Year of Foundation: Third Year of Konoha's Establishment
Month: July
Point of View: Tobirama Senju
Inside the large wooden office at the top of the Hokage Tower, the air felt stifling despite the open windows. A mountain of files awaited attention, and the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, sat silently behind his desk. Standing before him was his younger brother, Tobirama Senju, holding a leather-bound folder stamped with the symbol of the Ninja Academy.
Tobirama spoke in a firm, composed tone.
"These are the summarized reports for the new academy batch."
Hashirama, ever smiling, took the file and began reading as Tobirama continued.
"As expected, the clan children are clearly outperforming the rest. The Uchiha kids, in particular, show remarkable precision and control—especially young Kagami. He's sharp. His reaction speed is alarming even for his age, and his ability to read others' movements rivals that of someone ten years older."
He continued without pause.
"From the Hyuga clan, there's a girl named Hana. She's extremely quiet, but her early activation of the Byakugan during a practical drill led some instructors to believe she may inherit the ideal Gentle Fist form."
Flipping the page, he went on:
"As for the famed trio—Nara, Akimichi, and Yamanaka—they're already forming an instinctive synergy, even at this young age. Some instructors complain they respond slowly, but we both know their strength shines when they work as a unit."
He added with a sideways smirk:
"The Nara boy, Shin, is terrifyingly smart. When asked about a weakness in the Clone Jutsu, he said: 'The flaw is not in the hand… but in the eye's moment of perception.'"
Hashirama raised his eyebrows in visible admiration as Tobirama carried on.
"The Aburame clan has a boy named Kaito. Silent. Doesn't talk. But in one drill, he deployed an entire swarm to locate a target in under three seconds—before even moving physically."
"And from the Inuzuka, little Raishi showed up with his trained pups. They move as one unit—jumping, spinning, striking in sync. It's not taught… it's instinctive."
"Then there's a girl from the Kurama clan. She's shown an innate gift for genjutsu. One boy kept seeing the wall ripple for ten minutes after her illusion drill."
Closing the main file, Tobirama spoke in a measured tone.
"All of them are gifted. All from clans steeped in ninja heritage."
He then pulled a separate, thinner file and placed it on the desk.
"But what truly caught my attention… wasn't those with legacies. It was someone with none."
Hashirama looked up with curiosity.
Tobirama continued.
"There's a boy named Kenichi Sato. From a civilian family. No combat record. No ninja bloodline. No renowned name."
He opened the file and flipped through it calmly.
"At first, he seemed merely disciplined. Always early, never absent, quiet during training, never causing trouble."
He lifted a page showing diagrams of physical techniques.
"But on closer observation, he's not just following instructions—he's reinventing how his body moves. He doesn't repeat drills; he dissects them, analyzes them, and adapts them based on his physical feedback."
After a brief pause, he added:
"One instructor reported seeing him use a breathing technique in a strange way. He lowered his heart rate and executed a taijutsu move with precise, silent efficiency."
He pointed to a note scribbled in the margin:
> Progressing at a suspiciously steady rate. No leaps—just a sharp, logical ascent.
With a sigh, he said:
"Strangest of all… he's beginning to show signs of creating his own fighting style. He hasn't named it. Hasn't explained it. But he keeps refining certain movements, combining them with breath control and chakra flow."
He looked up and said:
"This boy might be the first civilian to craft a combat method that rivals the clans."
Hashirama asked, "Have the other students noticed anything?"
Tobirama replied,
"Some have begun talking—especially Kagami. He once said: 'Sato isn't advancing… he's hiding until he's ahead.'"
Hashirama chuckled softly.
"Smart kid."
Tobirama continued:
"I'm not saying he's a natural-born genius… but he has something rarer: willpower and analytical thought. If he keeps progressing this calmly, he could become a cornerstone in the evolution of future shinobi."
He paused, then added:
"I recommend we keep an eye on him—not to nurture him… but to understand him. Because he follows no known path."
Hashirama smiled and said:
"You know… when we founded Konoha, we dreamed of a place where one wouldn't need clan blood to become a shinobi. Maybe he's the first to truly walk that path."
Tobirama closed the file.
"He hasn't walked it yet… but he's taken the first step."
In that moment, sunlight danced over a name scribbled in the margin:
Kenichi Sato.
End of Chapter Ten.