Minato nodded in agreement. "That makes sense. I heard the class assignments are based on our test scores. The two of us should be placed together."
"Let's just do our part and let the rest be up to fate. Come on, let's go."
"Mm."
"Hmph." Nearby, a boy with a clan crest on his shirt glanced at the two of them and gave a cold snort before walking off.
Minato and Seisui exchanged confused glances but didn't think too much of it.
The class assignment lists had been posted at the academy gate, and by the time they arrived, a crowd had already gathered.
Fortunately, they didn't have to squeeze in with the others. The list at the very top wasn't blocked, and their names were clearly visible.
Seisui scanned the list carefully, trying to find familiar names, but to his disappointment, there weren't many.
Aside from "Namikaze Minato," the only names that rang a bell were the older generation of Ino-Shika-Cho and people like Shibi Aburame. Kushina Uzumaki's name wasn't there, she likely hadn't arrived in Konoha yet.
"That's great!" Minato beamed with joy as he turned to Seisui. "We're in the same class!"
"Mm-hmm."
"Don't be so cold. Come on, smile!"
"Alright, alright, let's go inside." Seisui gave a helpless smile. Is Minato getting a little clingy?
Touching his chin thoughtfully, Seisui mulled over the idea. Maybe it's time to find Minato a little girlfriend… otherwise, I'm afraid he'll start looking at me funny.
Their classroom was on the third floor. When they got there, seven or eight students were already inside. They greeted them with friendly nods before Seisui and Minato found seats.
While waiting for the teacher to arrive, Seisui leaned toward Minato.
"Hey Minato, want to try something exciting? Something that'll really get your blood pumping?"
"Hmm?" Minato was caught off guard. Something about that phrasing felt off, but he still nodded. "Okay."
Minato had always been jealous of Seisui's personal duel arena, it let him train or spar anywhere, anytime. Even though Seisui never explained the full details, Minato had guessed its function pretty well.
Inside, you could stay for up to six hours without fighting, perfect for solo ninjutsu training. It was like having your own portable training ground.
With that in mind, the world around Minato blurred, and when his vision cleared, he was inside the duel arena again.
Just as he remembered, it was vast and lifelike. Even though it was his second time here, he still couldn't help but explore a little. He knelt down and tapped the ground, it was hard and solid, just like real terrain.
"Minato, ready or not, I'm coming for you!"
"Bring it on! This time, I won't lose!"
As soon as the countdown finished, the two charged at each other. Since neither of them knew any ninjutsu or had ninja tools, the fight devolved into hand-to-hand combat that looked like two ordinary kids brawling. In no time, they were both bruised and swollen.
Still, with the strength boost from the Seventh Hokage's template, Seisui was just a bit stronger in taijutsu. He soon pinned Minato to the ground.
Looking at Minato's swollen face, Seisui burst out laughing. "Pig-head Minato! I will win again!"
With a final punch, he knocked Minato out cold.
As soon as they exited the duel arena, Minato clutched his neck and gasped for air.
"That was... terrifying."
Clenching his fists, he declared, "Next time, I'm definitely going to beat you, no matter how much harder I have to train!"
Seisui swallowed hard. Honestly, the match had been a close call, Minato nearly got him with a sneaky low blow. Just thinking about that near miss made him break into a cold sweat.
Even if the duel arena didn't leave real injuries, it did transmit pain, and he had no desire to experience what it felt like to have his... eggs scrambled.
Remembering his own last move, Seisui touched his chin and looked at Minato.
"Minato, want to learn that jutsu I used at the end?"
Minato's face turned bright red. He stammered, "I-I-I'm not learning that!"
"Really?" Seisui grinned. In that final moment, he had used the Seventh Hokage's iconic technique, Sexy Jutsu, transforming into a female version of Minato to catch him off guard and clinch the win.
"I worked hard to develop that jutsu. I call it Sexy Jutsu."
"Just think, if you're in a real fight and you create a clone to cast it, and your opponent is stunned even for a second, it could literally save your life."
"Seriously?" Minato still looked doubtful, but after giving it some thought, he actually found the idea… kind of logical.
"Alright, I'll give it a try."
"Good. Come to my room tonight. I'll teach you the Sexy Jutsu."
"Okay." Minato nodded, though he still added awkwardly, "You really are a genius, Seisui… though this particular jutsu is... a little…"
Seeing his embarrassed look, Seisui chuckled to himself. Poor kid. If only you knew that your future son would be the one to perfect this move... you'd probably faint on the spot.
Still, Seisui felt a twinge of frustration. He had drawn the Naruto template, but Minato was already catching up so quickly. He'd hoped to at least dominate him for a month.
No wonder this guy became the Fourth Hokage. That talent is no joke.
Minato had called Seisui a genius, but Seisui knew better. His own talent was average at best, his progress was mostly thanks to his cheat-like "cheats."
Just then, their homeroom teacher walked in and cleared his throat, drawing everyone's attention.
He scanned the room, then said, "Good morning, everyone. I'll be your homeroom teacher for the next few years."
"Let's start with some introductions. I'll go first. My name is Yamanaka Yukio. I like flowers and plants, dislike pests, and my dream is to become a great teacher!"
After finishing his intro, he looked at the front row and smiled. "Alright, let's start from the first row."
He turned to a boy with the Uchiha clan's fan crest on his back.
"My name is Uchiha Ya."
Ya sat down immediately after, making Yamanaka Yukio a bit speechless. He hadn't realized the first student would be an Uchiha, famous for their cold and proud personalities.
Thankfully, the second student was a bit more expressive.
"My name is Hyuga Tsuki. I like sparrows flying free in the mountains, and I hate the people who try to catch them. I don't have a dream."
…Okay, maybe not that normal.
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