Uchiha Hikaru glanced dismissively at Tsunade and said,
"This isn't a big deal. If you're thinking of backing out of the agreement, forget it."
Tsunade, unwilling to give up, tried to bargain again.
But before she could say anything, Uchiha Hikaru turned and walked straight into the Ninja Academy without looking back.
Seeing his reaction, Tsunade knew her efforts were hopeless.
She sighed, gave up on her little scheme, and quickly caught up to walk beside him into the academy.
As they stepped in, they noticed that a teacher was organizing the new students into lines on the training field—it looked like something was about to happen.
Before they could ask, the teacher explained:
Today was the entrance ceremony for the new students. The Third Hokage would be attending to give a speech.
'Seriously? So leaders love giving speeches no matter what world you're in?'
Internally ridiculing the Third Hokage, Uchiha Hikaru pulled Tsunade over to the elite class's designated area and stood in place.
Thankfully, ninjas were known for their efficiency. Once the students were in position, the Third Hokage officially announced the start of the ceremony.
Hiruzen Sarutobi walked up to the podium and began preaching his Will of Fire.
Meanwhile, Uchiha Hikaru quietly observed his surroundings. Aside from himself, there was another Uchiha in their class.
What surprised him was that there was even a Hyuga.
'Must be from the branch family… Like me, probably one of the discarded ones, huh?'
'Caged Bird... that curse really ruins people's lives.'
What Uchiha Hikaru didn't realize was that while he was observing others, Hiruzen Sarutobi was also watching him.
After all, a six-year-old Uchiha who had awakened the Three-Tomoe Sharingan, someone who could control Danzo with just a glance—
how could Hiruzen not pay attention?
And now that Uchiha Hikaru had been adopted by Mito Uzumaki, if he couldn't eliminate him early, he had to find another way—befriending him.
"...The sacrifices made in the war were not meaningless. They were all heroes."
"Where the leaves dance, so too does the fire endure. The fire's light will keep on illuminating the village, and help new leaves grow—this is the Will of Fire."
Hiruzen's speech dragged on, but, of course, it ended with this brainwashing catchphrase.
The phrase itself wasn't necessarily wrong—sacrificing oneself to illuminate future generations was a noble ideal.
But coming from Hiruzen Sarutobi? That made it suspicious.
Of the so-called Konoha Four, only Danzo had actually gone to the battlefield during the later wars.
In that sense, it's no wonder Danzo eventually looked down on Hiruzen, thinking him inferior.
The other Kage all fought alongside their troops. The Third Raikage, for instance, died fighting heroically for his village's future.
And what did Hiruzen Sarutobi do?
He preached those flowery words yet never made sacrifices himself. Even when the Third Great Ninja War escalated to the point where Academy students were being sent to fight, he still didn't go to the frontlines.
Talk was cheap. So when Orochimaru eventually attacked, Hiruzen stood alone—no one came to help him.
Still, in this culturally barren shinobi world, his words stirred the hearts of many.
As his speech concluded, the children on the field were practically trembling with excitement, itching to throw themselves into a blaze for the village.
Even Tsunade clenched her fists passionately, her face full of resolve as if she were ready to give her very heart to Konoha.
Uchiha Hikaru, however, remained unfazed. He even flashed a "99" hand sign at Tsunade to snap her back to reality.
Seeing this from the stage, Hiruzen Sarutobi felt quite pleased.
Why did he give speeches every year? Was it because he had too much free time?
Of course not—it was to plant seeds in these young hearts, to sway them toward his side.
The line he spontaneously came up with today having this much effect… that was a pleasant surprise.
Although the one he cared most about—Uchiha Hikaru—didn't show the reaction he hoped for...
Overall, he was still satisfied.
With his goal achieved, Hiruzen handed the mic back to the host teacher.
After praising the Hokage with a few well-placed compliments, the teacher announced the official conclusion of the entrance ceremony.
The students were told to wait for their homeroom teacher, who would take them to their class.
Just then, a somewhat familiar figure appeared in front of their group.
"I'm sure some of you remember me. If not, that's okay—I'll reintroduce myself."
"My name is Toki Chi, and I'll be your homeroom teacher from now on. Please take care of me."
The same instructor who had recorded their physical test results during the entrance assessment was now their official teacher.
Toki Chi didn't rush to take them to class. Instead, after the crowd cleared off the training field, he finally spoke:
"Since this is the elite class, I've reviewed your files. You all already have Chakra."
"So your first lesson—go train your bodies. Twenty laps around the field. Start running!"
With that, his calm face suddenly turned ferocious as he roared the order.
Coupled with the scar on his face, it scared most of the kids into obedience.
"What, still standing around? Not enough laps for you? Fine—make it twenty-five!"
Seeing the students frozen in place, Toki Chi added five more laps.
That finally got them moving.
Toki Chi jogged alongside them and continued speaking:
"Chakra is a combination of spiritual and physical energy. Spiritual strength varies by person, but a strong body helps increase your Chakra."
"I don't care how other teachers do things. In my class, every session starts with twenty laps."
"Understood!?"
The students, who didn't even know each other's names yet, were thrown into a running drill by their new teacher.
At first, they thought it was a one-time intimidation tactic. They didn't expect this to become a routine.
Their feet faltered as they looked at Toki Chi like he was some kind of demon.
Uchiha Hikaru, on the other hand, wasn't bothered. Twenty laps were just a warm-up for him.
And what Toki Chi said wasn't wrong—it just didn't apply to prodigies.
Take Tsunade and himself, for example. Their powerful bloodlines had already gifted them with exceptional talent.
Even someone like Jiraiya, a prodigy from a civilian background, naturally possessed vast Chakra reserves.
To have that much Chakra, Jiraiya must have had an equally impressive body and mental strength.
So this kind of training only benefited average students—it wouldn't help people like them grow.
And as Uchiha Hikaru expected, once the laps were done, most kids collapsed on the ground, exhausted.
But a few stood out—while they were panting, it was only slightly. Their physical talent was clearly different.
Uchiha Hikaru looked toward them. The Uchiha and Hyuga were no surprise. Jiraiya and Orochimaru were also among them.
But what surprised him was one more person—a brown-haired girl wearing glasses.
As Uchiha Hikaru scanned his surroundings, the others were watching him too.
While some were panting lightly, Uchiha Hikaru showed no signs of fatigue at all.
That level of physical resilience left them feeling completely outclassed.
Uchiha Chiri looked at him unwillingly, a hint of bitterness rising in his heart.