Graduation

Back home.

Hinata was already familiar with the place, as she visited often now that they were close.

"Let me cook today, Naruto."

"Alright."

Naruto didn't stand on ceremony; if anything, he treated her like his girlfriend.

Besides, it was his birthday today, so he might as well kick back and relax.

He sat directly on the sofa and opened a scroll to read.

Hinata carried the groceries to the kitchen to start cooking.

Naruto hadn't told anyone about his birthday, and in this world, turning twelve didn't hold any special significance.

But in his original world, twelve was a milestone with many interpretations.

In some places, it represented adulthood, and in his home, it carried its own special meaning.

Lost in thought, he drifted into a daze.

He didn't know how much time had passed before Hinata walked over.

"Naruto, are you daydreaming?"

Hinata asked curiously.

"I'm just surrounded by happiness."

Naruto teased, looking at the girl who acted like a virtuous wife and mother.

Naruto truly felt happy.

To have someone by his side in life was enough.

"Alright, let's eat."

Hinata blushed instantly, lowering her head as she murmured softly.

Naruto chuckled.

At the same time, inside Naruto's body, his mood influenced the flow of his chakra.

His constitution, which was already nearing complete fusion, accelerated the process instantly.

Name: Uzumaki Naruto
Bloodline: Asura bloodline
Technique: Triple Inversion
Skills: Fire Style, Twin Palms, Adamantine Sealing Chains, Mind's Eye of the Kagura, Flying Thunder God, Sealing Jutsu.
Chakra Level: 1 Nine-Tails power
Restriction: Cinnabar Mark
Draws: 10

Naruto's hand froze mid-motion while eating.

Bloodline regression.

The Asura bloodline could be considered his ancestor's; if he were to add the Sharingan to the mix, becoming the next Sage of Six Paths was well within reach.

"Naruto, why do you keep spacing out today?"

Hinata blinked her large eyes in confusion.

"Hold out your hand."

Naruto felt that with his mood today, he had to try a draw.

Despite her confusion, shyness, and a mix of other emotions, Hinata extended her small hand.

Her hand was fair and slender, her fingers like jade scallions.

Naruto took hold of it.

System draw.

With a flash of special effects, nine cards appeared in the void.

Naruto hesitated for a moment before tapping two cards at the top.

Another burst of effects followed.

Both cards flipped over simultaneously.

Skill: Reverse Eight Directions.

Skill: Dan Devour.

Seeing these two abilities, Naruto breathed a sigh of relief, yet felt a tinge of disappointment.

Both abilities were heaven-defying in this world.

But for Uzumaki Naruto, he had never lacked ways to kill.

"Should I try again?"

A faint sense of unwillingness lingered in his heart.

The rewards he had drawn so far were all lethal techniques, and all of them were abilities from Under One Person. They were undeniably strong, but Uzumaki Naruto felt that when it came to techniques, quality mattered more than quantity.

After some thought, he decided to let it go. He stopped dwelling on it, finished his meal, and walked Hinata home.

Uzumaki Naruto then returned to his own home.

"Lord Naruto."

A dark shadow appeared.

"What intelligence do you have?"

"Daohuo Uchiha is dead, and the Mangekyo Sharingan is on its way back."

"It must have been Danzo who made a move for Itachi Uchiha's Mangekyo Sharingan."

Uzumaki Naruto quickly grasped the ins and outs of the situation.

Daohuo Uchiha had lost his Sharingan because of him, and later transplanted Itachi Uchiha's eyes.

He hadn't expected that he still couldn't escape Danzo's poisonous clutches.

"I understand. Retrieve it."

Uzumaki Naruto said indifferently.

"Understood."

The figure vanished instantly.

Uzumaki Naruto washed up and went to sleep.

Three days later.

Uzumaki Naruto's class began their graduation exams.

Everyone was full of confidence regarding the graduation.

Uzumaki Naruto, however, was listless.

Nearby, not far away, Sasuke was glaring fixedly at Uzumaki Naruto.

Unlike the Sasuke in the original story, the Uchiha clan had not been wiped out, and Sasuke lived with Mikoto.

For some unknown reason, ever since he returned, Sasuke had been paying extra attention to Uzumaki Naruto.

No matter what he did, he wanted to compete with Uzumaki Naruto.

But Uzumaki Naruto had no interest in acknowledging him.

These were boring squabbles; the two were no longer on the same level.

In the classroom, Iruka announced the content of the exam.

"I will call names now; come forward for your exam."

After Iruka finished speaking, he called out a name.

Uzumaki Naruto yawned out of boredom.

"Uzumaki Naruto, Transformation Technique exam."

Uzumaki Naruto paused for a moment.

Has the plot changed?

Although he had expected it, seeing this scene for real still left him somewhat silent.

I wonder what the world will become in the future. I'm truly looking forward to it.

With thoughts of the future in his mind, Uzumaki Naruto stood up and walked toward the examination room.

Good luck, Naruto. Hinata cheered for Uzumaki Naruto silently in her heart!

"There's no way that dead last will pass, right?"

"Don't underestimate him; Naruto is actually quite strong."

The classroom instantly became rowdy. Uzumaki Naruto had been very low-key at school, always maintaining the appearance of a dead last.

As for Uzumaki Naruto's true strength, only the higher-ups knew.

Inside the room, two people sat at the desk: Iruka and Mizuki.

"Naruto, the exam content is the Transformation Technique. Transform into either me or him."

"Alright."

He shifted his focus.

"Transformation Technique."

His body instantly transformed into the likeness of Iruka.

"How impressive, such proficiency."

"Could it be that he was too fast? How did I not see him weave the hand signs?"

Both teachers appeared thoroughly astonished.

Furthermore, the Iruka that Naruto Uzumaki had transformed into was identical to the real person in both appearance and aura.

"Good, full marks, you pass."

Both were very satisfied.

"From today on, you are a Konoha genin."

Iruka handed over the ninja headband.

"Thank you, teacher. Goodbye, teacher."

Naruto Uzumaki turned and left.

Returning to his seat, it wasn't long before everyone finished their exams.

School let out, and the class assignments would be announced tomorrow.

At this moment, many parents had arrived outside the school; becoming a genin in the ninja village was considered reaching adulthood, a day worth celebrating.

Naruto Uzumaki nodded at Hinata, and his body vanished in an instant.

Hinata's mouth opened slightly.

Sorry, Naruto Uzumaki.

She felt a pang of guilt in her heart, wishing she could be with him, but her family had sent someone to pick her up today.

Girls are prone to overthinking, and seeing Naruto Uzumaki's expression made it even harder not to dwell on it.

Naruto Uzumaki, however, felt nothing out of the ordinary.

Sheep travel in flocks; the strong walk alone.

He used Flying Thunder God to return to his laboratory.

The laboratory had expanded significantly once again, with all sorts of experimental apparatuses lining the walls.

Most eye-catching among them were several pairs of Sharingan, including two pairs of Mangekyo Sharingan.

"I didn't expect to obtain the eyes of Itachi Uchiha so easily."

Naruto Uzumaki stroked his chin, gazing at the two pairs of eyes floating in the culture tanks.

His hands itched with the urge to see if he could craft a pair of Eternal Mangekyo.

He decided to put the thought into action.

Naruto Uzumaki began the experiment.

He activated Twin Palms.

He fused ocular power and cells into a pair of eyes.

"The experiment is proceeding smoothly; as long as I continue to supply chakra, completion is possible."

The experiment was so successful that Naruto Uzumaki found it hard to believe; Twin Palms truly was the perfect counter to bloodline abilities.