It was the season when spring flowers bloomed.
After many years, Natsume returned to the Konoha Ninja Academy.
"Naruto."
As soon as he entered, he spotted a lonely figure sitting on a swing.
"Big brother?"
Naruto Uzumaki turned around, surprise evident in his voice. "Why are you here?"
"I was about to ask you the same thing. Why aren't you in class?"
Natsume walked over, somewhat puzzled.
Since this was an internal Chūnin Exams in Konoha and there were not many participants, classes had not been suspended like in the original story. They had merely occupied one teaching building.
"It's after class."
Naruto Uzumaki explained, "I came out to get some air."
"How have things been at school?"
Natsume noticed the unease on his face. He was probably not out for air, but avoiding his classmates' strange stares.
As long as Naruto Uzumaki had not cleared himself of the Nine-Tails identity, the stronger he became, the more people feared him.
In the original story, he had only earned recognition after saving Konoha time and again.
"Big brother, let me tell you, I'm really amazing!"
At Natsume's question, Naruto Uzumaki perked up. He jumped off the swing and declared spiritedly, "I'm first in my grade now! Even Grandpa Hokage said I'm guaranteed to become Hokage someday!"
First in his grade?
Without the Nine-Tails causing trouble, things really were different.
As for Hiruzen Sarutobi, he had not been lying.
With Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki's sacrifices before him, Naruto Uzumaki's extraordinary talent, and Jiraiya assigned as his teacher, becoming Hokage would be a piece of cake, wouldn't it?
Shimura Danzō was thoroughly screwed.
Naruto Uzumaki had no idea that his life had already been arranged down to the last detail.
In truth, it was not just Hiruzen Sarutobi. The Sage of Six