Chapter 5: The Academy

Konoha Shinobi Academy, Auditorium

Naruto took a seat next to Hinata. Next to him, Sara sat down. Kurenai took the other seat next to Hinata. The Auditorium of the Academy was a large room, big enough to hold a hundred people comfortably. A space that was quickly being filled as more Shinobi hopefuls and their parents\guardians filed in. Naruto had several of his eyes floating overhead, where they went unnoticed by most of the Occupants. The ANBU stationed in the room had taken noticed and almost acted when they remembered that Uzumaki Naruto was present in the building. They still kept their guard up.

With his unique vantage point, Naruto could see where everyone was and even got a good look at who they were. He recognized several familiar faces, the most recent Sasuke, his brother, and that Shisui guy. They were sitting a couple of rows ahead of them. He guessed that Sasuke was a cool guy. Sure, they didn't have the best of starts with him asking about his blindfold.

But Naruto had prepared himself for the reality that someone would ask him that question, and he would have to explain why he wore one. The way he saw it, there would be one of two reactions to his story and revealing his power. There would be that initial moment where they would be shocked and sicken, but after that, either A) they would not get over their discomfort and would make a point to avoid him or even bully for his misfortune. In which case, he would keep his distance from them and defend himself when B) they would get over their discomfort and try to get to know him better, allowing them to become quick friends.

Sasuke had fallen into the latter category. He had that initial moment of disgust and fear, a bit more so than most people would when they learned about his Futogan. Given that he was an Uchiha, Naruto could forgive that. Not for the first time, Naruto muses if he could use the powers of other Dōjustus if he ever came into possession of them. Sasuke had quickly gotten a hold of himself and even said he thought his power was kind of cool, then boasted about how it didn't compare to his clan's eyes. Naruto had the feeling that they would become good friends.

Speaking of friends, Naruto saw several of them sitting throughout the Auditorium. Having been taken in as a ward of the Hyūga clan, something that Naruto would be forever grateful about even if the elders were asshats, and being a personal friend of Hinata, Naruto was given the opportunity to meet and befriend the children of several major and minor Shinobi clans. Mostly the heirs and heiresses, most he was on good terms with, some though he had become close friends with. In the same row as him and Hinata, but sitting on the opposite end, was Kiba, a feral-looking boy with brown and red fang marks on his cheeks. His mother, equally wild-looking, had an irritated expression on her face. Given that he was acting like an unruly mess and was loud enough for Naruto to hear, he could take a good guess as to way.

Naruto smirked to himself. "And Sara-Nisaan thinks I'm a handful. Wait until you get a sight of Kibble breath there." He thought to himself. He took notice of the small puppy sitting on Kiba's head.

A few rows behind, he saw a large boy eating a bag of chips, Choji, and a boy with black hair that looked like the top of a pineapple, Shikamaru, and he was asleep. "Lazy Nara!" He wondered with their other blonde-haired friend was.

"Ah, there you are, Ino." Naruto thought, seeing the bossy but admittedly nice girl. "And who's this you're sitting next to?" There was another girl next to her. Unusual pink hair with a red ribbon tied into it. A new friend of Ino's? He didn't recognize her from any of the clans, and he hadn't heard of any clan with pink hair. Her clothes suggested she was from a civilian family. Naruto had a frown on his face as he thought over that detail. He didn't have the best history with civilians and their kids. Grant they were improving, but still not on good terms. He wondered how the girl would fit into their dynamic.

He would have to find out for later as he spotted the last of his friends. A black-haired boy wearing a trench coat and glasses that covered his eyes, his father sat next to him dressed almost identical. There were several empty seats around them. It seemed no one wanted to be near the "bug people." Naruto shook his head, disappointed at how quick people were to judge. He could sympathize with them.

"Th-there are a lot of people here." He heard Hinata says softly.

Naruto nodded his agreement. Taking out the adults, there were around a hundred students here, and that was in the first year alone. He imagines his class would get smaller with each year as the students would be weeded out. From what he heard from Jiji and Hinata's dad, a third of their year group would have dropped out by the time they got to graduation. Maybe even half, depending on the quality or lack thereof of the students. The academy was meant to weed out the weak and build up the strongest, the brightest, and the most talented. "Wonder how many of them realize what they're in for." Most forgot that while it didn't have all the same restrictions, the Shinobi forces of Konoha and, by extension, the academy was a military institution. Most of the parents believed that their child would become some noble hero of the village and live a life of glory and adventure. Naruto knew better. Hinata's father, Sara, and even Kurama had seen to that, while there would be elements of that fantasy, he knew it would be a life of hardship and that he would see and do things that would haunt him. But despite this, he still wished to protect the village and the people he held dear to his heart.

"Yea, there is." Naruto said after a moment of thought.

"N-Naruto-Kun can you see the others?" Hinata asked.

Naruto nodded. "They are scattered throughout the room. Kiba is the only one who's in the same row as us."

"Pup, settle down before I thump you on the head!"

"Though I imagine you already knew that." Naruto said with a smirk. Hinata giggled.

"I think Iwa knows." They heard Kurenai comment. "Kami help me if I get stuck as that boy's Jōnin sensei."

They continued to chatter before silence fell over the room. The Headmaster of the Academy had stepped up to the podium. He waited for everyone to stop talking and to turn their attention to him. "Hello everyone," He said, his voice enhanced by chakra so he could be heard throughout the Auditorium. "It is good to see all of you here today. As many of you know, the Nidaime established this institution in the hopes to cultivate the young minds that would grow to be the future generation of Konoha Shinobi. It was his fervent hope that the academy would equip these future generations with the tools, skillset, and knowledge they needed to defend our great village. From this very building, some of the greatest legends and heroes were molded here. The Sanin and Yodaime, just to name a few. Speaking of legends, I would like to introduce one that needs not an introduction, our very own Sandaime Hokage."

The headmaster stepped away from the podium, allowing the old Hokage to step up. Applause sounded throughout the Auditorium. The Hokage waved to the crowd before he waited for the noise to die down. Once it did, he cleared his throat and spoke. "My fellow citizens of Konoha, it warms these old bones to see so many youths hearing the call to defend this great and mighty village. I thank all of you children for answering this call, and I thank your parents for allowing you to come here. As our resident headmaster said, you are our future generation of shinobi. You are our defenders to be, the ones that shall bear the burden of protecting this village from its enemies alongside countless others. In all of you, I can see the Will of Fire burning brightly. Some claim that it is power, and the will to gain power by any means necessary is what makes for a strong Shinobi. That no sacrifice is too small or too great, that the ends will always justify the means. I say no to this, and so did our Shodai and Nidaime Hokages. They believed that a Shinobi was at his strongest when he was defending his home, his friends, and, most importantly, his family. They viewed this village as their home and all its people as their family. Just as I do now, looking at all of you now, I see not a collection of strangers but a gathering of family. Brothers and sisters, cousins, nephews, and nieces. This village is my home, and you are my family, one I would gladly give my life for. Just as all of you shall one day see. Alone a Shinobi is nothing but, together with his village, his comrades in arms, and his family, he is an unstoppable force. The Will of Fire allowed us to emerge victorious in the three Great Shinobi wars and countless other disasters that befell us. So as long the Will of Fire burns within even one heart, Konoha will survive." The crow erupted into loud cheering and app use, giving the Hokage a standing ovation. The Hokage waited several minutes as the crowd continued. The old man was giving everyone a fond smile. Naruto, however, noticed a wariness in his smile. Kurama had explained to him from what he had observed that the position of Hokage was both an honor and a burden. He wondered how much of a toll it had taken on his honorary grandfather. Another reason for the blindfolded blonde to become Hokage as quickly as possible, so the old man could enjoy the retirement he rightfully deserved. The crowd died down, and everyone took their seats. He cleared his throat and continued his speech. "I will warn you now the while the path of the shinobi is a rewarding one, it is one of great hardship. Many great shinobi have given their lives in defense of this village, and one day you will be expected to do the same. The Shodia, Nidaime, and Yondaime each gave their lives to protect the village they loved so much. Their sacrifice is still honored and remembered today and as well yours." A grim silence fell over the crowd at the mention of the passed Hokages and their sacrifices and the possibility that the children training to be shinobi would join them one day. It was a thought that most preferred to pass to the backs of their minds. The moment was brief as the Sandaime smiled. "But until then, I hope all of you have a great day." The Hokage stepped away from the podium, allowing the headmaster to take his place.

"With that said, this orientation is finished. I asked that the students begin to leave for their classrooms. In the hallway just outside, you will find several sheets of paper that will tell you your assigned class and where to find it. Parents and Guardians, you are free to leave anytime or remain here. Refreshments will be provided as you wait for your charges and are free to mingle amongst yourselves. Again, I welcome every student here and look forward to the next five years together. Dismissed."

The group of four waits for the rest of the row to clear out before getting up and leaving. "Now, Hinata-Sama and Naruto-kun, this is where we'll be leaving you," Sara said as they got to the doorway.

"Remember you two, this is your first day, so there is no pressure on you to excel," Kurenai added. "So, try to enjoy yourselves."

"We will." Naruto said.

"I'll try, too." Hinata said softly.

Sara looks at Naruto. "And Naruto, do please try to stay out of trouble. I don't need another lecture from the elders." She said.

Naruto gave her a mock expression of disbelief. "Sara-Chan, I'm not that big of a troublemaker." He responded. The Hyūga woman had an expression that could be translated as "You couldn't convince yourself?". Naruto felt a sweat drop roll down his neck. "I'll try, but I make no guarantees."

Sara looked at him for a second longer before closing her eyes and sighing. "I suppose that will have to do. Just try not to get caught if you do."

Naruto gave his Guardian one of his fox grins. "Now that I can do."

It was at this moment that Sara decided to end the conversation before she could become an accessory to whatever her charge was planning. "You two better get going before your late to your first day of class."

"If you need us, we'll be waiting here at the Auditorium." Kurenai said, giving the two children a fond smile. "Now off with you two." The two children nodded at the adults.

Naruto grabs Hinata's hand getting a blush from the shy girl. "Come on Hinata let's go." He said before dragging the red-faced girl into the crowd of children.

Kurenai watched as the two disappeared from sight. She turned her attention to the Hyūga woman next to her. "Naruto sure is a handful sometimes? Isn't he?" She said to her friend.

"You don't know the half of it." The woman responded with a faint smile present. "That boy has more energy than he knows what to do with." A chuckle escaped her lips. "Though if I am to be entirely honest with myself if it were not for all the lectures from the elders about Naruto's antics, I might enjoy his trouble-making more. At the very least, he does make life more interesting."

"Indeed, he does." Kurenai agreed. It was funny a year ago before she had met Hinata and before she had met Sara, her mental image of a Hyūga would like anyone else. A cold, distant, and arrogant human being that only held respect because of their name. She would never say it aloud as she was the one to show respect to others even if they did not deserve it in kind. When the clan head of the Hyūga said they would be acting as Hinata's escort outside of the compound, she had expected the girl to be the epitome of what a Hyūga was.

Hinata was anything, but she was almost shy as a mouse and tended to stutter all over herself. Especially when a certain blond was involved. Kurenai never thought she would meet a shy Hyūga, and in the same vein, she never thought she would be friends with one. Sara was closer to what she thought of what a Hyūga was but did not completely fit into that mold. Certainly, she came off as a rather strict person, but there was a sort of caring undertone to it. Most times, she was a calm and collected individual being the picture definition of Hyūga stoicism, but tiny little things made her dropped that mask and show a more emotional side to her. Like whenever she bickered with Naruto, her charge, with him, she acted like an annoyed big sister, and no matter how much she denied it, there was always a subtle smile on her lips when they fought. Likewise, whenever someone was cruel to Naruto or showed even the slightest sign of wanting to harm the boy, the woman was ready and willing to leap into action showing that mothers were not the only thing to worry about when messing with their young.

From her interactions with Sara, Hinata and, her family, she had learned that while there were plenty of Hyūga that fell into the stereotype, there were plenty more that did not. Even some of the former had small little quirks that made them seem more human if you paid enough attention.

Plus, it was nice to have another Kunoichi as a friend who was not completely batshit insane. "Anko, I love you like a sister, but you drive me crazy sometimes." Kurenai turned around. "Come on, Sara. Let us go and see if we can find Itachi and Shisui." She had noticed the small blush on Sara's face when she talked with Shisui. "I'm certain that you're interested in getting to know them better." The women of the Yamanaka clan were not the only ones that liked to play matchmaker after all. An Hyūga and an Uchiha that was going to make things interesting.

"I would be interested to learn more about them." Sara responded, following Kurenai into the Auditorium.

Shikamaru had been of the first to enter the classroom, mainly so he could find a good place to nap undisturbed. To anyone else coming in, they would see him acting like a typical Nara of the male genome, lazy as can be. That was true by their nature most Nara men and some of the women were easygoing and preferred not to deal with what they termed as "troublesome." This also served as a cover. What few knew or even suspected was that they were very observant individuals, scarcely so at times. It came with their high intelligence, so even when they were lazily sleeping or appeared to be, they were fully aware of their surroundings.

Nara Shikamaru had chosen the top role of the classroom to have the best vantage point to observe the class while he slept. No one noticed, not even Choji, his best friend sitting next to him, took note that every time a student walked through the door, Shikamaru would peek it from a small gap in-between his folded arms. His sharp mind would analyze them and make quick determinations on whether they would graduate from the academy and become shinobi.

Most he noted were civilian children, not surprising despite numerous Shinobi clans and smaller Shinobi families. A large portion of Konoha's Shinobi Corp. came from civilian stock. He also knew better than to underestimate civilian-born shinobi. The Yondaime, Jiraiya, and even Orochimaru had proven that one did not need to be from a prominent clan or family to become a great Shinobi.

Some he had already decided would not make it. Maybe a few would get through a year or two before dropping out but would not be shinobi all the same. Others would, but he determined that they would not become anything noteworthy. The rest, as he noted, were the ones to keep an eye on. Speaking of, Shikamaru briefly glanced over at the odd sight of a pair of eyes floating above the classroom. "So, you're attending as well. How troublesome now I'll have two annoying blondes to deal with." Shikamaru's gaze returned to the rest of the class. The notable students were, for one, all clan born and heirs no less; there goes the whole "you don't need to be born from greatness to be great" notion, and two, they were all his friends. "You'd think a higher power had planned this." The one exception was a pink-haired girl sitting next to Ino. He remembered Ino mentioning the other day that she made a new friend and that she would be attending the academy with them. The girl was shyly clinging to the Yamanaka girl, but Shikamaru could see that her timid eyes hid a keen intellect.

Sitting down in the front row, the Nara could see another unfamiliar face or, to be more accurate unfamiliar back. But the symbol on his shirt was something that everyone in the village knew well. The trademark red and white fan of the Uchiha clan was a dead giveaway of the boy's heritage. If the pattern were to hold and Shikamaru knew better than to doubt such things, then this boy was the son of the Uchiha clan head. Didn't he have an older brother who was rumored to become ANBU captain?

"This is going to be an interesting class." He decided. "Troublesome."

The doors slid open, and in walked two figures he knew very well. Uzumaki Naruto walked in with a very shy and very red Hyūga Hinata clinging to his arm. The boy had a bright, cheery smile on his face as he strolled in, with Hinata closing the door behind them. Kiba was the second to notice their presence as the wild boy great them with a boast. "Well, well, if it isn't the Hyūga's favorite pet." He said hotly.

"Hey, Kibble breath," Naruto responds. "I see you finally got a master to keep you on a leash. My apologies to you, little guy. I imagine he's a handful to keep up with."

"Hey!"

"Bark!" The puppy on Kiba's head answered, wagging his tail.

"Akamaru no siding with the enemy." Kiba wined to his partner.

From there, things descend to into a heated but strangely friendly argument between the two boys.

Shikamaru had to refrain from rolling his eyes and kept his amused smile hidden. Contrary to appearance, the two arguing boys were close friends and were just as quick to support each other as they would fight.

Their fight lasted for a few minutes, with the two almost challenging each other to a spar before the door slide open again, and two men walked in, both wore Chūnin vests. The first one had tanned skin, a scar across his nose, and his hair was done in a ponytail. He has a friendly, almost brotherly aura coming from him. The other one had white hair that went to his shoulders, and for reasons that Shikamaru couldn't place, he felt something was off about the man.

"Alright, class, settle down and get to your seats." Said the scarred Chūnin. The class quickly did as he said. Once everyone was settled, the man smiled at everyone. "Hello everyone, I'm Umino Iruka," The man introduced himself. "and I'll be your homeroom sensei for the next five years. But please just call me Iruka-Sensei."

The other man stepped up. "I'm Touji Mizuki, and I'll be Iruka's assistant." The now named Mizuki introduced himself with a smile. A smile that almost felt forced.

"I look forward to the next few years together, and I hope to see every one of you graduate and become fine Shinobi of Konoha. Now I believe it is time for some introductions. When Mizuki-Sensei calls for your name, please step out in front of the class introduce yourself. Give us some of your likes, dislikes, hobbies, and goals for the future." Iruka instructed. "Let me and Mizuki give an example. My name is Umino Iruka. I like ramen, hot springs and of course this class. I dislike mazegohan, perverts, and spiders. My hobbies include visiting the hot springs and figuring out different ways of teaching. My goal is to see all of you graduate from the academy."

Mizuki stepped up next, a sheet of paper in hand. "I am Touji Mizuki. I like my girlfriend Tsubaki, sushi, and learning new jutsus. My Dislikes include ramen, foxes, and the ignorant. My hobbies include reading up about new jutsus and being with my girlfriend. My goal is much the same as Iruka's to see all of you become shinobi." He finished his introduction with a bow. "Now it's your turn. First up is Aburame Shino."

Watching the trench-coated boy walking down to the front of the Classroom, Shikamaru could hear a boy in the row below him whisper to his buddy something about. "Bug boy and freak." Followed by snickering between the two.

"The closed minds of some people." Shikamaru thought bitterly.

The boy stopped in front of the class and brought his fingers to his glasses, putting them back into place. "I am Aburame Shino. My likes include bugs, my clan, and winter melon. I dislike those who harm bugs needlessly and foods that are strong smelling. My hobbies are studying insects and collecting them. My goals are to discover new species of insects and become a worthy successor to my father as clan head." The boy didn't give the teachers much of a chance to respond before he returned to his seat.

"Up next is Akimichi Choji." Mizuki said.

Next to him, Choji stood up, still eating his chips. "Great, not only do we have a bug freak in the class but also a fats-." The boy from a second ago was interrupted by a grunt from Shikamaru. The boy and his friend turn to face him, giving him odd looks. Lazily the Nara boy points his finger. The boys followed and froze in fright. Choji, the normally kind, sweet kid, gave them a death glare that would make seasoned shinobi take a step back. Needless to say, the boys didn't finish their conversation and would likely remain silent for the rest of the day.

Choji got to the front of the classroom. "My name Is Akimichi Choji. I like eating, my friend Shikamaru, and butterflies. I dislike bullies and anything food I cannot eat. My hobbies are eating lots of food and hanging out with my friends. My goal is to one day run my family's restaurant."

When Choji got back to his seat, Mizuki read off more names, and the students would introduce themselves. Mostly boring stuff that Shikamaru could not be bothered to remember. "Haruno Sakura" Seeing the pink-haired girl next to Ino stand got the Nara's attention.

The girl shyly made her way to the front of the class. "My name is Haruno Sakura. I like reading, my friend Ino-San, and dumplings. I don't like perverts, bullies, and anything spicy. My hobbies are reading and playing trivia games. I don't have a goal that I can think of other than maybe becoming a strong Kunoichi." The girl gave a quick bow before she darted back to her seat.

Another student was introduced before a familiar name was called up. "Hyūga Hinata."

Shikamaru looked down at where the Hyūga heiress was sitting at. He saw Naruto lay a comforting hand on her and whisper something to her. The girl nodded at him, a small blush on her cheeks lighting up. The girl got up from her seat and slowly walked out in front of the classroom.

The girl was pushing her index fingers together, a shy habit of hers she had yet to grow out of. "My n-name is Hyūga Hin-nata. I like cinnamon, rabbits, and Na-n-Nar," The girl stuttered out. Shikamaru had an idea of what she was trying to say, or who. "my friends." She quickly changed. "I don't like bullies, cr-crabs, and the Caged Bird seal used by my c-clan. My hobby is flower pressing. My goal is to become a strong and capable Kunoichi and become the head of my clan and change it for the better." Towards the end, she had become more confident. The girl bowed and quietly returned to her seat.

The next to be called for was everyone's second favorite loudmouth. "Inuzuka Kiba."

The feral appearing boy just about jumped down from his row to the front of the class, his Canine partner nestled in the front of his jacket. "My name is Inuzuka Kiba, the most awesome guy you will ever meet. I like dogs, especially my partner, her Akamaru," Said partner gave a happy bark getting coos from some of the girls. "most meats, and girls. I don't like cats and anything that isn't chewy. My hobbies are training and walk my clan's dogs. My goal is to become the best tracker in the village." His introduction was loud and obnoxious.

Shikamaru swore he saw a sweatshop appear on Iruka's head. "Perhaps next time, you can be a bit less enthusiastic when you talk." He said with a nervous laugh.

Mizuki continued to call out names, and they continued to give forgettable introductions. Then they got to his name. Shikamaru stood up, grumbling about "troublesome things" under his breath. He had his hands in his pockets, and his back was hunched as he slowly walked to the front of the class. He looks over the class trying to decide what he should say and how much trouble it could cause him. "My name is Nara Shikamaru. My likes are clouds, Shogi, and my friend Choji. I dislike troublesome things. My hobbies include sleeping, cloud watching, and playing Shogi. My goal is to become an average Shinobi and to marry an average woman and have two kids, one boy and one girl." He yawned when he finished his introduction, then bowed and returned to his seat. On the way, he passed both Naruto and Ino, and both muttered. "Lazy Nara." His response was "troublesome blondes."

More names passed, and the Nara was about ready to fall asleep for real. "Uchiha Sasuke." Several people perked up at the mention of the famous clan's name.

The boy with Onex eyes turned to face the class, and several of the girls swooned. "Great," Shikamaru whined to himself. "We got fangirls in here as well. What a drag."

The Uchiha boy began his introduction. "My name is Sasuke Uchiha. I like my old brother Itachi, tomatoes, and learning more about my clan. I dislike sweet things. Hobbies are training and spending time with my brother. My goal is to follow in my brother's footsteps and become a powerful Shinobi."

"I'm sure you will," Iruka said, seeing the boy return to his seat. "Mizuki, let's get to the last students and wrap up things."

Mizuki nodded to Iruka and looked back to the sheet. He was about to call out the next name when he stopped himself. That had been enough to catch Shikamaru's full attention, and for a moment, he saw a wide range of emotions flash across the man's face. First, confusion followed by disbelief. Then his face twisted in fear, anger, and disgust of an intensity that it frightened the Nara. Then all at once, the man got a hold of himself and returned to his previous passive and friendly state. The shift in the man's behavior had last less than maybe three seconds, it had been enough to put Shikamaru on edge around the man, and he would keep an eye on him for anything else strange.

Iruka had noticed the pause from his assistant. "Mizuki-San is something the matter?" He asked, concerned.

Mizuki turned his head to Iruka with an apologetic face. "Sorry, Iruka-San just spaced out there for a second. Nothing to worry about." He turned his attention back to the roll sheet. "Uzumaki Naruto."

A flash of recognition flashed on Iruka's face but nothing more, certainly no indication of how he felt about the blonde with the blindfold. Gears started to turn in Shikamaru's head as other details about the Hyūga ward came to mind. Namely how the adults treated him.

On the few occasions he had seen Naruto out of the Hyūga compound, he had noticed the strange behavior the older generation exhibited around the blind boy. They weren't hostile to him, at least not outwardly showing hostility. But they did noticeably become tenser around him. They tried to ignore him but could not stop themselves from treating him like he was a paper bomb. Shikamaru had once brought his observations to his father and asked him what he thought of it.

The answer he got was an interesting one and had only served to further pique his interest in the mystery of Uzumaki Naruto. Firstly, his father had lied to him, saying he did not know anything about it. As far as he could remember, his father had never lied to him about anything, so have him do it was disturbing. His father knew what was happening, and he would not or could tell him. Shikamaru couldn't decide which was worse. Then a moment later, his father had grabbed him by his shoulders and gave him one most intense stare he had ever seen on the man's face. What he said had stuck with him. "No matter what you hear or learn about him. Shika, you must remember to judge that boy solely on who he is and his merits. I will tell you this now that boy deserves better, and I am glad that his life has recently taken a turn for the better. Promise me that no matter what happens, you will stick with Uzumaki Naruto or leave him for the right reasons. Can you promise me that?" His father did not give him a chance to answer, saying that only he needed to know that. Stay with or leave his friend? And for the right reasons? What did his father mean by that? He acted as though he would abandon Naruto one day. Why would he do that? Why did the adults treat Naruto like a ticking time bomb? Why was his father keeping secrets from him? Many more questions swirled in his mind and would leave him up at night muttering troublesome.

"Hey, isn't he that one kid." Shikamaru had noticed that some of his generation had become infected with their parent's behavior.

"Yea, I think he is. Didn't our parents tell us to stay away from him?

"I think they did. Does that mean we'll have to drop out?"

"I don't know."

Shikamaru tuned the other students out and focused on Naruto.

He saw the blond get up. Hinata was giving him a worried look. Wordlessly he walked out in front of the class and turned to face them. For a brief second, his face was expressionless, and Shikamaru was left to wonder what was going around in his head. Then a smile that could outdo the sun appeared on his face. "My name's Uzumaki Naruto." He loudly proclaimed. "I like ramen, Hinata-Chan," Said Hyūga heiress epped. "and the color orange. I dislike the five minutes it takes to make instant ramen, bullies, kidnappers, and people who can't tell the difference between the kunai and the scroll" At this, both of the Adults stiffened and gave each other a concerned look. "My hobbies include trying different kinds of ramen, gardening, and training. My goal, no my dream is to become the greatest of the Hokages." The class was stunned into silence, not that they were making much noise to start with. This overly cheery ramen-addicted kid had just claimed that he would be the village's leader one day.

Shikamaru rolled his eyes and silently muttered. "Troublesome ramen addicted blonde." He heard a sneeze. Looking back to the front, he saw Naruto rubbing his nose.

"I guess someone is talking about me." He said. He was about to walk back to his seat.

"Why are you wearing a blindfold? Are you blind?" Asked a student.

Shikamaru should have known that question was going to come up at some point. He already knew, and so did several others in the room, all of them friends of Naruto. It gave them all a reason to dislike Kumo, even himself, who normally found such things to be too troublesome.

"Now, now, class. I'm certain that is something that Uzumaki-san would prefer to keep private." Iruka said.

"But how can he be a Shinobi if he can't see anything?" Another student asked.

"There have been blind Shinobi before, some of them quite famous." Iruka tried to explain, but there was some uncertainty in his words.

"Iruka-San, he may have a point," Mizuki interjected. "We can't in good conscience let a."

"It's alright." Naruto interrupted. Both adults look at him expectantly. "I knew this would come." He turned his head back to face the class. "To answer your question, the reason why I'm wearing a blindfold is that I have no eyes in my head." The class remained silent as they listened to Naruto's explanation. "As for how that happened, well, that's a long story, and I imagine Iruka-Sensei wants to get through the introductions. Don't you?" The scared Chūnin nodded his head. "So, I'll be brief, two years ago, there was an incident that cost me my eyes." Naruto removed his blindfold showing the whole class his empty eye sockets. The whole class gasped, and more than a few looked green. Naruto put his blindfold back on. "But that does not mean I am blind."

"What do you mean you're not blind?" The student in front of Shikamaru asked. "You said you had no eyes."

Naruto had a fox-like grin. The same smile that told the Nara and his friends that the blonde was about to pull one of his. "I said I didn't have any eyes in my head."

Shikamaru couldn't see it, but he knew the boy was frowning. "What difference does thaahhu!?" The screaming boy tumbled back in his seat, his head almost hitting the desk behind him. Shikamaru could not help the small smile forming on his lips. The entire class, Senseis included, whipped their heads to see what had frightened the boy. For a few seconds, it seemed like the boy was jumping at his shadow. He raised a shaking finger guiding everyone's line of sight to what had caused his reaction.

For anyone else who had not seen it before and had long since filed the detail as being "Strange but ignorable," seeing a pair of eyes floating in the air must have been a strange sight for sure. For Shikamaru and Naruto's other friends, it was average. The eyes floated towards Naruto and hovered above his outstretched hand. "The difference is that my eyes are not in my head." Other eyes appeared around Naruto, and for the first time, the class started to take note of the eyeballs that floated around the class. To be expected, more than a few looked creeped out. "Any other questions will have to wait for now. Iruka-Sensei, can I return to my seat, know?"

It took a moment for the Iruka to shake off his daze. "Uhh, sure. Go ahead, Uzumaki-San." He said. Naruto returned to his seat the class was whispering to themselves. "Mizuki-San call up the last name."

"R-right," Mizuki said, sounding like he was still processing. "Yamanaka Ino."

"Final! You got to me." The girl with platinum blonde hair said.

"What a drag two troublesome blonds in a row. That has got to be illegal somewhere." Shikamaru groaned inside his head.

The Yamanaka girl got to the front of the class. "My name is Yamanaka Ino, the prettiest flower in this room." She said, flipping her hair.

"More like the most self-absorbed." Shikamaru thought.

In continued. "My likes include flowers, cheery tomatoes, and romance novels. I dislike lazy people," At this, Shikamaru shrugged. "judgmental people and show-offs. My hobbies are going shopping and gossip. My goal is to become the best Kunoichi and to find the man of my dreams." Ino returned to her seat.

With the final introduction done, Iruka spoke. "Now that is out of the way, we'll have a brief lunch break, and then we'll gather outside in the back. There we have some demonstrations of what you know of ninjutsu followed by Taijutsu matches between students. After that, classes will be dismissed. Any questions? None? Good, class dismissed.

Naruto stood with the rest of his outside of the academy. There were standing in of the small training areas that littered the back area of the outside. Lunch had been a somewhat interesting affair. He got to spend time with his friends. Mostly him arguing with Kiba about who was the strongest and Ino nagging to him about being a showoff. He did get to meet Ino's new friend Sakura. The girl with pink hair was nice and sweet, kind of cute though not as much as Hinata. Wait, did I just think that Hinata-Chan was cute? Well, it is true." He thought to himself.

The whole time the rest of the class stared at him, and even now, some of them gave him a wary eye. Understandable, but it was getting on his nerves.

"Alright, class, can anyone tell me what they know about Chakra." Their class sensei Iruka asked, looking over the assembled body of students. For a little everyone stared at each other, wondering who would step up and answer their sensei's question. A small frown formed on the scared Chūnin's face; he waited for an answer.

Naruto was about to volunteer his answer when a voice cut him off. "I can answer that." The attention of the class and Senseis were now on a certain pink-haired girl. "Chakra is the source of a Shinobi's power. It is a combination of Physical and Spiritual energies and is present in all living beings. With chakra, a person can do any number of things that would normally be impossible such as walking on water and moving mountains. Though the latter takes incredible strength and reserves of chakra."

Iruka nodded at Sakura's explanation. "Well done, Haruno-San. Chakra is an important part of a Shinobi's life. Without it, we would not have the powers we have, not to mention we would not be alive without it, so that's a plus." He said with a smile. "Now then, there are three main branches of techniques that make up the arsenal of a Shinobi. First is ninjutsu, or in the literal meaning Ninja Art, it is the most well-known ability of all shinobi and is what enable us to shoot fireballs from our mouths and create tornados. Mizuki, if you will?"

The white-haired man nodded to his partner and went through a few hand signs. "Bunshin no Jutsu." Two identical copies appeared beside him.

The class was in awe of what they were seeing. Most of them were, but Naruto and the other kids from clans were unimpressed. It was a basic technique, and they had seen more impressive.

"What you see here is one of the many things you can do with Ninjutsu." Iruka nodded to Mizuki, and the clones dispelled. "What saw was the Bunshin no Jutsu. As you saw, it creates copies of the caster, but do not be mistaken. They are not real but are, in fact, illusions. They have no physical interactions with the world around them. It is best used as a distraction. You will be required to know this Jutsu for the graduation exam alongside the Henge no Jutsu and the Kawarimi no Jutsu." Naruto frowned at that bit of news. He had learned that he had could not do the Bunshin due to his massive reserves of chakra. It was like he was trying to drain an ocean into a bottle using a funnel. He just could not do it. It was a common problem that Jinchūriki and Uzumakis faced, Naruto had the misfortune of being both.

"On the bright side, with the proper training, you will be able to spam out high-level Jutsu like their candy." Kurama piped in.

"I'll still have to ask Iruka-Sensei if there is an alternative that I can do besides the Bunshin." Naruto responded.

Naruto listened to Iruka's explanation on the basic components of ninjutsu and demonstrated the twelve handseals needed to mold chakra. Then on to explain Taijutsu and Genjutsu. "There are, of course, other branches of Ninja arts such as the Iryō Ninjutsu and Fūinjutsu. In time we will cover those, but for the most part, we will be learning more about Ninjutsu, Taijutsu, and Genjutsu. Now then, would anyone like to demonstrate any jutsus they know?" Iruka looked over the class to see if anyone would volunteer. Naruto stepped up. With him were Ino, Sasuke, Shino, and surprisingly Shikamaru.

Iruka gave an approving nod, though he gave Naruto a worried look. He hoped that the man would, in time, be able to look past the fox and see him for who he was. "Alright, you five line in front of the class." The five Shinobi hopefuls did as he said. "Now then, when I call you up, demonstrate the Jutsu you wish to show the class. Be sure to inform Mizuki-San and me if you need one of us to act as a partner or a dummy. Understood?"

"Yes, Iruka-Sensei." The five chorused.

"Now then, Yamanaka Ino, you're up first." Iruka said.

Ino walked out from the small line. "Iruka-Sensei, I'll need a volunteer for this."

Iruka and Mizuki looked at each other. "You want to go?" Iruka asked.

"No, no. Be my guest."

"Fine, but you get the next one." Iruka stepped out in front of Ino. "Is this good?" Iruka asked the platinum blonde.

"Perfect," Ino said, holding her hands out in an odd seal. "Shintenshin no Jutsu." A moment later, Ino's body went limp and slumped to the ground. At the same time, Iruka stiffened.

Then Iruka looked up at the class, giving them a mischievous small. To the confusion of almost everyone, the man struck a sexy pose. "Hello class, it is I, your lovely Sensei, under the control of the most beautiful Ino-Hime." Naruto repressed his laughter to a chuckle. He heard Shikamaru mutter, "troublesome blondes."

It took a moment to realize what had happened, and chuckles from them floated around. Mizuki looked like he was ready to burst out laughing and was covering his mouth.

After she had her fun, Ino released her control over Iruka, her body standing up, a satisfied smile present on her lips. Now in control of his body again, the scared Chūnin gave the Yamanaka girl a nervous smile. "Think you Yamanaka-San for that interesting display. You may return to the rest of the class." Ino bowed and rejoined with the rest of the class, getting a high-five from Naruto on the way.

"Next up is Aburame Shino."

The Aburame walked out to the front. For a moment, it seemed like he was going to do nothing when the class noticed the stream of black moving away from him and gathering in a pile next to him. Slowly they realized it was a stream of bugs creeping more than a few out, particularly the girls.

The pile formed up and began to shape into a humanoid form roughly the same height as Shino. "Mushi Bunshin no Jutsu." The mass transformed into a perfect copy of Shino. The class looked equal parts, amazed, and disturbed at the two Shinos. "Is this sufficient enough of a demonstration?" One of the Shinos asked.

Iruka nodded. "Yes, that will do. Now dispel your clone and rejoin with the class.

Shino silently nodded, and the clone deformed back into a swarm of insects that quickly retreated into his body. The boy returned to the group of students, several of them stepped away from him.

"Nara Shikamaru your up next."

"Troublesome. Why did I volunteer for his?" The lazy pineapple head boy said, walking out from the line of now two people. "I need a volunteer for this." He said before yawning.

"Your turn this Mizuki." Iruka said to his partner.

Mizuki rolled his eyes. "Alright, have it your way. What's the worst he can do?" Mizuki asked, stepping out in front of the Nara boy.

"Mizuki, you should know better than asked such a question." Naruto thought, knowing that Shikamaru was going to take that as a challenge?Lazy as he was, the lazy boy had a devious mind that even Naruto didn't wish to incur the wrath of.

Shikamaru formed his hands into a handseal not seen by the class. "Kagemane no Jutsu." Then to most of the students' surprise, Shikamaru's shadow shot out from him and connected with Mizuki's. A distant sound could be heard as it did. "Complete." The boy with pineapple hair muttered. He raised his hand, and Mizuki did the same like he was a mirror of the boy.

"So, this is the famous shadow possession that the Nara Clan are known for." The man said nervously. "Now, I don't suppose you can let me go, and we can move along the line?"

For a moment, Naruto saw a small smirk appear on the lazy boy's face and knew that he wasn't done with the assistant sensei.

"Maybe," Shikamaru said. "But just one more thing." He added.

"What are you?" Mizuki's question was cut off when he began to flap his arms and pick around like a chicken.

The whole class started to laugh, pointing at the man that was acting like a chicken. Even Iruka appeared to be fighting back a grin and losing. After a moment, the scarred Chūnin decided to come to the rescue of his friend and partner. "Nara-San, I believe that will be enough. Release him and rejoin with the rest of the class. Understood?" He said, the smile having won out.

"Yes, sensei." Shikamaru responded, releasing his hold over Mizuki.

The man stopped acting like a chicken, and Shikamaru joined with the rest of the class, getting several high-fives from other students. Though he did get a bump on the head from an irate Ino.

The next person was called up. "Uchiha Sasuke."

Sasuke walked up to the front. "Iruka-Sensei, I'll need a target for my Jutsu." He said.

Iruka nodded to the Uchiha boy. "That can be done Uchiha-San. Mizuki-San if you will?"

"I'm on it." Mizuki said, starting to walk away.

"Mizuki-Sensei," Naruto said before the man could get too far. "If it is not too much trouble to ask, could you also get me a target? My jutsu also requires it." He asked him.

The white-haired Chūnin looks to his partner for confirmation. Iruka nodded. "It will save you a trip and a few minutes for the class." He explained.

Mizuki sighed. "Alright, two soon-to-be-damaged or destroyed targets coming right up." A few minutes later, a target had been set up for the Sasuke, and another was lying beside Mizuki.

Sasuke stood in front of the target set up for him. He took a breath, likely to calm himself and center his mind. He flashed three quick handseals holding on Tora, and took a deep breath. "Katon: Gōkakyū." Then he breathed out a steady stream of fire the formed into a ball, and it shot out towards the target. The thing never stood a chance and was consumed in the ball of fire. The flames quickly died done leaving a small pile of burning wood.

The class was amazed, and Naruto had to admit he was impressed. "He's not half bad, isn't he Kurama?" Naruto asked the fox.

"Oh yes, really impressive. An Uchiha that can breathe fire. Who would have thought it possible? Next, you'll be telling me that they have some weird eye infection that gives them powers like copying other Jutsus or mind-controlling people." Kurama said, his voice not dripping but drenched in sarcasm.

If he still had them in his head, he would be rolling his eyes. The fox had an intense hatred towards the Uchiha clan, though not without good reason.

Iruka put the flames out with a quick water jutsu. "That was very impressive Uchiha-san, in fact that is the most advanced jutsu I've seen so far out of the class. You're differently a level above your peers." Iruka praised the Uchiha boy. "I'll be looking forward to your progress. Now then rejoin with the rest of the class."

"Hn" Sasuke walked away, more than a few of the girls giving him longing looks.

"Alright, Uzumaki Naruto, you're last. Just let Mizuki-San set up your target first, and then you can show us what you can do." Iruka said.

After about a minute of waiting, the target had been set up. Naruto walked out to face the target. Like Sasuke did before, he took a deep breath to calm himself and center his mind on what he wanted to do. He held his hand out, and one of his eyes floated out in front of it a few inches away. Focusing through the eyeball, he narrowed his sight on the target. He channeled his chakra molding into what he needed it to do and sending it through the invisible strings that connected him to his collection of eyes. This technique did not require handseals to do but did require him to channel the chakra through his hands, a limitation he hoped to overcome one day. When he felt like the chakra was right, he activated his jutsu. "Fūtogan: Piasu shisen." Several bolts of light were shot out from the eye. Most found their mark on the target, leaving burning holes in it. The few that missed harmlessly dissipated as they only had enough energy to reach the target. Again, the class was stunned by what they saw, and his friends were surprised as well as he had not shown them this technique with it being a recent development.

"What do you think?" Naruto asked mostly Iruka and, to a lesser extent, the class.

"That was," Iruka trailed off for a second uncertain of how he should respond. "Interesting." He finished. "Uzumaki-San, what was that? I've never seen or heard of a technique like that before." Iruka asked. Naruto could sense his curiosity was genuine.

The other students were staring at him, keenly listening in. Naruto smiled at himself when they weren't giving him those hateful and fearful stares. Naruto like being the center of attention. "It's a technique I made for my Fūtogan." He said, having the eye float above an outstretched hand. "All I have to do is channel some chakra into my eyes, and they shot them out in concentrated bolts or beams. It takes a little bit of concentration."

"I see." Iruka said, absorbing the information. "How long does it take to charge these bolts or beams?"

"Depends on what I want them to do." Naruto answered. "If I want to stun my opponents, then maybe a few seconds, and it would take several shots or the beam to connect for just as long. Anything beyond that, I'm really sure. But I am working on cutting down on the times to make it more viable in a fight. I'm thinking maybe mostly using to distract my opponents by making them worry about multiple angles of attack." Naruto explained.

"Interesting." Iruka said, rubbing his chin. "I would be interested in talking to you more about this technique. It sounds like it can be very useful." Iruka said.

Mizuki coughed, getting the attention of the two. "While I find this to be just a fascinating as you, Iruka-San. We do have a class to take care of." He said.

Iruka nodded to his friend. "We'll talk about this later when we have more time, Uzumaki-San."

Naruto smiled, sensing the opportunity to make another friend. He felt like Iruka was a good person. For whatever reason, Naruto was an unusually good judge of character.

What he did not know was that since he was the container of the Kyūbi or Kurama as he came to know him as, Naruto could, on a subconscious level, since the intentions of others. Kurama made a mental note to tell the boy and teach him how to use it on a conscious level.

For the same reason, he felt something was off about Mizuki. He would have to be careful around that man. "Sure, I would love to. I know this great place that makes the best ramen. Maybe we can talk about it over a few bowls."

Iruka smiled. "I would be happy to just let me know where it is, and we'll meet up there sometime. My treat." Iruka had unknowingly condemned his wallet to a painful death. "Now then that demonstrations are over, let us get on to the rest of the class. Everyone follow me."

The class followed the scared Chūnin to another section of the training field. This one had a large circle drawn into it, a sparring arena. "Alright, class." Iruka called to everyone. "For our last activity of the day, we will be having Taijutsu spars between students. Sparing partners will be chosen at random." Mizuki stepped forward, holding a glass bowl full of small sheets of paper. "In this bowl are the numbers 1-15. Each number has a copy, meaning that there are two of each number." Iruka explained, getting nods from the class. "Each of you will get to draw one number, and you will spare against the person who drew the same number as you. For example." Iruka reached into the bowl and drew out a sheet of paper. "Number eleven." He said, showing the number to the class. "That means my opponent would whoever draw out the other eleven. Do you understand?" Iruka asked, putting the sheet back into the bowl. Everyone nodded. "Good, then let's get started.

It didn't take long for everyone to draw their numbers. "Should I be worried that I drew this number?" Naruto asked, holding the number nine. "Or be happy about it."

"Beats me." Kurama responded in a monotone voice. "Considering the luck of you, Uzumakis, it could go either way."

"Now that everyone has a number. We can begin to determine the sparing pairs." Iruka said once everyone was done. "I will call out each number. The students with that number will enter the ring. Each match will last five minutes," The scared Chūnin pulls out a small timer from one of his pouches. "Once the timer goes off or when Mizuki or I say stop, you will stop the spar and not a moment after. Am I understood?"

"Yes, Sensei!"

"The winner of each match will be determined by Mizuki and I or when one of you manages to pin your opponent to the floor for five seconds or push them out of the arena. Remember this Taijutsu only, no Ninjutsu or genjutsu, only hand-to-hand combat. If Mizuki-San or I see you use anything outside of Taijutsu, you will be disqualified and given a reprimand. Understood?" Everyone nods. Iruka smiles. "Good. Now, remember this is just a friendly spar between comrades, so have fun. Let's begin with number one come forth.

"I wonder who my opponent will be?" Naruto asked himself, looking over the assembled student body. The first match was just between two civilian children and was of little interest to him. His eyes lingered on Sasuke, the boy he met earlier before entering the academy. He would not mind having a go at the Uchiha boy. Naruto felt like he would make for a strong opponent to face, maybe even another rival to test himself against.

Sasuke noticed him staring and gave him what Naruto assumed to be the trademarked Uchiha smirk that he heard so much about in the Hyūga compound. The boy raised his paper, and to Naruto's delight, it held the number nine. Naruto returned the smirk and held up his own paper, getting an affirming nod from the boy before returning his attention to the match.

The matches were not interesting to watch, mostly inexperienced civilian children having fistfights. On the fifth match, they did get two kids from Shinobi families sparing each other, which proved to be more entertaining but still nothing noteworthy. The eighth match did get a raised eyebrow from Naruto as Shikamaru got paired against the boy that almost made the mistake of calling Chouji fat. The Nara boy muttered his favorite word before the match and after swiftly beating the boy.

Naruto and Sasuke were in the arena before Iruka could call out their numbers. "Are both participants ready?" Iruka asked, looking at both boys.

"Hai."

"Hai."

"Begin!"

Both fighters sifted into their Taijutsu stance. Neither one made a move as they analyzed each other. Both trying to get a feel for what the other was capable of and would do. In this, Naruto had an advantage. He had several pairs of eyes floating above and around the arena, offering him a full three-sixty view and then some. The advantage was only slight though, the young Jinchūriki was still trying to learn how to read people's body language.

A few seconds in, the first move was made by the Uchiha boy. He ran to Naruto and shot out his hands, aiming for the chest. Naruto intercepted blocking or deflecting several blows while trying to get in some hits on Sasuke. The boy was just as quick to block and deflect Naruto's blows, no he was just a bit faster. "So, he's faster than me." Naruto thought, filing that bit of information away. That meant there was a chance that Sasuke could get in a strike quicker than Naruto could react. A second later, he noticed something else about the Uchiha boy. "He's losing steam fast." If Sasuke did manage to get a hit on Naruto, it would be a blow that Naruto could take. The same could not be said about Sasuke, he was faster and had better reflexes, but Naruto could outlast him in terms of endurance and stamina.

It seemed that Sasuke had figured this out as well, judging by the glint in his eyes. A moment later, both boys broke off their clash and jumped away from each other. They begin circling each other, still holding their stance. They had learned a lot about the other from their first clash. Naruto now knew that Sasuke was faster than him and his fighting style empathized that by focusing on fast and precise strikes, if trained to the fullest, Sasuke could overwhelm his enemies through sheer offensive might. Sasuke, on the other hand, had learned that his opponent had more stamina than he did and thereby outlast his offensive and could even break through his defenses if given enough time.

With this information, both boys had to figure out how to beat the other. Sasuke was faster. Naruto had more endurance. So, the question was could Sasuke attack fast and often enough to beat Naruto, or could Naruto outlast him long enough to tire Sasuke out and land a decisive blow to end the match? The answer came soon enough.

Both combatants lunged at each other, and this time they held nothing back. The fight had become a storm of punches and kicks. Sasuke was mostly on the offensive side of the fight, but Naruto would intercept most of the attacks. But inevitably, as he feared, Sasuke did manage to get a few blows through Naruto's defenses. But they were nothing Naruto couldn't take. In the same vein, Sasuke was fast to stop any attack from Naruto. But unlike the blonde, his defenses were not as good, and however few it may be, Naruto got a few powerful blows in on the boy. Blows that Sasuke struggled to take.

With a kick from Naruto, Sasuke was sent skidding across the arena and short of breath. It became apparent that despite the advantages that they held over the other, both were more evenly matched than they thought. Both also knew that their next clash would decide the victor. Sasuke was short on breath and had a noticeable bruise on his face. One more good blow, and he would be out. Naruto, however, while not showing it was reaching his limit, the many blows he had taken from Sasuke were adding up, and he could feel it. If Sasuke could avoid getting hit long enough, he could beat him.

But despite this, Naruto felt a smile creep onto his face. He was enjoying this fight. Sasuke was proving to be better than he thought and was looking forward to their future spars together. Sasuke had the same smile on his face as well. Both boys sift back into their fighting stances and were ready to fin-.

"This match is over. The Winner is Uchiha Sasuke." The voice of Mizuki stopped them.

Hello boys! I'm baaack. ~Grasshopper nosies`

Old movie references aside. Sorry if this update took longer than usual but as I mentioned before we had a ice storm a few weeks back that knocked out the power for than 300000 thousand people myself included for a couple of weeks. My pour tree took a nasty beating from that storm (so did several others) Thankfully that is way behind us now, all of the power is back up now, the tree is still alive, and this chapter is out. Also got a new computer (the last one died on me) so that will help speed the writing along.

That bit of news out of the way let's get to the story. Yes I gave Naruto laser eyes, I know uncreative and unoriginal but its my story and I'm going with it. I don't won't to give the Futogan anything that make it OP and I want Naruto to use it in tandem with his other abilities and not become overly reliant on it. There are few others I want to do but it will be a while before I reveal them, though I will let you know that I'm about the going down the path of them being able to control light.

Anywho not much done here other than just introduce more of the cast and getting some of their thoughts. Yes Mizuki is still an asshole and you can probably take a guess on the excuse he'll use for ending the match at the end. The next chapter should be more interesting as we'll start to see the more hints at what is happening with the Uchiha Clan in what I'll be dubbing the Uchiha Incident.

All that said I'll being seeing you all on the next update. Hang in there guys 2020 is almost over and hopeful 2021 will be a boring year.