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Menma's appearance hadn't changed at all.
For nearly six years, Menma had grown accustomed to the gazes of the villagers. Hostility and rejection from some ignorant people didn't bother him in the slightest. Unlike Naruto from the original story, Menma didn't seek the approval of the people in Konohagakure.
In his heart, Menma was always focused on survival and avenging his enemies.
As for the others? They were of no concern to him.
On the other hand, Iruka Umino, who walked beside him, appeared calm but was secretly worried. He feared that the stares from the villagers might provoke Menma. However, seeing Menma's composure, Iruka felt relieved.
After all, the emotions of a jinchūriki must remain stable. If they were prone to losing control, the tailed beast within them could easily run wild. There had been several vivid examples of this in the ninja world over the past few decades.
Walking straight down the avenue, they soon arrived at the entrance of the Ninja Academy.
Outside, a long line had already formed. The children waiting to register were all of the right age and mostly from non-shinobi families. Those from shinobi clans had already refined their chakra and could become ninja, so they didn't need to undergo the entrance exam.
However, these commoner children were different.
Unless their parents were also ninja, most civilians lacked the knowledge of chakra refinement. They needed to go through the initial screening process at the academy. Only after confirming that they had the potential to become a ninja could they be admitted.
Menma naturally didn't need to go through this process.
Under Iruka's guidance, they passed through the main gate and entered the largest office building within the academy.
After completing the necessary admission procedures, Iruka led Menma to the classroom he was in charge of.
"Menma, starting today, you're an official student of the Ninja Academy. Remember to study hard and get along with your classmates," Iruka said as he squatted down, gently placing a hand on Menma's head, his tone soft and encouraging.
"Yes, Iruka-sensei, I will. Don't worry!" Menma replied obediently, nodding gently. Unlike Naruto in the original story, Menma didn't crave everyone's approval, but he would never be indifferent to those who were kind to him.
Iruka had left a good impression on Menma—not just from what he knew in the original story, but from personal interactions in this life.
"Good. Let's go in," Iruka said with a smile, nodding approvingly.
He then opened the classroom door and walked in with Menma.
The classroom was noisy and chaotic. The arrival of Iruka and Menma only caught the attention of a few children in the front row, while most of the others continued with what they were doing.
"Go ahead," Iruka said, unfazed by the children's behavior. He gently patted Menma's shoulder.
Menma nodded and walked toward the back row, his expression calm as he passed by the curious gazes of some of the kids. Unlike their parents, none of the children looked at Menma with malice. At most, they found his red hair striking and showed a hint of curiosity.
Menma had no intention of interacting much with these kids. To him, they were just passing figures in his life. Why waste time on them? He only took note of those who had significant roles in the original story.
Some were easily recognizable, like Shikamaru Nara, Shino Aburame, Sakura Haruno, and Ino Yamanaka.
Of course, there were two who drew Menma's attention the most.
One was Hinata Hyuga, who sat quietly in a corner, pure and serene. The other was Sasuke Uchiha, still in his cocky, aloof phase, surrounded by a group of girls who, though still children, were already infatuated with him.
Yet, despite these observations, Menma kept his thoughts to himself. After a few glances, he walked to his seat, sat down, and rested his chin on his right hand, gazing out the window.
"Ahem..."
Iruka, who had walked to the podium, cleared his throat and was about to speak when—
*Squeak*
The door suddenly opened again.
A figure with golden hair stepped inside.
This time was different. The moment this figure entered the classroom, it drew the attention of nearly everyone. The children who hadn't noticed initially now turned their heads, following the gazes of their classmates.
When they saw who had arrived, excitement and surprise spread across their faces.
"Oh!? It's Naruto Namikaze!"
"Wow, Naruto is going to be in our class!?"
"This is amazing!"
"I'm going to tell my parents I'm in the same class as the son of the Fourth Hokage!"
"Naruto!"
"Naruto!"
The children from civilian families couldn't contain their excitement.
Even Iruka on the podium was momentarily stunned.
In the back corner, Menma was also taken aback.
**Naruto?**
Although Menma had anticipated this, seeing Naruto actually appear in the same class caused a slight stir in his heart.
Shikamaru, Shino, Kiba, and the others in the front seats also glanced at Naruto with varying expressions.
As for Hinata, it was obvious that her eyes were fixed solely on Naruto.
Even the usually arrogant Sasuke Uchiha gave Naruto a second look.
He might ignore everyone else in the classroom, but Naruto was the son of the Fourth Hokage—the village's acknowledged "prince." Even the proud Uchiha couldn't dismiss him lightly.
"Ah, Iruka-sensei, Naruto will be joining your class from now on. Please take good care of him," said a young Konoha ninja who had accompanied Naruto, clearly one of his guards.
"Please take care of me, Iruka-sensei," Naruto added, bowing politely.
Although his personality hadn't changed much from the original, the different circumstances and treatment Naruto received since childhood had led to differences in how he behaved outwardly. He was now the son of a hero, the son of the Fourth Hokage, respected by many as "Naruto-sama."
"It's my honor, Naruto-sama," Iruka responded, bowing slightly with a respectful tone.
Naruto stepped forward, a cheerful and confident look on his face. Without the six fox whiskers, his entire demeanor was completely different from what it was in the original timeline. Paired with his handsome features, Naruto now drew the attention of all his peers.
The girls, who had been obsessed with Sasuke, were now looking at Naruto with starry eyes.
After all, compared to Sasuke, Naruto's aura was much stronger!
The Uchiha clan was indeed prestigious in Konoha, but could that compare to the position of Hokage? Not to mention that the Fourth Hokage had died protecting the village just six years ago. This naturally added a special allure to Naruto, the orphan of the Hokage.
"Naruto-kun is so handsome!"
"As expected of the Fourth Hokage's son!"
"He'll definitely become a great ninja like his father!"
"What should I do? Now I like both Sasuke-kun and Naruto-kun!"
"It's so hard to choose!!!"
The excited chatter among the students was unmistakable.
These kids practically wanted to hang on Naruto's every word.
"Snort!"
Sasuke, who had always been the center of attention, felt a little annoyed at this moment. He didn't care much about the 'fangirls,' but as a child, he couldn't help feeling that something that once belonged to him was being taken away.
"Ahem, alright, everyone is here. Please settle down," Iruka called out, bringing the classroom to order. "I am your homeroom teacher for the next six years, and I will also be teaching you theoretical knowledge. My name is Umino Iruka. I hope that over these six years, you'll listen carefully, study hard, and make your parents and teachers proud by becoming excellent ninjas!"
Iruka placed his hands on the podium, looking seriously at the fifty or so students before him.
"Yes, Iruka-sensei!" the children responded, straightening up as they answered in unison.
Despite their varying levels of attention, Iruka's presence in Konoha's standard vest commanded a certain level of respect from the young students.
Iruka nodded in satisfaction. As an educator, he knew that teaching wasn't something accomplished overnight. These children had just started at the academy. The Konoha of today was quite different from the Konoha of a few years ago. The standards shouldn't be set too high at the start, but the children needed to be guided gradually.
"Alright, let's start by getting to know each other. You'll be studying together for six years, so it's important to get acquainted! Let's begin with you," Iruka said, pointing to a boy sitting at the front by the door. "Please share your name, what you like, and your dreams for the future!"
"Yes, Iruka-sensei!" the boy replied excitedly, standing up without a hint of stage fright. He turned to face his classmates and announced, "My name is Okazaki Tomoya, and I love dango! My dream is to become someone who earns the respect of others!"
"Well said. Next!"
"My name is Matsuoka Masaki, and I love all kinds of toys! My dream is to travel around the world!"
"My name is..."
One by one, the students introduced themselves, each bravely sharing their likes and dreams. While their interests varied, most of their dreams were the same—either to become a great ninja or to become the Hokage.
This was only natural.
Most children in the five great ninja villages aspired to become the shadow of their village. It wasn't just a symbol of power and strength; it represented the respect, love, and admiration of countless people.
The self-introductions of students from notable ninja clans, like Shikamaru, Shino, and Kiba, were slightly different.
Then came Sasuke's turn.
"My name is Uchiha Sasuke. I don't particularly like anything. My dream is to become as great a ninja as my brother!"
There was no indifference stemming from a traumatic event. Instead, Sasuke's attitude was a deliberate display, a show for the girls in the class.
"Ah!"
"Wow, Sasuke-kun!"
"Cool!"
Most of the girls were swooning, their eyes practically heart-shaped.
This was the first wave of excitement in the classroom.
The second climax came with Naruto's self-introduction.
"Hello, everyone! My name is Namikaze Naruto. I love Ichiraku Ramen, and there's nothing I particularly dislike. My dream is to become a Hokage as great as my father!"
The same determination.
The same words.
The difference was that Naruto's upbringing and the environment he was raised in made this 'Namikaze Naruto' less mischievous and more polite.
"Oh, wow! As expected of Naruto-kun!"
"Naruto-kun!"
"This is the son of the Fourth Hokage!"
"Yabai! This is totally awesome!"
Naruto Namikaze and Sasuke Uchiha—the complete focal points of the class. Even though the plot was different, fate seemed to remain constant, sparking a sense of competition early on.
Sasuke, still deeply admiring his brother, had entered the academy with the goal of being the best. After all, that was the position his brother had easily attained.
As a self-proclaimed genius of the Uchiha clan, Sasuke felt it was his duty to keep up with his brother's legacy.
Finally, it was Menma's turn.
"My name is Uzumaki Menma. I don't have anything I particularly like. My dream is to be recognized by many people."
Menma's calm demeanor and gentle words didn't draw much attention, except from Naruto, who turned his head subconsciously upon hearing Menma's introduction.
An inexplicable emotion stirred within Naruto. For a moment, he felt a sense of familiarity with Menma, as if they shared a deep connection. But that feeling vanished as quickly as it came, leaving Naruto momentarily dazed.
Menma, however, didn't spare another glance at Naruto. After his introduction, he quietly sat down.
Naruto, carefree as ever, soon shrugged off the feeling, deciding it must have been his imagination.
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