Ninja Academy's life gradually settled into a smooth and flowing daily life after the dramatic self-introduction at the beginning of school.
The green branches and leaves are becoming more and more luxuriant, and the sun shines through the classroom windows, casting warm light spots on the neatly arranged desks.
The air is mixed with the smell of chalk dust, new books, and the slightly sweaty energy unique to children.
Menma was sitting by the window, holding his chin with one hand, and his eyes seemed to be falling on Umino Iruka who was explaining the basic theory of chakra extraction on the podium, but in fact he was wandering in the world.
Refining chakra?
To him, it was as natural and deep-rooted as breathing.
The key points of the ninjutsu and chakra system explained by Iruka, he had already honed their abilities in the brutal fighting of "Limited Tsukuyomi World".
At this moment, the vast ocean of chakra in his body was slowly flowing and circulating in an extremely subtle and imperceptible way.
Most of the time, what appears in the Ninja Academy is just Shadow Clone.
The real body has already used Flying Thunder God Technique to shuttle between Land of Stars's government affairs, Hoshigakure's construction, or some more secretive actions.
Only occasionally, when Naruto is particularly looking forward to going to school together, or when Shadow Clone needs to deal with some emergencies that are inconvenient for Shadow Clone to deal with, Menma's real body will briefly appear in this classroom full of childish noises.
For example, today, the person sitting next to Naruto is the real Menma.
He could clearly feel the rich and real texture of chakra in his body, rather than the subtle, energy-constructed illusion of Shadow Clone. He listened to Iruka explain "Will of Fire" to protect the village, protect his companions, and create a peaceful future for the next generation.
To Menma, who is now personally subverting the old order, these words sound hollow and hypocritical, almost ironic.
He lowered his eyes slightly, hiding the flash of coldness and alienation in his eyes, and just quietly played the role of a "quiet, well-educated war orphan."
And Uzumaki Naruto, like a stone thrown into a calm lake, completely stirred up the atmosphere of the class.
He seemed to have endless energy and could not sit still during class. He could not help but look around or whisper to Menma, although Menma mostly just nodded or responded briefly.
After class, it is his home court, like an energetic puppy, running and laughing in the classroom and corridors.
Surprisingly, his unabashed enthusiasm and silly sincerity also attracted some companions.
Choji Akimichi soon discovered that Naruto had the same pure love for snacks as he did. The two often shared potato chips and quickly formed a "potato chip friendship."
Kiba Inuzuka admires Naruto's fearless drive. Although the two often bicker and argue over trivial matters such as who is faster and who is more powerful, this energetic collision makes them quickly become familiar with each other.
Although Shikamaru Nara always complained about "trouble" and felt that Naruto was too noisy, he watched Naruto make all kinds of exaggerated actions to attract everyone's attention, watched him and Ya fight like two little animals, and watched Choji get so happy because Naruto gave him half a bag of potato chips.
Shikamaru's eyes, which are always half-squinted, occasionally have an unnoticeable glint that feels like "it's troublesome, but it's also interesting."
Even though Sasuke, who was praised by the girls, often quarreled with Naruto, he did not hate Naruto like other villagers. The two were more like a pair of enemies.
Unknowingly, Naruto gradually blended into the classmates.
The school bell sounds like the sound of nature.
Naruto was almost the first one to rush out of the classroom.
"Brother Menma! Hinata! Hurry up!" He stood at the end of the corridor, clasping his hands to his mouth and shouting loudly, attracting good-natured laughter from other students.
Menma packed the books slowly and carried a simple cloth bag on his back.
Hinata Hyuga walked quickly beside him, Bai Jiu's little face flushed slightly, and his long dark blue hair swaying gently with his steps.
She was wearing Hyuga Clan plain training clothes and a light white hooded jacket.
Hearing Naruto's cry, she subconsciously moved closer to Menma, and gently pinched the corner of his old dark blue coat with her fingers.
He quickly let go as if he had been burned, his head hung lower, and his ears were stained with red.
Since the unexpected declaration from the "big sister" on the first day of school, Hinata, who has returned to normal, has become even more shy in front of Menma.
But that cautious love and dependence are clearly conveyed through these small actions.
"Naruto-kun-We are here--" Hinata responded in a soft voice, so low that it was almost drowned out by the noise in the corridor.
The three of them met and walked out of the school gate with the flow of people after school.
The golden glow of the rising sun stretches their shadows long.
Shikamaru Nara put his hands in his trouser pockets, slowly Earth Flow On the way home, the setting sun dragged a long shadow behind him.
He was a little later than usual because he looked at the clouds and clouds for a while under the shade of the trees beside the playground and thought about the possibility of simplifying "Shadow Possession Jutsu".
Of course, the conclusion is "it's too troublesome, let's talk about it later".
Pushing open the door of the Nara Clan house, the air is filled with the faint smell of herbs and ink.
His father, Nara Shikaku, was sitting cross-legged on the porch, with a shogi game in front of him, holding a chess piece in his hand, and seemed to be deep in thought.
Hearing the sound of the door opening, Shikaku didn't even raise his head and asked casually, "You came back late today, Shikamaru. Did you have fun with your new classmates at school?"
Shikamaru walked to the seat opposite his father, slumped down without any image, and let out a long, tired sigh, "Ha-I'm so tired. There's nothing to be happy or unhappy about, there's a lot of trouble."
He rubbed his messy braid,
"Oh?" Shikaku finally raised his eyes to look at his son, with a knowing smile in his eyes, "What about? The energetic Uzumaki Naruto, or the genius kid Uchiha Clan?"
"Squirt." Shikamaru curled his lips, looking troubled.
"Those two people are simply natural enemies. Naruto gets furious when he sees Sasuke, and Sasuke is like a gunpowder. They start quarreling in less than three sentences, and have a fight at every turn. Iruka-sensei has almost become a quarrel specially for them. It's so quarrelsome."
He imitated Naruto's jumping feet and Sasuke's cold face, which were lifelike.
"Hahaha!" Hearing this, Shikaku couldn't help but laugh heartily.
"Young people, it's a good thing to be energetic. Naruto That kid - well, it's quite interesting. Shikamaru, you have to get along well with them." There was an elder's tolerance and a hint of deep meaning in his tone.
Shikamaru keenly captured the strangeness in his father's tone.
He put away his lazy expression, sat up a little straighter, and looked at his father with his black eyes. "Dad, that Naruto" - is there anything special about him? I always feel that some people in the village look at him strangely."
Shikamaru's observation skills have always been meticulous. He was not unaware of Naruto's "ostracized loneliness" and the vague disgust in the eyes of some villagers.
Even when some students' parents came to pick up their children after school, Shikamaru could still hear some "Why is it that guy?" "Third Hokage Sir, did you allow that guy to go to school?" "This is too dangerous-"
"What if I hurt the children?" and other unabashed malice and rumors.
But Naruto seems to have been accustomed to these things for a long time. Although he is occasionally disappointed, he is still very cheerful most of the time.
Shikamaru It is hard to imagine how Naruto, an orphan, lived in the face of such unabashed malice from the villagers before entering school?
Shikaku's smile faded slightly and he pondered for a moment.
He put down the chess piece in his hand, his eyes became a little complicated, and he looked at the deer garden in the courtyard that looked dark in the twilight, where several deer raised by the Nara Clan were leisurely.
"Naruto's life experience -" he paused and his voice became a little lower. "It's more complicated. There are some things that you shouldn't know now. You will understand it in the future."
Another vague answer.
Shikamaru was muttering in his heart, but looking at his father's expression, he knew that he wouldn't be able to get anything out of him if he asked again.
He then mentioned another person who concerned him a little. "Well - there is another person named Menma in the class, who often plays with Naruto.
They always act together. He talks very little and doesn't pay much attention in class, but he seems to get good grades in every test."
Shikamaru frowned and seemed to be trying to form words. "I always feel that he is a little different. But I can't tell what is different. It seems - too quiet? Or too flat? Sometimes I even think he is more troublesome than me. He is not like people of our age at all."
Shikamaru's intuition told him that this Menma had a calmness beyond his age, and even a sense of alienation. "Menma?" When Shikaku heard the name, he paused almost imperceptibly with his fingers holding the chess piece.
He raised his eyes and glanced sharply at his son's confused face. The sporadic report submitted by Intelligence Division two years ago flashed through his mind.
This war orphan who was adopted by Land of Fire, a big businessman, Gato, has a seemingly simple and clean background, but Gato is doing business in various countries. It seems that every country has adopted orphans, and his attitude towards these orphans is mostly laissez-faire. He does business abroad all year round, and only returns to Konoha a few times a year.
A trace of thought flashed deep in Shikaku's eyes.
However, he quickly suppressed this strangeness and returned to his usual lazy and casual expression. He shook his head and said in an understatement, "Oh, he is just an ordinary war orphan. He was adopted by a businessman and had good luck. He probably experienced some things, and it is normal to be introverted. Don't think too much, Shikamaru, just concentrate on your own affairs."
He returned his attention to the chessboard, as if the topic just now was just a trivial chat.
Shikamaru watched his father focus on the chess game again. Although the doubts in his heart were not completely dispelled, he also knew that he could not ask more questions.
He shrugged and decided to put aside this "troublesome" thought for the time being.
After all, thinking too much is really taxing on the brain.
The next afternoon, a rare weekend.
Warm sunshine shines on the bustling commercial street of Konoha, and the aroma of various snacks wafts in the air.
Shikamaru Nara was "held hostage" by Ino Yamanaka and Choji Akimichi, one on the left and the other on the right, to wander around.
As the heirs of the new generation of the three clans "Ino-Shika-Cho", they have played together since they were young, cultivating feelings and understanding. Shikamaru just finds it troublesome and has no choice but to refuse.
I could only go shopping with the two of them, watching Ino visit the flower shop with great interest, and watching Choji cast longing eyes on every shop on the street that smelled of food.
"Hey, hey, let's find a place to sit. What's the point of walking around like this?" Shikamaru dragged his feet and complained for the 101st time.
"Oh Shikamaru, don't be so disappointed! Look over there!" Ino suddenly pointed at a newly opened shop not far ahead, his eyes brightening.
"There are so many people queuing up! Is there a new dessert shop? Let's go check it out!"
Shikamaru followed the direction pointed by Ino and looked up lazily.
In front of a shop with a rather novel decoration style, there was indeed a long queue, mostly young ninjas and villagers with children.
The store's signboard is simple and elegant, with several characters carved on dark brown wood - "Wanxiang Sweet Drinks".
Under the sign, there was also a string of small, unique wind chimes hanging. The pendants of the wind chimes seemed to have a star-shaped pattern that he had never seen before.
Next to the queue at the entrance of the store, there were three familiar figures standing.
Uzumaki Naruto was standing on his feet, stretching his neck and trying to look into the store. His face was full of impatience, and he kept chanting. "Anko sha! Matcha! Strawberry Daifuku! Which one is delicious? Menma brother, which one do you recommend?"
He was dressed in bright orange and his blond hair was still eye-catching.
The surrounding villagers even silently moved out of the way because of his arrival.
Menma, standing next to Naruto, looked at the villagers calmly.
Wearing simple red and black clothes and trousers, he stood upright and glanced at the store's sign and menu calmly, as if he was evaluating something.
"I want a Anko sand milk tea." He occasionally responded Naruto in a low voice.
"Master Menma! Please wait a moment!" The store manager of Wanxiang Sweet Drinks bowed to Menma and began to prepare the desserts himself.
On the other side of Menma, Hinata Hyuga lowered his head slightly, his fair face showing a faint pink color in the sunlight.
She was wearing simple and elegant light purple casual clothes, her fingers nervously twisting the corners of her clothes, but her eyes quickly glanced at Menma next to her from time to time.
When Naruto asked loudly what she wanted to eat, she echoed in a soft voice, "I... I also think Anko Sha. should be good."
Bei's voice was as low as a mosquito's hum.
Shikamaru looked at the trio, especially Menma, who seemed particularly calm in the crowd, and then remembered his father's light words yesterday, "just ordinary war orphans," and a subtle sense of dissonance came to mind again.
He looked at the new store called "Wanxiang Sweet Drinks". The signboard reflected light in the sun, and the small star-shaped wind chime pendant made an almost inaudible sound in the breeze.