In the Ninja World, it was almost dismissal time.
However, not a single student at the Konoha Ninja Academy was happy; the air was filled with their complaints, and the entire atmosphere was negative.
"Due to the impromptu remedial class, the school has prepared dinner for everyone. Please collect it on the playground," Iruka announced to the whole class after finishing the last lesson.
The Ninja Academy did not provide meals; students brought their own bento boxes for lunch. Since lunch wasn't provided, dinner naturally wouldn't be either, and students usually ate at home after school.
Even for remedial classes, notice would be given a few days in advance, and students would bring their own dinner on that day.
Today's remedial class was a last-minute arrangement, so to prevent student complaints and parental objections, the school prepared dinner.
As soon as he finished speaking, Iruka led the students towards the door. Hearing there was food, the students' bad moods improved somewhat.
"Sasuke, let's eat together."
"Sasuke, don't eat with those little hussies, come eat with me!"
At the front of the classroom, a group of little girls surrounded a handsome black-haired boy, chattering excitedly.
They vied for the black-haired boy's attention, their eyes sparkling with admiration as they looked at him.
Who could blame them? The black-haired boy was the most handsome in the class and did well in his studies!
The black-haired boy was usually quiet, but in the eyes of his peers, he was indeed very handsome.
This made the black-haired boy the class heartthrob, adored by all the girls and envied by the other boys in the class.
And this black-haired boy was none other than Uchiha Sasuke, the future best friend Naruto needed to save.
"It's time," little Naruto thought from the back row.
Seeing Iruka leave, he immediately slapped a leave request on his desk, held it down with stationery, and then walked towards little Sasuke, who was surrounded at the front, forcing his way into the group of girls.
"What are you doing?"
"Stinky Naruto, why aren't you eating? What are you doing here?"
"Boys and girls shouldn't be too close, stay away from us!"
The little girls, annoyed by being pushed, scolded little Naruto.
Originally, they had developed a slight liking for little Naruto due to his changes, but now it seemed Naruto was still Naruto—annoyingly so.
"I need to talk to Sasuke."
"Sasuke, come with me!"
Using his boyish strength and the uzumaki bloodline boost, little Naruto successfully squeezed next to little Sasuke, slapped another crooked leave request on the desk, also held it down with little Sasuke's stationery, and then grabbed the bewildered little Sasuke, intending to leave.
"What are you doing?"
"Let go of my Sasuke, you stinky sewer rat who causes trouble all day, you're not worthy of touching my Sasuke."
Before little Sasuke could speak, the group of girls became upset again, blocking Naruto and preventing him from leaving.
Now it wasn't just girls fighting over Sasuke; were boys going to start too?
"Why should I go with you?" little Sasuke said coldly, shaking off little Naruto's hand.
He and little Naruto usually didn't talk.
Even when they did, it was usually little Naruto picking a fight because he couldn't stand Sasuke.
As a result, their relationship was already strained.
If someone you didn't get along with suddenly grabbed you and told you to go with them, no one would go.
"Oh no! This is too complicated to explain, just come with me, just trust me, or you'll regret it."
Little Naruto's face was filled with anxiety; he reached out to grab little Sasuke again but was shaken off.
The chattering and obstruction from the surrounding girls made little Naruto even more frantic.
Was he supposed to tell little Sasuke, "I know your beloved Onii-san is going to kill your parents and your clan members?"
No one would believe that, and little Sasuke would probably chase Naruto down to beat him up.
"Huh? Chase him down to beat him up?"
Little Naruto's eyes lit up, remembering what his group friend Xiaoyu had said earlier: that he had to get Sasuke to go with him, Naruto, no matter what.
"If you can't give me a reason, don't expect me to go with you," little Sasuke said coldly.
His strength was greater than Naruto's; it would be impossible for Naruto to drag him away if he truly wanted to.
"Alright, I'll tell you why: your parents are going to die."
Little Naruto's anxious expression vanished, and his words instantly silenced the chattering little girls around them. They looked at little Naruto with shocked eyes.
What the heck? Was little Naruto trying to get himself killed?
How dare he provoke little Sasuke like that? Wasn't he afraid of being beaten to death by little Sasuke?
"Say that again if you dare!" little Sasuke's face darkened.
He gritted his teeth, spitting out angry words.
His mother was a gentle woman.
And his father was strong and powerful, someone little Sasuke greatly admired and always longed to gain his approval.
Now little Naruto was saying his parents were going to die.
Not to mention little Sasuke, anyone in his position would be furious.
"I said it, and I'll say it again: your parents are going to die!"
"And they'll be killed by your beloved Onii-san!"
Little Naruto repeated his statement and added another, which made all the surrounding little girls gasp and take a step back.
Who didn't know that little Sasuke and his Onii-san had the best relationship? For little Naruto to say such a thing was truly seeking death!
Naruto really was still Naruto; he hadn't changed at all, and was even more annoying than before.
"Your parents are going to die, killed by your beloved Onii-san!"
Little Naruto continued his previous words, then squeezed out of the group of girls and ran.
"Don't run! I'm going to beat you to death!"
The enraged little Sasuke reacted, rushing out of the group of girls as well and chasing after little Naruto's retreating figure.
Little Sasuke was still young and didn't know Ninjutsu like the Body Flicker Technique, so he couldn't immediately catch up to little Naruto, who had the uzumaki bloodline boost. He could only chase him relentlessly.
The two ran out of the school and headed towards the Uchiha Clan Compound.
After a while, Naruto's stamina remained abundant, while little Sasuke's stamina gradually dwindled, and his speed slowed down.
"Think of your parents! Think of your beloved Onii-san!"
Little Naruto, who was deliberately waiting for little Sasuke, shouted again, reigniting little Sasuke's anger, causing veins to pop out on his forehead and bloodshot eyes to appear, almost activating his Sharingan, and his speed increased once more.
Thus, the two chased each other, getting closer and closer to the Uchiha Clan Compound, eventually running inside the Uchiha Clan Compound.
"Madam, I'm Sasuke's friend. Could you tell me which way Sasuke's house is?"
Little Naruto had never been to little Sasuke's house, and he couldn't stop and wait to get a beating from little Sasuke, so he asked an Uchiha madam nearby.
"Sasuke-kun? His house is in that direction."
The madam kindly pointed in a direction. Naruto immediately ran in that direction, and soon after, little Sasuke caught up behind him.
Little Sasuke was panting, drenched in sweat, his face full of fury, as he continued to chase after Naruto's retreating figure.
Uchiha Madam: "..."
They don't look like classmates, do they? Oh no! Did I accidentally do something bad with my good intentions?
The guilty Uchiha Madam glanced around, and finding no one paying attention, she pretended to cough twice and left...
"What did you say? Naruto left school, and Sasuke left with him?"
Inside the Hokage Building, a short old man in a Hokage robe stood up, his aged face fluctuating between cloudy and clear, looking at the ANBU ninja kneeling on one knee before him, giving his report.
He was Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage of Konoha, and the ninja before him was an ANBU ninja he had assigned to secretly protect little Naruto.
"Why would Naruto leave school for no reason? Didn't I order all of them to attend remedial classes?"
"This is bad. Uchiha Itachi is going to act tonight, and the premise is to preserve his younger brother. That's why I had the school hold remedial classes, precisely to make Sasuke miss the opportunity for Uchiha Itachi to act."
"Now that Naruto and Sasuke have returned to the Uchiha Clan Compound early, aren't they going to run into Uchiha Itachi's actions? Uchiha Itachi won't lay a hand on Sasuke and Naruto; he loves his younger brother and knows the importance of the Jinchuriki to Konoha."
"But what if Naruto witnesses Uchiha Itachi slaughtering the entire clan, and the shock causes the Nine-Tails to go berserk?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi had many thoughts, pacing back and forth in the Hokage office, his face full of conflict.
The Uchiha clan massacre was privately decided by Danzo Shimura and Uchiha Itachi. He, as the Hokage, should theoretically not know about it. If he were to send someone to inform Uchiha Itachi now...
That would mean he, the Hokage, knew about Uchiha Itachi and Danzo Shimura's private actions, and knew but did not stop them.
This would clearly damage his image as Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage!