This is truly the proverbial "heifer ringing the doorbell."
In the world where Uzumaki Naruto hails from, he is far from the class dunce. In fact, his performance far exceeds that of Uchiha Sasuke, the top student in the class.
Naruto's abilities left his contemporaries both puzzled and shocked. They were stunned and confused, questioning what they were seeing. Was it an illusion? The images displayed must have been fabricated in some sort of mass hypnosis.
[Ding!]
"Congratulations to Uzumaki Naruto for answering correctly. You've won an award for your excellent shuriken throw."
Uchiha Fugaku: "..."
Uchiha Obito: "..."
Uchiha Sasuke: "..."
It seems that, at this moment, Naruto's skill in shuriken throwing has reached the same level as Sasuke's.
Senju Hashirama: "Oh? Madara, is it true that the Uchiha clan excels at throwing shurikens?"
Uchiha Madara: "Hashi, stop kidding around. The Uchiha clan excels in much more than just throwing shurikens."
In the Pure Land world, Uchiha Madara frowned, clearly unsettled.
"How far has the Uchiha clan fallen? Is this the only thing left for us to be good at—throwing shurikens?"
Uchiha Sasuke: "This can't be right. Naruto, he..."
Uchiha Fugaku: "Sasuke, don't forget, this is Uzumaki Naruto from another world. It's not exactly surprising. You performed just as well, after all."
Iruka, Naruto's teacher, chuckled awkwardly, trying to mask his discomfort. He admired Naruto's talent but was unsure how to react. This was not just any student, but a version of Naruto from another world.
["You did great,"] Iruka managed, offering a half-hearted compliment, as he struggled to find the right words. He was happy for Naruto's growth but saddened by the implications of his origins.
Naruto, however, didn't seem bothered. He smiled politely and returned to his place.
"Not bad! I didn't expect you to be so good."
"I thought you were like us, someone who had little motivation," Nara Shikamaru remarked, a little surprised by Naruto's progress.
"I thought you were the sixth child, the kind of person with no real drive, but now, you've shown us all up," Akimichi Chōji added with a grin.
Yamanaka Ino, overhearing this, couldn't help but laugh.
"The Shikamaru and Chōji from this world are just like the ones in that world—no, they're exactly the same."
"Isn't that obvious?" Shikamaru replied, slightly irritated.
Akimichi Chōji smiled sheepishly, adding, "Honestly, apart from Naruto, it seems like nothing has changed."
Temari, still processing the situation, couldn't resist teasing, "So you two have always been the unmotivated types?"
Shikamaru, in his usual laid-back manner, replied, "That's not necessarily true. Maybe, just maybe, we'll get inspired by Naruto and finally become motivated."
Yamanaka Ino laughed, shaking her head. "No way. Sasuke's always been excellent, and I've never seen you two showing much motivation."
Shikamaru could only sigh in defeat, muttering, "Can't you give us a little credit?"
Meanwhile, Uzumaki Naruto simply smiled at his friends, nodding politely, even as his mind wandered back to his past—the time he first learned the art of shuriken throwing.
For Naruto, his true home was the back mountains of Konoha Village. It was there he found peace and solace, away from the villagers' disdain and the chaos of his life.
One day, while practicing by himself, he saw a man with braids who threw shurikens with an artistry that left Naruto in awe. The man's skill was beyond anything Naruto had seen before. With his usual determination, Naruto approached the stranger, asking, "Can you teach me how to throw shurikens?"
To Naruto's surprise, the man, though startled, didn't seem repelled by Naruto's presence. His eyes held a flicker of unease, but there was no judgment, no contempt.
The next day, the man returned—this time dressed similarly to the masked figures who had given Naruto money. Naruto didn't care who the man was as long as he could teach him to become stronger.
"Can you teach me?" Naruto asked again, eager to improve.
The stranger, now seeming to recognize Naruto's genuine desire, agreed to teach him.
Back in the audience, the shock continued to reverberate through Konoha and beyond.
"So, Naruto didn't just get strong by accident. It was the result of his own hard work and self-discipline," Uchiha Sasuke realized, though it came as a bit of a blow to his pride.
"We thought he was a genius, but it seems he's just someone who worked hard to get better," Uchiha Fugaku commented, his tone measured but with a touch of respect.
Payne, observing the entire scene, remarked, "Itachi, the person who taught Naruto to throw shurikens looks a lot like you."
Deidara, always brash and confident, said, "Boss, don't be so modest. I can tell right away, that's Uchiha Itachi."
Hoshigaki Kisame, too, didn't seem too surprised. "Ah, so Itachi's the one who taught him. Well, it makes sense now."
Uchiha Itachi remained silent, though inside, he was uneasy.
"In another world, I ended up teaching Naruto how to throw shurikens?" he thought to himself, feeling a chill run down his spine. "What if this hastens the demise of the Uchiha clan? This can't be real."
The implications were too dire to ignore. How had Itachi, a member of the Uchiha clan, ended up teaching Konoha's most infamous Jinchūriki, the host of the Nine-Tails Fox?
Meanwhile, the higher-ups in Konoha were in an uproar. "Are we really exposing the Uchiha clan to the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki?" they murmured, voices tense with anxiety.
Uchiha Fugaku couldn't believe it. "I didn't expect Itachi from that world to come into contact with the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki."
Uchiha Mikoto, Itachi's mother, frowned, saying, "Fugaku, things aren't as simple as they seem. Didn't you notice how Itachi was startled when he saw Naruto again?"
At that moment, Orochimaru, ever the instigator, let out a dry laugh. "Oh, so Third Hokage has a big heart, huh?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Third Hokage, shot him a sharp look, his voice cold. "Shut up, Orochimaru. You know nothing about the situation."
Back in the Hokage's office, Sarutobi Hiruzen observed the crystal ball in his hand with a satisfied smile. "Naruto did well. And Itachi, you've helped him a great deal."
Uchiha Itachi, still wearing his Anbu mask, knelt respectfully before Sarutobi Hiruzen. "No, Third Hokage, it's all thanks to Naruto's talent and his hard work."
But Itachi didn't say much more. He still couldn't shake the anxiety he felt over the incident.
When he first encountered Naruto, the boy's status as a Jinchūriki made Itachi wary. He feared that if the higher-ups in Konoha found out, it would only make matters worse. Itachi rushed to Sarutobi Hiruzen, relaying the entire incident to him.
The Third Hokage, after considering the situation, decided to let Itachi guide Naruto. After all, Sarutobi Hiruzen didn't want his Jinchūriki to become a mere mascot of the village.
Naruto's desire to improve was a rare gift. Sarutobi Hiruzen saw it as an opportunity to nurture the boy's potential.
Suddenly, a knock at the door interrupted his thoughts. Sarutobi Hiruzen could guess who it was by the forceful knock.
"Itachi, you may step back for now," Sarutobi Hiruzen instructed.
"Yes, Hokage-sama."
A second later, the door opened to reveal an elderly man with a cane. He walked into the room, his face stern and filled with purpose.
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