Iruka-sensei stood at the podium, surveying the students:
"Today we'll review the fundamentals of Chakra. This section is worth thirty points on the exam..."
In the corner, Naruto pushed up the black-framed glasses on his nose. Under the effect of [Aizen Sōsuke's Black-Rimmed Glasses], a wondrous sensation enveloped him. The whispers of classmates, the crunch of Chōji's chips, the chirping of birds outside, every sound vanished. Only Iruka-sensei's voice and the chalk writing on the blackboard remained in his world.
Naruto picked up his pen, the tip scratched across the paper as neat, beautiful lines of notes filled his textbook. Yet only ten minutes later, his brows knitted. He'd discovered a fatal problem. He could listen now, but… he couldn't understand.
"The ratio of spiritual energy to physical energy..." "The composition and practice of the Will of Fire..."
He knew every word, but strung together they might as well have been an alien language. For six years he'd spent classes sleeping, skipping, or playing pranks. Consequently, his theory scores weren't quite zero, but close. His current state was like an elementary kid who'd never learned arithmetic being forced to sit through high-school calculus.
"Damn… too much debt from the past?"
Looking at the beautiful handwriting, Naruto felt regret for the first time. The old him would've simply dozed off when lost. Now, though, brief though the time had been, he was starting to enjoy the admiring stares. He wanted to keep that attention, even crave more.
"No. I won't quit. If I don't get it, I'll start from scratch!"
...After school, in the office.
The other teachers had left, only Iruka-sensei remained sorting papers.
Knock, knock, knock.
A sudden rap on the door.
"Come in."
Iruka-sensei didn't even look up.
"Um… Iruka-sensei."
At the familiar voice, Iruka-sensei's hand jerked, reflexively shielding the documents on his desk.
"Naruto, let me warn you, if you're planning another prank today..."
His words died in his throat. Standing in the doorway was no longer the former troublemaker. Instead, a spectacled boy hugging textbooks stood straight and poised. Only the slight unease in Naruto's eyes hinted at the past. He walked to Iruka-sensei's desk and bowed deeply.
"Sorry, Iruka-sensei. I couldn't follow today's lesson."
Iruka-sensei blinked. "C-couldn't follow?"
It wasn't Naruto's lack of understanding that puzzled him. It was that Naruto would apologize for it. Naruto, feeling sorry for not understanding? Iruka-sensei felt as if he were dreaming.
Straightening, Naruto met Iruka-sensei's eyes:
"Yesterday I finally realized how my mischief made me waste my studies. I want to start over. I want to pass the graduation exam. I want… to become a true ninja. But my basics are terrible, so… sensei, where should I begin catching up?"
The office fell dead silent. Iruka-sensei stared at the boy before him. Such earnestness stirred an indescribable ache in his heart. Has this kid… finally grown up? Could yesterday's test have made Naruto decide to face his life seriously?
Iruka-sensei's eyes inexplicably burned. Don't cry, this is good. The once naughtiest child is becoming an adult. He drew a steadying breath and stood.
"Naruto, are you serious?"
"Yes!" Naruto answered without hesitation.
"All right!" Iruka-sensei's voice trembled. He strode to the bookshelf and began rifling through it. "With your gaps we can't start from the third-year books. We'll begin with the first-year text: Basic Chakra Refinement!"
He thrust several volumes into Naruto's arms.
"These lesson plans must be memorized. This Concise History of the Ninja World will boost your history marks quickly, and this Henge no Jutsu Tips..."
Iruka-sensei bubbled with unprecedented enthusiasm, chattering like a fussy mother as he designed a full tutoring plan. In his view, if Naruto followed it, he might not top the class, but graduation would be certain. In moments, a stack of books half a meter high filled Naruto's arms. Iruka-sensei patted the pile, his gaze graver and gentler than ever:
"These are my old lesson plans and key lower-grade materials. Take them! If anything's unclear, find me here anytime, even midnight at my home is fine! As long as you're willing to learn, I'll teach you!"
Hugging the heavy tomes, Naruto felt warmth flood his chest. So Iruka-sensei cared this much?
"Thank you, Iruka-sensei."
[Ding!] [Tutoring plan from Iruka-sensei detected, generating quest...] [Long-term advice logged] [Stage 1: Remedial Basics] [Objective: Memorize lesson plans] [Reward: D-rank Treasure Box, stackable]
...On the way home.
"Phew… forgot to ask how to improve my taijutsu."
Leaning against a utility pole, Naruto wiped sweat from his forehead and cleaned his glasses with his sleeve.
"A ninja still needs fists. I can't even beat Inuzuka Kiba yet, when can I challenge Sasuke?"
Perhaps because of the glasses, the stares he got on the road home were fewer. Arriving home, he first stacked the books neatly on the desk. Without resting, he opened the blue light-screen again.
The forum interface unfolded, bizarre posts scrolled across the homepage. Naruto tried to click one, insufficient privilege, but he could read the opening lines and watch short clips. The sight of a mountain-splitting feat and idle chatter about dragon-slaying and vegetable-growing jolted him.
"These people… are monsters?"
Naruto swallowed. The laxity born from Iruka-sensei's praise vanished. Compared with these forum monsters, he was an ant.
"No slacking off."