Ninja Academy
During the lunch break, Iruka called Naruto to the office.
He pulled out Naruto's early graduation application from the drawer and said apologetically, "Naruto, your application to graduate early was rejected by the Hokage. The reason given was that there's no available jōnin to lead your team. You'll have to wait and apply again next year."
"I understand, Iruka-sensei."
Naruto glanced at the returned application form and nodded mechanically.
He had already expected this outcome before submitting the request. There was no way the Old Man—Third Hokage—would approve it. On one hand, he wanted Naruto to build bonds through the Academy. On the other, he feared Naruto becoming a genin too early and slipping out of his control.
After all, unlike Academy students, genin—even in peacetime—had some freedom in choosing missions.
Still, the application wasn't entirely in vain. The Hokage had visited Naruto's home just the day before and, as a kind of compensation, brought him a new gift—one of Konoha's forbidden jutsu: the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique, along with some personal notes on ninjutsu.
Iruka looked at Naruto, whose expression had gone blank, and sighed quietly.
Naruto didn't pay much attention in class, but his effort hadn't gone unnoticed. Despite being labeled the "Demon Fox in human form," he still managed to rank first in the class and had already mastered material well beyond his current year.
His only flaws were his reclusive nature and his identity as a jinchūriki.
But those weren't Naruto's fault. If he weren't a jinchūriki and had parents, he wouldn't be so withdrawn. Even now, Naruto was already remarkable.
Shaking off his thoughts, Iruka said, "Go on back to class. Life at the Academy isn't so bad, you know. Don't put too much pressure on yourself—learn to take it at the right pace."
Naruto nodded slightly, then left the office.
Once he was gone, the teacher's lounge came back to life.
One of the nearby instructors joked, "You really care about Naruto, huh, Iruka? But with a kid like that, showing concern might not bring any benefit, you know?"
Iruka frowned at his colleague Mizuki. "Since when do teachers look for rewards?"
Mizuki replied dismissively, "So, what, you're just going to stay a chūnin instructor forever? You've got so many kids from elite clans in your class. Haven't you thought about moving up in the Academy? Becoming a department head, or even principal?"
Iruka shook his head. "I'm not that ambitious. Being a teacher is enough for me."
Mizuki sighed in disappointment. "You wasted your shot at leading the elite class. If it were me, I wouldn't let any opportunity slip by. I'd do whatever it takes to climb the ladder."
---
After lunch, Naruto returned to the back of the classroom and sat down, thinking about how to make the most of the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique.
The only difference between the Shadow Clone Technique and the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique was the number of clones. The former had a limit of five, while the latter could create hundreds or even thousands—designed for a very specific kind of user.
In the ninja world, aside from the Five Kage, only jinchūriki could use the technique freely.
But for Naruto, the jutsu was a bit of a double-edged sword. He wasn't the hotheaded fool from the original story who relied on numbers to overwhelm enemies—he focused more on its tactical value in deception and intel-gathering. The sheer number of clones was secondary.
Just then, Sasuke returned to his seat and leaned over, asking, "Naruto, did your early graduation application get approved?"
Naruto glanced at Sasuke and shook his head. "Rejected. Hokage-jiji said he couldn't find a suitable jōnin leader and told me to wait until next year."
Sasuke let out a quiet sigh of relief, which didn't go unnoticed by Naruto. He frowned slightly.
Sasuke quickly explained, "I applied for early graduation too, but I was rejected as well. So I guess it wasn't because I'm not strong enough."
"Why'd you apply for early graduation?" Naruto asked—not doubting Sasuke's abilities (he had personally helped train him, after all), but curious about his motive.
Sasuke gave a cold snort. "Your application stirred up so much noise that the whole class was talking about it. As the number two in the class, I had to apply too—to show where I stand."
Naruto rubbed his forehead. He hadn't realized the stir he'd caused. Only after glancing around at the class did he finally catch on.
At that moment, Chōji turned around in his seat and chimed in, "Yeah! I wanna take the graduation exam too. Once I become a genin and start getting paid, I can eat delicious food every day!"
Shikamaru, still laid-back as ever, muttered, "I'm too lazy to apply. It's peacetime—no need for us Academy students to become ninja so soon. Besides, going on missions is such a drag. Better to stay here and relax."
Hearing the boys' chatter, Hinata glanced over quietly, clearly hesitating to join the conversation.
But Naruto, now at the center of attention, seemed too dazzling. She didn't dare speak up. Deep down, she felt she wasn't worthy of the current Naruto—she didn't have the strength to graduate early.
Not unless she could defeat her older cousin Neji, who was already in a higher year.
Just like that, Naruto's attempt at early graduation unknowingly triggered a wave of competitive fervor in the class. More and more students started considering early graduation themselves.
---
A few months passed.
One weekend afternoon, Naruto used a shadow clone to fool Kakashi and slipped away to the Forest of Death.
Thanks to Naruto's meticulous renovation, the once dark and damp underground base had become much brighter. The surrounding soil was rigged with explosive tags, ready to blow the entire base at a moment's notice.
Hearing footsteps, the prisoner below—Shisui—looked up with a hint of anticipation.
After a few months of interaction, his relationship with Naruto had improved. Aside from being confined and having his chakra sealed, Shisui was free to move around inside the cell.
Naruto had even thoughtfully replaced his eyes.
Of course, they weren't Sharingan. The eyes had come from an unlucky spy who'd disguised himself as a villager and tried to attack Naruto—only to take a Rasengan to the chest and die outside the village. He had provided plenty of "material."
With new eyes, Shisui found it easier to guide Naruto on his training.
As an elite jōnin, Shisui's understanding of chakra nature transformations far surpassed that of a regular Academy instructor.
He also understood that having ordinary eyes made him more susceptible to genjutsu control—so he didn't bother hiding anything. He answered most of Naruto's questions honestly.
Still, something about the situation felt off to Shisui. How could someone capable of defeating him lack such basic ninja knowledge?
Had the standards for jōnin fallen that far these days?
After going over some advanced chakra techniques, Shisui began eating the boxed lunch Naruto had brought. The taste was familiar—clearly from a shop in the village.
After a moment's hesitation, Shisui took a deep breath and asked:
"How is the Uchiha clan doing now?"
(End of Chapter)
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