The start of a new term is, for most students, not exactly a joyful event, yet the feelings it stirs are complicated—equal parts dread and anticipation.
The dread comes from knowing the free, unbounded days of vacation are ending and the regimented rhythm of school life is about to resume.
The anticipation lies in finally reuniting with close friends, playing together and swapping holiday stories.
Naruto, however, feels rather indifferent about it.
He has no particular friends he's desperate to see and little interest in the lessons the academy teaches.
His time is reserved for something far more important.
To squeeze every minute dry, he left four Shadow Clones at home, each bent single-mindedly over the sealing scroll—reading, understanding, and trying to practice its contents.
His real body shows up for class on schedule, mainly because the academy still holds practical lessons and he can't afford to be absent if something unexpected happens.
Without the more advanced Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu, even Naruto's vast Chakra reserves can't maintain more than five stable clones.
He's tested his limit: once he passes five, the Chakra distribution turns unstable, producing defective clones that last only minutes and think at half-capacity—hardly worth the effort.
Four clones studying at home while the original sits in class is therefore the optimal setup.
Besides, ever since the Anbu surveillance was lifted, home has become the safest, most undisturbed study spot available.
As for the academy's current curriculum—the Three Basic Techniques: Substitution, Transformation, and basic Clone—these are child's play for someone who's long since left that stage behind.
It's important to note: the ordinary Clone Jutsu and the Shadow Clone Jutsu are entirely different arts.
The former creates an illusion with no substance, useful only for distraction; the latter produces solid duplicates that can attack, relay information, and, on dispersing, return all memories and sensations to the original.
Naruto didn't learn this B-rank Ninjutsu from any academy instructor.
He won it off Inuzuka Kiba in a bet.
Because the Inuzuka clan fights in tandem with their Ninken, they often use Shadow Clones to sow confusion or coordinate attacks; consequently, most clan members pick the technique up early.
Ironically, though Kiba was the one who taught him, Naruto's mastery and finesse with Shadow Clones have already surpassed his tutor's.
Few at the academy realize he's using Shadow Clone Jutsu.
Naruto has never had the habit of shouting out his techniques.
Backpack slung over his shoulder, he stepped into the noisy classroom and, as usual, headed for the last row by the window.
Sunlight streamed across the desk, giving him a wide view of the entire room.
More importantly, the seat is effectively his private spot—few classmates care to sit beside the boy secretly nicknamed "Demon Fox," inadvertently granting him a pocket of undisturbed quiet.
He'd barely settled in, stashed two bags of chips in the drawer, and was about to gaze out at the training ground when a familiar voice rang out beside him, loud and carefree as ever.
"Yo! You're here early, Naruto!"
Naruto turned and saw the trademark spiky black hair and the energetic grin.
Inuzuka Kiba.
One of the few classmates who doesn't avoid him because of the rumors and who occasionally goes out of his way to talk.
At this point, Kiba hasn't yet met his future partner Akamaru.
To keep his clan techniques sharp, he learned Shadow Clone early, using clones to stand in for a Ninken while drilling the secret coordination maneuvers his family specializes in.
One clone plays the role of the Ninken, working with the original in tactical rehearsals—a staple of his current training regimen.
That's how he came to know Shadow Clone Jutsu and, by chance, became Naruto's gateway to the technique.
"You're here pretty early yourself, Kiba."
Naruto answered cheerfully, patting the seat beside him in invitation.
Today Naruto hasn't bothered to hide the six whisker-like marks on his cheeks.
Kiba is used to them, though his gaze lingers on Naruto's hair, surprised to see it growing longer.
In his memory, Naruto always sported short yellow locks.
"Why the longer hair?"
Kiba asked outright.
Naruto instinctively ran a hand through his hair.
In truth, it's only medium length, nowhere near shoulder level—just slightly longer than the average boy's cut.
"Because neither Shodai(1st)-sama nor Yondaime-sama have short hair on the Hokage Rock."
Naruto rattled off the improvised excuse with a straight face, piling on further examples for good measure.
"And Nidaime and Sandaime only look short; their hair spikes up so much it hides the real length. I'm modeling myself after the previous Hokage."
All of which was simply to fob Kiba off.
The real reason: he's been so busy drilling taijutsu, developing Wood Release, and studying Sealing Techniques that he forgot to get a haircut.
Kiba blinked at the lofty justification, then frowned, irritation creeping into his tone. "Don't tell me the barber refused to cut your hair?"
He clicked his tongue, looking genuinely annoyed. "Tch! That owner's asking for a bite! He turns away guaranteed business? Maybe I'll have the village strays 'visit' his shop a little more often."
Crude and overbearing as Kiba's words sounded, that blunt show of support warmed Naruto.
"So the rumor that the barber had to run down the street with dogs on his tail was actually your doing?"
Naruto looked at him, half laughing and half exasperated; he'd heard the story but never suspected the culprit was sitting right next to him.
"So what?"
Kiba didn't deny it. Instead he nudged Naruto with an elbow, gave a cocky, satisfied grin, and whispered, "Pretty loyal of me, huh? Who told him he could push you around? He needed a lesson."
He was clearly proud of the stunt, even offering tips: "I can't use the clan-trained Ninken to bite villagers—that'd be too obvious and would get Mom in trouble."
He drew the words out, wearing a sly smile. "But strays? Those ownerless dogs wandering the village—if they take a dislike to someone and feel like nipping, who's going to blame me?"