Right now—
Naruto had no idea what the Anbu stationed outside were thinking.
After finishing up in the kitchen, he placed the plate of fried fish on the table.
Looking down at the dish, perfectly golden and aromatic, he couldn't help but admire his own work. With his god-tier cooking skills, this wasn't just fried fish—it was a masterpiece.
But this wasn't just a matter of taste.
Thanks to the Six-Stomach Immortal Thief ability, eating had become a way for Naruto to grow stronger.
He gazed at the fish as if it were some kind of panacea.
And then—he began to eat.
With each bite, the crispy-yet-tender fish passed through his mouth, down into his stomach... and was instantly broken down by his chakra-refining digestive system.
The nutrients from the fish were fully absorbed into his body.
He could feel it—slowly but surely, he was getting stronger.
Of course, a few bites of fish wouldn't suddenly launch him past Kage level. He wasn't expecting to become one of the top powerhouses overnight.
But he could feel it—his body was developing.
Little by little.
Soon, the large plate of fried fish was completely devoured.
Strangely, his stomach didn't feel full at all.
Naturally—this was because every bit of it had been broken down and refined by the Six-Stomach Immortal Thief technique.
Thanks to that ability, Naruto wouldn't even need to use the toilet anymore. Everything he consumed was efficiently converted into energy.
And so—
A full month passed in the blink of an eye.
During that time, Naruto trained diligently.
He practiced the Meditation Stargate Method to cultivate his spiritual energy.
He ate wild game from the forest—clean, nutrient-rich meat that constantly fueled his body and his training.
With the help of the Six-Stomach Immortal Thief, even eating had become a form of cultivation.
His strength had changed dramatically.
Even just his physical capabilities had already surpassed those of a fully grown adult.
And as for his mental strength?
It now surpassed that of ten average Chūnin combined.
However—
Even though his mental energy had greatly improved, Naruto still hadn't attempted to contact the Nine-Tails.
Now that he had a method to steadily increase his spiritual power, he planned to wait until he became even stronger before trying to meet Kurama again.
Just in case anything went wrong.
Sure, he'd read the story and knew that the Nine-Tails eventually got along well with Naruto.
But that was later in the plot.
Right now? There was no telling what Kurama's temperament was like.
At that moment—
The Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, came to see Naruto once more.
Naruto welcomed the old man inside, putting on a perfect performance with his best Academy Award-winning acting.
Fortunately, the reason for the visit was simple: the Ninja Academy was about to begin.
Hiruzen had come to personally inform him—and even offered to escort him on the first day.
Naruto quickly showed his excitement.
The Ninja Academy, huh?
He was genuinely curious to see what kind of new opportunities or hidden powers it might hold for him.
...
A week later.
Early morning.
Naruto met up with the Third Hokage.
Hiruzen gently took him by the hand and led him toward the Ninja Academy.
The scene resembled a grandfather taking his grandson to school.
Before long, they arrived at a large building.
Above the entrance were the words: Konoha Ninja Academy.
Right then—
At the school gates, dozens of parents had gathered, sending their children off. New students milled about with excitement and nervous energy.
The entrance was bustling with noise and movement.
But—
When Uzumaki Naruto, the so-called "Demon Fox," suddenly appeared at the gates of the Ninja Academy—
The once lively scene turned eerily silent.
Of course, if someone listened carefully, they'd still hear murmurs rippling through the crowd.
"Is that the demon fox?"
"Why is Hokage-sama walking with him?"
"Don't tell me... Hokage-sama is actually sending that thing to school?"
"No way—my kid has to go to school with that demon fox? That's terrifying!"
"Why hasn't Hokage-sama locked him up?"
With Naruto's enhanced hearing, these comments weren't whispers—they were crystal clear.
He was sure that the Third Hokage, that sly old bastard, heard them even more clearly than he did.
But Hiruzen Sarutobi only smiled, playing the role of the benevolent old man. He waved and greeted the villagers like nothing was wrong.
Naruto couldn't help but admire him.
In a bitter, sarcastic way.
This old bastard… how is he so shameless right to my face?
Thankfully, Naruto had long grown numb to their glares, their whispers, and their hatred.
Soon, the children of Konoha's prestigious ninja clans arrived, accompanied by their parents.
The Nara Clan, Yamanaka Clan, Akimichi Clan, Hyūga Clan, Uchiha Clan, and others all gathered at the entrance.
Nara Shikaku came first, bringing along his son Shikamaru, and respectfully greeted the Third Hokage.
Then came the rest of the Ino-Shika-Chō trio.
Yamanaka Inoichi arrived with his daughter Ino, and Akimichi Chōza brought along his son Chōji. Both men politely greeted Hiruzen.
From the Hyūga Clan, Hiashi Hyūga showed up with a small figure hiding behind him—his daughter, Hinata.
The Inuzuka Clan'sTsume Inuzuka arrived shortly after, accompanied by her wild child Kiba, and also bowed to the Hokage.
At that moment, almost all of Konoha's major clans had gathered around the Third Hokage.
For the civilian families nearby, it was rare to see so many prominent figures in one place. There was awe, curiosity… and tension.
Standing outside the gathering crowd, Naruto quietly observed the scene.
He sneered inwardly.
This old fox really knows how to put on a show.
He walked me all the way here, like we're close or something... and now he just dumps me to the side like a delivery.
When those clans came up to greet him, Hiruzen only exchanged a few pleasantries before pushing Naruto aside like an afterthought.
Still—
A small, timid gaze peeked at him from behind Hiashi Hyūga.
Hinata.
She was shyly watching him from behind her father's leg.
And that simple, innocent look made Naruto feel a little better.
Little Hinata's still adorable.
While Naruto was looking at Hinata—
Someone else was watching him.
Nara Shikamaru, standing beside his father, had been quietly observing the scene.
He clearly saw Naruto walk in with the Hokage, which was definitely out of the ordinary.
The village called him a "demon fox," yet he had just walked up like he belonged—with the Hokage himself.
It didn't make sense.
If everyone hates him, why does Hokage-sama treat him like that?
And if Hokage-sama really cares, why doesn't he do something about how people treat him?
Young as he was, Shikamaru couldn't make sense of it.
So he stopped thinking about it.
"What a pain..." he muttered under his breath.
Still, the adults—the ones who really understood—stood quietly.
Shikaku, Inoichi, Chōza... They all knew the truth.
That Naruto wasn't just the Nine-Tails' Jinchūriki.
He was also the son of the Fourth Hokage.
But no one spoke of it.
And so, with the greetings finally finished, the Third Hokage turned back toward the school.
It was time to officially begin the first day at the Konoha Ninja Academy.
...
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