Don't Get So Worked Up

As expected, the unexpected still happened.

When an argument broke out, there was no way it would stay quiet.

Watching the three of them grow increasingly disruptive, the teacher who was instructing the students in the techniques of the Trace Concealment Technique finally snapped.

Bang!

He slammed his hand on the desk and roared,

"Naruto Uzumaki, Hinata Hyuga, Ino Yamanaka! The three of you, get out and stand in the hall!"

Naruto had long since gotten used to being made to stand outside. Besides, Ino and Hinata were in the middle of their clash, so slipping out was probably for the best.

Hinata was used to it as well. Seeing Naruto rise, she immediately followed him out without hesitation.

Ino, who had been scolded to tears, wiped her eyes and hurried after them. As she caught up to Hinata, she quickly bumped into her, then grabbed Naruto's hand.

Then, completely disregarding the rest of the class, she sniffled and said, "Daddy, wait for me!"

It was true that Hinata Hyuga had just given her a thorough scolding, but Ino Yamanaka had also come to understand something through Hinata Hyuga's words.

Indeed...

She couldn't kill his biological father, Inoichi Yamanaka, and leave Naruto as her only dad. So she would no longer insist on Naruto having only one mom.

But that didn't mean she would back down.

Even if she couldn't be his only mom, she would be his best and closest mom. No matter what, she had to shove that hateful Hinata Hyuga behind her.

Hinata pursed her lips slightly after being bumped. She truly didn't have the courage to call Naruto Daddy directly in front of the whole class.

Even writing so many words to scold Ino just now had been because the note had lent her some courage. If she had to say it aloud herself, she still couldn't do it.

So, when she could no longer rely on the power of a note, Hinata Hyuga chose to avoid the confrontation for the time being.

But she hadn't completely retreated either. She quickly caught up to the two ahead of her and, together with Ino, flanked Naruto on either side in a pincer formation.

The hostility between them could not have been more obvious.

Seeing this, everyone in the class was utterly baffled.

Choji Akimichi: "What's wrong with them? Did Naruto offend them?"

Shikamaru Nara: "Women are such a pain. Naruto's gotten himself caught in a whirlpool of trouble. I'd better stay away from him from now on."

Kiba Inuzuka: "Why is Naruto always so close to girls? What's fun about girls? Dogs are way more interesting."

Shino Aburame: "..."

Sakura Haruno: "I really don't know what's so great about that idiot Naruto. That Ino-pig and Hinata cling to him every day."

As she said this, Sakura Haruno felt a faint ache in her chest. Naruto used to be the one constantly clinging to her.

But now he completely ignored her. What an awful guy. If she got the chance, she would definitely give Naruto a good beating.

"Those three are going to drive me insane!"

The teacher was nearly furious. Those three were practically ignoring his existence. He had decided that after class, he would go complain to their homeroom teacher, Iruka.

He would let Iruka settle the matter.

Naruto noticed the class's reactions, but he didn't care.

To Naruto now, only the "moms" who had formed a mother-son bond with him, or who were qualified to form one, were worth his attention.

So all his attention was focused on the changes in Ino Yamanaka and Hinata Hyuga.

[At this very moment, seeing that the conflict between the two sides was no longer directed at him, the evil Naruto Uzumaki curled his lips into a wicked, arrogant smirk.]

[He thought:]

[Heh. Whether it's the innocent and straightforward Mom Ino or the cute and reserved Mom Hinata, both of them will be toyed with in the palm of my hand, Naruto Uzumaki.]

Noon.

The subject teacher told Iruka about what had happened that day. Iruka immediately grew angry, but the situation was simply too unusual.

The young lady of the Yamanaka Clan, Ino Yamanaka, had openly called Naruto Uzumaki her dad.

It was his first time encountering something like this, and he truly didn't know how to handle it.

So Iruka decided to ask the principal for his opinion.

The teachers at the Ninja Academy generally weren't very strong. During wartime, they were basically cannon fodder who would be instantly killed, because powerful ninja rarely chose to remain at the Ninja Academy to teach students.

But the principal was different. The principal of the Ninja Academy was universally acknowledged as the most formidable person in the entire village, in both status and strength. There was no second place.

That was the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi!

Before long, Iruka arrived at the Hokage Tower. But just as he approached Hokage's Office, he heard arguing from inside.

"Lord Third Hokage, you must handle this matter for me. I want Ino transferred to another class. I don't want her in the same class as that brat Naruto Uzumaki anymore."

The head of the Yamanaka Clan, Inoichi Yamanaka, said excitedly inside Hokage's Office,

"That bastard actually called my Ino Mom, then coaxed her into calling him Dad. Does that make any sense?"

So someone already knew!

Hearing nothing but accusations against Naruto in the man's tone, Iruka felt inexplicably irritated.

He had seen it with his own eyes. Ino Yamanaka was clearly the one who kept clinging to Naruto every day, so how had it all become Naruto's fault in Inoichi Yamanaka's mouth?

That was prejudice!

But the other man was the head of the Yamanaka Clan. So what if he was prejudiced...?

Naruto was only an orphan. Who would rebuke the head of a major clan for him?

Iruka lowered his head and sighed, intending to turn around and leave.

But at that moment, Hiruzen Sarutobi's cheerful voice suddenly came from inside Hokage's Office.

"This is a good thing!"

"This is a good thing?!"

"Jonin Inoichi, don't get so worked up!"

"Am I worked up?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi took a puff of his pipe with a smile, then called toward the doorway,

"Iruka, come in and explain the circumstances to Inoichi!"

His voice halted Iruka's retreating steps and gave him all the courage he needed.

Hearing this, Iruka took a deep breath, clenched his fists, and entered Hokage's Office. Gathering his courage, he refuted Inoichi Yamanaka.

"Mr. Yamanaka, I will not allow you to slander my student like that. I know what kind of person Naruto is, and I also know what kind of child Ino is."

Under Inoichi Yamanaka's furious gaze, Iruka nervously recounted everything he had seen and heard.

At last, he said, "It takes two to tango. This is a matter between two children. If anyone is truly at fault, then Ino is the one at fault!"

"Did you hear that, Inoichi?" Hiruzen Sarutobi stood and patted Inoichi Yamanaka on the shoulder. "I told you, this is a good thing. The two children are willing participants, so why should we elders interfere so much?"

"Although the way they get along is indeed a little hard to fathom, its nature is still good."

"Calling each other Dad and Mom..."

"Just think of it as..."

"They're just a little too repressed!"

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PS: Dear handsome, dashing, charming readers, this humble author begs on his knees for your votes~!

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