But Menma's expression remained unchanged.
For five, nearly six years, he had long grown accustomed to these stares. So what if he was despised and rejected by ignorant people? Menma didn't care. He wasn't the Naruto from the original story, desperate for the villagers' approval.
His mind was focused solely on two things: survival, and revenge against his enemies.
Anything else? Not his problem.
Iruka, however, was trying hard to look calm but was internally worried. He was terrified that the hostility might provoke Menma. Seeing the boy's placid expression, Iruka finally let out a sigh of relief.
A Jinchūriki's emotions needed to remain stable. If they lost control, the Tailed Beast could go on a rampage—something that had happened several times in the shinobi world over the past few decades.
They walked straight down the main road and soon arrived at the main gate of the Ninja Academy.
Outside, a long line had already formed. These were all civilian children of age. Children from ninja clans didn't need to queue here; they had likely already molded chakra and proven their potential, bypassing the initial screening.
But for civilians, unless their parents were ninja, most didn't have access to chakra training methods. They had to go through the Academy's initial screening to confirm they had the aptitude to become ninja.
Menma, naturally, skipped this step.
Guided by Iruka, he walked straight through the main gate and into the largest administrative building at the back of the campus.
After completing the enrollment paperwork, Iruka led Menma to the classroom assigned to his class.
"Menma, starting today, you are officially a student of the Ninja Academy. Remember to study hard and get along well with your classmates."
Standing outside the classroom door, Iruka crouched down, patted Menma's head again, and spoke in a soft, encouraging tone.
"Yes, Iruka-sensei. I will. Don't worry," Menma nodded obediently.
He wasn't going to beg for everyone's approval like the original Naruto, but he wouldn't turn a cold shoulder to those who showed him kindness.
Iruka had made a good impression on him—not just from the anime, but from their actual interaction in this life.
"Good. Let's go in," Iruka said with a smile.
He pushed open the door and led Menma inside.
The classroom was noisy and chaotic.
Their arrival only caught the attention of a few kids in the front row. Most of the children were still busy doing their own thing.
"Go on," Iruka said, unbothered by the chaos. This was just how kids were. He patted Menma on the shoulder.
Menma nodded and walked down the aisle. Under the curious gazes of some children, he calmly made his way to the back row, taking a seat in the corner.
Unlike their parents, these kids didn't look at him with malice. At most, they were just curious about his bright red hair.
Menma had no intention of socializing with them. They were just passing figures in his life. Why bother?
The only ones he paid slightly more attention to were the "Konoha 12" from the original series.
Their appearances were iconic: Shikamaru Nara, Shino Aburame, Sakura Haruno, Ino Yamanaka...
Of course, the two who drew his attention most were Hinata Hyūga and Sasuke Uchiha.
Hinata sat quietly in a corner, pure and flawless like a white lily.
Sasuke, currently in his "too cool for school" phase, was surrounded by a gaggle of fan-girls despite being a literal child.
But no matter what he thought internally, Menma kept a poker face. After a few glances, he sat down, propped his chin on his right hand, and stared out the window.
"Ahem..."
Just as Iruka stepped up to the podium and cleared his throat to speak...
Creak.
The door opened again.
A golden figure walked in.
Unlike Menma's arrival, this golden figure instantly grabbed the attention of more than half the room. Even the kids who hadn't noticed at first turned to look when they saw the expressions on their friends' faces.
The moment they recognized the newcomer, the room exploded with shock and excitement.
"Whoa! It's Master Naruto!"
"No way! Is Master Naruto in our class?!"
"This is amazing!"
"I can't believe I'm classmates with Lord Fourth's son! I have to tell my mom and dad!"
"Master Naruto!"
"Master Naruto!"
The civilian children, in particular, couldn't hide their excitement.
Even Iruka on the podium froze for a moment.
In the corner, Menma stared blankly.
Naruto?
It wasn't that he hadn't considered the possibility, but seeing Naruto actually walk into his class caused a ripple of emotion in his heart.
In the front rows, Shikamaru, Shino, Kiba, and the others all looked at Naruto with varying expressions.
Hinata? She was already lost in her own world, her eyes fixed solely on him.
Even the aloof Sasuke Uchiha spared Naruto a few glances. He could ignore everyone else, but Naruto was the son of the Fourth Hokage—the village's "Prince." Even a proud Uchiha had to take him seriously.
"Ah, Iruka-sensei. Master Naruto will be in your class from now on. Please take good care of him," said a young Leaf ninja who had escorted Naruto—clearly his personal bodyguard.
"Iruka-sensei, I look forward to learning from you," Naruto said, bowing politely to Iruka.
His core personality hadn't changed from the original, but his upbringing was vastly different. As the hero's son, Naruto had been taught manners and etiquette fitting his station.
He was the "Young Master" whom most villagers revered.
"Oh? It is my honor, Master Naruto," Iruka replied quickly, bowing slightly in return with a touch of respect.