"Students! It's class time, please quiet down!"
Inside the Ninja Academy of the Hidden Leaf Village, Iruka's voice cut through the noise.
The originally chaotic classroom fell silent.
"I am your teacher. My name is Umino Iruka. Next, I will explain the Academy's rules."
Gentle attitude. Patient tone. Classic teacher energy.
The students listened attentively.
No interruptions.
Well.
Except for one.
"Where... is this?"
In the back row, Saiki opened his slightly bewildered eyes.
'Transmigration?'
The situation caught him completely off guard.
He had actually caught up with the transmigration trend.
Not only that—he'd been assigned to the so-called protagonist class.
'Well. At least as an orphan, I don't have much baggage to carry over.'
Memories began to merge.
The original body's name was also Saiki. Ordinary name. Civilian ninja background.
Parents? Both died in the Nine-Tails rampage a few years ago.
'Same orphan start. Actually saves me some unnecessary trouble.'
While Saiki organized his thoughts...
"Alright! Let's begin the class!"
Iruka finished explaining the school rules and started calling students to order.
After all, these kids had just entered the Academy.
The excitement was palpable.
Someone couldn't hold back.
"Iruka-sensei! When can we learn to cultivate chakra?"
The other students perked up immediately.
After all, only by possessing chakra could one become a true ninja.
Common sense in this world.
"If you want to cultivate chakra, you'll have to wait until a week from now."
Iruka explained patiently.
'As expected.'
In the back row, Saiki's eyes flickered.
This was a real world now.
As everyone knows, Naruto was a passionate anime. When watching it, you might be moved by the bonds and the friendship and the "believe it" energy.
But the truth?
A world where strength reigned supreme.
Human lives treated like worthless grass.
'Fun times ahead.'
"WHY?!"
A loud noise suddenly echoed through the classroom.
A blond-haired boy with fox-like whiskers on his face shouted at the top of his lungs.
"Why do we have to wait a week?! Can't you teach us now?!"
Uzumaki Naruto.
In the flesh.
Looking at him, Iruka frowned slightly but maintained a calm tone.
"The Academy's curriculum is stipulated by Lord Hokage. If you have a problem, you can go find Lord Hokage yourself."
Pause.
"If you continue to disrupt the class, go stand outside."
"Tch!"
Naruto put on a dissatisfied posture but didn't continue.
He wanted attention, sure.
But getting punished on the first day? That was a bit much even for him.
Saiki watched the scene with understanding.
Iruka's parents also died in the Nine-Tails rampage.
In the original work, Iruka only truly acknowledged Naruto right before graduation. Years from now.
As for the current Iruka?
No matter how well he hid it, a look of disgust occasionally flashed across his face.
'Canon checks out.'
"Alright! Everyone open your books. Let's start the class!"
"Yes!"
With Naruto's incident as a warning, everyone quieted down.
For the first week, they'd mainly learn about the ninja world and village layouts.
Basic stuff.
Saiki opened the first page of his textbook.
[The Strongest Hokage: The Third Hokage!]
'...'
'I'll be damned.'
'No wonder that title became a meme.'
'They're literally teaching it in schools.'
Soon, the day's classes ended.
"Saiki! Let's go play the ninja game together!"
The original body wasn't withdrawn. He had a few friends.
"This time, I definitely want to play the role of Lord Ninja!"
The ninja game was currently the most popular among children.
After accepting the original body's memories, Saiki wasn't surprised by this.
He just smiled and shook his head.
"No thanks. I plan to go back and review what was taught today."
"Is that so?"
His friends looked a bit surprised but didn't push it.
Watching the departing students, Saiki followed the route in his memory and headed home.
Although the original body's parents died in the Nine-Tails rampage, they left some inheritance.
For example—the two-story house in front of him.
Came with a small courtyard.
Just looking at it?
Pretty nice.
'Not bad for an orphan start.'
"Phew. What a bewildering day."
Closing the door, Saiki immediately collapsed.
Review?
Was he actually going to review that "Strongest Hokage" propaganda?
Hell no.
On the first day of transmigration, with chaotic thoughts and mental exhaustion, Saiki quickly fell asleep.
[One Week Later]
A week passed quickly.
Finally—time to learn chakra cultivation.
Even Saiki couldn't help but feel a little excited.
"Chakra is the energy extracted from the one hundred and thirty trillion cells in your body..."
On the podium, Iruka carefully explained the cultivation process.
In the class, nearly half the students listened attentively.
That's right.
Only half.
The ninja clan kids all had their own inherited cultivation methods. They didn't need Academy lessons.
'Must be nice. Born with a silver kunai in your mouth.'
"Alright! Everyone can try it first!"
After teaching the basics, Iruka smiled and clapped his hands.
Except for the clan students, everyone else earnestly attempted it.
Some succeeded.
Some were scratching their heads, completely lost.
'As expected. I am not a genius.'
Saiki also tried.
Unsurprisingly—he failed.
Extracting energy from cells.
He understood the words.
But actually doing it?
Brain: I got it!
Body: Got my ass!
'This is going to be a problem.'
Just as Saiki was about to continue trying...
A mechanized voice echoed in his mind.
[Host detected.]
[Simplification System initializing...]
[Do you wish to bind?]