Fumori Masaki's Educational Views

When Konoha re-planned the living areas, Fumori Masaki's residence was also adjusted to some extent, but it remained integrated with the lives of ordinary citizens, unlike other ninjas who moved to more secluded spaces. After all, the Fumori clan only had two members left, him and his wife. There was no need for a separate, private area. Masaki believed it was important to maintain more contact with civilians rather than uphold the notion of a mysterious ninja elite.

During a high-level meeting, Fumori Masaki volunteered for a mission related to the Ninja Academy. Although he wasn't required to deal with potential threats, he would manage clerical work instead. Tobirama initially considered this a waste of Masaki's talents but eventually agreed after repeated requests, assigning Masaki and Mitokado Homura to oversee the educational planning for the academy.

This was exactly what Masaki had hoped for. The Ninja Academy would be the place where the future generations of Konoha's shinobi would be nurtured, and it needed to be taken seriously. In the following days, he devoted himself to crafting educational proposals and working on the curriculum for the academy.

With more time at home and fewer responsibilities than before, Masaki was able to spend leisure time with his wife, Rimi. It wasn't long before Rimi's health began to thrive again.

When Senju Tōka heard about this, she visited Rimi to congratulate her. Tōka had long been looking forward to Masaki and Rimi having children. During the battle with the Silver Horn, she had feared she might never witness the joy of seeing their future offspring. Having survived the brutal ninja world, she cherished the time she had left.

Although Tōka had mostly recovered from her injuries sustained in the battle against the Silver Horn, she still suffered from some lingering effects. The medical care available in Konoha couldn't fully heal certain delicate issues, particularly with her legs, which affected her combat abilities. While she could live a normal life, high-intensity missions were out of reach for her.

Masaki believed that Tōka could find new purpose by working at the Ninja Academy. Many Konoha ninjas who had disabilities or aftereffects from battle found it hard to make a living once they could no longer take on missions. Since a significant portion of a ninja's income came from mission fees, they often struggled after retiring from active duty, despite the clan's other ventures, such as farming and expanding into civilian business.

However, by working at the academy, ninjas like Tōka could find value in training the next generation and wouldn't feel like they were merely being given handouts. More importantly, experienced veterans like Tōka had a wealth of knowledge that could be passed on to new students, giving them valuable guidance.

Tōka was touched by the idea. She wasn't afraid of death but wanted to be part of Rimi's life, and working at the academy seemed like a good way to stay involved. She decided to look over Masaki's educational plans for the academy.

"Isn't there too much focus on reading?" Tōka asked after reading the documents.

"Most of the incoming students aren't from ninja clans, its different from my trial academy, most of civilians have never received any formal education. Reading will help them understand ninjutsu faster. I don't see an issue with it," Masaki replied.

The world of ninjas still functioned much like a feudal society. Those who could afford to read usually came from wealthy families. Civilians who had found their way to Konoha Ninja Village were often illiterate. While ninjas didn't require advanced literary skills, basic literacy was essential. Without knowing how to read, how could one expect to learn anything more complex?

"It's not that I'm against reading, but it seems like you've allocated too much time to it—more than what a typical ninja would need. Couldn't this time be better spent on ninjutsu and taijutsu training?" Tōka questioned.

"In the future, I foresee a period of peace. We won't need combat-ready shinobi immediately. I think it's worth training students carefully. Learning more won't harm them, and it will help lay a strong foundation for their growth. Additionally, students from the academy will be different from those from ninja clans. They need to understand what the village stands for and why they fight. That is part of their education too," Masaki explained.

"Hmm... That does make some sense," Tōka admitted. The more educated members of ninja clans were often more capable than ordinary shinobi. Masaki's point also resonated with her, children at this age were forming their worldviews, and shaping their loyalty to the village was important.

Masaki had another goal in mind, though. By including critical thinking and cultural classes, he hoped to push the ninja society toward a more progressive future. Enlightening the populace and encouraging independent thought was key. Simply relying on military strength wasn't enough. A balanced approach, combining both intellectual and physical training, was essential for long-term success.

Of course, given the conservative nature of ninja society, Masaki knew better than to push radical ideas. Progress required careful steps—one step too far could make you a visionary, but too many could lead to failure. History had proven that.

"What about this other section?" Tōka asked, gesturing to a part of the plan.

"Ah, that. I think the civilian students are too diverse for a one-size-fits-all approach. Standardized education might actually hinder their growth," Masaki explained. "For ninja clans, we've long had established paths. We know which direction to guide our clan members. But civilians? We don't know what their talents are."

Masaki's thoughts were influenced by his knowledge of the civilian ninjas from other generations, like Haruno Sakura and Rock Lee. As students, both had received the same standardized education as their peers, but their unique strengths were overlooked.

If Sakura hadn't apprenticed under Tsunade, she might never have realized her aptitude for medical ninjutsu. If Rock Lee hadn't met Might Guy, his taijutsu abilities might never have been fully developed. It wasn't that these talents wouldn't have been discovered eventually, but the delays meant lost time and potential growth.

Rather than leaving it to chance, Masaki believed the academy should implement an ability assessment system early on. This way, students would be directed toward their strengths from the start, enabling more focused training. Upon graduation, when they were assigned to jōnin instructors, their education would continue to build on these strengths.

Tōka nodded in understanding. "But isn't that a lot of effort?"

"It's necessary," Masaki insisted. "These students are the future of the village. If we let them waste time on things they're not suited for, we're holding them back. If we can identify their talents early, every student—whether male or female—will have a role where they can shine."

Tōka smiled knowingly at Rimi, who returned the smile. Rimi had been worried about whether Masaki would be disappointed if their child turned out to be a girl. In ninja clans, having a male heir was often preferred, as boys were typically stronger and could carry on the clan legacy. But Masaki's words reassured her—he had no prejudice against girls, and the weight on her heart lifted.

As their conversation shifted from educational planning to lighter topics, the three friends began discussing village life. Tōka, having mellowed with age and experience, found it easier to engage in casual conversation now.

"By the way, it seems Tobirama-sama plans to make an important announcement soon," Tōka mentioned.

"Oh? What is it about?" Rimi asked curiously. Though married, she remained interested in clan affairs.

Masaki listened quietly, already suspecting what Tobirama's announcement might involve. It was something that had been discussed long ago with Hashirama.

"I'm not sure, but it seems to concern the future of the clan," Tōka replied, taking a sip of tea. "In three days, Tobirama-sama will summon everyone in the clan. It sounds like a big deal."