Chapter 154: If One Cannot Use Ninjutsu, Can They Still Become a Great Ninja?
The following day.
Ninja Academy, fifth-year classroom.
The students were bustling with excitement.
"The next period is the Q&A session Iruka-sensei mentioned. It's being taught by Iruka-sensei's own teacher," one student whispered.
"A Q&A session? I wonder if it's actually useful. Can it help me become a ninja?"
"Didn't Iruka-sensei say it? We can ask any question, and he'll provide answers. Iruka-sensei was trained by him, after all."
"Is it that bandage guy?"
The fifth-year students already knew what Iruka's teacher looked like; plus, he had become quite famous a few months ago. Originally, they disliked him—after all, he was the one who developed the "Eight Scents of Fire."
However, after hearing rumors that he could take a ninjutsu to the face, they were curious. What kind of thick skin did one need to tank a ninjutsu?
"Captain Tonbo... I definitely have to ask him: if I can't use ninjutsu, can I still become an excellent ninja?" A youth with a small ponytail was filled with the urge to ask. His ideas had never been validated. He sincerely hoped that a powerful ninja of Konoha could resolve his doubts.
This was his chance. Even Iruka-sensei couldn't guarantee whether someone who couldn't use ninjutsu could become a great ninja; he only told him not to give up hope.
Beside him, a boy with white eyes leaned his hands on the desk, looking toward the door expressionlessly. A predetermined fate had made him like the walking dead; only a sliver of indignation gave him the motivation to keep living. He hadn't prepared any questions; he was just attending class for the sake of attending.
Tap, tap, tap!
While the students were chatting happily, a man walked in from outside. Wearing a flak jacket and bandages wrapped around his head, his mere entrance made everyone's skin prickle. There was a powerful sense of pressure.
"Wow, he feels so strong!"
"Yeah, I have goosebumps."
"As expected of the man even Itachi Uchiha is afraid of."
"So cool."
Byakugan!
Neji didn't believe someone could create such intense pressure through mere presence alone, causing a physical stress response. Sure enough, a continuous flow of chakra permeated the entire classroom. The source was that man.
"A guy who loves drawing attention," Neji noted internally. At the same time, he acknowledged his strength; the sheer volume of chakra surpassed most Jonin he had seen.
The boy with the ponytail felt this presence, and his eyes brightened: "He's so strong, he must know..." He felt that Tonbo Tobitake could give him the answer. He was too strong—stronger than any teacher in the school. He hadn't even felt this way when facing the Third Hokage. He looked at his arm and saw his skin covered in dense goosebumps.
Tonbo Tobitake sensed Neji's Byakugan and immediately retracted his defensive aura. He was afraid the boy might trigger a ninjutsu backlash and have his brain fried by the information. He walked to the lectern and faced everyone.
He had applied to the Third Hokage to give occasional "ideological lectures" at the Academy. This was something the Third had always done himself. Knowing Tonbo's ideology was sound, the Third approved it immediately. However, Tonbo suspected it was actually because his mission efficiency was too high, and the Third couldn't stand seeing him idle, so he just agreed.
"Hello everyone, I am Tonbo Tobitake. I'll be answering your questions today. Anything goes. I believe many of you know me—some of you might even want to beat me up once you become ninjas. You're more than welcome to try," Tonbo introduced himself.
"Hello, Sensei!"
The students didn't dare talk back. "Captain Tonbo" was their teacher's teacher; his genjutsu was surely far superior to Iruka's. When Iruka performed genjutsu, he would call them out individually, giving them a warning to use their throat-protection techniques. This man wouldn't. They were fifth-years and had studied the shinobi profession deeply enough to know the difference between having intel and not having it. Given the "strongman" vibe he projected upon entering, they didn't dare be disrespectful.
Tonbo was satisfied. His "presence" technique had been applied perfectly; he truly was a genius of the education world.
"Alright, it's class time. Since this is a Q&A session, raise your hand if you have a question," Tonbo got straight to the point.
Just as Kakashi thought, he was here to decompress. He was tired of being the "Red Flash"; he lacked the thrill of being reckless in front of an audience, so he changed his approach. Life required experiencing different things to keep the spirit active. If every day was a repetition, life would be tasteless. Tonbo had always believed this. Aside from raising kids and researching ninjutsu, he had to find other things to do. Even Orochimaru wandered around picking up kids during his research!
"Me! Me! I want to ask, how can I become the Hokage?" As soon as he finished speaking, a child raised his hand. A very... common question. The other students perked up their ears. This was the dream of many.
Tonbo gave him an appreciative look and smiled: "The Hokage should really be the one answering this, since I've never been one. But I can give you a logic: Become strong. Become the strongest in Konoha."
"Become strong? Sensei, that's too broad. How do I do that?" the student pressed. Everyone knew being stronger than the Hokage meant you could be the Hokage!
"Study. Just like what you're doing now—study every day. Take the basic ninjutsu the Academy teaches and the various subjects and study them deeply. Become an expert in every field. Gradually, you will become stronger and stronger," Tonbo said.
How could it be that easy? The Intelligence course has hundreds of branches, not to mention ninjutsu... That was the thought shared by all the students.
"That's why there have only been a few Hokages over all these years. So, you have to work hard!" Tonbo laughed. "Next."
"Sensei, I like Lanhua in the next class. How do I get her to like me back?"
"..."
The other students looked at him with disdain. Unexpectedly:
"That's a great question. I'm a professional in this area. Let me tell you..." Tonbo began to talk eloquently.
"So amazing, Sensei even knows about dating."
"My turn! My turn! I want to ask, can ninjas fly? I see birds flying and think how great it would be to soar freely in the sky every day."
"Of course you can. I take my kids out for a flight almost every day."
"Whoa! Awesome! I definitely want to be a ninja!"
Tonbo had a vast range of knowledge. No matter how whimsical the questions were, he answered them one by one. But there was a core theme: he validated their questions. He never discouraged them, helping them maintain a passionate heart.
"Sensei, I am Rock Lee. I want to ask... if I can't use ninjutsu, can I still become an excellent ninja?" Rock Lee raised his hand and asked. He looked at Tonbo with eyes full of expectation and a hint of anxiety.
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