Reborn in the Shinobi World with an Arceus Inside

After his brief speech, Kaito retreated to the doorway.

Genji, his face set in a stern expression, stepped up to the lectern. "I'm a simple man, not one for fancy words. I only know how to enforce the rules that have been set. You will all go home and memorize the regulations. You'd best not let me catch you breaking any of them, or you'll have to deal with me."

This was the man Kono Taisei had recommended. In his youth, he had served as a village guard and was an upright, even rigid, man who lived by the book—exactly what Kaito wanted. His severe demeanor would also be effective in keeping this new class of students in line.

Next, it was Yamabiko Yuto's turn.

Choosing him as a teacher had been a move of necessity. It turned out that, unexpectedly, he had the best education in the entire sanctuary. He wasn't just proficient in mathematics and literature, but also in astronomy and geography. According to him, these were standard subjects at the Konoha Academy, and his own level was only considered average. It was a testament to the strength of Konoha's education system, which likely explained why they produced so many powerful individuals.

Yamabiko Yuto simply stated his current name, making no mention of his status as a ninja. Then, he picked up the student roster and began to call out names.

"When I call your name, please come up to the front and introduce yourself to everyone. Besides your name, you can also share your hobbies and what you want to be when you grow up."

"First, Konan!"

"Here!" Konan raised her hand and, under the watchful eyes of everyone, walked to the front of the classroom with a blush on her face. She spoke softly, "My name is Konan. I like origami and eating delicious food. When I grow up, I want to earn lots and lots of money so that my mom and I will never have to worry about food again."

After she finished, she glanced toward Kaito at the door. When she received the thumbs-up she was hoping for, a smile spread across her face, and she cheerfully returned to her seat.

"Alright, next, Ayanokoji!"

"Here!..."

One by one, the students went up and came back down. Soon, it was Yahiko's turn.

He excitedly stood before the class and announced loudly, "My name is Yahiko! I like to eat meat, and when I grow up, I'm definitely going to be a famous big shot and change this country that's always shrouded in rain and shadows!"

Then it was Nagato's turn. His long bangs drew the attention of many.

"My name is Nagato. I don't have any particular likes. As for what I want to do in the future…" He paused for a moment, looked at Yahiko, and said, "I also want to change the Land of Rain."

"Alright!" Yahiko immediately started clapping enthusiastically, causing Nagato to return to his seat in a bit of a fluster. Fortunately, the children had short attention spans and quickly turned their focus to the next person.

About half an hour later, the last student walked up to the front. His height, which was a full head taller than the other students, marked him as different.

"My name is Kono Jisei, and I am sixteen years old. Please see me as a peer, not as an outcast. I want to learn and grow together with all of you. Thank you!"

He bore a strong resemblance to his father, Kono Taisei, and his face held a composure that was unusual for his age. Only Kaito knew that beneath that calm exterior lay an incredibly fervent heart.

With the intention of cultivating a loyal inner circle, Kaito had set the enrollment age for the Kindle Academy at twelve and under. At that age, they would be more receptive to his ideology, allowing him to mold them into a new generation of idealists.

However, just yesterday, Kono Jisei had sought him out, requesting to enroll.

"My age doesn't meet the requirements you've set, my lord. But I refuse to settle for mediocrity. I have witnessed firsthand a battle between ninja, and I yearn for that kind of world-shattering power!"

His eyes burned with a fanatical light. "My lord, when that time comes, I believe I will be able to follow you and dedicate my everything to you!"

"Why?" Using his Aura, Kaito could vaguely sense that the boy was not lying.

"Because of the war. Back then, I spent my days cooped up at home, too afraid to go outside. Even the sound of thunder was enough to make me jump. My spirit was on the verge of breaking. If you hadn't appeared when you did, my lord, I fear I would have chosen to end my own life."

Kono Jisei looked at Kaito and said earnestly, "So, I cannot bear the thought of falling into such a state again. Only by following you, my lord, can I find that sense of security."

"Heh, very well." Kaito smiled. "Seeing as you are so passionate, I will make an exception for you, just this once. You are permitted to enroll."

"Thank you, my lord!" Kono Jisei knelt on the ground, overcome with emotion.

"Rise," Kaito said, helping him up. "However, your age may make it difficult for you to fit in with the group."

"It doesn't matter. You needn't worry, my lord. I will resolve that issue myself."

"Alright."

And so, as the sole older student, Kono Jisei entered the Kindle Academy.

After the self-introductions were over, Kaito left the classroom, leaving Yamabiko Yuto to his own devices.

Though he had never been a teacher before, Yuto had seen plenty of them. He simply copied what he remembered from his own academy days.

"You are the first class I will ever teach, but I do not want you to be the worst!" Yamabiko Yuto leaned forward, his hands braced on the lectern, creating a sense of pressure for the students below. "Don't think it's enough to just sit here, listen a little, and wait for school to be over. Per Lord Kaito's instructions, we will have a quiz every three days and a major test every five days to constantly monitor your progress. Based on your results, you will be divided into four grades—A, B, C, and D—and will receive different treatment accordingly. If you want to eat more meat and receive more rewards, then give it your all and show me what you can do!"

Such simple, blunt rules would undoubtedly motivate the students' competitive spirit while weeding out those who wanted to just coast by. However, these were all children from poor families; it was unlikely many would have a slacker's mentality.

After these opening remarks, the first official class of the Kindle Academy began.

"Given that many of you cannot yet read, I will start by teaching you how to recognize and write characters. For the first lesson, you will learn to write your own names. For those who already have a foundation, I will distribute textbooks for you to study on your own."

"Yes, sir!"

After the morning's academic lessons came lunch and a nap.

In the afternoon, it was time for the practical skills class, personally taught by Kaito. His goal was to train capable assistants.

Since refining chakra required a certain level of physical fitness, he didn't rush the students into learning the Chakra Refining Technique. Instead, he had them focus on physical training.

He assigned different levels of difficulty based on their age groups. For example, the smaller, weaker children like Nagato only needed to practice his modified version of the "First Set of Calisthenics—Dance of Youth." The older students were given a higher level of physical conditioning.

The physical constitution of people in this world was far superior to that of his previous life, so the difficulty was increased significantly. Sprints, long-distance runs, and weightlifting were all interspersed, designed to push them to their absolute limits.