Kitazawa had one less class today than yesterday. In the morning, it was the Will of Fire class; in the afternoon, a practical class.
After finishing the morning class, Kitazawa returned to the office. He picked up the stack of homework on the desk and began reviewing it.
There was no homework for the practical class—only for the History of Konoha and Will of Fire.
The assignments weren't difficult, and most students passed. A few were especially well-written. Kitazawa was surprised to find Uzumaki Naruto among them.
It must be because he expressed himself well. This wasn't an exaggeration. In the original timeline, Naruto was always dead last.
By 'last,' it meant the bottom of the class, failing in both theory and practical skills.
Time passed, and it was time for the final class of the day—the practical session.
"Today's lesson will still be kunai throwing," Kitazawa stood in front of the class and said. "Those who haven't mastered it yet, continue practicing. Those who have may move freely."
Many students looked surprised, especially the top performers like Uchiha Sasuke and Nara Shikamaru.
After all, 'free movement was basically a free period.
"Damn it! I miscalculated!" Inuzuka Kiba froze and muttered regretfully, "If I'd known, I would've gone all out yesterday!"
"I've got to hit the bull's-eye today!" Uzumaki Naruto clenched his fists in determination.
He'd already received a snack gift bag from Kitazawa the previous day—if he failed again, it would be too embarrassing.
Hyuga Hinata glanced at Kitazawa.
After a brief moment of thought, she decided to stay and continue practicing—even though she'd already mastered kunai throwing long ago.
"This teacher's really something… I like him," Nara Shikamaru lay down on the grass with his hands behind his head, clearly enjoying the break.
"Yeah." Akimichi Choji sat beside him, crunching on a bag of chips.
"Sasuke-kun!" Haruno Sakura rushed over and asked, "Can you teach me that kunai-turning technique you used yesterday?"
"I don't have time," Uchiha Sasuke rejected her flatly. Without even glancing at her, he walked away toward the other end of the field.
Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!
Sasuke formed hand seals, channeling his chakra into a fireball about the size of a fist. He frowned in disappointment.
Everyone called him a genius, but compared to his brother, Uchiha Itachi, he felt average. His brother had mastered the Great Fireball Technique after seeing it only once. But Sasuke couldn't.
"Why? Why can't I do it?" he gritted his teeth.
All he wanted was to master it quickly and earn praise from his father and brother. Just thinking about that scene made him smile involuntarily. Unfortunately, it remained only a fantasy.
"Your chakra control isn't good enough," a sudden voice interrupted.
Sasuke turned around to see Kitazawa. He was momentarily stunned, his expression shifting—then quickly composed himself.
Kitazawa was just a regular Chunin instructor, not even a Uchiha. What could he possibly know about the Great Fireball Technique?
Sasuke didn't take him seriously.
"Come with me," Kitazawa said.
He could tell what Sasuke was thinking—after all, the Uchiha were proud.
Still, this was a rare chance to complete a task, and Kitazawa didn't intend to let it go.
"Where are we going?" Sasuke asked suspiciously.
"You'll see." Kitazawa led him to a secluded training area within the school.
Sasuke was just about to speak when something left him speechless.
Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique! Kitazawa released a massive fireball with his full strength.
Sasuke was stunned—it was even bigger than the one performed by his brother, Itachi. This completely shattered his assumptions.
"Want to learn? I'll teach you," Kitazawa said with a smile.
Though the Great Fireball Technique was a signature Uchiha move, it wasn't exclusive—many ninjas outside the clan had learned it due to its power and accessibility.
One of them was Kitazawa's late teacher. Because of that, Kitazawa didn't need to worry about where his fire technique came from.
It took Sasuke a moment to process what he'd seen. If he could perform a fireball that massive, he could definitely win the approval of his father and brother.
"Teacher Kitazawa, I want to learn," Sasuke said excitedly. He wasn't as cold or reserved as in the original story.
"To master the Great Fireball Technique, you need two things," Kitazawa explained with a smile. "Chakra control and elemental transformation."
In the original series, chakra nature transformation was explained during Naruto's Wind Style training under Sarutobi Asuma.
Step one: cut a leaf with wind chakra.
Step two: slice a waterfall.
Step three: apply it in Wind Style ninjutsu.
"Chakra transformation is still a bit early for you. We'll start by enhancing your chakra control."
Kitazawa pointed to a nearby tree. "Focus chakra into your feet and climb."
The Great Fireball Technique involves some chakra shaping, but as a C-rank jutsu—not as advanced as Rasengan—it mainly requires forming a large, round fireball.
"That's it?" Sasuke sounded skeptical.
"Go ahead and try," Kitazawa replied with a smirk.
He recalled that in the original series, Sasuke failed his first tree climb attempt—even after graduating. Now, still in the academy, it would likely be worse.
"Watch me climb it in one go!" Feeling Kitazawa's doubt, Sasuke snorted and approached the tree.
He focused chakra into his soles and stepped onto the trunk.
"This is easy," Sasuke muttered after a few steps, his lips curling into a smirk.
But overconfidence is always punished. Halfway up, he lost control—and fell.
"Well?" Kitazawa asked, smiling.
"It's… it's the bark! Too slippery!" Sasuke blushed and replied stubbornly.
He got up, took a deep breath, and tried again.
[Current task: Gain initial recognition from Uchiha Sasuke.
Reward: Fire Style: Phoenix Fire Technique.
Task complete. Reward issued.]
Kitazawa raised his brows. The tsundere finally gave in.
A wave of new information surged into his mind. Watching Sasuke struggle up the tree, Kitazawa thought of something else. How would he explain ninjutsu granted by the system?
He could claim low-level jutsu came from former teammates or instructors. After all, the dead can't refute you—and sometimes they're more useful than the living.
But high-level techniques—B-rank and above—would be harder to explain. Ninjutsu typically comes from either being taught or as a reward from the village.
Kitazawa touched his chin, deep in thought.
[Your lifelong rival, Uchiha Sasuke, is diligently training in Fire Style. You must not fall behind.
Current task: Master a C-rank ninjutsu faster than Uchiha Sasuke.
Reward: Shuriken Technique.]
[Accept mission?]
The sudden prompt caught Kitazawa off guard. He was just a Chunin, and now he was being made Sasuke's lifelong rival?
Clearly, the system was setting a trap. He was happy to get new missions, but this one—though it sounded simple—wasn't easy.
Why? Because he didn't have any new ninjutsu to learn, even if they were only C-rank.
Should he go ask Sarutobi Hiruzen? Kitazawa rubbed his forehead. Without any achievements to his name, approaching someone like that out of the blue would seem shameless.