"Heh heh… Naruto, I've looked over your grades. Very impressive."
The Sarutobi Hiruzen smiled kindly.
"But Iruka mentioned that your attitude in class seems a bit… lacking. Do you not enjoy Iruka-sensei's lessons?"
"Lord Hokage," Uzumaki Naruto replied honestly,
"I just find the classes a little boring, so I end up daydreaming. Most of what they teach—I already learned from you before I enrolled."
He paused, then added calmly,
"Have any of the other teachers said I cause problems in class?"
It was shortly after dinner when Naruto noticed the Third Hokage approaching his apartment. Combined with Iruka's earlier reaction, Naruto was certain this was a deliberate home visit.
"Well…" Hiruzen said thoughtfully,
"the other instructors didn't bring it up individually. But since Iruka is your homeroom teacher, they asked him to speak with me about your lack of attentiveness."
"But my exam results are fine," Naruto said.
"I don't think I've dragged the class down."
Hiruzen paused briefly, his expression still warm.
"Naruto, the Ninja Academy doesn't only evaluate grades. After graduation, both the homeroom teacher and the subject instructors submit evaluations to me based on each student's conduct and performance."
"I use those evaluations to assign a jōnin instructor."
"If you behave poorly in school, your evaluation won't be favorable—and the jōnin assigned to you may already have a negative impression."
Naruto looked at him strangely, then fell silent for a moment.
"…Then why don't I just not graduate?" Naruto asked evenly.
"Or maybe I should drop out now—am I still in time?"
"Cough—cough!"
Hiruzen was clearly caught off guard. He cleared his throat, maintaining his gentle tone.
"Naruto, don't think that way. Once you've learned to use chakra and perform ninjutsu, you're already a shinobi."
"There's no such thing as not graduating… or dropping out."
Naruto lowered his head, appearing thoughtful.
Yet inwardly, his mind was racing.
That's different from the original timeline…
In the original story, when Iruka complained about Naruto, the Third Hokage had clearly stated that if Iruka truly couldn't accept him, Naruto would have been allowed to leave the Academy.
Why did my little test just now receive such a completely different answer?
Seeing Naruto silent, head lowered, Hiruzen assumed he was upset and was about to comfort him when a voice called from outside.
"Lord Hokage!"
Hiruzen's expression shifted slightly. He stood and gently patted Naruto's shoulder.
"Naruto, I'll visit you again another time. Don't worry—once you graduate, I'll personally assign an excellent jōnin to guide you."
Naruto remained silent until he sensed the Hokage had moved a good distance away. Only then did he quietly close the door and head upstairs.
Sitting by the window, he looked up at the night sky.
A full moon hung overhead, bright and round like a silver disk.
It's the last full moon of the year.
Meanwhile — Hokage's Office
"Advisor Shimura Danzo, what happened?" Hiruzen asked gravely.
"Why would you send a Root operative to report directly to me? And why is the Barrier Team here as well?"
Hiruzen had just returned when he saw Danzo and the head of the Barrier Team both wearing grim expressions.
"Hiruzen," Danzo said, leaning on his cane,
"we've received intelligence that the Uchiha's dissatisfaction with the village has escalated again. The entire Konoha Police Force is reinforcing their armaments."
"And the Barrier Team detected a suspicious individual repeatedly breaching the barrier near the Uchiha compound."
Danzo handed over two reports.
Hiruzen skimmed the first—ANBU had already provided similar intelligence. That situation was under control.
But the second report made his expression harden.
An unknown individual slipping in and out of the Uchiha district.
This again…
It reminded him of the mysterious presence detected while he had been away from the village.
And hadn't there been a similar report near the Forest of Death on the night Uchiha Shisui died?
Hiruzen reread the document, then looked meaningfully at Danzo.
Danzo narrowed his eyes and nodded faintly before turning and leaving.
Only Hiruzen and the Barrier Team leader remained.
Moments later, Hiruzen turned toward the window.
"Hayate."
"Here."
A figure appeared silently—it was Gekkō Hayate.
"Go get Hatake Kakashi."
"Understood."
Time Skip
The new year arrived.
Konoha Year 55.
The Ninja Academy reopened once more.
That morning, each student underwent an individual New Year evaluation. Although last year's results had already been distributed, Iruka had not yet made them public.
Now, standing at the podium, Umino Iruka began reading from the score sheets.
"Now, I'll announce the top three results for the New Year Evaluation."
"First place: Uzumaki Naruto."
"Second place: Uchiha Sasuke."
"Third place: Haruno Sakura."
The classroom exploded.
"What?!"
"That dead-last got first place?!"
"No way!"
"Iruka-sensei must've made a mistake!"
Yet Iruka's eyes were fixed on Naruto.
The boy looked completely unfazed—still zoning out in his corner as if nothing had happened.
Iruka frowned and turned to Sasuke.
To his surprise, Sasuke was also distracted, clearly lost in thought, indifferent to the noise around him.
Then Iruka looked at Sakura—
She was staring dreamily at Sasuke, eyes full of admiration.
Iruka's expression darkened.
Problem students… all of them.
"Naruto, you got first place?"
"Mm." Naruto replied calmly inside the seal.
"Surprised, Father?"
Namikaze Minato looked at him oddly.
"This isn't like you at all…"
"I had no choice," Naruto said evenly.
"Last year, didn't the Third Hokage say I can't not graduate—and can't drop out either?"
"If I'd placed last, do you think he wouldn't come knocking immediately?"
Minato blinked.
"…You're not wrong."
Naruto tilted his head slightly.
"By the way, Father… there's something I've always wondered."
"You were once Hokage—so how come you knew so few jutsu?"
Minato stiffened.
"What kind of nonsense is that?"
"I heard the Third Hokage is said to have mastered every jutsu in Konoha," Naruto continued calmly.
Minato's expression sharpened.
"That's exaggerated. While the Third earned the title 'Professor of Ninjutsu', aside from a few forbidden and sealing techniques, he mainly mastered all five chakra natures."
Naruto's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Then why didn't you study more jutsu, Father?"
"I heard previous Hokage safeguarded a scroll containing forbidden techniques."
Minato's expression changed instantly.
"Naruto!"
"Are you thinking about stealing the Scroll of Seals?!"
(End of Chapter)
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