You know that feeling when you crave something so badly, to the extent that you dream of it, fantasise about it and even pray for it? Imagine if that precious treasure you desired turned out to be a putrid poison… a demonic drink… a vicious, vile villain that shattered your hopes and dreams…

What is it that I'm speaking of? What could cause me such pain?

"23 multiplied by 4, who can tell me the answer to this question?" asked Jinbei, causing most of the kids to crinkle their foreheads in confusion, scribbling away at the book laid out in front of them.

During the first week, I considered that, 'It must be the start of the year, I'm sure that we'll start doing more ninja stuff soon!'

After the second month I coped with, 'Now that we've all gotten into the flow of things, we're gonna start ramping up!'

"That is incorrect Hana, does anyone else have the answer?" Jinbei said after a student had confidently answered wrong.

Now halfway through the year… I had lost hope.

Sasuke told me that from the first year itself, we'd begin learning taijutsu, brawling with others, sharpening our ninja skills and transforming ourselves into weapons. I looked around at the group of children, some were scribbling away trying to solve the questions, some were doodling on their books, some were talking to their friends, and there was even a kid picking his nose with a determined expression… had Sasuke lied to me?

Nope.

The Academy had just changed.

The damage that the village suffered during the Third Great Ninja War was becoming less and less apparent as the days passed, the drastic measures that used to be taken had been abandoned. Where the Academy used to do its best to churn out skilled ninja as soon as possible to fill the gaps in their infantry, the curriculum had relaxed and settled into a slower pace.

I remember reading about how Chakra paper was no longer being distributed to academy students in the newspaper, that was among the changes the academy had gone through during its period of relaxation… reading that article I never imagined how far-reaching the consequences of that would be.

I hadn't wasted my time however, with Tokei gone I had created an action-packed foolproof routine to squeeze out as much of my potential as possible! Just because these kids care more about finding gold in their noses than growing strong doesn't mean I do! Before school started in the morning I would attempt the leaf-sticking exercise whenever Numa woke me up, I had transformed the once annoying toddler into an asset, an alarm clock to regulate my training.

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The leaf exercise was pretty simple, it was based on the premise of circulating Chakra throughout your body and using it to stick a leaf wherever you wish, at the beginning stages I would stick one leaf to my forehead and circulate Chakra throughout my body, but now I was able to attach multiple leaves onto my fingers and arms as well; the leaves I tried to put on my toes would fall off after a couple of seconds sadly.

After Chakra circulation I'd have to go to school with Sasuke which was just a slog, after I arrived back from school, I would oftentimes train by myself, throwing wooden shurikens that Sasuke had gotten for me or running my own drills. Sadly Sasuke almost always returned home tired, he would push himself in Taijutsu training and after school, he would train more with his friends.

I had a sneaking suspicion that he was sick of losing to me and was avoiding any more brawls until he got stronger, I didn't mind much but it was annoying to lose the only sparring partner I had.

*RRINNGGG!*

The bell signalled lunch and the students practically shot themselves out of their seats, laughing and giggling, talking about the dumbest shit possible, I was on my last straw here.

"Hey Aoki, who would win in a fight, Jinbei sensei or Hoshino Sensei?" asked a blue-haired boy to my right.

I had sat beside a tree to eat my lunch and the boy had plopped down next to me, I looked at him for a second before answering curtly with a plain expression, "Our sensei would win."

Most wouldn't think anything of this boy who had sat down next to them for a chat, but most haven't talked with this boy… regrettably, I have.

"Why?" he asked with an innocent expression.

I did my best to reply back with a straight face, "He's a Special Jounin while Hoshino sensei's a Chunin… he's stronger."

"He's stronger? Hm… why?"

"..."

"He trained more."

"Trained more huh? Why?"

I looked at the blue-haired brat, he introduced himself as Ryoma on the first day of school and had stuck close to me ever since; he was tilting his head quizzically and had a sandwich in his mouth, chewing loudly as he questioned me. I deadpanned at him, trying to get him to change the subject but he stayed the course.

Not today, I wouldn't lose again. I refuse.

A wicked plan formed in my head… I'll make sure this boy gets a taste of his own medicine and admits defeat. A silent oath of redemption echoed in the hallowed halls of my soul that had been razed by the boy's accidental cruelty.

Some would call this excessive, some would call me petty... and to those some I ask if they ever suffered as I had. I just sat through 3 hours of teaching where nothing of interest was taught, sitting beside grimy kids who'd do nothing other than annoy each other all day and the little escape I had, the momentary peace that I got from sitting quietly and eating Tomo's handmade takoyaki was destroyed.

Interrupting my lunch is sacrilege.

"You like sandwiches eh? Why?" I asked looking at the boy's sandwich with a pleasant smile on my face, his chewing while talking only made me want to get back at him more.

"They're yummy!"

"Why?"

"Because mom made them!"

"Why?"

"Because she loves me!"

"Why?"

"Because I'm her son!"

"Why?"

"Because she's my mom!"

"Why?"

"Because I'm her son!"

"... why?"

"Because she's my mom!"

'…'

I think I'm gonna cry man.