Naruto, now eight years old, had honed his skills under Kurama's guidance. His mastery over various jutsus, sealing techniques, and swordsmanship was unparalleled for someone his age.(what you expect a fox to do who can see through his jinjuriki mito,kushina) Rumors about his prowess had spread, causing people to fear him rather than disrespect him. This suited Naruto perfectly; he preferred fear over disrespect any day.
The Ninja Academy
Naruto stood in the training grounds of the Ninja Academy, facing Sasuke Uchiha. The air was thick with anticipation as the fangirls cheered for Sasuke. Naruto yawned, hands in his pockets, looking completely uninterested.
Iruka, their instructor, signaled the start of the match. "Begin!"
Sasuke smirked confidently and charged at Naruto, who sidestepped each attack effortlessly, still yawning. The crowd watched in amazement as Naruto dodged every punch and kick without breaking a sweat. Sasuke grew more frustrated with each miss.
With a determined shout, Sasuke made some distance and formed hand signs. "Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu!" A massive fireball surged toward Naruto.
Naruto didn't flinch. He walked through the fireball, emerging unscathed, thanks to a chakra barrier he had created around himself. The crowd gasped in disbelief.
Sasugay's eyes widened in shock. "Impossible...!"
Naruto disappeared from sight, reappearing in front of Sasuke in an instant. He delivered a powerful kick to Sasuke's stomach, sending him crashing into a tree
"aah" moans sasugay brfore knocked out cold.
Iruka, stunned, managed to find his voice. "Naruto wins."
The fangirls screamed in protest, but Naruto ignored them, walking back to his spot with a bored expression. Shikamaru, Choji, and Ino, his closest friends, watched in awe.
Shikamaru muttered, "Man, that was troublesome."
Choji nodded, munching on his chips. "Yeah, but Naruto's really strong."
Ino smiled, proud of her friend. "He sure is."
Flashback: puchi...puchii
When Naruto was six, he had encountered some bullies picking on a girl. It was a scene reminiscent of the one with Hinata, but this time it was Ino. Naruto, already exuding an air of fearlessness, intervened.
"Hey, leave her alone," Naruto had said, his voice steady and authoritative.
The bullies sneered at him. "Why should we listen to you, demon?"
Naruto's eyes flashed momentarily with Kurama's influence. "Because if you don't, you'll regret it."
With a swift motion, Naruto dispatched the bullies, his strength and skills surprising even himself. Ino, grateful and intrigued by this mysterious boy, had become his first real friend. Over time, their bond grew stronger, and they often trained together.
Present Day:
Naruto's group of friends, including Shikamaru, Choji, Ino, and Kiba, were now a close-knit team. Kiba, initially arrogant, had been humbled by Naruto and had come to respect him deeply.
During a break, the group sat together, discussing the day's events.
Kiba, still in awe, shook his head. "I still can't believe how easily you took down Sasuke."
Naruto shrugged. "It was nothing. He underestimated me."
Ino punched Naruto lightly on the arm. "You were amazing out there, Naruto!"
Naruto gave her a rare smile. "Thanks, Ino."
Shikamaru yawned. "Let's just hope we don't have to fight you anytime soon. Too troublesome."
Choji laughed. "Yeah, no one wants to be on the receiving end of your kicks."
As they chatted, Iruka approached. "Naruto, can I speak with you for a moment?"
Naruto nodded and followed Iruka away from the group. Iruka's expression was serious.
"Naruto, your skills are beyond impressive for someone your age. But you need to be careful. People are watching you closely, especially after today's display."
Naruto's eyes hardened. "I know, Iruka-sensei. But I'm not afraid. Let them watch."
Iruka sighed. "Just promise me you'll be careful."
Naruto smirked. "I will. Don't worry."
Meanwhile, in the Shadows
Danzo seethed with anger. His plans to control Naruto and harness the Nine-Tails' power had been thwarted again. He needed a new strategy, and he needed it fast.
In a dark room, surrounded by his loyal ROOT operatives, Danzo plotted. "Naruto Uzumaki... He must be brought under control. We cannot afford to let him grow unchecked."
His operatives nodded in agreement. Danzo's ambition was clear: he would not rest until he had the Nine-Tails' jinchuriki under his thumb.
Back at the Academy, Naruto rejoined his friends, unaware of the growing storm around him.
Naruto's lazy demeanor had fooled everyone, but the graduation exam was the perfect stage to showcase his hidden potential. Sasuke, frustrated and driven by envy, trained harder than ever, even under the tutelage of Itachi and Shisui. Despite his efforts, Naruto consistently bested him in their fights. Naruto's natural talent and the guidance from Kurama made him an unstoppable force, although his frequent absences kept him at the bottom of the class academically.
The Graduation Exam
The day of the graduation exam arrived, and the air was thick with anticipation. Sasugay was eager to prove his superiority, but Naruto's arrival caused quite a stir.
Naruto strolled into the classroom, yawning and looking as if he had just woken up. Iruka was about to mark him absent when a flame vortex appeared, signaling Naruto's dramatic entrance. The girls screamed his name, split between him and Sasuke.
"Naruto, you're late!" Iruka scolded. "What was that?"
Naruto shrugged nonchalantly. "It's my new jutsu. Cool, right?"
Iruka sighed. "It looks impressive, but you're still late. Why are you late?"
"Didn't wake up on time," Naruto said with a yawn, then took his seat next to Shikamaru, who gave him a lazy nod of acknowledgment.(broske before wh...cough*).
The written exam was first. Naruto completed it in a minute, then folded his paper and went back to sleep. Iruka and Sasuke assumed he had done poorly, but Naruto's confidence hinted otherwise.
After grading the papers, Iruka announced the results. "The top scorer is... Naruto Uzumaki."
Everyone's jaws dropped. Even Iruka was shocked as he reviewed Naruto's perfect score.
Naruto remained unfazed, still napping. "Next is Sakura Haruno, and third is Sasuke Uchiha."(in written exam)
Sasuke seethed with anger but couldn't deny that Naruto is better than him a great Uchiha.
The Practical Exam
The shuriken and kunai throwing test was next. Sasuke performed admirably, hitting nine out of ten targets. His fans cheered, but their applause was soon overshadowed.
Naruto's turn came, and he effortlessly threw his kunai and shuriken, hitting the dead center of all targets without even looking. Iruka's jaw dropped again. "Full marks, Naruto."
The fangirls screamed for Naruto, adding to Sasuke's frustration.
The next challenge was the replacement jutsu. Sasuke executed it flawlessly, making four clones of himself. Naruto, on the other hand, took it to another level. Iruka threw a kunai at him, and Naruto replaced himself with Iruka, causing Iruka to dodge his own attack.
"Naruto, why did you do that?" Iruka demanded.
"You said replacement jutsu. You didn't specify with what," Naruto replied, earning laughs from the class.(yes,its enhanced subsitutuion rinnegan saugay got rippedoff by hogoromo)
Finally, Naruto was tasked with the clone jutsu. Without any hand signs, he created twenty perfect clones. "Now, the transformation jutsu," Iruka instructed.
Naruto's clones transformed into various people, showcasing his mastery of the technique. Iruka could hardly believe his eyes. "Naruto, you've passed with flying colors."
Aftermath
Naruto's performance solidified his position as the Rookie of year and most skilled and feared student in the academy. Sasuke's resentment grew, but so did his respect for Naruto. The fangirls' allegiances were divided, and Naruto's group of friends, including Shikamaru, Choji, Ino, and Kiba, supported him wholeheartedly.
In the shadows, Danzo continued to plot. Naruto's strength was becoming a significant concern, and Danzo knew he had to act soon.
Back in the classroom, Iruka congratulated the students. "You have all done exceptionally well. Remember, being a shinobi is not just about strength but also about protecting those you care about. I'm proud of all of you."
As the students celebrated, Naruto felt a sense of accomplishment. Despite his laid-back attitude, he had proven himself. Yet, he knew that this was just the beginning. The real challenges were still ahead, and Naruto was ready to face them head-on.