Chapter 12: A Year of Cats, Cash, and Graduation
Kakashi observed Naruto's sudden, almost alarming enthusiasm with a complex swirl of emotions. The boy, the dignified son of the Fourth Hokage, a hero of Konoha, was now vibrating with excitement over a meager pouch of ryo. It was a stark and painful reminder of the village's neglect.
"Ah, I will," Kakashi replied, his single visible eye holding a meaning Naruto couldn't quite decipher. Then, in a flicker of movement, he was gone.
Left alone, Naruto immediately tore open the pouch, his eyes gleaming as he counted the coins. "Six thousand ryo! That's... that's enough for Ichiraku ramen for days!" He tapped his chin, a serious expression on his face. "Hmm... or maybe two full meals at the barbecue place?"
After a moment of intense internal debate, the allure of sizzling meat won out. While Ichiraku's ramen was a comfort, grilled meat was a true luxury. By the end of the day, the entirety of his earnings had been happily converted into the satisfying aroma of grilled barbecue, leaving his pockets empty but his stomach full.
The next morning, Kakashi arrived at Naruto's apartment to find the boy already awake, washed, and sitting patiently on the edge of his bed, fully dressed. He looked like a model student awaiting his sensei.
Kakashi stared for a long, silent moment. '...This is unnerving.'
"Let's go," he finally said, recovering his nonchalant demeanor. "Today's task is relatively simple." As they walked, Kakashi showed Naruto a photograph. "Your mission is to find this cat."
Naruto glanced at the picture of the fluffy, disdainful-looking calico, then immediately formed a seal. "Shadow Clone Technique!"
With three soft puffs of smoke, three identical, lethargic Narutos appeared on the street.
"Go. Find the cat," the real Naruto ordered, pointing in different directions.
"Yaaawn... yeah, yeah," the clones mumbled in unison before shuffling off in a display of spectacular un-enthusiasm.
Kakashi watched them disperse, his curiosity piqued. "You used Shadow Clones for the farm work yesterday, too. You seem remarkably proficient with that jutsu. When did you learn it?"
Naruto didn't even look at him, his eyes scanning the rooftops. He knew this was another test, just like the kunai-to-the-throat wake-up call. But since he'd never sensed genuine malice from Kakashi, he played along. "About a month ago," he answered offhandedly.
"How?" Kakashi pressed, his visible eye casually scanning their surroundings while his mind worked. The Third Hokage's primary objective was for him to be a visible deterrent, a signal to any other factions—namely Danzo's Root—to keep their distance from the Jinchuriki. So far, it seemed to be working; he'd detected no other covert surveillance.
"I learned the Clone Technique, and then I just... learned this one," Naruto said with a shrug. It was the truth, in a way. His system had simply evolved the basic technique into its more advanced form.
Kakashi, of course, didn't believe him. Learning the chakra-intensive, highly complex Shadow Clone from the basic illusionary clone was like learning to forge a masterwork sword by first learning to whittle a stick. It was technically possible, but so improbable as to be laughable. He assumed Naruto was being evasive and let the matter drop, returning to his book.
They had barely reached the client's street when one of the clones came running back, the disgruntled calico tucked under its arm.
"Mission accomplished," the clone declared, shoving the cat at Kakashi. "Pay up."
Kakashi stared, dumbfounded. '...Well, that was efficient.'
He took the cat and handed the mission payment to Naruto. The client, a wealthy noble, had been generous. Naruto was now ten thousand ryo richer, ensuring his financial comfort for the entire week.
'Maybe Kakashi isn't so bad after all,' Naruto thought, a newfound respect for the lazy Jōnin blooming in his heart.
The weeks bled into months, a comfortable rhythm establishing itself. On weekends, Naruto would complete D-ranks with terrifying efficiency alongside Kakashi. On weekdays, he maintained his facade at the academy, his power growing steadily, silently, fueled by his ever-competitive internal system.
The only slight disappointment was that despite spending so much time with the famed Copy Ninja, his system had not derived a single one of Kakashi's signature techniques. Naruto had a theory. He glanced at the well-worn copy of Make-Out Paradise perpetually in Kakashi's hands. 'The system must be as unimpressed with his hobbies as I am,' he concluded. Though, he had to admit, turning a page of his own borrowed copy, 'Jiraiya's writing is... surprisingly engaging.'
A year passed in the blink of an eye. The air in the Ninja Academy grew thick with anticipation and anxiety as the annual graduation exam arrived.
In a quiet testing hall, Naruto stood before the proctors.
"Clone Technique!"
With a single, confident hand seal, a single, solid, and perfectly formed clone appeared beside him. It was a flawless execution, a world away from the shaky, transparent illusions he had once produced.
He passed without fanfare, offering only a brief nod to Iruka before walking out, coolly ignoring the intense, calculating stare from Mizuki, the other proctor.
"Uzumaki Naruto has improved a great deal," Mizuki commented, his voice deceptively light as he watched the boy leave.
"I'll say," Iruka replied, a proud, relieved smile spreading across his face. "A year ago, I was genuinely worried he wouldn't pass. To see him come so far... it's a wonderful surprise."
"Any idea what caused such a dramatic change?" Mizuki probed, his eyes narrowing slightly.
Iruka thought for a moment. "It must be Kakashi. For the last several months, Naruto's been accompanying him on D-rank missions. All that practical experience must have been the catalyst for his growth."
"D-rank missions?" Mizuki feigned surprise. "But he wasn't even a genin. How was that allowed?"
"It was a special arrangement by the Hokage himself," Iruka explained, shrugging. "I'm not entirely sure of the details."
Internally, Mizuki seethed. This complicated his plan. He had intended to exploit Naruto's ignorance and desperation to trick him into stealing the Scroll of Seals. But this new, competent, and apparently well-connected Naruto was a wild card. The boy was no longer the gullible, attention-starved outcast he once was.
A cold doubt settled in Mizuki's mind. 'Can I still manipulate him?'
(End of Chapter)