Enrollment

In Konoha's 54th year, sunlight bathed every corner of the village. It was a momentous day for six-year-old Naruto and Menma, as they were about to begin a new chapter of their lives at the Ninja Academy.

Naruto had woken up early, bursting with energy. After tossing and turning in bed, he eagerly got dressed.

His eyes were full of anticipation for the Ninja Academy, and he kept muttering, "Ninja Academy, here I come! I'm going to become an amazingly strong ninja!"

Menma also seemed ready for school. In truth, though, it was his Shadow Clone who was going, while his real body planned to eat breakfast and then head off to train.

Kushina had prepared a hearty breakfast. Looking at the two boys, she reminded them with concern, "Be respectful to your teachers and get along with your classmates. And don't get into trouble!"

With his mouth full, Naruto answered indistinctly, "Got it, Mom!" Menma politely nodded.

After breakfast, Naruto and Menma set off for the Ninja Academy. The road to the school was crowded with children and their parents. The children's laughter mingled with their parents' reminders, forming a hopeful melody.

When they arrived at the Ninja Academy, the grounds were as lively as a marketplace. Children ran around the playground. Some showed off little jutsu they had just learned, while others excitedly discussed their dreams of becoming ninjas.

They went to their classroom, where plenty of familiar faces had already gathered. As usual, Shikamaru sat lazily at his desk, his eyes half-lidded as if the lively scene couldn't interest him.

Ino and Sakura huddled together, chattering about how they could stand out at the entrance ceremony.

Sasuke sat alone in a corner with his arms crossed and a cold look on his face, as if nothing around him had anything to do with him.

When Kiba spotted Menma, he grinned and ran over to greet him. "Menma, I didn't think we'd be in the same class!"

Menma's Shadow Clone smiled faintly. "Yeah."

Choji sat at his desk with a small bag of chips in front of him. When he saw Naruto, he cheerfully asked, "Want some chips, Naruto?" Naruto smiled and waved him off, saying he'd just eaten breakfast.

Shino stood quietly to one side. His insects seemed to sense the lively atmosphere, stirring faintly beneath his collar.

Hinata secretly watched Naruto, her cheeks faintly pink. Whenever he looked her way, she quickly lowered her head, nervously twisting the hem of her shirt.

Suddenly, a clear bell rang across the school grounds, signaling that the entrance ceremony was about to begin.

The students filed out of their classroom and lined up neatly on the playground. A makeshift stage had been set up at one end, decorated with Konoha's emblem and colorful streamers.

Before long, Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi appeared on the stage. The entire playground fell silent at once, and everyone's attention turned to him.

With a kindly smile, the Third Hokage began his speech. "Dear children, welcome to the Ninja Academy. Ninjas are the pride of Konoha and the strength that protects our village and our families. At this school, you'll learn all kinds of jutsu, knowledge, and skills—the essentials for becoming excellent ninjas." His steady, powerful voice carried to every corner of the playground.

"Each of you has a dream, just like the First, the Second Hokage, and the countless ninjas who have served Konoha. Here, you must learn to respect others and work together. The world of ninjas is full of challenges, but with firm convictions and unrelenting effort, you can overcome them," the Third Hokage continued.

"You'll face all kinds of trials. You may have to endure grueling jutsu training, learn to work with your teammates, or challenge yourselves. But remember, the spirit of Konoha is to never give up and always press forward. I hope that in the days to come, you'll become not only powerful ninjas, but also people who are dependable and responsible."

The students listened attentively to the Third Hokage, their eyes filled with admiration and anticipation for the future.

After the speech came the various entrance ceremony proceedings. The teachers began calling names from the roster to confirm each student's enrollment. When Naruto's name was called, he shouted in his lively voice, "Here!" His voice rang especially loud across the quiet playground, drawing a round of laughter from his classmates. When Menma's name was called, his Shadow Clone lazily answered, "Here."

The teachers then began handing out the Ninja Academy textbooks. They carried a faint scent of ink, and each cover bore Konoha's emblem, a symbol of honor.

Next, Iruka-sensei stepped forward and began explaining the Ninja Academy's rules in detail.

"Class, we need to follow the rules at school. You mustn't use jutsu without permission, and fighting in the classrooms and hallways is strictly forbidden. Our school is a place to learn knowledge and skills, so I hope you'll treasure this opportunity," Iruka-sensei said earnestly.

As Naruto listened, his mind began to wander. His eyes fixed on a tree by the edge of the playground, and he imagined himself leaping and darting across its branches like the great ninjas. Menma's Shadow Clone watched quietly, though it was hard to tell whether he was paying attention.

After the entrance ceremony, the students returned to the classroom. Iruka-sensei said, "Today we're going to have a simple test of your ninja fundamentals. It's just to see where you're at right now, so don't be nervous."

The first test was chakra perception. One by one, the students walked up to the chakra-sensing device at the front of the classroom and placed their hands on it.

When some students touched the device, its lights blazed brightly, showing they had a strong ability to sense chakra.

For others, the lights only flickered faintly, indicating that their chakra perception was weak.

When it was Naruto's turn, he took a deep breath, as if concentrating all his strength in his hand, and placed it on the device. Its lights flickered a few times before settling at a moderate brightness.

Naruto furrowed his brow, feeling a little disappointed. He thought he should have done better.

Menma's Shadow Clone stepped forward and calmly focused, slowly channeling his chakra into the device. Its lights immediately grew dazzlingly bright, as if it might explode. The other students let out gasps of amazement.

The second test involved simple Taijutsu movements. Iruka-sensei first demonstrated some basic moves, such as a ninja's evasive stance and a quick attack, then had the students imitate him.

As Naruto tried to copy the movements, his hands and feet seemed not to listen to him. He put plenty of effort into it, but his form was off.

His moves were like a wild gust of wind: powerful, but lacking precision.

Menma's Shadow Clone, on the other hand, performed the movements perfectly. He moved as smoothly and naturally as flowing water, every motion precise. Then he went a step further: leaping into the air, he spun three times before landing and immediately following with a backflip. Menma showed off in front of everyone.

Many of the girls watched Menma with admiration. Only those who knew him well realized that this was nothing special for him.

The final test was a quiz on ninja knowledge. Iruka-sensei asked questions about Konoha's history, the basic duties of a ninja, and other topics.

Naruto answered most of the questions correctly, since Kushina had specifically taught him about them before. But he'd forgotten some things. He scratched his head, trying to recall more, but certain facts only flashed through his mind before slipping away.

Menma's Shadow Clone answered every question smoothly, clearly explaining each answer. His knowledge of ninjas even earned a nod of approval from Iruka-sensei.

When the test was over, Iruka-sensei summed up, "Class, today's test is only the beginning. No matter how you did today, you'll have plenty of chances to improve as you continue learning. A ninja grows through steady effort over time, so I hope you won't be discouraged or get too proud over a momentary result."

After school, Naruto and Menma's Shadow Clone walked home together.

"I didn't do very well today, Menma," Naruto said glumly. "I need to work harder."

Menma's Shadow Clone reassured him, "Big brother, it's only the first day. We have plenty of time to improve."

When they got home, Kushina hurried over and began asking what they'd done that day. She asked all sorts of questions: whether they'd paid attention in class, whether any classmates had bullied them, and so on.

"Mom, with Menma around, who could bully him?" Naruto teased.

Kushina considered that. She knew how strong Menma was, and she figured he'd graduate early and become a Genin ahead of schedule.