Chapter 577: Extra Story 1
It was that time of year again—the start of a new term at the Konoha Ninja Academy.
With the demand for shinobi decreasing and the overall quality of life improving, fewer people were willing to become ninjas.
This year, the number of new students had hit a record low.
No one was surprised, though. There was only one new class, and even then, it had fewer than thirty students.
Almost all of them came from shinobi families, with very few civilian-born children among them.
...
On the first day of class, the six-year-old newcomers gradually made their way into the classroom.
Since the teacher had yet to arrive, familiar faces gathered in small groups, whispering amongst themselves.
As class time approached, the chatter slowly died down, and the classroom settled into an expectant hush.
"Hurry up, Sasuke!"
"Naruto, don't call me Sasuke! Call me big brother!"