Script

[Listen well, I don't believe a word you say, and even if you really are the reincarnation of the Sage of Six Paths, what does that have to do with me?]

[It's only because your attitude in admitting your mistake was decent that I've magnanimously retracted Kamui. The moment I find you displeasing again... your body will be mine!]

[Get lost, get lost, get lost! Stop disturbing my sleep!]

As his consciousness returned to reality, Naruto scratched his ears. Putting everything else aside, Kurama was truly loud...

"But this trip was certainly fruitful. Not only did it verify the authenticity of those 'plots,' but I also accidentally unsealed a portion of my own chakra... Perhaps my relationship with Kurama has even eased a little?"

In the darkness, Naruto pondered quietly.

"In that case, the next steps of the plan are quite simple."

"I just need to follow the original script."

"Fail the graduation exam, wait for Mizuki to take the initiative to approach me, and use that opportunity to steal the Scroll of Seals..."

Naruto had two goals in doing this.

The first was to provide a reasonable pretext for his change in personality.

After all, after experiencing a "thrilling" "life-and-death battle," it is only natural for a person to have an epiphany and undergo a transformation, right?

The second was that he truly needed access to the Scroll of Seals.

Because this was the best way for him to learn high-level ninjutsu at this stage.

According to the original work, the Multi Shadow Clone Technique was practically his signature ninjutsu, and his compatibility with it was extremely high. More than for combat, Naruto valued its ability to accelerate training.

Creating one clone meant doubling training efficiency; creating a hundred meant a hundredfold increase.

In the entire ninja world, only Naruto could withstand the side effects of using the Multi Shadow Clone Technique to accelerate training. He had to get his hands on this cheat that was practically exclusive to him. In Naruto's view, the version of himself in the original story only using this cheat while training for the Wind Style: Rasenshuriken was a complete waste of potential.

If you have a cheat and don't keep it activated, are you even human?

Furthermore, if he could learn ninjutsu faster than in the original story before Iruka Umino and Mizuki found him, perhaps he could even look into another ninjutsu...

Thinking of this, Naruto proceeded to verify the hypothesis he had formed in the sealing space just moments ago.

"Clone Technique!"

Poof!

As the smoke cleared, three clones identical to Naruto appeared by the bed, without the slightest distortion.

"It really is as I thought!"

Naruto clenched his fists in excitement.

The sensation of releasing the ninjutsu just now was completely different from before.

In the past, whenever he channeled chakra, his mind struggled to control its flow; it was as if he were being swept along by the inertia of the chakra, and where it flowed was entirely up to fate. But just now, when he performed the Clone Technique, his chakra seemed to suddenly become obedient. Under the control of his suddenly enhanced mental power, it went exactly where he directed it, moving as easily as his own limbs.

Sure enough... mental energy must be matched with physical energy. Once they are imbalanced, there will inevitably be flaws.

Looking at it this way, perhaps the reason Might Guy and Rock Lee were not good at ninjutsu, and even in the later stages rarely used any ninjutsu other than the Eight Inner Gates, was not entirely due to limited talent. Could it be that their physical energy was too powerful, far exceeding and suppressing their mental energy, which was also a key factor?

Over-exercising...

This feeling of connecting various pieces of information and knowledge made Naruto feel inexplicably excited. He clearly felt his understanding of chakra deepening. He, who used to get a headache whenever he studied, was now experiencing an unprecedented surge of thirst for knowledge, wanting to devour books.

After all, the explanations of chakra in those videos at the cinema were mostly macro-level, general concepts. But specific details—such as which meridians chakra should circulate through, the different guiding effects of various hand seals on chakra, and the precise distribution of human acupuncture points—could only be learned in this real ninja world.

But he couldn't break character yet...

Naruto sighed, helplessly reflecting on why he never read books when he came home in the past.

For the sake of caution, he suppressed this impulse and did not do what the former Naruto would never have done.

After re-forming the seals for the Clone Technique and deliberately creating a few malformed, failed clones, Naruto finally lay down, closed his eyes, and began the practice of refining chakra.

This kind of practice would not be noticed by the monitoring Anbu. Although the process would be extremely dull, for Naruto, who now had things he absolutely had to accomplish, every inch of time was urgent, and there was joy in every inch of progress.

What Naruto didn't know was that, at this moment, inside his body, the Nine-Tails was also reflecting.

"To think I actually got into a shouting match with a brat... it's truly too shameful..."

"And why did my brain short-circuit, and I voluntarily stopped eroding the seal? Did I really want to be locked up for a lifetime?"

The Nine-Tails was sulking to itself.

"Kurama, have you never been apologized to before? How could you get muddled just because a brat apologized... Well, I suppose I haven't been apologized to, but I am the Calamity Beast, the Nine-Tails, the existence that brings all misfortune; why would I ever need an apology from anyone..."

"..."

"But this brat, since he apologized to me, does that mean he actually believed what I said so easily?"

"...Hahaha, what a fool. It seems this brat is the type who is easy to deceive. In the future, this body is destined to be mine, hehehe..."

"..."

The Nine-Tails opened its eyes slightly. For some reason, the words of those people from the past suddenly echoed in its ears.

[Obey me.]

[I'm sorry, your power is too great; I cannot let you roam free.]

[As long as you use your power, it will invite hatred. Just stay quietly inside me.]

[What is certain is that you and I are both unlucky people. You can suppress the world, and I can suppress you.]

[I love Kushina very much. I absolutely cannot bear to lose her, and I will never hand her over to you!]

"...Hmph."

Believe?

So what if I do?

Kurama buried his head.

The ending would be the same regardless.

"Once that brat... learns the truth about how his parents died."

"He will surely loathe this old man as well."

The next day.

Following the script, as soon as Naruto woke up, he pretended to be an idiot and ran to the Hokage Rock to graffiti it, only to be hog-tied and captured by Iruka Umino.

To be fair, playing the fool really wasn't simple.

It required a battle of wits against his own sense of shame; it was even more exhausting than bickering with Kurama.

--However, the Ichiraku Ramen that Iruka Umino treated him to was actually quite delicious.

While eating, Naruto looked at Iruka Umino beside him, and his heart suddenly stirred.

Over the past decade or so, in all of Konoha, Iruka Umino was likely the only person who had cared for him sincerely, without any ulterior motives.

Yet now, he was calculating how to use him... That's right, his actions tomorrow would undoubtedly be deceiving and exploiting Iruka Umino, and might even cause him to get hurt.

Naruto did not attempt to use any high-sounding excuses to beautify or package his behavior. He was clearly aware that this was manipulation, and he did not feel good about it.

But even so, he did not waver in the slightest regarding the execution of his plan.

In reality--especially in this world of ninjas--not everything could perfectly avoid moral dilemmas while achieving one's goals smoothly. Naruto had long since prepared himself to bear all of this.

Naruto silently lifted the noodle bowl to drink the broth, the rim of the bowl perfectly masking his expression.

"I'm sorry, Iruka Umino."

In the end, he was no longer the saintly, morally flawless, and forever naive Naruto from the original story.

And he had no desire to become that person.

The third day.

Due to Naruto's deliberate slacking, he naturally failed the graduation exam.

This was already his third time failing to graduate.

As he walked through the crowded street, watching from afar as the classmates who had passed the exam were excited and being met by their parents, Naruto could not avoid a surge of loneliness in his heart.

Only this time, he did not suppress this emotion; instead, he let it flow, using it to make his acting more authentic.

Then, on the way home, Mizuki's voice sounded from behind, just as expected.

"Naruto!"

"Mizuki sensei..."