Chapter 7

"The Ninja Academy, a cornerstone of the village's legacy, was envisioned and brought to life by the visionary Second Hokage in the year 388. A hallowed institution that has borne witness to the meteoric ascent of countless prodigies and adept shinobi throughout its storied existence. More than just a place of instruction, it is the very cradle of Leaf Village's indomitable ninja tradition. The root of Konoha."

Ando's eyes traced the grand words etched alongside the gate. They stood as a testament to the village's commitment to education, growth, and the cultivation of its future defenders.

At the front, the caretaker responsible for escorting them to the academy walked to the gates after instructing them to stay back. A ninja in a dark green flak jacket welcomed the matron with a light smile.

Mihara Iwao [Level ?]

Age ?

The man exuded a strong presence. Clad in a modest sleeveless shirt beneath his rugged flak jacket, his muscled arms were boldly displayed. His leaf headband shone on his left arm. He had a calm and focused demeanor. An occasional flicker in his gaze, directed toward the orphans and his surroundings as he conversed with the caretaker, revealed his cautious nature.

It wasn't the first time Ando had seen a ninja outside the orphanage, but he never felt disappointed by them. Their demeanor, posture, and energy were just something he was not used to. In this regard, for once, Ando had the same reaction as his peers. They were all fascinated by the ninjas.

The discussion between the matron and the ninja was short. In a few moments, the children were led through the academy gates.

Once inside, Ando's jaw unconsciously slackened. The sight before him left Ando in awe.

The academy sprawled out grandly, far larger than he had ever anticipated. As he stepped into the open court, his senses were overwhelmed by a symphony of sights and sounds. The expanse gave the illusion of stretching beyond the horizon. In one corner, he spotted intricate obstacle courses designed to challenge both body and mind, while in another, dedicated taijutsu practice fields echoed with the rhythmic sounds of training.

The dormitory buildings stood tall and proud, towering over the grounds, while the school buildings remained still and quiet, as if holding their breath, waiting for the rush of students to fill their halls with energy. Further away, a few buildings seemed more official, likely reserved for the staff.

Ando couldn't help but compare this impressive sight to the fictional scenes he had seen in anime. The academy here was a real symbol of hard work and purpose, its wide layout showing just how serious the training inside really was. It fit perfectly with the military village theme, where neglecting the place where the future soldiers were going to be groomed was just stupid.

He was impressed, failing to school his features. But he was not the only one. Glancing toward the group of orphans standing nearby, he noticed their wide eyes, agape mouths, and faces illuminated by a mixture of astonishment and delight.

"Don't be too shocked yet. There is more to come." The voice of the caretaker accompanying them roused them from their trance, and the group started moving again.

As they toured the place, they met a few students who lived on the campus. And Ando took the time to observe as many people as he could to get a read on the general level of the people around.

After the tour, they were brought to the green building in the middle of the academy. The administration office was managed by chunins. Their tour guide, Mihara Iwao, walked inside and then came back with two additional chunin, each carrying a set of scrolls clutched securely in their hands.

Stepping back into the open, the chunins casually unfurled the scrolls on the ground. With a sudden poof of smoke, a transformation occurred before their eyes. In the place of the scrolls now lay a neat stack of books, alongside an array of cards scattered across the ground.

The display, akin to magic, brought excited murmurs from the gathered orphans. Yet, amidst the growing anticipation, Mihara Iwao's resonant voice sliced through, commanding attention.

"Today, you will be receiving your student cards. Consider them your most prized possessions as they will record your status in the academy! To activate them, you just have to put a small drop of blood on it. And that's it!"

The man's voice traveled far and captivated the attention of the kids. Mihara, along with the two other chunins, then proceeded to call out the children's names one by one to give them their cards. The process was done relatively fast, and soon it was Ando's turn. He walked up to the front and suppressed his nervousness. Copying those who came before him, Ando simply extended his left arm forward. The ninja casually pricked his index finger with a needle and then placed the drop of blood on a card, which was next handed over to him, along with a rather thick book.

"Next, Ishiyo!"

Ando quickly moved aside and observed the card. It was clearly made out of some sort of thick paper. But it was more resistant, and its texture almost felt like plastic. On it, Ando's name, age, and some other information were displayed.

"With this, you have officially joined the Ninja Academy of the Hidden Leaf. From this moment on, you can proudly puff out your chest and stand proud. You are no longer just mere orphans; you are the meticulously selected saplings that will one day stand on top of this village!"

"I, Mihara Iwao, jounin of the Hidden Leaf Village, welcome you to the Leaf Academy!"

From this moment on, the kids were officially no longer part of the Bright Orphanage. They were stepping into the road of shinobi. Ando looked down at the student card in his hand, and then at the thick academy guideline book. A determined glint flashed in his eyes as he followed Mihara Iwao towards the dorm.

The dormitories bore a striking resemblance to those they had known back at the orphanage. It brought a sense of familiarity that mingled with the novelty of their new surroundings. The structures held a sense of sameness in their design and layout, a comforting reminder of the past for them, even as they moved on with their lives.

One such reminder was the fact that they still had to share a room. Three students had to share one room, while the individual rooms were reserved for the fourth years who lived in another building.

Ando finished settling his belongings on the bed, which consisted of just a few spare clothes, and then looked at his roommates.

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Kamiya [Level 5]

Age 8

Makoto [Level 5]

Age 9

Kamiya was a small kid with a build leaning toward the emaciated side. He was pale and had neck-length spiky brown hair. He gave off the vibe of a soft-spoken person. In contrast, the older Makoto had short black hair, a slightly tanned complexion, and looked like the carefree and open type.

Ando had never interacted with either of them. Kamiya and he came from the same orphanage, but Makoto was from another orphanage. Since they were going to be together for quite some time, Ando decided to break the ice and try to at least get along with them.

"Hey guys!" He started, garnering curious looks from the two boys. "We'll be sharing this room for the foreseeable future, so I thought we should get to know each other."

"My name is Ando, I'm eight years old, and I come from Bright Orphanage!" He finished with a smile and looked expectantly at Makoto, who did not take long to catch on.

"I'm Makoto. I'm nine, and I come from the Eden Orphanage. I hope we'll get along fine." The boy smiled brightly at them. The two then directed their gazes toward the last member of the trio.

"Uhh…" Kamiya mumbled and lowered his head. "My name is Kamiya, and I come from Bright Orphanage too. N-nice to meet you guys." Kamiya finished with a nervous stutter. It seemed like Ando's first evaluation of him was spot on.

"It's nice to meet you guys." Thinking about a topic to continue the exchange with, he looked at the more agreeable Makoto. "Well Makoto, how about you tell us a bit about how it was like in the Eden Orphanage, if you don't mind."

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As Ando settled into his new environment, a familiar ping alerted him of a notification from the system. But as he focused on the screen, all he saw was a black screen. Which quickly closed.

He couldn't help but ponder over the anomaly from his system. He had expected some sort of quest or guidance, but there was nothing. Just an empty void where the system's prompt should have been.

It was as if the system had tried to ping him something but failed.

Ando frowned, wondering what could have gone wrong. He had grown somewhat accustomed to the system's interventions, and the absence of it now felt disconcerting. Was the system malfunctioning?

After a moment of contemplation, Ando shook his head. There was no point in dwelling on it now. He still could rely on himself. This was an opportunity to explore the village and understand the world he had been thrust into. Even if the system wasn't going to guide him, he could still find his own path.

With his mind set, Ando exited the dormitory. As he made his way out, his gaze fell upon a group of orphans whose expressions were a medley of hope and uncertainty. Joining the academy meant opportunity, a chance to escape the confines of the orphanage, yet it also carried the bittersweet taste of leaving behind the only home they had known.

He could sympathize with them. But unlike these children, Ando's attachment to the orphanage was fleeting, almost ephemeral. He had spent less than two months within its walls, his connection no deeper than the memories he had inherited. While he acknowledged those memories, they did not carve a profound emotional bond. His departure from the orphanage was more of a transition, a shift from one phase of life to another, without the weight of sentimentality dragging him down.

He stepped out of the dorm and welcomed the sight before him. The greenery and natural feel of the academy gave him a harmonious feeling. It was a little over 9 in the morning, so he had plenty of time. On his way to the gate, he passed some of his fellow orphans who were openly gawking at the few students practicing on the throwing field.

He only spared a few glances at them before decisively heading out. The two ninjas standing guard at the gate gave him a passing glance but did not stop him. It was the weekend, and the students were given free reign over what they wanted to do during that time. Furthermore, the school year had yet to officially start, so he had all the freedom he needed.

As he walked through the village, Ando observed his surroundings with keen interest. The villagers looked kind too. Most of them seemed relaxed, not in a hurry to get from A to B or stressed to get something done. Of course, there were exceptions, but the majority of those he met looked at ease.

A casual use of observe here and there told him that the civilians averaged levels 8 to 13. Not a big surprise there. But the fact that he was still weaker than most civilians left Ando feeling quite irritated. It wasn't a pleasant feeling to know he was still one of the weakest persons in the village.

After touring around for some time, he finally arrived at the foot of the Hokage Mountain. A long set of stairs awaited him.

Upon seeing the seemingly infinite line of stairs, a sudden idea flashed into his mind. What if he were to run through them?

He surprised himself by not immediately rejecting the idea, actually viewing it more as a challenge.

One had to keep in mind that Ando was the type of person who trained his body until exhaustion every single morning. The daily exercise caused more than physical change in him. It also influenced his character. And instead of feeling discouraged by the sight of the stairs, he actually felt a certain feeling of growing apprehension inside him. Could he actually do it?

The idea of proving himself triumphed over his hesitation, and Ando actually started running towards the flight of stairs. Some of the walking pedestrians looked curiously at the odd kid who started running up the stairs. Some worried he might trip and injure himself, while others looked on with amusement. But aside from an old lady who shouted at him to be careful, nobody stopped him.

But soon, Ando realized that the task he set himself to do was actually a lot harder than he imagined. He was not even a third of the way up when he started feeling his lungs burning up. It was only normal; he was still a child, and he didn't have any idea of pacing himself.

A couple of instants later, Ando stopped running and hunched over, his hands resting on his knees as he panted heavily, trying to catch his breath. Sweat pooled down his small body, drenching his clothes. But he didn't stop for long. With some difficulty, Ando slowly forced himself to stand straight and continued moving forward. Step by step, he resumed his walk. But this time, Ando had learned his lesson. The mountain was too big of a target for him. He couldn't reach the top by running, but he still could walk.

Still, he wouldn't take the loss lying down. He took it as a challenge, and promised himself to get it right the next time!

When Ando finally finished climbing the stairs, some people cast curious looks at him, most of them being civilian couples. The Hokage Mountain was a popular spot for civilians. The extraordinary view from the top could serve as a nice background as they talked about their futures.

While panting and sweating, Ando walked up to the top of the hokage head that was closest to him, which happened to be the first hokage. And then he plopped down to recover, the gentle breeze doing wonders to alleviate his exhaustion. He took deep breaths and then allowed himself to get lost in thoughts.

"The sky is still the same," He thought aloud. The sky may be a tab bit clearer in Konoha, but it was still the same blue one as the one he had in his previous world. And the sun still hurt to watch. He turned his eyes down to alleviate the pain and started to scan the village.

And he had to admit that from where he was, the view was indeed wonderful. The colors, the architecture style, and even the general vibe that the picture inspired. Everything was so different, but it was a pleasant kind of different.

"But… it's definitely a brand-new world." He muttered. He stayed on top of the monument for a long time, feeling quite emotional. He felt both excited and sad at the same time. Excited at the prospect of the adventures that awaited him, the people he would meet, the places he would visit. And he lamented the fact that there were places that he would never see again. People he would never get the chance to meet again…

A lone tear trailed down Ando's face, if one did not look carefully, they would confuse it for the sweat that pooled down his body. Ando took one deep breath, and did not run from the feeling of sadness. The thing is, when people have the habit of burying their feelings, it was easy for them to be triggered. Even the seemingly simple act of observing the village of Konoha was enough to bring up the well of emotion that was buried inside Ando's chest.

He had a feeling that without the help of gamer's mind, he may very well have fallen into depression.

A.N: Thanks for reading! I have some news: the next chapter is up and ready! :)

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That's all for now—see you on Tuesday!