Enrollment

In the 54th year of Konoha, sunlight bathed every corner of Konoha. This day held extraordinary significance for six-year-olds Naruto and Menma, as they were about to step into the Ninja Academy to begin a new journey.

Naruto woke up early, brimming with energy. After tossing and turning in bed, he couldn't wait to put on his clothes.

His eyes were filled with longing for the Ninja Academy, and he kept muttering to himself, "Ninja Academy, here I come! I'm going to become a super amazing ninja!"

Meanwhile, Menma also appeared ready for school. In reality, however, it was his Shadow Clone preparing to attend, while his true self planned to head off for training as soon as he finished eating.

Kushina had prepared a sumptuous breakfast with great care. Looking at the two children, she urged them with deep concern, "Be respectful to your teachers and get along with your classmates at school. Don't be naughty."

With his mouth stuffed with food, Naruto replied vaguely, "Got it, Mom!" Menma simply nodded politely.

After breakfast, Naruto and Menma set off for the Ninja Academy. The road to the school was filled with children and parents; the laughter of the children and the exhortations of the parents intertwined, playing a symphony full of hope.

Upon arriving at the Ninja Academy, the campus was as bustling as a marketplace. Children ran back and forth across the playground, some showing off small ninjutsu they had just learned, others excitedly discussing their future dreams of becoming ninjas.

They arrived at their classroom, where many familiar faces had already gathered. Shikamaru sat at his desk with his usual lazy demeanor, eyes half-closed, as if he had no interest in the lively scene.

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

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

Seeing Menma, Kiba grinned and ran over to greet him, "Menma, I didn't expect us to be in the same class!"

The corner of Menma's Shadow Clone's mouth curled up slightly as he replied, "Yeah."

Choji was sitting at his desk with a small bag of potato chips in front of him. Seeing Naruto, he asked enthusiastically, "Naruto, want some chips?" Naruto waved his hand with a smile, indicating he had just finished breakfast.

Shino stood quietly to the side; his bugs seemed to sense the lively atmosphere, squirming slightly inside his collar.

Hinata peeked at Naruto, her face flushed. Whenever Naruto looked her way, she would hurriedly lower her head, nervously twisting the hem of her shirt.

Suddenly, a melodious bell rang across the campus, signaling that the entrance ceremony was about to begin.

The students filed out of the classroom and lined up neatly on the playground. A temporary podium had been set up at one end, decorated with the Konoha emblem and colorful ribbons.

Before long, the Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi appeared on the podium. His presence caused the entire playground to fall silent instantly, all eyes focusing on him.

The Third Hokage wore a kind smile as he began his address: "Dear children, welcome to the Ninja Academy. Ninjas are the pride of our Konoha, and the power that guards the village and protects our families. In this school, you will learn various ninjutsu, knowledge, and skills—all essential elements to becoming an excellent ninja." His voice was steady and powerful, echoing in every corner of the playground.

"Each of you carries a dream, just like the First Hokage, the Second Hokage, and the countless ninjas who have dedicated themselves to Konoha before you. Here, you must learn to respect others and work together. The world of a ninja is full of challenges, but as long as you have firm conviction and unremitting effort, you will surely be able to overcome any difficulty," the Third Hokage continued.

"You will face various trials—perhaps grueling ninjutsu training, perhaps learning to cooperate with your partners, or perhaps challenging yourselves. But please remember, the spirit of Konoha is to never give up and to always forge ahead. I hope that in the days to come, you will not only become powerful ninjas but also people of integrity and responsibility."

The students listened intently to the Third Hokage's words, their eyes filled with reverence and longing for the future.

After the address, the various procedures of the entrance ceremony followed. The teachers began calling the roll according to the list to confirm every enrolled student. When Naruto's name was called, he shouted with his vibrant voice, "Here!" His voice was exceptionally loud in the quiet playground, drawing a burst of light laughter from his classmates. When Menma's name was called, his Shadow Clone replied lazily, "Here."

Subsequently, the teachers began distributing the Ninja Academy textbooks. The books emitted a faint scent of ink, and the Konoha emblem was printed on the cover—a symbol of honor.

Next, Iruka stepped forward to explain the various rules and regulations of the Ninja Academy in detail.

"Students, we must follow discipline at school. You are not allowed to use ninjutsu without permission, and playing around in classrooms and hallways is strictly forbidden. Our school is a place to learn knowledge and skills, and I hope everyone will cherish this opportunity," Iruka said earnestly.

As Naruto listened, his thoughts began to drift. His eyes fixed on a large tree at the edge of the playground, and his mind conjured images of himself leaping across trees like those great ninjas. Menma's Shadow Clone just watched quietly, though it was unclear if he had zoned out.

After the entrance ceremony, the students returned to the classroom. Iruka said, "Today, we will conduct a simple basic ninja test. This is just to understand everyone's current level, so don't be nervous."

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

Some students made the lights on the device shine brilliantly the moment they touched it, indicating they had strong chakra perception; others made the lights flicker weakly, showing weaker perception.

When it was Naruto's turn, he took a deep breath, as if trying to concentrate all his strength into his hand, and placed it on the device. The lights on the device flickered a few times before finally displaying a medium level of brightness.

Naruto frowned, feeling a bit disappointed, thinking he should have done better.

Menma's Shadow Clone stepped forward. He calmly focused his energy and slowly injected his chakra into the device. The lights on the device became incredibly bright, almost to the point of exploding, and the surrounding students gasped in amazement.

The second test was simple taijutsu movements. Iruka first demonstrated some basic taijutsu, such as ninja evasion stances and rapid attack moves, then asked the students to imitate them.

When Naruto imitated them, his hands and feet seemed to have a mind of their own. Although his movements were full of vigor, they lacked precision. His actions were like a gale—powerful, but lacking accuracy.

Menma's Shadow Clone performed them perfectly. His movements were as smooth and natural as flowing water, every action precise and on point. Finally, he even added some flair: he jumped up, performed three flips in the air, and immediately followed up with a backflip upon landing. Menma was showing off right in front of everyone.

Many female students looked at Menma with adoring eyes, though only those who knew him well realized that this was nothing for him.

The final item was a ninja knowledge quiz. Iruka asked questions about the history of Konoha and the basic duties of a ninja.

Naruto answered most of the questions correctly—after all, Kushina had specifically tutored him—but he forgot a few. He scratched his head, trying to recall more information, but some facts just flashed through his mind without him being able to grasp them.

Menma's Shadow Clone, however, answered fluently. He articulated every answer clearly, and his grasp of ninja knowledge even made Iruka nod in approval.

After the test, Iruka concluded, "Students, today's test is just the beginning. Regardless of how you performed today, there will be many opportunities to improve yourselves in future studies. A ninja's growth is a process of constant accumulation. I hope no one will be discouraged or arrogant because of temporary gains or losses."

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

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

Menma's Shadow Clone comforted him, "Brother, today was only the first day. We still have plenty of time to improve."

After the two returned home, Kushina ran over and began asking what they had done all day. She asked many questions, such as whether they had listened carefully in class and whether they had been bullied by classmates.

"Mom, with Menma like this, who could possibly bully him?" Naruto chimed in, teasing.

Kushina thought about it and realized he was right. She knew Menma's strength and believed that he would surely graduate early and become a genin ahead of schedule.