“Yay!
Sasuke-kun, did you see?
I passed too!”
Sakura quickly returned from the examination room, proudly showing off her ninja forehead protector to Sasuke.
Sasuke merely glanced at her before turning back to stare out the window.
“M-My turn…”
Hinata wanted to do the same—to tell Naruto before heading into the exam.
But her shyness got the better of her.
Blushing faintly, she hurried off without saying a word.
A short while later, Hinata also returned wearing a forehead protector.
Since she hadn’t had the courage to greet Naruto before the exam, she certainly didn’t have the courage to show it off afterward.
Feeling both embarrassed and disappointed, she quietly returned to her seat.
“My turn!”
“Sakura, don’t get so full of yourself!
I won’t lose to a billboard-brow like you!”
“Sasuke-kun, just watch!
I’ll be back with my forehead protector in no time!”
With her usual confidence, Ino marched into the examination room.
She soon returned successfully with her own forehead protector.
“See, Sakura?
There’s nothing special about passing, right, Sasuke-kun?”
The two girls immediately glared at each other, sparks practically flying between them.
Meanwhile, the object of their rivalry—Sasuke—didn’t even spare them another glance.
One after another, Shikamaru, Shino, Kiba, Choji, and the rest of the Konoha Twelve all returned wearing forehead protectors.
Finally…
Naruto was the only student left.
The classroom had already turned into a sea of celebration.
________________
Naruto calmly stood up and walked into the examination room next door.
As expected, only Iruka and Mizuki were inside.
“Naruto, are you ready?” Iruka asked in his usual gentle tone.
“Yes.”
Naruto nodded.
“Then begin.”
Naruto slowly formed the hand seals.
“Clone Technique.”
Poof!
Poof!
Poof!
Three clones instantly appeared.
“Good.
Pass.”
“Congratulations, Naruto.
Here’s your ninja forehead protector.”
Iruka handed it to him.
“Thank you.”
Naruto accepted it and quietly left.
________________
When he returned to the classroom, the celebration was still in full swing.
Seeing Naruto return with his forehead protector, Kiba shouted,
“Class A—all thirty students have passed the Ninja Academy graduation exam!”
“Woooooo!”
The classroom erupted into cheers.
At that moment, Iruka rushed in from the neighboring classroom.
“Quiet!”
“Your graduation exam is over, but Class B is still taking theirs.
Don’t disturb them!”
Everyone immediately quieted down, sticking out their tongues sheepishly.
Satisfied, Iruka returned next door.
Not long afterward, Class B also finished their examinations.
Iruka returned once more, smiling.
“Everyone worked hard.”
“All thirty students in Class A have passed the graduation examination.”
“Congratulations!”
The room exploded into cheers once again.
“Before you celebrate too much, listen to the next announcement.”
Iruka raised his hand for silence.
“Within the next week, bring your forehead protector to the Ninja Registration Office in the Hokage Building for your official photo and registration.”
“One week from today—that is, next Wednesday—we’ll hold the Genin Orientation here.”
“Don’t be absent.”
“That’s all.
Now you may continue celebrating.”
“Woooooo!”
The students burst into cheers yet again.
________________
“Iruka-sensei,” Sakura asked curiously, “what exactly happens during the Genin Orientation?”
“It explains everything about becoming official Genin and how you’ll be assigned afterward,” Iruka replied with a smile.
“You’ll find out when the time comes.”
“And once again—don’t miss it.”
“Oh, and one more thing.”
“As long as you’re here before ten o’clock in the morning, you’ll be fine.”
________________
“If there’s nothing else, I’ll be leaving.”
“Iruka-sensei, everyone…
goodbye.”
Unlike his classmates, Naruto already knew perfectly well what would happen during the orientation.
He wasn’t interested in asking further questions.
He simply stood up and quietly left.
Graduating from the Ninja Academy wasn’t a huge achievement.
Still…
Life deserved a little sense of ceremony.
Naruto decided to celebrate by treating himself to a bowl of ramen at Ichiraku.
It definitely wasn’t because he had grown increasingly lazy and didn’t feel like cooking for himself anymore.
________________
Naruto stayed home the next day.
He figured many new graduates would be registering that day, so he deliberately waited until the third day to visit the Hokage Building.
As for Mizuki—the man who had manipulated Naruto in the original story—
Whether because Naruto had passed the graduation exam or for some other reason…
Mizuki never approached him.
Naruto didn’t care.
________________
On the third day, Naruto arrived at the Hokage Building to take his registration photo and complete the paperwork.
When his registration form was brought to the Third Hokage for approval…
He ran into Konohamaru.
“Grandpa!”
“Let’s settle this once and for all!”
“Take this!”
Konohamaru came charging into the office while holding a shuriken.
Unfortunately…
He stepped on his own long scarf.
He tripped flat onto the floor.
“Owww!
That hurts!”
“Young Master Konohamaru!”
Ebisu hurried in after him in alarm.
“It was a trap!”
“Darn it!”
Konohamaru angrily shouted.
“M-My lord…
are you alright?”
“And…
um…
there aren’t actually any traps here.”
Ebisu nervously explained, worried the Third Hokage would blame him for poor instruction.
Naruto watched the entire scene calmly.
Then Konohamaru suddenly pointed at him.
“I know!”
“You did this!”
Ebisu glanced at Naruto with obvious disdain.
“So that’s the Nine-Tails brat…
What a worthless kid.”
________________
“Lord Third.”
“My registration is fine, correct?”
“If so, I’ll take my leave.”
Naruto ignored both Konohamaru and Ebisu completely.
He had no desire to lower himself to their level.
“It’s fine.”
“You may go.”
The Third Hokage nodded.
“You bastard!”
“How dare you ignore me!”
“Take this!”
Unused to anyone treating him with indifference, Konohamaru became furious.
He pulled out a kunai and leapt toward Naruto.
Naruto didn’t even seem to notice the attack.
He simply turned and walked away.
Yet somehow…
He effortlessly avoided Konohamaru’s strike.
Konohamaru froze in surprise.
Bang!
His forehead slammed directly into the Third Hokage’s tall desk.
“Oww…
my head!”
He clutched his forehead and cried out in pain.
Meanwhile…
Naruto had already left.
He had no obligation to help the Third Hokage discipline his grandson.
________________
“My, my…”
The Third Hokage sighed helplessly.
“It really is difficult for outstanding ninja talent to pass naturally from one generation to the next.”
As for Naruto avoiding Konohamaru’s attack…
He didn’t think much of it.
Konohamaru was simply too weak.
Whether it had been luck or intentional didn’t really matter.
Even a so-called dead-last student could have avoided that attack.
Still…
Because Naruto occasionally displayed subtle inconsistencies over the years…
The Third Hokage had never lifted the ANBU surveillance placed on him.
After all…
Even the greatest actor slips up now and then.
And the Third Hokage trusted his own instincts just as much.
Of course…
Perhaps he was simply overthinking things.
Old age had a way of making people suspicious.
Watching Naruto’s departing figure disappear into the distance…
The Third Hokage smiled wryly and gently shook his head.
ADD TO COLLECTION.