Natsuro paused for a moment. Even Iruka had initially struggled with Naruto, evident from how he addressed Naruto as "Uzumaki" rather than "Naruto" while calling him "Natsuro" instead of "Shindōkawa."
But that was understandable, given Iruka's parents had been killed by the Nine-Tails. Thinking of this, he looked at Iruka seriously and said, "I think Naruto is a great person."
"Naruto, huh? It seems Natsuro has a really good relationship with him" Iruka thought to himself.
"Is that so? Well, that's good" Iruka said, unsure of what else to say and trying to move on from the topic.
"Iruka-sensei, I met Naruto before I started school. Don't make a fuss, just watch for a moment" Natsuro said earnestly. He then performed a hand sign, and the next moment, the familiar figure Iruka didn't know how to handle appeared before him.
Iruka's eyes widened as he saw Natsuro, who had transformed into Naruto. It hadn't been long, and he had already mastered the Transformation Jutsu? Moreover, he seemed quite skilled at it; the transformation into Naruto was so convincing that Iruka had trouble distinguishing it. Though shocked, Iruka remained silent, recalling Natsuro's earlier words.
Soon, new customers arrived at Ichiraku Ramen. Upon seeing 'Naruto Uzumaki,' many of them showed disgust and some even muttered curses before leaving.
Iruka watched this scene with a heavy heart, perhaps understanding something in the process.
At this point, Natsuro dispelled the Transformation Jutsu and looked at Iruka, saying, "Naruto has always been treated like this. For him to remain as he is now is truly remarkable. If I were in his place, I wouldn't be like Naruto."
Iruka was silent for a while, and after a long pause, he finally said, "You're right. Naruto has had a tough time."
"Mm, I don't think Naruto did anything wrong. He wasn't at fault in any way. The villagers' disdain for him is likely due to the mistakes of his 'elders,' but as far as I know, Naruto has no relatives left. It's unfair to place the 'elders' mistakes onto him" he continued.
Iruka nodded. He didn't clarify that the 'elders' Natsuro referred to didn't exist, and the village's aversion was towards the beast itself. However, Natsuro was correct. Iruka had understood this from the beginning but had struggled to come to terms with it. Seeing Naruto's treatment made him feel that if he continued to act as he had, he would not be deserving of being a teacher.
With this realization, Iruka felt a weight lift from his shoulders. He felt more relaxed and finally smiled at Natsuro, saying, "Enough about that. You learned the Transformation Jutsu so quickly and used so proficiently? If I didn't know you had just learned the Three Basic Jutsus, I'd think you'd been practicing for a long time."
"Mm, the Three Basic Jutsus are quite basic and simple" Natsuro replied, then swiftly performed the hand signs.
'Such speed with hand signs?' Iruka's eyes narrowed. Then he realized something, his eyes widening as he stared in shock at Natsuro's use of the Clone Jutsu and Substitution Jutsu. This level of proficiency in ninjutsu would allow him to graduate as a Genin even during wartime.
He was indeed a prodigy, and not just any prodigy!
"Natsuro and Iruka, your ramen is ready" said the ramen shop master, bringing the bowls of ramen.
"Iruka-sensei, it's time to eat" Natsuro said.
"Oh, right" Iruka replied, still in shock, eating his ramen in a daze.
His display of skill was deliberate. If he had a substantial background, he would have hidden some of his talent. But as a commoner ninja, he needed to showcase his abilities to receive proper attention and training.
Even if he had the chance to receive instruction from the Legendary Three, he would reconsider his previous plans. However, it seemed unlikely. Orochimaru had become a rogue ninja and wouldn't accept him due to his allegiance to Konoha. Jiraiya was likely still wandering around due to prophecies and gathering information, and Tsunade, who had a fear of blood, was unlikely to return to the place of her sorrow.
After finishing the ramen, he parted ways with Iruka. While Iruka seemed unable to recover from the shock as he left.
Seeing Iruka's reaction, Natsuro felt his goal had been achieved. His talent would soon reach the Third Hokage, despite the Third Hokage being more of a titular headmaster at the academy. The fact that he still held the position meant his awareness would be piqued.
Now, he headed towards the training grounds. Even though his ninjutsu talent was impressive, he could not afford to neglect basic training. This was crucial for his chakra control and growth.
As for the practice of the Three Basic Jutsus, after so much use today, his chakra reserves were quite depleted. Thus, he decided to put that aside for now and focus on training tree-climbing and water-walking techniques, which required less chakra but demanded precise chakra control. With his experience from today's jutsu training, he felt he would master these techniques quickly.
Moreover, he could also start sparring with Lee. With the Three Basic Jutsus learned, he should now have a fighting chance. Previously, he would have been at a disadvantage, but now he might be able to retaliate. It was time to put theory into practice, along with further studying the Shadow Clone Jutsu, chakra nature transformation, and shape transformation.
He began pondering these tasks, feeling a bit overwhelmed as the list of things to do grew. But this was a good sign. He could clearly see his progress, and if he maintained this pace, he might have a surprise in store by the time of his graduation.
As he continued on his path of self-improvement, Iruka arrived at the Hokage's office. He felt it was better to inform the Hokage about Natsuro's talent, believing that someone with his potential deserved better instruction.
"Ah, Iruka, what brings you here?" The Third Hokage looked up, surprised but kindly.
Iruka glanced at the crystal ball next to him, then informed the Third Hokage about Natsuro's situation.
"Hmm? Is that so? It seems he's indeed a promising prospect" the Third Hokage said, surprised after hearing the report. After some thought, he added, "There's no need to change his teacher. I believe you have sufficient skill to teach Natsuro for now, but you can teach him some advanced techniques if needed."
"Understood" Iruka said, completing his report and leaving.
The Third Hokage took a puff from his pipe, reflecting that Natsuro's talent seemed reminiscent of Minato's. Such talent should not be wasted, but he was troubled by the lack of time and energy to teach a student himself.
Jiraiya and Tsunade were options, but contacting Tsunade was difficult, and while Jiraiya had left contact details, it was uncertain how available he would be. He would have to wait and see.
If he proved to be truly talented and his chakra reserves increased, perhaps the Third Hokage could give him advanced techniques early, much like how Jiraiya had done for Minato.
If Konoha could have another 'Yellow Flash'…
"It's really something to look forward to" the Third Hokage thought.