The Place Where Dreams Began

Sasuke arrived at the Ninja Academy covered in injuries, shocking the other students.

"Sasuke, what happened to you? Why were you hurt so badly?"

Ino shoved Sakura aside and squeezed to the front. Ignoring Sasuke's unapproachable demeanor, she asked with concern, "Sasuke, how did you get so badly hurt? What happened? Who hit you?"

Sasuke glanced at Ino and replied, "I got hurt while training."

After saying that, he spoke no more. However, Ino and the others were already used to Sasuke's cold attitude.

"Ah, that must have been so hard, Sasuke. Even if it's for training, you still need to keep yourself safe. Don't get hurt like this again. It makes my heart ache."

Ino's delicate, pitiful appearance instantly made the Sakura she had shoved aside explode with anger.

"Ino-pig, you brat!"

Ino turned around, rolled her eyes at Sakura, and stuck out her tongue.

"Forehead girl, nyah nyah nyah... I'm the one talking to Sasuke, not you. Jealous? Envious? Nyah nyah nyah..."

"Ino-pig!"

"Forehead girl!"

"Ino-pig!"

"Forehead girl!"

Sakura and Ino, who had once been close friends, had become romantic rivals who could not stand the sight of each other because of Sasuke. Yet Sasuke, the person at the center of it all, only found them irritating.

Watching Sakura and Ino start arguing again in the distance, Naruto wore an envious, jealous expression. A bandage was wrapped around his forehead. He was injured too! Why was Sasuke so popular while he could only pitifully nurse his wounds? Hiruzen Sarutobi had even scolded him last night.

"Damn it, damn it, damn it! Sasuke actually tricked me. That's so infuriating! Getting hurt didn't make me stronger at all. In a situation like this, let me think, what song should I sing? Right, A Sprig of Plum Blossoms. It really is snowflakes drifting..."

Naruto pouted and grumbled, his blue eyes glaring at Sasuke in displeasure. Jealousy had driven him to sing A Sprig of Plum Blossoms alone.

Naruto did not notice that Hinata, seated in the last row, had been watching him the whole time.

"Naruto seems hurt. Did he get injured while training? Naruto works so hard. Should I give this to him?"

Hinata looked at the ointment in her hand. It was a special medicine from the Hyuga clan, but she was shy and reserved. She was afraid Naruto would reject her or think she was strange.

"Sigh, what a drag."

Shikamaru Nara looked at Ino and Sakura arguing below, wearing a lazy expression completely devoid of motivation.

Choji Akimichi kept eating snacks without pause. Scenes like this played out almost every day, and after a while, everyone had nearly grown used to them. Only when Iruka arrived did the classroom quiet down.

Iruka also asked about Sasuke's injuries. After receiving an answer, he advised Sasuke to take better care of himself. Sasuke's only response was silence. Iruka never realized that he was currently a Shadow Clone, making Sasuke find the Ninja Academy rather boring.

Time passed swiftly, and Masayo had fewer and fewer days left at the Ninja Academy. This day, as usual, he walked down the streets and saw the Hokage Rock covered in graffiti and prankish vandalism, leaving him momentarily dazed.

"Had the time finally come? The place where dreams began!"

Masayo murmured softly. Everything was about to begin, and his life as a Ninja Academy teacher was about to end as well.

This was the day Sasuke, Naruto, and the others graduated. The Ninja Academy's examination was still the Clone Technique, one of the most basic Three Basic Techniques.

That limp, feeble clone made Iruka immediately declare him failed.

"Iruka-sensei, his taijutsu and endurance are excellent. In his current state, he can barely be considered capable of using the Clone Technique. Even if you let him pass, it would..."

Mizuki's words made Naruto widen his eyes and look on with hope.

Iruka said mercilessly, "Mizuki-sensei, everyone else can create at least three clones, while Naruto only has one, and it is so obvious at a glance. I cannot let him pass."

Iruka's verdict made Naruto clench his fists unwillingly. He left the examination room and sat alone on a swing outside the Ninja Academy, lonely and despondent as he watched the classmates ahead receive their forehead protectors.

Under the shade of the tree, Naruto seemed to be standing in darkness, as though he and the cheerful students ahead—showing off their Konoha forehead protectors—were in two different worlds. From time to time, he could also hear parents praising and boasting about their children.

"That child!"

"That's the child!"

"It seems he's the only one who failed!"

"Hmph, serves him right. It would be terrible if someone like that became a ninja. That child is..."

"Hey, you can't say the rest!"

"I know. Hmph, I really don't understand why Lord Hokage allowed that child to stay in the village."

Those familiar, piercing words had long since become routine for Naruto. He had originally wanted to happily put on a Konoha forehead protector instead of wearing his goggles mischievously.

Naruto was already used to all of this. He put on his goggles. Most of the people in the village hated him, though there were also many who, like Masayo, simply treated him as an ordinary stranger. Those cold gazes were filled with disgust.

Suddenly, footsteps sounded beside him. Mizuki stood at his side, making Naruto freeze. Meanwhile, Masayo, who had been secretly watching Naruto, saw everything, including Hiruzen Sarutobi in the distance.

"How familiar. Well then, my life as a Ninja Academy teacher was over too. Once I fulfilled my most important wish, hehehe... then I could keep the music playing and keep having fun, hehehe..."

Masayo dispelled the Shadow Clone Jutsu, and everything that had happened throughout the day flowed back into the original body.

At Training Ground 44, Masayo was training alone. Since today was the graduation examination, Sasuke's training had ended as well. It was time to say goodbye.

"Masayo, you really were here?"

Sasuke arrived at Training Ground 44. He wore a blue short-sleeved shirt, with arm covers over both arms to conceal the weighted iron rings he always wore. He looked relaxed and calm, having completely adapted to the weights. A Konoha forehead protector was also tied around his head.

Masayo smiled. "Yeah, a forehead protector. Congratulations, Sasuke. You finally became a ninja. That means our training should come to an end as well."

Sasuke looked at Masayo with some reluctance. Masayo had helped him greatly. In Sasuke's eyes, Masayo had even taken risks to help him, so he could not cling to him too much.

"Thank you... thank you, Masayo."

Sasuke bowed to Masayo and thanked him earnestly. Masayo had no family ties to him, yet he had still helped him. All the gratitude in Sasuke's heart ultimately condensed into those two words: thank you.