Part 1: Where Every Shinobi Begins
The classroom buzzed softly as Daigo stepped to the front, the kind of calm authority that made even the noisier students quiet down.
"Alright, everyone. Today's lesson isn't just a lesson—it's a reflection. The chapter heading is: Determination and the Will of a Shinobi. Write it down."
The students quickly copied the title into their notebooks, some whispering the words to each other.
"The main heading," Daigo continued, "is Cycle of a Shinobi. That's what we're exploring—what shapes a Shinobi from the very first step to the choices that define them."
He paused, scanning the room. "The first point… Fear."
"Fear is the starting point. Every Shinobi begins here. It's not shameful. It's not weakness. Fear is natural—it exists in all of us. But the problem begins when fear decides your actions. Recognizing it is the first step toward mastering it."
The students all quickly wrote down the point only—'Fear' in their notebooks.
Then Souta raised his hand.
"Sensei… can you go slowly and repeat it once again?"
Daigo raised an eyebrow. "Why?"
"Uhhh… aren't we supposed to note it properly?" Souta said, fidgeting slightly.
Daigo let out a short chuckle. "No. Just write the point. Fear. That's all you need right now."
"Amaya, why don't you give a practical example?" Daigo said, after a brief pause.
Amaya rose, moving to the open space near her desk.
"Theoretically, fear is something we feel," she said, "but practically, it shows in hesitation. When you face an enemy or a challenge, the first instinct is to pull back, to doubt yourself."
She looked around the classroom.
"This morning, during the exam, I hesitated on the last step of the practical part. I knew the answer, but my hands froze. That moment… that hesitation? That's fear in action. And if I had let it control me, it could have cost me."
Daigo gave a slight nod. "Exactly. Fear shows itself in every moment where action is required. Recognizing it, and still moving forward, is the first test of a Shinobi's will."
Amaya returned quietly to her seat, and the students kept their pens down, only noting the point 'Fear' in their notebooks.
Daigo glanced over the students and nodded toward Arashi. "Next point—Cowardice. Arashi, you can explain the theory."
Arashi stood up from his seat, walking to the center of the classroom. "Cowardice," he began, "is when fear takes control of your actions. It's not just being afraid; it's letting that fear decide for you. A Shinobi may feel fear, but choosing inaction over action—that is cowardice. It shows itself in hesitation, in avoiding responsibility, and in the small moments where courage is required but ignored."
The students all quickly wrote down the point only—'Cowardice' in their notebooks.
Souta raised his hand again. "Sensei… we just write the point, right?"
Daigo smiled slightly. "Yes. Just the point—Cowardice."
"Alright," Daigo continued, after Arashi had returned to his place, "now let's see the practical side. Ayame, why don't you give an example?"
Ayame rose, stepping forward between the desks. "In practice, cowardice is easy to spot," she said. "For instance, during missions or training, some students freeze when a challenge appears. They don't act—not because they can't—but because acting feels too risky or uncomfortable. When we were practicing strategy drills days ago, I noticed some hesitated to make even small decisions, waiting for someone else to lead. That hesitation, that avoidance, that's cowardice in action."
Daigo nodded once. "Exactly. Theory gives us the definition, but seeing it happen shows why it matters. Recognizing cowardice is the first step toward confronting it."
Ayame returned quietly to her seat, and the students kept their pens down, only noting the point 'Cowardice' in their notebooks.
Daigo turned toward Daichi. "Next point—Giving Up. Daichi, please explain the theory."
Daichi fidgeted with his hands, nervously standing and shuffling a little as he walked to the front. "Uh… giving up," he began, his voice soft and hesitant, "is… um… when someone stops trying… before… before they even finish. It's… it's like… you feel it's too hard, so you just… walk away." He glanced at his classmates, a little embarrassed, then continued quickly. "A Shinobi may face… impossible odds, but… giving up means you never even see if you could have done it. It can happen in small moments… like stopping a plan halfway… or bigger ones… like breaking a promise."
The students wrote down the point only—'Giving Up' in their notebooks, some glancing at Daichi with quiet encouragement.
Daigo nodded gently. "Thank you, Daichi. Now, for a practical example, Haruki, please stand and show us what it looks like."
Haruki strutted forward confidently, a small grin on his face. "Giving up? Oh, that's easy to spot," he said, speaking loud enough for everyone to hear. "This morning during the exam, I saw a few students freeze and just give up when a problem seemed tricky. Honestly, I can't blame them—but watching them bail without even trying… that's what giving up looks like. You either push through, or you sit there and hope someone else does it for you. And come on, I always push through."
Daigo's eyes scanned the classroom. "Exactly. Theory tells you what it is, but seeing it happen… shows why it matters. Recognizing giving up in yourself or others is the first step toward never letting it define you."
Haruki returned to his seat with a slight flourish, while Daichi quietly settled back, relieved it was over. The students kept their pens down, noting only the point 'Giving Up' in their notebooks.
The room was still settling from the last point when Hina raised her hand with a mischievous grin. "Oh, see who's talking about giving up—someone here gave up on at least five questions this morning!"
All eyes immediately turned toward Haruki, whose confident grin faltered as his face turned bright red. A few students snickered quietly, trying not to laugh out loud.
Daigo's gaze shifted to the front calmly. "Alright, let's move on. Hina, please explain the next point—Falling."