Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't knock on the door again. Instead, he stood outside listening for quite a while, hearing the chopping of a knife on a cutting board, the bubbling of soup, and the rich aroma of meat filling the air. Compared to Naruto starting to have his own ideas, what was happening right now made Sarutobi feel more uncomfortable.
The place that once felt like just a "nest" for the Jinchuriki now began to have the warmth of a "home."
Sarutobi consoled himself. This wasn't a bad thing. After all, wasn't this exactly what he had hoped for? He wanted Naruto to live well, and the Fourth Hokage would surely be relieved if he could see this scene.
But why did he still feel uneasy? Perhaps it was because he didn't understand Naruto enough. Sarutobi turned and left, deciding to observe carefully in the coming days. The Jinchuriki could not stray from the right path.
Naruto Uzumaki had changed a lot. The first to notice were his classmates at the Ninja Academy. The boy who was once despised and shunned had suddenly become less annoying.
The most noticeable change was his appearance. Naruto had always worn a dirty orange high-collared tracksuit, which looked tacky and sloppy. But now, he finally took off that tracksuit. Instead, he wore a plain white hoodie, which complemented his blond hair, and paired it with gray three-quarter pants, giving him a clean, sunny look.
"That Uzumaki guy is much more pleasing to the eye now," Yamanaka Ino said casually during lunch, eating with Haruno Sakura.
Sakura followed her gaze. Naruto didn't seem much different from usual—at least in her eyes. He still sat alone, eating lunch by himself.
"Does he actually make his own bento?" Sakura noticed something unusual—Naruto was holding a bento box! Although the side dishes and rice didn't look as exquisite as the ones her parents made, it still seemed quite appetizing.
Ino hesitated. "I don't think so? He used to only eat bread, right?" She wasn't sure. Before this, who would have cared about Naruto Uzumaki?
"So what if he's a little more presentable? He's still nowhere near Sasuke." Sakura crossed her arms, looking past Naruto to where Sasuke Uchiha sat not far away. "A dead last is still a dead last. This might just be his new way to get attention." She didn't like Naruto at all.
Ino shook her head but didn't say anything. Deep down, she didn't entirely agree with Sakura's view.
Compared to the students, the teachers at the Ninja Academy were more aware of Naruto's internal changes. He had started taking his studies seriously! No more skipping classes, no more sleeping in class, and he was even excelling in his coursework. The transformation from "dead last" to "excellent student" was almost instantaneous.
However, most of the teachers still didn't like him, some even disliked him more. The news that Naruto had "hit" a convenience store owner had spread, yet he didn't face any punishment. The Third Hokage even "favored" him, forcing nearby shops to do business with him. The teachers shared a similar sentiment with Sakura, believing this annoying brat was just putting on a show and wouldn't keep it up for long. After all, graduation was approaching. What's the point of pretending now?
Naruto's interest in ninja knowledge was genuine. Before, he found the material boring. The lack of encouragement from his teachers and acceptance from his classmates further dampened his enthusiasm. But since returning from the Shinō Academy, everything in the textbooks felt new to him.
Though fundamentally different, as chakra comes from the body and spiritual energy from the soul, the techniques for using them were similar. The "Reiryoku," a technique taught at the Shinō Academy for sensing and identifying spiritual energy, could also be adapted for chakra. This allowed Naruto to identify people around him without even needing to look.
After understanding the basics, he could also successfully perform Kido techniques with some practice. Of course, the parts of the textbooks concerning the "Will of the Village" were still dull and uninspiring.
In the last class of the week, Iruka Umino knocked on the podium heavily. "The graduation exam is in a week, and you're about to become real ninjas."
"So today… is a practical lesson."
"Everyone, gather at the training field."
The class groaned. They preferred theory lessons, where they could slack off without the teacher minding much. But for practical lessons, they knew physical training would follow. No one wanted to run three kilometers!
Still, the students obediently left their seats, either climbing out of the windows or walking through the doors, heading to the training field. After forming a line, they sat down around the field.
"Any volunteers?" Iruka raised his hand.
Naruto immediately stood up. "Iruka-sensei, I want to train with Sasuke Uchiha."
His tone was firm. Despite his recent changes, the teachers and students still hadn't changed their view of him. Naruto knew he needed a chance to prove his transformation, and now was that chance.
Iruka was about to refuse. Although Naruto had improved, he was clearly not on the same level as Sasuke. But before he could decline, he remembered the Third Hokage's instructions from a few days ago. He quickly changed his mind. "Alright, since you're so determined, Naruto, Sasuke Uchiha, please step forward for a sparring session."
The students were surprised. Normally, Iruka-sensei wouldn't so easily agree to Naruto's unreasonable requests.
Sasuke stood up coldly and walked to the center of the field with Naruto.
"The first sparring session: Naruto Uzumaki versus Sasuke Uchiha. Begin!" Iruka stepped back and announced the start of the match.
The fight didn't erupt immediately. Sasuke stood with his hands in his pockets, glaring at Naruto. "Naruto Uzumaki, you will never be my match. We bear different burdens. A guy like you doesn't even deserve to be compared to me. Iruka-sensei should've paired me with a more worthy opponent."
The girls in the class cheered. Naruto said nothing. Chakra gathered at his feet, and in an instant, he shot forward, his silhouette stretching out like a line. Just as Sasuke finished speaking, Naruto's golden flash moved, and the cheering girls seemed to celebrate this moment.
Sasuke's pupils dilated. So fast! He barely managed to raise his arms in defense, forming a cross before him. But Naruto's hand was already on his face, slamming him downward.
"Burdens? Is that something you need to brag about?" The ground shook as Naruto's voice echoed through the dust cloud, calm yet powerful.
He raised one hand for a punch, while the other reached for his waist, pulling out two kunai with his index and middle fingers.
As his punch descended, a wooden log flew out from the smoke—it was a substitution technique.
Naruto wasn't surprised. In his vision, chakra trails danced like ribbons, visible only to him. Sasuke had two trails—one approaching from behind the crowd and the other charging directly from the left. He threw his kunai toward both trails.
"You've improved a bit, but you're still far from my level," Sasuke's voice came from the left.
Naruto didn't respond, not even glancing in that direction. It was just a clone. The real Sasuke was…
He turned and grabbed the thicker chakra trail behind him. As expected, there stood Sasuke, covered in dust and blood, barely having escaped the first hit. He threw a kunai at Naruto, but it was met mid-air by Naruto's earlier throw, both falling to the ground. The clone on the left was dispersed into smoke by the other kunai.
Sasuke's eyes widened in shock. How could Naruto detect him?
In the brief moment after being hit, Sasuke had used a substitution and quickly performed a clone technique, letting the clone distract Naruto. But Naruto hadn't even glanced at it, fully trusting that he was behind him.
As thoughts raced through Sasuke's mind, another flash of gold streaked toward him. Naruto closed in, striking with one hand while the other reached for his waist again. Sasuke had prepared this time, hands out of his pockets, barely keeping up with Naruto's speed to defend himself. But then Naruto's kick came from below, hooking his leg and shifting his balance. In an instant, Sasuke was flipped and slammed to the ground.
He tried to move, but a dull pain at his throat stopped him. A worn kunai pressed against his neck.
"You've lost, Sasuke Uchiha," Naruto said quietly, announcing the result.
Sasuke, unwilling but unable to refute, clenched his fists, gritting his teeth as he looked at Naruto in shock and confusion. How could this dead last change so much in just a few days?
Iruka and the other students were equally astonished. Sasuke Uchiha had… lost.
Naruto stood up straight, looking down at Sasuke with calm eyes. "You do carry heavy burdens, but that's no reason to underestimate your opponents. You are not yet strong. You have no right to look down on others from above."
Sasuke clenched his teeth even tighter, lowering his head. He couldn't even beat a dead last now?
Naruto paused, then raised his voice, speaking not only to Sasuke but also to Iruka and his classmates.
"The result is
clear. I'm not a dead last. I'm also a genius."
(End of Chapter)