Chapter-26

"..." Opening his eyes, Naruto found himself in his apartment. He sighed, running his hand over his face, and grimaced in pain as he stood up. His torn muscles were still trying to heal. At times like these, he wished he had learned more about medical Ninjutsu. He only knew the basics of healing superficial wounds. Now, he could only endure and wait for his body to deal with his internal injuries and bleeding.

Dressed in only pants, he revealed the bandages covering his torso, chest, and arms. Getting out of bed, he began to prepare for his day at the academy. After taking a bath and changing his bandages, he sat in his small kitchen. He had little, to say the least. He didn't like televisions or radios. With a serious look, he noticed cameras placed in various points of his home, watching him. Lowering his gaze, he felt annoyance at the anklet clinging to his right ankle. He was being monitored and guarded in every little action.

Drinking a simple cup of tea for breakfast, he savored this brief moment of peace. Once finished, he began to dress in his uniform, already wearing the bandages over his forehead and right eye. With a deep grunt, he adjusted his right arm using a strip of cloth around his neck for support, making it more comfortable to walk. He left his apartment briskly, heading to his destination. As the minutes passed, the shinobi ignored everything around him and simply walked.

Finally, after a long journey, he arrived at the academy's imposing doors. However, there was one problem: dozens of journalists had gathered there, waiting to interview several students who quickly entered the building. Hoping to go unnoticed, Uzumaki tried to make his way through the crowd, but he was soon surrounded by all the journalists present.

"Uzumaki-san, is it true that you're involved in two first-degree murders?!" was the first shout from some journalists, their microphones too close to the teenager. He maintained his impassive gaze, walking without stopping. The media entourage followed, hungry for answers.

"Do you realize that pro heroes consider you a threat and say you shouldn't be here?!" A brown-haired woman asked, her question competing with the pushing and shoving of her colleagues. The shinobi continued to walk, ignoring them.

"Many claim you're some kind of hitman sent to infiltrate UA and eliminate the most promising students! What's your response to these accusations?!" Another journalist confronted the teenager, thrusting her microphone toward him. His annoyance grew, and as she continued to speak, he snatched her microphone and destroyed it with thin rays of electricity, causing all nearby electronic devices to explode. She retreated in fear.

"..." Along the clear path, the teenager ignored the incredulous looks of other students and the angry shouts of journalists upset about their ruined equipment. Upon entering the academy's doors, he saw thousands of students from various courses talking and socializing. However, a hushed silence enveloped the area as everyone noticed Uzumaki's presence. Naruto continued to walk at a deliberate pace, looking straight ahead and paying no mind to the whispers of fear, dread, and discomfort that rippled through the crowd.

"There's this one... I thought they had expelled him."

"Did you see those videos that were leaked on the internet? He's a murderer."

"They say that he saved Class-A... but that he almost killed several villains in the process. I still have nightmares when I saw how he killed the Nomu in such a barbaric way... he's a monster."

"How can they allow someone like him to be here?"

The whispers all centered on Naruto, who continued his pace, accustomed to being singled out and judged since childhood. It was no different now, but wasn't All Might supposed to ensure that no one would know what happened during the station rescue? Sighing inwardly, he could only endure this scrutiny.

"I also heard that he lives alone. Maybe he's an orphan. Not even his parents loved him and they abandoned him..." The last comment made Naruto halt his steps and fix his gaze on a dark-haired teenager, the one who had made the remark. Silence fell, and the girl felt the weight of the teenager's penetrating stare. Her classmates moved away, leaving her alone to face Naruto's gaze. Trembling, tears welled up in her eyes. "I'm sorry..." She took a step back, awaiting someone's intervention. Hearing the heavy steps of the blonde with bandages, she realized he was approaching.

On some upper floors, UA professors grew tense, concerned about what might transpire. Some rushed downstairs to prevent any potential trouble. Before they knew it, Naruto was already standing in front of the student.

"..." The shinobi cast an annoyed glance at the girl, then approached her. She didn't stop trembling as he stood close and uttered a simple word, "Leave..." With those words, the teenager bolted away at full speed, disappearing into the crowds of other tense students.

"Listen up, all of you!" The sudden shout from the blonde teenager startled everyone. "I don't give a damn about what you say or think about me! You can call me a murderer, a madman, or even a monster! But I won't let you talk about my family! Now, go!" Almost all the students instantly retreated, intimidated and fearful of the shinobi's words. However, some third-year students observed the scene from a distance.

"What do you make of him?" asked the blonde boy, crossing his arms as he watched the shinobi head toward his class. When he posed the question, his two friends took a moment to ponder.

"That he's a potential threat... he's strong, from what I saw in the leaked videos. He could even give you some trouble, Mirio," remarked the dark-haired boy with his hands in his pockets.

"I think he's cute, albeit a little temperamental," the girl with long blue hair offered as her opinion. Her two companions exchanged doubtful looks, and she innocently smiled back at them. "What? Did I say something wrong?"