standing in the distance.
It was a massive wooden barrier.
The entrance to the main part of the Ancient Masters Village.
The barrier was tall and strong, built from thick wooden logs reinforced with iron bands. Standing in front of it were several powerful-looking ninjas wearing dark uniforms. Their sharp eyes carefully watched everyone approaching the gate.
These guards were responsible for protecting the village from danger.
Kaelen took a deep breath and walked forward.
One of the guards stepped closer and looked at him carefully.
"State your purpose," the guard said in a calm but firm voice.
Kaelen straightened his posture.
"I came to join the academy," he replied. "I want to become a ninja."
The guard studied him for a moment. Kaelen could feel the weight of the ninja's gaze, as if the man could see through him completely.
Finally, the guard nodded.
"You may enter."
The large wooden gate slowly opened.
As soon as Kaelen stepped inside, he was greeted by a completely different world.
The town was alive with noise and activity.
Merchants stood beside their stalls shouting about their goods. Some sold food, while others sold clothing, herbs, tools, and weapons. The smell of roasted meat, fresh bread, and spices filled the air.
People moved quickly through the streets, talking, laughing, and carrying supplies.
Kaelen had never seen such a lively place before.
His hometown had always been small and quiet. But here, everything felt bigger and more energetic.
As he walked through the busy market streets, Kaelen carefully looked around, amazed by everything he saw.
Some shops displayed swords and training weapons.
Others sold strange scrolls filled with ancient writings.
In one corner of the street, a group of young trainees practiced throwing small blades at wooden targets.
"This place really is the home of ninjas," Kaelen thought.
Following the directions he had received earlier in his journey, Kaelen continued walking until he finally reached a large building at the center of the village.
The Ninja Academy.
The academy was built from strong stone and wood, with wide training grounds surrounding it. Several groups of students were already gathering outside the entrance.
Kaelen walked toward them.
There were many students from different parts of the village and surrounding regions. Some looked confident, while others seemed nervous.
Kaelen looked around at the large crowd.
"There are so many students," he thought. "I can't even count them all."
As he stood there observing the others, someone suddenly approached him.
"Hey, are you here to join the academy too?"
Kaelen turned and saw a boy about his age standing beside him. The boy had a friendly expression and curious eyes.
"Yes," Kaelen replied. "I just arrived."
The boy smiled.
"My name is Allan."
"I'm Kaelen," he replied.
The two quickly began talking.
Allan explained that he had grown up in the Ancient Masters Village, and he had always dreamed of becoming a ninja. Today was the first day of the academy classes for new students.
As they spoke, a loud bell suddenly rang across the academy grounds.
Dong! Dong! Dong!
The sound echoed through the area.
"That means the class is starting," Allan said.
The students quickly began moving toward the classroom building.
Kaelen and Allan entered together and found seats at the second bench.
The classroom was large and filled with students. Everyone seemed curious and excited about the first lesson.
After a few moments, the teacher walked into the room.
The students immediately became quiet.
The teacher looked calm and experienced, with sharp eyes that carefully observed the entire classroom.
"Welcome, students," the teacher said.
"My name is Allex. I will be your instructor for all the basic knowledge required to become a ninja."
Kaelen listened carefully.
This was the moment he had been waiting for.
Allex continued speaking.
"In your first class, you will learn about the ranking system of ninjas."
Many students leaned forward with interest.
"There are a total of seven ranks of ninjas," Allex explained.
"When you begin your journey, you start at the lowest level, Rank E."
He paused for a moment before continuing.
"From there, you can rise through the ranks: D Rank, C Rank, B Rank, and A Rank."
The classroom remained silent as everyone listened.
"And finally," Allex said, "the most powerful level is S Rank."
Some students whispered quietly among themselves.
"But," Allex added, "S Rank is not as simple as it sounds. There are deeper levels within S Rank that you will learn about after your graduation."
Kaelen felt excitement building inside him.
The path ahead was long, but the goal was clear.
Allex continued explaining the academy system and the training process the students would undergo.
Before the final test of the academy, every student would be trained under a retired S-Rank ninja.
These masters would guide them and prepare them for the challenges of becoming true ninjas.
Hearing this made Kaelen even more determined.
Training under an S-Rank ninja was an opportunity very few people could experience.
After some time, the first class finally ended.
The students slowly began leaving the classroom.
As Kaelen and Allan walked outside, Kaelen looked around the academy grounds again.
"So," Kaelen asked, "where are we supposed to stay?"
Allan smiled.
"Don't worry," he said. "The academy has living arrangements for students."
He pointed toward a row of buildings behind the training grounds.
"That's where we'll be staying."
The two of them walked toward the dormitory area together.
As Kaelen entered his new room, he placed his bag on the small wooden table and looked out the window.
The village stretched out in the distance, full of life and possibilities.
His journey had only just begun.
And somewhere in the future, beyond all the training and challenges, the path of a true ninja was waiting for him.
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Next chapter: Title- Power began to show.