At a desk on the other side, Shikamaru idly poked an eraser with his pencil.
He turned to Naruto, who was also dozing off, and suddenly lowered his voice: "Hey, wanna skip class? It's suffocating in here."
"Skip class?"
Naruto jolted upright, his golden hair bristling, but then slumped back like a deflated ball. "Mom will beat me to a pulp... unless..."
He furtively glanced at Menma, who was pretending to sleep in the back row. "You get my big brother to come."
"Skip class? Count me in!"
Inuzuka Kiba suddenly popped up between them, and Akamaru barked twice from atop his head in agreement.
Three small heads huddled together, casting conspiring silhouettes in the sunlight.
Choji just stared at them blankly.
"Hey, Naruto. If we can get Menma to skip class with us, will you go?"
Shikamaru asked.
Naruto's azure eyes instantly lit up, like a cat spotting a dried fish: "You have a way?"
Shikamaru's lips curved into a sly smile, and he slowly sauntered over to Menma's desk.
He bent his finger and gently tapped the desktop twice.
"Hmm?"
Menma lazily lifted his eyelids, a rebellious strand of golden hair sticking up on his forehead. "Shikamaru? What is it?"
"We're planning to ditch class to go play,"
Shikamaru lowered his voice, "Wanna come?"
Menma glanced at the bright sunlight outside the window, then at the expectant faces of Naruto, Choji, and Kiba who had gathered around. He waved his hand dismissively, "You guys go."
He was about to lay his head back on the desk.
Naruto's small face immediately fell, his golden eyelashes trembling pitifullyif Mom found out, having his big brother there would at least share some of the heat... Shikamaru calmly leaned down and whispered into Menma's ear: "I know where to get the latest edition of make-out paradise..."
Menma shot upright, a glint flashing in his eyes: "Really?"
"Absolutely."
Shikamaru nodded confidently.
The next second, Menma's figure already appeared on the windowsill. He agilely flipped out the window, then hooked his finger at the others.
The few youngsters exchanged glances, then scrambled to climb out the window.
Choji didn't forget to stuff one last handful of potato chips into his mouth, and Kiba's Akamaru barked excitedly.
The curtain by the window swayed gently, leaving only Ino's stomping feet in the classroom: "Menma ran off again!"
"Menma-kun..."
Hinata nervously rubbed her fingers.
Just as the youngsters tiptoed around the corner, a familiar figure blocked their path.
"Naruto! Shikamaru!"
Iruka stood in the middle of the hallway with his hands on his hips, his gaze sternly sweeping over everyone, finally settling on Menma. "Menma... even you..."
The children instantly froze, fine beads of sweat trickling down Shikamaru's forehead, and Naruto's Adam's apple unconsciously bobbed.
Everyone's eyes were fixed on Menma.
"Leave it to me."
Menma calmly stepped forward, a mysterious smile on his lips.
Iruka instinctively took half a step back, his back hitting the wall.
[Is he going to...]
Thinking of the various rumors about this genius boy, cold sweat seeped into his palms.
Shikamaru nervously swallowed, and Akamaru in Inuzuka Kiba's arms whimpered uneasily. Naruto held his breathif his big brother really hit the teacher, he would definitely be beaten to a pulp by Mom when they got home.
"Ninjutsu: Sexy Jutsu!"
With a soft "bang," a cloud of pink smoke billowed out. After the smoke dispersed, a stunning blonde, blue-eyed beauty stood provocatively before Iruka.
"This... this..."
Iruka's face instantly turned crimson, and two streams of nosebleed gushed out. He stumbled back a few steps, finally falling to the ground with a "thud."
Shikamaru clutched his head in agony, Choji calmly munched on potato chips, and Inuzuka Kiba's mouth hung open as if his worldview had been refreshed.
"That's amazing!"
Naruto's eyes shone, and he gesticulated excitedly, "Big brother, you have to teach me that move!"
"Let's get out of here first."
Menma grabbed his brother's collar, and the figures quickly vanished down the hallway, leaving only the unconscious Iruka and scattered lesson plans on the floor.
The group escaped from school. Shikamaru led them to hide behind a fruit stall, peering at the bookstore across the street.
The fruit stall owner was about to get angry, but after recognizing the children, he immediately put on a warm smile and even handed them a few oranges.
"Shikamaru, this owner hides from me every time he sees me,"
Menma said, peeling an orange, "Last time he almost chased me away with a broom."
Shikamaru smiled mysteriously and gave Kiba a wink.
Kiba understood and patted Akamaru's head: "Go, Akamaru!"
Akamaru barked happily and bounded to the bookstore entrance.
Under the owner's puzzled gaze, it suddenly lifted its hind leg
"You little beast!"
The owner, furious, grabbed a feather duster and gave chase. Akamaru nimbly darted into an alley, its white tail flashing out of sight around the corner.
"It's your turn."
Shikamaru nudged Naruto and Choji.
"Huh? What?"
Naruto blinked his blue eyes, looking bewildered.
Shikamaru slapped his forehead: "Just get into a fight, the livelier the better."
"Why didn't you say so!"
Naruto suddenly punched Choji in the stomach, scattering the chips from the chubby boy's hand all over the ground.
"My chips!"
Choji roared and pounced, and the two immediately tumbled into a heap, kicking up a cloud of dust.
"Look! The Fourth Hokage-sama's second young master is fighting!"
"Is that the Akimichi family's kid next to him?"
Passersby stopped to watch, quickly forming a circle.
Taking advantage of the commotion, Shikamaru and Menma crouched low and slipped into the bookstore.
To be safe, Menma formed a hand seal, and after a blur, transformed into Sasuke.
"Sasuke?!"
Shikamaru was startled and took a half-step back, almost knocking over a bookshelf.
"Shhit's me."
Menma clapped a hand over his mouth, whispering. Seeing Shikamaru's look of realization, he added: "You should disguise yourself too."
Shikamaru pouted, quickly formed a hand seal, and in a blink, became Hyuga Neji.
The two exchanged a smile and quietly crept towards the restricted section.
Menma's gaze locked onto the gold-embossed make-out paradise on the highest shelf. He leaped lightly, and the book landed steadily in his arms. Before leaving, he pulled a few banknotes from his wallet and quietly tucked them under the vase on the counter.
Just as the two were about to make their escape, a shadow suddenly fell across the doorway.
The bookstore owner stood there with a wooden stick, his glasses reflecting a dangerous white light: "You brats, dare to steal books from my shop?"
Shikamaru gasped in fright, his transformation jutsu instantly dispelled.
Menma caught a glimpse of familiar red hair outside the shop from the corner of his eye and, without a word, activated his Flying Thunder God Techniqueit wasn't that he was disloyal, it was just that his mother's fist was more terrifying than any Ninjutsu.
"Strange..."
The owner rubbed his eyes, "I clearly saw the Uchiha brat just now..."
He turned to look again, and even the pineapple-headed boy was gone.
At that moment, a familiar roar came from the street: "Naruto! You dare to skip school?!"
"Mom, I'm sorry! I really am!"
Naruto's screams startled the sparrows from under the eaves.
The owner pushed up his glasses, looked at the blonde boy being held by Kushina, and wisely chose to retreat back into his shop... On Hokage Rock, Menma leaned against the hair bun of his father's statue, patting his chest with lingering fear.
He secretly rejoiced: "Good thing I ran fast. If Mom caught me skipping class, it would be another beating."
"Only poor Naruto..."
Thinking of his brother currently getting thrashed, a slight smile touched Menma's lips, "My foolish little brother..."
He was about to jump down from the rock face when suddenly
[Ding!]
A crisp system notification exploded in his mind: [Detected a sect elder's conspiracy... Mission: Rescue the sect's genius... Reward: Heavenly-grade cultivation technique Mirror Flower Water Moon (Ignores all illusions)]
-------------------------------------------
The plans are now available.
Chûnin-Rank Plan: Read 20 chapters in advance + free waifu.
Jônin-Rank Plan: Read 30 chapters in advance + 10 waifu
Hokage-Rank Plan: Read 40 Chapters in advence
Patreon.com/The_Regicide