Academy days 5

(Time skip 4 years)

Hokage Tower

!!knock knock!!

"Come in!" 

"Lord hokage you wished to speak with me?"

"Ah, yes!! No need to get tensed Iruka I just wished to speak to you about the current batch of students. So tell me how are they performing?".

"Well, Lord fourth,they are an exceptional bunch no doubt about it. Everyone of them have the capability to become exceptional shinobis. In every other batch there used to be one or two prodigies but this batch is different. Here there are a lot of them."

"Hoo, so tell me how are naruto, kenji and reiko doing? How about fugaku's younger son?"

"well..."

"Hmm? Is there any problem iruka?

"No no.. I mean there are no problems.They are doing extremely well.Specially sasuke. He is an absolute genius, not at the level of itachi of course but a genius nonetheless.However...."

"Go on"

" Well i will be blunt Lord fourth. They are an exceptional bunch but there are two boys who just makes them look like normal. Specially him."

"Him? There is someone who caught your eye?".

"Yes.His name is shanks and he does not belong to any clan. He is an absolute genius. I would go as far as to say that his genius matches to that of itachi and kakashi. He is at the top of my class all through 4 years. Sasuke has never defeated him in a spar. His technique and understanding of opponents movements is top notch. He has never gone all out in a spar either.Most of the time he looks bored. He is extremely respectful towards his teacher and his peers but there is one thing i have noticed. Whenever he goes for any confrontation he always seems to look down on his opponents as if they are not worth it . Of course he never openly says it its just something i have noticed. I dare say he is a lot like you."

Minato looked at the file and took out shank's profile. He looked at the red hair boy intensely and he felt something. The same feeling he felt when he first saw the two boys during the academy ceremony. Minato couldn't understand what it was and closed the file.

"So tomorrow is the graduation exam right?"

"Yes Lord hokage".Iruka said.

Minato nodded and said" Fine then inform all of the students that i will be personally coming to see how they perform. They better not disappoint me".

Iruka smiled and said" Will do Lord fourth".

"ok you may go."

Iruke nodded and then he closed the door and left.

Minato walk towards the window and said in a very small tone...."shanks".....

Academy

Iruka opened the door and yelled "QUIET AND SEAT DOWN". Everyone tensed and sat down without making any noise. Iruka smirked and thought inwardly,"it always works". "Alright now listen up. Tomorrow is your graduation exam. It's probably the most important day in your life. The day you all are waiting patiently for the past 4 years. All the hard works that you have done over the years its all for this day. Tomorrow you either will become a shinobi or you will be sent back here to repeat once again."Iruka stopped and looked at all of them. He can sense the excitement, the fear, the anxiety of all of them. Iruka then smiled and said," You were the best bunch of students i have ever taught and i have no doubt you all will graduate with flying colours. Have confidence in yourself".This seems to lift their tensed mood up. Iruka continued," And also one important thing. Lord hokage will be personally coming to see how you all perform. So don't disappoint him."

The silence stayed for a few seconds and then suddenly,

" eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee"

"Lord hokage is coming?

"so we gonna see the yellow flash?

"kyaaa he is my hero...."

Everyone seems to lose their sanity after hearing this.

"SILENCE".Iruka yelled again.

"So Dad is coming to see the exam. I better give my all. Does it mean my mom is also coming?? No no no that can't happen.I still have few more years to live atleast....",Naruto thought inwardly. Kenji and reiko were also thinking of the same thing.

Reiko looked at the class and thought"Well i can take on any one as long as those two freaks are not my opponents".She then looked at shanks who was looking outside the window."Don't he feel pressured after hearing my dad is coming. He is just wayyy too carefree. She looked at him for a few more seconds before turning her head towards her homeroom teacher.

Iruka spoke " All right class dismissed.Go home and prepare for tomorrow.And all the best for tomorrow's exam!!!"

"Thank you sensei....",Everyone shouted. Iruka smiled and left.

Sasuke packed his bag and before heading out he looked back at shanks. He then came back towards him and said" Tomorrow is the day i defeat you and that too in front of the hokage. You will be defeated by me at the ultimate time."

Others were a little surprised seeing sasuke of all people losing his cool and provoking.

Shanks closed his bag,stood up and replied."You are unexpectedly sentimental Sasuke. The way you are now,you really don't pose any challenge to me. Of course in future it might change considering you come from a genius clan but now, you dont excite me."

Sasuke was fuming with anger. No one has ever spoke to him like that. He is being looked down by a nobody. He wanted to reply with similar manner then suddenly a girl with pink hair spoke up,

"You don't speak like that to my sasuke-kun! He has just been unlucky couple of times but tomorrow he will definitely defeat you in front of the hokage. Right sasuke kun??"

"hmph..." Sasuke turned around and left.

"It seems like your sasuke-kun don't have any affection for you Mrs Haruno"' Kai spoke.

"you....."

"Enough!!,let's go" Shanks took kai away and left.

A few minutes later,

"kashira, going for training?".

"Nah, lets not tire ourselves today. I want to be fresh tomorrow."

"Hooo,So you seem to think of obliterating that uchiha?"

"hahahaha",Shanks laughed out loud and said" Nah, as long as he don't piss me off.."

Kai nodded and said" so wanna have some ramen? My treat"

Shanks looked at him and said" Get ready to go broke kai..."

kai gulped and both of them headed towards ichiraku.

Namikaze Uzu'maki compound....

"I am home!!!"

Kushina who was busy preparing dinner suddenly stopped doing what she was doing and ran upto him and hugged him tightly. "Am i dreaming.You of all people coming home for dinner?"

Minato turned red with embarrasment and said" I have really neglected you all haven't i?".

Kushina laughed slightly and said" No dear. I know you can't come whenever you wished. As a hokage you don't have just us as your family. The entitre village is also your family. Even the kids understand."

Minato kissed in her forehead and hugged her tightly.

"So,where are the kids?"

"Well they all are in naruto's room. They seem to prepare for tomorrows exam i guess!! This is the first time i have seen them so serious. I wonder what happened?"

Hmm so they have heard that i will be seeing their performance , Minato chuckled inwardly.

" I will be seeing their performance tomorrow. So they must be a little tensed i guess." Minato said.

Kushina was surprised to hear this. She thought,"no wonder they are behaving strangely. well good for them."

"Alright freshen up dinner's ready" kushina then turned around and left for the kitchen. Minato went towards the bathroom as well.

15 minutes later

"So dad we heard that you will be coming to see us?" kenji spoke while having his soup.

Minato took a bite of his chicken and spoke" yup and you all better not embarrass me!"

"Just you watch,tomorrow i will absolutely demolish everyone including sasuke teme and shanks teme and show them why i will be the next hokage" Naruto spoke loudly while having his ramen.

Kushina suddenly gave a cold glare to naruto and said " What about having a language class before becoming hokage NA RU TO?".

Naruto almost choked."So..so..sorry mom.It..It was a mistake. A mistake".

Others were silently gulping down their food without interfering.They know when she snaps its all over. They will be collateral damage if they poke their nose.

Kushina then sighed and started eating her ramen too. She then looked at reiko who was awfully quiet.She asked" What happen reiko dear? You are spacing out a lot"

Reiko suddenly broke from her trance and replied " No..No..Mom its nothing."

Kushina put her chopsticks down and said" Tell us reiko whats bothering you. We are all family here."

Reiko looked up and noticed everyone was staring at her. Reiko sighed and said " Mom? Dad? Can i ask you a question and please be honest with me okay?"'

Minato and kushina nodded together.

Reiko began" Would you feel bad if we don't come first tomorrow. You know i was wondering you have spent so much resource on us, trained us from a very early age personally,even bought that pervert sage and gamble lady to give us pointers. What after all these we still don't top our class?"

Minato understood where this was coming from but kushina was shocked to see her daughter was doubting herself. Yes there are talented ninja in their class. But so are they. The only competition should be fugakus son.But still he has not awaken his sharingan and so the talent gap should not be that big. Afterall all three of her kids are also talented. yes naruto might be a little obnoxious at times and needs a little extra effort to catch things but still they are pretty good as well. So why doubt? 

Minato finished his food and spoke" Is it about that shanks guy?"

Kushina,naruto,kenji all looked towards minato and wanted to ask a few questions before reiko spoke up" Yes papa. That guy is just so different. He never takes anything seriously and yet it feels like he understood everything. I know sasuke for a long time As you know our families are quite close. So i have sparred with him ouple of times and i can say he is extremely good. His punch is awfully strong.He is also extremely skillfull. Naruto kenji have never defeated him despite their physical strength being much better.But when i saw shanks facing him, he made sasuke look amateur. Can you believe not a single time he was able to land a punch at him. Forget about winning.And not just taijutsu,he is extremely skilled in shurikenjutsu as well and i have no doubt he can perform ninjutsu as well. Its just that i can face anyone but if i face him it will be nasty. i..i a.. am sorry...."

Kushina hugged her daughter tightly and said" Don't you ever think of us that way. You can be last for all i care.No matter what happens me and your dad will always be proud of you and same goes for your brothers as well." 

Reiko's mood seems to have lifted up and she smiled and said"Thank you mama...."Kushina then kissed her forehead and went back to her seat.

"You mom is right reiko. Dont think too much alright. Same goes for you two as well."Minato looked at naruto and kenji. He continued" Listen just go and perform your best tomorrow alright and leave the rest to fate."

All of them smiled and then they finished their dinner. Naruto kenji reiko went to their room while minato and kushina went to kitchen to wash the dish.

"I am guessing the main agenda for you to visit their is to check him out right?"

Minato sighed and nodded. Kushina looked at him for a few second and then continued"Well i believe in our kids. They will do just fine."

Minato smiled and gave a kiss to her lips and said" absolutely love. Now let me pass my graduation test tonight.Alright?".Kushina giggled and then they disappeared in flash.