Chapter-12

In the distance, amidst the fallen trees, Naruto lay motionless beneath the weight of the trunks that crushed him. A feminine voice broke the silence, prompting the Uzumaki to open his eyes and gaze at the female silhouette of the nine-tailed biju perched on a tree trunk above.

"How weak..." The nine-tailed fox remarked while seated on the tree trunk. "Although you did well... who am I kidding, they did nothing to you. Come on, get up. I don't plan on having to reform in 120 years because of your death." With those words, the redhead raised a finger on her right hand and touched Naruto's chest, enveloping him in a bubbling layer of contaminated red chakra that swiftly healed his wounds.

" Ahg," Naruto growled as he lifted the log that had pinned him down. Now free, he struggled to stand and took a few limping steps, all while being observed by the smiling redhead. She relished seeing her jailer in such a deplorable state. Although she had healed his injuries, they had only been lifted to prevent him from dying. The fractures and other damage continued to torment him with every step.

" I was expecting at least a thank you, but seeing you in this state is enough," the redhead with red eyes commented as she watched her Jinchuriki continue to walk in a random direction. "I don't understand. Why do you get up? You have nothing. You don't have a home; you have no friends. Your family turned their back on you, and your own people are looking for your head... you are alone." With each word, Naruto's gaze grew somber. Walking resolutely, he soon found himself outside the limits of the Hidden Rain Village. Upon reaching a green meadow, he noticed that the rain was gradually subsiding. Sighing, he continued walking, only to suddenly fall into a sinkhole that opened beneath his feet.

As he tumbled downward, Naruto glimpsed that he had landed in a cave beneath the earth. Gazing up, he saw the hole through which he had fallen. Frowning, he got to his feet and noticed something peculiar ahead of him. There were two pillars of rock, standing vertically and in parallel, adorned with strange engravings in an unfamiliar dialect.

" This..." the ethereal form of the Kyubi appeared beside its Jinchuriki, instantly recognizing the engravings on the rock. Approaching and running its ethereal hands along the rock pillar, the fox noted, "Jiji." Frowning, it observed the distinctive symbol of the Rinnegan carved into the rock. "You should leave here. This is not something that humans should see." Naruto's jailer merely looked at the massive pillars.

"…" Naruto raised an eyebrow at the redhead's words, then touched the pillar. To his surprise, grooves began to form, and the two pillars rapidly transformed into a bright door that illuminated the entire cave. Before he could react, the radiant portal pulled him towards it.

Opening his eyes, Naruto found himself in his apartment, lying in bed. With a grunt, he rubbed his forehead in frustration, then rose to his feet. He glanced at the bedroom window, which revealed the gradual emergence of the sun on the horizon, signaling the start of a new day. Sighing, Naruto prepared himself for another day at UA.

….

Weeks had passed, and the rumor of a single boy defeating Class 1-A had quickly spread throughout UA. This naturally became a source of amusement for students from other departments and courses. They found it intriguing that the so-called "best candidates" of their generation had been bested by a solitary individual.

One might assume that such a feat would earn Naruto respect and recognition at UA. However, his stern and intimidating demeanor led to him being dubbed the "Problem Boy" in the academy. He was seen as someone who lacked a future as a hero, and some even labeled him as a potential future villain to be faced.

As a result of these events and rumors, a deep-seated enmity developed between Class 1-A and Naruto. Some students chose to ignore it and focused on their studies or socializing with their classmates, leaving the shinobi to his own devices. Yet, there were others who were determined to bridge the gap.

"..." Deku stood with his lunch tray in hand, surveying the vast dining hall where all the students gathered. The green-haired boy had fully recovered from his injuries thanks to the help of the infirmary's elderly woman and her healing Quirk. Despite his injuries, he hesitated as he gazed into the distance at Naruto, who sat alone at an isolated table in the center of the cafeteria.

Midoriya contemplated joining the new student and striking up a conversation. However, his shoulder was touched by a solemn Iida, with Uraraka standing close behind. Iida shook his head, and Uraraka chimed in, "I don't think it's a good idea, Deku-kun. You don't seem like the type who enjoys solitary company." Her words gave Izuku pause, and in the end, he relented, choosing to sit with his friends along with the majority of his class.

"I'm surprised he still comes here," Kiminari remarked, seated at the same table as the others, eating his lunch. His comment was acknowledged by his fellow classmates, who merely gave Naruto a fleeting glance.

"My arms are still sore from the beating he delivered," Kirishima added, rubbing his right arm with a pained expression. The scars from their encounter with the new student had dealt a heavy blow to their pride.

"Why do you think that's the case?" inquired Toru, her gaze fixed directly on the shinobi, seemingly unfazed by the others avoiding eye contact with him.

"Because he's crazy and a psychopath!" Mineta blurted out his fear of the shinobi, who had kicked him in the back, causing lingering pain for days. "Isn't this supposed to be an academy for heroes?" He grumbled, crossing his arms in annoyance.

"He has as much right as anyone to be here," Momo chimed in, casting an annoyed look at the perverted dwarf. "UA was founded on the belief that anyone can be a hero…" She frowned and took a deep breath. "We don't know about Uzumaki-san's personal life, but he must have his reasons for his behavior. Maybe he had a difficult life, we don't know... but that's going to change." Surprising several at the table, Momo stood up, determination gleaming in her eyes. She picked up her lunch tray. "As class president, I must set an example and not leave a classmate in isolation." Before anyone could intervene, she headed toward the table where the shinobi was seated.

"Wait!" Kyoka attempted to halt her, but Momo had already departed. Sighing, Kyoka slumped back into her seat. "She's taking that position too seriously. Why did we have a re-election?" she muttered in frustration, while her friends exchanged knowing glances.

"Why did Iida feel ashamed about the beating they received and resign, saying he wasn't ready for the position?" Ochako spoke candidly, unaware of the awkward tension her comment would bring, causing Iida to look at her in surprise. He resumed eating in silence.