Shackles of Fate

"Sasuke Uchiha — full marks!"

As Iruka's approving voice rang out, students crowded around the doorway, craning their necks to look inside.

"As expected of Sasuke!"

"That's the Uchiha kid — full marks!"

"Incredible!"

Praise poured in from all sides, every gaze fixed on the boy with the cool, composed face — sharp brows, a high nose bridge, clean facial lines.

Sideburns framed his cheeks, his spiky hair swept back, his eyes carrying that familiar air of detachment.

Naruto watched Sasuke too, lazily sizing up his future teammate.

"Next up: Naruto Uzumaki!"

When that name was called, murmurs rippled through the crowd. They whispered among themselves, occasionally darting glances at Naruto.

"The dead-last is gonna pull out his Sexy Jutsu again?"

"Hahaha!"

"Last time, that's how Iruka-sensei kicked him out."

"So vulgar! Using a jutsu like that — disgusting!"

The chatter made even Sasuke, who was walking away, turn his head and glance in that direction. Naruto happened to step into the classroom and look back, catching Sasuke's gaze.

The test was short — barely a minute. Sasuke didn't leave; he just stood there waiting.

Silence hung in the classroom for a moment before Iruka's voice came out, tinged with hesitation.

"Naruto Uzumaki — full marks!"

Full marks? Him too?

The crowd outside wore expressions of surprise. Silence fell. The perennial dead-last had actually scored full marks on the exam.

Even if the Three Jutsu didn't represent the final overall grade, it was still a key ninjutsu subject. A perfect score on the Three Jutsu meant graduation was all but guaranteed.

The door swung open, and Naruto walked out of the classroom. His gaze swept past the crowd, finally landing on Sasuke in the distance.

Sasuke's expression didn't change. He met Naruto's eyes for a moment, then turned and left.

Naruto smiled, unfazed. Sasuke really is a tsundere.

Once the chakra disorder was resolved, it hadn't taken him long to master the Three Jutsu completely. Maybe it had something to do with this body's natural talent — after all, it was the bloodline of the Uzumaki Clan.

Mastering the Three Jutsu also meant he didn't have to worry about the graduation exam anymore.

After the mock test, students were free to leave. Naruto didn't linger either, heading straight out.

As he passed Hinata, he remembered how she'd helped him out yesterday, so he stopped to say thanks.

"I left in a hurry yesterday, so... sorry for only thanking you now."

"Thanks for covering for me, Hinata-chan."

Hearing him call her Hinata-chan again, her cheeks flushed noticeably. She seemed both embarrassed and a little happy.

"I didn't really do much... You don't have to go out of your way to thank me, Naruto."

Hinata looked especially cute like this, wearing a long-sleeved training top that covered her pale arms, her shoulder-length hair tucked behind her ears, her skin as full and radiant as if soaked in milk.

No matter how you described her, just standing there, Hinata easily reminded you of the poised demeanor of a clan's eldest daughter.

And that very poise, tinged with a hint of shyness, made her all the more striking — the classic young lady archetype.

"Not at all. It was thanks to you, Hinata-chan," Naruto said, noticing her expression growing more flustered.

Only then did he realize more eyes were gathering on them. Naruto understood — his current relationship with Hinata wasn't close enough for this.

If he kept talking, it might invite gossip for her, so he knew it was time to back off.

"I'll get going, Hinata-chan. Thanks again."

Naruto waved as he looked back over his shoulder, slowly walking away from the Ninja Academy corridor.

He thought to himself, I'll prepare a gift for her next time we meet — that way it won't feel so abrupt.

Conquest: Hinata. Nine-Tails' Recognition: 2.2%

The sudden mechanical voice in his mind startled Naruto badly.

The Nine-Tails had always been a thorn in his side. In the short term, gaining its power wasn't bad. But the Nine-Tails was just a mass of slightly stronger chakra — essentially a temporary power boost.

And since it was power, it was easy for others to covet. Whether it was Konoha, wanting to use him as a weapon, or the various factions that would later try to capture the Nine-Tails.

Naruto was like a piece of meat on a chopping block — any strong person who showed up would set their sights on the Nine-Tails in his belly.

Honestly, he'd rather the Nine-Tails stay far away from him, maybe find a new home and never be tied to him again.

But the problem was, once the tailed beast left the Jinchuriki's body, the Jinchuriki couldn't survive either. Such a ridiculous setup gave Naruto a headache. Now that he had the system, even if the Nine-Tails wasn't inside him, he could still use its power.

So... wouldn't it be best if the Nine-Tails just didn't cling to him?

Naruto was painfully aware that having the Nine-Tails was like Eren obtaining the Attack Titan — the moment he gained that power, what bound him wasn't Wall Maria or the towering Titans, but the future he saw, a symbol of fate.

His fate was sealed the moment he gained the Founding Titan—a shackle he could never break, one that forced him into a world-ending choice.

And Naruto was no different. From the moment he received the Nine-Tails, to becoming the Child of Prophecy and inheriting the Sage's body, step by step—it wasn't Naruto who chose to save the world, nor Naruto who chose to become Hokage.

It was fate pulling the strings. Everything was an unbreakable chain, forged from Jiraiya's death, Neji's blood, and the sacrifices that paved his path.

He wanted to lie low—to lie down beneath that unchangeable destiny and live for himself.

Night fell.

By a forest stream, a campfire crackled softly, several fish slowly roasting over the flames.

A blond-haired boy sat with a fishing rod in hand, the moonlight pooling through the trees like clear water. On the shimmering surface, fish scales occasionally glinted.

The silent forest. The cold, pale crescent moon reflected on the water.

With a soft shush, a figure appeared beside Naruto as if out of thin air.

Body Flicker Technique.

Naruto sensed someone standing next to him and whipped his head around. A ninja with long white hair stood before him.

"Mr. Mizuki?" Naruto asked, feigning surprise. "What are you doing here?"

The newcomer was Iruka's friend and Konoha's most scheming man, Mizuki. Unaware that he was already being watched through the Third Hokage's crystal ball, Mizuki smiled warmly at Naruto.

"Naruto... do you want to get stronger?"