Joining The Academy

(A/n - Just a heads-up, I have no clue how admission into the Academy works because the Wiki is very bare bones about that. So, I just had it be a simple interview and a check from a Medical-nin to make sure there's nothing physically wrong with the potential student. I would have put a little examination of their physical prowess but seeing as that doesn't really matter for a five-year-old and the Academy is basically all about physical training and Chakra Control/Jutsus I thought it'd be a moot point. A check by a Medical-nin would do enough to see the physical health and fitness of the person anyway.)

"Alright, Rock, you can do this," I hyped myself up, bouncing on the balls of my feet as I looked in the mirror, "It's only a bunch of kids. Including Neji, who's a complete dick. But still! It's only a bunch of kids! You can deal with kids--you're a kid too now, so just vibe with 'em. It'll be all good," I muttered to myself, continuing to look at myself in the mirror.

What was reflected was a taller than average 5-year-old with a frame that was already giving telltale signs of being robust beyond the norm with an athletic look and strong, long limbs. The distinctive bushy eyebrows and thick mop of black hair were there, just like they had been the night before, and I was wondering whether to style it in a special way or not.

...What? First impressions matter. Not to kids, sure, but to my teachers definitely. After all, I am a cripple. When it comes to Chakra, anyway. But that aside, I need as many brownie points as possible. Innately superhuman body can only go so far--how did the original Rock Lee graduate, anyway? Did he literally just work so hard all the teachers went 'Damn, it'd make me feel bad if we fail him'. Even more important question, how did Rock Lee get into the Academy in the first place? Isn't one of the admission requirements 'Be healthy in mind and body'? Crazy how malformed Chakra Coils count as healthy.

Why am I working myself up into chatterbox mode? Because, if you haven't guessed, I'm joining the Academy today. Which kinda determines my future. The more I can learn here to make up for what I genuinely don't know, the better I'll be in the future. Kinda.

I guess I just wanna do well on my first day and I've worked myself into a weird mental space, where my coping method is to just blabber uselessly. Luckily, genetics make up a surprisingly big amount of personality, and I've inherited some of the original's optimism and passion which helps. But still, I am my own person regardless of any reincarnation shenanigans, so I've still carried over a few of my more annoying habits.

Like talking to myself in the mirror.

"Okay, Rock, it's nearly time," I said, stopping my bouncing before ruffling my hair up a little. It was in the same style the original had when he first joined Team Guy and went all super fan on the Taijutsu Master. Not that I can blame him - Might Guy was fucking cool and I won't let anyone say otherwise. Dude got recognized and complimented by Madara. Game recognises game, after all.

Still, you won't catch me dead with that haircut. Regardless of what I've inherited from this body, it won't force me to do that.

...Though that green leotard does look pretty nice.

Pushing those thoughts aside - for now - I straightened out some creases in my basic t-shirt and shorts combo and got on my way.

But seriously I've gotta tell ya, these orphanages are filled to the brim after the Kyubi attack on Konoha. Like, sheesh. Only good thing about it is you can basically come and go as you please without the Matron really caring. Best part? As an orphan with no real legal guardian - the Matron isn't my guardian because apparently that doesn't count, something about she'd have to legally adopt me or something? - it meant I was able to sign up for the Academy without much fuss.

Not like that's much of an advantage because of how many kids can also do the same. Even kids with parents, who are laissez-faire enough, can easily get into the Academy without much fuss. Some of them can get in as early as four-years-old! This is a crazy, crazy world, man.

Then again, not many do that because kids with parents THAT accepting of turning their kids into soldiers are usually a part of the clans and they usually get trained by their clan for a while before heading off to the Academy for the legitimate qualification it gives aka the forehead protector. But either way, I'm rambling.

Making my way through the orphanage, I saw a few other kids getting ready to make their way to the Academy as well. I don't recognise any of them from the actual series, so they must be...well, I hate to say it, but mobs that either never pass or pass and never do anything special.

Jeez, it feels bad to talk bad about kids I know and who I know are actually pretty nice. Curse you, morality, you son of a bitch.

Nodding to them in greeting, I got a few waves in return and even some people verbally greeting me but what can I say? I'm kinda a big deal around here. No, seriously, when you're a kid who's superhumanly strong you get attention pretty damn quick.

Anyway, I exited the orphanage without anything happening and took in the view being on a small hill provided. The green lushness of Konoha, the river not too far from the orphanage, the bustling streets below and the not too hot, not too cold air. Ah~ Despite the residual damage leftover from the Kyubi attack, this place is a slice of Heaven. Appearance wise, at least. Taking in a deep breath of that good morning air, I smiled wide and got to running toward the Academy.

It wasn't too far of a run either. Well, despite it being on the other side of the Village when compared to where the orphanage is. So it isn't too far of a run for me. It gave me some time to calm down as well, so when I finally arrived outside the Academy I wasn't about to start bouncing on my feet and start talking to myself. I'd definitely fail the first part of 'Be healthy in mind and body' if I did that.

But I didn't, of course, and when I came to a stop in front of the Academy I saw the crowd of kids around my age who were either milling about or lining up to get allowed into the Academy.

I ignored the kids and lined up where a bunch of what I assumed were teachers for the Academy were sat behind desks. They asked the kid in front of them a few questions, then a Medical-nin would come toward the kid with a glowy hand and check over their body for health issues. If they passed, they were given some forms to stamp and then they were on their way. It seemed pretty damn easy to enter the Academy but I guess in a Ninja world filled with crap, you need as many potential Ninja as possible.

The line moved forward at a decently fast pace and it didn't take long for me to be in front of the desk. The Chunin Teacher behind it looked me up and down with an appraising gaze before he smiled and greeted me, "Hello, my name's Daikoku Funeno, what's yours, little guy?" he said with a jovial and friendly expression.

He was a fairy large man with brown hair, a matching brown goatee and a fairly simple-looking face. He wore basic Shinobi gear with a flak jacket and a forehead protector that he wore like a bandana. I vaguely remember him as the dude who spoke to Sasuke about how amazing Itachi was.

"Rock Lee, sir!" I replied energetically, standing ramrod straight and blasting a million watt smile.

Seeing this, Daikoku's smile got a little bit wider and he gave a laugh, "You're an energetic one, aren't you, Rock? Good! We need more Shinobi who aren't all serious and uptight!" he joked before ruffling about for an admittance form. He finally pulled one out and wrote down my name before he looked back up to me, "Age?"

"Five-years-old, sir," I answered simply and he wrote it down before asking another question and another. I answered them all - they were usually about if I had any prior training or experience before showing up today, all of which were basically no.

I mean, I've done extensive amounts of yoga and a lot of intensive cardio but there's a limit to what I can do as a five-year-old, you know? Not to mention that buying weights costs money. Money I don't have. You also need to take into account the level of physicality I naturally have and how hard it makes it to work out - I have to run laps around Konoha to work up even a little bit of a sweat. I'm also running out of yoga poses that can even strain me, so I need to get to the Academy and actually learn Taijutsu. Even if it is the very basic Academy-style, it's better than nothing.

At the very least it'll teach me how to apply my enhanced physical prowess in combat.

"Now, Rock," Daikoku said, bringing me out of my thoughts, and I snapped back to attention taking in his next words, "Do you love the village? Will you fight for it and the peace it currently savours when you become a Genin and beyond?"

"Yes, sir! Without the village, I'd have been on the streets or dead after the Kyubi attack, so I owe the village a debt of life!" I said in an equally energetic voice. I mean, I'm not actually that grateful to the Village - I've got the fate of a side/main character, so I was gonna survive up until a certain point anyway. But hey, I was born/reincarnated here, so why not go to bat for the place? The only other option is to become a Missing-nin once I become a Genin and...yeah, no, I'd rather not.

Daikoku smiled wide at that, his kinda wide face allowing for a truly monstrously big smile--"That's brilliant to hear, Rock! Really brilliant! It's good to know the kids nowadays know how to show gratitude to those who helped them!" he jovially said and I knew the brainwashing of Konoha had him hooked deep. Not that it makes him a bad guy or anything, just a shame.

I bet if someone answers in a lackluster way, he'd flip his shit or go completely cold to them. Oh well, no use thinking about it since it didn't happen to me~!

"Now, a Medical-nin is going to examine your body for any physical problems. So don't panic when you feel it, okay?" he warned and I gave a nod, to which the Shinobi came over with their glowy hand and touched all over my body. Their brow furrowed a few times, which I expected, and when they finally backed away, they looked to Daikoku and spoke.

"His body is quite unique. His muscles are...odd but there's nothing wrong with them. His Chakra Coils are also different to the norm but they don't seem to be hurting him. Instead they seem to be bolstering his body. His Chakra Reserves are quite robust also," the Medical-nin said before glancing to me and then back to Daikoku, "I'd like to have a few other Medical-nin search over him at a later time but for now, I've seen enough. He's in brilliant physical health and has enough Chakra to become a Shinobi."

...Huh. Kinda odd he couldn't tell straight away that my Chakra Coils are malformed. Is that a rare condition or something? So rare that some Medical-nin can't tell instantly what's wrong? That seems very unlikely. Pretty weird either way, though.

Nonetheless, Daikoku took those words and ran with them. He sorted the papers and put a few of them in front of me on the desk before handing me a stamp, "Just stamp the boxes at the bottom of each of these papers, Rock, and you'll be allowed into the Academy!"

I looked over the papers before doing that, obviously, but as far as I could see there weren't any hidden clauses or loopholes. Just the papers saying that I accepted responsibility for any injuries that would happen in the lessons - kinda fucked up that a five-year-old can sign papers like this but whatever. Stamping the ink into each of them, I gave the stamp back and Daikoku smiled at me before sorting the papers into the file after drying the red ink. Then he gestured for me to go on, which I did.

I joined the crowd milling about behind the desks, some of who stood in groups while others stood alone. There were about a hundred kids including me but there could be more because I'm not gonna stand here and count them all. One of which, however, I quickly recognized.

Fair skin and long black hair. Featureless white eyes with a slight lavender tint where the iris would be on normal eyes. A face that was stoic but still somehow upturned in cold arrogance. He didn't look around at the surrounding kids and nor did he interact with any of them, even if they came up to him. He just stood there, silently. Truly, what a menacing kid this Neji Hyuga is.

Though, I can see why he'd be like this. Why he'd hold the belief system in fate that he did. The Main Branch of the Hyuga Clan are fucking savages, man. Branding your own clan members because, what? 'Oh no, I nEeD tO ProTeCT My SpEciAl eYe pOwErS!' is not good enough of a reason to brand children. Especially when the Cursed Seal comes with a special option for those of the Branch Houses. You know, the one where someone of the Main Branch can just make a hand seal for whatever reason and cause the 'offending' Side Branch member to undergo crippling pain.

It sucks ass a kid had to go through that and turned him into a dick but it sucks even more that there's nothing I can do to stop it. I'm also a kid and despite my gifts, I'm not that strong in the bigger picture of things. Actually quite weak, considering the monsters knocking about in this world.

Even a fully fledged Genin could kick my ass without much trouble.

Because, after all, there's a difference between physical abilities and actual combat prowess. I could probably hold up better than anyone else here but that's not much of an achievement - I'm surrounded by five-year-olds. Not exactly the most gruelling competition, is it?

I would go up to Neji but god knows he'd just ignore me like the rest of them. Not that he'd open up after a single conversation either. I'll need to do what Naruto did, before Naruto does it. Beat Neji up despite my disadvantages. A solid plan. A grown-man in a child's body, beating up a child. I'm sure the FBI-branch of the Anbu won't track me down and arrest(kill) me.

The wait for the admission to be over didn't take too long but it wasn't quick either. In the end, I just sat down and did a little meditation. Not actual Chakra meditation but just plain ol' meditation to keep my mind sharp and calm for what's to come.

When the wait was actually over, the Chunin behind the desk worked their way through the crowd to stand in front of it. From there, they organised us into rows and lines before bringing us further into the Academy compound.

Once there, I saw there was a podium raised up above the ground like a stage and when we were all set and stood there, the 3rd Hokage just appeared on the podium.

Right, Ninja stuff.

The Hokage was an old man but still seemed to be brimming with vigor, even despite his small stature and slight hunched back. He wore the the customary hat and haori with a red, full-length kimono that is tied using a white sash - he looked pretty dapper, honestly. Not only that, he carried himself with a gentle confidence that practically oozed from him and set everyone around him at ease. From what I know about him, he seemed like a nice yet naive guy who cared for Konoha and made decisions that, while not all good, were made for the right reasons. And most of all, he owns up to his mistakes and doesn't push the blame onto others.

...In fact, I think he does that to a fault. Instead of just thinking Orochimaru is crazy, he instead blames himself for not being a better teacher. Same goes for Danzo and all his 'shenanigans'.

"Welcome," the Hokage started, pulling me from my thoughts about him, his voice calm and steady but strong enough to spread to all ears, "Welcome to the Academy of Konohagakure. You are the newest class and just like the class before you and the one before that, all the way back to when the Academy was founded by the 2nd Hokage, you will be taught to be Shinobi. Shinobi who protect your village and hold the Will of Fire strongly in your hearts!" he smiled underneath the red and white Hokage hat and the cloth covering it had on either side of his face. His arms which had been held behind his back spread wide, "You will be the future Shinobi that show every other village that the Will of Fire burns just as bright now as it did when the 1st Hokage founded the Village. We, the Academy, and all the current Shinobi, will do our best to give you all the opportunities you could possibly need. With that said, I hope for you all to put your hardest work into your time at the Academy and that you fulfill all Shinobi's main goal. Protecting the village."

The excitement that had been building among the kids since the Hokage appeared and started his welcoming speech, finally erupted and everyone began cheering. Most bowed in reverence, others cheered with their arms held high and other clapped enthusiastically. I was among the latter.

What? The man can give a good speech.

With that done and over, we were all sent away because the Academy year for us wasn't starting until a few days, so I left and went to a nearby river to chill about for a bit. And by chill about for a bit, I meant get in the river and use the flowing water as resistance training. When your body is as naturally strong as mine, you've gotta be creative with your workouts. Moving against or swimming against the current is surprisingly brilliant for working my muscles and cardio.

With the Academy in sight, I've gotta kick up the grind. Gotta get stronger. Then when I'm there I can focus on Taijutsu and Chakra Control. After all, I wanna see if I can use the Body Flicker Jutsu.

Well, let's get to it then!