Chapter 428: Freshmen Orientation Ceremony
"Who is that? How did he jump down from the Hokage Monument?"
Among the students standing in formation, a kid stared at the dust-covered training grounds and blurted out in confusion.
"Are you kidding? Don't you think that was super cool?! Dropping down from the Hokage Monument that high up without even running down the wall—that's seriously insane!"
Another student felt that making an entrance like that was pure awesome.
"Boruto... and Saitama too..." Mitsuki stood in line, a subtle smile playing across his lips.
As for the third kid, he didn't recognize him.
"Saitama? You mean that Saitama who's so slow he gives the teachers a massive headache?"
"Boruto? As in the Hokage's son, Boruto?"
Mitsuki's quiet remark was overheard by several surrounding students, instantly sparking a flurry of hushed whispers.
"Holy crap! Seriously, to pull off a stunt like that on the very first day of school... As expected of the slowest student."
"The Hokage's son sure knows how to make a unique entrance!"
"Don't be so harsh, they were just running late."
As the crowd murmured, the heavy dust cloud dissipated, revealing a figure clad in bright yellow, alongside Boruto—wearing his black jacket—who looked so dizzy he was practically about to pass out.
Saitama released his grip on their collars. "Hello! Since today is your enrollment day, I won't disrupt you guys any longer. Let me know if you want to be friends later—I gotta head to class now!"
Flash!
Without even waiting for a reaction from Naruto, the present Jonin, or the Academy teachers, Saitama vanished in a yellow blur, leaving behind Boruto and Denki, who were still reeling from the sheer wind pressure and velocity.
He was fast—blindingly fast.
"Good grief, that kid of Tonbo's... Oh well, mine isn't doing much better anyway."
Naruto's face darkened. He opened his mouth to say something, but ultimately let out a tired sigh and held his tongue.
As the Hokage, he was naturally well aware of Saitama's unique situation—and looking at his own son, Boruto wasn't behaving any better.
"Boruto, Denki, fall into line."
Naruto spoke up, his voice heavy and stern.
Boruto, who was still feeling lightheaded, snapped awake at his father's voice. Grabbing Denki by the arm, he hurried into the ranks of students.
Dammit! His speed was absurd! Did he already get permission to train inside the Taijutsu Training System?
On his way into line, Boruto didn't even have a chance to speak with his father, his mind completely consumed by what had just occurred.
According to Academy legends:
Once you reached the second year and mastered the ultimate form of shape transformation, you could gain access to the Taijutsu Training System. There, your physical strength and body functions could be enhanced to a whole new level, allowing you to execute god-tier Body Flicker Techniques.
What Saitama displayed just now matched that description perfectly.
His speed was unreal.
He moved like a total monster.
If he can do it, there's no way I can't. In my second year, I'm definitely going to pull it off!
Boruto thought to himself as he took his place beside Mitsuki.
Mitsuki met his gaze with a gentle smile.
Denki had also snapped out of his daze, staring at Naruto standing before them while recalling the yellow figure from moments ago.
Scientific Shinobi Tools will definitely be able to reach that level too. I won't let any of you look down on tech!
Denki had come to Konoha specifically for its Scientific Shinobi Division. Outside of the Land of Lightning, this place possessed the absolute top-tier research in Scientific Shinobi Tools.
"You are the new generation of shinobi, and there are many rules you must abide by. One of the most fundamental is to never be late. Behavior like what you just witnessed is disgraceful, and you must all take it as a stern warning."
Naruto's voice echoed across the courtyard, instantly plunging the entire training ground into complete silence.
I heard Lord Hokage was super gentle and friendly... Why is the vibe today so suffocating? many of the new students thought to themselves.
Standing off to the side, Konohamaru let out a quiet sigh in his head. Brother Naruto's kid is just as much of a troublemaker as he used to be! But that's fine—I'll make sure to educate them properly.
He recalled how disciplined he had been in his own youth, studying diligently every single day in his relentless pursuit to defeat Tianyu. He had never been a troublemaker.
At the thought of teaching these kids, a warm smile spread across Konohamaru's face.
The future of Konoha's next generation was in his capable Jonin hands.
Stepping forward from the line of teachers, he addressed the assembled freshmen, "Alright, next up is the Freshman Orientation Ceremony! I'm sure you've all heard rumors about it—some leave it crying and wetting their pants, while others feel as if a whole new world has been unlocked for them. Now, it's your turn to experience it firsthand!"
Following years of evolution, the Academy's educational framework had naturally undergone massive upgrades, incorporating brand-new teaching methods tailored to modern capabilities.
"Hell yeah! Awesome! I heard it's a visual feast even more breathtaking than the blockbuster movie The Invasion of Pain, complete with total physical immersion. I wonder how incredible it's gonna feel!"
Hyuga Tonbo, a young boy with the Byakugan, listened to Konohamaru's announcement, his eyes sparkling with excitement.
Beside him, a boy with one eye covered looked on with equal yearning. "I heard the Sixth Hokage usually makes a cameo appearance! I wonder if he'll be there again this year."
"Houki, you're way too obsessed with the Sixth Hokage! You should admire my dad instead—my dad is making an appearance this year too!" Hyuga Tonbo said excitedly to Houki Taketori.
Since their two clans were longtime family friends, the two boys were naturally close. In fact, the Taketori clan had officially integrated into the Konoha family several years ago.
Houki Taketori nodded in agreement. "Uncle Neji is super strong, sure, but I still think the Sixth Hokage is way cooler! Lightning Blade—cutting through actual lightning—plus mastery over a thousand ninjutsu! Now that's what I call insane! In The Invasion of Pain blockbuster, Kakashi was only nerfed because he wasn't the main character. Otherwise, he could've wiped the floor with Pain using a single move! What's a Rinnegan compared to Sharingan Kakashi? Pain would've been toast!"
He spoke with utter disdain toward Pain. In his mind, Pain only had a couple of repetitive tricks up his sleeve. If Senior Kakashi had been the main character, he would have leveraged his mastery over a thousand jutsu to defeat Pain and save Konoha single-handedly.
Hyuga Tonbo added, "I heard The Invasion of Pain was a cinematic adaptation based on actual Konoha history. They downplayed Senior Kakashi's true power and omitted quite a few historical figures, mostly to highlight the heroic radiance of the Seventh Hokage and justify his rise to the position."
"Whoa, you watched the movie too?! I felt the exact same way! I noticed Captain Tonbo wasn't even in it! Still, it was a masterpiece. Lord Kakashi made a tragic, heroic sacrifice due to a lack of intel, Pain flattened Konoha with a massive Shinra Tensei, the Fifth Hokage exhausted her chakra to save the villagers, and the Seventh Hokage returned from the sacred mountain to face Pain! Then Lady Hinata risked her life out of love, triggering the Seventh's frenzy to defeat Pain! That story was so epic—leaving out a few characters actually made the dramatic tension way more intense!"
When it came to movies, Houki Taketori became instantly chatty. It was precisely through that movie—and the legendary tales of the Sixth Hokage—that he had fallen in love with Kakashi's character and become his diehard fan.
That was why he held such intense anticipation for Kakashi, who had appeared at the Academy's opening ceremony last year.
Hyuga Tonbo sighed regretfully. "It's such a pity my dad wasn't in The Invasion of Pain either. He was out on a mission with the Wild Beast of Konoha and had only just returned to the village. Otherwise, my dad could've definitely finished off Pain in a single move!"
Both boys held absolute, unwavering confidence in the figures they idolized.
If only the main character hadn't been the Seventh Hokage...
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