The Powerful Inertia of the Plot

Of the remaining people,

Even Shikamaru, the laziest of them all, went to the gathering. After all, his IQ and EQ were both off the charts. Not to mention Choji loved group meals more than anyone, and as Choji's best friend, Shikamaru had to go along too!

As for whether Naruto would be unable to handle so many people going, that was not a problem at all. Naruto was still Naruto, and in this life, he also bore the halo of being the Fourth Hokage's Hero's Son.

Minato and Kushina's inheritance was, after all, a substantial sum of money.

This much spending

Was nothing Naruto needed to worry about!

Besides, while Naruto was still as carefree as ever, retaining the innocence and passion of the original timeline, his different circumstances had ultimately made him a little more mature. He was not someone who spent money recklessly!

In his eyes, this was the most reasonable expense.

And while Naruto took most of the class to a barbecue restaurant to celebrate their graduation, Menma headed to his familiar training ground. Only after completing his daily training routine there did he leisurely make his way home.

Next, the plot of the Original Work would officially begin!

He definitely needed to plan carefully. The Chunin Exams were only a few months away, and before then, he naturally had to make every necessary preparation!

However,

"Surprises" and "accidents" always arrived quietly when least expected.

That night,

Menma had just finished washing up and was preparing to go to bed when

A familiar Chakra presence suddenly entered his range of perception from some distance away.

Just as Menma's expression froze slightly and the thought Could it be? surfaced in his mind,

Knock, knock, knock!

The owner of that Chakra presence had already arrived outside Menma's home and gently knocked on his front door!

Hm? Coming to see me at this hour? Is the inertia of the plot really that strong?

After murmuring a few words to himself,

Menma walked lightly to the entryway.

He gently pulled open the door.

"Eh? Teacher Mizuki, why are you here so late? Is something wrong?"

Although he knew full well that this man had absolutely come with ill intent,

Menma still deliberately put on a surprised expression as he looked at Mizuki, who was clearly forcing a smile.

"Hehe, of course there's something urgent. It concerns you graduates. Because this year's rules are a little special, the top ten graduates—especially the top-ranked candidate—will receive special treatment in matters such as class assignments. And since the performances of some students, including you, Menma-kun, were very close during this morning's assessment, the Academy consulted with the Hokage and added an extra test. Only those who pass it can be considered the finest graduates and receive preferential treatment! Of course, it depends on the candidate themselves. So, Menma-kun, do you want to take the test!?"

Mizuki looked at Menma with a broad smile as he spoke.

His words were riddled with holes.

It was such a crude lie that no experienced adult with normal intelligence could possibly be fooled by it.

Yet Mizuki seemed utterly convinced that Menma would take the bait!

After all, in Mizuki's eyes,

Weren't they just a group of little brats who knew nothing of the world!?

He had been their teacher for a full six years. Naturally, Mizuki had more than enough confidence that Menma would believe him!

As for whether he would participate?

Hehe, what young man did not care about honor!?

Otherwise, why had Menma-kun fought for first place in every exam over the past six years, whether theoretical or practical!?

Wasn't it because young men were competitive!?

Mizuki was not worried in the slightest that Menma would refuse to take the bait.

"Top ten? And there's even special preferential treatment as a reward?"

Just as Mizuki expected,

The moment his words fell,

Menma's eyes visibly lit up, and he spoke in a low voice with eager anticipation.

Over the past six years,

Menma had not deliberately tried to do so, but the image he presented to others was one of striving for first place in every assessment, no matter the type.

And in truth, Menma had always outperformed his fellow students and achieved the best results. In the eyes of many outsiders, this was simply the slightly reserved Menma's way of seeking recognition from others.

Even Sarutobi Hiruzen thought so.

After all, Menma had once said in front of him that he wanted to become a great ninja.

Combined with his personal circumstances,

Wasn't that the driving force behind Menma's efforts?

Naturally, Mizuki believed that Menma would absolutely participate in such a special assessment. Besides, he was a Ninja Academy teacher, and over the past few years, like Iruka, he had been a teacher respected by the students!

Mizuki had ample reason to believe Menma would not suspect him.

This minor BOSS among villains had no idea that everything Menma displayed before him was merely playing along with his performance!

"Can I ask what the test is first, Teacher Mizuki?"

After taking a deep breath, Menma looked at Mizuki with a cautious expression and asked.

"Of course. The test is very simple. It is one of a ninja's standard missions—stealing confidential materials. The target is a Scroll called the Scroll of Seals. It records some of our village's more advanced ninja techniques, and it has often been used as a mission item and reward in the past! Your test is to retrieve this mission item from the designated location within two hours!"

Mizuki smiled faintly.

He deliberately altered some crucial details, then used highly tempting language as he spoke.

"The Scroll of Seals? A reward? Could it be...?"

A flicker of delight appeared in Menma's pupils as he looked at Mizuki and asked.

"It's exactly what you think. After successfully obtaining the Scroll of Seals, you can also learn the techniques recorded on it. You may choose three of them. So, what do you think? The reward is generous enough, right? The ninja techniques on it are all B-rank!"

Mizuki smiled faintly, his tone increasingly resembling that of a weasel tricking a chick.

A chance to rank among the top ten in the assessment!

And an opportunity to learn B-rank or higher ninja techniques.

Heh heh, I refuse to believe you still won't take the bait!

Mizuki smiled broadly, thinking smugly to himself.

Sure enough,

The moment he finished speaking,

"I agree to take the test, Teacher Mizuki. Please tell me the details of the mission!"

Menma barely needed a moment's thought before he raised his head and looked at Mizuki, speaking with a firm expression.

"Hehe, I knew Menma-kun would participate. Here are the details of the test. They include the location of the target item and the final testing point you need to reach. Teacher Iruka and I will be waiting for you there, Menma-kun. May fortune favor you in battle!"

Mizuki took out a Scroll he had prepared beforehand and handed it to Menma. After saying that with a smile,

He watched Menma accept the Scroll with a confident expression.

Then he leaped away,

Leaving the spot filled with delight.