The morning sun was gentle, and a cool breeze cut through the open window, stirring strands of deep red hair. Naruto looked out at the classroom, feeling a strange mix of emotions. He'd been stuck with these classmates for years.
Most of them were useless. Some slept with their heads buried in their arms, while others quietly snuck snacks. One kid was even busy scratching his dog's ears. Only a handful paid attention to Iruka, who was slamming chalk against the blackboard and screaming about the upcoming exams.
Naruto glanced at the calendar on the wall, where the dates were circled in aggressive red ink. Graduation.
Twelve years. He had gone from a crying newborn to surviving near-death experiences, growing up despised by the village. Those twelve years had flashed by in the blink of an eye.
Dressed in a long, black hooded coat, Naruto sat in the back, absentmindedly spinning a blue pen in his right hand. He looked at the "difficult" questions Iruka had scrawled on the board and scribbled down the answers without a second thought. It was child's play.
He dropped the pen, resting his chin on his palm to look out the window. Green treetops swayed in the wind, and fluffy sparrows chirped on the branches, hunting for early worms.
Naruto held a secret: he possessed the discipline and mind of an adult from a past life. He had mastered the Ninja Academy curriculum years ago. To him, the "complex" problems on the blackboard were trivial. But for the rest of the class, Iruka's lecture was torture. The logic was obscure, the theory dry. Most had simply given up, choosing to whisper or pass notes instead.
"Graduation is right around the corner!" Iruka yelled. "Where is your sense of urgency?"
Iruka scanned the room, seeing only glazed eyes and lethargy. His rage spiked, a vein pulsing on his forehead. He chucked the chalk into the box and glared. "You people are impossible!"
The sleepers woke up, blinking. The dog owner quickly zipped his puppy inside his jacket, while the snackers swallowed their chips whole and wiped their hands. The entire class suddenly adopted wide, innocent looks—Bambi eyes—as if to say, We were listening, Sensei. Honest.
"Heh."
Naruto chuckled. The scene was almost nostalgic, reminding him of his old life. Even after twelve years of isolation in this cold, ruthless world, a faint smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
"Fine. Good. Great." Iruka watched them feign innocence, his anger boiling over. Then, he saw Naruto.
The boy was staring out the window, completely checked out. An idea formed in Iruka's mind—a little punishment.
"Since nobody can focus on the theory," Iruka said, a nasty grin spreading across his face, "we're changing the schedule. Graduation requires practical skills, right? I'm doing this for your own good."
The students saw the shift in Iruka's mood, and their stomachs dropped. Bad vibes filled the room.
"The rest of this period is now a live combat class."
"No way, Iruka-sensei!"
"We'll listen! We swear!"
"Damn it, why?"
The classroom erupted in groans. Regret painted their faces; it was the collective look of people realizing they had screwed up. If they had known this was the price, they would have glued their eyes to the blackboard.
Naruto's smile vanished. He knew exactly what Iruka was doing. Cheap tricks. Iruka always tried these boring power plays, and now he was making Naruto the target again. Did the lesson I gave him last time not sink in?
"Hmph."
Naruto glared at the podium and let out a cold scoff. It wasn't loud, but the sound cut through the noise like a knife. The rowdy classroom went dead silent.
Kenta, the loudest complainer a second ago, froze. He felt a cold gaze drill into his back. His muscles locked up, and cold sweat drenched his shirt. He didn't dare move. He was terrified. If he drew the Monster's attention... if he had to fight him in the practice ring... he'd rather die.
Kenta remembered the last time: the humiliation, the mockery. He prayed to every god he knew that the Monster wouldn't look at him.
"Everyone to the training grounds behind the building. One minute," Iruka barked, feeling satisfied by their fear. "If you're late... well, don't be."
Iruka's eyes flickered toward Naruto for a split second. He saw the mockery on the boy's face and flinched. Shame hit him. He turned his head, refusing to meet Naruto's gaze, and practically ran out of the classroom, leaving the students to their misery.
"Iruka-sensei... why is he doing this to us?" Kenta whispered.
He waited until the cold pressure on his back vanished before checking the corner of his eye. The seat was empty; the window was open. Naruto was gone.
Kenta let out a long, shaky breath. He grabbed his friend Tanaka's shoulder, his voice trembling with anger. "I don't know, man! I'm scared too!"
Tanaka shook his head, his old injuries starting to ache just thinking about it. He remembered the last fight well. The Monster had kicked him into a wall without hesitation. The look in those eyes had been pure contempt, looking at Tanaka like he was dirt. Hate and fear warred in Tanaka's chest.
"If that frea—mmph!"
"Shut up!" Kenta slammed his hand over Tanaka's mouth. Sweat poured down his forehead. "Are you crazy? What if the Monster hears you?"
Tanaka's eyes went wide. The hate vanished, replaced by sheer terror. He nodded frantically. "Right. I—I got it."
"Let's go. Hurry," Kenta hissed, noticing the room was emptying. "If we're late, we can't hide in the back."
Outside, the sun was bright. Green leaves rustled in the wind, casting dappled shadows on the training ground. Iruka stood under a large tree, watching the students drag their feet toward him. He thought about the past—about every time he had tried to "handle" Naruto, and how badly it always ended.
Regret settled in his stomach like a stone.
"Lord Third..." Iruka sighed, looking up at the sky. "You really handed me a nightmare."