September 1st—Registration Day

In the quiet clearing behind his house, Kitazawa stood with his hands forming precise seals.

“Wood Release: Silent Killing Jutsu!”

Thick wooden vines burst from the ground, slithering up the trunk of a nearby tree and coiling tightly around it.

Kitazawa nodded in satisfaction.

He had fully mastered this technique. The next step would be its natural evolution—Wood Release: Great Forest, a jutsu that could unleash countless vines to capture and crush targets at once.

Tsunade had given him three Wood Release jutsu to study. Once he perfected this one, he planned to reveal to her that he had successfully synthesized true Wood Release on his own.

That conversation was bound to be… interesting.

Pocketing his hands, Kitazawa turned toward the Konoha Orphanage.

Waiting for him there were Kimimaro, Tayuya, Jugo, and Haku—all dressed neatly, faces calm yet expectant.

Each of them was about to join the Genius Class as transfer students.

“Kitazawa-sensei,” Haku greeted first, polite as ever, bowing slightly.

Kimimaro and Jugo followed suit.

Only Tayuya stood stubbornly silent, her crimson eyes daring him to call her out.

Kitazawa just smiled.

Once she met the monsters of Konoha, she’d understand where she stood soon enough.

He was planning a traditional combat exam for the first monthly test of the semester anyway.

It would both reshuffle mission rankings and help him complete his system mission.

Perfect timing.

“Good morning, everyone!”

The door to the Genius Class burst open, and Naruto strode in with his usual grin, voice echoing through the room.

“You’re late, Naruto,” Kiba said, leaning back in his chair. “You’re the last one to show up.”

Naruto scratched the back of his head sheepishly. “I thought since it’s registration day, I’d celebrate by running two extra laps around the village!”

Kiba blinked. “…Are you even human?”

“Don’t we see each other every day?” Choji mumbled around a mouthful of chips.

Besides Sasuke and Sakura, most of them had spent the entire summer training at the academy anyway.

“Summer vacation and the first day of school are different!” Naruto said seriously, crossing his arms.

Shikamaru yawned. “Typical Naruto—no one else is that dedicated.”

“I don’t think it’s dedication,” Ino said dryly. “It’s just his weird stamina.”

“Indeed,” Shino added quietly. “His vitality is… extraordinary. Even among jōnin, few possess that kind of resilience.”

Naruto just grinned, chest puffed up like he’d been complimented.

“Sasuke!” he said suddenly, plopping into the seat beside him. “How was your summer vacation?”

Sasuke glanced over, voice calm and cool. “Productive. Beating you won’t be a problem anymore.”

Naruto’s eyes lit up instantly. “As expected of my lifelong rival! I can feel your burning youth from here!”

Sasuke’s mouth twitched. Where is the burning? Where is the youth?

Ino, meanwhile, noticed something strange.

Sakura hadn’t fawned over Sasuke’s every word like usual.

Instead, she crossed her arms and said coolly, “Defeating you won’t be a problem either.”

Ino raised an eyebrow. “You’re not Sasuke. Just saying it doesn’t make it true.”

“This time’s different,” Sakura said confidently. “My Water Release isn’t any weaker than your Genjutsu now—and I’ve learned how to counter illusions.”

Ino’s eyes narrowed slightly. So she’s been training too, huh?

Before the tension could spark into a full-blown rivalry, Tenten stepped in with a light laugh.

“Are you two forgetting something? The semester just started. Save the sparring for missions—those are what actually determine victory now.”

Her words reminded everyone of last semester’s results: strength alone didn’t guarantee success.

Sometimes, teamwork and clever planning won out over raw power.

And this semester, with new blood joining the mix… everything was about to change.

“Kitazawa-sensei’s here—and he’s brought four students with him.”

Through the window, Neji was the first to notice them. His sharp eyes narrowed as he recognized one of the figures.

“Wait… is that Haku?” Hana said, surprise flickering across her face.

Her brother, Kiba, perked up instantly. “You know him, sis?”

Hana nodded. “I went on a mission to the Land of Water with Hinata and Shino once. Our target was that boy on the far left—Haku. He’s from the Land of Water and possesses the Ice Release kekkei genkai.”

“He’s a boy?!” Sakura blurted out, eyes wide.

Haku’s feminine features had fooled more than a few people before.

“Ice Release?” Naruto leaned forward, eyes gleaming. “Whoa, is that strong?”

Choji crunched on his chips thoughtfully. “If he has Ice Release, can he, like… make popsicles and ice cream?”

Everyone turned to stare at him.

“What?” Choji asked defensively. “That’d be awesome!”

Hana smiled faintly. “I don’t know all the details. Kitazawa-sensei only mentioned his ability briefly.”

“What about the others?” Kiba asked, squinting at the three unfamiliar faces beside Haku.

“Never seen them before,” Hana replied. “Only him.”

“That white-haired one,” Ino murmured, eyeing Kimimaro. “He’s got the same brooding aura as Sasuke.”

“They all seem calm,” Shino said, adjusting his glasses. “Too calm. Their strength level is unknown.”

“They’re definitely not stronger than me,” Sasuke said casually, arms crossed.

His reasoning was simple: he hadn’t heard of them before.

If they were that talented, they’d already be famous.

The classroom door slid open.

“Everyone!” Naruto called, springing to his feet. “Sensei’s here!”

Kitazawa stepped in, followed by Haku, Kimimaro, Jugo, and Tayuya. The class immediately buzzed with whispers.

Naruto waved. “Hey, Sensei!”

Kitazawa smiled faintly as he walked to the front of the room. Behind him, the four newcomers quietly scanned their new classmates.

“They don’t look that impressive,” Tayuya muttered under her breath.

She thought she’d kept it quiet—but Kitazawa’s sharp eyes flicked toward her, and she immediately froze.

A low voice beside her whispered, “Byakugan.”

Kimimaro’s gaze had locked on Neji and Hinata, and both of them stiffened slightly under his cold, analytical stare.

The name Hyuga carried weight, even in distant lands.

Jugo and Tayuya followed his gaze; they’d all heard of the Hyuga clan’s legendary dōjutsu.

“Kitazawa-sensei,” Naruto asked eagerly, “are they new students?”

“That’s right,” Kitazawa replied with a nod. “Starting today, these four will be joining the Genius Class.”

“They’re really our new classmates?!” Naruto’s eyes sparkled. “If Sensei brought them here, they must be strong!”

Tayuya crossed her arms. “Defeating you won’t be a problem.”

The room went silent for half a beat.

“…That line sounds familiar,” Kiba said after a pause. “Didn’t Sasuke and Sakura say the same thing at the start of last semester?”

“She’s confident,” Tenten said, smirking. “Bold too. I like her spirit—but beating Naruto? That’s a tall order.”

Kimimaro, Jugo, and Haku remained silent, observing the class quietly.

Tayuya’s bluntness, however, instantly drew everyone’s attention.

And because she had arrived with Kitazawa, most assumed she was something special.

Naruto, of course, only grinned wider. “Awesome! Let’s have a youth-filled spar sometime!”

“…Youth-filled?” Tayuya blinked.

‘Why is he glowing? Why are his teeth sparkling? And what’s with that pose?!’

“The four of you, introduce yourselves,” Kitazawa said, stepping aside. “Tell everyone your name, hobbies, and dreams.”

There was a brief silence before Haku gracefully stepped forward.

“Hello, everyone. My name is Haku.”

He bowed slightly, smiling politely. “I don’t have any hobbies for now. My dream is to become an excellent ANBU.”

“ANBU?” Shikamaru tilted his head. “That’s… not a goal you hear every day.”

“Yeah,” Kiba agreed. “Most people want to be Hokage. Wanting to be ANBU is… kind of unique.”

Sasuke’s eyes flickered briefly toward Haku. There was something calm but heavy in the boy’s expression—something that reminded him of his brother.

“ANBU are those masked ninja, right?” Naruto asked, scratching his head.

Shikamaru sighed. “You’ve seen them, Naruto. They’re the masked shinobi who report directly to the Hokage.”

“Oh! I have seen them!” Naruto said, nodding furiously.

“Good,” Kitazawa said. “Haku, you’ll sit next to Kiba.”

“I’m Inuzuka Kiba!” Kiba said, grinning and raising a hand.

Haku nodded and took the empty seat beside him.

Next was a tall, quiet boy with calm orange eyes.

“My name is Jugo,” he said. “I like small animals… and my dream, if I have one, is to live as an ordinary person.”

The room went silent again.

Ino and Choji exchanged glances—then both turned toward Shikamaru.

“What? Why are you looking at me?” Shikamaru muttered, stretching. “Everyone’s allowed to have a dream. Even ordinary ones.”

Still, his expression softened slightly.

For once, someone else shared his wish for a quiet life.

But deep down, he knew—like him, Jugo probably wouldn’t get that chance.

“Jugo, you’ll sit next to Shino,” Kitazawa said, glancing around. “You two will get along well.”

Shino raised his hand in acknowledgment, and Jugo moved to the seat beside him.

“I’m Tayuya,” she said when her turn came, stepping forward with folded arms.

“No hobbies, no likes, no dislikes… nothing much.”

She almost added something rude—but Kitazawa’s sharp look made her change her mind at the last second.

“Sit next to Naruto,” Kitazawa said, clearly amused.

If anyone could handle her temper, it was him.

Besides, he secretly wanted to see what would happen when fiery arrogance met unstoppable optimism.

“Over here, Tayuya! This seat’s open!” Naruto called, waving eagerly.

“…”

Tayuya hesitated, feeling awkward under so much warmth.

In Otogakure, people barely looked at each other unless they were fighting to the death.

The energy in this classroom—the smiles, the laughter—felt alien to her.

She sat down stiffly, unsure how to act.

Finally, Kimimaro stepped forward.

“My name is Kimimaro Kaguya,” he said simply.

That was all—no extra words, no expression.

But his calm tone and composed posture spoke volumes.

“Kaguya?” Neji murmured suddenly, his eyes widening.

Hinata’s expression mirrored his shock.

The Kaguya and Hyuga Clans shared a deep historical connection—distant branches of the same ancient lineage.

And yet, the Kaguya had long been considered extinct.

Now, one stood before them.

The room fell silent as the realization settled in.

Kimimaro merely bowed slightly and stepped back, his face calm as stone.

Kitazawa looked over his students—old and new—and smiled faintly.

The Genius Class had just changed forever.

In the original story—or rather, in the anime—it was even mentioned that Hanabi once traveled to the Land of Water to visit distant relatives of the Kaguya Clan.

That detail had always been strange.

Either the anime had contradicted the manga, or a few remnants of the Kaguya Clan had somehow survived.

Kitazawa leaned toward the former.

“Didn’t the Kaguya Clan perish?” murmured Nara Shikamaru, frowning thoughtfully. “Could he be a survivor?”

He didn’t ask aloud. Bringing up a clan’s destruction in front of its descendant was like pressing on an open wound.

“Kimimaro, sit next to Neji,” Kitazawa instructed after a pause.

Kimimaro silently descended from the podium and took the empty seat beside Neji.

“Next, we’ll proceed with registration,” Kitazawa continued. “Afterward, collect your textbooks for this semester and you’re free to go. Classes officially start tomorrow—don’t be late.”

“Yes, Kitazawa-sensei!” the students replied in unison.

With that, Kitazawa nodded and left the classroom.

Textbook distribution was Iruka’s job today.

As for Hiruzen or Kakashi, neither of them showed up.

“Want some potato chips?” Akimichi Choji offered cheerfully, holding out the bag toward the four newcomers.

“No, thank you,” Haku said politely.

But Tayuya, standing beside him, caught the scent of salt and oil. Her stomach growled before she could stop it.

There were no snacks like that in Otogakure—only ration pills and battle meals.

“I’ve got more,” Ino said with a friendly grin, pulling a handful of colorful treats from her bag.

Tayuya blinked, unsure how to respond.

“Don’t be shy,” Ino said, unwrapping a chocolate and placing it gently into Tayuya’s hand. “We’re all classmates here.”

After a moment’s hesitation, Tayuya peeled off the wrapper and took a bite.

Her eyes widened instantly.

Sweet… it melts in your mouth?!

“Why do you carry so many snacks, Ino?” Sakura asked while stealing a lollipop from her bag.

Ino beamed. “Kitazawa-sensei gave them to me! Said I made great progress last semester—rewarded me with a whole bag of snacks!”

Sakura rolled her eyes. “What’s there to brag about? Everyone’s gotten snacks from Kitazawa-sensei.”

The moment Tayuya heard that name, her jaw stiffened slightly—but the taste of chocolate was too addictive to stop eating.

“I’ve eaten ramen cooked by Kitazawa-sensei!” Naruto announced proudly.

“What?!” Ino gasped. “He can cook too? Why haven’t I tried it?”

“I… I’ve had one of Kitazawa-sensei’s homemade bentos,” Hinata added softly, her cheeks turning pink.

Tayuya stared at them in disbelief.

Why is everyone obsessed with that annoying man?

And not just him—this entire Genius Class felt wrong. Too cheerful. Too… soft.

Completely unlike the cutthroat environment of Otogakure.

She clicked her tongue quietly. No wonder they’re so relaxed. Let’s see how strong they really are.

“You guys should eat too!” Ino said, handing a few snacks to Haku, Kimimaro, and Jugo.

“Trying to bribe your future teammates already?” Shikamaru teased.

Ino huffed. “Excuse me? They don’t even know about the team divisions yet. And if I were bribing someone, it’d be Kitazawa-sensei.”

That earned a round of laughter from the class.

“Team divisions?” Haku asked curiously.

“Oh, right—you’re new.” Ino brightened. “So basically, the monthly practical exam decides team assignments. Only the top eighteen get selected for missions, and rankings affect your score.”

“I see…” Haku nodded slowly. “Then I hope I can make it into the top eighteen.”

“Top eighteen?” Tayuya scoffed, still nibbling on chocolate. “That’s easy. I’m aiming for top three.”

Shikamaru arched an eyebrow. “Do you have a kekkei genkai or something?”

“Nope.” Tayuya lifted her chin proudly. “But I can use Summoning Jutsu and Genjutsu.”

That drew several looks of surprise.

Even Shikamaru blinked. “Summoning and Genjutsu at your age? Impressive… but aren’t you a little overconfident?”

“Are you surprised?” Tayuya smirked. “Most of you probably can’t even use a proper Ninjutsu yet.”

That might’ve been true for an ordinary class of children her age—but this was Kitazawa’s Genius Class.

Here, even first-years had mastered techniques that could make chūnin tremble.

“What rank is your Genjutsu?” Shikamaru asked curiously.

“B-Rank,” Tayuya said without hesitation, voice brimming with pride.

Ino blinked. B-Rank? That was on par with the illusions she herself had just started learning.

“And your Summoning Beasts?” Tenten asked, intrigued.

“Are you trying to get intel on me already?” Tayuya’s eyes narrowed.

Shikamaru chuckled. “It’s not scouting—it’s building trust. If we ever become teammates, it helps to understand each other’s abilities.”

“Whatever. Not that it’ll matter—you won’t beat me anyway,” Tayuya said flatly. “I summon three Nuki Oni—demons that coordinate with my Genjutsu.”

She explained briefly, mentioning their eerie appearance and sound-based link to her flute technique.

“That sounds awesome!” Naruto exclaimed. “I want to summon beasts like that too!”

Across the room, Sasuke, Neji, Shino, and Shikamaru exchanged quiet, thoughtful glances.

A B-Rank Genjutsu at her age was no small feat.

If her summons really amplified it, she was undeniably talented—perhaps even a prodigy in her own right.

Kimimaro’s eyes flickered with a calm glint.

Unlike Tayuya, he’d already noticed how composed the Genius Class had been—none of them were intimidated.

That alone told him everything.

They weren’t just strong—they were used to strength.

Tayuya’s confidence, he thought, will cost her dearly during the first Monthly Exam.

Meanwhile, Haku simply smiled faintly.

He had been rescued by Kitazawa and trusted his judgment completely.

If these students were taught by Kitazawa-sensei, then underestimating them…

would be a mistake.

——————————–

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