Naruto lounged at the back of the classroom, his feet propped up on the desk, casually flipping through a red book on medical ninjutsu. It was a subject he had dedicated himself to for the last two years. With his Mutengan was fully matured, he could calculate the most optimal chakra usage with greater efficiency than Tsunade herself. His chakra control was flawless.
That didn't mean he was a master. Far from it. He still had a way to go before mastering the intricacies of healing techniques. Thankfully, Vision had an entire 'database'(as he like to call it) of knowledge on anatomy, medical practices, and surgical procedures. Naruto scoffed at the thought, turning another page.
Why couldn't Vision just call it a brain like a normal person?
The classroom was still mercifully empty, with a few minutes left before the last day of their Academy career officially started. Naruto couldn't be happier. Four years of putting up with arrogant clan heirs, their superiority complexes, and the absolute circus that was his siblings' oversized egos. And don't even get him started on the bubblegum banshee with a mouth big enough to swallow a shuriken whole. And she was self-conscious about her large forehead? The irony.
He had planned to enjoy these last moments of peace before graduation, avoiding most of his classmates altogether. But, of course, fate had other plans.
The door slid open with a sharp thud, and just like that, his solitude was over.
His peers spilled into the room in noisy clusters, their voices filling the space as they headed toward their usual seats. Most were too busy chattering about the exam to pay attention to him. But a few paused mid-step, their gazes locking onto him in confusion.
Naruto resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Amateurs. Not a single one recognized him. And they had the audacity to call themselves future shinobi? He flipped another page, ignoring them.
That lasted all of two minutes before a familiar, ear-piercing screech scraped against his eardrums.
Naruto sighed heavily, lowering his book just enough to see a very irate, very loud pink-haired girl standing at the front of the room. Her finger was pointed directly at him, her face twisted into an expression of outrage and condescension.
"Who the hell are you, and what are you doing in our classroom?!" Sakura Haruno demanded, her voice loud enough to rattle the windows.
Naruto could almost see the imaginary red tick mark pulsing on her forehead. Typical. Before he could even think about responding, another shrill voice chimed in.
"Yeah! Sakura's right! You're in the wrong class, baka!" The blonde menace—Yamanaka Ino—crossed her arms and glared, like she had just declared herself judge, jury, and executioner.
Naruto barely resisted the urge to slam his head against the desk. Engaging these two was as pointless as arguing with a brick wall. It was painful, stupid, and only ended in frustration.
From behind Sakura, a certain dark-haired Uchiha stared at him through hooded black eyes, his expression unreadable. Naruto knew that look all too well—Sasuke was analyzing him, weighing his worth, deciding if he was a threat. As if the arrogant bastard could even comprehend the kind of power Naruto wielded. Sasuke's ego was too fragile to accept anyone else being better than him.
The other clan heirs had also taken notice, though their reactions were more muted. Most of them narrowed their eyes, likely assuming he was some kind of outsider who had wandered in by mistake. Only one person saw through him.
Shikamaru.
The Nara's sharp gaze flickered with recognition, his usual lazy expression giving way to a moment of clarity and surprise. Naruto simply nodded at him, a silent acknowledgment. Shikamaru blinked, sighed, and promptly laid his head back down on his desk, returning to his nap. Figures.
Before Sakura could run her mouth again, the classroom door slid open once more, and four figures stepped inside. Typical. Menma and Mito strutted in alongside Iruka and Mizuki, all but radiating confidence. They were probably here to brown-nose their way to a perfect score.
Menma, as lazy as ever, only got by because he was their mother's golden boy. If it weren't for Kushina constantly pushing him forward, he'd have slacked off ages ago. Mito, on the other hand, actually had a strong work ethic—not that it stopped her from spending an embarrassing amount of time ogling Sasuke from across the room. At least she wasn't as fanatical as the other girls. Not that Kushina would ever allow her daughter to turn into a useless fan girl.
As the students continued their chatter, Iruka and Mizuki made their way to the front desk. Behind them, the large blackboard loomed, still covered in yesterday's chalk dust. The class remained a whirlwind of noise and movement, while the two instructors sorted through stacks of final exam papers.
Once they were finished, Iruka attempted to get the class under control. No one listened. So, naturally, he resorted to his signature Big Head Jutsu.
"EVERYONE, SETTLE DOWN!" Iruka's voice boomed, his head doubling in size as he loomed over the students like a wrathful deity. Spit flew in all directions, forcing the front row to lean away.
Silence fell instantly, save for a few snickers. Rubbing the scar that ran across the bridge of his nose, Iruka sighed before continuing.
"As you all know, today is your graduation exam. You will be tested in four categories: academics, taijutsu, weapons, and finally, ninjutsu."
The class collectively buzzed with excitement, but Iruka cut them off before the chatter could start again.
"The first portion of the test will be conducted in this classroom. Afterward, we will move to the training grounds, where the Hokage and his advisors will personally oversee the rest of your evaluations. Your parents will also be allowed to attend."
Excited whispers rippled through the room at the mention of parents watching the exam. Naruto couldn't care less. His 'parents' meant nothing to him anymore. Once he graduated, he was free. Free to live life on his own terms, away from the toxic clan he left behind.
Naruto pulled his feet off the desk, sliding the red book into his pants pocket before leaning forward. He rested his chin on his hands, listening with mild disinterest.
"For those who pass, you will take your first step as shinobi of the Leaf. Wear your headbands with pride—"
A hand shot into the air, cutting Iruka off mid-sentence. Sakura. Iruka's brow twitched in irritation, already suspecting he wasn't going to like what came next.
"Sorry, sensei," Sakura said, her tone laced with barely concealed smugness. "But I have to inform you that there's a student in this class who doesn't belong here."
Several heads swiveled in Naruto's direction. Even Shikamaru, who had been on the verge of another nap, lifted his head just to scoff.
Iruka and Mizuki turned to him as well, clearly caught off guard.
Naruto rolled his eyes. Sakura might be book smart, but she had the common sense of a brick.
He leaned back lazily, tilting his head to the side. "Sakura, I get that you can't help trying to be the center of attention—especially when you're desperate for Duck-Butt to notice you."
His casual jab earned a scowl from Sasuke and a collective shriek of outrage from his fan club.
Naruto simply smirked. "But we both know he only has eyes for one person. So unless you've suddenly grown black hair, tied it into a ponytail, and awakened red, funky eyes, your chances are about as good as catching a kunai with your forehead."
Laughter rippled through the class. Choji nearly choked on a potato chip, forcing Shikamaru to slap him on the back. Kiba barked out a laugh, nearly toppling over his desk, while Akamaru yipped in amusement. Sakura, meanwhile, turned scarlet, fists clenched as she looked ready to explode.
Naruto wasn't done.
He grinned, resting his chin on his palm. "Tell you what, let's do a little logical deduction before the real test, Sakura. Since you're such a genius, this should be easy."
Her eyebrow twitched, but she stayed silent.
"Here's the question: who, in this class, is missing? Someone who's usually obnoxious, loud-mouthed, has blonde hair, blue eyes, and wears an orange tracksuit?"
Sakura blinked. It took a solid two seconds for her brain to catch up.
Her eyes bulged, and her jaw nearly hit the desk. "N-Naruto?! No way—no, you can't be Naruto!" she screeched.
The classroom fell into stunned silence as dozens of wide-eyed teenagers gawked at him like he'd just grown a second head. You'd think they'd never seen someone glow up before. Naruto could practically taste their disbelief—it was delicious.
Vision chuckled softly in the back of his mind, the AI having been silently observing the day's events with far too much amusement.
"What's so funny?" Naruto muttered, resisting the urge to roll his eyes. He wanted to savor the stunned faces of his classmates a little longer. There was something immensely satisfying about shaking their narrow-minded little worldview to its foundation.
"Just imagining Mizuki's face when he realizes all those years of sabotaging your education were for nothing," Vision replied smoothly.
Naruto smirked under his mask. He didn't need to look to know Mizuki was seething—his jaw clenched tight, one eye twitching. Subtle, sure, but Naruto had been trained to notice those tells. Between Vision and the old man, he could read people like a book now.
A loud snort broke the silence, snapping the rest of the class out of their collective daze.
"Oh, please!" someone scoffed. "Don't act all tough just 'cause you've got new clothes. You're still a loser."
The insult was met with laughter and nods from a few students, though Naruto noticed some of the girls—and even a couple of the boys—blushing slightly and giggling for an entirely different reason. Sasuke, on the other hand, was glaring at him like Naruto had killed Itachi and stolen his revenge fantasy.
"What's wrong with them?" Naruto thought with a mental grimace. "Are they getting sick or something?"
Vision's laughter echoed louder inside his head now.
"What's so funny?" Naruto asked again, more irritated this time.
But the crimson-hued AI only laughed harder, sounding suspiciously like he was wheezing. Naruto scowled. Great. Malfunctioning sarcasm bot. Just what I needed.
"Hey!" Menma suddenly shot to his feet, fists clenched and eyes blazing. "Stop ignoring me and answer my question! Where did you get that outfit and those swords?"
Naruto scoffed and tilted his head slightly, voice dripping with mockery. "What's it to you? I know it's hard for your three brain cells to keep up, but not everyone cares when you open your mouth. Secondly, it's none of your business where I got them."
He leaned back in his chair and gave Menma a lazy look that only made the other boy fume harder.
"And lastly," Naruto continued with a smirk, "why would I care about the opinion of a guy who still can't master his dad's signature jutsu after six years of trying?"
Menma's face turned a furious shade of red, his cheeks puffing out like the frogs he used to play with back in their early Academy days. Laughter rippled across the room—this time sharper, meaner—and even a few teachers struggled not to react.
"Oh yeah?" Menma snapped, eyes narrowing, voice dripping with venom. "Well, at least Dad taught us the Rasengan and not some—some disgrace like—"
Whatever insult he'd been cooking up died on his tongue.
Naruto raised one hand, palm up, and calmly gathered chakra. Azure-blue tendrils spiraled into his hand, swirling faster and tighter until a perfectly formed Rasengan thrummed with power, glowing in the center of his palm. The humming sound it gave off grew louder, sharper—impossible to ignore.
The class went dead quiet.
Naruto's smirk widened as he stared Menma down, the orb casting a soft blue glow over his face. "You were saying?"
Menma and Mito's jaws dropped so low they could've scooped up dust from the floor.