Chapter 6 — The Harsh Truth for Civilian Genin
The civilian genin were led into a narrow stone hallway behind the Academy.
No cheering families.
No sunlight.
Only flickering lamps and the smell of dust.
Kazuma and Tenzo stood among the other civilian-born students. Some hugged their arms nervously, others whispered to themselves, trying to calm down. They all knew something was different for them… but not how different.
A chunin slid the door shut behind him.
Thud.
The sound echoed like a warning.
He wore the standard vest, but deep claw-like scars cut across the fabric. His headband plate was scratched so deeply that the leaf symbol almost faded. His eyes looked tired—eyes of someone who survived too much.
He inhaled slowly.
"Alright, listen up. I'll be blunt. None of you are getting a jonin-sensei."
A wave of murmuring broke out.
Kazuma felt his stomach tighten.
The chunin raised a hand for silence.
"Konoha is weak right now. We don't have enough capable jonin to spare for training every fresh genin. So I'll explain why."
He began pacing the small hallway.
"First—the Third Great Ninja War. We lost many of our best shinobi. The Uchiha military forces, major Hyuga branch fighters, special jonin units… too many died."
Kazuma listened carefully.
"But the biggest blow came on the night of the Nine-Tails attack."
He paused.
The hallway went dead silent.
"The Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, died sealing the Kyuubi. His wife, Kushina Uzumaki, died too. They were two of Konoha's greatest weapons."
Even the nervous kids fell quiet at the weight of those words.
"And that same night," he continued, "ANBU, jonin, medical corps, sealing teams… dozens upon dozens died fighting the monster. Konoha bled more in one night than in entire years of war."
Then his expression darkened.
"And Orochimaru's defection weakened us further. We lost an entire research division, secret jutsu knowledge, and several loyal shinobi who followed him or were assassinated."
He folded his arms.
"With all this… we simply don't have enough elite shinobi left to train every new genin. Clan heirs get priority. Civilian-born shinobi must prove themselves first."
Kazuma grit his teeth.
But the chunin wasn't finished.
"There's another reason. A new threat. Something far worse than normal bandits."
He lowered his voice.
"The Black Market Alliance."
Many students gulped.
Kazuma leaned forward slightly.
The chunin continued:
"This group started small—just a trading hub for missing-nin. But now? They're strong enough to rival a small Hidden Village."
He began listing on his fingers:
"—Elite jonin-level missing-nin
—C-rank and B-rank mercenary units
—Rogue clan members
—Criminal scientists
—Smugglers
—Highly trained bandit corps
—Unknown bloodline holders
—Even a few S-rank monsters working in the shadows"
Gasps spread through the room.
"They have three confirmed leaders. Each of them is suspected to be Kage-level or near it. And yes — at least one of them has personal hatred toward Konoha."
Kazuma's breath froze for a moment.
"The worst part," the chunin continued, tone grim, "is that enemy countries fund them with money and weapons. Why? Because attacking Konoha directly is risky… but supporting this group is safe."
He kept talking:
"Recent caravan raids?
Increased bandit attacks near the Fire borders?
Random missing-nin appearing out of nowhere?
Smuggled chakra weapons?"
He pointed at the group.
"That's all because of the Black Market Alliance."
Tenzo whispered, "Brother… this is worse than I imagined."
Kazuma nodded slightly.
Inside, he felt something cold settle inside his chest.
The chunin sighed and rubbed his forehead.
"Because of this, genin-level missions aren't safe anymore. Even D-rank courier routes can end up being attacked by rogue ninjas with stolen jutsu."
He looked around the room directly.
"That's why you civilians won't get jonin teams. Konoha needs every strong shinobi at the frontlines, not babysitting new recruits."
The final blow came last:
"You will receive your orders tomorrow morning. Some of you will be sent to border posts. Some to supply camps. Some might join temporary squads under a chunin leader. Some may even be sent alone."
Several kids trembled.
Some swallowed fearfully.
Kazuma clenched his jaw.
So civilians get thrown straight into the fire…
Tenzo whispered again, "Brother… looks like our real training starts now."
Kazuma didn't answer.
He just stared forward with sharp, determined eyes.