Sasuke was just too stubborn. In every practical course, although he never said it outright, the determination in his eyes was clear to anyone who wasn't blind—especially Iruka.
Iruka didn't want to discourage the students' enthusiasm, so he could only watch as Sasuke lost again and again.
'But this time, Menma's attacks were a bit harsh. Is he getting impatient?' Iruka thought as he glanced at Menma, who had returned to the lineup with a calm expression.
"Today's practical course ends here. This was also your last practical course at the Academy. It's December now, and your graduation exam is coming soon. In the short time left, study hard and prepare well. Don't make any careless mistakes in the exam—I want to see all of you graduate successfully. Understand?"
Iruka checked the time. It was almost the end of the day's lesson.
He walked to the front of the class, facing Menma, Sasuke, Naruto, Shikamaru, Hinata, and the others. His expression was serious as he addressed them.
In these peaceful times, there were very few students who graduated early from the Academy. Unlike prodigies like Itachi Uchiha, who graduated at the age of 7 after only a year at the Academy, most students now had to complete the full six years before taking the graduation exam to become genin.
The graduation exam was typically held in January, and now, less than a month remained.
"Um, Iruka-sensei, what will the graduation exam be like? Will it be the same as for our seniors?" one student asked eagerly.
"Yeah, Sensei! Can you tell us in advance?" another chimed in.
As soon as Iruka finished speaking, the class erupted like a drop of water in hot oil. Everyone began to chatter excitedly, their eyes bright with anticipation.
Graduation meant becoming a ninja, a dream nearly everyone in the world shared.
Especially in these peaceful times, the younger generation hadn't experienced war firsthand. Despite hearing countless warnings from older generations about the dangers of being a ninja, the students couldn't fully grasp the reality.
All they saw were the powerful, heroic aspects of being a ninja.
Danger? They didn't care—they were all determined to become great ninjas, maybe even future Hokages!
The closer they got to graduation, the more excited they became.
"You want me to tell you the exam content? Nice try! The exam changes every year, so don't assume it'll be the same as before. And don't think I'll spill the details! I can tell you this much: the test will cover what we've learned. As long as you prepare well and perform normally, you'll graduate," Iruka said, his tone stern.
"Eh?! No way!"
"Iruka-sensei, how can you do this?!"
"Please tell us, Sensei!"
"That's right!"
Iruka's usual good-natured personality had earned him the students' affection, but they didn't fear him much. Over the past six years, he had rarely raised his voice, even with troublemakers like Naruto.
He preferred reasoning with students, guiding them with patience. As a result, they felt close to him but weren't particularly intimidated.
And now, despite Iruka's serious expression, none of the students were truly scared.
"Please, Sensei, just tell us!" Naruto led the chorus of pleas, much to Iruka's frustration.
"Alright, class is over! Dismissed!" Iruka finally said, clearly exasperated, before walking away.
"Eh?! No way! Sensei!"
"Wait, Iruka-sensei!"
The students were left groaning in disappointment.
Menma, too, left the training ground after Iruka. He walked away with his usual indifferent expression. Over the past six years, Menma hadn't built close relationships with anyone—not with Sasuke, not with Naruto, nor with the others in their class.
He had kept everyone at a respectful distance. Whenever someone approached him, Menma would respond with the most indifferent attitude.
His future was destined to be on a different path, one that didn't allow for deep connections with these classmates. Unless someone truly awakened—completely transformed—there would be no meaningful communication between them.
But that was wishful thinking.
So, Menma continued to follow his own path.
Others? They were just passersby in his life. He would either succeed or fail. There was no third option, and even if there were, it wasn't one Menma would accept.
As Menma left, some classmates noticed, but they were used to it. After all, if anyone in their class was known for being aloof, it was Sasuke, who rarely showed emotion. Menma, by comparison, would occasionally manage a polite smile.
Most of the students just thought Menma was a bit cold. But a few—like Shikamaru and some observant girls—could sense the deeper sense of alienation beneath Menma's exterior.
However, they kept these thoughts to themselves. They didn't care much about what their classmates thought.
Menma strode home, indifferent to the excitement about graduation that filled his classmates.
For Menma, the arrival of Konoha's 60th year meant the beginning of the original plot.
Orochimaru's attack, the Konoha Crush plan, the return of Uchiha Itachi, Jiraiya, Tsunade, and the Akatsuki organization's moves—all of these would soon unfold.
Each of these figures could become Menma's mortal enemy.
---
Menma felt a greater sense of urgency than Sasuke. While his older brother wouldn't really hurt him, even though Sasuke didn't know that for sure, he was still filled with revenge. But Menma was different.
The Nine-Tails within him was a huge problem!
Whether it was Konoha or the Akatsuki, they would definitely keep a close eye on him. He had to gain the power to protect himself as soon as possible and form a clear plan with defined goals.
Over the past few years, he had gradually clarified his thoughts and the next steps he needed to take. The first step, however, was the most challenging.
Just staying in the Ninja Academy as a top student wasn't enough for any explosive growth. Menma had worked very hard, but in terms of personal strength, he was still just a Chūnin. What was the point of being the best among a group of kids? His true enemies were those standing atop the ninja world's hierarchy.
This didn't even include Black Zetsu and Obito, who were lurking in the shadows, or Madara, who was waiting in the Pure Land. And, of course, the goddess of the moon who had waited a thousand years.
These enemies were more terrifying and formidable than the last.
How could Menma relax? He also wanted to graduate early, but his reasons for doing so were vastly different from everyone else's.
"Kurama, with my current physical abilities, how many tails' worth of chakra can I withstand?" Menma asked as he walked home, his face calm. But within his inner world, he formed a spiritual body and posed the question to the fox lying lazily on the ground.
"Right now? Hmph, at most three tails' worth of chakra!" Kurama, the Nine-Tails, opened one eye, glanced at Menma, and snorted with disdain.
Since that fateful meeting in early Konoha 55, nearly six years ago, Menma had frequently entered his inner world to converse with the Nine-Tails. These interactions had deepened their understanding of one another, although they also led to more questions—mostly on Kurama's side.
Kurama found Menma to be an enigma. Not only did he know his name, but he also knew the names of the other eight Tailed Beasts. Menma even hinted at knowledge of events surrounding Senju Hashirama, Uchiha Madara, and things that happened a thousand years ago. This knowledge was enough to shock Kurama.
Menma, of course, didn't reveal everything he knew and had no intention of exposing his "true identity." Instead, he simply wanted Kurama to understand how special he was. Special enough that the Tailed Beasts had to look at him differently.
This was Menma's carefully considered approach to gaining Kurama's "trust," and it had been effective.
Has Kurama fully accepted Menma? The answer was no. However, Menma had managed to penetrate the hardened heart of the Nine-Tails, forcing the ancient demon fox to acknowledge his existence. The terms of their earlier agreement were also very tempting to Kurama.
With all these factors combined, Menma and the Nine-Tails had formed a special relationship, one that developed far earlier than it had in the original timeline. Now, Menma could borrow Kurama's power, but he hadn't used it even once. The reason was simple: he was still under surveillance. Even if Sarutobi Hiruzen wasn't watching him 24/7, the Anbu were always nearby.
Menma didn't want to reveal his ability to use the Nine-Tails' power too early. Although there was no direct evidence in the original work, it could be inferred that the Anbu's surveillance was lifted after Naruto officially graduated.
After all, Kakashi Hatake was the team leader. If a situation arose that Kakashi couldn't handle, a few Anbu wouldn't make a difference, and Hiruzen would naturally cancel the Anbu's monitoring and protection mission.
If nothing unexpected happened this time around, Menma would also be truly "free" after graduating next year. For now, he needed to be patient.
Therefore, Menma couldn't accurately judge how much of Kurama's chakra his body could withstand. Even if he were in sync with the Nine-Tails, there was still a limit to how much his body could handle. The power of a Tailed Beast wasn't something to be taken lightly.
"Only three tails' worth of chakra? That's still not enough," Menma thought, frowning at Kurama's words.
Three tails' worth of chakra might be enough to overwhelm a Jōnin, but it wouldn't be sufficient against a Kage-level opponent. Menma's goal was to be able to withstand four or even five tails' worth of chakra by the time of the Chūnin Exams. Only then would he truly have the power to protect himself.
"Hmph, saying three tails is me being optimistic. You haven't used my chakra even once. Who knows how well you'll adapt? If the malice within my chakra corrodes your consciousness, then not even I can help you," Kurama said, his voice filled with disdain as he looked at Menma with a glare.
Menma was initially taken aback but then slowly nodded. That was true. Even if the Nine-Tails' chakra wasn't under Kurama's direct control, its corrosive nature was still overwhelming. This wasn't just a physical threat; it was a spiritual one. If he wasn't careful, he could easily lose himself to the negative emotions within the chakra.
"Alright, I understand, Kurama. I'll be cautious. It's indeed time to find a moment to test your power," Menma said in a low voice.
"Hmph, that's your business! I'll only stick to the agreement we made earlier. As for the rest, I'm not interested," Kurama snorted again before lying back down.
Menma couldn't help but smile, but he didn't call out Kurama on his act. Maintaining this relationship was enough for him for now.
Menma looked up at the Hokage Building, standing not far away, and a faint glint appeared in his eyes.
---