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It hit the wooden post a few feet to the side. A few students laughed.
"That's okay!" Lee shouted from the back. "Try again, Neji!"
Neji flushed and nodded. On his second try, he made sure to graze the target barely. Orui gave him a polite nod.
He returned to his seat, shaking his head. Part of him hated pretending to fail. But it was necessary. Let the world underestimate him.
Lunch came quickly. The students sat in groups on the training field, unpacking their bento boxes. Neji sat under a tree with Lee and Tenten, listening quietly as they talked about training, their dreams, and their families.
Lee munched happily on rice balls. "I want to prove that even if you're born without talent, you can still be strong! What about you, Neji?"
Neji looked up at the sky, watching a hawk circle far above. "I want to understand fate. And maybe change it."
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Tenten raised an eyebrow. "Deep answer for a six-year-old."
Neji smiled sheepishly. "Sorry. I read too many scrolls."
They laughed, and Neji allowed himself to relax a little.
The afternoon was sparring drills. Students were paired randomly.
"Lee vs. Neji!" Orui called.
Neji gulped for effect and walked slowly to the center.
Lee beamed. "I won't hold back! I'll show you the power of perseverance!"
They bowed.
Lee rushed in with surprising speed, his punches wild but powerful. Neji dodged most, allowing one to brush his shoulder. He stumbled, rolled, and recovered. He blocked just enough to keep up appearances but never countered fully.
Orui called it a draw after a few exchanges. "Well done, both of you!"
Neji panted exaggeratedly and offered a hand to Lee. "That was amazing. You're so strong."
Lee grasped his hand eagerly. "So are you! We'll both get stronger together!"
The sun began to set by the time class ended. As the students filed out of the Academy, Neji walked slowly through the quiet streets, his mask of humility still in place.
Back home, Hizashi waited with a cup of tea and a single nod.
"How was your first day?"
"Challenging," Neji replied, letting the mask drop just slightly. "But enlightening."
Hizashi chuckled. "Good. You are where you need to be."
That night, as Neji lay in bed, Hanabi snuck into his room with her tiny steps, dragging a blanket behind her.
"Niichan… Did you go to da big ninja school?"
"I did," he whispered.
"Did you beat da bad guys?"
"Not yet. I have to learn more first."
"Can I come wit you?"
Neji smiled and pulled her close. "Soon. For now, you protect this house."
She nodded and nestled beside him.
And in that moment, surrounded by quiet warmth and shadows, Neji Hyuga dreamed of stars, futures, and the long road he had chosen to walk—carefully, silently, always watching.
Not yet a genius. Not yet a prodigy.
Just another hard-working academy student.
For now.
Neji sat at the far left row in the classroom, near the window, basked in warm morning sunlight. He kept his posture straight, eyes alert and eager, his face gleaming with fake excitement. It was the perfect performance—Neji Hyuga, curious and humble, ready to learn. He had practiced this demeanor the night before.
"Good morning, class," came a deep yet soft voice. Sasamoto Orui, their homeroom instructor, walked in wearing the standard Chunnin attire with a clipboard under his arm. A long, diagonal scar ran from his left cheek to his collarbone, his most distinct feature besides a single dangling earring.
"Today, we begin with one of the most important topics in a shinobi's development—History. Specifically, the history of our great village, Konoha," Orui said with practiced rhythm.
A few students groaned. Neji let out a small, enthusiastic gasp. "Wow," he said with wide eyes.
Orui began pacing slowly before the blackboard, drawing a clean diagram with colored chalk.
"Now, let's remember the Founding Era," Orui started. "The village was formed after the end of the Warring States period, when the Senju and Uchiha clans came together. Hashirama Senju became our First Hokage. A true visionary, but it was the Third Hokage—Hiruzen Sarutobi—who is known as the strongest of them all."
Bullshit, he thought.
Neji raised his eyebrows. Stronger than Hashirama, the God of Shinobi? Sure, and my Byakugan shoots lasers now.
Outwardly, he smiled. "That's incredible!"
Rock Lee, seated two rows away, raised his hand. "Was the Third Hokage really stronger than even the Fourth? My uncle says the Yellow Flash was unstoppable!"
"Ah, excellent question, Lee!" Orui beamed. "While the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, was indeed legendary, the Third Hokage mastered all forms of ninjutsu in the village and had the wisdom of three generations. His reign was long and deeply respected."
Neji tilted his head like a curious bird. Wisdom of three generations... and the strategic foresight of a stunned squirrel.
As the lecture continued, Neji scribbled in his notebook diligently, though he was actually sketching chakra flow charts from memory. He caught Rock Lee sneaking glances at his page with awe. Neji quickly drew a doodle of a cat tripping on its own tail.
"Heh," Lee chuckled. "You're really smart, Neji."
Neji offered a humble smile. "Not at all. I just try hard."
Across the aisle, a girl with two buns and a sharp stare—Tenten, if he remembered correctly—narrowed her eyes at him. She was good at kunai throwing, and he'd seen her aim from the training field yesterday. Neji filed that away.
Sasamoto clapped his hands. "Alright, pair up. You're going to draw a historical timeline together."
Lee bounced over instantly. "Let's be partners!"
Neji pretended to hesitate before nodding. "Sure."
Because I want to understand you, Rock Lee. You fascinate me. No ninjutsu, no genjutsu. Pure will. You're the most honest lie this world offers.
As they worked, Lee asked, "What's your favorite part of ninja history, Neji?"
Neji tilted his head. "I think the First Hokage's dream of peace... and the tragedy of how it still eludes us."
Lee nodded solemnly. "But we can change that, right? With enough hard work!"
Neji smiled. "Yes. With enough hard work."
And a political revolution. But sure, let's start with push-ups.
By the end of class, their timeline had bright colors, neat lines, and cheerful little doodles of each Hokage.
"Excellent work, Neji and Lee," Orui said, lifting the scroll.
"Thank you, sensei!" they both said.
Academy life... here I come.
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