Formerly the Ninja Academy, now officially renamed the Konoha Ninja Elementary School.
A dense crowd of new students packed the training field. From atop the platform, the Third Hokage stood surveying the children below, eyes narrowed in thought.
Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded with satisfaction.
Ah, my mighty 3,000-strong Sarutobi Army is here! Hahaha!
The other four villages didn't stand a chance. They were about to get crushed by Konoha's academic fervor.
With the expansion of enrollment this year, the number of new students had grown to ten times that of previous years. Their backgrounds were incredibly diverse descendants of local ninja clans, children of civilian families, merchant kids from other lands, and even a handful of foreign exchange students from the Land of Wind and the Land of Water.
Those foreign students were utterly stunned. Weren't they all part of the Five Great Nations? How could there be such a staggering gap?
By next year, the numbers would likely rise again.
The Daimyo of the Land of Fire had proven himself to be a true patriot cutting his own expenses just to funnel more funding into Konoha.
A loyal statesman indeed, Hiruzen mused with deep appreciation.
With great solemnity, the Third Hokage delivered a welcoming speech to the new students, especially noting that those from struggling families could apply for financial aid.
"Ahem!"
Clearing his throat into the microphone, Hiruzen gestured, and Iruka quickly handed over the prepared speech.
"In the era before the founding of the ninja villages, war was a curse embedded in every shinobi's bloodline. The average ninja didn't live to see thirty. Yet amid that chaos, a savior awakened our First Hokage never stopped pursuing peace."
"The cliff that now bears the Hokage Rock? It was once just empty land. It was there, when two former enemies clasped hands, that a new age for shinobi was born."
He pointed into the distance at the mountain carved with the Hokage faces.
A new addition to the curriculum now included Uchiha Madara's contributions to the founding of the village.
Credit was credit, fault was fault. One could not erase a man's merits simply because of his later mistakes.
After all, he too once bore the Will of Fire.
"All of you here today are the fresh saplings of Konoha."
"Wherever the leaves dance, the fire shall burn ever bright! This is the Will of Fire!"
Applause broke out. The crowd erupted in praise for the Hokage.
As the speech concluded, Hiruzen turned to Iruka with a rare gentleness. "From now on, you'll be the new principal. Take good care of these children."
The ever-busy sun of Konoha had decided to entrust the entire Ninja Academy to the trusted educator, Iruka.
Iruka had always thought the Hokage was just being polite. He hadn't expected the title and responsibility to be formally bestowed.
With his heart full of recognition and pride, Iruka vowed to fulfill his duty.
Hiruzen praised him, calling him a true bearer of the Will of Fire perhaps even a future Hokage in the making.
Flushed with humility, Iruka waved it off, insisting he just wanted to do his job well.
Seeing how engrossed the two were in their conversation, ANBU operative "Kō" gently reminded them that the students at the newly founded Advanced Ninjutsu Institute were also waiting for the Hokage to give the first lesson.
Adjusting his Fire Hat, Hiruzen sighed with some regret. "So little time. I'd better go."
…
At the new campus, which Hiruzen had named the Advanced Ninjutsu Institute
On the lectern stood the Third Hokage, beaming at the future pillars of Konoha. Among them were the "Konoha Twelve," Kasumi Uzumaki, and the three Sand Siblings.
He launched into another impassioned speech about the eternal flame of the Will of Fire. He even mentioned that the Legendary Sannin, Orochimaru and Tsunade, would be personally instructing them. Perhaps, he said, the next Hokage sat among them now.
Kankuro, sharp as ever, noticed something off and nearly raised his hand.
Wait a minute, Hokage-sama. We're from the Sand Village. Are we even eligible to become Hokage?
He glanced at Gaara and froze. That guy looked serious like he was actually considering it. No! You're supposed to become Kazekage!
Kankuro couldn't hold it in anymore and asked diplomatically, "Hokage-sama, do you think I have a shot?"
Hiruzen paused, then smiled with genuine approval. "Kankuro, I didn't expect you to show such awareness on the very first day."
Kankuro's eyes widened, mouth slightly agape.
"I see potential in you you too have the makings of a Hokage."
Upon hearing this, Kiba Inuzuka sprang to his feet, face flushed with excitement. "Hokage-sama, what about me?"
The Third Hokage nodded encouragingly. "Kiba, you too radiate the spirit of a Hokage."
Uchiha Sasuke blinked in confusion. Wait, didn't he tell me in the office that I was destined to be the Sixth Hokage?
So… everyone's got Hokage potential now? That's how it works?
"Grandpa Third! How did you become Hokage back then?" Naruto shot his hand up, eyes sparkling with curiosity.
The entire class suddenly leaned forward. That was a good question.
Hiruzen cleared his throat. "Ah, not really a secret. I can tell you."
He launched into memory mode, face clouding with emotion. "Back then…"
He and several others had been surrounded deep in enemy territory, ambushed by rogue Cloud ninja from the infamous Kinkaku Force.
It was a desperate situation.
Second Hokage Tobirama Hiruzen's mentor looked at the six shinobi with him.
They were his students and his protégés.
Where the leaves dance, the fire burns…
Someone had to stay behind to distract the enemy, to ensure the others could escape. Tobirama decided to sacrifice himself but not before appointing the next Hokage.
He gave them a test: "One of you must remain and draw the enemy away. Who will it be?"
It was certain death. The others faltered in fear. Among them were Danzo and several others.
But Hiruzen stood up without hesitation. "I'll go. I'm the strongest among us."
Relieved someone had volunteered, the others visibly relaxed. Danzo even said, "Thanks, Hiruzen. We owe you."
Tobirama, deeply moved, said, "You are the next Hokage."
"And that's how it happened. Many years ago, now."
Adding a bit of personal flair, Hiruzen grew pensive. "You'll find the full version in your new Konoha history textbooks including the story of how the First Hokage founded this village."
"And of course, the tale of his eternal rival, Madara Uchiha the Asura of the shinobi world."
"Their conflict traces all the way back to the founding of ninjutsu a thousand years ago."
A thousand years?!
Confused question marks floated above the heads of the students.
"It all began when the Sage of Six Paths created the first ninja order…"
Kankuro stared blankly at the Hokage, who was now passionately recounting ancient lore.
Right, right… Konoha is the "pureblood line." Direct descendants of the Sage of Six Paths. And the rest of us? Just some random second-stringers auditing a class we weren't even invited to.
Got it.
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