c12: You Are All Rookies
The following morning, Chiba reluctantly donned his standard training attire a blue tunic over dark slacks and made his way toward the Ninja Academy with little enthusiasm.
Upon entering the classroom designated for Class 6, he found over twenty students already seated, scattered across the room in casual clusters. Laughter and light chatter filled the space as the new students introduced themselves and sized up one another.
Though they were all still children, each carried a unique sense of pride. Every student seemed convinced of their own genius, as if they were already prodigies destined to surpass their peers.
"Who's that kid? He's so small. Is he even supposed to be here?" a loud voice said from one corner of the room. One of the boys eyed Chiba up and down with open disdain, assuming that his smaller stature meant he was weak.
In truth, while many adults in the village had started to recognize Chiba's name especially after his performance during the recent incident involving the human traffickers most children had no idea who he was. To them, he was just another unfamiliar face.
"Wow… that kid in the blue outfit is pretty cute. But isn't he a bit young?" a girl near the middle row whispered, blushing slightly.
"He might be small now, but give him a few years he's going to be super handsome," another girl added, her tone dreamy, as if imagining some fairytale romance.
Hearing such early signs of infatuation from girls who hadn't even entered puberty yet, Chiba internally sighed. Girls in this world sure mature fast… emotionally, at least.
He ignored the idle gossip and walked calmly to the back of the classroom, selecting a seat near the window. He crossed his arms and waited for class to begin, uninterested in the buzzing voices around him.
Ten minutes later, the bell rang throughout the Academy, signaling the start of class. The remaining students hurried in and filled the empty seats. All eyes shifted to the front in anticipation of the teacher's arrival.
Three minutes passed before a tall man entered the room around 1.75 meters, dressed in standard Konoha flak gear with blue-green hues. His ninja forehead protector was strapped to his left arm rather than his head, and his expression was calm, stern, and unyielding. He appeared to be around thirty years old.
Without a word, the man strode to the front of the room, picked up a piece of chalk, and wrote his name on the blackboard in bold kanji: Haya Daiki.
"I'm your instructor for Class 6. My name is Haya Daiki," he said in a composed voice, surveying the students before him.
A polite round of applause followed as the students welcomed their new teacher.
"Since you're all new, let's take some time to introduce yourselves. Come to the front, one at a time, and tell us your name and goal as a ninja," Haya instructed.
He glanced at the attendance list and called the first name.
"Sarutobi Asuma. You're up."
From the third row, a confident boy stood up and walked calmly to the podium. His dark hair and the unmistakable features of the Sarutobi clan drew attention immediately.
"Hello, my name is Sarutobi Asuma. I'm the son of the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi. I hope to become a worthy shinobi and inherit the Will of Fire," he said with ease.
Whispers broke out across the room. The son of the Hokage? That was enough to turn heads and stir a mix of curiosity and admiration.
"My name is Might Guy!" the next boy shouted energetically. "I will use hard work and youth to show that even someone with no natural talent can become strong!"
He flashed a wide smile with his trademark shiny white teeth, already showcasing the burning spirit he'd later become famous for.
...
"My name is Kurenai Yuhi," the next girl said softly. "I want to become a powerful kunoichi who protects this village and supports its growth."
Her calm demeanor and serious tone made a strong impression.
...
"I-I'm Uchiha Obito," stammered the next boy, shifting nervously on the podium. "One day... I'll become Hokage and protect everyone in the village!"
He sounded unsure, even as his words echoed conviction. A few snickers rippled through the room, and many students rolled their eyes, clearly not taking him seriously.
Then Haya looked at the next name. "Next, Hatake Chiba."
Chiba stood from his seat without a word, his face calm, as he made his way to the front of the classroom. Murmurs immediately broke out again.
"He's so small. Can he even talk properly?"
"I bet he's going to fumble his intro. Probably doesn't even know how to hold a kunai."
"I'm calling it now he's the weakest one in our class."
Chiba smirked internally. Children really do speak boldly when they know nothing...
Standing on the podium, his voice cut through the room, cold and clear.
"My name is Hatake Chiba. My father is Hatake Sakumo the White Fang of the Leaf. My older brother is Hatake Kakashi, the youngest ninja to ever graduate the Academy. And I like them am destined to shine as a genius of Konoha."
He paused, scanning the class with a look of unfiltered disdain.
"To me, you're all just a group of rookies not worth remembering. If anyone disagrees, feel free to challenge me. I'll beat you so badly your mom will feel it."
Gasps echoed across the room. Chiba, not yet even five years old, had spoken with the arrogance of a jōnin and the confidence of someone far beyond his years.
His blunt proclamation sparked a wave of outrage.
"He's so full of himself! Just because his dad's the White Fang doesn't mean he's all that!"
"Yeah! He thinks he's strong? Let's see how tough he is after school!"
"I'm going to wipe that smirk off his face teach him some respect."
While the boys simmered with anger and envy, a surprising number of girls were swooning.
"He's so confident... even if he's arrogant, I kind of like it."
"Imagine being protected by someone like him... that would be amazing!"
"He's like a prince from a storybook short, but deadly."
Even among the chaos, Chiba stood unfazed on the podium, his presence commanding attention. Whether they admired him or hated him, one thing was clear he had made an impression none of them would forget.
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