A group led by three boys blocked Naruto's path. One boy, even shorter than Naruto, shoved him.
"Monster, I heard your dream is to become Hokage?"
Shikamaru and Choji squeezed into the crowd just in time to hear the question. They thought Naruto would argue back, loudly declaring that he was the man who would become Hokage.
Yet... Naruto stayed unusually quiet.
Sunlight streamed through the academy gates, drawing a line of light and shadow at his feet.
Naruto stood in the sunlight. His golden hair seemed to have lost its sharpness, but he did not shrink back. His eyes locked onto the boy with unwavering focus.
The childishness in his face faded, ground down into indifference.
It was as if he had become someone else. Everything from before was like ashes, blown clean away by the summer breeze.
"Your eyes are disgusting. Keep staring and I'll beat you up!"
[System loading progress 99%]
Another boy shoved Naruto again, forcing him to stumble back a few steps.
The crowd only watched, whispering and laughing, with no intention of stepping in.
"Damn it, those clan kids are too much!" Choji, furious, wanted to intervene.
Shikamaru sighed, muttered "what a drag," and lazily started walking toward Naruto.
[System loading progress 100%]
[Option 1: Knock down the three in front of you and loudly declare that your dream is to become a Hokage stronger than the Fourth! Reward: Clone Technique mastery.]
[Option 2: Deny the dream of becoming Hokage and refuse to engage. Reward: Side effect of internal chakra disorder disappears.]
Naruto saw the panel. Noticing no one else reacted, he guessed only he could see it. Relieved, he focused on the choices.
The Clone Technique was one of the graduation exam's key subjects. If mastered, he could graduate smoothly. But because of the Nine-Tails' chakra, his own chakra was in constant disorder, making jutsu impossible to use properly.
One choice was a shortcut to solving the immediate problem of graduation. The other solved the root issue of chakra imbalance. Even if he'd still need time to practice the Clone Technique later, it was worth it.
"Um... Naruto-kun, he..." Hinata appeared from somewhere, speaking timidly.
"Huh? What are you saying? Can't hear you!"
The tall boy, Saimoku, didn't even bother listening to her. He turned straight back to Naruto, ignoring Hinata completely.
"Naruto-kun didn't do anything wrong..." Hinata, though afraid, still forced herself to speak.
"You're talking nonsense. So gross."
Saimoku dismissed her, unwilling to hear anyone else. His tone was downright crude.
"I never wanted to be Hokage. I'm not as childish as you. That's your ridiculous dream, isn't it?" Naruto said coldly. "But it's kind of pathetic."
"With your current strength, you might not even become proper ninja."
Naruto suddenly shoved Saimoku, the leader, without mercy.
"Do you think you can become Hokage? Can anyone in your clan?"
"You can't! Neither can they!"
"Wha... what are you saying?" Saimoku stammered, stepping back, shaken by Naruto's sharp gaze.
"People change, Saimoku."
"Go ask your father if he thinks I wouldn't dare burn down your house tomorrow and get away with it."
"Use that muscle-bound brain of yours and think carefully. Some things can be done. Some things cannot."
"Pah! Pathetic!" Naruto spat in his face, then walked off with a dark expression.
Skipping class wasn't new, but today he was doing it openly.
Saimoku froze, replaying Naruto's grim tone in his mind, unable to say a word.
"You're lying! That's not true!" the other two behind him shouted in shame and anger. Naruto's words had struck a nerve.
Boys who dreamed of becoming Hokage were sensitive, insecure. To have their dream exposed so bluntly under the sunlight made them lash out.
[Reward granted successfully.]
After the mechanical chime, Naruto felt a refreshing surge inside him, like drinking ice water on a scorching day.
He tried sensing his chakra's flow. This time, he could actually feel its direction. The chakra that once never responded now grew active.
Like a frozen spring suddenly boiling, every cell in his body was nourished by chakra. A wave of comfort rushed over him.
He couldn't help but shout, muttering how good it felt.
"Shikamaru, are my ears broken?" Choji tugged his sleeve, staring at Naruto's back. "Did Naruto just say he doesn't want to be Hokage?"
"Wasn't that his dream? Why suddenly..."
"Who knows?" Shikamaru said with his usual dead-fish eyes, looking indifferent. "That guy was scary just now. And what's so good about being Hokage anyway?"
"Always busy, no time to slack off."
"Don't say that. Naruto's already gone." Choji added, "If Iruka-sensei finds out he skipped class, he's done for!"
From the corner of the crowd, Hinata silently clenched her hands, watching Naruto leave.
Naruto-kun, you must be in so much pain now...
She wanted to follow him, but didn't have the courage. Just speaking up earlier had already drained all of her bravery. Facing so many people now was impossible.
Without Naruto, the academy felt unusually quiet. When Iruka found out Naruto had skipped, he scolded as usual.
No one carried paint buckets around as pranks, no one caused trouble in class. Everything seemed calm.
Even by sunset, Iruka hadn't found Naruto at the Hokage Rock. It was as if the naughtiest kid in class had vanished into thin air.
Just as Iruka started to panic, a soft voice called out.
"Iruka-sensei?"
"Hinata? Why are you here?" Iruka turned, surprised.
The girl stood shyly in the orange sunset, head lowered, face flushed like she'd been caught doing something bad.
"I... I came to look for Naruto-kun." Her voice was barely a whisper. "He didn't come to class all day... I was worried..."
Seeing her red face, Iruka smiled kindly.
"Little Hinata, you're worried about Naruto too, huh?"
"Don't worry. I'll make sure to find him. But it's late now, you should go home, or Hiashi-sama will be worried."
"N-no!" Hinata suddenly raised her voice, gathering all her courage. "Iruka-sensei, I... I want to look for Naruto-kun with you!"
Iruka was moved. His smile faltered for a moment. Looking at the sky, he answered gently.
"All right then. But only half an hour. If we don't find him, you must promise to go home."
"Yes! Thank you, Iruka-sensei!" Hinata nodded, excited.
...
"Huh? You're looking for me?" Naruto looked up, puzzled at the two, surprised Hinata was there too.
"Hinata, you came as well?" he asked.
"I..." Hinata lowered her head.
"I asked Hinata to help me look," Iruka explained. "I thought she might know where you'd be."
"I see." Naruto scratched his head. "So Iruka-sensei came because of the skipping thing?"
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