Plot Unfolds

The next day.

The Ninja Academy welcomed its graduation season, which came once every three years.

The campus was packed with parents chatting among themselves.

"Do you think my son can graduate and become a ninja?"

"Who knows? I just know my son will definitely be fine!"

"Quit bragging. With your son's talent, even if he became a ninja, he'd just be cannon fodder."

"MD, what did you say? Come outside and fight me one-on-one!"

The school was in a tumult, with all kinds of discussions ringing out everywhere.

Quite a few hot-tempered parents even started dueling right there.

Of course, none of this affected the little kids inside the classroom building.

Naruto rested his chin in his hand, bored out of his mind as he gazed blankly at the birds flying past the window.

This is so boring...

A place full of little kids really was no fun at all.

Over the past three years, Naruto had made astonishing progress too.

He had accompanied Uchiha Kei on several missions outside the village, and his combat experience and ninjutsu had long surpassed those of an ordinary Chunin.

His signature move, the Rasengan, had become so versatile that he had mastered nature transformation early on.

He had originally wanted to graduate early, just like Kei.

Unfortunately, Kei had refused no matter what.

So Naruto had no choice but to stay at the Ninja Academy and behave himself.

"Hey, do you know what Kei's been up to lately?"

Sasuke, the proud young boy beside him, stood over him and looked down.

Without the night of the massacre, Sasuke wasn't as cold as he had been in the original story.

But his pride was still part of who he was.

"I don't know."

Naruto answered irritably.

He really didn't know.

For the past two or three months, Kei had been acting mysterious every day and had stopped taking him along for a lot of things.

That had put him in a terrible mood.

"How could you not know? Aren't you and Kei together every single day?"

Sasuke pressed on, unwilling to give up.

Ever since he had seen Kei's Sharingan three years ago, the matter had been a serious blow to him.

His big brother Itachi had awakened his eyes at eight, and Uchiha Kei had awakened his at eight too.

Why couldn't he awaken his, even with his talent?

He was already eleven!

It was so unfair...

That fixation had made Kei Sasuke's goal for the past three years.

But the harder he tried...

The more disheartened he became...

Gradually, his competitive spirit had been crushed to pieces.

All that remained was admiration.

"You're so annoying! I said I don't know!"

Naruto shouted.

The classroom fell silent at once.

"Naruto! Are you picking on Sasuke again?"

A pink-haired little girl came over, looking furious.

Behind her were quite a few other girls, all glaring indignantly at Naruto.

Just like in the anime, Sasuke was handsome and acted cool, so he had a huge number of fans.

"Sakura, I wasn't picking on him."

Naruto's voice immediately softened, turning ingratiating.

"How were you not? I clearly saw you yell at Sasuke!"

"Exactly! I saw it too!"

"What gives you the right to pick on Sasuke?"

"Apologize! Apologize to Sasuke!"

In an instant, Sasuke's fanatical fans surrounded Naruto.

"I really didn't..."

As Naruto listened to the girls chattering around him, his voice dropped another notch.

There was no helping it. What could he do against a whole group of girls, even if he was invincible?

Besides, Kei had specifically warned him.

He absolutely couldn't show his strength in front of other people.

So for now, he was still the "dead-last" of the class.

"Stop making excuses and apologize already!"

The pink-haired Sakura glared at him.

Naruto felt terribly wronged, but when he looked at Sakura, he still lowered his head toward Sasuke.

"Sorry..."

Sasuke opened his mouth, but in the end he said nothing and returned to his seat.

He was afraid of that pack of fanatical fans too...

Better not make trouble.

He could always apologize to Naruto after the exam.

But the fanatical fans led by Sakura obviously weren't willing to let Naruto off so easily.

"Look, Sasuke hasn't forgiven you."

"I think this guy should get on his knees and beg Sasuke to forgive him."

"I agree! He should kneel!"

Just as the fanatical fans kept hounding him, a small figure edged closer.

She looked at them timidly.

"Naruto-kun already apologized..."

Unfortunately, the fanatical fans paid her no attention.

"Don't be like this. We're all classmates, and Naruto-kun..."

"Don't say a word!"

Sakura glared at the timid girl.

"We're standing up for Sasuke. He deserves it!"

"That's not true..."

Looking at Naruto's aggrieved face, she forced herself to be brave, her face turning bright red.

"Hinata, why are you sticking up for this guy? He's a bad person, you know?"

"Naruto-kun isn't a bad person..."

Hinata summoned her courage and looked up at the fanatical fans.

"Naruto-kun is a really, really good person..."

Hinata struggled to explain.

"Really, really good?"

Sakura turned to her, her gaze fierce.

"Do you even know him? Do you know what kind of person he is?"

"He's..."

Sakura didn't finish, but her eyes were full of disgust as she looked at Naruto.

Fox Demon!

He was a Fox Demon!

Naruto froze, staring at Sakura in disbelief.

How could Sakura say that about him...

"He's nobody else! He's Naruto-kun!"

Hinata squeezed her eyes shut and shouted, then covered her face and ran off.

The fanatical fans stared blankly at Hinata as she fled.

That girl...

She'd actually dared to speak up today?

That was incredible.

Naruto watched Hinata too, warmth rising in his heart.

Was she the second person besides Kei who didn't look down on him?

"Knock, knock, knock!"

At the front of the classroom, Iruka rapped the desk hard.

"Everyone, settle down and return to your seats. Don't make a fuss."

"The exam is about to begin."

Under Iruka's authority, the fanatical fans finally let Naruto go and reluctantly returned to their seats.

Naruto breathed a huge sigh of relief too.

Nothing was more terrifying than being surrounded by brainless fanatical fans.

"We'll begin the exam now. Everyone wait outside. When your name is called, come in."

The little kids in the classroom filed out one by one.

"Tada Ichiro..."

The kid whose name was called entered the classroom nervously.

Sasuke paced back and forth uneasily. After a long while, he finally made up his mind and approached Naruto again.

"Um..."

The apology was on the tip of his tongue, but his pride kicked in at that moment.

"Could you stop standing so close to me?"

Naruto looked around anxiously, afraid the fanatical fans would swarm him again.

"Ahem, I came to apologize. About what happened just now..."

"I didn't take it to heart. After the exam, I'll take you to see Kei."

Sasuke looked at him, overjoyed.

"Really? Thanks so much, Naruto!"

Naruto watched Sasuke bounce away and groaned inwardly.

So childish!

I can't wait to graduate!

I can't wait to go find Kei!