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But what Naruto didn't notice was that when he turned back to focus on Iruka and the other classmates, Menma, sitting in the back, looked at him with deep, conflicted eyes.
Envy, jealousy, maybe even a trace of resentment?
Perhaps all of these.
Just as Naruto felt a fleeting connection with Iruka, Menma—who was certain that the two of them were brothers—felt an even deeper bond with Naruto. Menma knew that Naruto had no control over the circumstances of his birth, just as he himself couldn't have chosen a different fate. Naruto was just another victim of Sarutobi Hiruzen's half-truths.
Menma envied Naruto's current life and, at times, couldn't help but feel resentful. How could two people born to the same parents be treated so differently? But in the end, the bond of blood overrode Menma's negative emotions. He could despise everyone else, but Naruto was different. Menma couldn't bring himself to hate his brother.
This was his biological brother!
Even though Menma was born just a little before Naruto, he was still the elder brother, and Naruto was his younger sibling. This was something Menma was sure of.
Another important reason was that in his previous life, Menma had also had a younger brother—carefree and optimistic, much like Naruto. This made Menma's feelings for Naruto even more complicated.
'Naruto, I hope your future doesn't take you down a path that's completely opposite to mine,' Menma thought silently as he took a deep look at Naruto's back.
"Very good, now everyone has a basic understanding of each other. From the moment you step into the ninja academy, you are already considered quasi-ninjas. How high your achievements will be in the future depends on talent, yes, but also on hard work. A lazy attitude will not only prevent you from becoming a great ninja, it might even keep you from graduating. None of you want to see your peers graduate while you stay behind, right? That's why you need to put in the effort! If your foundation is weak, the earth beneath you will tremble. Keep that in mind!"
Iruka's serious expression matched the gravity in his voice as he addressed the class.
Whether they fully understood it or not wasn't important at the moment; what mattered was setting the right attitude.
As their teacher, Iruka didn't want any of his students to fall behind over the next six years. This was his duty as an educator.
"Yes, Iruka-sensei!" the children responded in unison, eager to please their new homeroom teacher.
"Good! Now, let's start with our first lesson—what it means to be a ninja, and the essence of being one..."
The first day at the ninja academy passed peacefully.
Though Menma's enrollment caused a stir in some circles, it didn't lead to any major incidents. In Konohagakure, Sarutobi Hiruzen's authority remained absolute. As he aged, the Third Hokage had become more hesitant, but his power was still respected.
Even Danzo, for all his scheming, couldn't stir up trouble as long as Hiruzen remained firm. The challenges that Danzo presented were as much due to his own ambition as they were to Hiruzen's leniency.
So, as long as Sarutobi Hiruzen maintained a strong stance, Menma's daily life and education wouldn't face any major issues.
On the first day of school, Menma noticed some strange looks from 'ordinary people,' but no one dared to question him openly. The Hokage's orders were clear.
They might gossip in private and give him hostile looks when no one was watching, but they wouldn't dare show it publicly.
Menma didn't care. It was just a few glares—they wouldn't take away anything from him, so why should he bother?
As the sun set and dusk fell, the first day of the ninja academy came to an end.
Menma was the last to leave, standing at the entrance as he looked back at the building bathed in the afterglow. Watching the other children leave in different directions, their faces lit by the setting sun, Menma's expression turned cold. This place wasn't where he belonged. To Menma, it was just a cage.
One day, he would break free of this cage with his own hands and gain true freedom.
'This is the real first step! No one can control my future!' Menma thought, taking a deep breath. He then turned and walked down a different path, his figure gradually merging into the shadows.
As Menma's ninja academy life began, his days became more structured than they had been in the past five years. His life followed a strict routine: ninja school, home, and his personal training ground in the forest.
Menma focused on strengthening his physical abilities while gradually improving his chakra control. A few months after starting school, he made chakra control his top priority.
Climbing trees and walking on water were the two most basic chakra control exercises, and Menma added them to his training regimen.
In the absence of learning advanced ninjutsu, genjutsu, or taijutsu, these fundamental exercises became the cornerstone of Menma's training.
Time passed quickly as Menma immersed himself in his training. Before he knew it, more than a year had gone by.
It was June of the 55th year of Konoha.
One morning, after finishing his usual exercise, Menma made his way to the ninja academy. Along the way, he noticed several ninjas rushing past him, their faces stern.
The atmosphere in the village was tense. People around him wore expressions of shock, fear, and disbelief.
'Hmm? What happened?' Menma wondered, sensing that something significant had occurred in the village.
His suspicions were confirmed when he arrived at the academy. Class had already started, but one seat remained empty. Menma immediately knew what had happened.
'So, it's the Uchiha clan's massacre...' Menma thought, looking at Uchiha Sasuke's empty seat. One of the most important events in the original story had just taken place.
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The Uchiha clan.
This ancient ninja clan has been passed down for nearly a thousand years and is one of the most prestigious in the ninja world. Throughout history, few clans could rival the Uchiha in power and influence. In the last century, only one or two other clans could even be compared to them.
In the era of the five great nations, with the Senju clan's mysterious decline, the Uchiha clan became widely recognized as the most powerful and wealthy family in the ninja world.
Even in the Hidden Leaf Village, the Hyuga clan boasts of being on par with the Uchiha, but the reality is clear to everyone in the ninja world.
Uchiha represents strength.
Such a clan is invaluable to any ninja village. The Uchiha alone boast dozens of jonin with fully developed Sharingan, a terrifying force to reckon with.
This is precisely why leaders like Sarutobi Hiruzen fear the Uchiha clan. If the Uchiha were weak, with only a few jonin, there would be no need for Hiruzen or Danzo to worry. The Anbu could have easily wiped them out many times over if that were the case.
But the Uchiha weren't weak.
And yet, they were destroyed.
The official report from Konoha stated that the Uchiha clan was annihilated by a single person—the Uchiha clan's genius, Uchiha Itachi, the son of the clan leader, who was only twelve or thirteen years old at the time.
The only survivor was Uchiha Sasuke, also the son of the clan leader and Itachi's younger brother.
The news sent shockwaves through Konohagakure and quickly spread throughout the ninja world, drawing the attention of every major village.
The disappearance of such a powerful clan would undoubtedly have a significant impact on Konoha, and the other great villages, particularly Iwagakure and Kumogakure, began to bolster their forces at the borders, waiting for an opportunity.
It was clear that if Konoha showed any sign of weakness, these villages would not hesitate to strike. The Third Shinobi War had ended seven or eight years ago, and the villages seemed ready to ignite another round of conflict.
For the next few months, Konoha's leadership, headed by Sarutobi Hiruzen, would be on high alert, dealing with various threats and even the potential of war.
But none of this concerned Menma.
Being familiar with the original timeline, he knew that a new Ninja World War wouldn't break out during this period. And even if it did, would they really send a seven-year-old jinchuriki like him to the front lines? Menma only needed to focus on his training.
The tragedy of the Uchiha clan was something that crossed Menma's mind briefly before he dismissed it. The time to consider Sasuke as a potential ally or tool would come later; for now, Menma's primary goal was to become stronger as quickly as possible.
Menma stayed true to the rigorous training schedule he had set for himself, combining both theoretical and practical studies. In this life, he had already far surpassed the "Naruto Uzumaki" of the original timeline.
Menma eagerly absorbed all the knowledge he could, in stark contrast to Naruto, who relied purely on his natural talent. It's not that the original Naruto didn't work hard, but his efforts were largely unstructured, driven by raw determination rather than careful planning.
Menma, however, was different.
He was determined not to fall behind in any area, including theoretical knowledge. While this wasn't shown much in the original story, a ninja's education includes a significant amount of theory, and Menma intended to master it all.
If the academy had strictly followed the evaluation criteria, Naruto might never have graduated. But at the end of the day, personal strength is what truly matters for a ninja.
Menma knew how to prioritize, but he also believed in developing all aspects of his abilities when possible. Building a solid foundation was always a good thing.
Time passed quietly.
A week later, the sole survivor of the Uchiha clan, Sasuke Uchiha, returned to school.
He was completely different from before.
Sasuke now exuded a cold aura, his face set in a mask of extreme indifference. This wasn't the cool, detached attitude he had once deliberately cultivated; it was a true reflection of his changed mindset.
This change was inevitable.
After witnessing his beloved brother kill their parents and slaughter their entire clan, it would be unnatural for Sasuke to remain unaffected. If he were still calm after such an experience, it would indicate severe psychological issues.
'This is the cruelty of the ninja world, Sasuke-kun. And this is only the first step in your journey,' Menma thought, watching the gloomy Sasuke with a calm expression.
The Uchiha clan's annihilation might seem like just another event in the grand scheme of the ninja world, but it was a pivotal moment for Konoha and the entire world.
As time passed, the initial shock began to fade.
Fewer people in the village were discussing it, and even the other great nations gradually lost interest.
Of course, this was largely due to the efforts of Konoha's leaders, especially Sarutobi Hiruzen.
But regardless of the process, the outcome remained the same as in the original timeline: a new Ninja World War did not break out. The reasons were complex, but the most crucial factor was that Konoha didn't show any significant signs of weakness.
As the first ninja village, Konoha managed to maintain its dominance, preventing other nations from seizing the opportunity to start a war.
And as for the broader machinations of the ninja world, Menma paid them no mind. Unless these events directly threatened Konoha or forced him into action, they were of no concern to him.
Menma remained focused on his training.
By the end of the 55th year of Konohagakure, as the third school year approached, Menma's training had entered a new phase.
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