The Ninja Academy aptitude test had taken place a few days earlier, and the results were no surprise to the Haruno family.
Sakura passed with a terrifyingly perfect academic score. Her initial chakra control and theoretical knowledge already made her stand out as an exemplary student, even coming from a civilian family.
Matsuri, on the other hand, passed in a much quieter, yet equally efficient manner. In the physical test, his precise movements and unusual agility secured his spot easily. He didn't use brute force; instead, he relied on a calculated economy of energy, based on what he internally called his Interception Style.
Now, they were finally here. The official first day of class.
As they entered the large amphitheater-style classroom, the contrast between the Haruno twins drew immediate stares.
Sakura radiated energy. Wearing her red dress and bright pink hair, she quickly spotted her childhood friend—and now declared rival—Ino Yamanaka. Sparks flew between their eyes, a tension that only escalated when Sakura located the reason for their dispute: a boy with spiky black hair sitting isolated in one of the middle rows.
Sasuke Uchiha. The prodigy. The heir.
In a matter of seconds, Sakura and Ino were sprinting up the steps, shoving each other to see who would sit next to the brooding boy who barely even glanced their way.
"Out of my way, Ino-pig! I was here first!" Sakura yelled, her 'Inner Sakura' likely punching the air with excitement.
Matsuri just sighed beneath the dark mask covering the lower half of his face. He preferred to ignore his sister's drama and focus on the environment.
His eccentric appearance did not go unnoticed. A civilian child dressed like a mini-Anbu, wearing a mask identical to Kakashi Hatake's, carrying a short wooden sword on his back and two exotic three-pronged kunais strapped to his leg.
"Who is that guy?" a boy with face paint whispered to a chubby classmate who was munching on potato chips. Kiba, who was sitting further back, just smiled, already familiar with his training buddy's eccentricities.
Matsuri walked up the steps calmly, ignoring the whispers. Using his Nature Breathing superficially, he controlled his heartbeat and footsteps, nullifying almost all the sound of his soles touching the wooden floor. It was a habit he was trying to make second nature.
He analyzed his seating options. Sitting in the front meant being a constant target for the teachers. Sitting in the middle meant being in the center of chaos, surrounded by the Uchiha's loud fangirls.
His eyes swept the back of the room. There was an almost empty row. At the far end of it, leaning over the desk with a mixed expression of boredom and sadness, was a blonde boy with whisker marks on his cheeks and flashy orange clothes.
Naruto Uzumaki.
The other children avoided sitting near him, instigated by the poisonous whispers of their civilian and shinobi parents who knew the secret of the fox.
Matsuri didn't feel pity, but he had pragmatism and a moral compass untainted by the village's prejudice. Besides, the back rows offered the best panoramic view of the room—the perfect spot for a sensor and support ninja in training.
With inaudible steps, Matsuri approached and sat two seats away from Naruto, near the window. The blonde boy lifted his head, surprised that someone had chosen to sit in the same row as him, but Matsuri merely gave a slight, respectful nod before turning his gaze to the front of the room.
Naruto blinked in confusion, but a small, almost imperceptible smile formed on the corner of his mouth before he rested his head back on the desk.
While the commotion among the girls around Sasuke continued, Matsuri closed his eyes.
I managed to get in, he thought. But I can't kid myself.
Despite having conceptualized his Interception Style and Nature Breathing, Matsuri was fully aware of his own reality. His techniques were still embryonic. They were just ideas and theories he had forced his small body to practice, but they lacked polish.
He had never trained in Konoha's traditional katas. He didn't know how to truly fight against a human opponent trained in Ninjutsu or Taijutsu. His creations needed a solid foundation to stand on.
Matsuri's goal at the Academy wasn't to show off, but to absorb. He wanted to learn the canonical academy stances, the standard flow of chakra, and fuse that with his physical control and deep breathing techniques. He needed to eliminate any wasted energy in his movements. If he didn't have Naruto's monstrous chakra pool or Sasuke's Sharingan, his only advantage would be lethal efficiency.
The loud bang of the sliding door slamming open pulled Matsuri from his thoughts.
The room fell into dead silence.
At the front of the blackboard stood a young man with a horizontal scar across his nose, wearing the standard Konoha Chunin flak jacket. He held a clipboard and had a strict yet kind look in his eyes.
"Quiet, all of you! Take your seats immediately!" Iruka Umino's voice echoed through the room, carrying the authority of an experienced shinobi.
The children scrambled to their seats. Sakura, unfortunately defeated in the war for the seat next to Sasuke, ended up sitting one row in front of him.
"Welcome to the Konoha Ninja Academy," Iruka began, sweeping his gaze over all the students. His eyes paused for a second on Naruto, filled with a conflict Matsuri knew well, before scanning the rest of the room.
When Iruka's eyes met Matsuri at the back of the class—dressed like a miniature tactical operative with a sword on his back—the teacher blinked twice in surprise. But, being a professional, Iruka simply cleared his throat and continued.
"My name is Iruka Umino. From today on, I will be the instructor responsible for forging you. Some of you come from proud, noble clans, others from hardworking civilian families. But the moment you stepped into this room, you are all equal. You are the seeds of the Will of Fire."
Matsuri observed the classroom. Sasuke kept his hands clasped in front of his face, exuding arrogance and isolation. Naruto was scribbling on his desk, trying to pretend he didn't care about the words. Sakura was paying attention religiously.
We are all equal? Matsuri thought, a cynical smile hidden beneath his dark cloth mask. What a comforting lie, Iruka-sensei. But that's fine. I will use this academy to forge my theories into a weapon that not even the bloodlines will be able to ignore.
Iruka picked up his clipboard. "Let's start the roll call. Aburame Shino..."
The journey had officially begun, and Matsuri was exactly where he needed to be: in the shadows, observing, learning, and sharpening his own blade.
[Author's Note] Hello everyone, I hope you are enjoying Matsuri's journey! Writing and planning each chapter takes a lot of time, dedication, and effort (even more so dealing with hand pain from the keyboard!). If you like my work, believe in the potential of this story, and want to encourage me to keep posting frequently, please consider supporting me with any amount. Every bit of help makes a huge difference and motivates me a lot! ☕ To support (PIX[Mercado Pago] or PayPal): [email protected] Thank you so much for reading, commenting, and for all the support! ❤️