NOVEL NEXT Chapter 15: Class 1
After about half an hour or 45 minutes, the Hokage finally wrapped up his speech. As soon as he finished, the students began heading into the Academy building while their parents said their goodbyes and departed.
"Okay, Mom, see you in the evening. Bye!" I waved.
"Take care of yourself, Naruto. I know you're strong, but remember, it's a boy's duty to protect the girls," she reminded me, smiling.
"Yeah, Mom. I'll take care of them and protect them. Who wouldn't protect the ones they care about?" I said quietly, making sure only she could hear.
"Yes, I know. That's what you promised," she responded softly, pride in her voice.
With that, I waved her off and entered the academy while she turned to leave.
"Hey, Aurora, don't you have anything to say about me entering the academy?" I asked, half expecting some witty remark.
"Leo, best of luck with your academy life," Aurora responded, her voice calm yet supportive.
"Thanks, Aurora," I said with a smile, feeling a sense of reassurance from her words.
Inside, I found myself in Class 1, the same class as all the clan members. As I walked in, I could feel the eyes of every student turning toward me. The girls blushed, clearly taken aback by my appearance, while the boys muttered under their breath, obviously cursing my luck. "Why does he have to be so handsome?" they must have been thinking.
It comes with its pros and cons, this handsomeness of mine. On one hand, the girls always try to get my attention, while on the other, the boys fume with jealousy. But honestly, I couldn't care less about them. My goal is simple—to grow closer to my future wives, and that's all that matters.
I found a seat next to Hinata, with Sakura and Ino on my left. Hinata sat quietly to my right. We were all happy to be together, but it wasn't long before Sakura and Ino started their usual bickering, with poor Hinata sitting silently, trying to calm them down.
I knew how to handle this situation.
"It's okay, Sakura and Ino. Why are you always arguing? Try to get along with each other," I said while patting both of their heads.
They blushed and replied in a low tone, "Yes, Naruto."
I glanced at Hinata, noticing a hint of jealousy on her face. Not wanting her to feel left out, I patted her head as well. Her face immediately turned beet red, but she looked content.
As we settled into our little world, a chunin instructor entered the room.
"Silence, everyone!" he called out. "My name is Iruka, and I'll be your sensei from now on. Let's get along well."
"Yes, Sensei!" the class responded in unison.
"Now," Iruka continued, "let's go around the room, and each of you will introduce yourselves."
We took the last seats, so naturally, our introductions would be at the end. One by one, the students introduced themselves, sharing their names, likes, dislikes, and dreams. After several students finished, it was finally Sasuke's turn. Everyone seemed eager to hear from him.
"I'm Sasuke Uchiha. I like my brother Itachi, and I don't like losing anyone. My goal is to become strong like my brother," Sasuke said, clearly excited and glancing at me provocatively.
"This kid," I muttered with a chuckle, amused by his competitiveness.
Next up was Shikamaru. "I'm Shikamaru Nara. I like being lazy, and I don't like being disturbed while I'm resting. My goal is to marry, start a family, and live a peaceful life."
Typical Shikamaru. After him, Choji, Kiba, and Shino introduced themselves, each with their own unique likes, dislikes, and dreams.
Finally, it was our turn, and all eyes were on us.
"I'm Ino Yamanaka," she started confidently. "I like flowers, and..." She paused, glancing at me with a slight blush. "I don't like it when anyone destroys flowers. My goal is to take care of the flowers at our shop and..." She trailed off, her gaze still fixed on me, the blush on her cheeks deepening.
It was clear she was trying to impress, her words taking on a more personal tone as she looked in my direction.
Next was Sakura. "I'm Sakura Haruno. I like… and I don't like… And my goal is…" Her words were clear, but her blush and glances in my direction made it obvious what she was trying to convey. Almost everyone picked up on it.
"These girls, huh?" I muttered under my breath with a smile, finding their reactions amusing.It was clear they were trying to impress , their words taking on a more personal tone as they looked in my direction.
Then, it was my turn. "I'm Naruto Uzumaki, son of the late Hokage Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki. I love my family, friends, and eating ramen. I don't like betrayal or people who harm my loved ones. My goal is to become so strong that I don't need to be protected but can protect everyone I care about." With that, I finished my introduction.
"That's a good goal, Naruto," Iruka said, nodding approvingly.
"Thanks, Sensei," I replied.
Next up was Hinata. Her face was already flushed, and she was visibly nervous.
"I'm… Hinata… Hyuga… I l-like my… f-family and f-friends. I don't… like… My goal is to… b-become st-strong," she stammered, her face red with embarrassment. She quickly sat down, looking away to hide her shyness.
To ease her discomfort, I gently held her hand and said, "That was good, Hinata." Sakura and Ino chimed in with encouragement as well.
"Thanks, guys," she replied with a soft smile, appreciating the support.
Iruka then addressed the class. "I see everyone has goals for being here. From today, we'll start with the basics and the foundation of the Will of Fire."
"Yes, Sensei!" the whole class responded enthusiastically, ready to begin their journey.