Author's Note: Hello~! Here's another chapter! I hope you liked the last one and I hope you like this one as well. I think I've might drawn out a bit in this one but let me know what you think. A review is appreciated!
A Day at the Academy
After his sudden wake up call from his nightmare, he decided to take a late night walk in the village. While he was walking around, all the memories of when the Fox attack the village, rushed through his mind. He remembered the bodies, blood, fire, destroyed houses and buildings and people running in fear.
He shook the memories off from his head and kept walking the quiet streets. Then the wandering Tiger stopped on his tracks. "Shit, I just walked out here without thinking…I hope there are no ghosts around…Brrrr! Great, now I'm shaking!" He thought to himself and rubbed his arms. He stopped in front of Ichiraku Ramen stall and hung his head. "I wish old man Teuchi open up 24 hours…I could use a bowl or two right now." He thought and gave the stall one last look with a tear came out from his eye.
Mugen walked to his favorite spot in the village, the training grounds. He always sat under a tree near the grounds, sleeping, reading scrolls and make out series that was written by one of the Legendary Sannin. The young man sat down and rests his back against the tree along with his katana swords resting on the tree bark. "I'm glad that I'm already out from the ANBU. Sure it gives bigger rewards and I get to become one of the Hokage's bodyguards but I need to chill out more." He thought and he stretched his arms forward.
"Another reason I left was so that I get to watch Naruto to become a genin. I left some groceries for him from time to time when I got back or about to go another mission. I've talked with Iruka, Naruto's homeroom teacher, and it seemed the little troublemaker found himself a rival, an Uchiha at that. Oh yeah, speaking of Iruka, he forgot that the Hokage wanted to see him. Looks like I get to swing by to the academy…great…".
Later in the morning, Mugen made his way to the academy, tired and nervous. Mugen tends to don't know how or what to do with certain things. He used to be a loner, always liked to be by himself and shy away from others as he doesn't know how to approach them. Even when he has grown up, he doesn't know how to handle with kids and right now he was about to enter where almost all the kids in the village gather. The man sighed in front of the academy and slowly made his way to Iruka's class. His nervousness fade away a bit by the feeling of nostalgia. A bit of bitter sweet memories in the academy.
Mugen could hear Iruka teaching at the other side of the door to his class. He took a deep breath and knocked on the door before he came in when Iruka called him in. As we walked in, he felt that something was about to fall on him. His instincts kicked in, pulled out his katana and sliced whatever that was above him. The students gasped in surprised and looked at the Jonin sliced the blackboard duster in half. "Whoops, sorry, Iruka." Mugen said bluntly and sheathed his sword. "NARUTO!" Iruka yelled and managed to grabbed the blonde boy before he jumped out through the window and he hit him on his head. The students laughed at their classmate while he rubbed the swelling wound he got from his teacher.
"Sorry about that, Mugen. Is something up?" Iruka asked and walked away from the blackboard, towards the swordsman shinobi. "Don't worry about it and yeah, I forgot let you know yesterday that the Hokage wanted to talk to you. It's about Naruto, I think." He whispered and Iruka nodded. "I see, I better go and see him now. Can you look after the class for me? Thanks!" Iruka ran off before Mugen could say anything. He poked his head out from the classroom and saw that Iruka was already gone. "This is going to be a long morning…" He thought and grunted.
Mugen stood in front of the students as they stare at him as they are both bored and curious. The man had already took off his swords and rest them against the wall next to the blackboard before he picked up the book Iruka was holding. "Right, what were you teaching them again?" He thought as he flipped the pages until he gave up. "Ahem! Let me introduce myself before I ask you a question. My name is Tora Mugen, and what subject are you on at the moment?" He said and what caught his attention was one of the students raised her hand, she has pink hair and green eyes.
"Ummm, Iruka-Sensei was teaching us about Summoning Jutsu." She said and Mugen gave her a nod with a thank you. Even though he had a calm expression on his face, inside he let out a loud sigh of relief. "Thank God! Something that I know and can do! And also not embarrass in front of these kids! Hell yeah!" He thought and turned his back against them. "Well, you guys are in luck. Instead of talking about it, maybe it's better if I show you! Summoning Jut-" Mugen had already bit his thumb and was about perform the Jutsu before he stopped halfway. "Wait, should I do in here or outside? Shit…" He thought while the students tilted their heads in confusion. "Something wrong, Sensei?" One of the students asked. "W-Well, I was wondering if I can do a summoning in here." He said, without looking at them, embarrassed. "I think you can, as long as your summoning won't destroy things." A student said and ended it with a yawn. With just that, the man slammed his hand onto the wooden floor, "Summoning Jutsu!".
A puff of smoke appeared and the students looked at it, wondering what will appear. "Yes! I will look so cool!" Mugen thought and smirked. A big white tiger appeared in the classroom and the students gasped out of amazement. The tiger was sleeping and he woke up with a growl, "Why am I surrounded with brats?" He said and turned to his summoner, clicked his tongue. "What was that for?!" Mugen asked with his eyes twitched and a vein popped out on his temple. "Ah, shut up…" The tiger said and yawned before he continued, "You disturbed my nap, you bastard. Tell me what the hell you want and make it quick, brat." He said and he started to lick his paw.
Mugen gritted his teeth and stopped with a wide smile as he got an idea. "Everyone, meet Naka! He's cute one, huh? Go on, pat the good old tiger." He said and the students quickly got off from their seats and pat it while a few were still in their seats, not interested. "H-Hey! You'll get this, Mugen…! Oh, that actually good. Yeah, pat there..~" The tiger said and started purring. While they were patting the tiger and squealing by how cute he was, Mugen started teaching them about summonings and their contracts.
Then, he decided to let them have a little fun spar and now they are outside. "Alright, nothing too serious and deadly and won't get me in trouble, got it? Or I'll have to step in. Okay, while two of you spar the others can fight the Iruka-Dummies I set up over there! Make sure you hit them with your hearts content. Now, go, bounce, peace out or whatever." Mugen said and walked over to a tree, resting his back against it while watching over them. Naka rolled his eyes at his master and sat next to him. "You're handling well in this situation. I'm quite surprised. Mugen?" Naka looked up at him and noticed he has his eyes on the blonde kid who kept throwing shurikens at the dummies but missed. And when he spar, he wanted to spar with the dark haired Uchiha.
"You can do it, Sasuke! Show him his place!" The girls cheered. Mugen clapped his hands as the sparring was over and ordered them to go back to class. He stopped by Naruto and offered him a hand as he was on the ground and covered in dirt. "Never give up, right?" He asked and Naruto looked up at him before he gave him a wide grin and grabbed his hand. "Yeah!". Iruka returned and was impressed at Mugen as he was a natural at teaching his students. After the academy was over and the kids went home. "Keep it up with your training, Naruto! And the same goes to you guys!" He said and waved at them.
"Wow, look at you. Finally, got out from your comfort zone, huh?" Said Iruka and he nudged him playfully. "Oh, shut it." Mugen replied with a chuckle. Iruka told him about his conversation with the Third. "I still don't understand what he meant though." Iruka said and sighed. Mugen patted his shoulder as he got up from his seat. "Don't worry, it'll come to you. The Third is always right, even something like you and Naruto are similar. I gotta go, thanks for the ramen." He said and left the stall.
Later that night, Mugen rushed to the Hokage Mansion as it was an emergency. Apparently, Naruto stole a scroll and he is on the run. Mugen gripped his hands, turning into fists when he heard the other Jonin bad mouthed the Jinchuuriki. "Go, scatter!" The Third Hokage ordered and they along with Mugen, vanished.
Mugen was jumping from tree to tree, hoping that Naruto is safe and still in the village. He stopped when he saw him crying over Iruka who was injured. Mugen jumped in front of the two and Naruto ran up to him, with the scroll in his hands. "Please! You gotta help, Iruka-Sensei! Here's the scroll! You gotta heal him!" He said with tears flowing down on his face. Mugen gave him assuring smile and pat his head. "I will, calm down." He turned and frowned at the fainted Jonin, Mizuki. "You dumbass." Mugen kneel next to Iruka and pulled a small blade form his vest. "What are you going to do with that?" Naruto asked, worried that the man would injure his sensei. "Don't worry, this blade heals wounds by stabbing." He replied and stabbed Iruka's back. The blonde let out a sigh of relief as he saw the wound slowly healed. Mugen looked at him and smirked, "That looks good on you." He said and Naruto looked up, adjusting his headband that he got from Iruka. "Haha, I think so too!"