Ninja Academy.
Today is the day the Ninja Academy opens. For those who passed the entrance exam, it is a day of great joy, signifying the opportunity to become a Ninja.
For the civilians of Konoha, it is even more of a life-changing day, meaning they have a chance to escape the lower class and achieve social mobility.
Carrying their schoolbags, the children skipped along to the Ninja Academy, accompanied by their parents.
Aoki Yoru walked toward the Ninja Academy with Nao, Aunt Ryoko from next door, and Chino.
Nao and Chino ran ahead excitedly, turning back from time to time to urge them to hurry up.
Unsurprisingly, given Aoki Yoru's status and the fact that Nao herself was from the Uzumaki Clan, she was assigned to Class 1.
In the same class were children from various clans and civilians with good entrance scores, as well as those with hidden special bloodlines, like Chino.
By now, most parents had arrived and were waiting by the playground for the Fifth Hokage's speech.
Aoki Yoru whispered to Kenta and Yui, "I didn't expect your family members to be starting school now too. They're in the same grade as Nao, so they can look after each other in the future."
Kenta shook his head with a bitter smile. "My younger brother isn't up to it. He's in a regular class. His talent is really lacking; becoming a Chunin is already his limit."
"Even if I could squeeze him into Class 1, he would be crushed there. It's better for him to stay in a regular class."
Aoki Yoru patted his shoulder. "When the time comes, just arrange for him to join the Police Force."
Kenta nodded. This was for the best; otherwise, his brother might fall during an ordinary mission at any time.
He had seen too much over the last few years. Two years after their class graduated, a third of the class was already gone, mostly civilians or members of small Ninja clans.
"My younger cousin is actually alright. His talent is top-tier in our clan, and he's already learned some basic Ninjutsu in advance. If nothing goes wrong, he might just manage to reach the Jonin level."
Aoki Yoru glanced at her in surprise. Yui was quite confident. One must know that in all of Konoha, with over ten thousand people, there are fewer than a hundred Jonin, including Special Jonin.
To be able to say 'My brother has the potential of a Jonin!' at this age meant he would be among the top few even in Class 1.
Of course, the three of them were extremely special; after all, not many knew how to hide their true potential.
Then Yui said, "Of course, he certainly can't compare to little Nao. After all, the Uzumaki Clan's Chakra is just cheating. Her current Chakra is already more than what we had when we graduated."
At this, Yui sighed, "I really don't know how their clan was wiped out. With so much Chakra, wouldn't becoming a Jonin as an adult be a matter of course?"
Aoki Yoru rolled his eyes at her. "How is that possible? Even in the Uzumaki Clan, there are differences in Chakra volume, and everyone's Ninja talent varies wildly."
"Just like the Hyuga Clan; even if they're useless, they'll awaken the Byakugan once they reach a certain age, but those with Jonin-level combat power are still few and far between."
Kenta leaned in and asked in a low voice, "Why was the Uzumaki Clan wiped out? Weren't they Konoha's allies?"
"Allies?"
Aoki Yoru looked at Kenta with a faint, knowing smile.
"In the Ninja World, allies are the least reliable thing."
"The Uzumaki Clan's crime was possessing a treasure. They had the strongest Sealing Technique in the Ninja World. Back then, the Great Nations were suffering miserably because of the Tailed Beasts in their own villages, which would go on rampages at the slightest provocation, causing massive casualties."
"Just look at Gaara from the Hidden Sand Village. A prestigious member of the Five Great Ninja Villages, yet they let their Tailed Beast go on a rampage so often—it's simply embarrassing."
"So, the Uzumaki Clan's Sealing Technique was a prize in their eyes. Even if Konoha had mobilized entirely back then, they couldn't have stopped them. They wouldn't have stopped until they achieved their goal."
"Furthermore, the Uzumaki Clan was arrogant. They were the only clan in the Ninja World to control an entire country. With their ancestral barriers, they were confident they wouldn't be breached by enemies."
"But at that time, Konoha had just gone through the Second Shinobi World War and didn't want to clash with other major nations at all."
"They could have joined Konoha; that would have solved it," Kenta interjected at the right moment.
"If they were going to join, they would have joined when the village was founded. They were allies of the Senju Clan back then. The First Hokage's wife was even the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, yet they still didn't join."
"In their view, wasn't it better to manage their own country? Why would they want to live under someone else's roof?"
"They considered themselves Konoha's die-hard allies. They had shed blood for Konoha during the First and Second Shinobi World Wars, thinking Konoha wouldn't just stand by and do nothing."
Aoki Yoru paused and looked at them with a serious expression. "They could have joined Konoha, but would the high-ranking officials and other clans have agreed?"
"Konoha's interests had long been carved up by the various clans. If they joined, other clans would definitely have to give up a piece of the pie."
"The Uzumaki Clan had been the Senju Clan's allies for a thousand years. If the two clans helped each other, their strength would make the higher-ups and other clans in Konoha feel despair."
"In the end, would Konoha be named Senju or Sarutobi?"
"To Konoha, the only use for the Uzumaki Clan was to serve as Jinchuriki."
"You must remember, this is the Ninja World. Everything revolves around interest. If you have no value, you'll be abandoned immediately."
Yui's expression changed, and she said worriedly to Aoki Yoru, "Then what about little Nao?"
Aoki Yoru smiled calmly. "Don't worry, Nao won't be a Jinchuriki."
Aoki Yoru knew the future developments; eventually, even the Tailed Beasts would be free.
Then Aoki Yoru turned to look at the crowd. Hyuga Hiashi, Nara Shikaku, and the heads of various clans had all arrived.
"Why did even the clan heads show up in person today? It's just the Ninja Academy opening; it wasn't like this in previous years."
Yui tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Of course. This class is the first since the Fifth Hokage took office. Every clan sent their school-aged children."
"Even if they aren't of age, they'll have the younger ones start school early, just like Nao."
Aoki Yoru was stunned for a moment upon hearing this, then suddenly realized. As Tsunade's first class of Ninja Academy students, they had to show support no matter what; otherwise, they'd be put on a blacklist later.
The Ninja clans were at least very thorough when it came to social graces.
Then Kenta also sighed, "That's also why I didn't squeeze my brother into Class 1. It almost entirely consists of children from Konoha's major Ninja clans. It's even more competitive than our year; my brother would definitely be the dead last if he went in."
Aoki Yoru rolled his eyes at him. This was looking down on the dead lasts. Bluntly speaking, those who stirred up the winds and clouds of the Ninja World were all dead lasts.
Not to mention others, just Uzumaki Naruto, Uchiha Obito, and Might Guy—three dead lasts—each at their peak could crush the Five Great Ninja Villages.
He patted Kenta's shoulder. "Kenta, don't look down on the dead lasts. They're all ruthless people. If I had younger siblings, I'd definitely send them to Class 1 to be the dead last. Just in case, you know?"
Kenta looked at Aoki Yoru in confusion. What kind of nonsense was this guy talking?