The next day, Naruto bounded into the Academy with a wide grin plastered across his face.
His orange jacket stood out like a beacon, and his carefree energy seemed to radiate through the crowd of students. Most of them instinctively moved aside as he passed, muttering under their breaths or exchanging puzzled looks.
"WOOHOO! First day of the Academy!" Naruto shouted, pumping his fist in the air. "Get ready, Konoha! The future Hokage is here!"
Several kids froze mid-conversation, their eyes darting to him with varying degrees of annoyance or amusement. Among them were a few clan heirs already drawing attention themselves.
Sitting near the window, Sasuke Uchiha didn't even look up from where he was sitting, his arms crossed and an air of disinterest about him.
He glanced briefly at Naruto's noisy entrance, a flicker of disdain crossing his face before he returned to ignoring everyone.
On the other side of the room, Shikamaru Nara yawned loudly, muttering, "Troublesome," while Choji Akimichi munched on a bag of chips, eyeing Naruto with mild curiosity.
A little farther away, Ino Yamanaka groaned and rolled her eyes. "Why does he have to be so loud? It's embarrassing!" she whispered to her best friend, Sakura Haruno.
"He's just so… obnoxious," Sakura agreed, sneaking a glance at Sasuke and hoping he wasn't too annoyed.
Meanwhile, Hinata Hyuga sat quietly in her seat, her lavender eyes flickering toward Naruto. Her cheeks flushed pink as she fidgeted with her fingers. Naruto-kun… He's so brave, even if he's a little… loud.
Kiba Inuzuka barked a laugh from the back of the class, leaning back in his chair with a smirk. "This guy's got guts, I'll give him that. Akamaru, what do you think?" The small puppy perched on his head barked in agreement.
Naruto didn't seem to notice—or care—about the reactions.
Instead, he hopped onto his desk in the back row, crouching on top of it like it was the most natural thing in the world. "Alright, where's the teacher? I'm ready to blow their minds with my awesomeness!"
Several kids turned to stare at him, some in confusion, others in amusement. A few snickered under their breath, but Naruto either ignored it or didn't hear.
"You're gonna fall on your face if you keep doing that," Kiba called, his smirk widening.
Naruto grinned back, pointing at him. "Ha! You wish! Future Hokages don't fall!"
"Sit down, you idiot!" Sasuke finally snapped, his voice cool but sharp.
Naruto plopped down into his seat, throwing Sasuke a cheeky grin. "What's the matter, Duck-Butt? Jealous of my moves?"
A few kids gasped, and Ino whipped around. "Don't talk to Sasuke-kun like that!"
Sasuke didn't dignify Naruto with a response, simply scoffing and turning away.
Before anyone else could add to the commotion, the door slid open, and the room fell silent. The Third Hokage entered, flanked by two Chūnin instructors, his presence commanding immediate respect. Naruto straightened in his seat, his wide grin still firmly in place, though his eyes briefly flickered with a hint of seriousness.
"Welcome, everyone," the Hokage began, his voice calm and warm. "Today marks the beginning of your journey as shinobi of the Hidden Leaf Village…"
As the speech continued, Naruto leaned back in his chair, exaggerating every movement. He yawned loudly, earning a few glares, then propped his chin on his hand, his expression overly bored.
"Man, I've heard this speech a thousand times," he whispered loudly to no one in particular. "When's the cool stuff gonna start?"
Kiba stifled a laugh, while Shikamaru gave him a sidelong glance and muttered, "Troublesome idiot…"
Several students shot Naruto glares, and Hinata nervously glanced at the Hokage, worried he might be offended. The old man, however, continued his speech unperturbed.
"...The bonds you forge here and the strength you build together will guide you. The Will of Fire burns within all of us and will keep our village strong."
As the room erupted into applause, Naruto jumped to his feet, clapping loudly and whooping. "Yeah, the Will of Fire! Go team!"
The students stared at him, some laughing nervously, others looking downright annoyed. Sasuke rolled his eyes, muttering, "What an idiot."
Naruto gave an exaggerated bow, then flopped back into his seat with a cheeky grin. That oughta keep the attention off my real skills, he thought, glancing around the room.
Kurama's voice rumbled in his head, amused. Your definition of 'low profile' is questionable, brat.
Naruto smirked inwardly. Hey, everyone's already decided I'm an idiot. I'm just making sure they really believe it.
Let them laugh now. They'll never see me coming.