Without even realizing it, Naruto was grinning like an idiot—staring straight ahead, completely zoned out, and already imagining ridiculous pranks he might pull on the legendary members of his new "Chat Group."
Would they freak out if he dropped a Sexy Jutsu on them?
Could he convince them to argue about who was cooler—the Fourth Hokage or Madara?
Just the idea had him fighting back laughter.
Unfortunately, that expression didn't go unnoticed.
Iruka squinted from the front of the room, massaging his temples in frustration. Is that idiot smiling to himself again? What is going on in that head of his? For a moment, Iruka thought maybe—maybe—Naruto had changed just a little… but that goofy grin killed the illusion.
"Naruto!!! Pay attention to class already!" Iruka bellowed, shaking the room.
Naruto flinched, snapping back to reality. "Ah—sorry, Iruka-sensei!" he said, scratching the back of his head with a sheepish grin. The entire class giggled, already used to the show.
What Naruto didn't notice, however, was that the chat group screen behind his thoughts was now brimming with activity—messages flowing in like a stream from beyond time itself.
Iruka sighed deeply and continued, "It's time to begin the Graduation Exam."
Those words instantly turned Naruto's palms clammy.
This is it.
Outwardly, he smiled with exaggerated confidence, raising a fist and whispering, "I got this." But inside, doubt gnawed at him. What if I fail again? What if I'm the only one left behind?
Naruto's mind was more complicated than anyone guessed. Behind his energy and antics was a will forged through rejection. A normal kid would have given up by now. But not Naruto. He had something no one else his age—or maybe any age—had.
A will to keep standing, even when no one stood with him.
After all, what kind of lunatic tries a Sexy Jutsu against a war-hardened shinobi in combat and actually wins a reaction?
Yeah. That's Naruto Uzumaki.
Iruka began calling the students forward one by one for their turn in the Clone Jutsu exam.
Naruto watched them go. Some nailed it effortlessly. Others fumbled but passed.
And then—finally—it was his turn.
Naruto stood and leapt down the stairs to the exam room with a familiar, loud confidence. His entrance, bursting with energy and optimism, made Iruka smile softly. There was something about this kid… Even when he knew the odds, he still walked forward.
Iruka nodded at him.
Naruto nodded back. But this time, he didn't say anything. He took a deep breath, steeling himself.
Then, slowly, he brought his hands together.
Tiger → Boar → Ox → Dog.
"Clone Jutsu."
A puff of smoke exploded on stage—dense and heavy—and Naruto's heart skipped a beat as it cleared.
Standing beside him... was a lopsided, pale-looking version of himself. The clone wobbled unsteadily like it was about to collapse, eyes spinning slightly. It looked more like a poorly made scarecrow than a person.
Naruto's stomach sank.
Iruka frowned, glancing from the clone to Naruto, visibly torn. Mizuki, standing beside him, didn't hide his disappointment.
"Naruto Uzumaki—fail."
The words struck like cold iron.
Naruto didn't argue. Didn't protest. He just turned silently and walked off the stage, hands clenched at his sides.
Iruka hesitated, wanting to say something. But he didn't. He couldn't. What could he say that wouldn't sound hollow?
Behind him, Mizuki's lips curled into a slow, calculating smile.
Outside, Naruto wandered the empty school corridor, his steps heavy. His chest felt tight. His muscles ached. He didn't want to cry—but the sting of failure sat deep in his bones.
No one to talk to. No shoulder to lean on.
Just another failure... like always.
But then—a soft ding echoed in his mind.
Naruto stopped.
A flicker of blue light danced in the corner of his vision.
The Chat Group…!
His eyes lit up again, just a little.
Right. I'm not done yet. Not until I've used every card I've got.
His voice was quiet but firm. "No… Not yet. I'm not giving up that easy."
He looked at the shimmering interface. So many names. So many powerful shinobi. And a thought popped into his head like a flash of lightning. Wait... how do I even ask them to teach me jutsu?
A giant cartoonish question mark practically hung over his head as he stared at the screen, lost in thought.
[Host may now send a greeting to the Chat Group.]
[......] [Enter]
Naruto leaned back slightly in his chair, eyes twinkling with mischief as he stared at the glowing screen. "Heh."
No need to hold back now.
With a simple thought, words began forming on the screen. Naruto grinned as the message assembled line by line:
[My name is Uzumaki Naruto, the one who will become the strongest Hokage in the future.]
The moment it appeared, the entire chat group fell into a sudden hush.
Naruto's message didn't just pop in like the others—it glowed in golden light, with a radiant halo surrounding it like a divine announcement. Dozens of usernames that had been actively chatting just moments ago were suddenly silenced.
Heh, nailed it! Naruto thought proudly. Perfect intro.
He had no idea that the silence wasn't because of his bold claim—but because of how different his message looked compared to everyone else's.
The golden glow, the chosen tag, the "leader" badge... all signs that this boy wasn't just another soul in the void. He was special.
Even they were not idiots. Not being able to guess why this personality is not common like them within the group and is specially highlighted by a weird illusion, which claims to help them reincarnate again using some kind of process.
...
[Shinobi God: What is this strange genjutsu, is it even a genjutsu or what? And can I really reincarnate again, using this weird thing?]
[Brother of God: Brother, are you there... I am in a strange space.]
[Shinobi God: Tobirama! Oh, little bro, good that you are also here.]
[Legend of Uchiha: It is not genjutsu; I can use sharingan here and I don't think anything this real can be genjutsu.]
[Legend of Uchiha: Though calling yourself god, look like you really are Hashirama.]
Naruto was also quite knowledgeable when it came to legend and Hokage, so he knew quite well about Hashirama and Tobirama. Both of them are the first and second Hokage of the hidden village of Konoha and are also called the god of shinobi for some reason, Hashirama. While the other one was not that famous, he was also super strong; that is all he knew about it.
[Shinobi God: Haha! You are also here, Madara, what's with that name? Cringy...]
[Legend of Uchiha: Just shut up, idiot! Talking to you can be infectious.]
[Brother of God: Haha, it is good to hear that you are dead, Madara! At least, by joining this group, I can hear such a fine news.]
[Shinobi God: Haha, you havent changed much, brother; even after death, you are still obsessed with Uchiha clan, huh!]
[Brother of God: They are such a threat, so of course, I have to pay more attention to it.]
[My name is Uzumaki Naruto, the one who will become the strongest Hokage in the future.]
Seeing Naruto chat, almost all of them shut off. At this moment, In an pure white land, two figures, a red-haired beauty and a blond-haired man, could be seen standing silently, watching the chat with tears shimmering in their gaze.
When an alert message appeared in front of them.
[Warning: Host cannot know about your relationship yet.]
[I hope, lord forth and Miss Kushina can held back that information for a while; in return, I can set activate, video function and you can see the surrounding of Naruto including him.]
The moment Kushina was about to call Naruto, the warning appeared, and knowing that this was the only link connecting them with him, she did not want to cut it off.
[Kushina: Sure, I can do this, but can you tell me why...]
[System: Yes! Given Naruto's current position, divulging his connection with lord fourth, and his personality might lead him into a trouble, though Miss Kushina could talk to Naruto directly as an relative with Uzumaki clan name.]
It was a short explanation, but it was more than enough for Kushina to shut it off, as she agreed, and the moment her surroundings turned into that of Konoha academy where, the blond-haired boy was sitting looking at air silently with a big smile.
Kushina bit her lip and swallowed the pain.
Minato placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. She nodded silently.
In the next moment, the white space around them shimmered and transformed—into the inside of Konoha's academy. And there, at a lone desk, sat a boy with bright blue eyes and whisker-marked cheeks…
Smiling at the air like a dork.
Tears finally slipped down Kushina's face.
Back in the chat:
[Naruto Uzumaki: So... yeah! Welcome to my group! This is my first time being a leader and all, but I'll try to be a good one!]
[Naruto Uzumaki: If there's anything I can do for you, let me know.]
[Naruto Uzumaki: Also… if it's okay, could you all help me too? With the 'sharing' thing from the system?]
[Naruto Uzumaki: Ahhh, whatever. I'll do my best! Just help me get stronger! Please!]
The message was genuine. Honest. Pure Naruto.
And somehow, the ancient shinobi who once ruled the world with fear and respect… paused.
Not because he was strong.
But because he reminded them of something they had all lost.
Hope.
Just then, a second system notice appeared for everyone:
[SHARE FUNCTION UNLOCKED: Members may now share their Ninjutsu, Taijutsu, Chakra Affinities, Experience, and even Talent with the host. However, mastery depends entirely on the host's own effort.]