As the Third Hokage's speech came to an end, he announced, "Alright, the opening ceremony is over. Everyone, please head to your assigned classes based on the previous grouping."
Following the announcement, Kai Mitarashi opened the envelope handed to him earlier by a Chūnin.
"Class 1-A!?" he muttered to himself. Slowly, he made his way to the designated classroom.
Upon entering, he was greeted by many familiar faces—Kakashi Hatake, Kurenai Yūhi, Asuma Sarutobi, Obito Uchiha, Rin Nohara, Genma Shiranui, as well as Izumo Kamizuki and Kotetsu Hagane, who would later become the famous gatekeepers of Konoha.
"Class 1-A... Looks like this is what they call the elite class," Kai thought, observing the students around him.
Soon after, a ninja wearing a green flak jacket and a Konoha forehead protector entered the classroom and stood at the podium.
"Hello, everyone. My name is Takajirō. I'll be your instructor at the academy from now on. Let's start with introductions so you can get to know each other better. Share your hobbies, interests, and goals, if you'd like."
"Let's begin with Kakashi Hatake," Takajirō said, naturally calling Kakashi's name.
Kakashi walked up to the podium with a cool expression and said, "Kakashi Hatake. My hobby is practicing kenjutsu. I hate being interrupted during training. My goal is to become a ninja like my father." With that, he stepped down from the podium.
Whispers immediately filled the room:
"He's Kakashi Hatake, the son of the White Fang."
"I heard he already has the skills of a Genin."
"How is that possible? He's only five years old, just like us."
"Idiot, that's what my father told me. And my dad is a Chūnin!"
Next up was Kurenai Yūhi, who introduced herself with a smile:
"My name is Kurenai Yūhi. My hobby is arranging flowers. I don't have anything I particularly dislike. My best friends are Kai and Anko. My goal is to become a skilled genjutsu user."
Her introduction sparked another round of chatter:
"Kurenai Yūhi? She's so pretty."
"Yeah, if only she were my girlfriend."
"No way, she's obviously going to be mine!"
Then it was Kai's turn. Hearing his name called, he walked up to the podium, taking a moment to scan the faces of his classmates.
After a brief pause, he began, "Kai Mitarashi. I have many hobbies and dislikes. As for my goal..." Before he could finish, the room erupted in noise.
"Come on, isn't his only hobby just playing pranks?"
"Exactly! What a show-off. He's definitely going to be the class loser."
"Damn it! He's Kurenai's best friend? I'll make sure to teach him a lesson someday."
Unfazed but slightly annoyed, Kai raised his voice, "Can you let me finish my sentence?"
A surge of energy emanated from him, a manifestation of his Asura bloodline. The children, who were not yet trained as ninjas, felt a momentary mental shock. Even Kakashi's gaze toward Kai grew more serious.
Once the room quieted down, Kai nodded in satisfaction and continued, "As for my goal—or rather, a statement of fact—I, Kai Mitarashi, will become the strongest ninja in the entire shinobi world! I will surpass the First Hokage, surpass Uchiha Madara... and ultimately, surpass the Sage of Six Paths!"
Kai's declaration caused his reputation points to start climbing steadily: 53, 54, 55...
He couldn't help but feel exhilarated.
As for the potential dangers of being so high-profile? Kai wasn't concerned. As the sole male heir of the Mitarashi clan, anyone in Konoha who wanted to harm him would first have to consider whether they had the strength to confront the village's ANBU forces—and the courage to do so.
The saying "The tallest tree in the forest is the first to be felled"? Kai found it laughable. Just look at the shadow-level powerhouses of the shinobi world—none of them reached the pinnacle without enduring the trials of war.
After about half a minute of stunned silence, the classroom exploded into even louder chatter:
"What a joke! He's just spouting nonsense."
"Surpass the First Hokage? Dream on!"
"Yeah, right. I bet he won't even graduate from the academy."
Ignoring the noise, Kai stepped down from the podium and took a seat.
Sitting beside him, Kurenai didn't join the others in mocking him. Instead, she turned to him and said encouragingly, "Kai, I believe in you. You'll definitely become the strongest ninja."
"Of course. I believe in myself too," Kai replied with a grin.
Seeing Kai brimming with confidence, Kurenai's cheeks flushed red, leaving Kai a bit puzzled.
The classroom remained as noisy as a marketplace. Instructor Takajirō, clearly overwhelmed, struggled to restore order.
He knew all too well that each of these students had extraordinary backgrounds; otherwise, they wouldn't have been placed in the elite Class 1-A. As a mere Chūnin, he couldn't afford to offend any of them.
After a long effort, Takajirō finally managed to quiet the class.
Once silence was restored, he announced, "Alright, now that we've introduced ourselves, it's time for the entrance exam. The test will focus on one of the most fundamental ninja skills: shuriken throwing.
The student who scores the highest will temporarily hold the title of class leader. Prepare yourselves and meet at Training Ground No. 1 in thirty minutes."
"Class leader, huh? That's probably out of our league. Who do you think will take it?"
"Probably Kakashi Hatake. He's a genius, after all."
"I bet it'll be Asuma Sarutobi. He's the Hokage's son, after all."
Kai smirked to himself, thinking, "Class leader, huh? Since I've already declared my ambition to become the strongest ninja, this title is naturally mine. Besides, it's a perfect opportunity to boost my reputation."
At Training Ground No. 1, Kai surveyed the setup. Thirty meters away were targets fixed to several trees—some directly facing the students, others hanging at angles from branches, and even two positioned at zero degrees. The difficulty of hitting them was clearly high.
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