Unexpectedly, he gained an extra reward — a Kage-level gift pack. What a Godsent.
Now, all he needed to do was grow silently, train his body, and eventually, he would become a powerful figure in his own right.
"How ruthless, kid. No matter what, he's still your father. That was a bit too much," the Nine-Tails remarked thoughtfully.
"When did you start nagging so much, Kurama?" Naruto replied in a flat tone, devoid of emotion.
"Who cares about you, idiot."
"Heh."
Naruto rolled his eyes at Kurama, turned around, and walked away. His figure gradually disappeared into the depths of the sewer.
"I'll be waiting for you outside, Kurama. Don't keep me waiting too long."
Upon leaving the mental world, the dull blade resting on his knee underwent a quiet transformation.
The blade, three feet long, bore nine crimson patterns that seemed naturally formed, entwining themselves around its surface.
The plain katana had transformed into Naruto's own exclusive zanpakutō. It felt… pretty good.
Holding the blade in his hand, he whispered, "Come forth, Kurama."
In an instant, the three-foot blade emitted a red glow and flew out of Naruto's hand.
It spun a few times in the air before transforming into a small, orange fox.
With its big, gleaming eyes and sleek fur, it looked unexpectedly adorable at first glance.
Naruto clapped his hands together, laughing: "Haha, so cute! Little Kurama, come to your master's arms!"
Kurama bristled. "You bastard! This form is a humiliation! It ruins my majestic and powerful image!"
"Getting you out at all was no easy feat, so stop fussing over trivial things."
Naruto stood up, chuckling softly. "Besides, if you return to your original form, it'll cause trouble for both of us."
"Hmph. I'll begrudgingly accept that reasoning."
Kurama knew all too well that if his enormous body appeared in Konoha, the ensuing chaos would be unimaginable.
After all, the village wouldn't take it kindly to having two Nine-Tails jinchūriki.
Adapting to his new form, Kurama leapt onto Naruto's shoulder. "Hey, won't I be noticed if I go out looking like this?"
Naruto squinted and smiled faintly. "You should have sensed it already, Kurama."
"In this form, only those with a high spiritual energy constitution can see you. Regular people and shinobi can't. And in this world, there aren't any people with such a constitution."
"Is that so? Well, that's good."
Naruto adjusted his clothing and pushed open the door. Today was the start of the Ninja Academy.
As a refugee from Uzushiogakure(Land of Whirlpools), the condition for residing in Konoha was to enroll in the Ninja Academy, graduate as a ninja, and then serve the village.
Adults without ninja talent could choose to engage in commerce to boost Konoha's economy.
Looking up at the trees on either side of the road, Naruto noticed the dewdrops on the tender green leaves glimmering brilliantly under the sunlight.
"What a nice environment. No wonder Suna keeps coveting it," he muttered.
After a monotonous journey, the building labeled "Ninja Academy" came into view.
"A place both familiar and strange," Naruto murmured.
Following the results of his admission test, Naruto found his designated classroom.
He picked a relatively quiet seat and sat down. The room was still mostly empty, as it was early.
"Kurama, if Minato and I end up in the same class, do you think you'd lose your mind?"
"I'm not that petty!"
"I think you are."
"You bastard!"
"Alright, alright. Don't get mad. I'll take you out for some good food later."
After some idle chatter with Kurama, time ticked by, and the once-empty classroom began to fill with students.
The previously quiet space soon became noisy and chaotic.
After all, expecting a group of children to wait silently for their teacher was wishful thinking.
Naruto frowned slightly at the noisy environment. How annoying.
The chaotic atmosphere stirred his irritation, and he made a decision on the spot — applying for early graduation was imperative.
With Minato's memories, the Academy's curriculum seemed utterly redundant.
The only real value of attending was the stipend Konoha provided to refugees and orphans who were enrolled.
Each month, they received a generous allowance — a calculated move, considering the high-risk nature of being a shinobi, where you never knew if you'd have food for the next meal.
Not long after, a teacher clad in a chunin's green armor entered the room.
He was a burly man with a scarred face that radiated authority.
Under his gaze, the chattering children froze as if a fishbone had lodged in their throats, bowing their heads obediently.
The noisy classroom fell silent.
Seeing this, the scarred teacher nodded in satisfaction.
"I am Morino Masakazu. If nothing unexpected happens, we'll spend the next three years together. You may call me Morino-sensei."
After a pause, Morino suddenly smiled, his scarred face twisting grotesquely.
"In my class, don't ever eat before coming in. Otherwise, you'll throw up."
His words sent shivers down the children's spines, leaving their faces pale.
Naruto propped his head on one hand, muttering softly, "Could this Morino be Ibiki Morino's father? They look alike."
Morino picked up the roster. "Your reactions are satisfactory. Let's start roll call."
"Umino Boruto."
"Present."
"Uchiha Mikoto."
"Present."
"Uzumaki Naruto."
"Present."
"Kamizuki Sh—"
"Sorry, I'm late!"
A young, innocent voice interrupted Morino mid-sentence.
"And you are?"
"Namikaze Minato."
"Oh. Stand in the hallway."
"Yes, sir."
Naruto tilted his head slightly, chuckling. "Kurama, things are starting to get interesting."
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