Chapter 12: A Good Character Setting is a Good Thing

In the morning, after getting up, Tetsu Hagane quickly completed his washing and ate breakfast before heading to school.

"Why are you in such a hurry today, especially since you got up early?" his mother asked curiously.

"Of course, to get to school early to study," Tetsu answered without turning his head.

This was a lie to appease his mother. Tetsu didn't hate school, but he didn't particularly like it either because not all teachers taught as engagingly as Ryuto.

The real reason Tetsu was eager to get to school was to find out if his good friend Izumo Kamizuki had taken the first step in his romantic endeavor.

He had given Izumo advice on Thursday, but on Friday, Izumo said he didn't have the courage to follow through and needed more time to prepare.

Tetsu thought that two days over the weekend should be enough for him to muster the courage.

When Tetsu arrived at the classroom, there weren't many people there, and Izumo had yet to arrive.

However, Izumo didn't keep him waiting long. About seven or eight minutes later, Tetsu saw Izumo walk in looking downcast.

"Izumo, did you not sleep well last night?" Tetsu asked in confusion.

Izumo shook his head.

"Did you give her the flowers over the weekend?" Tetsu asked eagerly.

"Ugh, don't mention it," Izumo's expression became even more dejected at Tetsu's question.

"She was looking at our flower bed not because she liked the flowers but because she's allergic to pollen and was worried it would blow over."

Tetsu was silent for a moment upon hearing this news, then asked, "Did you give her the flowers?"

Izumo didn't answer Tetsu's question, but his silence and the forlorn expression on his face spoke volumes.

Tetsu patted Izumo's shoulder and consoled him, "It's okay. I remember there's a girl who hangs out with Miho who's quite cute. How about we get together and introduce ourselves someday?"

"That would be awesome, Tetsu!" Izumo's mood lifted instantly, and he smiled broadly.

"I also thought of another great idea to deal with your cousin over the weekend."

"That's great! What's the plan?"

"Class is starting!"

Ryuto's voice interrupted their conversation, and they realized they had been so engrossed in talking that they didn't notice the start of the lesson.

The two quickly sat up straight and began listening to the lesson. They had missed Ryuto's classes over the two-day break.

Ryuto didn't disappoint them. The class was relaxed and enjoyable, and they gained a lot of knowledge without even realizing it.

[Lesson Completed]

[Evaluation: A]

[Reward: Water Release: Water Severing Wave]

Ryuto's eyes lit up upon seeing the reward. This was no ordinary technique.

Developed by the Second Hokage, this Water Release jutsu could spray a high-pressure water jet, powerful enough to cut through the roots of the Divine Tree.

Ryuto was in a good mood after receiving this reward, and then another good thing happened.

"Ryuto-sensei, I remember you don't have classes this afternoon. Could you cover my class? I have a ninjutsu class with the second-year students," Ikeda Idani asked Ryuto in the office.

"Sure, I can cover for you. Are you not feeling well?" Ryuto asked with concern, maintaining his character despite being pleased with the prospect of earning more rewards.

"I'm fine, thank you for your concern, Ryuto-sensei," Ikeda thanked Ryuto and explained, "It's just that my date from a previous matchmaker set up an outing this afternoon."

"Why not choose a less busy time?" Ueda Aya interjected.

"I would if I could, but she said she's only free this afternoon," Ikeda replied. If he had a choice, he wouldn't trouble Ryuto, as he felt guilty seeing Ryuto always being so helpful.

Ueda Aya sighed, feeling that Ikeda and his date wouldn't work out, as someone truly interested would also consider his schedule.

"Good luck, Ikeda-sensei," Ryuto smiled, eager for more rewards.

"Thank you so much, Ryuto-sensei. If it works out, I'll treat you to a meal at Konoha's finest restaurant," Ikeda said gratefully before hurrying out of the office to prepare.

"I told you, Ryuto-sensei. If you keep this up, people will always come to you to cover their classes," Ueda Aya sighed.

"Helping others is a joy, and colleagues should help each other," Ryuto replied earnestly.

"You're too kind, Ryuto-sensei. It's easy to be taken advantage of," Ueda Aya remarked.

Ryuto just smiled and continued practicing his calligraphy.

Seeing Ryuto's dedication, Ueda Aya couldn't help but feel the vast difference between people. If Ikeda had even a quarter of Ryuto's excellence, he wouldn't still be single.

When the time was right, Ryuto put down his pen, tidied up his desk, and headed to the second-year class for the lesson.

Ryuto arrived at the classroom just as the bell rang.

"Idani-sensei had something come up, so I'll be taking the ninjutsu class this afternoon," Ryuto explained as he walked in.

He glanced around the room, noticing that everyone was present except for Obito.

About three minutes into the class, Obito hurriedly ran in, looking stunned when he saw Ryuto at the podium.

Obito felt he had run too fast and ended up seeing Ryuto in his own class. For a moment, he wondered if he was in the wrong room, but seeing his familiar classmates confirmed he wasn't.

Obito quickly apologized, "Ryuto-sensei, I didn't mean to be late. I ran into…"

"An old lady and helped her, which took up your time," a classmate finished for him, causing a burst of laughter.

"It's true! If I knew you were teaching, Ryuto-sensei, I would have come half an hour early," Obito continued, fearing Ryuto might think he wasn't taking his studies seriously and would stop teaching him.

"Take your seat," Ryuto nodded, acknowledging Obito's excuse, then added, "But don't be late for Ikeda-sensei's class either."

The ninjutsu classes in the ninja academy start from the first year, teaching three basic jutsus: Transformation Jutsu, Clone Jutsu, and Substitution Jutsu.

Although it might seem like a long time to spend on just three basic jutsus, it's quite reasonable. Geniuses like Shisui are rare, and for those whose ninja career peaks at chunin, mastering these three jutsus is not easy, especially with other subjects to learn.

Despite having gone through countless lessons on the basic jutsus, Ryuto's class still felt refreshing.

"So that's why my clone didn't look like me," a student remarked, immediately improving his technique.

"I wish Ikeda-sensei had more things to do so we could have more classes with Ryuto-sensei," another student joked, expressing a sentiment shared by many.

Ryuto didn't comment on this but internally appreciated the system's skill for enhancing his teaching.

[Lesson Completed]

[Evaluation: A]

[Reward: Lightning Release: Shadow Clone]

Ryuto instantly gained knowledge and experience in lightning chakra nature transformation and the Lightning Release: Shadow Clone technique.

While not an exceptionally powerful jutsu, unlocking another chakra nature was a pleasant surprise, considering he had already received a major reward in the morning.

Over the next half month, Ryuto maintained this routine. If no one needed him to cover a class, he would stay in the office, studying ninjutsu theory. When asked to cover, he never refused. At home, he would teach Shisui and Obito, then train his own chakra.

His high-quality substitute teaching gained him a reputation. Both students and teachers admired him for his engaging lessons and kind demeanor.

As Ryuto became a well-known teacher at the ninja academy, he didn't dwell much on his newfound fame. He was focused on maintaining his desired image while pondering the presence of a masked ninja in his yard.

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