Chapter 128

Kitazawa woke up right on schedule. After a quick change of clothes and breakfast, he made his way to the Ninja Academy. Stopping outside his office, he leaned in—and faintly heard Hinata humming her little Rice Ball Song. A small chuckle escaped him as he pushed the door open. Hinata’s head whipped around. The moment her pale eyes landed on him, her tiny face turned scarlet. She instantly let go of the half-person-tall plush toy in her arms, slid off the sofa, and sat upright with both legs neatly together. Only her tensed toes curling into each other betrayed her panic. "When did you get here?" Kitazawa asked casually, walking to his desk. "H-half an hour ago..." Hinata whispered, head lowered. "Did you have breakfast?" "I... I ate at home," she murmured, then hesitated before gathering her courage. "Um... K-Kitazawa-sensei, can I... start eating breakfast here from tomorrow?" "Of course," Kitazawa said without looking up. "You already ate here last semester, didn’t you?" "T-thank you, Kitazawa-sensei!" A shy smile bloomed on her face before she quickly ducked her head again, flustered under his gaze. "Do you still remember your sparring match with Neji?" Kitazawa asked, flipping through the new class schedule. "Mm!" Hinata blinked, and her momentary daze faded along with the blush on her cheeks. "When do you want to spar with him?" he asked, scanning the timetable, which was nearly identical to last semester’s. "I-I’m... fine with anytime," Hinata said softly, hesitating for two seconds before leaving the decision to him. "Then we’ll do it during tomorrow afternoon’s practical training class," Kitazawa decided. "The longer you drag it out, the more nervous you’ll get." Hinata froze. ’Tomorrow afternoon?’ Even though she’d trained for this all summer, now that the moment was close, unease crept in. "Hinatа." Kitazawa’s tone turned firm. "You’re stronger than Neji now. You know that, right?" Her cheeks reddened again, embarrassed by her brief self-doubt. But his words lit a spark of confidence. "I... I will work hard!" she said, her tone more determined. Even if she didn’t fully believe in herself—she believed in Kitazawa. "Good. Let’s head to the classroom." Hinata changed into her indoor shoes and quickly trotted to his side. Kitazawa reached out to pat her head as they walked, and a soft, secret smile curled her lips. Her heart felt light as she followed him to First Year, Class A. "Kitazawa-sensei!" Naruto was the first to spot him, waving wildly from his seat. Soon after, Sasuke, Kiba, Shikamaru, and the others all called out their greetings. "Kitazawa-senpai is really popular..." Iruka muttered, half amused and half exasperated, as he handled registration. The kids barely noticed him at all. "Iruka, grab the new textbooks. I’ll handle the roster." Kitazawa handed him a summoning scroll. Summoning scrolls weren’t cheap, and Kitazawa doubted Iruka owned one. With a whole class’s textbooks to carry, it would save him a lot of trouble. "Ah—alright!" Iruka said, accepting the scroll before heading out. Kitazawa glanced over the roster. More than half the students in Class A were already here. Then, a knock came at the door. "Kitazawa-sensei," a soft voice said. Yakumo Kurama entered, followed by her father, Murakumo Kurama. The classroom instantly fell silent. Though Yakumo had rarely attended class last semester, her defeat of Neji had left a deep impression on everyone. Sasuke instinctively crossed his arms. He’d awakened his Sharingan, and his confidence had soared—but against Yakumo, he wasn’t completely sure of victory. They were both genjutsu specialists, but Yakumo’s weakness was obvious: her fragile body. On that point, Sasuke was certain he held the advantage. "Yakumo, are you joining the exams this semester?" Naruto, fearless as ever, leaned forward eagerly. Last semester, she hadn’t participated in the practical test, much to his disappointment. "I will," Yakumo said with a gentle smile. She no longer carried the eerie, haunted air she had in the original timeline. "Whoa, then the class’s top spot will be up for grabs again!" "Don’t forget Naruto—he’s gotten stronger too!" "Yeah, but Sasuke’s an Uchiha! If his eyes evolve further, he’s unstoppable!" The classroom buzzed with excitement. "Quiet." Kitazawa raised his hand, and the chatter died immediately. "Kitazawa-sensei," Murakumo stepped forward and bowed deeply. "Clan Head Murakumo, there’s no need for that," Kitazawa said, helping him straighten. "I must show my gratitude," Murakumo said sincerely. "Yakumo’s current health is thanks entirely to you." "You’re being too polite." Kitazawa smiled faintly. "Let’s get her registered first." He had benefited from their connection too—especially the link to Tsunade. It was a mutual gain. "I won’t disturb you further," Murakumo said sensibly. "If you have time, please visit our home for a meal." His respect wasn’t just for Yakumo’s sake—he knew Kitazawa was Tsunade’s disciple in medical ninjutsu. Kitazawa’s future was bound to outshine most. Building a closer relationship now could only be wise. And besides, Yakumo was officially Kitazawa’s student at the Ninja Academy—even if only in name. After Murakumo left, Yakumo quickly finished her registration. When she returned to her seat, several classmates immediately gathered around her, chattering with curiosity and admiration. ’Strength attracts attention everywhere.’ Uchiha Sasuke, of course, didn’t enjoy it. The girls—led by Sakura—swarmed around his desk as well, their excitement grating on him. His expression grew colder by the minute. Meanwhile, Naruto was in his element, laughing and chatting with a group of boys—Kiba, Choji, Shikamaru, and a few others. In their own ways, both Naruto and Sasuke had undeniable charisma. Kitazawa watched the lively classroom and couldn’t help but smile. By ten o’clock, all the students in First Year Class A had arrived. "Kitazawa-senpai." Iruka approached, holding out a summoning scroll. "These are the new textbooks for this semester." "Hand them out." Kitazawa unsealed the scroll, and in an instant, several small mountains of books appeared on the floor. Iruka began distributing them according to the curriculum. Ten minutes later, everyone had received their new textbooks. "Registration is now complete. There are no classes this afternoon," Kitazawa announced. "If you have time, start flipping through the new textbooks." Without another word, he turned and left the classroom. "Kitazawa-senpai! Wait up!" Iruka hurried after him. "Something else?" Kitazawa asked, stopping in the hallway. "When I went to fetch the textbooks, I ran into the vice-principal, Hisao Sarutobi," Iruka explained. "He asked me to tell you there’s a brief meeting tomorrow morning at 8:30 in the conference room." "Got it. Thanks." Kitazawa smirked and suddenly asked, "By the way, how are things between you and Tsubaki?" Iruka almost jumped. "W-what do you mean ’things’?! Don’t talk nonsense! Tsubaki and I are... just friends!" "Gather ye rosebuds while ye may," Kitazawa said with a teasing pat on his shoulder before walking off. "...What does that even mean?" Iruka muttered, scratching his head, painfully aware of his lack of romantic knowledge. Kitazawa didn’t head home. Instead, he made his way to Konoha Hospital. He had many long-term goals, but only two immediate priorities:Learning Medical NinjutsuMastering Wind Release techniquesThe rest could wait. "Nono-senpai." With Shizune absent, Kitazawa sought out Nono. "You came at the perfect time," she said softly. "Your office is ready. I’ll take you there." "...Office?" Kitazawa blinked. "Why would I need an office?" Nono smiled faintly. "Do you think just anyone can be an affiliated medical ninja at Konoha Hospital? Only medical ninja at the Jonin level are given that status." Technically, Kitazawa was a Special Jonin, not a full Jonin. He shouldn’t have qualified. But he was Tsunade’s semi-disciple, and his skill level was already high—just lacking in field experience. Experience, however, was a matter of time and surgeries. This office was clearly Tsunade’s silent endorsement. "...Thank you," Kitazawa said with a small nod. Nono led him to a modest office. It was simple, similar to her own—just missing a bookshelf. "You can rest here whenever you’re free," she explained. "Every morning, a nurse will bring you the surgery schedule. If there’s an emergency, you’ll be notified immediately." "Understood." Nono hesitated, then said, "There’s one more thing. I’ll be leaving on a mission next week. If you need guidance, go to Kiyota Kaori—she’s a Jonin Medical Ninja." Kitazawa raised an eyebrow. "A mission? Far?" "Very far," Nono admitted. "To the Land of Earth. I might not be back for some time." Kitazawa’s eyes narrowed. ’The Land of Earth... Could this be the mission that led to Nono’s death in the original timeline?’ He recalled how Kabuto failed a spy mission in Iwagakure and eventually encountered Nono—already brainwashed by Danzo—leading to tragedy. ’But this is happening earlier than it should...’ Kitazawa quickly pieced it together. His existence—and his connection to Tsunade—had likely accelerated Danzo’s plans. Danzo couldn’t risk Nono’s ties to Tsunade; even without leaks, her loyalty shift alone would be unacceptable to him. Eliminating her would solve everything. "...You’re a Medical Ninja. Why accept dangerous missions?" Kitazawa asked quietly. "Medical Ninja are still ninja," Nono replied, averting her eyes. "You should get familiar with your office. I’ll go see which surgeries are suitable for you today." She left, her back slightly tense. Kitazawa leaned back in his chair, thoughtful. ’Danzo holds her two lifelines: the orphanage and Kabuto.’ If Nono tried to break free, Root would retaliate against both—especially Kabuto, who had been planted in other villages as a spy. ’Helping her will be tricky... but I have a week. I should talk to Tsunade first.’ If possible, he wanted Kabuto to remain in Konoha. Trained properly, he could be a second Orochimaru—but one with exploitable weaknesses. Kitazawa glanced out the window and stretched. ’If Tsunade overcomes her hemophobia and becomes Hokage, my position will soar.’ Hiruzen was good to him, but being Tsunade’s shadow in this era was far more valuable. Kitazawa sat at his desk and opened the Wind Release scroll gifted by Uchiha Mikoto. Six techniques were recorded. He’d already learned two. He decided to start with Wind Release: Shuriken—the simplest-looking one, though still a B-rank jutsu. It worked by infusing shuriken with high-speed Wind Chakra to boost cutting power, somewhat like a primitive version of Naruto’s Rasenshuriken. He studied the theory carefully. Practical training would come later. Not long after, Nono returned with Shizune, and Kitazawa joined them in the operating room— performing surgeries while practicing the Mystical Palm Technique. — The first day of the new semester. The Academy was buzzing with life. Excitement radiated from every corner, though Kitazawa knew it would fade in a few days, replaced by nostalgia for summer freedom. He stopped by the Artificial Lake, expecting to see Naruto and Hinata training—but today, the students were waiting in his office instead. Sasuke, Naruto, Hinata, Sakura, Ino, and even Shikamaru. "Shikamaru, it’s rare to see you so proactive," Kitazawa teased. "..." Shikamaru’s mouth twitched. In truth, he’d been forced to come by his parents—volunteering was the only way to suffer less. "After the first class, head to the school training ground," Kitazawa instructed. "I’ll give you new training plans then. I have a staff meeting first." "Yes, Kitazawa-sensei!" they chorused. "Hinata, stay," he called, glancing at her. "Did you eat breakfast?" "N-no..." she admitted. "Then where are you going?" Kitazawa flicked her forehead lightly. "I... I can eat on my own," she said shyly. "Aren’t you going to the meeting?" "There’s still half an hour. Plenty of time for breakfast." "Mm!" Hinata’s eyes brightened immediately. "Eat well. You’ll need the energy to defeat Neji this afternoon," Kitazawa said with a smile, patting her head as he set out the breakfast he’d bought. "Y-yes! I will!" Hinata clenched her tiny fists, brimming with determination. Kitazawa chuckled. Half her personality had blossomed—shy yet courageous. Turning her into a brash, delinquent type would ruin the charm she has now. After breakfast, he headed to the conference room, where Iruka waved him over. At 8:30 sharp, Hisao Sarutobi entered, and the first staff meeting of the new semester began. For the first twenty minutes, Kitazawa fought back a yawn. The vice-principal’s speech was full of endless formalities... At the end he announced this year’s best teacher award to Kitazawa, which had a certificate and 300,000 ryo as a reward.