At dawn, Sasuke was dragged out of bed by Mikoto and stumbled to the sink to wash up, half-asleep.
Dark circles hung under his eyes like he hadn't slept in days.
The moment he closed his eyes last night, the conversation between his father and his brother kept replaying in his mind.
His father wanted to use the fox inside Naruto to launch a coup and overturn the village's hard-won peace.
He couldn't understand it.
Why start a rebellion?
Why use Naruto?
And… was even becoming friends with Naruto part of Father's calculations?
Then what were he and Itachi supposed to be? Enemies of the coup? Traitors to the clan?
Sasuke felt lost.
What hurt him even more was yesterday's realization—
His family didn't fully trust him either.
They kept secrets from him.
Just like that, he had unknowingly been pushed outside the circle.
…Fine.
If that's how it was, then he would start hiding things too.
After breakfast, Sasuke jogged to the Ninja Academy, stuffed his bag into the drawer, and waited with the others for the final exam.
The test was divided into written and physical sections.
Written covered history, survival skills, math, and theory.
Physical was practical combat assessment.
During the written exam, Sasuke kept spacing out. His eyes drifted toward Naruto's seat again and again.
He didn't even turn in his paper early like usual.
For once, the "top genius" wasn't calm at all.
Naruto noticed the staring but ignored it.
He kept answering questions seriously.
Even if this was the last exam, he still planned to crush everyone with his grades.
Some habits were hard to quit.
Being number one felt nice.
During lunch break, Sasuke found Naruto sitting under a tree.
He hesitated, then asked quietly,
"Naruto… which do you think is more important? The village… or your family?"
Halfway through, he panicked.
"Don't misunderstand! I'm not targeting you or anything—I just want your opinion…"
Naruto narrowed his eyes.
But he didn't take offense.
In his previous life, he had lived alone just fine. Now he even had a giant grumpy fox roommate for company.
Honestly, life wasn't that bad.
His earlier idea of leaving Konoha was just about changing environments.
And maybe—just maybe—letting those idiots realize what happens when their jinchūriki walks off.
Good luck protecting yourselves then.
Still…
Sasuke asking him for life advice?
Psychological counseling from Naruto Uzumaki?
Wow. The world really was ending.
Looks like Sasuke already knew about the Uchiha–village conflict.
Naruto chuckled.
"If it were me, I wouldn't choose at all."
Sasuke blinked. "Huh?"
Naruto shrugged lazily.
"Village or family—why do I have to pick one? If you're strong enough, you protect both. Simple."
Sasuke fell silent.
He understood.
If he had Hokage-level strength, he wouldn't need to choose.
But right now…
He couldn't even beat Naruto.
Even if he made a choice, no one would care.
Naruto added,
"Choosing isn't what matters. What matters is picking something you won't regret later."
Sasuke lowered his head, thinking seriously.
Even if his words carried little weight at home… if he didn't speak at all, he'd regret it forever.
One day, he would convince his father and his brother himself.
When he looked up again, his eyes were brighter.
"Thanks. And… one more thing. The clan's atmosphere has been strange lately. Naruto, don't get too close to the Uchiha district."
After saying that, he left for the afternoon assessment.
Watching Sasuke's back disappear, Naruto sighed.
"Troublesome kid…"
He picked up Ninja World Geography and Customs from the ground and kept reading, already scouting future escape locations.
Land of Water? Too wet.
Land of Iron? Too many samurai.
Land of Snow? Sounds cold as hell.
Moving was such a pain.
Inside the seal, the Nine-Tails suddenly spoke.
"Kid… that little Uchiha knows something. His mood's off. And the malice around him? Almost like yours half a year ago."
Naruto frowned. "Was I really that bad?"
Kurama snorted.
"If I didn't block it for you, you would've scared civilians just by walking past them. My killing intent alone can make grown ninjas wet themselves."
Naruto: "…"
Fair.
Back then, his heart had been pretty dark.
Anyone treated like garbage every day would crack eventually.
Even a saint would turn twisted.
He stretched and grinned.
"That was before. Now I'm a bright, sunny, cheerful boy. Full marks in the Will of Fire."
Kurama rolled his eyes.
"Right. Says the guy who secretly saved Shisui, spent half a year brainwashing him, and quietly ruined half the clan's suicide plan. 'Bright and sunny,' my ass."
"…That's called strategy."
"Heh. Killing without blood. Scary kid."
A vein twitched on Naruto's forehead.
"That was for our escape plan! And Shisui's too nice to die like that."
Kurama chuckled and lay back down, pretending to sleep.
Conversation over.
Classic fox.
Naruto closed the book and headed toward the training grounds.
He had to perform well in the combat test and barely take first place.
After all, once he showed chūnin-level strength, the Third Hokage had reduced ANBU surveillance a lot.
Only during big events or when he left the village did the old man start spying again.
Paranoid grandpa behavior.
At the exam field, Naruto noticed something strange.
Not just his grade.
Third-, fourth-, even fifth- and sixth-year students were all gathered together.
And judging from the teachers' expressions… the rules had changed.
Naruto immediately understood.
"Old man, you really don't want me graduating early, huh…"
Couldn't refuse directly, so he was making the test harder instead.
Petty.
Unfortunately—
No matter how they changed it, it wouldn't be hard for him.
The only ones suffering would be the other students.
Poor guys.
Meanwhile, inside the Hokage's office.
The Third Hokage quietly took out his crystal ball and connected it to the cameras near the Academy, locking the view onto Naruto.
Then he lit his pipe.
Puff.
Smoke curled upward as he watched the exam like it was live television.
Old man surveillance mode: activated.
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