Naruto wasn't an idot at the acadamy, sexy no jutsu is an example of that. So if he could do some thing on the level of jutsu creation then why not make other jutsu that would help him in his way to become hokage.
There was always something that held him back be it his crush always putting him down or the acadamy teachers that put him out of classes he needed to know. there was always goin to be a point where he would snap, where everything came to him all at once.
Then it happend the shock that naruto could'nt be ready for, the one but of info that sgook his very core to the limit. It was on that faithfull night, when he stole the scroll of sealing and was comfronted by iruka and mizuki both on sepret sides.
Six words that changed his outlook on life " you are the nine tailed fox " that was the moment when our hero would split from the path he was on to go down the path the one other went. The path that in his mind he was the only one that mattered and no one esle where he would make choices that would shake the intire shinobi world and bring it to its knee's.