Disclaimer: I own neither Naruto nor Danganronpa.


Chapter 9:
A New Ninja

Working at a ramen shop was a lot more fun than Naruto would have guessed. He was always surrounded by what he loved, with people who liked to eat ramen. Not as much as him, but still. He could also give his recommendations on which ramen was best and so on without coming off as annoying, because apparently the greatness of ramen transcended dimensions. All the different kinds of ramen in his world was present in this one too.

What a marvelous discovery this was.

So even though he had to work extra hours to make up for the time he had taken off for the camping trip, Naruto was not complaining. Not one bit. It also helped that Sonia was with him too. The princess had enjoyed working here so much during that one afternoon that she asked the old man if she could work for free. The old man had no reason to turn her down, as the "cute waitress" of the shop attracted more business than usual, even though Sonia didn't do anything special. Her uniform was by no means "sexy," but it still made every male customer, and some female, blush at the sight of her.

It must be one of her passive abilities as the Ultimate Princess or something.

It was Saturday afternoon now, making it one of the shop's slower working hours. For some reason, not many people wanted ramen at this hour. It made Naruto a little sad if he was being honest, but oh well. Nothing he could do about it. Mahiru and Hiyoko had chosen to stop by at this time, much to Naruto's surprise. The two had ordered some drinks, but no ramen as neither girl enjoyed the food all that much. It was one of the few Japanese foods Hiyoko wasn't particularly fond of. Too bloated for her tastes.

Naruto felt sorry for the two girls. Not being able to enjoy the one meal worthy of a god was truly a sad thing indeed.

"That uniform fits you well." As usual, Hiyoko was her teasing and smug self. "You pull off the 'working man' look pretty good. Maybe you should work here for the rest of your life."

The blonde and Mahiru had chosen to take seats by the counter, where Naruto was stationed. Only a few other customers were in the shop, all served and enjoying their meals.

Naruto didn't look fazed. "I know you're trying to mess with me, Hiyoko, but I'm totally considering that as my backup plan right now."

Hiyoko pouted. "Sheesh, it's no fun if you actually like it." She then looked away. "Well, if you're okay with it, then I guess that's fine."

Always with the insults and then the compliments. As Teruteru put it, Hiyoko was the real life tsundere of their group. Naruto had no idea what that meant, but he just chalked it off as Teruteru being Teruteru.

"But you do look great." Mahiru was more straightforward with her compliment, and her bright smile was more than enough to make Naruto blush a little. "When you said you were working at a ramen shop, I didn't believe it at first. Glad to see that I was wrong."

Naruto just didn't have the maturity to hold on to a job like this, is what she had been thinking. But case and point, she was wrong. Not that Mahiru was complaining. She was happy to see her new blond friend be outgoing enough to get a job. It made him more responsible in her eyes.

"Yeah, well, I have some debts that I need to repay." The computer he had broken was just the start. "And it also seemed like a good way to make some pocket change when I need it."

Relying on someone else for everything was just not Naruto's style. Not only that, but Naruto was also considering what gear he would need for the future. What he had now just wasn't going to cut it. Put simply, he needed something to deal with one of the biggest obstacles in this world: guns. He was confident in his speed and reaction time, but he wanted to have more assurance than that. Like…...armor or something along those lines. Just something that could block those pesky bullets. But knowing how much it'd cost…...

"Naruto, Naruto! Look here!" Sonia's excited face peeked out from the small window leading to the kitchen. "I was able to make some ramen all by myself! Isao-sama taught me! The noddles were specially hard, but it was so much fun!"

Isao Jiro, the "old man" as Naruto put it, came grumbling out of the door leading to the kitchen. "Calm down, girlie. You only learned the basics. No need to get so excited."

"But I cannot help it!" Sonia flexed her arm, her enthusiasm radiating off her like waves. "I was never allowed to cook back home, so this is a rather exciting experience for me! My heart is beating with anticipation to learn more!"

Jiro kept grumbling as he made for the bathrooms. Who knew being around an Ultimate could be so exhausting? "Yeah, yeah. Whatever you say. Watch the shop for now, brat. I gotta take a few minutes off."

Naruto chuckled as he watched him go. "Looks like Sonia's excitement has worn him down, huh."

"Oh." Sonia looked down. "I hope I am not being a burden."

"Don't worry about it, Sonia. His age is just getting to him."

"Talking about your boss like that." Mahiru sighed in disappointment. "You lack tact, Naruto-san."

"Psst, I'm just being honest."

Mahiru could only sigh again but dropped the subject. Trying to teach Naruto manners was an impossibility, as she was quickly beginning to learn.

"Anyway, who cares about all that!" Hiyoko looked like a child being denied her candy. "You still have to tell us about that dumb test of yours, Big Bro."

Ah. That.

"I agree as well." Sonia came to join them. Her apron was filled with stains, from her ramen noodle-making attempts no doubt. But she still looked as graceful as ever. "You have yet to give us any details about that."

The test they were referring to…...it was something Tengan had sprung on him after he had returned home from the camping trip. Apparently, the ones at the top at Hope's Peak Academy wanted to perform a test of his abilities, among other things. It was happening because they wanted to see his skills firsthand. Naruto had a feeling there was more to it than just that, but it was all Tengan had told him. Naruto had then passed on the news to the others via their group chat on their phones. It had been decided that they would use the group chat to pass on important messages among their class in the event that they weren't able to talk about it in person.

Nekomaru was still the one keeping Akane in the loop since the girl didn't have a phone yet.

"I still don't know anything else about it. So I can't explain it any better to you guys."

Mahiru sighed. "It's just strange. Why would the school ask you to take part in a test? The practical exam is still months away!"

Naruto shrugged. "Well, the school still hasn't seen my skills firsthand. So they probably just want to see for themselves that I'm worthy of the title they've given me."

Sounded reasonable, but again, Naruto suspected there was more going on.

Mahiru still bought the answer. She already knew how much the school valued talent.

"Hey, hey." Hiyoko tilted her head in curiosity. "That reminds me. Just how did you get your title anyway? Ninjas are like practically nonexistent these days!"

"I must admit, I'm rather curious about that as well." Sonia looked thoughtful. "You spoke about your village before. Are they all ninjas too?"

Questions like these were the ones Naruto had wanted to avoid, but he still had prepared answers in advance if it came up.

"Not exactly. Only a select few are able to become one…...and I was the best one there." No reason he couldn't spice the truth a little. "As for your question, Hiyoko, well…..." Naruto scratched the back of his head. "I sort of ended up sneaking into the Tokyo National Museum…..."

Mahiru gasped. "What the…...!? You actually did that!? How could you be so irresponsible!"

Oh, boy. The mother hen was getting mad.

"Hey now, in my defense, I had no idea what that place was at the time," Naruto quickly explained himself. "And I didn't steal or break anything either!"

Other than that one window he used to escape the guards…...but telling Mahiru that would just be a one-way ticket to more scolding. And Naruto wasn't in the mood to set the girl off anymore than he already had.

"Wooooooow." Hiyoko was more amused by this piece of information. "To think that you're a criminal, Big Bro. Maybe it was wrong of me to trust you so much!"

Naruto pinched the bridge of his nose in slight exasperation. "Just drink your juice dammit."

Hiyoko simply smirked but did as told.

"Does that mean you're going to miss classes on Monday?" Sonia wondered with a light frown.

"No idea." Naruto didn't know how long the test would last. Not just that, but apparently Nagito wanted to show him something on Monday too. It had something to do with his weapons supposedly. Naruto had no idea what the lucky boy was thinking, but he had already promised to meet up with him.

And then there was also Kurama to worry about.

'I hope Gundham is able to take care of everything…...'

After their camping trip, Gundham had taken Kurama with him in order to make sure that the young fox was school-ready just like his Four Dark Devas. It had only been a day since they'd parted, and they would definitely be meeting again. But Naruto missed the red fox already. He had already become good friends with him, so being apart like this was a bit annoying.

Not that it could be helped.

"It sounds like it's going to be hectic day at school for you," Mahiru hummed.

Naruto didn't really mind it all that much. "I mean, I think it's better than watching that teacher of ours snore all day."

Mahiru frowned at this. "While I don't disagree with you, you still have to come. Understand? You already promised us that you would."

Sonia giggled. "Yes, and you don't break your promises, right?"

Naruto had to grumble a bit. "I get the feeling I never should have told you guys that…..."

They were probably always going to use his promises against him when they wanted something. They were devious like that.

"Pfft, you worry over nothing." The way Hiyoko was smiling, though, Naruto realized that he was probably right on the mark with his assumption.

Girls were truly devious when they wanted to be.


Naruto stifled a yawn as he followed Nagito through the halls of Hope's Peak Academy. It was Monday, which marked this their first day back in the school after their fun three-day camping trip. The halls were pretty empty at this point, though, since the two boys had arrived pretty early. Classes wouldn't start for another hour or so, not that Naruto was going to be there this morning.

"You mind telling me what the big surprise is all about? You've been rather skittish about it all weekend."

"Oh, was I? I apologize for that." At least sound sincere dammit. "I just can't help but feel proud of myself right now, Uzumaki-kun. To think that someone as lowly as me can help you hone in your talent further…...it fills me with hope, you know?"

Naruto's shoulders sagged a little at his words. "It's far too early in the morning for me to try and understand you, Nagito."

"Ah. I apologize for that as well."

Sure you did.

The two eventually arrived in a classroom on the fourth floor. Although it looked more like a lab than anything else. Inside, there were three people arguing about something. Two of them were girls, and the other was a guy.

The first girl was short with purple eyes and a sickly complexion. She had pale gray hair with a respirator mask covering her mouth. She wore the Hope's Peak Academy uniform, with a purple vest and a brown belt, and long black stockings. She also had a pair of purple gloves.

The second girl had lilac eyes, short strawberry blonde hair, and a petite, cheerful appearance. She too wore the standard Hope's Peak Academy uniform with fur trimming. She wore white thigh high socks and pink boots with multiple straps, a pink hat, and a green ribbon with strawberries on the ends.

The third and only male of the trio had a tall, lean build, pale blond hair, sharp brown eyes, pale skin, and a very serious expression. He wore the Hope's Peak Uniform with a red trench coat over it. He seemed to be munching on something too.

"Hm? Is this the chemistry lab?" Naruto scratched the back of his head as he and Nagito practically waltz in unannounced. "What is chemistry again…...?"

Nagito chuckled. "Don't worry about that for now, Uzumaki-kun. Just look. The person I wanted you to meet is right here. How lucky of us."

"Huh…..."

In truth, Nagito didn't know any of the three students in the lab. He had just heard about them in the past. It was his duty to know about any and all Ultimates in the school. He then just pulled some strings to figure out where they usually hung out. It was no big deal really, not when luck was on your side.

Naruto was more curious about the conversation taking place between the other three students.

"-so come on, stop being so boring and come hang out with us~" the girl with the pink hat said.

"But….I…..I have a lot of stuff that I need to do." Maybe it was Naruto's imagination, but he was certain that the hair of the girl with the mask moved like a squid's tentacles.

'…...there's no one normal at this school, is there?'

Except for maybe Mahiru. And even then that was debatable for him now.

"Awww, come on! Don't be like that. We just started our second year here. The least you can do is have some fun~"

"I have many requests that I need to get done, you see. So I…...I don't have time. I'm very sorry…..."

From these two exchanges alone, Naruto got the impression that the gray-haired girl was just as shy as Mikan was.

Nagito, still with his friendly expression, started to speak. "Sorry to interrupt, but we-"

He stopped when he noticed that there was a dagger pointed right at his neck. No, it wasn't just a dagger. It was a…...kunai?

'Ah…...'

Nagito was certainly startled a bit by having a weapon suddenly aimed at him, but he was more excited to see that his hopes had been proven true. This was the right place.

"Who are you?" the tall boy said, his voice low and dangerous. He had been temporarily distracted by the snack he had been given, but that hadn't stopped him from taking notice of Nagito and Naruto right away.

"I don't think that is a good idea." Naruto was, without warning, standing behind the admittedly taller boy with his own kunai placed next to his neck. The whiskered blond had made sure to always carry one with him in his uniform, knowing that anything could happen. It paid to be prepared than to not be.

To say that the boy in the trench coat was speechless was an understatement. No one had ever gotten the drop on him like this before. He had trained long and hard to make certain that remained true. But this guy had done it, he'd gotten past his defenses. And he made it look so easy too.

The girl with the pink hat looked just as surprised as he did. Her surprise was obvious. He was meant to be her bodyguard, but if he couldn't protect her…...

"U-Um!" The gray-haired girl seemed to be having a panic talk at the sight in front of her. It was almost like her lab was about to become a battlefield, something she couldn't let happen. Not when so many of her precious projects were in here!

The girl with the hat snapped her fingers. "That's enough, Yoi-chan."

She could already see…...this new guy meant business.

"Yoi-chan" did as told and lowered his weapon from Nagito's neck. Naruto eyed him for a moment before doing the same, letting "Yoi-chan" step back to stand next to the girl with the pink hat again.

Nagito smiled. "How exhilarating! I actually thought I was a goner for a second there! Thank you for saving me, Uzumaki-kun. I'm lucky to have you with me."

Naruto was too busy glaring at the taller blond to make sense of Nagito's rambling.

"Oi, who the hell pulls out weapons on a fellow classmate? Are you daft?"

A fancy word, this "daft." Naruto mentally patted himself in the back for remembering it. Reading books was frustrating, but a word or two have managed to stick to his mind because of it. So it was worth it…...?

The girl with the pink hat crossed her arms and huffed. "Don't talk to us like that. You're the ones who barged in here."

"You don't own this place!"

"This is Seiko-chan's private lab! She owns this place! H'mph!"

"Seiko-chan" wanted to speak up and say that it technically wasn't hers, but she knew that there was no talking her best friend out of this.

"It doesn't mean you can just attack us whenever you want!" Naruto was already frustrated with this girl, and the way the guy was staring at him was making him testy too. Maybe just one punch and-

"I think we've gotten on the wrong foot here," Nagito said as he joined the conversation. "We're only here for a request. For Izayoi Sonosuke-kun."

Izayoi frowned somewhat. "Me?"

It's true that he had a store set up in the school for people who wanted him to forge weapons for them. As the Ultimate Blacksmith, it was only natural that people would seek his creations. They were top notch, and he was paid well. It was a win-win. It was the only kind of requests he ever got too.

Nagito confirmed his thoughts when he began to explain, "Yes. As the Ultimate Blacksmith, I know that your weapons will be suitable enough for Uzumaki-kun here."

"Huh?" The girl with the pink hat scoffed. "What are you saying? After the way you talked to us, there's no way Yoi-chan will ever work with you guys!"

Contrary to her words, Izayoi looked curious. "Weapons? You mean you actually…...use them?"

Naruto twirled his kunai to prove his point. "Yeah. I've been using weapons like this for a while now. But I'm limited in my supplies…..."

Now he understood why Nagito wanted him to come here. This guy was the Ultimate Blacksmith, and from the looks of things he used weapons similar to his. This guy was the perfect person to ask about his supply problem.

"That's surprising," Izayoi said. "Most of my requests are for people who only want my weapons as decorations. Other than me, I have never seen someone else use them."

Naruto took a glance at Izayoi's kunai, and he saw how…...elaborate it was. It definitely outclassed Naruto's in the looks department. But in the end, looks wasn't what interested Naruto. He just wanted kunai and shuriken that could work.

Izayoi crossed his arms and said, "I wouldn't mind accepting your request…..if you let me study your kunai."

Naruto frowned. "What? Why?"

"It seems to be of good quality. I'm interested in the work of a fellow blacksmith. We'll call it even after that."

Naruto was torn. He didn't know if he could trust this guy, and losing one of the few kunai he had wasn't something he wanted to do. On the other hand, he didn't have any money on him. At least, nowhere near enough to what this guy would most likely charge him. If giving up one kunai meant that he could a whole other set…...

Naruto sighed. "Fine." Not like he had any better options here.

Nagito was pleased to see this. "I'm glad. It's only when working together that your talents will shine even further. I'm sure of it."

Izayoi ignored Nagito. As did the girl next to him who was simply staring hard at Naruto.

"You. What's your name and your title?"

"Huh? Oh…...uh, it's Uzumaki Naruto. I'm the Ultimate Ninja…..."

"Ultimate Ninja?" the girl scrunched up her nose while Izayoi gained a look of understanding. "How did you ever get that title?"

"It's a long story, and I don't feel like talking to you."

"Wa-!" She looked flabbergasted. "How dare you! I'm Ando Ruruka, a second-year! I'm the Ultimate Confectioner! Since I've never seen you before, I'm guessing you're one of the new first-years. That makes me your senior."

"Oh." Naruto shrugged. Was all that supposed to mean something to him? That sort of mentality, where respect was instantly given just based on title or rank, it had never applied to him. Maybe it was because of his upbringing. "That's cool for you, I guess."

Ruruka fumed.

He honestly had no interest in the girl. It stemmed from her attitude earlier. She seemed to have that "mightier than thou" thing going on, and he didn't have the patience to deal with someone like that this early in the morning.

"Hmm, you're being awfully dismissive, Uzumaki-kun," Nagito noted. This came as a surprise to him, as Naruto had always been friendly toward everyone else in their class, including him of all people. So for him to be this cold to someone…...

"Yeah, yeah." Yawning this time, Naruto focused back on Izayoi, "Do you want to trade numbers?" That seemed like the easiest way to keep in touch in his mind.

Izayoi nodded, albeit slowly. A part of him wasn't liking the way Naruto was talking back to Ruruka, but she hadn't given him the signal to intimidate the blond or anything. That's why he was still rooted where he stood, watching with confusion.

As for the last girl, she watched the exchange in silence. As usual, she was a background character, but she had grown used to this long ago. Still, an introduction would be nice.

She was Kimura Seiko, and she was the Ultimate Pharmacist…...yes, that sounded nice to her.

Seiko felt her heart stop a moment when Naruto spared her a glance. Would he think she was weird too? Just about everyone else did…...only Ruruka and Izayoi ever tried to hang out with her, and with Izayoi it was more because Ruruka was around that he gave her any attention.

In that one moment, though, Seiko didn't see disgust, confusion, or even annoyance. More like a passing curiosity.

That was better than nothing she supposed.


Naruto did his best to get Ruruka out of his mind as he entered one of the other buildings in the school campus. He had no idea what it was called, or what purpose it served to the school. It was only through Tengan's instruction that he was here now.

He was feeling a lot better now that one of his problems had been solved. With Izayoi, he could buy as many weapons as he needed in the future. It would take a while, but the blond was confident he could built enough funds in time.

Hopefully.

He would make a more concrete plan later, but for now the upcoming test is what was important.

The blond was allowed inside by a couple of guards. Inside the building, Naruto found several locked rooms with one big chamber in the middle. It was sort of like the gym, but there was no stage and a lot of equipment was scattered about. There were weights, swords, shields, handguns, and other assortment of weapons. There were also several barricades spread out here and there. Naruto noticed an observation room on a level above him, but the windows were too tinted for him to make out anything.

Really, this was more like a training room than anything else.

In the chamber with him was a young woman in a lab coat and a clipboard in hand. She had long dark hair, and her face was stern. Naruto got the impression that she was one of those "no nonsense" people, i.e. the kind he liked the least.

Dammit.

"Welcome, Uzumaki-san," she greeted him. As expected, her voice was monotonous as she got straight to the point. "I assume you know why you are here today?"

"Yeah, something about a test, right?" Naruto glanced around the room, noticing all the equipment. "Am I suppose to use these for something?"

"That's up to you."

"Hm?"

"Right now, we will be testing your speed, strength, reaction time, concealment, and anything else you might want to show us."

Naruto wasn't all that surprised by this. They wanted all the info they could on his abilities. And he was betting that there were a lot more people behind that tainted window too.

He started to do light stretches.

"So let's get get started then. Throw everything you got at me."

Training in the morning was always nice, after all.


"So Uzumaki ain't here again-"

"We already know." Fuyuhiko closed his eyes as he cut off Koichi before he could finish. "He's doing some stupid test, right?"

The man's eyebrow twitched a little. The others were in class already, as they had all promised to show up. This meant that Koichi couldn't take it easy like he had been doing. There was something else that caught his attention, though.

"How do you guys know about that…...?"

"Huh? Because Uzumaki told us. Wasn't that obvious?" Fuyuhiko's sarcasm was evident to everyone in the room, just like the yakuza intended.

Koichi scratched his head. He eyed his class with a wary look. "You guys…...you ditch me on our first week of class, which only made me look bad in front of the headmaster. I did get three days off from work, though, which I can appreciate. But now you're telling me that you're all getting along?"

What the hell was this?

Mahiru frowned. "If only someone had decided to take his job seriously last week, then we never would have left on our own."

Secretly, she was happy he hadn't, though. The trip had been a lot of fun for her, and she knew the others felt the same way.

"There's no need to get mad, Mahiru-chan-"

"How many times do I have to tell you to stop calling me that!?"

"Hahaha. Right, right. My bad."

Peko sighed. This was going nowhere.

"Kizakura-sensei, there is nothing to worry about. We already know about Naruto-san's absence, so we can proceed with no problems."

Koichi wasn't sure. Technically, the board had wanted to keep the test on the down low, but if the blond had decided to share the information with the others, then there was nothing he could do. Jin couldn't get mad at him over this, right?

Better not think about it.

"Well, I suppose there's a lot to do…" Koichi hated saying that. "Since you guys missed a whole week of class, we're going to have to play catch up."

Fuyuhiko scoffed. "Be honest. Were you going to actually act like a teacher?"

"Now, now. While I may have played things easy, it does not mean I had nothing planned…..."

In truth, that was exactly the case. Koichi's plan had been to push things off as much as possible and hope his beautiful students all took off to mind their own business. That way, there was no commotion, and he was sure to not get reprimanded. However, he hadn't accounted for his whole class to suddenly take a field trip without his authorization. That didn't look good on the school, or on him. Because of it, Jin was observing him more closely now. Which mean't he couldn't slack off anymore.

Goddammit.

"Your tone does not fill me with confidence," Sonia admitted.

"I totally agree with Miss Sonia!" Kazuichi shouted from the back.

"It's totally obvious that you were going to ditch us," Ibuki said while nodding.

Koichi grumbled. "Shut up, all of you. Whether you like it or not, we're going to have regular class now."

He still thought it was a waste of time. None of these kids needed regular class. Their futures were already set. But with them here, Koichi's hands were tied in the matter.

"Huh?" Akane slumped down on her desk. "That doesn't sound very fun."

"Shut up." Hiyoko glared at her. "You already promised Big Bro you would stay, so that means you're staying. You got that!?"

Ibuki whistled. "My, my. Hiyoko-chan is taking Naruto-chan's words very seriously. It's so cute."

"Y-You shut up too!" Hiyoko could feel her cheeks go red. Not that it proved Ibuki right or anything! She wasn't doing this because she made a promise to Naruto. Nope. She was only here because she wanted to be. That's it.

And because Mahiru was here too.

"There's no need to deny it~" Teruteru chuckled. "We can already see the young maiden in you blossoming! Ooooohhh, it fills me with so much passion…...!"

"I-I do think it's cute," Mikan said shyly from her seat.

"S-Stop ganging up on me!" Hiyoko wanted to hide in her desk or something.

"Hahahaha, there is so much hope here," Nagito said with his trademark smile.

"I don't wanna hear that from you," Kazuichi said under his breath.

Koichi could feel a migraine coming. So their motivation to be here was all because of Naruto, huh? And some promise they made with one another.

'Blondie is making my job harder than it needs to be…...'

If he could, he would be crying on the floor right now. Such was life.


For the second time in a week, Naruto found himself holding a sword to defend himself. After he had first arrived to this world, he was sure that things would be more simple, more mundane, and that he wouldn't have to fight all that much.

His luck just wouldn't let that happen apparently.

But anyway, to important stuff. Like the test, which he was passing with flying colors. Dodging bullets, traps, and even armed men. Nothing he couldn't handle. That's not to say that he wasn't being pressed. Far from it. The mounted turrets that had sprung from the ceiling were specially problematic. It's why he was taking cover behind one of the barricades right now.

'Stupid guns…...whoever invented these things sucks!'

It was bad enough that he wasn't confident enough to grab one of these guns for combat. Naruto preferred to use weapons he was more familiar with, hence the sword. But even then, that wasn't saying much. He wasn't Sasuke, or Zabuza, or that shark guy from the Akatsuki. His battle skills had always been more geared toward ninjutsu. He had none of it left, though.

It all led back to the major dilemma he was having right now. Essentially, he was gonna have to branch out his other skill sets if he wanted to stay on top in this world.

'Maybe asking Peko-chan for some lessons wouldn't be the worst thing in the world…...'

He was already working with Nekomaru. No reason not to turn to another friend for help. And if he could meet someone proficient with guns, that would be helpful too.

"GOT YOU!"

Somewhere in the middle of his mental ramblings, the turrets had stopped firing. This allowed one of the remaining armed men to charge at him with his baton. The uniform he was wearing wasn't recognizable to Naruto, but that didn't really surprise him.

Reacting on instinct, Naruto raised his sword to block the baton. Having faced Peko and Akane already, the level of speed possessed by these guys wasn't nearly enough to faze him.

He made short work of his attacker, knocking him out with a blow to his gut.

Now for those damned turrets, which began to fire on his position again. There was only one option really.

'I'm going to do something very stupid right now…...'

But when has that ever stopped him?

Naruto dashed out of the safety of his position and made a run for the guns that were still on display for him to use. The turrets shifted their aim toward his path, hoping to cut him down. Without really thinking about it, Naruto raised his sword in defense, managing to surprise himself when he was able to deflect some of the bullets. But that sense of accomplishment was cut short when another bullet managed to graze his cheek, more than enough to draw blood too.

As Naruto finally got his hands on one of the handguns, he realized something very crucial: Hope's Peak Academy was willing to go to extremes for their research of talent.

He began to open fire on the turrets.


The fervor in the observation room was at an all time high as the researches and trustees alike watched Naruto practically decimate all the tests they had prepared for him. He had even made short work of a whole security squad that served Hope's Peak Academy. And the school only handpicked the best for their positions. They also took great care to note his adaptability with his usage of guns against the turrets.

The tests had revealed more than they had expected, and they were very pleased with the results.

Jin and Tengan were in the mix too, although the two men were not as surprised by Naruto's showings. Jin was still taken back by Naruto's ability to use a wide variety of weapons, though.

"The boy can adapt to his surroundings pretty well…..."

Tengan rubbed his beard in thought. "Yes, that is true. But he has more skill than I had originally imagined. His speed is a lot better than any other current student in the school. And his physical prowess…..."

It was almost like Naruto's body had been trained on a whole other level than what was normally seen. Even by Ultimate standards, that was saying something.

'I don't even think Sakakura-kun would be able to defeat him…'

Jin looked at the researches taking down notes. "This is only going to give them more data for that project, isn't it."

A sour thought, as he was still personally against it.

Tengan sighed. "Yes. But there's nothing we can do about that I'm afraid. The board has already spoken."

That was the sad reality of Hope's Peak Academy right now.

It was then that the lead researcher made his way over to them, his glasses shining in the darkness somehow.

"It seems we have stumbled upon a true jewel this time. We made the right call in bringing him here."

Tengan and Jin kept quiet. They both didn't like this man. It was almost as if he derived personal pleasure from all of these tests. And not in the normal way either.

"We would like to take some blood samples for analysis," he continued. "But the boy would probably feel more comfortable if one of you two was present during that time. It's been decided that he's more than worthy to keep his title and continue here at Hope's Peak. Keeping such a talented individual close will benefit us greatly for the future. We can only imagine how much more he will grow from here on out."

Tengan clasped his hands behind his back. "Am I to assume that he can have whatever equipment he desires?"

In the past, there had been some reservations about the type of "gadgets" students were allowed to be given, especially those with a combat-related talent. It came down to the laws passed by Japan that prohibited these practices, which the school was forced to contend with.

Nowadays, these problems were almost non-existent as Hope's Peak Academy had the ability to do just about anything they wanted. But Tengan wanted to be sure.

"Undoubtedly." The lead researcher didn't hesitate with his answer. In this school, talent was rewarded with only the best. It was all in the name of progress and hope. "If it helps the boy grow faster, he can have anything he wants."

"I'm glad to hear that." Tengan allowed himself to smile a bit.

The lead researcher turned back to his other colleagues. "If you will excuse me then."

After he had left, Jin asked, "What are you thinking, Tengan-san?"

"Oh, nothing much. I just saw several notes the boy created over the weekend. I had thought they would be a little extreme, even for us, but it seems I had nothing to worry about."

Jin didn't like the sound of that. "This isn't going to cause more explosions in my school, is it?"

Paying for repairs on a daily basis was not a fun thing to do. And with a school who only admitted students with crazy abilities, there was always something that needed to be fixed.

Tengan chuckled in amusement.

"Who can say?"

Jin paled at the answer.

Oh boy.


"So you guys actually had normal classes for a change?"

The disbelief in Naruto's voice was obvious, but none of his friends could blame him for it.

"Believe me, it surprised us too," Fuyuhiko said. "But it seems like Kizakura can be motivated too, if his ass is on the line."

Mahiru sighed. "Kuzuryu, language please."

The yakuza ignored her.

Naruto took a bite of his meal. "Fascinating."

He and the others had finally been able to rendezvous for lunch. After the initial tests he had been made to participate in were over, the Uzumaki then had to deal with a blood test being thrown his way. Seriously, if there was one thing that could still scare him, it was needles. A fear he didn't try to hide. It was only because Tengan had been in the room with him that Naruto had finally relented and allowed for the dumb lady to take a sample of his blood. A part of him was not pleased with having his blood examined, but he also knew that he couldn't say no. Not in his current position.

By the time everything was over, it was already lunchtime. So they decided to get together for lunch. They were having a picnic outside, prepared by their resident cook. It wasn't ramen, but Naruto was still content with the flavor.

On a side note, Mikan had a near full on panic attack when she noticed the injury on Naruto's cheek. Naruto had done his best to reassure the girl that it wasn't anything serious, but he knew he was probably going to have to visit the nurse's office later for her to believe him that he really was okay.

The others had all found the scene very amusing, with Kazuichi complaining about "blond bastards with hot nurses to look after them."

Naruto still didn't know what the mechanic was talking about.

Akane was on her fifth serving when she said, "So what did they make you do?"

That's what she wanted to say anyway, but with her mouth full, it all came out as gibberish.

Mahiru's eyebrow twitched at the sight. "Seriously? Does no one here have manners anymore?"

Kazuichi shrugged. "If you ask me, you're probably going to go insane before you manage to change them."

Mahiru already knew this. It was the same with Naruto and his nonchalant way of speaking. But still! She needed to at least try to be the voice of reason in this group.

Nagito chuckled and translated, "I believe Owari-san wants to know how your test went, Uzumaki-kun."

The lucky boy was curious himself. He wanted to know as much as possible about the person he was quickly starting to respect the most.

"Hmm, it was nothing special." Naruto took another bite from his plate. "They just wanted to see if I could defend myself. I passed of course. No one can take me down."

"Ha, as confident as ever," Nekomaru said with a large grin.

"You know it!" Naruto then sighed. "However, I was forced to see something that I had already begun to suspect. That I still need to improve."

"What?" Fuyuhiko scoffed. "You're saying that? You were able to defeat Owari and stand evenly with Pekoyama. You still think you're not strong enough?"

"Spars are different from real fights," Naruto pointed out. "I'm sure Peko-chan wasn't trying to kill me when we sparred. I'm sure there's another side to her that I have yet to face off against."

Peko shifted uncomfortably from where she sat. It's true that she had killed before, but she didn't think Naruto would pick up on that.

'He still manages to catch me off guard…...'

It was a bit unnerving. Peko regarded Naruto as a happy go-lucky-boy, but there were many times that image didn't quite fit him. Like his ability to read other people. It took a considerate amount of skills to do something like that, and he did it like it was no big deal.

Just bizarre.

"And with Akane, it's more like we specialize in the same thing," Naruto added as he thought back to his fight with the gymnast. "If you want to categorize me as I am now, I'm a short range fighter, with a specialty for hand-to-hand combat and some expertise in weapons. The reason I was able to beat her so easily is because she lacks a style of her own and just jumps into fights without giving much thought to her actions." Akane looked bummed out by his description of her. She still needed to prove that she was better than that, that she wasn't just instincts with no true skills. "I can make do with my speed and reflexes just fine, but I want to have more assurance than that. This world is a big place. You have to be prepared for anything."

The others could all see where he was coming from, and agreed that he wasn't totally wrong with his fears.

Nagito had to grin. "That's just amazing, Uzumaki-kun! You're not satisfied with the level you have achieved, so you move to pursue greater heights! That's exactly how a symbol of hope should be!"

Once again, the others all felt uncomfortable by Nagito's words. Only Naruto sighed in slight dismay and half-jokingly responded.

"I know I keep saying this, but one of these days, we're gonna make you talk better, Nagito."

Nagito just blinked in confusion, not understanding what his friend meant by that. He spoke from the heart, and nothing more.

Naruto's eyes traveled to Peko. "With all that said, that's why I need your help, Peko-chan."

The swordswoman raised an eyebrow. "Me?"

Naruto nodded. "Yeah. I want you to teach me the ways of the sword."

With no ninjutsu available to him, Naruto was more than ready to advance his other skills.

Peko was sort of shocked by the request. "Are you sure about this? I've never once taught anyone else before…..."

"Yeah, I'm sure. You're the best sword master I know. And I trust you."

He was already going to work close with Nekomaru with developing a new fighting style for himself. And he was already well-versed in using kunai and shuriken, so it should be fairly easy for him to get used to the kunai set Izayoi was preparing for him. But a sword…...that was entirely different. That's why he needed Peko's help.

Peko's eyes widened at Naruto's words. I trust you. Those words…...no one had been so forthcoming with her, not like this. Once again, Naruto totally surprised her.

Fuyuhiko for his part smirked. "That's a great way to butter her up."

"Hey, I'm just being honest here," Naruto defended himself.

Hiyoko snickered. "Too honest if you ask me. What if four eyes gets the wrong idea and starts falling for you, huh? What then?"

Fuyuhiko, Mikan, and Peko all froze at her words. They looked pale beyond belief.

Naruto threw some rice at Hiyoko. "Stop trying to antagonize people, sheesh."

Hiyoko merely stuck her tongue out at him. This was revenge for Saturday.

Teruteru jumped in here. "Wasting food like that is not allowed here, Uzumaki-kun!"

Right, right.

Pulling herself back together, Peko said, "I would be honored to start training you, Naruto-san."

The Uzumaki smiled widely. "Great! You can join Nekomaru and me this afternoon. We're meeting up at the gym."

"Hold it!" Akane glared at the two boys when she heard this. "No one told me about this!"

Naruto and Nekomaru traded nervous glances. They had wanted to keep this between the two of them, since Naruto wanted to find his new style right away, but that was no longer happening it seemed.

"If there's going to be a three-way, I'm so joining in!" Akane declared.

"It's not like that, ugh…...whatever, you can come if you want." Naruto went back to his food, silently pouting. Akane was all about the fights, but he needed to train right now. Saying no to her was impossible, though.

Mikan rubbed his back in condolence.

"It's just like a rare four-way battle you see in fighting games," Chiaki said while smiling. Whether it was from thought of the four of them fighting one another or just thinking about her games, no one knew.

"But, Naruto, what about work this afternoon?" Sonia asked, curious as to what her fellow blond was going to do about that.

"Oh, that? I already cleared my schedule with the old man. I have Mondays and Wednesdays off. Seems like he's not as busy during those days."

That might change with Sonia around, though.

"I see. That is…...unfortunate," the princess said, feeling down.

Naruto shrugged. "Hey, you can work today if you want. I don't think the old man would mind it."

That turned Sonia's mood around. "Do you really think so!?"

"Ah, yeah…..."

A person who actually wanted to work in the service industry for free…...Sonia was one of a kind for sure.

"Hey, wait a minute!" Kazuichi said. "What's this about Miss Sonia working!?"

"What, you didn't know?" Hiyoko placed a hand over her mouth, looking giddy. "Sonia has become a maid at the ramen shop Big Bro works at."

"A…...maid?" Picturing Sonia in a maid outfit was more than enough to overload Kazuichi's brain.

Naruto rolled his eyes. "She's not a maid. She's a waitress…..and part-time cook I guess."

But that was more of a work-in progress kind of deal.

"Cook?" Teruteru flashed a grin their way. "If you want to cook, you can always come to me for lessons. I'll make sure to take good care of you. Hehehehe."

Fuyuhiko still couldn't help but shudder. "Again, phrasing."

"I know what I said, Kuzuryu-kun."

Well then.

The yakuza and Ibuki were practically the only ones still reacting to Teruteru's semi-jokes. The others were either used to his behavior, or didn't care.

"I'm gonna have to go and check this place out," Kazuichi swooned off to the side.

Naruto almost laughed. The old man would probably lose his shit if his shop became a hangout for Ultimates. As Naruto was quickly finding out, Ultimates really were regarded like celebrities here. Not only that, but there were so many people who wished they could be a part of Hope's Peak Academy but couldn't.

'I wonder what that says about me, who got in so easily…...'

Technically, he did have to commit a crime to be noticed, but…..bah, who cares.

"H'mph, the Dark Queen has chosen to immerse herself in the lives of the common-folk I see," Gundham commented. "How very…...surprising."

Naruto had to roll his eyes again. "If you want to go to the shop, then you're more than welcome to. The old man would love the business."

That's what he thought the breeder wanted anyway.

"D-Don't be so presumptions!" Gundham exclaimed, raising his head. "Why would I, the Overlord of Ice, be interested in such things?"

Sonia smiled. "I would be happy if you came, Tanaka-san."

Cue more blushing from the so-called "Overlord of Ice." Naruto was pretty amused, while Kazuichi glowed with jealousy.

Mahiru placed a finger on her cheek, looking thoughtful. "But that doesn't sound like a bad idea really. To have a place as our hangout spot when we need to."

Hiyoko cheered. "Yay, I agree!"

Naruto deadpanned. "You just want to see me work more, don't you?"

Mahiru did her best to look innocent, but Naruto knew he was right.

"As long as they have good food," Ryota said, not minding Mahiru's idea all that much. The more time he spend with the group, the more inclined he was to be around with them.

Sonia clapped in happiness. "Then it is decided! Since Naruto can't come today, I would be more than happy to show you guys around!"

It's official: the old man would be dying from a heart attack today. Naruto considered warning his boss about all the Ultimates that would be flocking to his shop, but he decided against it.

His reaction would be funnier this way.

The rest of their picnic was a more quiet but still fun affair.

Nagito simply sat back and smiled, feeling more than content with what he was seeing.

Hope was a beautiful thing indeed.


"By the way, Naruto-san, where is Kurama? I was sure Tanaka-san would have him back by now…..."

"Hm?" Examining the bamboo sword in his hand, Naruto glanced at Mikan who stood next to him in the gym. It was already after class, so the ninja, Peko, Nekomaru, and Akane had met up like they'd promised. Mikan and Fuyuhiko were also with them, the latter saying he had nothing better to do. But Naruto already knew it had something to do with Peko.

Mikan was here because she wanted to make sure none of them got hurt, and because she insisted she still needed to check on Naruto's wound from his earlier test.

The girl just worried too much in Naruto's opinion.

"I didn't tell you? Gundham said the little fox would be back tomorrow. Some of the shots he needed took longer than expected. That's all."

Mikan twiddled with her fingers and nodded. She had already grown to care a lot about Kurama, just like Naruto. She was relieved to hear he'd be back with them tomorrow. Since she and Naruto had saved him together, it was almost like the fox was their…...

She blushed at the thought and didn't dare finish it, knowing she would probably be too embarrassed to look at Naruto again if she did.

Fuyuhiko noticed her blush and smirked while Naruto walked off. "I wish you luck. The idiot is denser than a rock."

"R-Right…..." Mikan looked down but then flushed in embarrassment at her response. Fuyuhiko just laughed it off.

Naruto gave his sword a few test swings as Peko stood before him. Nekomaru was off to the side with Akane, the gymnast awaiting eagerly for what was to come.

"I didn't think we would be sparring again," Peko said and smiled softly. "But I must admit that I am glad you asked for my assistance."

She had really enjoyed herself the last time they had done this.

Naruto grinned. "What, you want to kick my ass this time?"

"Perhaps."

"Hahaha, you're funny, Peko-chan."

Peko merely shook her head, her smile still present.

Nekomaru crossed his arms and grinned as well. "She does have the spirit of a warrior, after all."

Peko glanced at him. "I can say the same to you, Nidai. You have proven yourself to be a great fighter. I am surprised that you are just a team manager."

Nekomaru frowned at her words. "Just a team manager? It seems you underestimate the abilities of a team manager, Pekoyama."

The swordswoman quickly bowed. "My apologies. I did not mean-"

"Don't be so stiff, Peko-chan." Naruto scratched his head and sighed. "But she's got a point, Nekomaru. When I first heard you were a team manager, I was surprised. You have the body of a fighter. You'd probably do well in whatever sport you set your mind to. Heck, you'd probably excel at mastering a combat style of your own."

Nekomaru closed his eyes. "Heh, while I appreciate your faith in me, it's never something I've considered. Being a team manager was more than enough for me."

"You must have a reason for that…..."

"Hahaha, curious about me!?" Nekomaru let out a loud laugh. "I'm flattered that you've been thinking so much about me!"

Naruto and Peko looked at one another in slight amusement.

"It all comes down to what I've said before," Nekomaru explained. He felt more comfortable elaborating on his feelings to them. "There's nothing more rewarding than seeing the athletes you support reach their goals. And it all begins with a manager. Once you desire to become a master at something, it's natural that you'd rely on a manager. The bond that is forged between a manager and his athlete is not something that can be found anywhere else! It's the same way with the athletes I've watched over in the past. They were full of potential, who all managed to surpass me. And they were able to do this because they worked hard, and they gave it everything they had." His face took on a softer tone, one that the others had never seen on him before. It helped Naruto to understand something he had failed to see before.

Nekomaru truly loved being a team manager. And that was because of the bond that was forged with the people he took under his wing.

He could feel the same level of passion he had seen back with his teachers and master, where they helped the next generation of ninja become the best they could be. And eventually, they'd be surpassed, just as with Nekomaru.

'Although only Guy-sensei could match Nekomaru's enthusiasm…...'

It was a funny thought really.

Nekomaru opened his eyes and was surprised to see Naruto standing in front of him with his fist placed in between them.

Fuyuhiko remembered when the blond had done the same thing with him. Was this a symbolic gesture to him….?

"What's this?" Nekomaru was visibly confused.

Naruto grinned. "It's a fist bump. I'm sure it'll help us understand one another better in the future. I can guarantee it."

"Is that so?" Nekomaru matched Naruto's grin and did as requested.

While there was no chakra here, Naruto still believed that a same level of understanding could be reached between people. It would just require more work, and a lot more trust. It was a trust that was already starting to form around him and the others.

"I'm sorry for looking down on your profession before, even if I didn't mean to," Naruto said to him. "I didn't give it much thought when you first talked about it, but it's like you say. The bond between a team manager and his athlete is not something that can ever be replaced."

Just like a master with his student, like Jiraiya and him.

Nekomaru fell into another laughing fit. "Gahahahahaha! You truly have the right words needed to win me over! You might be the first person I'll do it to since coming here!"

It….?

"What the hell is that?" Fuyuhiko questioned, curious.

"I don't know…..." Mikan muttered, her eyes glued to Naruto and Nekomaru who were still fist-bumping. Her heart was beating faster and faster the more she gazed at the blond. It was like…...hope radiated off him, as tacky as that sounded. She wasn't like Nagito who seemed to be fixated on the word, but at that moment, it was like she was seeing hope come to life.

Even someone like Akane, who didn't normally care to pay attention to other people, was still mesmerized by the sight. But right now, the two boys were far too bright to be ignored.

Naruto and Nekomaru had truly reached another level of understanding with one another.


"Well, my boy? Did you have fun today?"

"When you talk like that, it's almost like you're my grandfather or something."

"You want me to be your grandfather now? My, you flatter me, Naruto-kun."

Naruto pinched the bridge of his nose as he stepped inside his house. He had worked up a lot of sweat during his first training session with Peko, Nekomaru, and Akane. All three of them were very talented fighters, after all. But above all else, it had been fun, for all of them. After that, he had allowed Mikan to check him over to appease her. There had been something different about her while she did her checkup, but Naruto couldn't place his finger on it.

Now he just wanted to relax a bit.

"Did you only call me to remind me that you're not going to be home today?"

"Of course not. Even I don't have that kind of free time. I just wanted to tell you about the surprise I prepared for you."

Naruto paused. A surprise…..?

"Think of it as a gift for the show you put on this morning. And don't worry. The school has no problem with you having this little gift of mine."

"Talk normal."

"Hahaha, just look for yourself. You can thank me later."

The call was disconnected, making Naruto sigh. Just what did Tengan have for him this time?

'He did say it was a gift…...'

Curiosity drove him to head straight for his room, where he found a box sitting on his bed. With a furrowed brow, Naruto peered inside the box. There was a black trench coat, with a navy blue interior. That wasn't all either. A fully designed fox mask was also inside, similar to the ones the Anbu wore in his dimension. Additionally, there was a specially designed blade inside, along with a neatly packed roll of combat wire.

'All of this is…...'

Naruto had to laugh. That intrusive old man…..he'd been reading over Naruto's notes it seemed. Everything the blond had been looking for was right here.

'Then this trench coat…...'

The blond eagerly put it on while looking at himself in the mirror. It was a perfect fit. And if he was right, then this trench coat was bullet proof.

His path as the Ultimate Ninja was finally beginning.


Naruto vs. Mukuro…..now that would be an interesting fight to see. Someone asked me who I thought would win, and I honestly don't know. In the anime, it was shown that Mukuro and Peko were evenly matched in terms of speed and skill with a blade. I don't remember who won, or if it was just a tie in the end. But if you ask me, I think Mukuro is still stronger than Peko. After all, the only thing Mukuro had with her was a small combat knife, and she still managed to keep up with Peko. But if Mukuro had her full equipment like when she was in Fenrir, I'm sure she could have defeated Peko. That's why I don't know who would win between her and Naruto. I guess it would have to depend on the circumstances, and what equipment they have on them at the time.

I have similar thoughts on Naruto vs. Sakura. In a normal spar, I would say Sakura would win, if only because Naruto has no way of putting her down without fatally injuring her. Which, let's be honest, he wouldn't do unless he thought of her as the enemy. And that would never happen.

Honestly, the 78th class has the best two fighters in all of Danganronpa in my opinion. Unless I'm forgetting someone. I don't know. What do you guys think?

I've always thought Izayoi had a cool design. Unfortunately, his character left a lot to be desired as far as I'm concerned. This is probably because I'm not a big Ruruka fan. Not to worry, though. I don't do bashing. I'll make sure to fairly write their characters to the best of my ability.

Speaking of characters I don't like, someone asked if I was going to include the V3 cast in this. I'll be upfront and say that I hadn't made any plans to do so. I'm one of those who didn't like V3 all that much, and found the cast in the game to be the worst one of the 3 main installments. Unpopular opinion I know. That's not to say I didn't like any of them. Just that overall, I prefer the cast from the first two games. That said, if you guys want to, I wouldn't mind eventually including them. That would almost turn this into a Development Plan fanfic, though.

If anyone has ever watched Darker than Black, then you'll automatically know where my inspiration came from for Naruto's new gear. I hope everyone likes it too.

Anyway, that's all from me this time. Thank you all for the support. It does mean a lot.

Till next time.