A Day at the Ninja Academy
In the blink of an eye, Naruto had already spent a month at the Konoha Ninja Academy.
During this time, he didn't use his Shadow Clones to skip classes. Instead, he attended regularly, though he never really paid attention to the lectures. While other students diligently followed Iruka-sensei's lessons on chakra control and tactics, Naruto was either doodling in his notebook or flipping through scrolls he had borrowed from the library—most of which had nothing to do with the curriculum.
The reason was simple. Physical training and Taijutsu practice required his actual body, whereas Shadow Clones were only useful for Ninjutsu training. Since he had already mastered the basic transformation and clone techniques, there wasn't much else for him to learn unless he got his hands on a powerful new jutsu.
Perhaps this was why even high-level shinobi rarely used Shadow Clones for training—it expedited Ninjutsu mastery but did little to improve physical strength or battle instincts.
Compared to Choji, who constantly munched on snacks, and Shikamaru, who napped in the front row, Naruto figured his habit of reading unrelated material was at least more productive.
Iruka Umino, standing at the front of the class, felt both frustrated and helpless. These so-called "problem students" weren't just any kids; most of them came from influential clans. The Nara, Akimichi, and even the Uchiha sent their children to the academy mainly to fulfill formalities, while their real training happened within their clans.
Still, as a dedicated teacher, Iruka refused to give up.
He picked up a piece of chalk and wrote on the blackboard:
"After-Reading Reflection."
Knocking on the table to get their attention, he said, "We've spent a long time studying Naruto and the Will of Fire. It's time to write a reflection essay. What does the Will of Fire mean to you?"
Immediately, groans filled the room. Complaints rang out from nearly every student, questioning why they had to write an essay.
Naruto, however, didn't join in the grumbling. He put down his extracurricular book, took out his notebook, and began writing. In less than twenty minutes, he had completed a full thousand-word composition.
Satisfied, he set it aside and resumed reading his book on sealing techniques and medical Ninjutsu, subjects he had been quietly studying for the past month. He knew these would be useful to him in the future.
Iruka, watching from the front, frowned. Something about Naruto's behavior felt… off. He was excelling academically, but his attitude was too detached. It wasn't normal for a twelve-year-old to be this methodical, this… alone.
Outdoor Training
The next class was Taijutsu training.
While there were many different shinobi specializations—Medical-nin, Sensor-nin, even Research-nin—every ninja needed to be physically strong. Konoha's ninjas were, first and foremost, warriors.
After a short warm-up run, the students gathered at the training field. Today's session was led not by Iruka, but by a tall, broad-shouldered Chūnin instructor, whose presence alone radiated strength.
"Pair up!" he ordered. "We're doing one-on-one sparring today!"
Naruto, as always, took down his opponents with ease. One after another, he won without breaking a sweat. His speed and unpredictable movements made it difficult for the others to land a hit.
Finally, he turned to Sasuke Uchiha, his only real rival in class, and smirked.
"Sasuke," Naruto said, cracking his knuckles, "I hope you've improved since last time."
Sasuke scoffed. "This time, you won't stand a chance, dobe."
Naruto chuckled. "Well, don't embarrass the Uchiha name, alright?"
Sasuke's expression darkened.
In the past month, he had faced Naruto several times and lost each time. Each defeat came with Naruto's casual taunts, which only fueled his frustration. Even though he knew Naruto was provoking him on purpose, it always got under his skin.
The match began.
Sasuke charged in, aiming a punch at Naruto's face. Naruto sidestepped effortlessly, grabbing Sasuke's wrist and flipping him over.
Sasuke rolled back to his feet, eyes narrowing. Without hesitation, he formed a series of quick hand seals.
"Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu!" (Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!)
A massive fireball erupted from Sasuke's mouth, roaring toward Naruto.
Gasps echoed through the training field. The Great Fireball Technique was a C-rank jutsu—one that even some Genin struggled to perform. How was a mere Academy student capable of using it?
But before the flames could fully form, Naruto had already moved.
He appeared beside Sasuke in a blur, cutting off his hand seals with a well-placed punch to the stomach. Sasuke stumbled back, clutching his abdomen, his fireball technique collapsing before it could fully ignite.
Silence.
The watching students were stunned. The Chūnin instructor, who had been overseeing the sparring session, suddenly snapped out of his shock.
"A first-year student just used the Great Fireball Jutsu?! And Naruto… he interrupted a jutsu mid-cast?!"
If Naruto had failed in stopping the technique, the surrounding students could have been in serious danger.
Realizing the risk, the instructor quickly stepped in, halting the match.
"That's enough!" he barked, looking at both boys sternly. "Why are you using dangerous Ninjutsu in a sparring match?"
Sasuke, still catching his breath, wiped his mouth and scoffed. "You said to treat it like a real battle. So I did."
The instructor frowned. Sasuke wasn't wrong—real combat required using every available advantage.
He then turned to Naruto. "Do you understand how reckless it was to interrupt an active jutsu? If you had mistimed that strike, someone could've been seriously injured."
Naruto, unbothered, simply shrugged. "I knew I wouldn't miss." Then, glancing at the other students, he added, "But if it's gonna be this easy, I might as well stop fighting altogether. What's the point if none of them can keep up?"
The students murmured among themselves.
Sasuke clenched his fists.
Naruto walked off without another word, joining Shikamaru and Choji near the sidelines, where they casually shared snacks.
Hokage's Office
Later that evening, inside the Hokage's Office, Iruka stood before Hiruzen Sarutobi, holding Naruto's essay.
"Sandaime-sama," Iruka said, handing over the paper, "please read this."
Hiruzen adjusted his glasses and began reading. After a moment, he smiled.
"This is an excellent composition," the Hokage remarked. "Naruto understands the Will of Fire deeply. I can't find a single flaw in his writing."
Then, glancing up, he asked, "Did Naruto get into trouble again? If you came here just to complain—"
Iruka shook his head. "Naruto's grades are top-tier. He never causes trouble. But… there's something wrong."
Hiruzen raised an eyebrow.
Iruka's expression darkened. "Naruto is too calm, too distant. He doesn't form close bonds with most of his classmates. He's incredibly disciplined, almost unnaturally so… like a veteran of war rather than a child."
Hiruzen sighed deeply, leaning back in his chair.
If something didn't change soon, Naruto might end up walking a lonely path—one far more dangerous than any enemy shinobi.
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