Naruto : a hero's journey

In the second-year classroom, Satoru, Tatsuo, Sakumo, and Nawaki sat together, taking in their surroundings. Satoru noticed that some of the students were new, likely from other classes, and that some familiar faces were missing, now seated elsewhere.

'So students can move between classes if they show promise—or if they're deemed unworthy,' Satoru thought. 'Dai could come to this class if his grades get higher.'

Curious, he shared his theory with Tatsuo and Sakumo, but they both chuckled. "We already knew that," Tatsuo said. "We asked the teachers last year."

Satoru felt a pang of disappointment.

'Great, I'm the last to figure this out,' he thought, feeling slightly embarrassed.

Just then, Yamamoto-sensei began addressing the class, outlining the syllabus for the year.

"This year, we'll build on everything you learned last year, but there will be more focus on chakra control, sparring, and ninja tools training. Starting from this year, exams will also include practical tests in chakra control and ninja tools."

After classes ended, Satoru approached Yamamoto-sensei with a question. "Sensei, when and where will the extra classes start?"

Yamamoto-sensei looked at him thoughtfully. "The medical ninjutsu classes will be held in the classroom next to the fifth graders' room, about an hour from now. Chakra control classes will happen two hours from now, taught by the same teacher responsible for medical ninjutsu."

Satoru nodded and headed to the third floor for the extra classes. Walking through the hallway, he noticed Naoya—the same kid who had beaten up Nawaki—with a few of his lackeys.

They were bullying a younger girl, likely a fourth-grader. They called her names and were laughing as they poured a cold drink on her, causing it to spill down her clothes.

The girl cried, but they continued mocking her before walking away, leaving her soaked and humiliated.

Satoru approached her cautiously after they left, offering her a napkin. "Can you stand?" he asked, his voice gentle but concerned.

The girl shakily nodded, wiping her tears, and Satoru guided her to the classroom where the medical ninjutsu class would take place. Seeing that no one was inside yet, he grabbed a first aid box from the table.

'I really hope this doesn't get me into trouble,' he thought.

He made the girl sit down and began applying first aid to her knee and head, where she had scrapes and bruises.

It looked like she had fallen hard, and from what he could tell, Naoya's group had punched her, causing her to hit the wall. She whimpered quietly as Satoru worked, tears still streaming down her face, but she didn't say anything.

As he gently cleaned the wound on her knee, he spoke softly. "I know it's tough, but you're going to be okay. Just hang in there."

Once Satoru finished applying the first aid, he reached into his bag and pulled out a chocolate, handing it to her with a small smile.

'I hope this distracts her from the pain,' he thought as he watched her take the chocolate hesitantly.

Satoru broke the silence. "Who are you? Why were they bullying you?"

Keiko, still shaky from crying, took a small bite of the chocolate and stammered, "M-my name is Keiko. The boy… he's from the same clan as me." She paused, her voice quivering as she continued. "He… he bullies me because… my father brought shame to our clan. He says my family is like a curse… on the whole clan…"

Before she could finish, they both heard a sound coming from outside the classroom. Keiko's eyes widened in fear, and she instinctively shrunk into herself.

Satoru quickly reassured her, "You're safe here, Keiko. No one will hurt you."

They both looked towards the sound, only to see a crow hopping on the windowsill. Satoru let out a breath of relief and sat down beside her.

He asked softly, "Do you want him to go away?"

Keiko nodded, her voice barely above a whisper, "I want him totally gone…"

Satoru gave her a firm nod and smiled. "Then, he'll never bother you ever again."

He couldn't bear to see her so sad, and something about her vulnerable state struck a chord within him.

She looked up at him and asked quietly, "Why would you help me?"

Satoru thought for a moment before answering, "He hurt my friend too. So, the enemy of my enemy is my friend."

Keiko blinked at him, her tear-filled eyes softening slightly, the weight of her fear lifting just a little.

Satoru watched Keiko closely after applying the first aid, sensing that her emotions were still fragile. He wanted to keep her safe, so he asked, "Have you applied for any extra classes here? Like the ones I'm taking?"

Keiko shook her head, looking down at her feet. "No... I haven't. And now it's probably too late, isn't it?"

Satoru frowned, thinking about how having an adult's supervision would mitigate the bullying."You should still apply. It's not too late, and even if you're worried about falling behind, don't be. I'll help you catch up if you need it."

Keiko's eyes widened at his offer. For someone who had been hurt by her own blood, the kindness Satoru showed seemed almost unreal. She slowly stood up and gave him a deep bow, her voice filled with gratitude.

"Are you some kind of God of helping or something?"

Satoru chuckled lightly, rubbing the back of his neck. He didn't think much of what he did, but seeing her so grateful was rewarding.

Keiko's words were heavy with the weight of someone who had never known such kindness. He realized that for her, the world had always been a place where trust was fragile.

Waving goodbye, Keiko turned to leave, but Satoru wasn't about to let her go alone. "Wait," he called after her. "I'll walk you to the principal's office to get the form for the classes."

She nodded, and the two walked side by side down the hallway. Satoru kept the conversation light, giving her small tips on how to avoid bullies—drawn from his own experiences in his previous life.

"If you walk in groups, they're less likely to bother you and try not to react too much when they say something. Bullies love getting a reaction."

Keiko nodded as she listened, absorbing everything he said. Satoru felt a small sense of pride. He didn't want to see anyone suffer the way he once had in his previous world.

By the time they reached the principal's office, Keiko seemed calmer.

Satoru entered the classroom, noticing the sharp gaze of the teacher, who held the remaining medical supplies in her hand. Her expression was stern as she asked, "Where's the rest of it? Did you steal it?"

He recognized her immediately as the doctor who had healed his leg weeks ago. She didn't seem angry, but her tone carried a weight that made him anxious. Satoru opened his mouth to explain, but she waved her hand, dismissing his words before they could come out.

"Don't try to talk your way out of this," she said, already turning to walk towards the principal's office. It was clear she didn't believe him.

Satoru's heart sank. He could imagine the trouble he'd be in for taking the supplies without asking.

But just as the teacher stepped out of the classroom, they were both greeted by the sight of Keiko, clutching the filled-out form the principal had given her. She seemed a little more composed now.

The bandages Satoru had applied were still visible on her knee. As soon as the teacher saw her, something shifted in her demeanor.

The teacher's eyes flicked from Keiko's bandaged knee to Satoru, and her expression softened. She chuckled, shaking her head.

Satoru seized the opportunity to explain himself, but before he could get more than a few words out, the teacher held up her hand to stop him.

"I know what happened,"

she said with a light laugh. "I watched it all."

Satoru blinked, confused. "What do you mean, you watched?"

"The sound you heard earlier? That wasn't a crow," she said, her eyes gleaming with amusement.

"That was me. I used a substitution jutsu with a nearby crow to keep an eye on things."

Satoru's face flushed with embarrassment. She had been watching the whole time, observing everything. His mind raced, and his first instinct was to ask, "So, am I going to be punished for taking the supplies?"

The teacher's smile didn't waver. "A medic's job is to make sure the patient feels safe at all times. Sometimes, that means taking risks to save lives or even act on instinct."

She looked at him seriously now. "You took those supplies without permission, knowing that boy could show up at any moment. You acted quickly and with purpose."

Satoru's breath caught in his throat. "So...?"

"As far as I'm concerned, you have the mindset of a medic." She placed a hand on his shoulder, a proud glint in her eyes. "You acted in the spirit of a true healer."

As the classroom began to fill up, Satoru noticed that a total of 21 students had gathered from across various grades, from second to sixth.

It felt strange to see students from different grades sitting together, but the smaller group made the atmosphere more personal.

Keiko, who had signed up for all the same extra classes as Satoru, took the seat next to him, her presence quiet but comforting. Aside from him, only two others from the second grade had joined, making their group the smallest within the mixed-age class.

The teacher, Mitsuki-sensei, stood in front of the group and introduced herself. "This class will focus entirely on theory and chakra control. There will be no practical healing lessons, at least not for a long while."

A murmur of discontent spread among the newer students. Many had signed up expecting to start practicing medical ninjutsu right away.

Satoru glanced at Keiko, who seemed too shy to protest, but other students were more vocal, raising their hands and questioning the teacher's methods.

Mitsuki-sensei remained unfazed, her tone steady as she addressed the complaints.

"The sheer amount of knowledge required to even attempt medical ninjutsu or surgeries is immense. It would take at least a decade to master the fundamentals alone. However," she added with a small smile, "if any of you manage to learn and grasp that knowledge faster, I'll gladly start teaching you medical ninjutsu."

Satoru's heart raced a little. 'A decade?' He stared at the stack of massive textbooks Mitsuki handed out, filled with dense material on anatomy, chakra pathways, and complex healing techniques. As he flipped through the pages, he realized just how daunting this path would be.

The classes continued for hours, covering chakra theory and the basics of control. It was intense. Keiko remained silent beside him, her head buried in the textbook .

By the time the lessons ended, three more hours had passed, and it was already 7 p.m. The sky outside had darkened, and the academy halls were quiet as students left one by one.

As they gathered their things, Satoru glanced at Keiko.

"Hey, do you want me to walk you home?" he asked, not wanting her to walk alone in the dark. She hesitated for a moment before nodding.

"Where do you live?" he inquired, adjusting his bag as they headed out into the cool evening air.

Keiko shyly told him her address, and Satoru nodded, taking the lead as they began their walk. The streets were quiet, and he talked to her about the classes, offering tips from what he'd learned so far.