My Name Is Naruto Namikaze

CHAPTER WORDS:- 1136

Chapter 8: The First Day at the Ninja Academy

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"Yes, Iruka-sensei!"

As Iruka's words fell, all the children in the classroom responded in unison, their voices still youthful and innocent. After all, it was the first day at the Ninja Academy. Making a good impression on their teacher was an important thing for now.

"Very well. Now, let's begin by having everyone introduce themselves. Since you'll be studying together for six years, and there's a chance you might end up in the same squad after graduation, it's important to leave a good impression on each other."

Iruka smiled slightly, then pointed at the child sitting in the front seat of the first row on his right.

"We'll start with you, Inokuchi-kun. Just tell us a little about your dreams and the things you like."

"Yes!"

"My name is Inokuchi Takeo. My dream is to become a great ninja. The things I like are..."

It was a very relatable and straightforward opening.

Or perhaps it's better to say this:

After so many years of change (or should it be called progress?), the Ninja Academy was no longer the same as when it was first founded by the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju.

It could even be argued that the current group of students would not have even made it through the Academy gates during the Second Hokage's era. Of course, this isn't about comparing merits or flaws but about pointing out the constraints of different eras.

As the children took turns introducing themselves, Naruto quietly observed the peers who would, in name, be his companions for the next six years.

To be honest, most of them were destined to be cannon fodder genin in the future. Very few would even make it to the rank of chunin (and don't underestimate chunin—they form the backbone of the ninja villages. The fact that they can lead squads is proof of their value and status).

As for jonin?

Frankly speaking, no world emphasizes lineage more than the world of Naruto.

This entire world is, at its core, a series of "dramas" stemming from family disputes.

The question arises: Can ninja from civilian backgrounds achieve greatness?

The answer is: Yes!

The possibility does exist, and it cannot be dismissed.

But such cases remain rare.

This is an era where "Bloodline" reigns supreme.

In this world, the question isn't whether you're from a ninja family but whether you have the resources and background to maximize your potential.

While it's not an absolute, ninja from established families usually reach at least the chunin level or higher, thanks to their inherent advantages. On the other hand, civilian-born ninja, under identical conditions, typically require twice or even more effort to achieve the same goals.

Moreover, this isn't a race between a tortoise and a hare.

The privileged don't pause to let others catch up. People who are more talented than you, who have access to better resources, and who work just as hard (if not harder)—what chance do you have to surpass them?

None. You won't even be able to keep up.

This is the brutal reality of the Naruto world.

Effort will never betray you. As long as you work hard, you'll improve. But that only holds true for personal, vertical growth. When compared horizontally with others, however—

Sorry, all you'll face is harsh truth.

This dynamic played out in the classroom as well.

Naruto paid no mind to the civilian-born children who never even appeared in the Canon. Instead, he focused entirely on the few students from ninja families.

Naturally, the so-called "Konoha 8" (the eight prominent young characters from the Canon) were the first ones to draw Naruto's attention.

Even as children, the "Konoha 8" were remarkably recognizable.

Especially the Ino-Shika-Cho trio.

There was the perpetually lazy Shikamaru Nara, the seemingly simple-minded Choji Akimichi, and, of course, Ino Yamanaka, who at age six was already giving Sasuke Uchiha lovestruck looks.

Naruto had no doubt that if not for the Ino-Shika-Cho bond, Ino would've practically glued herself to Sasuke's side by now.

To be fair, over 80% of the girls in the class—yes, girls (calling them young women at six years old would be a stretch)—were gazing at Sasuke with admiration in their eyes.

Even in the Naruto world, Naruto couldn't help but inwardly criticize,These kids are way too immature.

Besides the Ino-Shika-Cho trio, Shino Aburame and Kiba Inuzuka were also easy to recognize. As for Hinata Hyuga and Sasuke Uchiha? They were in a league of their own.

Especially Sasuke.

His self-introduction was as brief as it could be:

"I am Sasuke Uchiha."

That cool, aloof expression—designed to impress—immediately set off a frenzy in the classroom. The girls' screams seemed loud enough to shatter the room.

'But his time to act cool will only last for about a year,' Naruto thought, glancing at Sasuke's profile. Memories of the Canon played out in his mind, and he shook his head inwardly.

If his recollection was correct, the Uchiha Clan would face its downfall in about a year. By then, this aloof boy—who still had the heart of a child—would be plunged into darkness.

For Sasuke, life's purpose would be reduced to a single word: Revenge.

Of course, this had nothing to do with Naruto. He had no power or standing to interfere.

Was there more to the Uchiha massacre than met the eye? Certainly. Even without memories of his past life, Naruto could tell that there was more to the story.

But what did that matter to him now?

For Naruto, the priority was simple: survive these six years at the academy and grow stronger.

The rest could wait.

After observing the familiar faces, Naruto's gaze finally settled on Sakura Haruno. In Canon, Sakura was a divisive character—some loved her, while others didn't.

Naruto neither disliked nor liked her. Because he wasn't the original Naruto. What choices Sakura made or how she perceived him were irrelevant as long as they didn't affect him.

Finally, when it was Naruto's turn to introduce himself, he stood up with a confident grin.

As expected, over 80% of the class immediately cast him odd looks.

Unlike the adults, however, these children didn't harbor outright hatred or rejection. Most of their reactions were shaped by warnings from their families, mingled with curiosity and confusion.

Naruto ignored these stares.

Smirking to show his confidence, he gave a proper self-introduction before sitting down.

"Yo, My Name is Naruto. Nice to meet'cha. i like Ramen, dislike Vegatables, and i wanna be a great Ninja!"

He wasn't overly reserved, nor was he overly flamboyant.

His approach was simple: follow the normal pace, survive the academy years, and wait for the right opportunities while growing stronger.

This was Naruto's most important and singular core plan.

(End of Chapter)

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