TPMITWON Chapter 32: Going to the Ninja Academy with Pakura

The boy's messy dark blue hair had small strands sticking to his forehead due to sweat that had dried overnight. His breathing was steady, and his face looked peaceful, even though the hot air of Sunagakure was beginning to creep in.

Outside, the reddish sky signaled that dawn had broken, and the first rays of sunlight began to seep through the gaps in the window, casting light onto the cold sandy floor.

Suddenly, the boy's eyelids twitched. His eyebrows furrowed slightly, as if he were disturbed by something in his dream. A moment later, his eyelids slowly opened, revealing a pair of bright black eyes still shrouded in sleepiness.

The boy blinked several times, trying to shake off the lingering drowsiness, then he lifted his head slightly.

"Is it morning?" he mumbled in a hoarse voice, half-awake.

As he tilted his body, the boy gazed at the brightening sky through the small window in his room. Then, as if something had fully ignited his awareness, his eyes widened.

"Ah! Right! It's the first day at the Ninja Academy!"

Without wasting any time, the boy immediately sat up and jumped off his thin mattress. His movements were so hurried that his head nearly bumped against the edge of the sand shelf beside his bed.

He rubbed his face with both hands, brushing away the remnants of sleep, then quickly headed for his room's door.

The outer room was not much different from his own—simple, almost empty, with only a few basic pieces of furniture. The air inside felt slightly cooler than outside, though it still carried the distinctive aroma of dry sand mixed with dust.

Without hesitation, the boy headed straight for the kitchen, grabbed a water jug, and poured its contents into his mouth without using a glass. The cold water flowed down his throat, providing a refreshing sensation that fully awakened his body.

After that, he quickly walked to the bathroom, a small room with a stone water basin. There was no luxury there, just a simple bucket and dipper.

He then poured water over his body, shivering slightly from the cooler temperature than he had expected.

Even so, the boy did not complain. Sunagakure was a harsh place, and a little discomfort was not unusual.

After cleaning himself up, the boy returned to his room, where he immediately put on the clothes he had prepared the night before.

He chose a light blue short-sleeved shirt and dark blue shorts, which, although simple, were comfortable enough to face the hot day ahead.

As the boy opened the door to his apartment to leave, he was slightly surprised to see that at the same moment, the door next door also opened.

A girl stood there—her dark green hair with a few orange strands tied back long. She wore simple ninja attire, and as usual, her expression remained calm.

Souta gave a slight smile and raised his small hand a bit. "Yo."

Pakura turned to Souta and just nodded slightly. "Yeah."

Souta observed Pakura's expression for a moment, then said, "Let's go together."

Pakura did not answer immediately, but after a few seconds, she nodded slowly. "No problem."

They walked side by side on the sandy streets of Sunagakure, which were starting to bustle with residents beginning their activities.

Some vendors had already set up small stalls, selling dried fruits, drinking water, and daily necessities. The desert wind blew gently, carrying fine grains of sand that occasionally obscured their vision.