Factory Pattern, Another Pattern or no pattern at all?

I don't think that nor a FactoryMethod nor AbstractFactory patterns forbid the user to use a parameter to specify a type to the creator method. Anyway you should consider at least 2 things in your design.

I think this actually looks like an Anti-Pattern. There's really nothing to stop a consumer of this code to just instantiate the specialty ninjas directly. What benefit is there to using the Ninja School?

I think the whole point of the Factory pattern is to encapsulate the process of instantiating an object so that you can hide the details from the consumer. Any time you make a change to the "creation" logic, it doesn't break anyone's code. And it just looks like a bad idea to have all the types in an enum.

I don't have a concrete reason to back up this claim other than, "it feels wrong".

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.