"I never thought I'd graduate from a Teacher Training and skip teaching—only to transmigrate and become a teacher anyway." After sorting out his new memories, Hayate vented silently, full of resignation.
He really seemed fated to be linked to the word "teacher."
Back in high school he'd been one of the better students in the arts class, so classmates constantly asked him questions and nicknamed him "Teacher Moon." Then every college application he'd filled missed its first choices until he slid straight into a teachers university. On family advice he picked the university's flagship education major, and in college he tutored his roommates—earning the nickname "Teacher Moon" all over again.
To everyone's shock, when graduation rolled around Hayate rebelled: he sat the civil-service exam and took a government post instead of teaching.
What floored him even more was that on his very first day, the instant he stepped through his office door, he transmigrated—becoming a brand-new teacher walking into the Ninja Academy office.
His new body's name was Hayate Mugetsu; the given name was still Mugetsu, only the surname had changed.
"Sigh… this is not a safe world. Lunatics and obsessive psychos are everywhere—and they're terrifyingly strong." Mugetsu sighed inwardly.
He casually scanned the office; apart from the sharp Kunai strewn across the desks it looked much like a teachers office from his old life—yet those blades told him this was no longer the peaceful country he'd known.
What really made Mugetsu want to curse was that he wasn't just a teacher—he was a Root Ninja as well!
The original body had been an orphan groomed by Root since childhood. The reason he'd become an academy teacher was Danzo's order: observe and record the students, watching for any geniuses that appeared.
"Serving under the Shadow-Hokage is definitely not a cozy gig…"
While Mugetsu was pondering how to survive in this dangerous world, a cold mechanical voice suddenly rang in his mind and a translucent blue panel popped up before his eyes.
[Teacher System activated. Congratulations—you have become a teacher!]
[Deliver lessons to gain rewards; the stronger your students, the greater the rewards.]
[You may take outstanding students as personal disciples for one-on-one guidance; whenever a disciple grows stronger, the teacher receives rewards.]
[PS: disciple contracts require mutual consent—no one-sided claiming allowed.]
Mugetsu studied the blue panel. Right now it showed only two options: Personal Template and Disciples. He tapped Personal Template.
[Name: Hayate Mugetsu]
[Age: 18]
[Chakra: 4300]
[Skills: Three Body Technique, Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique, Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire Technique, Body Flicker Technique, Konoha-Style Taijutsu]
[Evaluation: Elite among Chunin—slightly more useful cannon-fodder in wartime.]
After reading the painful evaluation Mugetsu quietly closed the panel and opened the Disciples option; since he had yet to take any disciples it was completely blank.
When the bell rang, Mugetsu remembered he had first-period class, so he gathered his things and headed for the classroom.
Though he was a new teacher, with the academy chronically short-staffed he'd also been made homeroom teacher for a class of freshmen.
Mugettu skimmed the roster and spotted several familiar names.
There was Anko Mitarashi, plus the future "Konoha Gate Guards," Kotetsu Hagane and Izumo Kamizuki.
When he saw Uchiha Shisui's name his eyes lit up—this was a bona-fide prodigy.
Since a teacher gained rewards when disciples grew stronger, the more talented the disciple the better.
Before entering the classroom Mugetsu adjusted his expression, stepping inside with a radiant, sun-like smile.
The academy classroom had a distinctive design: each successive row of seats rose a step higher than the one in front, ensuring even back-row students could see clearly.
Mugetsu's arrival hushed the previously noisy room.
After all, they were only five- or six-year-olds in their very first school experience; most regarded Ninja teachers with a mix of curiosity and awe.
Of course there were exceptions—a Purple-haired girl in a Ponytail sitting front row spoke up the moment Mugetsu walked in:
"Big brother, you're really good-looking! Are you our teacher?"
Mugetsu smiled and nodded. "That's right, little beauty—I'm your homeroom teacher from now on."
"Hehe." Being called pretty made the Purple-haired girl instantly decide this blond teacher must be a good person.
Seeing their interaction relaxed the other students; although it was their first day, they'd all heard relatives complain about scary teachers.
Mugetsu strode to the blackboard, wrote his full name in chalk, then turned to formally introduce himself.
"My name is Hayate Mugetsu. Starting today I'm your teacher. Let's all get along, everyone."
"Yay! Teacher, I'm Anko Mitarashi!" The Purple-haired girl was first to respond.
With Anko leading, the rest chimed in one after another; even Shisui greeted him politely.
Mugetsu felt a twinge of disappointment when the system registered nothing; he'd hoped calling himself their teacher might let him "bug" his way into counting Shisui as a disciple—no such luck.
He kept his feelings off his face, and after everyone finished introducing themselves he raised a hand to signal quiet.
"Before we start the lesson, let me ask—does anyone know how Konoha was founded?"
The classroom fell silent again in an instant; everyone looked at each other, unsure how to respond.
Shisui, who had already received the clan's education, knew a little, but he disliked the spotlight and wouldn't speak unless called on.
"People built it," Anko answered after a moment's thought.
"Indeed people built it, but what you need to understand is who exactly founded Konoha and why they established it." Muzuki didn't deny Anko's words and continued from there.
"Before the era of the shinobi Villages came the war-torn Warring States Period. In that era, even children your age might have to take up arms and slaughter one another; brutal war could break out at any moment…"
As he spoke of this cruel history, Muzuki's voice dropped, placing the harsh realities of the Warring States Period directly before the students.
Perhaps because children of the Ninja World mature early, or because this is Konoha, many sensed the weight of the tale, and the classroom's atmosphere shifted.
"At that time, two clans stepped forward: the Senju Clan and the Uchiha Clan." Muzuki's tone shifted slightly, rising from somber to impassioned.
"I know, I know—the First Hokage, Lord Hashirama, was a Senju!" When Muzuki mentioned the Senju, the students below immediately felt involved; they knew little of the Warring States Period, but they knew the Senju.
Hearing everyone focus on the Senju while ignoring the Uchiha, Shisui felt a pang of disappointment; he couldn't understand why, when both were founding clans of Konoha.
"To protect the younger generations of their clans and so that children would never again have to take up arms, the two clans joined forces to build Konoha, drawing in still more shinobi clans and finally ending the Warring States Period—giving rise to the Konoha we know today."
"Where the leaves of the tree dance, the fire of the Will burns eternal. The flames will continue to light the Village and let new leaves sprout."
"It is because our forebears fought and sacrificed without fear that we exist today, that we have the Ninja Academy. This spirit of selfless devotion is The Will of Fire of Konoha!" When he finished, Muzuki's expression was solemn, as if still mourning those ancestors.
He thought that Shisui would surely be interested in a teacher who understood history and The Will of Fire.
"So that's how Konoha came to be; next time I pass the Hokage Monument I'll definitely bow in respect."
"I'm going to become a Ninja of The Will of Fire and protect Konoha!"
The students' minds were already painting pictures of forebears fighting and bleeding to win them this homeland; fired up, they declared they would follow those examples.
Shisui's eyes brightened as well; this teacher seemed special, and he began to look forward to his life at the Ninja Academy.
Originally he'd heard elders say the Academy only taught what the clan had already covered, and he'd planned to graduate early and help in the Police Force; now it seemed that wasn't entirely true.
"So, does anyone know how many Chakra Natures there are?"
"Five—Water, Earth, Wind, Lightning, and Fire," a student from a Ninja family quickly replied.
"Not quite. There are seven Chakra Natures. Besides the five basic transformations, there are also the two special ones: Yin and Yang." Muzuki smiled as he corrected them.
Asking first and then correcting left a deeper impression on the students.
Muzuki then began explaining the basics of Chakra, interjecting little jokes that made the children laugh.
Time flew; in the blink of an eye four periods had passed, and when the bell rang Muzuki stopped and smiled.
"Class dismissed. Tomorrow we'll cover Chakra refinement!"
Muzuki announced the end of class in his straightforward way and gave a preview of the next lesson.
When they heard "class dismissed," the students froze, thinking, Hadn't we just started? Then they recalled they'd already gone through four periods.
Thanks to Muzuki's guidance, they'd been focused yet relaxed, so they hadn't noticed the time slip by.
"Chakra refinement—can't wait," Anko murmured, eager to jump straight to tomorrow.
None of her family were Ninja, so she'd never been exposed to such knowledge beforehand.
"Classes are actually fun. My Cousin lied and said school would be torture; when I get back I'll tell Aunt he's been stealing money for snacks," Kotetsu grumbled, feeling almost duped.
"Why not blackmail him into giving you the snacks instead?" Izumo Kamizuki offered from the side.
Kotetsu's eyes lit up; he slapped Izumo's shoulder in revelation.
"Brilliant plan, bro. If it works, I'll split the snacks fifty-fifty."
Watching Muzuki about to leave, Shisui hesitated, then stood and followed him out.
[Lecture complete; calculating results…]
[Evaluation: A]
[Used ancestral stories to spark student responsibility and enthusiasm; coherent, interactive lesson with high satisfaction.]
[Distributing rewards…]
Please keep reading—whether I can make a living from novels depends on this one.