NOVEL NEXT Chapter 2: Graduating Early
A new day dawned as the sun rose on schedule.
Mochizuki Hui strolled leisurely through the village, surrounded by several girls his age.
Although his strength was nothing special, his looks more than made up for it. The title of "Most Handsome Boy at the Ninja Academy" wasn’t just for show.
“Hui-kun, I made this breakfast especially for you. Please, you must take it!”
“Hui-kun, how about having the lunch I prepared for you today?”
“Hui-kun, mine! Eat mine!”
“Hmph, mine is the best!”
Several girls chattered around him, all vying for the chance to have Mochizuki Hui eat the food they had made.
This scene made Jiraiya, who happened to pass by, turn blue with envy.
Standing in the distance, he shouted in frustration, “Damn it! Mochizuki Hui isn’t even as handsome as me! Why do all the girls like him?!”
Hearing Jiraiya’s outburst, a student walking by glanced at Jiraiya, then at Hui in the distance, rolled his eyes, and walked off.
Jiraiya: “…”
“You brat, what’s that supposed to mean?!” Jiraiya roared, startling the student, who quickly blended into the crowd, leaving Jiraiya fuming alone.
Unfortunately, Mochizuki Hui missed the scene, or he would have laughed about it all morning.
With a group of girls in tow, Mochizuki Hui reluctantly made his way to the Ninja Academy.
There was no helping it. While he’d love to attract people with his skills, his face simply wouldn’t allow him to.
As soon as he arrived at the academy, another wave of excited screams from the girls greeted him, leaving him with a headache.
Quickly, he hurried to his classroom just as the bell rang.
He had timed it perfectly, allowing him to avoid being swarmed by the girls in his class.
Sitting down in his seat, he breathed a small sigh of relief and prepared to engage in his daily routine.
Spacing out…
Class? Please, he had learned everything already ages ago.
“Ahem, ahem! Alright, I have an important announcement today.”
At that moment, their homeroom teacher, Mr. Ota, spoke up in a serious tone.
Looking at the curious expressions of the children, his heart softened, but outwardly, he maintained his stern demeanor as he said, “The village has decided that exceptional students from the non-graduating classes will be allowed to participate in this year’s graduation exam. Are there any students from our class who wish to sign up?”
The room fell silent before erupting into chaos.
Mochizuki Hui’s expression grew serious. What was bound to happen had finally come.
Due to the ongoing First Great Ninja War, the conflict between the villages had reached a critical stage, and a large number of ninjas were needed. Talented students were being selected early to be sent to the battlefield or to assist with logistics.
Because of this, Tsunade, Orochimaru, and Jiraiya—who were also in the same year as Hui—would graduate at the age of six from the Ninja Academy.
“Teacher, I want to sign up.”
Mochizuki Hui raised his hand and spoke loudly, causing the classroom to fall silent once more.
Everyone froze, even Mr. Ota was surprised by Hui’s sudden request.
Frowning, Mr. Ota sternly replied, “Hui, this is for the top students in the class. You should stay in school where it’s safe. Your strength isn’t enough to handle this.”
Truth be told, Mr. Ota had a soft spot for the delicate-looking boy and didn’t want him to become cannon fodder on the battlefield.
“Yeah, Hui, you shouldn’t sign up.”
“Hui-kun is so handsome!”
“Ahhh, I love him even more!”
A few of the girls looked at Hui with stars in their eyes. No matter his strength, the fact that he had volunteered to graduate early only made him more charming in their eyes.
“Teacher, I think my strength is decent enough. Besides, just because I sign up doesn’t mean I’ll pass. Let me give it a try,” Mochizuki Hui said as he looked Mr. Ota directly in the eyes, his gaze clear and resolute.
Seeing the determination in Hui’s eyes, Mr. Ota felt a strange sense of conviction stir within him. He couldn’t help but ask, “Then tell me, why do you want to sign up?”
Hearing this, Hui responded earnestly, “I believe the village needs me right now. Even though my strength may be insignificant, I trust that when many small forces come together, they can form a powerful shield to protect our village.”
Mr. Ota was momentarily stunned by his words.
He stood in silence for a few moments, staring into Hui’s eyes before he finally sighed and spoke, “Alright, I’ll submit your name. Think of it as a chance to see the skills of the graduating class.”
Upon hearing this, a soft, confident smile appeared on Mochizuki Hui’s face as he thanked Mr. Ota and returned to his seat.
“So cool, Hui-kun!!!”
“Ahhhh, I love him so much!”
“I want to sign up too! I want to graduate with Hui-kun!”
Hui’s bold decision had already made him look cool, but his earlier words pushed the girls over the edge, making them scream in admiration.
The boys in the class, however, were less impressed, their faces twitching with complicated emotions—part admiration, but mostly frustration.
Mochizuki Hui, you’re making the rest of us look bad!
They couldn’t help but curse themselves for not coming up with such cool words.
“Pfft, he’s just showing off. Wait until the seniors in the graduation class beat him to a pulp!” one boy muttered bitterly.
He was especially annoyed when he noticed that the girl he had a crush on was also looking at Hui with stars in her eyes. This imbalance in attention only made him more agitated.
Meanwhile, Mochizuki Hui, having signed up, returned to his usual routine—daydreaming.
To be honest, he wasn’t particularly excited about graduating early.
Why would he rush? The Ninja Academy was peaceful. Every day he got free meals, and during class, he could zone out and relax.
If possible, Mochizuki Hui would have preferred to stay in the academy for a few more years, playing the part of an ordinary student, living as a civilian until he had grown powerful enough to dominate before revealing himself.
But unfortunately, that little troublemaker Tsunade wouldn’t be staying in the academy with him.
Thinking of Tsunade, Hui felt a headache coming on.
During the Warring States period, the Mochizuki clan had been a subordinate clan to the Senju, their loyal followers.
In the First Great Ninja War, the entire Mochizuki clan had been wiped out, leaving only Mochizuki Hui behind. The Senju couldn’t just let him fend for himself, so they took him in.
Until he turned five, Mochizuki Hui lived in the Senju clan’s compound.
That’s why he and Tsunade had grown up as childhood friends.
In fact, Tsunade had even said more than once that she would marry him when they were older.
“Sigh… Even though I know Tsunade won’t have any real problems in the future, I can’t help but feel a little worried.”