Shinobi Awakening : Rebirth

I scarfed down my breakfast, a mix of rice and fish that tasted surprisingly good despite my racing thoughts. As I left the house, I couldn't shake the feeling of déjà vu. The streets of the Hidden Leaf Village looked like they had been plucked straight from the anime. The buildings, the people in their ninja attire, even the towering Hokage monument in the distance—everything was eerily familiar.

I walked to the academy, trying to blend in as much as possible. Kids my age—or rather, kids my new body's age—were chatting and laughing, throwing glances my way as if they could sense my confusion. I tried to play it cool, pretending to be a laid-back new kid, but inside, I was freaking out. How was I going to explain not knowing anything about being a ninja?

When I arrived at the academy, the atmosphere was electric. The walls were lined with pictures of past graduates, some of them heroes I had watched from the comfort of my old life's living room couch. The thought of one day being up there with them was both exhilarating and terrifying. The teachers were stern, the students disciplined, and I was... utterly lost.

As I stepped into the classroom, the cacophony of young, unbridled ninja energy hit me like a ton of bricks. Genin of all ages were horsing around, their laughter bouncing off the walls. It was like walking into a tornado of chaos. They were throwing paper shurikens, doing backflips over desks, and generally causing mayhem. I couldn't help but feel like I'd stumbled into the set of a live-action episode of the show.

A few of the kids looked up, noticing the newcomer. The whispers began, spreading like wildfire. "Who's that?" "Is he new?" "Maybe he's from the countryside?"

My heart was racing. I had to play it cool. If they knew I didn't belong here, who knows what would happen? I took a deep breath and stepped into the room, trying to mimic the swagger of the cool, collected shinobi I'd seen in the show. It was a sad imitation at best.

I spotted a group of giggling girls whispering behind their hands. A familiar scene from my old life played out in my head—me, the awkward kid trying to get their attention with a cheeky smile or a terrible joke. But here? Now? I was Ryo, the mysterious transfer student. So, I winked. It was a gamble, but I had to try something.

They squealed and blushed, looking away, but not before I caught the glint of excitement in their eyes. It worked. The cool look came naturally after that, a smirk tugging at the corners of my mouth as I sailed through the sea of desks and slammed my own shut with a dramatic flair. The room went silent, all eyes on me.

I sat down, feeling like a celebrity who'd just entered the room. The whispers grew louder, the curiosity piqued. But the spotlight didn't last long. A stern voice boomed from the front of the classroom, cutting through the chatter like a hot knife through butter. "Alright, everyone, settle down. We have a new student joining us today. Ryo, come up here and introduce yourself!"

The room stilled as a figure emerged from the shadows of the doorway. Anko Mitarashi. Her eyes scanned the room, and when they landed on me, I felt like a bug under a microscope. She was everything I'd ever imagined a badass ninja to be—confident, powerful, and not to be messed with. I took a deep breath.

"I am Anko Mitarashi, your sensei for the foreseeable future," she announced. The class murmured, and I couldn't help but notice the respect in their tones. "You will be divided into teams of three. Your teammates will be your partners, your comrades, and your support in this journey to become shinobi of the Leaf Village. Pay attention, as this could be the most important decision of your young lives!"

The students around me shuffled nervously, glancing at each other with hopeful eyes. Team assignments were a big deal—the right team could make or break your career in the ninja world. I, however, was more concerned with how I'd explain my lack of skills to whoever ended up with me.

"Team one, step forward!" Anko's voice rang out. The first group eagerly jumped to their feet, eager to see who they'd be paired with. As they were sorted, I couldn't help but feel a pang of envy. They all had some kind of ninja flair to them—the way they moved, the way they talked. It was like watching a bunch of mini-shinobi prodigies.

One by one, the teams were called, and the students formed their groups with varying degrees of excitement and trepidation. I watched as the numbers dwindled, my heart sinking with each passing moment. The class was now a series of small clusters, their heads bent together in eager whispers.

As the final team was called, the room grew tense. I looked around, my stomach in knots. The only ones left were me, Yumi, and Tetsu. Yumi's eyes met mine, a spark of curiosity in them, while Tetsu stared at the floor, his shoulders hunched.

"Team Ten," Anko announced, her gaze lingering on us as if we were the last three doughnuts at the bake sale. "You three will be forming Team Ten."

Yumi raised an eyebrow, her expression a blend of skepticism and curiosity. Tetsu, ever the introspective one, remained silent, his eyes never leaving the ground. As for me, I felt a strange mix of relief and dread. Being the odd one out in a class of mini-ninjas was one thing, but being lumped together with the two most mismatched kids in the room? This was going to be interesting.

"Great, I get stuck with these two," I murmured to myself, glancing at my new teammates. "What are their deal?"

Yumi looked like she'd just stepped out of a medical textbook, her eyes sharp and focused, while Tetsu was a brooding storm cloud. If there were a cool meter in the room, we'd be in the negatives. I couldn't believe my luck—no Sasuke, no Naruto, no Sakura to bail us out with their flashy jutsus. Just me and a walking encyclopedia of boredom and a guy who probably practiced his brooding in the mirror.

As we shuffled into a group, I couldn't help but wonder how this was going to work out. We were like a mismatched trio from a sitcom, except instead of laughs, we'd be fighting for our lives. I shot a glare at Anko, who just smirked back at me. This was her doing, I could feel it. Stuck with the kid who couldn't even do a basic fireball and the girl who probably knew more about patching us up than fighting.