The next morning arrived with soft sunlight trickling through Ayaka's curtains. Haruko stood ready by the door, his dark blue tunic freshly cleaned, his satchel slung over one shoulder. Ayaka gently knelt to fix his collar, fingers pausing just long enough to press affection into the fabric.
"Try to stay close to the instructors," she said. "And if anyone bullies you, tell me."
He nodded. She didn't know what he'd become—not yet. But he'd tell her, someday.
They walked together as far as the market lane. From there, Haruko continued on alone.
The Academy loomed ahead: high walls of timber and tiled rooftops, framed by a wide gate etched with the Hidden Leaf symbol. It was larger than any place he'd been allowed to enter before, humming with youthful energy.
He passed under the gate without hesitation, eyes quietly scanning the courtyard.
Children swarmed in small groups. Clan crests gleamed—Uchiha, Hyūga, Nara, Akimichi. He passed among them like wind through trees. No one stopped him. No one called his name.
[ Blur Passive Active – Crowd Conditions Detected ] [ Evasion Milestone: 6/10 ] [ Integration: 3.0% ]
A few glanced his way, then looked elsewhere.
Perfect.
The Academy's inner doors opened with a sharp clap.
A tall shinobi with a lean frame and an aged flak vest stepped forward. His hair was tied back, and a long scar ran from his brow to his temple.
"Settle down!" he barked. The chatter died immediately.
"I'm Tetsuo Hayashi. You'll be under my eye from now on. Your strengths, weaknesses, habits, lies—I'll see them all. If you're lucky, you'll graduate. If you're not... well, some don't even make it past the first year."
Haruko stayed near the edge of the group, blending into the corner of Tetsuo's peripheral vision. Not forgotten, just... not urgent.
They were ushered inside. Haruko chose a seat in the second row, neither too forward nor too hidden. Strategic. He folded his hands on the desk and waited.
A girl with short auburn hair slid into the chair beside him. "Emi Takano," she said softly. "You're quiet."
"Haruko," he replied.
Another boy flopped into the seat on his other side. Buzz cut, easy smile. "Daichi," he said, mouth half full of mochi. "First day jitters?"
Haruko gave a slight nod. They seemed genuine. That was... unexpected.
"Trust is a tool. Keep it sharp."
The system's whisper again. Not warning—just observation.
The door creaked open once more.
Obito Uchiha stumbled in, loud and breathless. Rin followed, more composed, offering polite bows.
And then, without sound, Kakashi Hatake walked in.
Silver hair. Sharp gaze. He didn't speak. He didn't need to. He sat alone in the back, arms folded, already looking like he didn't care—but his eyes missed nothing.
Haruko stared for a moment longer than intended. The boy looked young. So young. But already, the way he moved...
System silent. No prompts. No alerts.
Kakashi was still growing. Like all of them.
Tetsuo paced before the board. "Some of you will become shinobi. Most will not. You'll learn history, tactics, weapon basics, and chakra theory. You'll fail. You'll bleed. You'll grow. If you survive that, you'll earn your forehead protector."
"Today is orientation," Tetsuo continued. "We start with drills. Yes, drills. Movement, stamina, and mental recall. You'll work harder than you expect. That's the only way to know who wants this—and who's just here because their clan expects it."
He pointed toward the back of the room. "Sparring ground. Outside. Pairs."
The children murmured again, louder now. Some cracked their knuckles. Others squirmed in their seats.
Haruko remained still.
Outside, the field was a clean ring of sand with chalk lines drawn for sparring. Tetsuo paired students quickly. Haruko ended up in the final trio: himself, Daichi, and a stern-faced Inuzuka boy who already had tiny red fangs drawn on his cheeks.
"We'll do reflex drills," Tetsuo announced. "Strike fast. Don't hold back. You won't kill each other. Yet."
Haruko watched the others go first. Obito fumbled his opening but recovered with surprising speed. Rin danced around her opponent, calm and tactical. Kakashi? A blur. A knockout in seconds.
Then it was Haruko's turn.
The Inuzuka lunged first, wild and loud. Haruko didn't step back. He pivoted.
[ Blur Shift Activated ] [ Combat Evasion Milestone – 1/10 ] [ Integration: 3.2% ]
He didn't counter. He didn't need to. The boy stumbled past him, skidded in the dust. Haruko shifted his stance, let Daichi come next—his punch was enthusiastic but slow. Haruko ducked, placed one hand on his back, and guided him harmlessly away.
Tetsuo's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Interesting," he muttered.
After class, Haruko lingered near the back wall. Emi approached him, a paper-wrapped rice ball in hand.
"You don't talk much," she said. "But you see everything."
Haruko hesitated. Then nodded.
"Keep watching," she said. "It helps."
She walked away before he could answer.
Daichi came bounding up next, laughing. "You didn't even hit me. That was cool. You're like a ghost!"
[ System Prompt: Social Anchor Identified – Daichi, Emi ] [ Observation Tag Linked ]
That night, Haruko lay on his futon, eyes open in the dark.
"To go unseen is power. But to be remembered by the right ones… that is legacy."
Outside his window, the lights of the Academy flickered.
And for the first time, Haruko felt a flicker of belonging.