Chapter 10: Meeting Tsunade Again

When Shingo arrived at the Ninja Academy, the school gates were already thronged with a considerable crowd.

The senior students were thoroughly accustomed to the routine, having already entered the school grounds in small, chatting groups as they made their way toward the classrooms. Meanwhile, the newly enrolled students, Shingo among them, had to first locate their names on the notice board by the entrance to confirm their assigned classes.

No one was keeping order in front of the notice board, resulting in a chaotic scene. A number of parents, relying on their physical strength and paying no heed to the crowd ahead of them, shoved their way forward. Those lacking such physical power refused to yield an inch either, gritting their teeth as they pushed right back.

Facing the clamor, the constant stream of people coming and going, and a crowd as densely packed as a tin of sardines, Shingo had no choice but to brace himself and muscle his way in.

"Pardon me, please. Excuse me. Thank you..."

Turning sideways and thrusting out his elbows with the spirit of Mamba fully channeling within him, Shingo muttered continuously while carving out a path with his iron-hard elbows.

Following a month of rigorous, intensive training under Might Duy, although his Warrior class had not yet leveled up to Level 5, his physical conditioning had undeniably seen a massive boost.

By now, Shingo's strength had broken past the threshold of 10, reaching 10.7. Operating within the crowd proved to be effortless, and he quickly pushed his way to the front.

Ignoring the disgruntled murmurs behind him, Shingo raised his gaze to sweep swiftly across the class assignment roster, soon locating his own name.

Class 1-A...

Shingo initially intended to check which of his peers shared his class, but the crowd behind him pressed forward once more.

With the surrounding noise rendering conversations unintelligible and the occasional unidentifiable strange odor wafting through the air, someone's arm bumped sharply against his ninja tool pouch from behind, stirring a flicker of irritation within him.

Forget it, I'll find out once I get to the classroom.

With a resigned sigh, Shingo withdrew his gaze and turned to push his way back out.

"Excuse me, pardon me, sorry, please make way."

The crowd was even denser than before, leaving barely enough room to extend one's arms. Keeping his head down, Shingo had no choice but to use his shoulders to force his way out.

Just as he was about to break free from the crowd, a sensation completely unlike anything before struck his shoulder.

In that instant, it felt as though he had crashed into a steel plate. The immense rebound force caused Shingo's foot to slip, sending his body tipping backward out of control.

Right as Shingo staggered, a fair, delicate hand shot out with pinpoint precision, grabbing his arm and helping him steady his posture.

As Shingo wondered who possessed such formidable strength, he looked up to find a familiar face: Tsunade.

Blonde, massive...

Ah, not quite yet.

She was dressed in attire similar to what she had worn when they first crossed paths at the mission desk, though today she was free of the dust of travel. Standing close, Shingo could even catch the faint, subtle fragrance emanating from her.

"Watch your step, brat."

The firm texture felt through her palm caused Tsunade to spare an extra glance at the brat who stood half a head taller than Nawaki.

Small as this brat was, his strength was certainly not insignificant.

"My apologies. There were too many people just now, and I didn't notice. Thank you, oneesan."

Once he regained his footing, Shingo looked up and offered his thanks to Tsunade.

Tsunade hadn't taken such a trivial matter to heart, waving a hand dismissively as she prepared to continue moving forward.

However, as her gaze swept across Shingo's face, a sudden sense of familiarity stirred within her heart.

Have I seen this brat before?

He looks somewhat familiar...

Tsunade stared for a couple of moments, yet failed to recall from where.

By this time, Shingo's attention had shifted to the child Tsunade was holding by the left hand.

The child still retained some lingering baby fat on his face, his hair was somewhat disheveled, and a long scarf was wrapped around his neck.

His clothes and trouser cuffs were neatly secured, and at that moment, he was gazing about in all directions; at first glance, not the sort of child who would stand obediently in one spot.

He must be Tsunade's younger brother, Nawaki.

Was he also a first-year student this year?

While Shingo observed Nawaki, Tsunade was sizing him up in turn.

Black hair, black eyes, extremely pale skin, a physique considerably sturdier than ordinary children, coupled with that level of strength...

So many years had passed since her granduncle integrated the Senju clan into the village.

Among the current generation of newborns in the village, it was genuinely impossible to say for certain who carried Senju bloodline traits.

Could this child be the descendant of one of her clansmen?

However, Tsunade instantly pushed the thought aside; she was on active duty today.

If not for wanting to send Nawaki off on his first day of school, she likely would have already left the village by now.

Reflecting on how Orochimaru and Jiraiya were still waiting for her at the village gates, Tsunade took Nawaki's hand and pressed forward.

"Make sure you figure out which class you're in shortly, and get inside right away. I still have a mission, and Orochimaru and Jiraiya are waiting for me. Who knows when I'll be back again. Be a good boy at school during this time and don't stir up any trouble."

With that, Tsunade casually pinched Nawaki's round little cheek.

Nawaki irritably swatted her hand away, glaring with wide eyes and cheeks puffed out as he protested, "Oneechan, why do you always say that! When have I ever stirred up trouble?"

Tsunade let out a scoff.

"When haven't you stirred up trouble?"

Nawaki opened his mouth, eager to retort, but ultimately said nothing, leaving his cheeks puffed out like a pufferfish.

Watching him adopt that expression, Tsunade found it rather amusing, raising a hand to flick him lightly on the forehead.

"Anyway, study hard and stay out of trouble, or you'll see what I do to you when I get back."

As the crowd noticed Tsunade's arrival, they parted automatically like the parting of the Red Sea, even the previously clamorous noise quieting down considerably.

Witnessing this scene, and contrasting it with the polite phrasing he had used earlier that yielded no path, only to be met with curses from behind after forcing his way in, a wry amusement rose in Shingo's heart.

Truly, these are the stubborn civilians of Konoha; they yield to might rather than virtue.

Upon entering the school grounds, the surrounding environment instantly grew much quieter.

Walking inward along the cobblestone path, Shingo soon spotted a dark-haired girl standing before the teaching building, gently and warmly guiding several new students.

Her demeanor was gentle, her speech unhurried, and a faint, pleasant smile graced her face at all times, accompanied by poised and elegant manners.

Once those new students offered their thanks and departed, Shingo stepped forward and inquired:

"Excuse me, senpai. Could you tell me how to get to Class 1-A?"

"Head forward from here, pass the corner, and go up to the second floor. It's the third room on your left."

She explained with meticulous detail, even extending a hand to point out the direction for Shingo.

Shingo committed the instructions carefully to memory.

"Thank you, senpai. My name is Shingo. May I ask your name?"

"Ah? There's no need to be so formal."

The dark-haired girl seemed slightly taken aback by his proactive inquiry regarding her name, before a warm smile bloomed across her face once more.

"Uchiha Mikoto. I'm in Class 3-A. If you run into anything you don't understand at school in the future, kohai, feel free to come find me. Of course, you can always ask the teachers or other upperclassmen too."

Shingo nodded in acknowledgment, expressing his gratitude once more:

"Thank you, Mikoto-senpai. I look forward to your guidance in the future."

Uchiha Mikoto nodded in response, a bright smile gracing her features before she turned away to assist the next incoming student.