18 Chapter 16: Time Has Come Today

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Five months had passed and a loud bang echoed throughout Junpei's bedroom, causing him to stir awake as the sound reverberated in his ears. He opens his eyes as a feeling of urgency captures his mind.

Junpei's first instinct is to bury his head back into the pillow, seeking the comfort of sleep, but a nagging voice is telling him he can't afford to.

{Wake up!} Shikamaru said through their psychic link. The sound had come from Shikamaru, who was currently slamming his fist onto the underside of the top bunk, in an attempt to wake Junpei up.

Junpei quickly realized what day it was and quickly got out of bed, as he got changed and put on a short-sleeved shirt with black Anbu pants, and ninja sandals.

He let out a loud yawn as he walked with Shikamaru to Naruto's home, once they picked him up, the three of them walked to the academy.

Once they arrived, they went to the yard where other first-year students were gathered, waiting to be assigned a teacher.

After every child was assigned a teacher, the 3rd Hokage suddenly appeared on a wooden platform. A smile appeared on his face as he began to speak.

"I can see in your eyes that so many of you have the Will of Fire in you."

Hiruzen shifts his eyes across the crowd, as he continues to speak. "Will of Fire is about protecting someone precious to you. It's about protecting the village for the greater good."

Like that, Hiruzen continues his "speech" on the Will of Fire, but Junpei completely blocks it out and looks around at his classmates. He notices Sasuke Uchiha, standing a few kids behind him, looking at the Hokage with a curious look in his eyes.

After the speech, they walk to Class 1-A, Junpei walks with Naruto to the row in front where Sasuke is sitting.

{Shouldn't you be doing this?} Shikamaru asks.

{His whole clan and most of his family will be killed.} Junpei says sadly. {When that happens he needs someone close to him to soothe him. Between you and me, you know how it feels.}

Shikamaru gives a wary smile as he nods.

Shikamaru walks to the row behind them and asks Sasuke, "Mind if I sit here?"

Sasuke just shrugs his shoulders, as if saying "Sure."

Everyone's attention was swiftly drawn to the front of the class at the sound of their teacher's voice.

"Hello everybody!" Iruka began enthusiastically as he said, "Take a good look around you, every person you see here... They are your comrades."

"They are your family even if not by blood," Iruka continued, "but by the village and code that we follow as ninjas. So work hard and be a force to protect each other. Now, let's start with introductions. Let's start with this row..."

He continued, pointing to the nearby row.

"Hey, everybody!!! Umm... my name is Sakura Haruno." She seemed to be a little bit nervous as she began to speak.

"I want to prove to everyone in the village that you don't need to be from a clan to be a good ninja."

A mix of reactions was present in the classroom, with the clan kids minus Junpei and Shikamaru looking at her as if she was stupid trash, while the children that came from civilian or shinobi parents without a clan backing looked at her with a mixture of awe and jealousy.

'She did accomplish her goal, despite being useless.' Junpei thought as he looked at her gently.

'But you can't blame her when you're fighting beings at the top of the power scale.'

After 10 minutes of introduction, it was Junpei's turn. Junpei put on a fake smile that he had acquired from years of practice in his last life. 

"Hello, My name is Junpei Kiritsu." Junpei said as he stood up, quickly sitting back down.

"My dream is to be free," he continued.

Everyone in the class except for Shikamaru and Naruto looked at him curiously and with confusion as if he said some introspective, Shakespearean quote.

Then it was Naruto's turn.

"My name is Naruto Uzumaki. I'm gonna become Hokage! Believe it!!" Naruto said happily with a huge grin on his face.

Then it was Shikamaru's turn.

"My name is Shikamaru Nara. As the heir to my clan, my goal is to protect my clan from any harm." Shikamaru said, but continued in his mind as he thought '... And to make sure these two idiots don't get themselves killed.'

Finally, the last person who needed to introduce themselves was Sasuke Uchiha.

"My name is Sasuke Uchiha. My dream is to make my father proud." He said with a huge smile.

'He reminds me of myself,' Shikamaru thought miserably as he looked at Sasuke as if he were a mirror of his past life.

'Just like me in the past, he will be consumed by revenge,' Shikamaru thinks bitterly to himself, a frown forming on his face.

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Junpei Kiritsu POV

Two weeks had passed since the first day of the academy and today we are sparing.

I couldn't wait to see the shocked faces of all the clan children when Naruto beats Sasuke. In the past five months, Naruto had improved dramatically in Taijutsu and Bukijutsu. I was confident that if we gave him six more months, he would be able to graduate from the academy with the four required jutsu.

Suddenly, I was brought out of my thoughts as I heard Iruka say with an excited tone, "Okay, class. Today we are going to be sparring. I have taught you the basics of the village's Leaf taijutsu style. So, don't be afraid and try your best. Remember, only Taijutsu - no ninjutsu or genjutsu," Iruka continued, "If any of you use any ninjutsu or genjutsu, you will be disqualified."

I snorted at his comment, as everyone knew that he would just put the civilian children to fight each other, while the clan kids and child of shinobi would fight separately.

"First match," Iruka said bitterly as he mentioned Naruto's name, "is Naruto Uzumaki and..." Iruka paused momentarily, as if he was unsure about what to say.

"Sasuke Uchiha."

"Yes!!" Naruto said happily, but I could hear the murmurs of the others in class.

"Is he the one...?" One girl said with contempt.

"My parents said not to speak to him," another girl said.

"He's one guy I don't want to be paired with," a third girl said with disdain.

I grew angry as I replied snarkily, "Don't worry, you won't be paired with him ever because you three are just too weak," I spat back at the trio of girls. 

They turned at me with utter contempt and anger.

"We're not weak. We can beat you." The third girl said, and I laughed as Shikamaru patted me on the back to stop.

Was it a good idea to argue with these children?

"Of course," I muttered to myself. 'These little shits are just cannon fodder that should know their f***ing place.'

Then the same girl that had said she could beat me yelled when she heard Sasuke's name, "I wish I could do the unison sign with Sasuke!!!"

Then I heard Ino yell, "Do your best, Sasuke!!!"

Then I heard Usel.. I mean Sakura shouted, "Pound your opponent, Sasuke!!!"

At that moment, I see Naruto turn to Ino and Sakura and say with a deadpan tone, "If I had a dog with a face like yours, I would shave its ass and make it walk backward."

I couldn't stop my laughter as I held my belly, trying to control myself from laughing too loud.

I watched Ino and Sakura's faces freeze in shock as they became angry and shouted, "Screw you, Naruto!!"

Naruto just gave a mocking laugh, his wide grin stretched across his face, as he looked back at them and gave them a quick double thumbs-up.

I felt a cold sweat run through my back as I slowly turned to Shikamaru, who looked at me with annoyance.

{Really?} Shikamaru said as he frowned.

{I am teaching him how to defend himself both mentally and physically,} I said, as I nodded solemnly at him.

"Now you two, make the proper spar sign," Iruka said as he looked at Naruto.

"Eh..." Naruto said, as he rubbed his head and smiled.

"This is the second time I've explained it," Iruka said, as he groaned with annoyance.

"I didn't get it, too, Sensei?" I said with feigned confusion, trying to help Naruto out.

Iruka sighs as he explains, "The spar sign" as he lifts his index and middle finger from his closed fist.

"After the sparring is done and the victor is decided, both partners present the sparring sign, then bring their hands together to form the unison sign as a show of friendship and camaraderie. This is the etiquette of sparring." Iruka continued as he looked at Naruto and said, "Do you get it now?"

"I get it," Naruto says, as his eyes suddenly focus in on Sasuke as he does the spar sign.

At that moment, I hear Hinata say, "H-hang in there... Naruto," her voice is soft and shaky, as she watches Naruto focus on Sasuke.

Iruka then looks at Sasuke, who does the spar sign, and then he says, "Start!!"

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