First Day in the Academy

Looking up at the large, imposing building in front of him, Ret felt a mixture of excitement and dread churn in his stomach. This was the Academy, the starting line for every Shinobi in Konoha, and here was, just one of the crowd. That was precisely what he needed to be; unremarkable, easy to overlook, just another kid taking their steps toward becoming a Shinobi. 

Still, seeing it up close was surreal. 

He'd seen this building countless times before, but only ever through the lens of a screen. Certainly not with a tiny, six-year-old body and the knowledge that this was his reality now. 

"Keep your head down, don't stand out and most importantly, don't die," Rei murmured to himself. The words repeated in his head like a mantra, the words sinking in as he took a deep breath and walked into the building. 

The hallway inside buzzed with excited voices as children his age gathered, chatting, giggling and eyeing each other with a mixture of curiosity and apprehension. They had no idea of what they were signing up for—none of them did, but then again what they signed up for was vastly different than what was to come. 'If they knew half of what was to come I doubt they'd be as eager or as excited as they are now.'

Scanning the faces around him, Rei noted how everyone seemed to be sizing each other up, almost as if they were already trying to establish a hierarchy. it seemed natural for the academy to promote friendly competition to foster stronger Shinobi, but there was a sharper edge to the way some kids eyed one another, mostly Clan kids. 'Great. A room full of six-year-olds trying to decide who their mortal enemy is going to be.'

Finally, the bell sounded and a teacher appeared in the doorway, ushering the last few stragglers inside. Keeping his head down and avoiding eye contact with people, Rei just focused on the teacher himself. 

As the students settled, the classroom quietened as the teacher, a man with a slight limp walked toward the podium in front of the chalkboard. He was middle-aged, a rough-hewn face and a thin scar that ran across his cheek. His dark hair was streaked with silver and wore a genuine, if slightly tired smile. 

"Good morning everyone." Takashi greeted, his voice calm but carrying an edge of authority that made everyone listen. "My name is Takashi, I'll be your instructor here at the Academy. My job is to guide and prepare you for the responsibilities you'll hold as a Shinobi of Konoha."

Takashi let his words hang in the air for a moment, his gaze sweeping across the classroom to gauge the reaction to his words. Some seemed to be bouncing in their seats from excitement, others were squirming under Takashi's gaze while others—clan kids—looked bored. To his credit, Rei maintained a neutral expression, looking respectfully interested as he listened to what Takashi had to say. 

"Being a Shinobi of Konoha is a privilege. But it is also a responsibility. It requires teamwork, dedication and resilience." His gaze was sharp as he spoke. "We are the backbone of our village. What you learn here will protect our families, our friends and our way of life." Takashi finished his tone solemn. 

Rei though was not bought over by those words. 'Sure, protecting the village sounds noble. But it's all a means to get kids to become soldiers and die for the higher-ups. I'll stick with getting strong enough to protect myself and get out of danger. The 'stay out of trouble and don't get killed' approach seems more suitable to me.'

Takashi then turned to the chalkboard, detailing how the Academy over the next five years would unfold. Detailing the subjects they would be taught as well as how theory and practical work would be split. Finally, he listed what they would be tested on for the Graduation Exam. Rei took it all in, listening intently and writing a few notes on the notepad he had been provided by the orphanage matron. 

-X-

The first lesson of the day began with the basics; the structure of Konoha's military itself, from Shinobi ranks to mission clarifications. He started with the roles each rank played in the village, sketching the outline on the chalkboard after having wiped it clean. 

"First, you'll all be aiming to become Genin," Takashi said, underlining the word on the board. "Genin are the entry-level Shinobi and are responsible for completing mostly D-Rank missions which will give you the chance to start working as a Shinobi under the supervision of a Jonin. These missions are not high-risk, their purpose to teach you teamwork and help build the reputation of the village. But, should your performance be ranked high enough, your Jonin instructor may also take you on C-Rank missions."

'And if you're a main character, B-Rank missions.' Rei thought to himself, thinking back to the Land of Waves Arc from the anime as he continued to take notes on everything Takashi was saying. 'Thank God I'm not a main character.'

"C-Rank missions are missions that take you out of the village. They often cover protection detail and escort missions. There is a risk of encountering danger, mostly bandits and/or Genin of other villages. Conflict is likely and therefore only when a Jonin instructor believes their team is suitably prepared will they take C-Rank missions." Takashi explained, a few of the students around looking a little nonplussed at that. 

Rei though was perfectly fine with that. 'I would much rather be stuck inside the village doing D-Rank missions than risking my life on C-Ranks. Especially considering Naruto's first C-Rank turned into a B-Rank, or was it A? I'm not sure. Either way, unexpected variables could turn a simple C-Rank into a higher one and I would like to avoid that.'

Takashi continued, breaking Rei from his thoughts. "As you gain experience, you may be promoted to Chunin. Chunin handle the majority of C-Rank missions. But they also handle B-Rank missions, which are more difficult. Often teams of Chunin will be assigned to work together in order to complete these missions."

"Then there's the Jonin." Takashi voice carried and more than a few kids perked up at the mention of the elite Shinobi rank of the village. "Those of this rank handle A-Rank missions, and at times, S-Rank missions. But only the most skilled of Jonin are assigned the most dangerous of missions as they are a representation of our villages strength. 

One child raised their hands. "What about the ANBU?" This caught everyone's attention who turned to Takashi eagerly waiting to here what he had to say. 

Takashi smiled. "Just like how the Jonin are the symbol of the villages strength, where there is light there is also shadow. The ANBU are our villages elite, special operations forces." There was a pause in which people waited to hear what else Takashi had to say. "Getting back on track," he clearly had nothing else to say and a few students slumped in their seats in disappointment, "there are those Shinobi who go on to gain ranks like Special Jonin—those with unique skills or specilisation in one area."

Overall, Rei found the first lesson to be very informative and while it had covered things he had mostly known, it had provided a bit more information than he had originally been aware of. 

-X-

The next topic Takashi covered was upon the Five Great Nations and the Hidden Villages that made up the core of their military power. He pointed to a large map on the wall where the Land of Fire and Konoha stood out in bold colours. "Each of these nations has its own Hidden Village and a unique set of techniques. The Land of Fire has Konoha, the Leaf Village, which specializes in Fire Release techniques."

Rei was familiar with this, but hearing it in person gave him a different perspective. The Five Great Nations weren't just countries—they were rival powerhouses, each village vying to stay a step ahead. A constant arms race. This world really is a mess, isn't it?

Takashi-sensei continued, explaining the different strengths of each village. "Each of these villages has its specialities. Hidden Sand has its mastery of Wind Release. Hidden Mist is known for Water Release. The Hidden Stone of Earth and the Hidden Cloud on Lightning."

-X-

After the lesson, Takashi-sensei led them outside to a training area where targets were set up. He held up a kunai, showing them the grip, then moved his arm back, releasing it with a practised motion.

The kunai hit the target dead centre.

"Now, each of you will come up in groups of five. I will guide you through the correct grip and motion to throw the Kunai." Rei held back as a few kids stepped up, he listened to the instructions Takashi imparted on a few, noting that most of his guidance was directed toward civillain children compared to those belonging to clans. 

When it was finally his turn, Rei stepped forward with the others in his group, reaching for the kunai one of the previous groups children handed to him. The weapon felt foreign in his hand and heavier than he had expected. Remembering what Takashi had instructed over kids to do, Rei did his best to mimic the correct grip, then aimed carefully before throwing the kunai. 

It wobbled in the air and hit the target...well, it went in the same direction at the very least as it struck the ground just in front of it. 

Rei grimaced. 'So much for a child soldier.'

He then looked to the side and noticed one kid, a Hyuga throwing with a well-practised stance that allowed the kunai to sail smoothly through the air before landing solidly near the bullseye. Another, a girl did the same, hitting a bit further to the side but still landing solidly and clearly having done this before. 

'Even the extras are ahead of me.' Rei thought to himself with a smile, realising that getting himself to any level of skill capable of actually surviving was going to take a lot of hard work. 'Guess I shouldn't expect much less from those that belong to a clan. They probably learned to throw a Kunai while Rei was learning to wipe his own ass.'

He took another kunai and tried again, focusing on his grip and the weight of the weapon. This time, he managed to hit the outer ring of the target. A small victory, but it felt like progress—barely.

-X-

Later in the day, Takashi gathered the students into groups on the practice field for their first Taijutsu training. He lined them up in neat rows and demonstrated a basic stance, showing them the placement of their feet and the bend in their knees. His movements were slow and deliberate, each step and shift of weight done with a clear purpose.

"Taijutsu is close-range physical combat," Takashi explained, adjusting a student's stance nearby as he moved through the rows. "It's about speed, control, and timing. The foundation is in the basics: every punch, every kick and every block must be executed with perfect precision. Power comes from correct posture, not raw strength."

Rei did his best to mirror Takashi stance and correct his form based on the instructions Takashi gave him. He had never practised any martial arts in his previous life, so this was new territory. Just follow the motions. Nothing fancy. You're here to survive, not to become the next taijutsu prodigy.

As they practised, Rei couldn't help but notice the variety of styles—or lack thereof—among his classmates. To his left, one boy was throwing punches as if his life depended on it, his face scrunched in concentration, sending wild jabs in every direction.

'I'm not as bad as that, right?' Rei asked himself. 

A girl on his right kept wobbling on her feet each time she kicked, nearly losing her balance on every attempt. He stifled a laugh. 'If I don't trip over myself in the next ten minutes, I might just be ahead of the curve.'

"Start with a basic punch," Takashi instructed. "Extend from your shoulders and keep your wrist straight. Power comes from your core, not just your arm."

Rei moved through the motions, trying to keep his form precise. As he punched, he focused on how each part of his body connected to the movement, from his feet pushing into the ground to his core twisting to add momentum. His punches weren't powerful, but they were steady. The students around him huffed and puffed, some struggling to keep their balance as they punched the air with all their strength.

Takashi went through a series of exercises, having them throw punches and perform kicks while focusing on control and stability. When it was time for kicks, Rei concentrated on balance, lifting his leg and extending it slowly to maintain form. He wobbled a bit at first but adjusted quickly, planting his feet again with cautious precision. After a decent kick, he felt a flicker of surprise. Not bad for a former couch potato.

He caught himself, glancing around to see if anyone had noticed. Okay, easy there, Rei. One passable kick doesn't make you a Taijutsu expert.

-X-

That night, Rei lay on his futon, feeling a dull ache in his muscles from the day's training. He stared up at the ceiling, replaying the lessons Takashi had drilled into them: ranks, missions, and the Five Great Nations. The reality of his situation was starting to settle in. He wasn't just here for fun or to pick up a few tricks; he was here to survive, and survival meant knowing everything he could about this world.

He closed his eyes and repeated his mantra in his head: Stay unnoticed. Avoid anything suspicious. Keep improving quietly.

In spite of the weight of his new reality, a faint smile tugged at his lips. It wasn't much, but he had gotten through his first day. He had stayed out of trouble, made some progress, and didn't stand out too much. For now, that was enough.

"Just keep moving forward, Rei," he whispered to himself. "Quiet, careful, and unnoticed."

Exhausted but resolved, he closed his eyes, ready to face the next day.