[Ninja Academy (Part 2/3)]

As Sasuke walked with Lee towards the academy, he couldn't help but notice the intense gazes following him once again.

'Didn't they stop this surveillance a week ago? Why are they doing this again? Are they worried about my possible actions at the academy?' Sasuke mused to himself.

As the pair arrived at the entrance of the school they bid each other farewell as they headed to their respective classrooms. Sasuke began navigating his way to Class 1-A following the direction from his memory. 

Upon entering the classroom, a cacophony of sounds greeted him. However, as he stepped further inside, all the noise abruptly vanished, as if someone had hit the mute button. Sasuke nonchalantly acknowledged the numerous stares directed at him and proceeded to his usual seat, triggering a wave of hushed whispers and fleeting glances.

Soon after Sasuke seated himself, a pair of pink and blonde blurs appeared, shooting into the vacant seats in front of him. 

"Sasuke-kun!" The two blurs who could now be identified as Haruno Sakura and Yamanaka Ino, shouted in unison. They then glared at each other before realising that Sasuke was watching them and began bombarding him with questions.

"How are you doing? Are you okay? Do you want me to help you catch up on what you missed? Have you...?" Questions then began bombarding the young Uchiha.

"Yes, I'm fine. But could you two please quiet down?" Sasuke told them, his head in his palms as he felt the veins by his temple throbbing.

*Shriek*

"He responded! He actually responde-!" The girls shrieked in joy before meeting Sasuke's deadpan face and remembered what he asked them. The two sat down in front of Sasuke, fidgeting with their hands and with flushed faces as they awaited class to begin. 

Off in the corner of the classroom, a young boy with spiky black hair talked to the chubby child next to him. 

"Don't you think that Sasuke has changed a bit, Choji?" The boy asked.

"Ah come on Shikamaru, wouldn't you be more surprised if he didn't change?" The chubby boy next to him responded.

"I understand that, but it just seems a bit odd. He doesn't seem to be too negatively affected by 'that' incident yet has changed his mannerisms and behaviour considerably." Shikamaru answered back, his words reflecting his perplexion.

"Good morning class," Iruka said as he entered the classroom, ending the brief conversation between the two. To which the children in the classroom responded with, "Good morning Sensei!"

"This morning will be spent on 'History of the Shinobi World' and we will be continuing off from last week." Iruka then continued. 

As Iruka began introducing the content they were learning today, Sasuke began observing the people around him. Excluding the two directly in front of him, he could already see the other members of the Konoha 11. 

'But where is Naru-?!' Sasuke's thoughts were abruptly stopped as his eyes fell on the young blonde child at the door of the classroom who was sent in by a man clad in a chunin vest.

"Naruto! How many times do I have to tell you to stop desecrating the Hokage Rock!" Iruka berated.

Naruto, seemingly unfazed, sported a grin, basking in the attention of his classmates. With a dopey smile, he responded, "Yes, yes, I got you, Iruka-sensei. I won't do it anymore."

"You said that last time!" Iruka sighed through gritted teeth.

The brief episode concluded with Iruka instructing Naruto to take a seat, allowing the lesson on the establishment of Konoha, particularly the alliance of the Senju and Uchiha clans, to resume. The mention of this alliance drew a myriad of thinly veiled stares toward Sasuke.

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After the history lesson in the morning. The children ushered in their afternoon sparring sessions, and they all began to head to the academy's training ground under the lead of Iruka. 

Just as Iruka began to sort everyone into pairs, Naruto rushed into the middle of the training ground before pointing at Sasuke. 

"Hey, Sasuke! Fight me! Beating you will get me one step closer to being Hokage, dattebayo!" Naruto shouted.

Sasuke looked towards Iruka, seeing the sensei give him a nod with a wry smile on his face, the Uchiha moved in front of Naruto.

As soon as Iruka signalled the start of their spar, Naruto rushed forward, aiming a punch at Sasuke's gut. However, Sasuke effortlessly sidestepped the attack with a grace that seemed to reflect the results of his training last month.

Naruto, fuelled by raw determination, unleashed a flurry of punches towards Sasuke. But Sasuke, almost effortlessly, dodged and weaved through the erratic onslaught, displaying a level of agility that seemed foreign for his age.

However, growing more irritated with Naruto's uncoordinated assault. Sasuke decided it was time to end this sparring session. With a swift step backwards, effortlessly avoiding another punch from Naruto. Sasuke countered with a lightning-quick kick aimed at Naruto's midsection, who then came crashing to the ground. 

The training ground fell silent as Sasuke stood, almost casually, having asserted complete control over this fight. Sasuke's movements were fluid and calculated, each action a testament to his skill. The onlookers could sense the palpable difference in their skill.

"Damnnit! Did you do extra training when you weren't here? You shouldn't be smug yet Sasuke, I'll beat you next time. Dattebayo!"

Sasuke who disappeared into the crowd, shook his head at Naruto's antics. However, he was admittedly surprised by the strength of his own Taijutsu. Despite Naruto's lack of actual training, his Uzumaki Lineage and status as a Jinchūriki give him physical strength and chakra reserves far beyond his age group, allowing him to consistently rank in the Top 3 for sparring sessions at the academy. 

In his memory, though he did always win his spars with Naruto. He was never able to do so with such an overwhelming advantage.

Reflecting on the aftermath of the decisive victory, Sasuke's thoughts swirled in contemplation. "I suppose this just reaffirms the value of those spars with Guy and Lee, particularly Guy," he mused. Even in their practice sessions, where Guy drastically reduced his strength while sparring with Sasuke, the sophistication of Guy's Taijutsu had proven instrumental in fostering Sasuke's growth.

As he contemplated the reasons behind this resounding victory, Sasuke found himself reaffirming his commitment to his physical training. 

After the sparring sessions in the afternoon, the academy finished for the day and the students began heading home. However, Sasuke decided to briefly head to the library after school.

The academy library was rather small in size and was split into various sections, each one focusing on a specific topic. Large, wooden shelves stretched like sentinels, guarding the small literary realm and filling up most of the space in the library, each one containing numerous books within. 

Navigating the labyrinth of the history section, Sasuke's discerning eyes scanned the shelves, seeking knowledge that could shed light on the gaps in his understanding. The incident at the Naka Shrine had been a stark reminder to him that the world held secrets and nuances that diverged from the confines of his memory.

As Sasuke delved into the trove of books, his hands navigating the knowledge that lined the shelves, a particular tome captured his attention. Its leather binding, a testament to the passage of time, radiated an aura of captivating mystery. The once-jet black surface had metamorphosed into a lush, deep ebony, adorned with the scars of countless ages that only added to its enigmatic allure.

Intrigued, Sasuke extended his hand, fingers delicately embracing the weathered cover. The book, like a relic from forgotten epochs, seemed to pulse with secrets begging to be unveiled. As he gazed upon the aged exterior, Sasuke's eyes rapidly dilated in shock as they were drawn to an intricate pattern etched onto the surface—an eight-pointed sun ray.