The weather was perfect for the occasion, with gentle breezes and clear skies. March had graced the Land of Grass with its pleasant warmth, making it the ideal time for the graduation ceremony.
The academy was abuzz with energy early in the morning. This year's ceremony was even more special, as it was a joint event for all the schools that had participated in the exam. With everyone who was meant to leave now returned to the Grass Ninja Village, the atmosphere was lively and filled with excitement, surpassing the usual festivities of previous years.
"Uncle Akihiko! Mom! Everyone's here!" Naruto cheered enthusiastically, his voice carrying across the courtyard.
"Uncle Akihiko," Sasuke added with a small nod, his expression calm as always.
Akihiko, smiled warmly as he spotted the two. "Not bad, you all look so much more energetic today!" he remarked, his gaze shifting between Naruto's bright enthusiasm and Sasuke's usual stoicism. "Congratulations on graduating! From now on, you'll officially be part of the Grass Ninja family. But remember, never forget the lessons you've learned here at the academy."
Naruto's smile grew even brighter at Akihiko's words, but after a brief pause, he lifted his gaze, his eyes reflecting a hint of nostalgia. His thoughts drifted back to his childhood, those early years when he had felt like an outsider, shunned by everyone around him.
He had often wondered if he was truly the terrifying fox demon that others feared. His heart ached for recognition, for the chance to prove that he was more than just a monster. It wasn't until he had secretly arrived in the Grass Village that he began to understand the warmth of belonging, the feeling of being part of something, of being seen.
Uncle Akihiko, despite his tough exterior, assigning endless homework and occasionally forcing them to write reflections, had been the one to guide him, to show him a sense of comfort that no one else had ever offered. He had taken Naruto under his wing, showing him what it meant to truly care, teaching him through both words and actions.
A small, warm smile crept onto Naruto's face as he shook himself from his thoughts. "Thank you, Uncle Akihiko!" he said, his voice full of genuine gratitude, his playful nature shining through once again.
Sasuke, though his face remained as expressionless as ever, cast a brief glance at the Grass Ninja leader. A flicker of emotion stirred in his dark eyes, subtle, but there.
Sasuke had never been good at expressing his feelings. Even in the original story, after he became a father, that awkwardness remained. But seeing this scene unfold, even the ever-composed Akihiko and Mikoto found themselves smiling softly.
A quiet warmth settled in the air, a sense of pride washing over the Grass Ninja leader as he watched these children, his students, grow. For a moment, it almost felt like watching his own family come into their own. But then, as if suddenly remembering something, he reached into his ninja tool pouch.
"Ah, I almost forgot. I got gifts for you." And just like that, the warmth shattered. Naruto and Sasuke, who had been caught up in the sentimental moment, jolted as if snapping out of a trance. Instinctively, they both tried to wave it off.
"Hahaha~ No need, Uncle Akihiko. It's just graduation, not like we're top of the class. No need for gifts!" Naruto blurted out with an exaggerated laugh.
"Yeah, Naruto's right!" Sasuke nodded at his words.
Naruto also quickly added. "Now that I think about it, we need to take pictures with our classmates before graduation. We won't bother you and Mom, Uncle Akihiko!"
With that, the two swiftly exchanged glances, as if silently coordinating their escape. But before they could make their getaway, the Grass Ninja leader stepped forward, effortlessly blocking their path.
"Now, now, don't feel embarrassed~" he said with a knowing smile. "No need to be polite. Just take the gifts I got for you."
Were they being polite? No, not at all. They didn't want the gifts; everyone knew by now that Uncle Akihiko's 'presents' were always the worst. But now, with no way out, they had no choice but to accept them. Reluctantly, they both lowered their heads as the Grass Ninja leader pulled out... two small, elegantly crafted boxes from his pouch.
Naruto froze, staring at the boxes with a mix of confusion and skepticism. "Is this it?" he asked, his voice filled with disbelief.
"Not a test paper?" Sasuke added, clearly perplexed as well.
The Grass Ninja leader chuckled at their expressions. "What do you mean, just this? Do you want test papers? Should I arrange them for you at home?" He grinned as he handed the boxes to them. "Open them up!"
"Not test papers! Not test papers! This is fine!" They both sighed in relief, almost too dramatically. At least this time, it seemed Uncle Akihiko wasn't adding more homework to their already overwhelming pile. Could it be that he was finally giving them a normal gift?
Their curiosity piqued, they eagerly took the boxes, and even Sasuke's usually stoic face softened into the faintest of smiles. Without hesitation, he quickly opened his, wondering what was inside.
"A grass phone?" Naruto blinked in confusion, looking at the small, grass-shaped object in his hands. He then picked up a delicate, sleek flip phone. "What is this?"
The Grass Ninja leader smiled at their bewilderment. "It's a grass phone, a new communication tool developed by the Grass Ninja Village. As long as you're within the signal range, you can contact anyone, no matter how far away." He explained, "It can take pictures, watch movies, send messages... There are a lot of functions. You'll discover more as you use it."
A phone... The concept was mind-blowing. For years, the Grass Village had worked relentlessly on advancing technology, particularly in the field of scientific ninja tools. This phone was one of their biggest breakthroughs. In many ways, it could also be considered a scientific ninja tool, bridging the gap between ninjutsu and modern technology. In fact, mobile phones with video functions were currently under research, and the progress was promising. The inspiration for this innovation was said to have come from the telescope technique.
Of course, none of this would have been possible without the contributions of two brilliant scientists who had worked behind the scenes. Without their quiet dedication, the village's technological progress would have been much slower.
…
"Naruto, Sasuke, it's time for photos." Naruto, who had been lost in curiosity while fiddling with his new phone, snapped back to reality upon hearing the call. It hit him that they were still in the middle of the graduation ceremony.
Quickly, he tucked his phone away, flashed a grin at Uncle Akihiko, and announced, "I'll go with Sasuke first."
Before Sasuke could protest, Naruto grabbed his arm and started pulling him toward the back. "Let's go, let's go, Sasuke."
"Don't drag me, you idiot!" Sasuke growled, but it was clear he wasn't putting up much resistance.
"Pompous Sasuke!" Naruto laughed, clearly in a playful mood.
Around them, students, parents, teachers, relatives, and friends all gathered to send their congratulations to the soon-to-graduate children. The atmosphere was filled with people taking pictures and laughing, trying to capture this moment. The air was heavy with joy, but beneath it all, there was a subtle reluctance. Graduation meant they were leaving, and no one was quite ready to say goodbye yet.
Even Black Zetsu, typically a figure of cold detachment, wore an expression of melancholy. Though he wasn't actually sad to leave, there was a strange sense of confusion on his face. After all, he hadn't even planned on graduating in the first place. Who would want to graduate? He had clearly submitted a blank sheet, didn't he?
"Hehe, I heard you turned in a blank sheet, Black Zetsu. But since your performance in the practical exam was good, the academy decided to let you graduate anyway." Naruto grinned, patting the bewildered Black Zetsu on the back. "Honestly, even though you bullied us at the start of the semester, you turned out to be pretty decent in the end. Congrats! Twelve years, and you finally made it."
But before Naruto could say anything more, he noticed Black Zetsu trembling. "Hey… what's wrong with you? What's going on?"
"I refuse!" Black Zetsu suddenly shouted, his voice filled with indignation. "How can they just let me graduate after I turned in a blank sheet? Is that fair to the other students? This is blatant negligence. Who allowed this? I demand to file a formal complaint!"
His unexpected outburst immediately drew the attention of those nearby. As they turned to watch the spectacle unfold, expressions of confusion spread across the crowd. Then, as realization dawned, some people even grew misty-eyed, sighing sentimentally, "I never thought Black Zetsu would be so reluctant to leave the academy…"
"I get it now... He doesn't want to leave, so he's refusing to graduate."
"He must really love this place. Staying back for grades is a little embarrassing, but it's kind of touching, too."
"Well, he grew up without parents. Maybe the academy feels more like home to him than anywhere else."
"But no matter how much you love a place, you can't stay forever. A bird has to leave the nest eventually, and a dragon belongs in the sea. We all graduated, he'll have to move forward, too."
Hearing the murmurs around them, Naruto and the others finally understood what was going on.
They thought back to Black Zetsu's essay from years ago, his award-winning piece that had shocked everyone. He had no parents, no real home. But deep down, he had always longed to see his mother again, to be reunited with the only family he had ever wished for.
"Black Zetsu..." Naruto, who had spent half his school years bickering with him, felt something tighten in his chest. He hesitated for a moment, then clapped a firm hand on Black Zetsu's shoulder. "Hey, you don't have to act like this. Even if we graduate, nothing really changes. You can always come back whenever you want." He grinned, bright and reassuring. "And we'll still be your friends."
"He's right! It's not like we're disappearing."
"Come on, man. Twelve years here is enough, don't you think? You have to move on sometime."
"Black Zetsu, take it easy! We're all stepping into the future together."
"Just accept it! Leader Akihiko made this happen for you. If you ever miss this place, you can visit anytime."
Black Zetsu's lips twitched as he took in their words. Their encouragement was... unexpected. Even as he clung to his stubborn refusal, a strange warmth stirred in his chest.
"Who's not ready to leave? You're over a thousand years old! What do you mean by 'grown up'?" Black Zetsu thought to himself, but as he looked around at the faces of his classmates, particularly after hearing those words, it dawned on him... He probably wouldn't be able to come back. He shouldn't have let White Zetsu's real body bring him back all those years ago.
He sighed deeply, his expression blank, and then stared at everyone before him. "There's something I'm not sure whether I should say or not…"
"Just say it! What's there to hesitate about?" someone called out.
"If it's gratitude, don't bother. We're classmates!"
"Are you going out somewhere later?" another voice added.
Even Naruto, ever eager to help, gave a confident pat on his chest. "If you need anything, just ask. I, Naruto Uzumaki, will do whatever I can. Let today be our graduation gift to you!"
Black Zetsu sighed again, looking at them all. Then, with surprising sincerity, he grabbed Naruto's hand, looking at both him and Sasuke. Before they could say anything, he spoke, his voice serious. "If you attain wealth, don't forget the poor."
It was a simple, yet deeply meaningful statement. Black Zetsu wasn't about to back down so easily.
…
"We now invite this year's top graduate, Gaara, to the stage for his speech!" The announcement rang through the venue, drawing everyone's attention. Eyes turned toward the stage as Gaara stood up, walking forward with his usual serious and composed demeanor. This moment was monumental, the culmination of his hard work, his transformation.
Amid the warm applause, Gaara made his way to the podium, holding his speech tightly in hand. His gaze slowly swept across the sea of faces, his classmates, his parents, his teachers… and even Temari and Kankuro. They were all clapping for him.
A swell of emotion rose in his chest. Never in his wildest dreams did he think someone once feared as a monster would stand here, at this very podium, under the gaze of everyone.
Thank you… everyone. Gaara's lips quirked into the faintest of smiles. He took a steady breath and, lifting his speech to read, spoke clearly and confidently into the microphone.
"Respected teachers, dear classmates…" He, the boy who had once felt so alone, was now this year's top graduate.