Naruto woke from hunger.
A sharp, painful feeling tore him from a brief, dreamless sleep. With a jerk, he sat up in bed, inhaling greedily. His body hummed. His channels, drained by yesterday's Tajuu Kage Bunshin, had almost recovered. The ocean of Blue Chakra boiled again, demanding fuel, while the calm lake of White Qi slowly replenished its level.
He stood up. His muscles responded with a slight ache—an echo of yesterday's battle. The apartment was flooded with morning light. He was alone. Hinata's nocturnal visit would have seemed like the delusion of a tired mind, were it not for the two cleanly washed cups by the sink. Silent witnesses of the past conversation.
The wardrobe swung open.
On the hanger hung the orange jumpsuit. Bright, loud, ridiculous. The uniform of a clown craving attention. A target painted on his own back.
Naruto looked at it for a few seconds.
The jumpsuit was crumpled and banished to the farthest, darkest corner. The time of the jester had ended long ago.
In its place, he took out what he had bought a few weeks ago with money saved for a long time from his allowance.
A black jacket with a high collar, fitting tightly around his torso. Dark grey shinobi pants with many pockets, tied with bandages at the shins. Simple, functional armor. The clothes of someone who doesn't want to stand out by color, but is ready to act.
The fabric felt unusual but comfortable against his skin. A pouch with kunai took its place on his thigh.
The mirror. The protector on the nightstand glinted in the sunlight. The pleasant weight of metal. A leisurely gesture—the knot tightened at the back of his head.
A stranger looked back from the reflection. There was nothing left of yesterday's Academy student. A young shinobi. Calm. Dangerous.
And damn hungry.
Ichiraku Ramen had just opened. The thick aroma of strong broth, which Teuchi-san had been simmering since dawn, hung in the fresh morning air.
The noren curtains parted.
"Good mor... Naruto!"
Ayame, wiping the counter, froze. The towel fell from her hands.
First, she was surprised by Naruto's changed appearance, then her eyes slid to his forehead. To the Leaf symbol on the steel plate.
A second of realization. And then her face was lit by such a pure, ecstatic smile that Naruto's breath caught.
"You did it!"
She didn't shout, but her voice rang. She rushed out from behind the counter and, before he could answer, hugged him tight.
Naruto froze. His arms hung at his sides.
Strange. Not Iruka's pity mixed with guilt. Not Hinata's timid trust. Pride. The warm, unclouded pride of an older sister for a younger brother. The first such emotion addressed to him consciously.
His Qi, usually cold, wavered, reacting to the warmth of her aura. He awkwardly patted the girl on the back.
"Yeah... Looks like I passed," his voice sounded duller than usual.
"'Looks like'?" She pulled back, beaming and inspecting his new look. "You've grown up so much, Naruto. It really suits you. Dad! Naruto became a genin! Ramen is on the house today!"
Teuchi peeked out from the kitchen, his slit-eyes smiling.
"Whoa! Congratulations, kid! Double portion with pork coming right up!"
Naruto sat in his usual spot. Devouring the best bowl of his life, he watched Ayame chirping about his success to the rare customers.
The Oath surfaced in his memory. "...become Hokage to protect those who are kind to me."
The goal ceased to be abstract. It wasn't about power or the village's recognition. It sat in front of him, smiling and pouring more broth. That smile was worth fighting for.
...
The path to the Academy had changed.
Before, passersby looked with irritation—an annoying stain they wanted to wipe away. Now—with bewilderment. They didn't recognize him immediately. And when they did—they saw the protector, the black clothes—and fell into a stupor. Cognitive dissonance. The "Demon" shouldn't look like a normal shinobi.
Class 2-B.
The hum of voices cut off as if the sound had been muted.
He entered. Soundlessly. Not the first, not the last.
The walk to his old seat by the window under the crossfire of gazes. They burned his back and the nape of his neck.
Qi Sensory: Filtering.
Kiba stared, mouth slightly open. The mockery in his aura was gone. Replaced by a volatile mix of hostility and... sticky fear. Rumors of a thousand clones and the victory over Mizuki had reached the clans. The pack's alpha male sensed a threat.
Ino snorted and turned away, but Naruto caught a quick, scanning glance. Assessing the clothes, the shoulders. Not contempt, but a program glitch. He... looks normal?
Sakura—in shock. Her world was cracking at the seams. She had seen the failure. Heard the verdict. His presence here, with a protector, was an error in her universe.
"Naruto?" she breathed.
He walked past without deigning to look at her. Sat down, closed his eyes.
Meditation.
And then he felt him.
Sasuke Uchiha entered last. Hands in pockets. Sat in his seat. Gaze—immediately on Naruto.
No shock. No fear. Pure, cold, aristocratic disdain. Sasuke had already heard the rumors, processed them, and discarded them.
Defeated a chunin? Nonsense. Iruka took pity. Or some cheap trick. A technique for idiots with infinite chakra. Just luck.
Naruto opened his eyes.
He was as calm as the surface of a forest lake. He looked at Sasuke not as an idol, not as an enemy. More like an equal. Or even... like a child.
Sasuke frowned. This calmness was more irritating than screaming. With a grunt, the Uchiha turned away.
The door opened. Iruka-sensei. Tired, circles under his eyes, but the smile directed at Naruto was warm.
"From today, you are full-fledged shinobi of Konoha!" his voice trembled with solemnity. "You have traveled a long path. But the real one begins only now. I will announce the team assignments under the leadership of a Jonin-instructor."
Naruto listened with half an ear, filtering out the names of the others. Until the main one sounded.
"Team 7: Naruto Uzumaki..."
Silence. Eyes opened.
"...Sakura Haruno..."
Sakura froze in shock. In the same team... With him?..
"...and Sasuke Uchiha."
BANG.
Sakura's world exploded in delight. She jumped up, forgetting Naruto's existence.
"YES! ALRIGHT! Love conquers all!"
Naruto ignored the squeals. A slow shift of gaze to his teammates. His mind, honed by Qi, engaged cold tactical analysis.
Sakura Haruno. Weak body. Zero combat experience. Psyche unstable, obsessed with Sasuke. Useless in direct combat. But... Iruka-sensei noted perfect control. Possibly potential in genjutsu, reconnaissance, medicine. Current status: dead weight requiring protection and polishing.
Gaze on the Uchiha. He sat with fingers interlaced, looking like a man forced to share a mud pit.
Sasuke Uchiha. Top graduate. High Taijutsu, clan Ninjutsu. Sharingan not awakened, but it's a matter of time. Combat power: High. Psyche: Unstable, self-centered, not inclined to teamwork. Current status: Main striking force... or main problem.
And finally, self-assessment.
Naruto Uzumaki. Stamina, chakra volume, heavy artillery in the form of clones. Sensory. Universal support and fighter.
A dysfunctional, unbalanced group. But now it was his team.
Gaze back on Sasuke. He turned his head. Their eyes met for a fraction of a second.
No words. A cold acknowledgment that they were stuck together.