Disclaimer: I own neither Naruto nor Danganronpa.


Chapter 5:
A Class United…?

"Man, you guys weren't kidding. This guy's totally wasted. I'm surprised he even made it to class today."

Mahiru pinched her nose while Naruto poked at their so-called teacher who was still passed out on his desk. Mikan looked nervous about Naruto's actions but was too hesitant to call him out on it. She still hadn't fully gotten over her nervousness from the looks of things.

"Yes, well. It does appear that he's been drinking. We can thank him for showing up at least." Mahiru forced those words out, but in reality she felt anything but thankful. This man was not responsible at all. It was the type of people she disliked the most.

"Reminds me of Ero-Sennin after he visited one of his clubs," Naruto commented offhandedly as he tossed his bag on his supposed desk.

He and the five others were back in their classroom after they had caught up to the blond on the third floor. Lunch period was about to start too, but there were more pressing concerns. Like getting everyone else together.

Sonia tilted her head in thought. "Ero…..Sennin?"

"Hm?" Naruto turned to her. "Oh, yeah. That's a nickname I gave my master when I first met him." He chuckled at the memory. "It was pretty fitting if you ask me."

Fuyuhiko shook his head. "With that kind of nickname, I can only guess the type of person he was."

Hiyoko snickered. "A total loser if you ask me. No wonder he was your master."

Naruto flicked the smaller blonde on the forehead. "That's not nice now, Hiyoko."

Hiyoko spluttered and nearly stumbled, shocked that someone had done that to her.

"W-What…..? Hey, that hurt!"

Naruto shrugged. "Maybe that'll teach you not to badmouth people you don't know…...or people in general."

Mahiru sighed and decided to speak up. "While I appreciate what you're trying to teach her, a boy should never raise his hand against a girl, you know."

Naruto waved her off. "Relax. It wasn't that bad. I just flicked her is all."

Hiyoko glared at him, her forehead stinging red. She had sensitive skin from the looks of it. "It still hurt!" She then flinched when Naruto's hand came for her a second time. She was expecting to be flicked again, but instead her body was overcome with a warm and soft feeling when she was patted on the head.

"I promise not to do that again if you start treating us more like the friends that we are," Naruto said. "We're not out to get you or anything, so I think it's only fair."

A small part of Hiyoko wanted to lash out since being flicked on the forehead really hurt, especially coming from Naruto's rough hands. But most of her was more mesmerized by the aura coming from the Uzumaki. It was all bright and promised nothing but comfort and happiness. It was the first time Hiyoko felt such a thing from someone who wasn't her father. It wasn't exactly the same as her amicable feelings toward Mahiru that were already forming, but it wasn't all that different either. And the rough hands that could bring pain now felt soft.

Huffing, Hiyoko was finally able to look away from Naruto and tried to hide her blushing cheeks.

"W-Whatever, idiot."

Naruto counted that as a victory. Baby steps and all.

Mikan felt something akin to jealousy when she saw this, her eyes boring into Hiyoko. But she kept quiet. Mostly because this was the first time she felt something that could be called jealousy. This was all around just confusing for her.

Sonia clapped her hands together. "Marvelous! I shall extol your virtues, Naruto!"

"Uh…...yeah, thanks…...I guess." He decided to take that as a compliment.

Crossing his arms, Fuyuhiko said, "So what exactly is the plan here?" He paused. "You do have a plan, right?"

"Not really, no."

Fuyuhiko deadpanned. "You're an idiot."

Mahiru facepalmed. "I have to agree."

Naruto chuckled. "Now, now. Don't say that. We just have to talk the others into coming back. It shouldn't be too hard."

"Come back to what?" Fuyuhiko pointed to the passed out Koichi. "There is nothing to come back to. This guy is obviously a joke, and I'm not too keen on wasting my time in this classroom with him either."

He did have a point there. Even someone as nice as Sonia had to agree with what Fuyuhiko was saying.

Humming, Naruto thought about the situation for a second. In times like this, his brain usually came up with a totally random solution that usually saved the day. It was how he came up with his strategies in battle most of the time.

"Well…...when you put it like that, I guess we'll just have to host our own little event."

Sonia was intrigued. "Event? Whatever do you mean?"

Naruto smirked and began to circle the others. "Think about it. We're all still strangers right now. So of course our bond isn't all that strong. And that's precisely where we need to start! If we're going to survive as a group, we are going to have to level up!"

"Level up?" Hiyoko blanched. "That's totally embarrassing, ya know!"

"But it's true!" Naruto wagged his finger at them. "You know I'm right about this. Besides, I know you want to share in some amazing school fun too."

"I won't deny it," Mahiru said, a hand on her cheek. "Having friends in class does make your school experience a lot better." She then sweatdropped a little. "But the others are totally crazy, you know. Getting them to agree is…..."

"Totally possible!" Naruto exclaimed, raising his fist in excitement. "We all need to enjoy our youth together!"

Guy-sensei would totally be proud of him right now!

Fuyuhiko couldn't help but shake his head again. "You really are one strange bastard."

"Why, thank you. Your words of encouragement fuel me."

Mikan had to giggle here. "Y-You are also funny, Uzumaki-san."

Naruto grinned. "See? Someone here understands my awesomeness."

Mahiru rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah. Get over yourself and just tell us what you have in mind."

Naruto stepped back and spread his arms out. "It's something that I used to do a lot as a kid. And that's camping."

Camping?

Fuyuhiko mulled this over. "So you want all of us…...to go camping? Is that it?"

"Camping?" Sonia tested the word. "What is camping exactly?"

Mahiru looked at her in surprise. "You've never been camping before?"

The princess nearly bowed. "I do apologize for my ignorance, but I regret that I have not ever done this camping you speak of."

Naruto shot her a thumbs up. "Then you're gonna love it, Sonia. It's just you and Mother Nature out there. You get to feel like you're really free and that nothing else matters but that moment."

"Really!?" Sonia's nostrils flared up in excitement. "That sounds glorious! Truly, this is worth checking out!"

"Well, I guess to you it must be exciting," Mahiru muttered, looking somewhat amused. But then she perked up. "Although it would be interesting to get photos of everyone out there. It's not everyday that you go camping…..."

The idea really began to sound more and more appealing to her now.

"But camping is such a pain," Hiyoko whined. "There's bugs, and trees, and all that dirt. What if I get it on me?"

Naruto rolled his eyes this time. "Then I'll carry you. How's that sound?"

Instead of shooting a rude remark at him, Hiyoko blushed some and looked away. "Y-You don't have to do that, idiot. I can take care of myself!"

She had never gone camping before, though. Not that she would tell anyone here.

Mikan was having a mental breakdown over this idea. "I-I'm going to have to bring so many things! I-If someone gets an injury…...t-the possible infections! I-I'll have to be prepared for the worst!"

Truly, this was a test to her skills!

"Calm down, Mikan," Naruto said as he tried to ease the girl's fears. "I'm sure it won't come down to that."

Hopefully.

"We still have to get the others," Fuyuhiko reminded them, his hands in his pockets. "And then get them to agree…..t'ch, this is such a pain in the ass."

Naruto shrugged. "I'm sure everything will work out."

Before anyone could refute him, the school bell rang out over their heads. It was the start of the lunch period it seemed. Even with the loud bell, Koichi didn't wake up, though.

What a lazy man.

It was here where Naruto's stomach grumbled, making its presence known to the world. "But first things first. We have to eat!"

They were being led by an idiot…...

Mahiru nearly slapped her face. "We're doomed."


Even though Mahiru said this, she and the others were getting pretty hungry too. This was why they followed Naruto over to the cafeteria on the first floor of the school. Well, it was technically a cafeteria, but it looked more like a small fancy restaurant than anything else.

Naruto whistled. "Woah. I didn't think they would have a place like this in here."

Sonia nodded. "I was able to take a peek yesterday, but truly this is a nice place to eat."

"I don't really need to order anything," Mahiru said as she reached into her bag which she had brought with her. From inside, she pulled out a small bento wrapped in a purple cloth. "I already brought my lunch."

Sonia was amazed. "A bento! I have heard of those in my country, but this is the first time I'm seeing one in person!" Her eyes sparkled. "I am learning so much of Japan's culture today!"

Mahiru smiled weakly. "It's not that big of a deal."

Naruto's nose twitched, taking in the sweet aroma coming from the bento. "Damn, that smells good. You must be a great cook, Mahiru."

The redhead blushed at the compliment. "Y-Yeah. I always have to cook back home, so I just got kinda good at it."

Hiyoko grinned, her face full of delight. "Hey, hey. You should feed me some of your cooking."

"W-Well…..only a little…..."

"Yay! I get some of Big Sis's cooking!"

Fuyuhiko closed his eyes, amused. "Those two are close already."

Naruto had to agree. "Yeah. I think it's great."

Mikan smiled. "Y-Yes, it is wonderful."

While Mahiru and Hiyoko went to sit down at one of the tables, the rest walked up to the "order here" section of the cafeteria. Only that there wasn't anyone there when they arrived.

"Oi, what is this?" Naruto was ready to jump in the back and demand some food on the double.

Fuyuhiko was annoyed too. "T'ch. Do they even serve food in this crappy school?"

They were cut off as the door to the back of the kitchen swung open and none other than Teruteru came running for them, his trademark smile in place.

"Why, hello there, ladies and gentlemen. It sure is unexpected to see you all here!"

"What the-? Teruteru?" Naruto blinked. He hadn't thought to come here to find this guy, but he was the Ultimate Cook. It only made sense that he would be holed up here.

Teruteru chuckled in great amusement. "My, my. It seems you were able to find Uzumaki-kun, and now you're all here. What is it? Could you not bear to be apart from me for too long? Mhmhmhm, do not worry. It's not the first time I've been told such a thing."

"No, it's not-"

"Oh, by the way, Uzumaki-kun." Naruto had to take a step back as the shorter boy turned to him and grabbed his hand. "How did you like that ramen I prepared for you yesterday? Was it delicious? Did your underwear come falling down due to my skills? You can be honest!"

This guy…...he was giving off really dangerous vibes right now.

Fuyuhiko t'ched. "Disgusting moron."

"Y-Yeah, it was really good." Naruto pulled back his hand and felt like he should run away as far away as possible.

"It was my first time cooking something of that nature," Teruteru said, his face thoughtful. "My dishes are usually more extravagant than that. I suppose your tastes align more to the common folk, hm?"

Naruto turned serious. "Ramen is the food of the gods. It's the best dish to have for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. That is the truth, no matter where you go."

The reactions were instantaneous. Teruteru looked shocked, Fuyuhiko sweatdropped, Sonia was interested, and Mikan clutched her hands into fits.

"U-Uzumaki-san! H-Having ramen all that much is not healthy for you…!" She used all her willpower to say that.

Naruto grumbled a little. But he expected Mikan to say something like that. She was a nurse and all, and Sakura always told him that ramen wasn't healthy, especially at the level he consumed.

"Don't say that, Mikan. Ramen is delicious."

Mikan poked her fingers together and did her best to look stern. Which didn't amount to much, but she still tried. "I-It's all for your personal well-being. Ramen is not to be consumed at that amount. You could become sick!"

Even though she didn't look stern, she still acted like it, Naruto mused to himself. It was great to see that she could take charge at times like this, but just not with his ramen dammit!

Sonia had a more pending question. "What is ramen?"

Naruto's head snapped in her direction. "S'whaaaaaaat!? You don't know what ramen is!?"

The blonde shook her head. "No. Am I supposed to…...?"

"It's one of the….no, it's the best food in the world!" Naruto proclaimed, a fire now burning in his belly. "And for you to never have tasted it…...you must have led a terrible life, Sonia!"

Sonia gasped. "If it's that serious, then I am truly ashamed of my ignorance once more! To not have known something like that…."

"You shouldn't take the idiot so seriously," Fuyuhiko muttered in disdain, shocked to see Sonia believing Naruto's words at face value.

Naruto slapped Teruteru on the back. "Yo, Teruteru! We are going to need four orders of ramen, on the double!"

"Ohohohoho~" The cook was all laughs and giggles as he made his way to the kitchen once more. "You really are so forceful, Uzumaki-kun~ I love it~"

Fuyuhiko, though, nearly slapped Naruto on the face. "Oi, why did you pick for me!? I don't ramen!"

Naruto met Fuyuhiko's scorn with a glare of his own. "Because you're a non-believer. We need to change that!" Naruto then looked at Mikan. "You too, Mikan. I'm sure you'll turn to the light once you taste Teruteru's ramen. While not as good as that of Ichiraku's, it's a close second I think."

"I-It's still a very unhealthy diet, Uzumaki-san," Mikan reminded him.

"Na, nonsense. I turned out fine, didn't I?"

Mikan could see the muscles hidden underneath Naruto's shirt and had to admit that he had her there. But then she turned bright red when she realized that she was staring.

"H'mph. I don't know how you survived eating just ramen," Fuyuhiko said. The thought of anyone doing that...it wasn't appealing to him.

Sonia was next to Naruto on the excitement meter. "Glorious Japan, I am learning so much!"

Fuyuhiko sweatdropped in dismay. 'And she's not helping the situation either…...'

In the end, Fuyuhiko was made to eat the ramen along with the rest, with Naruto gulping down five servings before he was satisfied.

The others didn't look at him the same way after that.


Peko breathed in deeply as she sat on the floor of the dojo she had sparred with Naruto the day before. She was in her school uniform at the moment, but she had spotted several training uniforms in one of the lockers. They were probably for those who wished to use the dojo on a regular basis. Since this was only her second day, Peko didn't feel the need to pull one out for herself just yet.

In front of her was a bamboo sword. Not her own, but one she had borrowed from the dojo. She had brought her own today, but she felt like the next step in her training was getting accustomed to using other swords, not just her own. The discomfort from not using her own weapon could be a weakness that others might exploit. Naruto indirectly taught her that yesterday. That's a weakness she needed to overcome, and why she-

"Yo, Peko-chan! There you are!"

Her tranquility and concentration went out the window when Naruto's voice reached her ears. Looking up, Peko spotted not only Naruto, but her young master, Sonia, Mikan, Teruteru, Mahiru, and Hiyoko.

More importantly…...

"What did you just call me?"

Naruto, who was waving at her, paused before saying, "I called you Peko-chan. That's your name, isn't it?"

Peko didn't know what to make of that. She had thought it was only going to be a one time thing, but…..

Sensing her thoughts, Fuyuhiko said, "Get over it. He's weird like that."

Naruto grinned. "Fuyuhiko likes me now."

"W-Wha-!?" Said boy nearly chocked on his spit when he heard that.

Teruteru was nodding to himself. "Mhmhmhm. Such friendship has blossomed…...not bad, not bad."

"I think you're misunderstanding something here," Mahiru said, but went ignored.

Sighing, Peko stood up on her feet. "What are you doing here, Uzumaki-san? I thought you didn't come to class today?"

"I had some business to take care of this morning." Naruto pointed at her. "But still, that's no excuse for you guys to run out too! That's why we're taking the necessary measures for our future here."

"Necessary measures…...?"

"Yeah, we're going out camping!"

Peko was stunned to silence for a few moments. She then glanced to Fuyuhiko to see if Naruto was serious. Fuyuhiko merely gave her a look that said "go with it."

Well then.

"This is…...rather unexpected," Peko said at last. "Are we authorized to leave the school for such affairs?"

Naruto snorted. "Pfft. Of course we are. We're not prisoners here. 'Sides, if it comes down to it, I'll speak to the headmaster. I'm cool with the guy."

He was stretching the truth a little there, but what the heck.

"Hahahaha. What marvelous hope you have, Uzumaki-kun!"

Naruto and the others turned their heads to the dojo entrance to see a smiling Nagito now standing there.

Hiyoko shuddered. "When did this guy get here?"

Something about Nagito just gave her the chills for some reason. It went without saying that she still wasn't all that fond of him.

Naruto was more receiving of the boy. "Nagito! Glad to see you showing up. Now we don't have to look for you."

"I was just looking around the school some more," Nagito responded, still smiling. "For someone like me to actually be attending Hope's Peak…...I just wanted to make the most of it."

"Is that why you decided to wonder off?" Mahiru said sarcastically.

Nagito looked down. "I didn't think I was deserving to be around such talent. That's why I decided to remove myself from the room. I was sure my presence wouldn't be missed."

"Man, you're still saying some weird stuff." Naruto was about ready to slap the boy. "Look, forget all that. You're coming with us."

"Oh, I've heard the gist of it." Nagito's smile returned. "You're planning a trip, Uzumaki-kun. But I must wonder…...do you really want someone like me around?"

"Don't make me smack some sense into you," was Naruto's answer as he led the others out of the dojo. "Now come on. We still have to get the others."

"Hmm." Nagito studied Naruto for some moments before seeming satisfied about something. "In that case, I might be able to lend a hand…..."

The others looked at him with curiosity.


With Nagito as their guide, the group were to able to find Ibuki in one of the empty classrooms in the fourth floor. The classroom had been re-purposed to serve as her practice room from the looks of it, even though there was already a music room in the school.

No one questioned it.

Ibuki herself was playing guitar and practicing one of her songs, only that the song was causing deep mental scarring for all those who heard it, except for Naruto and Hiyoko. Hiyoko seemed to love it while Naruto was just more confused than anything else, having never heard anything like this before. Music hadn't played a big role in his life, so this was somewhat engaging to him.

"So it's true, what they said," Nagito commented, his face a bit troubled. "The reason Mioda-san left her group was because of their…...creative differences…..."

Naruto merely shrugged. "I don't get it."

"Yay!" Hiyoko cheered as loud as she could. "This is amazing! I've never heard anything life this before!"

"Hm?" Ibuki stopped when she noticed the others in the room. "What's this? Ibuki doesn't remember having an audience…..."

Naruto shot her a wave. "Yeah, sorry about that. We just came to get you."

"But Ibuki is in the middle of her performance, Naruto-chan! Ibuki can't stop now!"

"Erm…." Naruto scratched his cheek. "Then we can wait for you to finish?"

"That's asking for too much!" Teruteru exclaimed, close to having a seizure.

"T-This is certainly some very bizarre music," Sonia managed to say, not sure how to feel about what she'd heard.

Hiyoko shot them a dirty look. "Man, you guys are a bunch of wusses. Can't even handle something like this."

"Now, now, there's no need to say something like that," Mahiru said, keeping the blonde close to her. She sort of agreed with what the others were saying, though.

Mikan tugged on Naruto's sleeve to catch his attention. "A-Are we really going to listen to the rest…..?"

Naruto patted her on the head to comfort her. "It's not bad really. And it's not like it can be worse…...right?"

Nagito seemed uncertain. "There's no way to know…..."

Ibuki flashed them all a smile. "If you're willing to stay, then allow me to present to you, 'I Accidentally Kissed My Best Friend So I May Be Gay Now!' It's quite a tearjerker, Ibuki swears on her honor!"

And like that, Ibuki returned to the group, at the price of listening to her songs of course. A price that might have forever scarred some of them.


Nagito guided them to the top floor of the school, to where a Greenhouse had been set up. Nagito explained to them how it was there where most of the animals were being kept, leftover projects of the Ultimate Farmer who attended the school many, many years ago. That's what Nagito had been able to find online anyway.

It was here where they found Gundham tending to some of the animals, all the while monologuing to himself.

Naruto also now understood something. "So this is what you were up to this morning."

Gundham must have been coming here to take care of the animals. That's why he was up so early. Like Mikan had said, most animals started their day early.

Gundham turned to them, his smirk wide. "Welcome, you fools. I see you have decided to take your first steps into hell."

Naruto didn't listen to him, though, and instead was somewhat mesmerized by the Greenhouse before him. "Woah. This place…..is amazing! I didn't think a place like this existed in the school!"

Nagito chuckled. "Ah. I'm guessing you're more of an outdoorsy type, huh, Uzumaki-kun? But I guess I should have known that from your idea…..."

"It is beautiful," Sonia said, watching some of the animals that had been housed here. There were chickens, bunnies, ducks, and even a goat. For the school to be able to handle something like this…...

Hiyoko wasn't feeling it. "This place is tooooooo hot. Who would ever want to spend their time here?"

"I must," Gundham said, his arms crossed over his chest. "For the time being, these familiars must remain here. Soon enough, they shall be transported to my fortress for safety."

"Fortress?" Sonia looked puzzled by this.

Fuyuhiko scowled a bit. "Speak clearly, dumbass."

Nagito decided to fill them in. "From what I understand, Tanaka-san owns his own store where he raises most of his animals. It was provided to him by grants from several different animal activist groups, correct?"

Gundham cackled. "Kekekekeke. It seems someone here intends to follow my footsteps, almost like a nightwatchman in the shadows."

Nagito smiled. "I shall take that as a compliment."

"Well, we can't get distracted here," Naruto said at last, taking in the atmosphere one more time. It was honestly pretty great. "We need you to come with us, Gundham."

"Hm?" The breeder turned to him. "For what purpose?"

Sonia beamed. "We are planning a trip! We are to go camping!"

She was already excited, her very bones were shaking!

"Camping, you say? In the wild?"

Naruto nodded. "That's the plan…..but we still need to figure out where…..."

Peko deadpanned. "This really wasn't planned all that well, was it?"

Mikan giggled. "But that's just how Uzumaki-san is…..."

Peko had to agree there. They only knew each other for two days, but she was already starting to understand the kind of man Naruto was. He did things at his pace and rarely came up with any plans unless it was absolutely necessary. He was a lot different from the types of people Peko was used to being around, but she was taking a real liking to him.

So was Fuyuhiko for that matter, who smirked in amusement. "Since we can't rely on the idiot, then I'll be the one to find us a spot."

"Oh? What's this?" Mahiru grinned. "Does the big bad yakuza want to go camping that badly?"

Fuyuhiko's cheeks turned red. "S-Shut up! I'm only trying to make things easier for us!"

"Right, right." Mahiru's face made it clear that she didn't believe him for a second.

Turning away from that, Naruto patted Gundham on the back. "So what do you say? You coming?"

Gundham grinned. "Fine. I suppose there shall be no harm in going on this little adventure with you all. Who knows? It might even transform our very understanding of this universe!"

Teruteru was greatly entertained by his words. "You say such weird things as usual."

Hiyoko rolled her eyes. "Like you're one to talk."

Whistling, Teruteru winked at the girl. "I take that as a compliment, mademoiselle."

"Grooooooooossssss!" Ibuki exclaimed, foam shooting out of her mouth somehow.

Naruto could only shake his head at this. His new friends really were weird.

Oh well. Onto the next one!


Naruto and the others were led back to the first floor by the sound of rumbling that echoed throughout the school. The sound was specifically coming from the first floor bathroom, the boy's bathroom.

"What is this!?" Gundham cried out in alarm, his face burning with anxiousness. "Could this be…...!? Has the demon lord finally awaken from his slumber!?"

Nagito on the other hand hummed. "Hmm, given that it's after lunch, I should have suspected that he'd be here…..."

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "Who are you talking about?"

The rumbling increased in size and noise.

Nagito pointed to the door. "Shall we find out?"

Mahiru raised her hand. "I'm sorry, but I'm not going in there."

"I don't think anyone was expecting you to," Fuyuhiko muttered.

"I have never been into a Japanese men's room!" Sonia said in excitement and ran inside, not realizing how her actions could be interpreted by the others.

Teruteru gushed when he saw this. "Oh my~ Miss Sonia can be very bold, hm?"

Ibuki wasn't all that thrilled to go in the boy's bathroom either. "Ibuki will wait out here as well."

"It's not like everyone has to come," Naruto said as he stepped inside the bathroom with Fuyuhiko and Nagito following him. Mikan quickly followed too, while the others stayed behind.

Once inside, Naruto was met with Sonia's "wow" face as the girl took in the scenery with rising eagerness while the rumbling continued.

"I can't believe you just waltzed in here," Fuyuhiko said, taken back by the forwardness shown by the princess.

Mikan decided to not comment as she stuck close to Naruto, looking around the bathroom in fear. The rumbling simply kept getting stronger and stronger.

Naruto felt lost. "What in the world is going on in here?"

Nagito chuckled some. "Wow. His stomach must be in a real jam if it's-"

The lucky boy was cut off by a sudden explosion that erupted in one of the bathroom stalls, the explosion having enough force to blow the door apart and send flying the others that were outside.

"It's like I thought!" Gundham's voice was heard amidst the smoke. "The great lord from the nine hells…...he has returned at last!"

"This is messing with Ibuki's future!"

There were other voices and groans, but they were hard to make out.

Since Mikan was the closest, Naruto had made sure to shield her from the explosion, the girl shaking in his arms. The whiskered blond could see that Sonia seemed to be able to take the blast head on…..somehow. The girl was certainly tougher than she looked.

Nagito and Fuyuhiko were still in the bathroom as well, the two boys having their arms raised to cover their eyes.

"What the hell was that!?" Fuyuhiko shouted, shocked.

Nagito took the situation a lot better. "Hahaha. He was truly backed up."

Naruto was about to ask him what he meant until boisterous laughter reached his ears. Soon enough, emerging from the smoke, Nekomaru laughed as he adjusted his tracksuit pants.

"Bahahahahahaha! Sorry about that, you guys! I just had to push out a real big one today!"

Naruto let the shaking Mikan go and sighed in exasperation. "I should have known it would be you…..."

"Hm?" The muscular boy blinked when he spotted Naruto. "Uzumaki! I've been looking for you! I still need to hand you your new training regimen!"

"Oh, you finished it already? You're just as fast as Guy-sensei!"

"Who's that?"

"No one, don't worry about it." Naruto looked up at Nekomaru since the team manager was taller than him. "But we've been looking for you too. You're coming with us!"

Nekomaru didn't know what to say to that and merely shrugged. He didn't mind since he wasn't doing anything in particular anyway.

Nagito was pleased. "Looks like that's another classmate down, Uzumaki-kun."

Naruto turned to the broken door of the bathroom.

"Then let's go to the next one!"

Only four left now.


Akane was bursting through the air at great speed, the wind gushing past her. Her hair moved erratically around her as she moved through the trees surrounding the school. There were many different buildings placed in the area of the school. Akane had no idea what they were for, nor did she particularly care for them either. She could also see another building that was in construction near the main school building, but beyond that her attention span did not remain on it. No, she was just having too much fun exploring the area on her own. That, and being on the move gave her a calmer peace of mind.

Her sense of thrill left her when Naruto's face suddenly popped up in front of her from one of the nearby trees.

"Yo, Akane. Just the person we were looking for!"

"What the fu-!?" The gymnast lost her footing and ended up crashing down to the ground. Or she would have, if Nekomaru didn't catch her in his arms that is.

"Oh my~" Ibuki was grinning widely as she took this in. "A picture-perfect moment!"

Mahiru agreed, which was why she took a picture real quick to persevere the moment.

It was by this point that Akane's mind rebutted, and the girl jumped out of Nekomaru's arms and landed on the solid ground. She noticed that almost everyone from class was around her.

"Huh? What's going on here?"

"Uzumaki's gathering us for some crazy idea he's got," Fuyuhiko told her.

Mahiru nearly poked him. "You say that, but you know you so totally want to come."

"S-Shut up about that already!"

Peko was silently amused by her master's embarrassment.

Akane placed a hand on her hips. "Uzumaki? Wait, that bastard was-!"

"Man, you're fast." Naruto suddenly appeared behind her, dusting some leaves from his uniform. "I kinda already had an idea from what I saw yesterday, but I underestimated your speed."

Nekomaru was of the same mind. "I know right? Her speed is impressive. She has to be one of the fastest athletes I've ever seen." He then narrowed his eyes at the blond. "Of course, you were able to catch up to her with no difficulty."

Naruto smirked and pointed at himself. "I'm just that awesome."

Nekomaru fell into a fit of laughter. "Hahahahahaha! That's certainly true! You are a great athlete indeed!"

Naruto wouldn't put it that way, but sure.

Growling, Akane grabbed a hold of Naruto's shirt and pulled him closer. "Oi! That does it! We're fighting right now!"

"O-Owari-san!" Mikan said quickly, frantically trying to stop a fight from breaking out between the two. Mostly because she didn't want to see Naruto get hurt. "T-That would be terribly dangerous!"

Gundham closed his eyes. "Uzumaki seems more than capable of handling himself…..."

Teruteru's eyes flashed with glee. "Mhmhmhm. In more ways than one."

Mahiru and Hiyoko stepped away from the cook.

Naruto removed Akane's hand and pushed her back a bit. "Tell you what. You come with us, and I'll give you that fight. I promise."

Akane turned deadly serious. "You for real? Not playing me?"

"Nope. Once I make a promise, I keep it. That's my personal motto."

"What a great motto!" Sonia said, clapping her hands.

"Hehehe, Naruto-chan is taking the spotlight!" Ibuki said, sticking her tongue out.

Akane was more focused on getting that fight. She could sense it, Naruto was strong. And when she saw someone strong, she just had to fight them. She had already traded blows with Nekomaru, so Naruto was next on her list.

"Alright, you got a deal!"

And like that, Akane was with them.

Another one down!


Kazuichi nearly burst into tears when he saw the one and only Miss Sonia enter his workshop. Well, he could call it his workshop, but really it was just an empty grassy field with random junk he had found to tinker with here and there. Stuff the school no longer needed, which he could transform into something useful. Maybe like a huge engine that he could work on day and night. Ahhhh, how amazing that would be.

Those thoughts left him when he saw Sonia, though. He ignored the others and ran up to the blonde, gushing at her presence.

"Miss Sonia! I didn't think you would come here to see me! Were you lonely without me?"

Sonia plastered a smile on her face, doing her best to remain civil. "Well, that is-"

"Yo, Kazuichi." The mechanic felt a heavy slap on his back, his shoulders nearly heaving as a result. "I didn't take you for the kind of guy to enjoy being outdoors. I'm surprised."

Kazuichi leveled Naruto with a small glare. "They don't exactly have a shop for me in the school, so I have to make do with what I got. More importantly, what are you doing here!? All of you!?"

"Huh?" Nagito tilted his head to the side. "What's the matter, Soda-kun? You seemed happy when you saw Sonia-san."

"That's because Miss Sonia is different from you cretins! She's a hot princess, so she deserves the respect!"

"Look at this guy go." Hiyoko curled her lip in contempt. "Stop screaming so loudly, you loser."

"L-Loser…...?" Kazuichi was devastated by those words, and it showed. "I happen to respond better to praise, I'll have you know!"

Hiyoko huffed and looked away from him. "Like I care about something like that. You're just a loser with flashy clothes. Am I right? Don't bother answering, I know I'm right."

"T-There's a line you're not supposed to cross...!"

Naruto would have told Hiyoko to stop, but in this instance Kazuichi was the one to blame for starting it.

"Look, we need you to come with us," the Uzumaki said, cutting into their little argument. "We're planning something urgent."

Not really urgent, but whatever.

Kazuichi was hearing none of it, though. "Ha! Like I would ever go with you guys-"

Naruto went straight-faced. "Sonia is coming with us."

"Count me in!" Kazuichi ran for the group, changing his tune almost immediately.

Nagito was greatly amused by this. "You're mean, Uzumaki-kun."

"What?" Naruto feigned innocence. "I didn't lie."

And he hadn't, but...

Sonia, while lacking knowledge about certain common aspects of everyday life, was still able to pick up on Naruto's plan. "I do not know how I feel about being used like that, Naruto."

Naruto's shoulders dropped. "You're gonna play that card…...? Fine, fine. I'll make it up to you later. How does that sound?"

Sonia nodded, pleased. "I shall take you up on that."

Good. With that settled, to the next one they go!


Ryota was in high spirits as he made his way back to his dorm. There was a certain jump to his steps, making it seem like he was frolicking…...almost frolicking anyway. But why was he in such good spirits you might ask? That had to do with the bag of snacks he had bought from one of the stores inside the school grounds. Recently, Hope's Peak Academy had expanded massively with the new funds they'd acquired from the introduction of the Reserve Department or whatever. Ryota didn't pay that too much mind, as it had nothing to do with him. He was just happy with his junk food.

This was shaping out to be a great night!

"Ah, there he is!"

"Ibuki saw him first!"

"T'ch, stop trying to take all the credit, you overrated wanker!"

Ryota stopped when he saw that his dorm was practically surrounded by his so-called classmates.

"What the…...?" He nearly dropped his bag full of snacks, not sure what he was supposed to do now.

Naruto was happy to see him "We were starting to get tired of waiting. Good thing Nagito told us to wait."

"Oh, I just assumed Mitarai-kun was out doing some shopping is all," Nagito said, smiling from ear to ear. "He did seem to have a big appetite for Hanamura-kun's cooking yesterday."

Teruteru gushed at the compliment. "My cooking just makes everyone's undergarments fall off, hmm?"

Kazuichi twitched. "You should learn to phrase things better, man."

Naruto ignored their small back-and-forth and focused on Ryota instead. "It's sort of short notice, but you're coming with us, Ryota."

Ryota began to back away. "E-Erm…...I have other things that I need to-"

Naruto didn't let him finish. "Nekomaru, grab him!"

"ON IT!" The bulky team manager was on top of the poor Ryota in a split second, giving the animator no time to react.

"Wait, no! Let me go! I have anime I need to watch this afternoon!" Ryota could only scream as he was dragged off by the powerful Nekomaru, but it was pointless. There was no escaping Nekomaru's grip once you were caught.

Naruto nodded. "Alright, just one more person to captu-I mean, to talk to!"

"Too late to correct yourself," Fuyuhiko said, his eye twitching.

Teruteru hummed. "Uzumaki-kun has a rather mean streak, doesn't he?" He smiled widely. "It pleases my buddy greatly."

"Off button!" Kazuichi grabbed his head in pure horror. "You gotta have an off button, man!"

"Disgusting bastard," Fuyuhiko said under his breath.

But Teruteru laughed it off, enjoying their reactions quite a bit. They were so innocent, he thought to himself. Breaking them in would be so much fun!

…..moving on! To the final one.


Chiaki had no idea how long she had been walking around for, or where she was for that matter. With her attention so focused on her game, her overall awareness of her surroundings took a total nosedive. All she knew was that she was in one of the many beautiful courtyards surrounding the school, giving a more serene feeling to the atmosphere of the school. Not that she came here to appreciate the sights. No, more like she was here to sulk.

When she had first been accepted into Hope's Peak Academy, Chiaki had been excited. She could be around other people who were also very talented. That way, they wouldn't be put off with her gaming skills. With her love for games being the main focus in her life, Chiaki had tried to connect to others through them in the past. It all resulted in failure, though. Others resented her for being so skilled, and shunned her as a result of her talent. That's how it normally went for her. That's why she had hoped things would be different here. She hoped to finally make friends.

'That no longer seems possible, though…...' she thought absentmindedly, recalling how crazy her class was. They did whatever they wanted, and it didn't seem like they could connect as a group.

Chiaki recalled Ryota's words to the class earlier today, about how they didn't need to become a solidified group. With talent, they had everything. Chiaki couldn't be satisfied with that, though. She wanted something more than that. She didn't want to just be identified for her gaming talent, but as herself. As the person she was…...that's how she wanted others to see her.

Or was that too much to ask? The world seemed to be telling her yes, given that she couldn't even find a place to belong to at this abnormal school. How sad.

Chiaki decided to take her mind off those thoughts by starting another game, only for a hand to suddenly start waving in front of her face. The hand didn't belong to her, so who could it-?

"Yo, that's a rather sad look you got there," Naruto said, looking at the girl with some amount of concern.

Chiaki didn't know how to react. She hadn't been expecting to find Naruto of all people here, more so since he had been the one to skip class first. But then Chiaki noticed that Naruto wasn't alone, but that everyone else was with him too. Even Ryota, who seemed to be struggling against Nekomaru who was carrying him.

"I really don't want to walk anymore," Hiyoko complained, collapsing on the bench of the courtyard. "We've been walking everywhere all day!"

"Stop overreacting," Fuyuhiko said, growing tired of hearing the little girl complain so much.

"U-Um, are you sure you're okay?" Mikan asked, walking closer to the blonde. "I-If you need help, then-"

Hiyoko glared at her. "Stay away from me, you-"

"Hiyoko-chan~"

The blonde paled when she heard Naruto's sing-song voice. Remembering their promise, she huffed and looked away.

"I-I'm fine, alright. You don't have to worry about me, geez."

Mikan managed a smile. "I-I see. I'm happy to hear that."

Naruto was satisfied with that. Mahiru sweatdropped at the sight. It was almost like Hiyoko was Naruto's pet now. But if it meant that Hiyoko was more friendly and open toward the others, then Mahiru was more than happy to stand by Naruto's side on this.

"But she's got a point," Kazuichi said as he scratched his head. "Are we done now?"

"Nanami-san is the last one," Sonia replied, tapping her cheek in thought. "So I guess so."

"Last one?" Chiaki murmured, her mind still trying to catch up with everything that was happening. "What do you mean…...?"

"It means that we have all been gathered at last," Gundham said, his arms crossed over his chest. "The purpose for our meeting shall soon become apparent to you."

Nagito chuckled. "That sounds kinda ominous, don't you think?"

"Well, I haven't been told anything yet," Akane said, a hand on her hips. "And don't forget about our promise, Uzumaki!"

"Sheesh, I'm not." This girl was all about fighting, wasn't she? Naruto decided to bring the topic back to focus. "Most of you already know what we're here for. But for the few who don't, it's quite simple. We're going camping!"

"Huh?" Akane cocked her head. "Camping? Why?"

"Because we need to strengthen our bonds, that's why!"

The quick and simple answer was enough to make Akane understand.

"Well, I for one do not want to go camping!" Ryota stated from where he was being held. "I have anime I need to watch, and-!"

"The others already told me what you said back in the classroom," Naruto cut him off, frowning. "I believe you're totally wrong about the point of your talent, Ryota. It's not the endgame, and it isn't everything either."

"Huh!?" Ryota seemed to take that personally. "I don't want to hear that from someone who practically left on his own to do his own thing."

In that fraction of a moment, Naruto got the feeling that he was talking to someone else. Not Mitarai Ryota, the Ultimate Animator, but another person altogether.

…..weird.

The Uzumaki put that aside for now and replied, "Yeah, you're right. I did something inconsiderate to you all. I was only thinking about myself, and it ultimately led me to nothing." A look of determination took hold on Naruto's face. "That's why I want to make it up to you all. That's what this camping trip will be about. I'll be sure to show you just how wrong you are, and also apologize to you for being a hypocrite."

The firmness in Naruto's words was enough to make Ryota go silent. The others were in the same boat, not having been expecting something like this from the usual laid back and carefree blond.

Well, all except Nagito who was still able to voice his thoughts. "Hahaha, that's incredible, Uzumaki-kun! Those words of yours, and your conviction…...I'm sure they'll be able to lead everyone here to the true brightness that is hope, and make their talents shine further!"

Naruto got the impression that Nagito was misunderstanding something here, but before he could say anything, Fuyuhiko decided to speak up.

"While I don't agree with Komaeda's weird-ass words, I have to admit that that was pretty bold of you." Fuyuhiko shook his head and sighed. "Seriously. You are one strange bastard. The strangest bastard I've ever met. I don't know why you feel like you owe us something, but if it means that much to you, then I have no problems going with you."

"But you know you want to go pretty badly~" Mahiru said, her voice taking a more teasing tone to it again.

Fuyuhiko was forced to blush in embarrassment once more. "E-Enough with that already! Goddammit!"

Nekomaru let out an exuberant laugh. "Hahahaha! Kuzuryu is correct! I'll also be able to get you started on your new training regiment! It's a win-win!"

"Heh." Akane smirked. "We still have to fight. I'm not letting you off the hook that easily!"

Sonia clapped her hands together. "Hmm! It'll be my pleasure to go for sure!"

Kazuichi sulked a bit. Even he had to admit that he had been moved by Naruto's words a little. "If Miss Sonia is going, there's no way I'm staying back."

Teruteru whistled in appreciation. "You can't leave me behind. Not after your words filled me with so much passion."

"I-Idiot," Hiyoko muttered, her face flushed. "Like Kuzuryu said, I-I guess I don't mind accompanying you either, Big Bro…..."

Peko smiled. "I also don't mind joining in the fun."

Ibuki appeared over Naruto's shoulder and started poking his cheek just like the day before. "Don't worry, Naruto-chan! Ibuki will make sure to write you a song that will make everything go smooth and dandy!"

Mikan pulled on Naruto's sleeve some, giving the blond a small smile.

"I-If you don't mind me, then I would also like to be by your side, Uzumaki-san..."

Gundham closed his eyes. "H'mph. So this is what fate has chosen. So be it."

A small smile tugged his lips, though, showing that he too was pleased about this.

"I didn't know you could be so charismatic, Uzumaki-san." Mahiru's expression was soft. She was glad to see that Naruto hadn't proven himself to be the total slacker she was thinking he was.

Ryota sighed. There was no use struggling by this point. Not after that. "Fine, I understand. I have no complaints…..."

Chiaki looked down at her handheld console, unsure of how to take all of this. Naruto had spoken so freely, so easily. He was the exact opposite of someone like her who could barely get her thoughts out there. In a way, it was frustrating, but also...nice to see. It was a strange feeling, and Chiaki wasn't sure she could put it into words. Not right now.

"What do you say, Chiaki?"

Those gloomy thoughts left her when she heard that question, addressed to her by Naruto. Looking up, she saw the others all staring at her, waiting for her response. Even Ibuki, who was still poking Naruto's cheek like it was the normal thing to do. Well, to her, it probably was.

It was at this point that Chiaki began to realize that perhaps she might have found a place for herself in this school, after all.

She smiled. There was only one answer she could give.

"Yes!"


"It seems like things went stellar, Naruto!" Sonia was even more excited about today's events than Naruto was. But that wasn't all that surprising. Having been sheltered all her life, burdened with her duty as a princess…...to be enjoying a normal everyday life like this was a dream come true for Sonia.

"You can say that again," Naruto said in return, going over the notes Nekomaru had handed him before they had all dispersed. The others needed to get ready for their trip, with Fuyuhiko having to locate an appropriate camping site for them. Good thing too since Naruto didn't know the country at all yet. Naruto was the one who was going to inform the headmaster of their little getaway as it was his plan. No surprises there.

No one had wanted to return to class either, at least not today. Naruto agreed with them. Koichi was probably passed out still. That's why it was better to just start getting ready instead. That said, Naruto still had another matter to take care of for today. Sonia had seemed interested in tagging along, so Naruto let her.

Kazuichi was practically glowing with jealousy when he saw this.

"That reminds me. What is it that you have to do now exactly?" Sonia asked, looking curious. "Does it have something to do with the trip?"

"You could say that." Naruto placed Nekomaru's notes in his bag, highly impressed with what the team manager had put together for him. Maybe it had to do with his talent, but Nekomaru had been able to correctly access just how much physical training he could handle and then some. He wanted to push Naruto to his very limit, and the blond was more than happy to meet the challenge head on. "I have to explain to my boss why I can't come to work for the rest of the week."

And it was his first day too. How shameless.

"Oh my!" Sonia gasped. "You have a job?"

"Yeah. I don't want to be a free loader, as fun as that might be. So I found myself a job when I came to the city."

He needed to pay for a new computer too. Stupid thing.

"How glorious!" Sonia flexed her arm, a natural quirk of hers. It was kind of cute. "I have heard that many Japanese youth have these 'part-time jobs' in order to make money. To think I would be able to experience such a thing…...oooooooohhh, my heart is trembling with excitement!"

Naruto had to sweatdrop at her words. "It's just a job, Sonia."

"I'm sure that is normal for you, but for me, the concept of a job is very alien." Her smile turned a bit sad here. "I'm sure you must know why."

"Hmm. I see." Naruto shrugged. "In that case, why don't you work alongside me today? I'm sure the boss wouldn't mind having you around either."

Even someone as dense as Naruto could see that a pretty girl like Sonia could attract a ton of costumers. It had been the same way with Ayame at Ichiraku Ramen.

"Really? You think so!?" Sonia's eyes began to sparkle in pure joy. "Oh, that will be amazing! I will not let you down!"

Naruto chuckled at her enthusiasm. It was better to see her this way than to have her thinking sad thoughts about her past.

The two Ultimates arrived at the ramen shop a little later, finding the place almost empty. The lunch time rush had more than likely ended by this point, so that was probably why. Or maybe this place just wasn't all that popular.

No way to tell right now.

The ramen shop was medium-sized, and it had decent design value. It was a lot more illustrious than Ichiraku Ramen, that's for sure. Compared to other places around here, it wasn't that fancy, though. Not that it really mattered to Naruto all that much.

"Yo, old man! Sorry to come in early, but I have some things I need to talk to you about!"

"Huh?" A fifty-something man approached the counter from the kitchen side. He wore a rather typical uniform for cooks. However, the outfit didn't stand out as much as Teruteru's. "You still lack manners, don't you? You're lucky I need you to work, or I wouldn't put up with that."

Naruto chuckled sheepishly. "Yeah, about that…...I'm going to need some time off starting tomorrow."

"What was that!? Already!? What kind of place do you think this is!?" Before he could get too far into his rambling, though, he finally noticed Sonia standing next to Naruto, her face expressing her immense curiosity about everything around her. He instantly felt mesmerized by her. The few customers inside were all under the same spell, feeling like small ants compared to her. They all wanted to drop to one knee and swear their allegiance to her.

Naruto raised an eyebrow, not understanding why his boss had gone quiet. He expected a bigger verbal lashing than this.

"Naruto, Naruto!" Sonia pulled at his arm toward the kitchen. "What kind of food do they serve here!? Do you make it!? Can you show me!?"

Apparently Sonia hadn't been paying any attention to what was going on in front of her, too lost in her own world to do so.

It was here where the old man was able to break free from the spell. "Wait, what? Who are you? What are you doing here?"

"Oh?" Sonia took note of the question, and that it was directed at her. She bowed. "Good day to you, sir. My name is Sonia Nevermind. I am here to hopefully work in your fine restaurant for today."

"Say what?" Of all the answers he had been expecting, that had not been it.

"Yeah, sorry about that," Naruto said while scratching his cheek. "She's rather upfront about these kinds of things…..."

"It is the only way to go!" Sonia exclaimed with no shame at all.

"Wait a second." Narrowing his eyes, the shop owner studied their uniforms for a few moments. It then hit him. "You two…...you're students from Hope's Peak Academy!?"

The present customers, who were all listening in, gasped at the same time when they heard this.

"Well, yeah." Naruto still didn't seen the big deal with that.

The man nearly had a heart attack. "And you didn't tell me this yesterday because…...!?"

"Because it's not a big deal?"

"Not a big deal!?" The man was just about ready to smack his head on the counter at the lack of common sense he was seeing here. "How oblivious can you be, brat!?"

A blank look was his response.

"Is there a problem?" Sonia questioned, also not understanding what the commotion was.

The older man stared at them for a few seconds, trying to see if they were trying to play a prank on him or something. But he soon noticed that they were completely serious.

"Kids these days," he muttered under his breath. More loudly, he said, "Alright, kid. You and me, we are going to talk about these supposed days off. As for the miss here, if she wants to get her hands dirty so bad, then I don't mind humoring her."

Sonia nearly bounced off the walls in excitement.

"Yes! I will do my best!"

Naruto's face was full of unmasked mirth. Sonia's excitement was practically contagious.

So this was it. His classmates, his friends. Hope's Peak Academy.

Living here…...maybe it wouldn't be so bad.

Maybe.


Welcome back to another chapter of…...whatever this fun mess is. There's a couple of things I need to say.

At this point, I'm aware that, no matter what choice I make in regards to the pairing, I'm going to annoy at least some people. Nothing I can do about that. That's why I'm going to do what I want and stick to my original plan and keep the pairing between Naruto and one girl. Who is that girl? That's for you to guess and for me to know until I reveal it. But yes, this shall not be a harem. My decision on this is final. If nothing else, it will make this story more personal. If this is a deal breaker to any of you, then my apologies. I just don't think a harem will work, nor do I think I can pull it off convincingly. I'm not that great of a writer.

All that said, romance is not the main point of this story. It's about the friendship between Naruto and the 77th class first and foremost. How things can be different, or how they can stay the same. It will be wild, stupid, goofy, and just all around fun. Romance will have its moments too, as will the serious side of things. But all in good time.

That's all for me. Thanks to all those who have been enjoying this so far. I hope you continue to do so. It's definitely fun to write for me.

Till next time.