Calling for Sasuke,the latter got into the room,facing iruka with a blank face,Sasuke stood there,waiting for the instruction.
Iruka smiled to Sasuke, with a sense of anticipation filling the room,gave his instruction
"Show me your mastery of the Kawarimi no Jutsu.Then follow it up with the Bunshin no Jutsu," Iruka instructed.
With a cool expression, Sasuke stepped forward,hands making rapid seals,ready to showcase his skills. Iruka, wanting to test his abilities, swiftly threw a piece of marker towards Sasuke,hitting him in the head. In a seemingly unexpected move, Sasuke fell to the ground,with a bit of smoke manifesting, he appeared unconscious,it seemed like he couldn't execute his remplacement correctly.
Mizuki seeing the failure,surprised at first,then smiling with disdain,happy that the arrogant Uchiha finally failed at something. even if it wasn't something he expected.
Iruka raised an eyebrow, momentarily unsure of what had transpired. However, as the seconds passed, understanding dawned on his face. He swiftly turned his eyes to the side, revealing three identical Sasuke clones standing in wait.
A faint, appreciative hum escaped Iruka,eyes flickering from the 3 sasuke back to the seemingly unconscious one, only for the figure to explode into a burst of smoke, revealing a strategically placed strawman.mizuki face showed he didn't expect such a level out of sasuke, It was a masterful display of the Kawarimi, Bunshin, and keen tactical misdirection—a true testament to Sasuke's prowess as a skilled shinobi.
With a large smile, Iruka congratulated Sasuke, presenting him with his headband as a symbol of his success. Sasuke, displaying his usual stoic demeanor, acknowledged the achievement with a nod. Ignoring Mizuki's attempt at praise, Sasuke turned away, treating the accolades with the indifference that often characterized him, much to Mizuki's annoyance at being treated as Air.
Now awkwardly smiling, Iruka cleared his throat in embarrassment, attempting to downplay any tension caused by Sasuke's indifferent response to Mizuki.
Sasuke, proudly wearing his headband, became the center of attention among the girls in the class. Sakura and Ino exchanged excited whispers, expressing their admiration for their beloved Sasuke. Sakura couldn't help but voice her admiration, "Sasuke-kun graduated ! No surprise there, though."
Ino chimed in, "Yeah, totally expected Sasuke to ace it. He's just on a different level."
Naruto, feeling sour from the attention Sasuke kept getting, muttered under his breath, "he just graduated, what's so cool about it?" only to receive a snort from Kiba. Kiba,his shining headband on his head, told him he should worry about himself, teasingly bringing up the matter of the bunshin no jutsu, provoking anxiety in Naruto, who started sweating all over his face.
Kiba's teasing hit a nerve with Naruto, and he shot back defensively, "Hey, it's not like you're a genius either, Kiba! We'll see who has the last laugh."
Kiba, unfazed, simply shrugged, "Sure thing, Naruto. Just don't mess up too much. Wouldn't want to be stuck in the academy forever."
"Uzumaki Naruto!" Suddenly hearing his name, Naruto clumsily stood up, almost falling on Kiba, who yelled, "Hey, watch it!" to the laughter of classmates watching them. Naruto swiftly walked to the room,ignoring Kiba's yell and his classmate's ridicule.
Standing in silence, he awaited Iruka's instruction. Iruka looked at Naruto, told him, "I hope you're ready," and asked Naruto to showcase the Transformation Jutsu, transforming into Mizuki. Then, with a slightly embarrassed expression, Iruka added, "You better not show me your personalized transformation," emphasizing that he should take it seriously or face consequences.
Naruto, taking the warning very seriously, transformed into a perfect Mizuki. It seemed his attention to details was good, and he didn't fail to deliver an excellent transformation. Satisfied with Naruto's performance, Iruka told him, "Good job,you can change back now.",only for a "poof" sound,showing naruto original form.
Naruto, feeling a sense of accomplishment, thought the test was done. However, his happiness was short-lived when he heard Mizuki mentioning the next part with a smile on his face. Iruka, maintaining a neutral expression, instructed Naruto, "For the next part, I want you to use the Bunshin no Jutsu," eliciting a horrified expression from Naruto.
Naruto, donning a deadman expression, resigns himself to the task at hand. He takes a deep breath and with a sigh, he forms the hand seal for the Bunshin no Jutsu. His eyes closed, a surge of blue chakra emanates from his body as he concentrates on the technique. With a forceful yell, he declares, "Bunshin no Jutsu!" The shout is accompanied by a billow of smoke, obscuring the area around him.
As the smoke clears, multiple Naruto clones are revealed,but instead of the usual lively and functional clones, what stands before him are multiple Naruto replicas with a lifeless and unnatural appearance. It looks like he failed.
Iruka, sighing with disappointment, wears an impassive expression as he delivers the verdict to Naruto.
"Naruto, I'm sorry, but you failed," he says sternly.
Naruto, desperate to graduate, pleads with Iruka,
"Iruka-sensei, please! I promise I'll practice more, and I'll get it right next time. Just give me one more chance! i wanna graduate !"
Mizuki, Suddenly showing an extremely kind face, adds, "Iruka-sensei, Naruto may struggle with this one, but he's got incredible stamina and determination. You've seen him in other areas; he's got what it takes,how about testing him on another jutsu ?"
Iruka,while surprised at Mizuki's sudden kindness, torn between empathy and duty, replies, "Mizuki, while I may agree with you on this,the Bunshin no Jutsu is a crucial benchmark.naruto failing at using such important jutsu require more time in the academy."
Naruto, not ready to give up, continues to plead with Iruka, "Iruka-sensei, please! This is my dream! I can't let one jutsu stop me!"
Iruka looks at Naruto, conflicted, and gives a sympathetic face. "Naruto, I can see how much this means to you,but I'm sorry",finishing his sentence with a sad sigh.
He turned his attention to his paper,Marking a failure beside
Naruto name. Only to hear naruto suddenly running away.
Iruka, lifting his face from his paper, watches as Naruto runs away with a conflicted expression. The weight of the decision lingers in the air. Suddenly, he feels Mizuki's hand on his shoulder, offering a gesture of comfort.
Mizuki, smiling warmly, tells Iruka to cheer up. "Look at it this way, Iruka-sensei. Now you have more time to make sure your favorite student master the clone jutsu for the next exam." he chuckles, trying to lighten the atmosphere.
Iruka, still torn but appreciative of Mizuki's attempt to console him, manages a small smile. "You're right, Mizuki. Naruto has the potential; he just needs a bit more guidance. I won't give up on him. Thanks for understanding."
Mizuki pats Iruka's shoulder reassuringly. "No problem, Iruka-sensei. You're a great teacher, and Naruto is lucky to have you."
The classroom, once filled with noise and energy, falls into a puzzled silence as all eyes turn toward the door. Naruto's abrupt exit registers among the students, confusion evident on their faces. Slowly, realization dawns on them as the truth becomes clear.
"Guess Naruto failed," someone murmurs, prompting nods of agreement from those around.
"As expected of that guy, and here I thought his last amelioration meant success," another remarks with a dismissive tone.
Laughter and whispers spread through the crowd, echoing the sentiments of those who have long regarded Naruto as the class clown and perennial underachiever. Sasuke, seemingly unfazed, observes the scene with indifference, his cool demeanor unwavering.
Amidst the judgmental atmosphere, Hinata's gaze remains fixed on the corner where Naruto disappeared. Her expression reveals a conflict of emotions — a mix of sadness for his perceived failure and a desire to comfort him in his moment of disappointment.
Moment laters,As the other students jubilantly exit the academy, happily greeting their parents and proudly showing off their new status as ninja, the atmosphere is filled with laughter and whispers of success. The air is charged with excitement and the promise of a bright future.
However, a stark contrast exists on the school swing, where Naruto sits alone. His eyes, filled with a mix of loneliness and envy, watch the scene unfolding before him. The laughter around him only amplifies the silence in his heart. He longs not just for the headband his classmates proudly wear but also for the warmth of a family, the joy of being acknowledged, and the sense of belonging that seems to elude him.
The swing sways slightly, echoing the solitude that Naruto feels in this moment, highlighting the emotional distance between him and his peers. Despite his dreams and determination, the road to acceptance as a ninja and as a person appears to be a lonely one for Naruto.
Suddenly, Naruto heard a voice, 'They sound happy, right?'" Surprised, Naruto turned to find Mizuki smiling behind him. Yelling out a "Mizuki-sensei," Naruto's downcast expression revealed the weight of his failure and the terrible feeling that came with it.
Mizuki, maintaining his warm smile, approached Naruto and patted him on the shoulder. "Cheer up, Naruto. Failing an exam doesn't define you. It's just a hurdle to overcome on the path to becoming a great ninja."
Naruto, still struggling with disappointment, looked up at Mizuki with a mix of gratitude and uncertainty. Mizuki, sensing Naruto's turmoil, continued, "You know, some of the greatest shinobi faced setbacks before achieving greatness. What matters is how you bounce back. Use this as motivation to improve and prove everyone wrong."
Naruto, grateful for Mizuki's encouragement yet still carrying the weight of his disappointment, looks at his celebrating classmates and confesses, "I still wish I graduated."
Both of them watch in silence as the joyous scene unfolds.
Unbeknownst to Naruto, Mizuki's smile takes on a horrifying and widening expression. The teacher's seemingly supportive demeanor now reveals a darker undertone
Mizuki, maintaining his wide smile, leans in and says to Naruto, who still hasn't looked at him, "Then, what if I told you there is a way for you to graduate?"
Naruto, intrigued by the unexpected offer, finally turns to face Mizuki. His eyes reflect a mix of curiosity and hope, unaware of the ominous turn that this conversation is about to take.
Mizuki, controlling his expression, leans in and tells Naruto, "There is a special test given for students like you who, due to unexpected circumstances, failed their exam but still showed good performance." He gives a conspirative smile, leaning in even more. "Usually, the test should be given by the main teacher, but even teachers like me can give it if they feel a particular student possesses the potential for it."
With a slight pause, Mizuki adds, "I'm not sure why Iruka forgot to mention it; perhaps he got too busy with the students' parents." He smiles, eyes half closed, and continues, "I feel you are ready for it. Interested?" Mizuki's proposition hangs in the air, and Naruto, intrigued by the chance to redeem himself, contemplates the offer before him.
Naruto, falling for the bait, stands up in excitement and eagerly asks, "Tell me more!" Mizuki, surprised by Naruto's outburst, quickly hushes him, urging him to control his emotions. Naruto, now containing his excitement but still eager, sits back down, waiting for Mizuki to elaborate on the special test that could potentially change his fate.
Mizuki, content with Naruto's enthusiasm, signals for him to come closer and then whispers in Naruto's ear, "There is a special place in the Hokage building." As Mizuki continues giving instructions for the supposed test, from afar, Sasuke can be seen standing on the academy roof, his expression cold and unreadable. Mizuki, still unaware of Sasuke's presence, finishes his instructions and departs with a sinister smile on his face.
Suddenly, Mizuki stops in his tracks, lifting his face to scan the roof. He senses something amiss. Finding nothing,ticked and suspecting he was being watched, Mizuki quickly changes his demeanor to his normal kind face. Making a hand seal, he disappears in a burst of smoke, leaving it to disperse after him. The rooftop is left silent and empty,only the trace of leaves left showing the presence of someone having been there.