Iruka sat comfortably in his chair within the teachers lounge, taking a moment to reflect on his recent transition. He had only recently taken on the role of academy instructor, and his very first day of teaching had turned out to be—well, different from what he had anticipated.
He found himself teaching a classroom that was filled with clan heirs and even a jinchuriki to boot. However, that particular aspect was not what was truly bothering him at this moment. Rather, it was a different student altogether who occupied his thoughts.
This student doesn't have a surname attached to his name. No one really knows or understands why he doesn't have a surname, but from what the Hokage had mentioned and explained, Sora's parents had specifically requested it on his official birth certificate.
They had stated and emphasized that the name Sora meant vastness and expansiveness, and they didn't want to add anything additional that might restrict or limit that sense of vastness.
Sora was undeniably special and unique in his own way. Though his chakra reserves weren't quite as extensive or abundant as those of the clan heirs in the class, he nonetheless possessed great talent and ability. His combat potential was remarkably great and impressive, and his adaptability in various situations was almost uncanny and extraordinary.
But there is one particular thing that bothers and concerns Iruka deeply. Sora is cold—not in the physical sense of temperature, but rather in the sense that he talks to everyone around him as if they don't matter or hold any significance to him.
But when he is in the presence of Naruto, he constantly smiles and his entire demeanor transforms. Iruka could only assume and conclude that Sora was deeply in love with her.
And in turn, Naruto always spent time together with him, seeking out his company whenever possible. But to Iruka, this situation wasn't ideal or healthy in the long run. If they only rely on each other exclusively, then one day when one of them has to leave—whether by death, mission assignment, or absence of love—the emotional blow will be devastatingly hard for both of them.
Iruka knew clearly what he needed to do and what his responsibility was. He needed to make them more open and receptive to forming connections with others, but it was proving to be quite difficult and challenging. While Sora is naturally introverted and doesn't particularly like to talk to other people or engage socially, Naruto is the complete opposite in every way.
She is characteristically loud and outgoing, full of energy and enthusiasm, but unfortunately no one wants to be her friend or give her a chance. These two individuals who are polar opposites in personality and temperament somehow managed to form and create a duo together.
Thinking about this complex situation and all its implications, Iruka shook his head slowly from side to side. Looking at the time displayed on the clock on the wall, he realized that class was soon to start and he needed to prepare, so he organized and tidied his desk methodically and stood up from his chair to walk down the hallway to the classroom.
As he walked through the corridors to the classroom, many teachers and students he passed greeted him warmly and respectfully. He returned each and every greeting with a polite nod of acknowledgment. Finally reaching his class at the end of the hall, he paused for a moment and braced himself mentally and emotionally.
It's going to be a good day, he told himself with quiet determination and hope. He reached forward and slid the door open with a smooth motion and entered the room, only to have a water bucket that had been carefully balanced above the doorframe falling directly on him and completely drenching him, making him thoroughly wet from head to toe. The kids in the classroom exploded out in raucous laughter and amusement.
His mouth twitched visibly in annoyance and frustration. He took the bucket off of his head with deliberate movements and threw it aside dismissively.
"Who did that?" He asked firmly and directly, his voice carrying across the room.
The room fell silent and completely quiet, and no sound was heard from any of the students. Iruka's eyes narrowed with scrutiny as he looked around the classroom carefully, scanning each face for any sign of guilt or recognition.
Seeing no one coming forward to confess or telling him the truth, he sighed deeply with resignation. What could he do in this situation, if he just chose a random child to punish then it would be unfair targeting and would undermine his authority, so he decided reluctantly to let it go for now.
Naruto watched from the back as Iruka was forced to continue class in his drenched clothes.
She held back from laughing. She had put the bucket up there as a prank and was satisfied it worked. Sora had been indifferent when she set it up, though.
Thinking of this, she turned to him and saw him writing something. She peeked over and blinked a few times, trying to read it.
Sora had been writing in English, so Naruto couldn't understand. He was creating a training regime to improve himself. As he jotted down notes, he frowned.
From what he'd learned at the library, the academy would teach the fundamentals—history, hand-to-hand combat, and the three basic ninjutsu. He tapped his finger on the desk. He could master all of these within a few weeks, a month at most.
He'd already learned the history, and the hand-to-hand combat wasn't necessary since it was against children. But there was something else.
He had read about early graduation. A student needed to master the three basic academy jutsu and the academy combat style. But his combat style was more powerful, so he only needed to master the three basic academy ninjutsu.
"Sora, how many tenketsu does the body have?" Iruka asked.
Sora looked up.
"361," he answered.
"Correct," Iruka nodded.
Sakura, seeing that Sora had gotten it right, turned curiously to him. She had been watching him, and she didn't have much to say.
He was cold—the only word she could use to describe him. But he was also a shrewd businessman.
She caressed her hair. Before Iruka had come to class, Sora had been doing Naruto's hair.
The girls, seeing how good he was, asked for help, but he refused. Then he added a clause—money. He wanted payment for his time.
The better the girls wanted their hair done, the more they would have to pay. It was a good thing her parents had money, or else she wouldn't have gotten her new look.
She took out a small mirror and giggled to herself. Meanwhile, Sora had pockets full of ryo. He was a little rich man.
Now that Sora had successfully accumulated a decent amount of money from his entrepreneurial endeavors, he already had specific plans forming in his mind about how to spend it wisely. His primary intention was to purchase chakra paper, which would allow him to discover and confirm both his own and Naruto's elemental chakra natures. Though he had a strong suspicion that he already knew what his affinities were—he believed he could use both earth and fire release techniques.
He would find out the truth definitively after school concluded for the day. Class continued to pass by as it usually did, following the normal routine and curriculum, while Sora sat at his desk and continued planning out his next steps and strategies in meticulous detail.
As the class session finally came to an end and the lesson concluded, Iruka carefully put his clipboard down on the desk with a sense of finality.
"Tomorrow the Hokage will be arriving to give an important speech to all of you. Make absolutely sure that you arrive here on time and don't be late," he said clearly and with emphasis.
"Hai!" everyone in the classroom shouted back in perfect unison, their voices echoing throughout the room.
Sora and Naruto were among the very first students to leave the classroom when they were dismissed. They didn't linger around or waste any time chatting with others, and instead went straight and directly to the shop district—but not the normal civilian shopping area that most people frequented, rather they headed specifically to the specialized ninja shops that catered to shinobi needs.
After searching for a bit and finding the right store that carried what they needed, he pushed open the door and entered inside. The small bell attached to the door frame chimed pleasantly as the door swung closed behind them with a soft click.
He looked around the interior of the shop with careful observation, taking in all the merchandise on display. The shop was well-stocked and held many different items and tools of the shinobi trade—kunai knives of various sizes, shuriken throwing stars, explosion seals and tags, ninja wire, smoke bombs, and much more. But he wasn't interested in any of those items at the moment; he was looking for one specific thing and one thing only: chakra paper.
He finally found and located it positioned behind the main counter, kept in a secure location. He carefully took two sheets of the special paper and approached the counter to make his purchase. The shop owner looked up and saw him and Naruto standing there, raised his eyebrows slightly in mild surprise at seeing such young customers, then smiled in a friendly manner.
"That'll be 1000 ryo for the two sheets," he stated clearly, naming his price.
Sora reached into his pocket and placed exactly one thousand ryo in payment on the counter without hesitation, then turned around and left the establishment. The shop owner stood there and watched him walk out through the door, observing the pair thoughtfully.
"Minato's daughter, huh," he muttered quietly to himself under his breath, recognition dawning in his expression.
With the precious chakra paper now securely in hand and their purchase complete, they headed directly to training ground four, which was located on the outskirts of the village. It had gradually become their personal and preferred training ground over time, a place where they could practice without being disturbed.
When they finally arrived at the familiar clearing, Sora reached into his pocket and took out the chakra paper he had just purchased, holding it carefully.
"Insert and channel your chakra into the paper," he instructed her clearly, explaining what she needed to do.
She nodded in understanding and acknowledgment, then did exactly as he said, focusing her chakra. The paper immediately got wet and damp with moisture, and then in the next instant it cut cleanly in half.
"You have wind and water as your elemental affinities," he said, interpreting and explaining the results to her.
She smiled brightly with genuine joy and excitement at learning this information about herself. Sora then took his own piece of paper in hand and inserted his chakra into it to test himself. Naruto watched with great interest and curiosity, eager to see his results.
The paper began to burn and catch fire first, then it wrinkled and crumpled in the middle section, and then finally it turned to dust and disintegrated completely in his hand. Sora blinked several times in surprise at the comprehensive reaction. He had not just two, but three distinct chakra natures.
From strongest affinity to weakest affinity, they were: fire, lightning, and earth. He pursed his lips together thoughtfully, processing this information. He would have honestly preferred to have water release for its incredible versatility and adaptive applications in combat, but as the old saying goes, beggars can't be choosers, and he would work with what he had been naturally given.
"What did you get as your results?" Naruto asked him with curiosity and interest.
He looked up from examining the dust on his palm and smiled warmly at her.
"Fire, lightning, and earth," he said, listing them out clearly for her to understand.
Her eyes widened significantly in amazement and wonder.
"Wow, you got three whole chakra natures," she said in genuine awe, clearly impressed by his natural talent.
He nodded in acknowledgment and confirmation. Now that he knew definitively what his elemental natures were and had concrete information to work with, he needed to train even harder and more diligently than before. Since fire was his strongest and most powerful affinity by far, he made the decision to focus his initial training efforts on that element first before moving on to the others.
One full week had passed since that momentous day
Sora stood perfectly still and stared intently at the numerous Naruto clones that were positioned directly in front of him, stretching out across the training ground. Each and every one of them was equipped with the specially designed brass knuckles that he had previously created and crafted for her use in combat situations.
Today was scheduled to be a normal and routine training day, following their usual practice regimen, but this particular time there was a significant difference and challenge—he would have to engage in combat and fight against well over a hundred individual Naruto clones simultaneously.
In his previous life and existence, such a feat would have been completely and utterly impossible due to the natural limitations and constraints of the human body and its physical capabilities. But now, in this new world and life, he had something else entirely at his disposal—chakra and ninja techniques. Without any hesitation or delay, he ran forwards with determination and dashed directly into the large group of waiting Naruto clones.
They all immediately attacked and rushed at him from multiple directions and angles, but he moved with practiced grace and swiftly dodged their strikes, dispersing and eliminating the clones one by one with calculated precision. As one particularly fast fist came straight and directly for his face with considerable force, he reacted instantly by slightly tilting his head to the side at just the right angle and dodged it cleanly by mere inches.
He then jumped high into the air above the crowd of clones, and while still midair and suspended above them, he quickly performed and executed a jutsu technique with practiced hand seals.
"Fireball jutsu!" he called out clearly. The powerful fire-based attack exploded outward and downward until it impacted the ground beneath him with tremendous force, dispersing and eliminating multiple clones in a single devastating strike.
Once he landed back on solid ground with a soft thud, he immediately and cleverly used the thick smoke and obscured visibility to his tactical advantage, and he quickly ran around the battlefield while easily dispersing and eliminating multiple shadow clones that couldn't see him coming through the haze.
The remaining clones, finally seeing and understanding what was happening and recognizing the dangerous situation they were in, fled rapidly from the immediate vicinity of the smoke cloud and regrouped at a safer distance. Sora, anticipating their movement and thinking ahead, then threw a smoke bomb high into the air above them. It exploded with a loud bang and successfully diverted the attention and focus of all the clones upward, and he seized and used this precious time and distraction to dash swiftly into another large crowd of clones and defeated and eliminated many more clones before they could properly react.
Soon enough, after the extended combat and continuous attacks, only approximately half of the original clones were left remaining on the battlefield. But Sora was beginning to run dangerously dry on his chakra reserves. He calculated quickly that he only had roughly one third of his total chakra left remaining in his system. He understood clearly that he would need to use and manage his remaining chakra much more sparingly and efficiently going forward.
He surged forward aggressively toward the remaining clones with renewed determination. They all huddled closely together in a defensive formation in a desperate attempt to remain alive and avoid elimination. He reached into his pouch and threw a single kunai straight and directly at them with precise aim. One alert clone, seeing the incoming projectile, caught it skillfully midair with her hand and smirked confidently, thinking she had successfully defended against the attack.
But they completely failed to notice and recognize one critically important thing about that kunai.
"Booom!" The kunai had an explosive bomb seal carefully attached to it that detonated on impact.
Over a dozen clones were completely decimated and eliminated just like that in a single massive explosion. The thick smoke from the explosion, still not yet cleared from the air, was once again strategically used to Sora's considerable advantage. He threw multiple kunai with expert accuracy into the obscuring smoke cloud and successfully destroyed and eliminated a few more clones that were caught off guard.
He then rushed in decisively through the smoke and started actively using his hand to hand combat skills and techniques. As he fought intensely, the remaining clones all surrounded him completely in a circle and tried desperately to hit him from all sides simultaneously. Eventually, after several exchanges, one determined clone managed to get close enough. She punched hard, and the very moment her fist made contact and hit flesh with a satisfying thud.
Poof!
He suddenly turned to smoke and disappeared completely. The real Sora was revealed to have been cleverly hidden and disguised among the Naruto clones the entire time, systematically killing and eliminating the clones from within their own ranks. He had brilliantly used the transformation jutsu technique to disguise himself perfectly, and had already quietly killed and eliminated over a dozen clones without anyone noticing his presence.
Now there were only five clones left standing on the battlefield. They looked at each other knowingly and nodded in mutual understanding and agreement. They rushed forward together in a coordinated formation—two approaching from each side and the remaining one moved straight forward in a direct frontal assault.
The one positioned in front punched hard and fast. In immediate response, he skillfully deflected the incoming attack with his forearm and countered by hitting her firmly right in the chin with an uppercut. She instantly turned to smoke and dispersed. He then quickly turned his attention to the other approaching clones and barely dodged a dangerous sweeping leg swing by jumping up at the last possible moment.
While midair and using his flexibility, he performed a complete split and kicked two clones simultaneously in the face with both feet. Then the last two remaining clones attempted to hit him while he was still vulnerable midair, but he spun his body gracefully, grabbed both of their extended arms firmly, and used their momentum to do a handstand on their arms before spinning again with considerable force and lifting them both into the air, then finally slamming them down hard into the ground with a devastating impact that dispersed them both.
Landing back on the ground with a soft thud, he took a deep breath and allowed himself a moment to recover from the intense combat. Naruto's real body emerged from the sidelines and came forward toward him, carrying a bottle of water in her hands.
"Are you okay?" she asked with genuine concern in her voice, her eyes searching his face for any signs of injury or exhaustion.
He nodded his head in acknowledgment and reassurance.
"I'm fine," he said calmly, his breathing beginning to return to normal.
As she stood there and watched him carefully grab the water bottle and drink from it deeply, she couldn't help but feel a sense of weakness and inadequacy wash over her. He had successfully fought against well over a hundred individual clones of her in succession, and yet not even a single one of her clones had been able to land even one solid hit on him throughout the entire extended engagement.
As she was sulking quietly to herself and dwelling on her perceived shortcomings, she suddenly felt a gentle pat on the top of her head. She looked up with surprise to see his warm and encouraging smile directed at her.
"You've gotten stronger," he said sincerely, his words filled with genuine praise and recognition of her improvement.
Hearing this heartfelt compliment, her mood immediately improved and lifted considerably as she gave him a wide grin in response.
"Of course, I the great Naruto will become the hokage," she declared confidently, lifting her chin up high in obvious pride and determination.
Sora just smiled warmly at her bold proclamation and shook his head slightly in amusement at her characteristic enthusiasm.