Chapter 13: Academy I
The classroom was beginning to fill up, but the atmosphere was still relatively calm. Sasuke, sitting in his usual corner, kept a watchful and distant gaze, analyzing the interactions around him. He knew he couldn't completely distance himself from the other children — after all, it was part of his strategy to observe and understand his future adversaries and allies. However, that didn't make the interactions any less tiresome.
Then the tranquility of the room was broken.
"Get out of the way, Ino Pig!" an irritated voice echoed through the classroom.
"Look who's talking, Forehead!" came the quick, scornful response.
Ino Yamanaka and Sakura Haruno were trying to pass through the door at the same time, both competing to see who would enter first. The commotion quickly caught the attention of the other students, but to Sasuke, it was just an annoying distraction. He sighed internally, watching the situation unfold with disinterest.
Once the two finally managed to enter, the fight for Sasuke's attention began. Within seconds, a group of girls — led by Ino and Sakura — gathered around him, filling the air with excited voices and muffled giggles.
"Sasuke, you're back!" said Ino, her smile beaming.
"I knew you'd be back soon, Sasuke-kun!" Sakura added, trying to move closer.
Sasuke maintained an impassive expression, looking at the two with a mix of impatience and discomfort. He knew they were just seven-year-old children, but their persistence and exaggerated adoration deeply bothered him. For a moment, he considered simply ignoring them, but if they pushed too far, he wouldn't hesitate to shut down their attempts at interaction.
"I know they're just kids... but this is getting annoying," Sasuke thought. He took a deep breath, keeping calm for now.
"Sasuke-kun, let's hang out after class?" one of the girls asked, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.
Before Sasuke could respond — or politely decline — the door swung open with force, revealing the figure of Iruka Umino. The chunin entered with his usual posture, but with a slight concern in his eyes, immediately noticing the group around Sasuke.
"Alright, everyone to your seats, now!" Iruka ordered, his voice firm but still calm.
The girls hesitated for a second but quickly obeyed, returning to their seats with whispers and giggles. Sasuke, for his part, felt relieved by the teacher's timely arrival.
Iruka walked to the desk and began organizing his papers, but his eyes briefly returned to Sasuke. His expression was gentle and cautious, clearly concerned about the student.
"Sasuke," Iruka called out, his tone reserved. "If you need anything, or if there's any problem, I'm here, okay?"
Sasuke looked at him for a moment, weighing his words. He knew Iruka was a dedicated teacher and, in a way, believed in his willingness to help. However, Sasuke was also fully aware that any progress he showed could be reported directly to the Hokage. This forced him to keep his new abilities carefully hidden.
"Thank you, Iruka-sensei," Sasuke replied with a slight nod. His voice was calm and respectful, but inside, he pondered the true usefulness of Iruka.
"He means well, but he could be a threat to my plans... If he discovers anything about my new abilities, he'll report it to the Hokage," Sasuke thought, keeping his expression neutral.
With that, the lesson began, and Sasuke returned to silently observing his classmates. He knew that soon he would need to find ways to train his techniques without raising suspicion. Perhaps Iruka could be useful in learning more about ninjutsus, but he would have to be careful about how much he revealed.
As the class progressed, Sasuke's gaze wandered across the room. The other children were absorbed in Iruka's lecture, but Sasuke was merely planning his next move.
Suddenly, a loud voice interrupted the smooth flow of the class:
"Iruka-sensei!" Naruto Uzumaki exclaimed, raising his hand energetically and waving it in the air. "I'm going to be the next Hokage, and I won't let Sasuke beat me!"
Iruka paused for a moment, sighing as he tried to maintain his composure.
"Naruto... we're in the middle of class. Please focus," Iruka replied, trying to suppress a smile as the class murmured and a few laughs broke out here and there.
Sasuke, sitting quietly, glanced at Naruto out of the corner of his eye. He knew that impulsive behavior well. In his previous life, Igor admired Naruto's resilient spirit, his ability to keep fighting even when everyone around him ignored or ridiculed him. Now, however, Sasuke saw Naruto in a different light.
"The next Hokage, huh?" Sasuke muttered softly, his voice laced with a mix of skepticism and slight amusement. "Dobe."
Naruto, clearly hearing the comment, turned toward Sasuke, his face flushing with anger.
"I'll prove it to you, Sasuke! One day you'll see! I'm going to be the best of all!" Naruto said with determination, his fists clenched.
Sasuke kept his expression unchanged, but inside, a small spark of respect flickered. Even though he considered Naruto immature, there was something about the boy's relentless determination that Sasuke — or rather, Igor — couldn't help but admire.
"We'll see..." Sasuke responded, with a slight hint of challenge in his tone.
Naruto, as always, accepted the challenge with a wide and confident smile.
"I won't lose!" Naruto exclaimed before turning his attention back to the lesson, his determination intact.
Sasuke returned to focusing on his own thoughts. While he still saw Naruto as just an impulsive boy, the hyperactive blonde might surprise everyone in the future. Perhaps sooner than he expected.
Meanwhile, Iruka resumed the lesson, casting a sympathetic glance at both Sasuke and Naruto. Sasuke could sense Iruka's sincerity, but at the same time, he knew he had to remain cautious. Every interaction in this room was an opportunity.
As the class continued, Sasuke was certain of one thing: he would need to be careful, but also strategic. And perhaps, just maybe, Iruka could help him become stronger.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone