Ninja Academy

"Little brat, since you've already come in, I suppose you're prepared to die?"

Naruto Uzumaki looked up, his tone sincere: "I have no intention of dying yet; I came in here to be friends with you."

The best way to make friends is through sincerity, and Naruto Uzumaki was being very sincere right now; the Nine-Tails could feel it too.

Risking his life just to be friends with it—how could that not be sincere?

The Nine-Tails was silent for a moment before saying: "You humans are all the same. I have no interest in being friends with you."

Naruto Uzumaki said solemnly: "Everyone is unique, so we will definitely become friends."

The Nine-Tails sneered: "Heh, are you trying to say you're different?"

Naruto Uzumaki replied: "Time will prove everything."

The Nine-Tails was noncommittal: "Then let time be the judge."

With that, the Nine-Tails retracted its claws and ignored Naruto Uzumaki.

What a tsundere fox, as expected...

Naruto Uzumaki wore a smile, ready to strike while the iron was hot, and walked over to the side of the Nine-Tails' tail.

"So, as friends, it's only natural to let me take a nap, right?"

The fur was fluffy, perfect for a good sleep.

Without waiting for the Nine-Tails to agree, Naruto Uzumaki started to climb onto the tail to sleep.

"Get lost! You little brat, don't push your luck!"

I give you an inch and you take a mile; I shudder to think what you'd do next... The Nine-Tails couldn't stand it, raising its tail high and nearly causing Naruto Uzumaki to fall flat on his face.

"Little Nine, you really are too shy... But considering it's your first time, I'll forgive you."

Do I need your forgiveness? You detestable little brat!

The Nine-Tails bared its teeth at Naruto Uzumaki, looking less like a fox and more like a puppy pretending to be fierce.

I really want to pat that doggy head... Naruto Uzumaki suppressed the urge to court death, said "Goodnight," then turned sideways to pass through the gate, disappearing as he left.

"...Goodnight, little brat."

The low voice echoed in the space, but unfortunately, no one heard it.

Time flowed by, and half a year passed; the relationship between Naruto Uzumaki and the Nine-Tails gradually became more harmonious.

Whether they counted as friends was up for debate, but they could at least communicate normally, and it was no longer just a one-man show from Naruto Uzumaki.

He believed that as time went on, the day the boy and the fox became friends would surely arrive.

The only regret was that the Nine-Tails still wouldn't let him sleep on its tail.

How stingy!

At noon that day, by the grassy riverbank in the forest, Naruto Uzumaki was grilling fish when the Third Hokage suddenly arrived, chatting and mooching a meal.

After finishing the fish, the Third Hokage began to smoke, exhaling a cloud of white mist as he said softly: "Little Naruto, you're six years old this year; it's time to start school."

The Third Hokage produced an enrollment notice, and Naruto Uzumaki took it to see that school started in one week.

"Mm, got it. Goodbye, old man."

"...No rush, I still wanted to talk to you for a while longer."

Fine, let's talk then.

They chatted aimlessly, and half an hour later, the Third Hokage prepared to leave to handle official business.

However, before leaving, he had a question he couldn't keep to himself.

"Does little Naruto dislike Grandpa?"

Every time they talked, the Third Hokage could feel Naruto Uzumaki's overwhelming disdain.

You actually have the nerve to ask that? Do you have no self-awareness?

Naruto Uzumaki felt disdain in his heart, but his face showed surprise: "I don't dislike you. Why would you say that, old man?"

The Third Hokage took a puff of his pipe, looking dejected: "You don't seem very willing to talk to me."

"You're overthinking it. I'm not willing to talk to anyone; you're just one of them. That doesn't mean I dislike you."

Thinking that he still needed the Third Hokage's protection and shouldn't offend him, Naruto Uzumaki placated him: "Besides, if you think about it, the people in the village don't talk to me at all. You're actually the person who talks to me the most. I'm happy about that, so how could I dislike you?"

The Third Hokage fell silent, looking at Naruto Uzumaki with a guilty expression. I'm sorry, because of my own selfishness...

Naruto Uzumaki asked curiously: "Grandpa, why are you looking at me like that?"

The Third Hokage snapped out of it and let out a deep sigh.

He didn't regret his actions, as it was all for Konoha, but he felt bad for Naruto Uzumaki and sorry for Minato and Kushina.

Collecting his complicated emotions, the Third Hokage patted Naruto Uzumaki's head and said kindly: "Make some friends when you get to school; they are all good children there..."

School, huh? Well, since I have to go to school, I'll naturally have to stop working as a sentry to make money.

Fortunately, Uzumaki Naruto had saved up quite a bit of money, enough to last him until he became a genin. He didn't feel any reluctance or similar emotions about it.

After all, unless it was absolutely necessary, he didn't really want to sit at the entrance of someone else's shop.

It looked like a beggar, and he would also have to face the strange looks of the unruly commoners.

It was all forced by a lack of money.

On the day the Ninja Academy opened, Uzumaki Naruto arrived at his assigned classroom.

Unsurprisingly, he encountered many familiar faces.

Nara Shikamaru, Yamanaka Ino, Akimichi Choji, Haruno Sakura, Uchiha Sasuke...

They were all just little kids, giving Uzumaki Naruto the feeling that he was attending elementary school.

Elementary school—middle school—high school—university—elementary school.

Sigh, how did he end up going backward in his education?

Uzumaki Naruto sighed inwardly and walked to an empty seat in the back to sit down.

He didn't have to wait long before a man wearing a green flak jacket with a fierce expression walked into the classroom.

"Hello everyone, welcome to the Ninja Academy. I am your teacher, Umino Iruka..."

After a brief self-introduction, Umino Iruka took out a notebook.

"We will now begin roll call. When your name is called, please come up to introduce yourself, state your name, your hobbies, and your dream."

"First, Uchiha Sasuke."

The voices of infatuated girls rang out immediately. Even though they were just a bunch of five or six-year-old little girls, they seemed to understand so much already.

One could only say that children in the ninja world were excessively precocious.

Thinking of this, Uzumaki Naruto looked at Hinata. She was stealing glances at him, and upon discovering his gaze, Hinata's face turned bright red instantly. She hurriedly looked away, burying her head in her arms like an ostrich.

She was also a precocious one, and just like in the original story, she had developed a crush on Uzumaki Naruto.

But the feeling of being liked by a little girl...

Uzumaki Naruto's expression turned strange. This life was becoming increasingly "criminal."

On the podium, Uchiha Sasuke said coldly, "My name is Uchiha Sasuke, my hobby is training, and my dream is to surpass my brother."

The little girls screamed again, "Ah! It's Sasuke! So cool!"

Umino Iruka stopped them, "Alright, quiet down... Next, Akimichi Choji."

The plump little boy said, "My name is Akimichi Choji, I like eating barbecue, and my dream is to have an endless supply of barbecue."

"Next, Inuzuka Kiba."

The boy with red markings on his cheeks said, "My name is Inuzuka Kiba, I like raising dogs, and my dream is to become Hokage."

"Next, Nara Shikamaru."

Nara Shikamaru looked listless, "My name is Nara Shikamaru, I like playing shogi, and my dream is to live a peaceful life."

"Next, Haruno Sakura."

The pink-haired girl stood up and said, "Hello everyone, my name is Haruno Sakura, my best friend is Yamanaka Ino, and my dream is to become a great female ninja like Lady Tsunade!"

"Next..."

Soon, it was Uzumaki Naruto's turn.

"Next, Uzumaki Naruto." Umino Iruka's eyes were filled with anger; his parents...