Naruto: Echoes of a Distant Home

Humans are social creatures, and even children tend to form groups, whether large with seven or eight members or small with just two or three.

Minato's appearance was striking, and his gentle, likable personality meant that he had quite a few friends around him.

Ye Zi glanced over the somewhat crowded seats near Minato, then quietly turned his gaze away and headed towards a quieter corner.

He had no intention of integrating into a group. Even when he was forced into a gang in the outside world, it was out of necessity. Throughout his life, he had relied solely on himself, and he firmly believed that only he could be his own support.

Seeing he was ignore him again, Minato slowly lowered his arm amid many curious stares. He awkwardly scratched his head and gave a sheepish smile before sitting down. However, as he sat, he cast a subtle, puzzled glance at Ye Zi.

Minato's gentle nature did not turn into anger but instead curiosity about his apparent aloofness.

Once Minato had taken his seat, his classmates asked him if he knew Ye Zi. Minato's vague response led his friends to consider Ye Zi impolite.

Ye Zi chose a seat in the back row on the left side of the classroom, next to the window, and sat down. He then gazed out at the playground outside. It was summer, and the sunlight was bright and scorching, reflecting off the ground and almost blinding.

About ten minutes later, the classroom door was flung open with a crash. A one-eyed man with a rather fierce appearance walked in. As he shut the door behind him, the previously noisy classroom fell into instant silence.

The one-eyed man noticed the classroom had quieted down upon his entrance, gave a subtle nod, and scanned the students with sharp eyes before heading to the podium, his stride somewhat awkward.

After the Second Shinobi World War, the quality of the teaching staff was exceptional. The instructors were all elite ninjas who had retired from the battlefield. Those who retired did so out of necessity—everyone who had been on the battlefield, apart from those who managed to escape unscathed, either died or suffered from lingering injuries. The one-eyed man was an example; the chakra pathways in his left leg had deteriorated. Despite his chunin level, he would likely be overpowered by a genin.

The one-eyed man was exceptionally burly, wearing the Konoha forehead protector and wrapping his blue headband around his head. His features were notably fierce, with a cross-shaped scar over his right eye adding to his intimidating presence.

"My name is Zekanaki." he said. "I will be your teacher from now on. I won't waste time with idle chatter. If any of you prove to be unsatisfactory, then just go home early."

Zekanaki's icy demeanor and heavy voice struck every student. Just his appearance and initial attitude made many of them instinctively feel intimidated.

At the same time, in the Hokage's office.

Hiruzen, after finishing a document, suddenly stood and walked to the window, gazing in the direction of the Konoha Academy. He murmured to himself, "The real growth will come in three years, not now. Don't be too strict."

Unaware that Zekanaki had given all the children a heavy-handed introduction, Hiruzen would not have appointed Zekanaki as a teacher if there had been any other option.

In the classroom, there was a deathly silence. Under Zekanaki's overpowering aura, many students lowered their eyes, with only a few, including Ye Zi and Minato, keeping their gazes steady.

Zekanaki quickly noticed these few who were not overwhelmed by his presence. He then moderated his aura, clapped his hands, and spoke in a slightly softer but still heavy tone.

"Alright, from left to right, introduce yourselves briefly."

The introductions did not take long. Afterward, Zekanaki began the lesson.

"Chakra is an energy generated by the perfect fusion of mental and physical energy. It is essential for using ninjutsu. The first requirement to become a ninja is to be able to gather chakra and make it your own controllable energy."

Zekanaki's tone was devoid of enthusiasm, but his pace and clear enunciation made him quite suitable for teaching. He suddenly raised three fingers and said, "You have three years to learn how to become a ninja."

He then lowered two of his fingers, and his tone turned severe. "But you only have one year to prove whether you have the qualifications to become a ninja. If you can't even form chakra within a year, then you might as well go home."

Gulp…

When Zekanaki stopped speaking, the classroom was so quiet that even the sound of someone swallowing could be heard.

Ye Zi's heart skipped a beat. If he couldn't form chakra within a year, he would lose all chances. He clenched his fists silently, his eyes becoming resolute.

"Being a ninja is not something you can easily achieve."

Zekanaki's eyes grew somber, as if recalling something, making his tone even more grave.

...

The entire half-day passed without Ye Zi learning much, but he gained a general understanding of the world's system from Zekanaki's explanations.

Ninjas are people with extraordinary abilities.

There are clear ranks among ninjas: genin, chunin, jonin, and Hokage…

The ranks among ninjas are determined by the amount of chakra and the use of ninjutsu. Those who excel in using ninjutsu are inherently talented with excellent chakra control.

Returning to the residence, his mind was filled with thoughts about being a ninja. He had just started to engage with the ninja profession, and he wasn't even a genin yet. According to Zekanaki, it would take him three years to have a chance to become a genin, rather than achieving that status immediately. If he couldn't form chakra, he would be forever estranged from the ninja profession.

Zekanaki, the teacher, was a chunin, so the Orochimaru who raised him must be at least a jonin. As long as he could form chakra, any issues could be quickly addressed with Orochimaru's guidance, which would undoubtedly be more effective than Zekanaki's slow instruction. With this thought, a faint smile appeared on Ye Zi's youthful face.

Meeting Orochimaru was not such a bad thing after all, despite the initial dissatisfaction.

"This is good." He thought, staring at his small, determined hand. His eyes were filled with motivation.