"I never thought I'd end up becoming a teacher by not becoming a teacher," Takuya Hayashi muttered in his mind with a hint of resignation as he sorted through his newly acquired memories.
Somehow, he just couldn't escape the fate of becoming a teacher.
Back in high school, he had been one of the better students in the art class, so classmates often came to him for help.
That's when the nickname "Mr. Hayashi" started. When it came time for college applications, he ended up slipping into a teacher's college due to bad luck in the selection process.
His family encouraged him to pick a strong education major. During college, he tutored his roommates, and once again, the nickname "Mr. Hayashi" resurfaced.
But to everyone's surprise, when graduation came around, Takuya rebelled.
He took the civil service exam and got a government job, ditching the idea of becoming a teacher altogether.
Yet on the very first day of his new job, just as he stepped into the office, everything changed. In the blink of an eye, he was transported to another world—specifically, into the body of a new teacher arriving at the Ninja Academy.
Now, his name was still Takuya, but his surname had changed to Hoshino. Different name, same fate.
Sigh... This world is anything but safe. Too many lunatics, obsessives, and monsters—and all of them are strong as hell, he thought bitterly as he scanned his surroundings.
The office looked eerily similar to the teacher's lounge back in his old life—except for the casually placed kunai knives on the desk. That was a brutal reminder: this wasn't the peaceful world he knew.
What really pissed him off, though, was that he wasn't just a teacher. He was also a ROOT ninja.
The original owner of this body had been raised by ROOT since childhood, an orphan trained from the start. Danzo himself had ordered his assignment to the Academy—to keep an eye on students and report back on any emerging geniuses.
Serving under that bastard Danzo is never a good thing…
As Takuya pondered how to survive in this dangerous world, a cold, emotionless mechanical voice suddenly echoed in his mind, and a translucent blue panel appeared in front of his eyes.
『Teacher System activated. Congratulations, you are now officially a teacher.』
『Delivering lessons will earn rewards. The more outstanding the student, the greater the reward.』
『You may take talented students as personal disciples for one-on-one training. As they grow stronger, you will also be rewarded.』
『Note: Both teacher and student must agree for the apprenticeship to be valid.』
Takuya quickly explored the panel. Only two options were available for now—"Profile" and "Mentorship." He opened his profile.
Name: Hoshino Takuya
Age: 18
Chakra: 4300
Skills: Clone Jutsu, Great Fireball Jutsu, Phoenix Fire Jutsu, Body Flicker Technique, Leaf Style Taijutsu
Evaluation: An elite among Chunin. In wartime, he'd be a useful—but still expendable—soldier.
That last line stung a little. Grimacing, he closed his profile and opened the Mentorship tab. It was empty—no students yet.
When the school bell rang, signaling class was about to start, Takuya grabbed his things and headed to the classroom.
Despite being new, he was already a homeroom teacher due to a staff shortage. His class? The incoming first-years.
Scanning the roster, he recognized several familiar names—Anko Mitarashi, Koutetsu Hagane, Izumo Kamizuki… future Gatekeepers of Konoha.
Then his eyes landed on one name that made him perk up: Shisui Uchiha. A prodigy. If disciples brought rewards, then the more talented, the better.
Taking a moment to put on a warm, sunny smile, Takuya entered the classroom.
The room fell silent.
The kids, most of them five or six years old, were attending their first day of school. They stared at him with a mix of curiosity and awe—he was a real ninja, after all.
But one student broke the silence. A purple-haired girl in the front row with a single ponytail said boldly, "Big bro, you're really handsome. Are you our teacher?"
Takuya smiled and replied, "That's right, pretty little one. I'm your new homeroom teacher."
"Hehe," the girl giggled, instantly warming up to this golden-haired man.
The rest of the class relaxed after seeing their interaction. So the teacher wasn't scary after all.
Takuya walked to the chalkboard and wrote his full name.
"I'm Hoshino Takuya. Starting today, I'll be your teacher. I look forward to teaching all of you."
"Yay! Teacher, I'm Anko Mitarashi!" the purple-haired girl shouted again.
With her leading the way, the others followed suit. Even Shisui responded politely. But Takuya's heart sank slightly—the system didn't register any new disciples. Looks like just acknowledging him as teacher wasn't enough to game the system.
Keeping his disappointment off his face, he gestured for everyone to quiet down.
"Before we start, let me ask you a question: Do you know how Konoha was founded?"
The class fell silent. Some students looked around nervously.
Shisui knew a bit, thanks to clan teachings, but he wasn't one to speak unless asked directly.
"It was built by people!" Anko blurted out.
"Well, yes, people built it," Takuya chuckled, "but do you know who built it, and why?"
He continued, "Before the Hidden Villages, the world was in a constant state of war. Even kids your age were forced to fight. Battles were everywhere…"
His voice dropped, heavy with the weight of history. The children's expressions grew solemn, the room sinking into quiet respect.
"Then, two clans stepped forward—the Senju and the Uchiha."
"I know this one! The First Hokage was a Senju!" a student cried out excitedly.
Shisui, sitting in silence, felt a twinge of disappointment. No one mentioned the Uchiha. Why did they always get overshadowed?
Takuya pressed on, "To protect their families and ensure future generations didn't have to live with bloodshed, the two clans founded Konoha together. Others joined, and the warring era came to an end. That's how the Village Hidden in the Leaves was born."
"Wherever the leaves dance, the fire burns bright. The flames will continue to light the village and help the new leaves grow."
"This—this spirit of selfless sacrifice—is the Will of Fire."
Takuya finished with a serious expression, as if still mourning the brave souls who built the village.
He hoped Shisui appreciated a teacher who understood history and the meaning behind it.
"I had no idea Konoha had such a story. I'm gonna bow to the Hokage Rock next time I pass by!"
"I want to be a ninja of the Will of Fire too!"
The kids were fired up now, eyes shining with passion and admiration for the village founders.
Even Shisui was moved. Maybe this teacher wasn't like the others. Maybe there was something worth learning here after all.
Takuya smiled. "Now, does anyone know how many chakra natures there are?"
"Five! Water, Earth, Wind, Lightning, and Fire!" a student called out confidently.
"Close. In total, there are seven. Five basic ones, plus Yin and Yang as special transformations."
By correcting them after a guess, he ensured the knowledge stuck deeper.
He went on to explain the basics of chakra, slipping in the occasional joke to make the kids laugh.
Before anyone realized it, four periods had flown by.
"Class dismissed. Tomorrow, we'll talk about chakra refinement!" Takuya announced with a smile.
The kids blinked. Already? That felt so fast… Then they realized four bells had rung already. They'd just been too engrossed.
"I can't wait to refine chakra!" Anko was practically vibrating with excitement.
Her family weren't ninja, so this was all new to her.
"My cousin said school was boring. I'm totally telling Auntie he's been sneaking snacks!" Koutetsu huffed.
"You should blackmail him for half his stash," Izumo offered calmly.
Koutetsu's eyes lit up. "Brilliant. I'll split it with you!"
As Takuya left the room, Shisui stood and followed silently.
『Lecture complete. Calculating results…』
『Evaluation: A』
『You used historical storytelling to ignite a sense of duty and excitement. Your lesson was engaging, interactive, and well-received.』
『Rewards calculating…』