He tried to keep a conversation going with Miss Hisako, but it was impossible due to the chaos inside his head. In the end, he had to excuse himself and leave.
Naruto's mother's story had it all: the Kyūbi, a monster to hate; a heroic mother who had suffered for his well-being; and a hopeful future built upon that sacrifice.
It was chilling. It all seemed meticulously designed to mold the boy into a shinobi. As much as he wanted to be moved by the story, he couldn't.
Too convenient, he thought. It all smelled like a cover-up, no matter how I looked at it. He would feel terrible if the story were true, but he just couldn't believe it.
He wanted to check the records to see who had fallen that day, but it was useless. In Konoha alone, there were about thirteen thousand active ninja, and his mother, besides being on maternity leave, didn't necessarily have to belong to the village. The Land of Fire was divided into six provinces governed by the Feudal Lord.
Michael was in the Leaf Province, led directly by the Hokage, head of the country's military force. In total, there were around one hundred thousand shinobi in the entire territory, with the majority concentrated in the Leaf Province.
His mother could be anyone; there was no trail to follow. And in this world, DNA tests didn't exist yet.
He didn't expect to hit a dead end so soon. He needed to rise in rank to access deeper information, and for that, he had to become a shinobi.
This world is much crueler than the one I knew. I can't afford to waver.
He got so lost in his thoughts that he walked aimlessly until, coming back to his senses, he discovered he had reached the top of the Hokage Rock.
The stone looked polished, and the faces had details carved with impressive dedication.
Was it carved by hand or with Ninjutsu?
An irrelevant question, really. He sat atop the Fourth's head. The view of the village was marvelous: trees covered every corner in green and extended beyond the walls; farmlands produced wheat and rice, among other things; and a stream cut through the village, offering drinking water and fishing spots.
Not to mention the thousands of villagers living there. They were oblivious to what the future might hold for them. And that wasn't wrong, because he didn't know either.
The Chunin Exams, Orochimaru's attack, the Third's death, Sasuke's defecting, and so many other events... In reality, they didn't matter, because he had no certainty they were going to happen in this world.
He lay back on the hard stone and gazed at the clouds. Those were problems for protagonists.
"I am Naruto Hakaze."
Circumstances had changed. No one in this world knew him by his original name, and his prior knowledge was almost useless.
He had to become strong to satisfy his curiosity and become the master of his own destiny. He couldn't keep crying over the unfairness of his situation.
He spent the rest of his weekend studying and training. Hisako had given him several cooking tips that proved very useful.
Monday marked the start of his second week at the Academy. He had practiced the "Leaf Kata," hoping the previous week's schedule would repeat. This kata, designed by the Second Hokage, was a set of pre-established movements and forms that took into account posture, breathing, technique, and fluidity.
He was aware that a few days of practice wouldn't make a difference in real combat, but he had to start somewhere.
However, when Iruka arrived at the classroom, he pulled out a list and announced:
"Good morning, class. This is your last year in the Academy..."
Iruka's voice began to transform into a high-pitched ringing in Naruto's ears.
Why did he say it was our last year? Everyone knows the graduation age is twelve.
As he developed that train of thought, he understood the reason: that knowledge came from his previous world.
Then he remembered what Iruka had explained in Politics class. After the Third Shinobi War, Konoha and the other hidden villages suffered a substantial loss of ninjas. The recovery was going well… until the Kyūbi attack.
Added to the recent Uchiha Clan Massacre and rising tensions at the borders, it made sense that the final year—which was just review and refinement—had been scrapped.
"You will have three attempts for the graduation exam," Iruka continued. "Only the highest score will be taken into account. But that doesn't mean passing the first one is enough. You can strive to get a better grade in the following ones, as much of your future will depend on it."
Naruto raised his hand, and Iruka signaled him to speak.
"What happens if someone fails all three attempts?"
"Someone?" one of his classmates repeated in a mocking tone, provoking laughter in the room.
"What happens if I fail all three attempts?" Naruto insisted. This time, he didn't care about the taunts.
Several classmates stopped laughing and paid attention.
"You could repeat the year," Iruka replied.
Naruto almost jumped for joy. His two-year plan was still possible. There would be a black mark on his record, yes, but he preferred that to going out into the world unprepared.
"But that is up to the committee's decision," Iruka added. "In the worst-case scenario, you could be expelled from the Academy."
A chilling silence filled the room. Everyone knew the Academy invested many resources in their training and couldn't afford to waste them.
That meant if you failed and the committee didn't deem you fit to repeat, you wouldn't know what awaited you outside.
A civilian with knowledge of chakra could have their uses.