"Uchiha Sasuke, perfect score!"
With Iruka's approving voice, the fangirls crowded at the door, trying to see the scene inside quickly started to boast about the raven haired heart throb.
"As expected of Sasuke!"
"That's the Uchiha Clan's genius, a perfect score!"
"Amazing!"
Praise kept coming, and all eyes focused on the boy with a cold expression, sharp eyes, and high Cheek bones, giving his face the characteristic beauty that seemed to bless and curse all the Uchiha's that came before him.
Naruto was also looking at Sasuke, leisurely observing this future teammate of his.
"Next, Uzumaki Naruto!"
When his name was called, everyone started whispering. They discussed quietly while occasionally glancing at Naruto.
"The dead last, i bet he is going to use his perverted technique again. isn't he?"
"Hahaha!"
"That's how he was kicked out by Iruka-sensei last time."
"How obscene! People who use that kind of Ninjutsu are so disgusting!"
Naruto rolled his eyes at that last comment because he remembers that kid had taken a thorough look at his female form last time.
The discussion even made Sasuke, who was leaving, to turn around and glance in the door's direction. Naruto happened to enter the classroom at this time, noticing Sasuke's gaze as he turned around. He gave him a little smirk before their locked eyes were seperated by the closing door.
The assessment was brief, typically not exceeding a minute, so Sasuke didn't leave, and chose to stand there. Not because he was interested in the blond but because he had to rub it in his face when he finally realized just who is on top between the two of them.
After a moment of silence in the classroom, Iruka's voice, tinged with hesitation, announced, "Uzumaki Naruto, perfect score!"
Sasuke's eyes widened minutely. he wasn't surprised because Naruto could do the jutsu perfectly, but because he expected an angry iruka to kick Naruto out after he performed his sexy jutsu.
'A perfect score? He got a perfect score too!'
The students outside the door showed surprised expressions, and the surroundings fell silent, 'That guy who was always the dead last had scored perfectly in the exam.'
Even though performing one of the Three Basic Techniques didn't represent the final overall score, it was a crucial part of the Ninjutsu assessment. If someone got a perfect score in one of the Three Basic Techniques, it meant that they were sure to graduate.
At this moment, the door opened, and Naruto walked out of the classroom. His gaze swept over everyone, finally stopping on Sasuke in the distance.
Sasuke's expression remained unchanged. He just glanced at Naruto and then turned to leave.
'Its not that the blond is as good as me, its just that i got a perfect score because there wasn't a higher score to grant and he got a perfect score because that was the best he could manage.' The Uchiha comforted himself in this manner as he walked away from the annoying blond.
Naruto smiled and didn't take it to heart, 'As expected, he was very tsundere.'
After resolving his Chakra disorder problem, Naruto didn't take much time to gain basic proficiency with the Three Basic Techniques. It might also have something to do with the natural talent of this body, after all, he has the descendant of the Uzumaki Clans princess and the forth hokage of konohagakure.
Mastering the Three Basic Techniques meant he no longer needed to worry about the Graduation Exam.
After the mock exam, they could leave directly. Naruto also didn't linger and walked straight out.
When passing by Hinata, Naruto remembered how she had helped him out yesterday, so he stopped to say thank you.
"I left in a hurry yesterday, so... I'm sorry I'm only thanking you now."
"Thank you for helping me out, Hyuga san."
Hearing Naruto call her 'Hyuga san' again, Hinata deflated a little inside. She seemed a bit disappointed since Naruto had called her Hinata when departing the day before, but also happy because he talked to her without being prompted by Iruka Sensei.
"I-I didn't really help much... Y-You d-don't have to thank me, Naruto-kun." She mumbled as she looked down in embarrassment.
Hinata looked like a shy child being praised by their teacher in front of a classroom full of children. her tomato red face was especially eye catching with her dark raven hair.
'wonder if the original Naruto chose her because tomato's and raven hair subconsciously screamed sasuke in his mind.'
No matter how one described her, just standing there, Hinata easily radiated awkward pre teen crush syndrome.
It was precisely this awkward and slightly shy demeanor that made her the target of all those nasty child predators in the real world.
"Not at all Hyuga san." Naruto said, noticing that Hinata was becoming more and more embarrassed.
Only then did he realized there seemed to be more eyes on them. Naruto immediately recalled that the original Naruto didn't really take notice of hinata until after Neji beat her to near death.
If he kept talking to her, it might lead to rumors about Hinata, so he knew it was time to retreat.
"I'll be going now, Hyuga san, Anyway, thank you."
Naruto waved as he turned back and slowly left the Academy's hallway.
He thought to himself that he should be more cautious when interacting with people of the opposite sex, just in case it brings him trouble later on.
[befriending the Hyuga heiress + 2.2% nine tails chakra control]
The sudden mechanical voice in his mind startled Naruto.
Kyubi has always been a source of worry for him, and in the short term, it is indeed beneficial for him to gain Kyubi's power. However, Kyubi is just a stronger Chakra mass, essentially a temporary power. Since it is a power, it is easy for others to covet it. Whether it is Konoha who wants to use him as a weapon, or various forces that want to capture Kyubi in the future.
Naruto was conflicted because the nine tails chakra was very useful. Since it came at the cost of getting closer to his stalker, Naruto was unsure if getting more control would be worth the headache that was dealing with needy pre teen girls. He was already mentally exhausted thinking about it.
To be honest, Naruto would rather Kyubi be far away from him, ideally finding a new home and never having anything to do with him again. However, once Kyubi leaves his body, he, the Jinchuriki, couldn't survive. Such a heaven-defying setting made Naruto a bit frustrated. Since he now had the system, even if Kyubi is not in his body, Naruto can still use Kyubi's power.
So, unfortunately dealing with the massive chakra stored in him was not an option that could be ignored.
Naruto was very aware that having Kyubi was like Eren gaining the power of the Attack Titan. At the moment Eren gained that power, the things binding him were no longer the walls of Maria or the towering Titans, but the future that he saw, which symbolized his destiny.
His fate was determined the moment he gained the Attack Titan, and he was destined to be unable to break free of the shackles that forced him to make the choice to destroy the world.
The same is true for Naruto. Starting from obtaining Kyubi, to becoming the Child of Prophecy, and obtaining Sage Body. Step by step, it was not Naruto who chose to save the world, nor was it Naruto who chose to become a Hokage.
It was fate's doing. Everything seemed like an unbreakable shackle, forged by Jiraiya's death and Neji's blood, sacrificed for fate.
He wanted to take it easy, take it easy against that destined, unchangeable fate… to live for himself.
Nightfall.
By the river in the forest, a bonfire was burning slowly, and several fish were being slowly roasted over the fire.
A blond boy was fishing with a fishing rod. The moonlight in the forest was clear and still. Occasionally, the scales of fish could be seen glimmering on the rippling water.
The silent forest and the cold white crescent moon are reflected on the water.
With a rustling sound, a figure suddenly appeared beside Naruto, as if appearing out of thin air.
'Body Flicker Technique.'
Naruto had already sensed someone beside him and quickly turned to look. He then saw a Shinobi with long white hair standing in front of him.
"Mizuki sensei?" Naruto exclaimed, pretending to be surprised, "Why are you here?"
The person who came was none other than Iruka's good friend, Konoha's top schemer, Mizuki.
At this moment, Mizuki didn't know that he was already under the surveillance of Sandaime Hokage's crystal ball, and smiled at Naruto with a gentle face.
"Naruto, do you want to become stronger?"