Here's the fully polished version of Chapter 16 – Classmates:
"Where the leaves dance, the fire burns on…"
With the arrival of the Third Hokage, that iconic speech naturally couldn't be left out.
Even though he was about to step down, Hiruzen Sarutobi still gave his all to spread his ideology. Truly, he had mastered the Will of Fire.
And, it had to be said—Hiruzen's approach was remarkably effective. After that eloquent, heart-stirring address, nearly every ninja present looked deeply moved.
Especially the young ones about to enroll in the Ninja Academy—their faces flushed with excitement, as if they couldn't wait to inherit the "Will of Fire" the Hokage had so passionately described.
Even the shinobi who had just returned from the battlefield couldn't help but applaud him.
Yes, this was the same Hiruzen Sarutobi whose weakness had turned their hard-won victory into something of a joke. But still, the Will of Fire he preached had this mysterious power—it could make even battle-hardened ninjas with barely a primary-school education feel touched, inspired… even fooled.
Even Uchiha Fugaku—one of the people most targeted by Hiruzen—was nodding in approval, completely unaware of anything else.
Riku could only stare blankly at the scene.
Looking at young Itachi, whose eyes shone with admiration, Riku leaned over and whispered, "Itachi, do you think the Will of Fire is amazing? Do you want to inherit it?"
"Of course. The Will of Fire is something every Konoha ninja should have, I—"
Itachi began confidently, but when he saw it was Riku talking to him, his small brows immediately furrowed into a deep, suspicious scowl.
The rest of his words were swallowed back. He looked at Riku like he was staring at trouble incarnate. "What are you up to this time?"
"What am I up to? Nothing! Just trying to have a little discussion about the Will of Fire. After all, that's the Third Hokage's greatest skill, right?"
Riku's tone held an obvious undertone, but Itachi completely missed the implication—or maybe he misunderstood it entirely.
"Indeed! Hokage-sama's Will of Fire is Konoha's greatest strength. Without his guidance, our village wouldn't be this prosperous."
Itachi spoke seriously, eyes full of conviction. You could practically see Hiruzen's speech still echoing in his mind.
Riku let out a long, silent sigh.
There was no doubt now—this Will of Fire was the strongest "genjutsu" ever invented by the Third Hokage. Even the prodigy Itachi Uchiha had fallen for it without realizing.
It was terrifying—a mass-hypnosis version of Kotoamatsukami!
How many heroes, how many talented shinobi had been sacrificed under the banner of that same Will of Fire?
Thinking of all the so-called "inheritors" who had died for that ideal—and those who soon would—Riku couldn't help but admire Hiruzen's power in his heart.
The old man truly was a monster.
So, Riku wisely kept a low profile. He put on an expression of fervent admiration, matching the faces of the other children around him.
When it came to acting, Hyuga Riku was no less terrifying than the Hokage himself.
After making his grand appearance at the Academy, the Third Hokage soon departed. The war had only recently ended, and the village still demanded his attention.
The other ninjas, reassured after seeing their children safely enrolled, also began to leave.
The first day at the Ninja Academy was simple—class assignments, then introductions.
As expected, all the elite clan children ended up in Class 1. A few talented civilian kids were mixed in as well, but the main lineup was a who's who of Konoha's great families.
Naturally, both the Uchiha and Hyuga clans were represented.
Which meant, of course, that Riku "coincidentally" became Itachi's classmate.
He still remembered the look of utter despair on Itachi's face when they locked eyes in the classroom. It had been priceless.
And, in the name of "building friendship" and "mutual growth," Riku even traded seats with Itachi's original desk partner—so the two of them ended up sitting side by side.
From that moment, Itachi slumped over his desk like a defeated salted fish.
He only perked up again when the teacher arrived.
Their instructor was Sarutobi Gen'on, a man in his thirties with a calm demeanor. He quickly brought the room to order and began the usual first-day ritual.
"Alright everyone," he said warmly, "let's start by introducing ourselves. I'll go first as an example."
"My name is Sarutobi Gen'on, from the Sarutobi Clan. My dream is to train the next Hokage. My hobbies are drinking tea and reading books."
As soon as he finished, the class erupted into chatter.
The children's energy was boundless. Many raised their hands eagerly, desperate to go next. Gen'on had to wave his hands and insist they go in order by seat.
The first to speak was a little girl in the front row with face paint and a sharp voice. "My name is Inuzuka Kei, from the Inuzuka Clan! I like raising dogs, and I hate people who don't respect them! My dream is to raise the strongest ninja dog in the world!"
Her confident tone drew applause from the class.
That broke the ice. One by one, the others followed.
"My name's Yamanaka Ning, from the Yamanaka Clan! I like flowers and plants. My dream is to become a strong kunoichi like Lady Tsunade!"
Then came a round-faced boy who spoke with gusto. "Akimichi Michiteru, from the Akimichi Clan. My hobby's eating. My favorite food's grilled meat. My dream? To have an endless supply of food!"
The room burst into laughter.
Next came a boy with sleepy eyes who sighed before speaking. "Nara Kō, from the Nara Clan. I don't really have hobbies. I hate anything troublesome. My dream is to be a salted fish nobody bothers."
The class roared again.
Even Teacher Gen'on looked a bit taken aback. One glutton, one slacker—was this really the new generation of Konoha's future ninjas?
Still, he chose not to scold them. It was the first day, after all.
The introductions continued. Most were more ordinary—kids with normal dreams like "become Hokage" or "protect my friends." The civilian children, in particular, all seemed inspired by one person.
"The Yellow Flash," Riku thought with a faint smirk. "Minato's popularity among civilians really has surpassed even the Hokage's."
Soon it was the turn of Riku's fellow Hyuga—and technically, his "senior"—Hyuga Sōtai.
Sōtai looked a bit nervous in the new environment. After glancing briefly at Riku (who sat smugly beside Itachi), he took a deep breath and steadied himself.
"My name is Hyuga Sōtai, from the Hyuga Main House. My hobby is earning my grandfather's approval, and my dream is to become a strong person like him."
A few students tilted their heads, curious about who his grandfather was. But since Sōtai didn't elaborate, they quickly lost interest.
Riku, however, narrowed his eyes slightly.
Sōtai was still Sōtai—forever living in someone else's shadow.
To aspire to become another person was, in truth, a form of surrender. A lack of self-confidence. A sign of submission.
In that sense, Sōtai was pitiful.
Riku stopped paying attention to the next few speeches. He'd already read the pattern.
Finally, it was Itachi's turn.
The five-year-old prodigy stood up, calm and composed beyond his years.
"My name is Uchiha Itachi, from the Uchiha Clan," he said evenly. "I won't talk about my hobbies, but I will share my dream—to become someone who can truly understand the Will of Fire."
The room went silent for a moment, then filled with applause.
Riku was the first to clap—loudly, enthusiastically, even a bit too much. The others followed his lead.
But as the sound of applause echoed, Itachi found himself glancing sideways at Riku's exaggerated expression.
For some reason, his confidence wavered.
Why did it suddenly feel like his speech sounded… a little ridiculous?