The voice belonged to a young boy with spiky black hair and gentle onyx eyes that seemed to be filled with wisdom beyond his years. His fair skin contrasted with the dark color of his hair and he wore a simple dark blue shirt and matching shorts. The most striking feature about him was the deep red Uchiha crest emblazoned on the back of his shirt.

The boy noticed Rai's curious gaze and extended his hand with a friendly smile. "Hi, my name is Shisui Uchiha. Nice to meet you," he said warmly.

Rai hesitated for a few moments, taking in the boy's friendly demeanor and genuine smile. Then, deciding to return the gesture, he extended his own hand and shook Shisui's firmly. "Hi, I'm Shikarai Nara. It's nice to meet you too," he replied, offering a small smile of his own.

"Are you okay? I noticed earlier that you were looking around a bit...weirdly. Is something bothering you?" Shisui asked.

Rai hesitated for a moment, not quite sure how to explain his feelings. He then offered a small smile and replied, "It's nothing, really. I'm fine."

Before their conversation could proceed any further, their sensei called out to the class, "Alright, everyone, I would like each of you to come to the front row one by one to introduce yourselves. This will help us all get to know each other better."

He then proceeded to lead by example, standing at the front of the class and saying, "As I mentioned earlier, my name is Hiroshi Nakamura. I have been a shinobi for many years, and I am honored to be your homeroom teacher this year. I look forward to helping you grow and learn as we work together."

With that, Hiroshi continued, "My dream has always been to serve our village in the best way I can. As a teacher, I hope to pass on my knowledge and experience to the next generation of shinobi, so that you can protect and uphold the values of the Hidden Leaf Village."

He then gestured for the first student to step forward and begin their introduction. The students watched attentively as their classmates took turns sharing their names and a little bit about themselves, including their dreams and aspirations.

The students' introductions varied widely; some were shy, barely managing to get their words out, while others were loud and brash, seemingly craving attention. The classroom atmosphere shifted with each new speaker, reflecting the diverse personalities of the young shinobi.

Finally, it was Shisui's turn to introduce himself. He stepped forward confidently, his demeanor calm and composed.

Shisui stood at the front of the class, his eyes radiating determination. "Hello everyone, my name is Shisui Uchiha. I am six years old," he said, his voice steady and clear. "My dream is to become a true shinobi of the Hidden Leaf Village, to protect our home and the people within it."

After finishing his introduction, Shisui looked around at his classmates with a warm smile. "Let's all get along and support each other during our time here at the academy," he said, his tone encouraging and friendly. With that, he gave a slight bow to the sensei and the class before returning to his seat next to Rai.

Following Shisui's introduction, it was now Rai's turn to share his information with the class. He got up from his seat, feeling a bit lazy and unhurried, and slowly made his way to the front of the classroom.

Keeping his introduction short and precise, he said, "Hi, my name is Shikarai Nara. I'm five years old." He paused for a moment, considering what else to say before continuing, "My dream is to become a medical-nin and help save lives. Let's all work hard together."

After completing his introduction, Rai offered a lazy smile to his classmates. He then turned around and casually made his way back to his seat beside Shisui, settling in for the remainder of the class introductions.

As the remaining students took turns introducing themselves, the atmosphere in the classroom grew livelier.

After the last student had finished, Hiroshi stood up and addressed the class. "Alright, everyone, we will begin our first class in five minutes. I need to step out for a moment, but I expect you all to remain seated and not cause any fuss in the classroom. When I return, we will start our journey as aspiring shinobi. Understood?"

The students responded with a chorus of "Yes, sensei!" before Hiroshi exited the room, leaving them to their own devices.

Despite their sensei's warning, the room quickly filled with excited chatter and laughter as the students eagerly discussed their introductions, dreams, and expectations for the upcoming lessons. Rai and Shisui, however, remained relatively quiet, exchanging only a few words as they waited patiently for their sensei to return.

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Soon enough, Hiroshi returned to the classroom, and the excited chatter died down as the students eagerly anticipated their first lesson. Hiroshi clapped his hands to get their attention, and with a firm yet gentle voice, he announced, "Alright, everyone, let's begin our first class.

He proceeded to explain the timetable, saying, "We will have three classes from morning until lunchtime. After lunch, we will have two more classes. This will be our daily schedule, so please make sure you're prepared and ready to learn."

As the day progressed, the students attended the rest of their morning classes, covering a variety of topics such as mathematics, history, and geography.

Rai found himself struggling to stay focused and alert during these lessons. He had to try really hard not to fall asleep, stifling yawns and occasionally pinching himself to stay awake.

Fortunately, lunchtime arrived soon enough, providing the students with a much-needed break. They had an hour to eat, relax, and socialize with their classmates before resuming their afternoon classes.

While most of their classmates excitedly left the classroom for the playground, Rai and Shisui remained at their desks. Rai, feeling exhausted from trying to stay awake during the morning classes, decided to take advantage of the break to catch up on some much-needed rest. He leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes, and drifted off to sleep.

Shisui, on the other hand, seemed content to stay at his desk as well. He used the time to quietly review some notes from the morning's lessons, occasionally glancing over at the slumbering Rai with a small, understanding smile. The classroom was unusually peaceful, with the sounds of laughter and play from the playground faintly echoing in the background.

A few minutes into Rai's nap, he suddenly stirred awake with a start, realizing that he had been drooling in his sleep. He quickly wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, feeling slightly embarrassed. As he looked around to see if anyone had noticed, he caught Shisui's eye.

Shisui grinned playfully and said, "Looks like you really needed that nap, huh?"

"Honestly, I was bored out of my mind." Rai said, rubbing his eyes.

He then glanced over at Shisui, who seemed to be working on something quietly at his desk, and asked, "Why aren't you playing outside with the rest of the kids?"

Shisui looked up from his work and replied, "I just wanted to get a head start on some of the assignments we were given. Besides, I like the peace and quiet in here."

He then gestured to the empty classroom and added, "Plus, it's not often we get the chance to enjoy the classroom like this without all the noise and chaos."

Shisui then turned the question back on Rai, asking, "What about you? Why didn't you go outside to play with the others?"

Rai thought for a moment before answering, "Well, I was really tired, and I thought I could use the time to catch up on some sleep. But now that I'm awake, I guess I'll just enjoy the peace and quiet too."

Both Rai and Shisui took out their bentos and began to eat in silence, enjoying the calm atmosphere of the empty classroom. They quietly savored their lunches, appreciating the break from the lively chaos of their fellow students playing outside.

As they continued to eat, Shisui glanced at Rai and asked, "I noticed you didn't seem very interested in class earlier. Is everything alright?"

Rai looked at Shisui and thought for an answer. Finally, he sighed and told him, "Well, the truth is, I've already studied all the mundane subjects offered at the academy. I guess I just didn't find the lessons very engaging since I'm already familiar with the material."

Shisui raised an eyebrow and asked, "Have you ever considered applying to skip grades? If you already know the material, it might be more challenging and engaging for you to advance to a higher level."

Rai's eyes widened in surprise, and he asked Shisui, "Wait, can we actually do that? I didn't know that was an option here at the academy."

Shisui nodded in confirmation, explaining that skipping grades was indeed possible for students who demonstrated exceptional knowledge and abilities.

Shisui continued, "Since the entire first year is filled with mundane studies, you can just apply to skip grade one and move to grade two, where the shinobi-related classes are introduced. If you can prove that you have a solid grasp of the basic subjects, the academy might consider letting you advance to the next grade."

Rai, eager to take advantage of the opportunity, asked Shisui, "Can I take the exam as soon as tomorrow, or is there a specific time when it's held?"

Shisui thought for a moment before responding, "I'm not sure about the exact schedule, but you should be able to talk to our sensei about it. He should have all the information you need and can guide you through the process."

Rai nodded thoughtfully, considering Shisui's advice. "I think I'll consult my parents first and see what they think about it."

Shisui agreed, "That would be for the best."

He then looked down for a moment, clearly embarrassed, before hesitantly asking Rai, "Um, what are you planning to do after school today?"

Rai was taken aback for a moment before he responded, "Oh, I don't have any special plans. I'll just be going home after school."

Shisui, still appearing a bit embarrassed, hesitantly asked, "Would you... maybe want to hang out after school? We could do some training together or just relax, whatever you prefer."

Rai, seeing Shisui's hesitance, responded enthusiastically, "How about we meet at training ground three? That way, we can do some training together and relax afterwards if we want to."

Shisui's face lit up with a broad smile, clearly excited by Rai's positive response. "Great! I'll be there around 4. Looking forward to it," he said, his enthusiasm evident in his voice.

After finalizing their plans, Rai and Shisui engaged in casual conversation, discussing mundane topics and getting to know each other better. They chatted amiably until their afternoon classes began, signaling the end of their lunch break.