I had expected my entrance into the Academy to be uneventful. A simple walk into a classroom filled with other kids my age, a dull lecture, maybe a few introductory exercises… nothing out of the ordinary.
Instead, I was informed that I wouldn't be placed with the new students.
Apparently, my performance during the entrance tests had been impressive enough that the instructors saw no need to have me start from the very beginning.
Instead, they had placed me with the second-year students, children who already had a year of training ahead of me.
I wasn't surprised though. I had anticipated this as it was a possibility. But that didn't mean I wasn't a little irritated. I wasn't here to be a genius or anything who quickly climbs the ranks.
I was here to acquire as much knowledge as I can to ensure I don't lag behind much considering my civilian status.
Now, I had to deal with higher expectations right from the start.
Tsk.
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Short Info Dump(based on this Universe, not canon. It was never explained in canon.)
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The Shinobi Academy was designed to take children through six rigorous years of training, starting as early as age five and ending at eleven.
Upon graduation, students were officially recognized as Genin — the lowest rank of shinobi — and placed into three-man squads under a Jōnin instructor.
From there, they would carry out missions and continue training until they proved themselves capable of facing the Chūnin Exams.
The first two years were largely academic, focusing on the fundamentals: reading, writing, arithmetic, and history, all framed through a shinobi lens.
Every lesson had its own purpose — geography for battlefield awareness, mathematics for trajectory and resource management, and language for communication and code.
But the true core was chakra theory — understanding what chakra was, how it flowed, and how it could be molded.
Physical training was light during this stage, limited to stamina exercises and basic movement drills to prepare their still-developing bodies.
By the third year, the tone shifted. Students began weapon familiarization, learning to handle kunai and shuriken, and engaging in taijutsu sparring under supervision.
Physical training also began in earnest.
By the fourth year their training intensified.
They are taught the Shinobi Rules, given lectures by senior shinobi, and introduced to the concept of mission hierarchy, understanding their role as one piece of a larger system.
The fifth and sixth years were the true test, where the Academy separated potential from those unfit for active duty. Training intensified into full-day routines, combining physical endurance, chakra control, and mental resilience.
It was during these final stages that every student was expected to master the Three Foundational Techniques of the Shinobi:
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Now that I had been placed with the second years, I knew I couldn't afford to take things easy. If I wanted to keep up, I had to ensure that my efforts matched or exceeded those around me.
Afterall, they already had a headstart while I was still depending on Hoshino for books.
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…
Walking into my new classroom was a strange experience. It was one thing to know I'd be in an unfamiliar setting, but another to actually step into a room full of strangers.
"I guess this is a new life after all." I muttered to myself as I scanned through the classroom.
The students were a mix of clan heirs and civilian-born children, but even among the latter, many had family members who were or had been shinobi.
That meant I was at a disadvantage in terms of both theoretical and practical experience, though I doubted anyone here had put in as much structured effort into training as I had.
All of the faces were unfamiliar, though I recognized a few just from their appearance.
An Aburame sat in the corner, silent and reserved as ever.
A Nara lounged at his desk, already looking bored.
There was a Yamanaka girl chatting animatedly with an Akimichi boy, and a Hyūga seated stiffly at the front, his posture impressively perfect.
Then there were the civilians, those who had no bloodline advantages to fall back on. Unlike the clan heirs, they weren't exuding quiet confidence.
Some had this uncertain look in their eyes, a few looked determined and others… had that look of kids who thought this was all fun and games.
As for me, I couldn't place myself in any of the groups. That was the biggest difference between us. I wasn't here to play ninja. I was here to consume all the knowledge and experience that was privy to me.
As for the practical aspect, I doubt any of them had spent their time training as aggressively as I had. Still, I'm sure there'll be much to learn from them.
The instructor, a lean, sharp-eyed man named Matsuda-sensei, motioned for me to step forward.
"Introduce yourself to the class," he instructed.
I sighed internally before stepping forward.
"My name is Haruki Murakami," I began, keeping my tone even. "I was raised in the village orphanage and recently joined the Academy. I like reading, training, and challenging myself. I dislike people who waste my time."
I paused, considering my next words carefully.
"As for my dream… I have none."
That earned a few confused glances. A few students muttered among themselves.
Matsuda-sensei raised an eyebrow. "None?"
I shook my head. "Dreams are unreliable. I have a goal, not a dream. And that goal is to become strong enough that no one can stop me from achieving whatever dreams I dream up."
The reaction was immediate.
The Nara kid smirked slightly, clearly entertained. Tch.
The Hyūga frowned, his expression unreadable but clearly disapproving. I don't blame him considering his clan's dynamics.
The Yamanaka girl whispered something to the Akimichi, who only shrugged.
The civilians had mixed expressions, some thoughtful, others unimpressed.
A boy sitting near the back scoffed. "Edgy much?"
Good. Let them react however they want. I wasn't here to impress anyone.
Matsuda-sensei studied me for a moment before nodding. "Very well. Take a seat."
And that…I did.
…
The first lecture of the day was a review of chakra fundamentals. At first, I thought it was for my benefit, but as Matsuda-sensei continued, I realized he was simply reinforcing past lessons for everyone.
Matsuda-sensei drew a diagram on the board, explaining how chakra was formed by mixing physical and spiritual energy. He covered the concept of hand seals, the five elemental affinities, and the importance of control.
Most of this was already familiar to me.
However, it was useful to hear it structured this way. The Academy's curriculum wasn't as basic as I had assumed, there were layers to how they built their teachings, ensuring that even those with no prior knowledge could keep up.
After the lecture, we moved on to basic taijutsu drills.
I was partnered with a clanless boy named Daichi, who, for some reason, seemed eager to prove himself.
Fucking kids I tell ya.
The moment the teacher gave the "start" signal, he lunged at me recklessly, his movements were aggressive but unrefined.
I didn't even have to strain myself too much to dodge his punches, and using minimal effort to redirect his attacks without attacking.
In less than 5 minutes, he was panting. I wasn't.
And I hadn't even made a single attack.
Some of the clan kids were watching now, clearly taking note.
As expected.
It seemed my training had paid off.
Putting strength to my legs, I kicked off the ground and was instantly behind Daichi and with a quick chop to his neck, he was down unconscious.
Well, I kept my skill level to the level of an average person…hopefully.
…
Once classes ended for the day, I met up with my friends near the Academy's entrance.
Hmm? Did I just call them friends? Gah.
Aiko was the first to greet me, arms crossed, an unimpressed expression on her face. "So, you ditched us for the second years, huh?"
Kazu grinned. "Did you get beaten up yet?"
Renji smirked. "Bet they don't like your attitude."
I sighed. "You're all idiots."
Aiko rolled her eyes. "Tch. Figures."
"So?" Kazu pressed. "How was it?"
I shrugged. "Manageable. The material isn't difficult, and the students are competent but not overwhelming."
Aiko snorted. "Figures. You're annoyingly prepared."
What do you know? When you fail to prepare, you're preparing yourself to fail. It's that simple.
Renji raised an eyebrow. "What did they make you do?"
I gave them a brief rundown—introductions, chakra theory, taijutsu drills.
Aiko seemed mildly interested in the chakra lesson, while Kazu fixated on my sparring session. "So, you didn't lose once?"
I shook my head.
Kazu clicked his tongue and pouted. "Boring."
Aiko rolled her eyes at him. "Unlike you, Murakami actually trains. You should try it sometime."
"Look who's talking." Kazu glanced disdainfully at her and huffed. "Training is fine. But pranks are more fun."
I sighed. "You're going to fail out of the Academy at this rate."
Kazu grinned. "Not if I cheat my way through it."
Renji chuckled. "At least he's honest about it."
As we made our way back to the orphanage, I listened to their stories about their own first day.
Aiko had already gotten into an argument with one of her instructors over a "stupidly inefficient" explanation of chakra.
Like… how does she even know what's efficient and what's not.
Kazu had pulled a prank on a classmate and nearly gotten caught, he only managed to escape punishment by vehemently denying any relationship to the prank.
As long as there was no evidence, he didn't do it. Good things he's learning.
Hmm? Does this count as learning in the wrong direction? I paused for a moment and thought about it before shrugging.
Better safe than sorry.
As for Renji, he had managed to sleep through half of his lesson and still managed to answer a question correctly.
Same idiots. Different setting.
And just like that, our new lives as Academy students had begun.
…