Chapter 4
KONOHA NINJA ACADEMY
"Okay everyone, settle down. I know you're all excited to become genin but I want to take some time for a few words of encouragement," Iruka said. "Regardless of how you do on the written and practical examinations, I want to say that I am proud to have been your teacher for these past years. Seeing your growth and development has been an amazing experience. Regardless, if you did not pass, don't worry. There will be more opportunities for you to become a genin in the future."
"With that out of the way, let's begin―," Iruka said before being interpreted by the opening of the classroom door.
"I'm hurt Iruka-sensei. How could you start without me?" a voice said.
Iruka turned to see a tall figure, standing at 5'10", wearing a pair of black glasses that hid his eyes. He wore a sleek, all-black outfit that accentuated his slender frame. His jacket had a high collar that fastened with a gold button and had a red swirl on the back. He wore loose black pants and black sandals. He kept his hands in his pockets, projecting a casual confidence. His white hair was spiky and unruly, contrasting with his dark attire.
Iruka sighed. "Naruto, I'm glad you decided to show up on time for once in your life. You're lucky, with the number of days you've missed I should disqualify you from the exam. But since you've never missed an assignment, I'll let your previous transgressions slide. Now take a seat so we can begin," he said.
The students snickered at Iruka's comments and made fun of Naruto. There is no way Naruto will pass the graduation exam; he's the dead last, they said. Naruto upon hearing their comments, smiled and ignored them. This would be fun.
Naruto took an open seat next to Kiyomi. "Hey, Naruto! Are you ready?" she asked. "I hope we get put on the same team. It would suck if I was with some randoms. I don't really know anyone else in the class."
"Yeah, I'm ready," he said confidently. "But there's no need to worry. The teams have already been made." He put his hands behind his head, leaning back in his chair.
"Wait, what do you mean they've already been made?" Kiyomi asked. "Won't they make them after we take the exams?"
Naruto chuckled. "Most of the students in here are clan heirs. I doubt any of the higher-ups or clan heads would allow them to fail. Even if they did fail, Iruka-sensei would be pressured to overturn his decision." He leaned back in his seat. "It would bring shame to a clan's image if their heirs failed a measly academy graduation exam," he added.
Kiyomi nodded at the logic, unsure of how to feel about this new revelation. Sasuke listened closely as well, he wasn't surprised by this, he just underestimated the power Clans held in the village.
"Quiet down, everyone. We will begin the written exam now. You'll have one hour to finish, you may start once you receive an exam," Iruka said.
Naruto, Sasuke, and Kiyomi received a test and began.
After one hour, Mizuki came around and collected the students' exams, placing them on the desk.
"Okay, everyone that concludes the written portion of the exam. Now we'll move on to the practical examination. We'll head outside for this portion," Iruka said.
Once the students made it outside, Iruka told them what they would be doing.
"We'll be doing a shuriken test and ninjutsu test. For the shuriken test, your goal is to hit as many wooden targets as you can. There will be eight targets in total. For the ninjutsu test, you need to perform the Bunshin no Jutsu (Clone Jutsu) and the Henge no Jutsu (Transformation Jutsu)," Iruka said. "I believe you all so make sure to do your best!"
"Hai, sensei!" the students shouted.
Naruto rolled his eyes; these were low-class E-rank jutsus. These should be the bare minimum, not the bar. He couldn't do anything flashy with these... but maybe he could do something with the Henge no Jutsu. Naruto smiled; he had an idea.
The students passed the shuriken test with ease. Sasuke got 8/8 while Kiyomi got 7/8. Next up was Naruto.
"Naruto Uzumaki, step forth," Mizuki said. Iruka held up a clipboard to write down his results.
Naruto walked to the line with his hands in his pockets, cool and unfazed.
"You sure look smug for the dead last!" Kiba called out.
Naruto smiled, not turning towards him. "You sure love to run your mouth for someone so weak," he said. "Now be a good dog and sit."
Kiba flinched at his comments, taken aback by his retort. He mumbled something unintelligible under his breath.
"Naruto, you may begin when ready," Iruka said.
Naruto picked up two shuriken and looked at the targets. There were two wooden posts with four targets on each. Time to show off a little, he thought.
He put one in each hand and threw them at the targets.
"Ha, what are you doing?" Kiba barked. "You missed!"
"I thought I'd told you to be a good dog and sit," Naruto responded.
As the shuriken approached the targets, they suddenly shattered mid-air, separating into eight individual blades and hitting all the targets.
Everyone was stunned, how did he do that? What caused the shuriken to break?
Sasuke's gaze lingered on Naruto, a contemplative expression crossing his face. There's more to him than meets the eye, he thought.
Kiyomi watched Naruto's shuriken technique, a subtle gasp escaping her lips. Is he that skilled? Why hasn't he shown this off before? The conflicting thoughts swirled in her mind.
With his back still turned, Naruto spoke. "I'll say this once. I am the strongest and don't you forget that" he said.
Naruto put his hands into his pockets and got back in line.
Next was the ninjutsu test. Similar to the previous tests, the students passed with ease. A couple of students could only do two, but two was the minimum. Naruto made three clones quite easily. Now onto the Henge no Jutsu, Naruto was up.
As Naruto confidently stepped forward to perform the Henge no Jutsu, the air was filled with anticipation. His chakra flared up and with a dramatic shout of "Henge!" a cloud of smoke enveloped him. When the smoke cleared, an older, more sophisticated Naruto stood before them, complete with a stylish button-up shirt and lowered glasses.
Naruto, with a mischievous grin, playfully pointed at Iruka. "Hmm~ Iruka-sensei~" he teased, sending a ripple of amusement through the crowd. The girls in the class were struck dumb by his transformed appearance, unleashing a chorus of admiration and fangirl exclamations.
"NARUTO-KUN! YOU'RE SO HOT! MARRY ME! I WANT YOUR BABIES!" they enthusiastically shouted, their voices echoing through the air.
"Oh my~. Don't worry ladies, I'm all yours~," he responded.
The fangirls shrieked even louder.
Kiyomi's eyes fixated on Naruto's transformed figure, causing a pink-tinged to appear on her cheeks. She felt her heart pounding with a mix of irritation and something she couldn't quite put her finger on. She averted her gaze, pretending not to care, but her fists betrayed her, clenching involuntarily.
Meanwhile, Sasuke and the other male students exchanged incredulous glances, completely bewildered by Naruto's theatrics. Sasuke, sensing something amiss, turned to his sister Kiyomi, who was clenching her fists with an intensity he had never seen before.
"Kiyomi, a-are you alright?" Sasuke inquired, concerned by the ominous aura emanating from his sister.
"NARUTO!" Kiyomi roared, her hair defying gravity as a massive tick mark formed on her forehead. She marched towards Naruto looking like a goddess of death with her eyes set ablaze with fury.
The atmosphere shifted as everyone turned to witness Kiyomi's wrath. Naruto, feeling a chill down his spine, quickly returned to his normal state. "R-relax, I'm just having some fun," he stammered, confused by her anger.
Kiyomi, however, was having none of it. She stomped towards him, her rage reaching unprecedented levels. "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING!" she said.
Naruto, for the first time in his life, felt genuine fear. Attempting to escape, he pleaded, "W-w-ait, Kiyomi-chan! It's just a jok―" But it was too late.
With lightning speed, Kiyomi grabbed him by the collar, unleashing a relentless barrage of blows that pounded him into the ground. The male classmates, witnessing the spectacle, felt a mix of sympathy and awe. The onslaught continued for what felt like an eternity, until Kiyomi finally relinquished her hold, leaving behind a bloodied and beaten Naruto in a crater.
As the dust settled, Iruka awkwardly announced, "Uhhh and that concludes the graduation exam. We'll take a short 30-minute break. When we come back, we'll hand out forehead protectors and team assignments to those who passed."
Iruka and Mizuki exchanged glances before picking up the broken Naruto and carrying him off to Konoha Hospital amid the stunned silence of the onlookers.
KONOHA HOKAGE'S OFFICE
The Sandiame Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, sat behind his desk, gazing thoughtfully at the assembly of jōnin senseis standing before him. In this elite group lay the responsibility of sculpting and guiding the next generation of shinobi.
Through the lens of Hiruzen's crystal ball, they observed the graduation exams unfold. The teams were already decided, a result of the shinobi council's heavy influence, manipulating connections and relationships. An attempt to halt Naruto from taking the exam had been swiftly quelled by Hiruzen himself. It annoyed Hiruzen how much involvement the shinobi council had when constructing the teams, using leverage to put certain students together.
Hiruzen's eyes followed Naruto returned to the class with an icepack on his head. Naruto made the wise decision to sit away from Kiyomi, after pulling his provocative stunt, and chose the open seat next to Shikamaru Nara.
Naruto... you always have to be the center of attention, as usual, Hiruzen thought.
He cleared his throat. "Does anyone have questions or concerns regarding the team assignments?"
"Hai, Hokage-sama," a young black-haired kunoichi with red eyes said. "Why pair the Uzumaki with the Uchiha? I understand tradition dictates he joins the team with the best male and female students due to him being dead last. But won't his presence stagnate their development?"
Understanding her doubt, Hiruzen responded with a reassuring smile, "I appreciate your concerns, Kurenai, but rest assured, there's more to Naruto than meets the eye. With Kakashi as his teacher, he will be able to match their pace." Hopefully, they can keep up with him, he thought.
Kakashi nodded in agreement. His assignment wasn't a surprise; the Uchiha twins were now under his watchful eye. Consideration for Izumi Uchiha had been dismissed due to her complex history with Itachi Uchiha. Kakashi, due to his possession of their formidable bloodline and superior skill, was deemed a better fit. The file on the Uchiha twins was pretty extensive, Naruto, however, remained an enigma. Perfect scores, yet an academy life marked by absence, naps, and a reluctance to showcase his abilities. Kakashi would have to figure out his sensei's son.
"But Hokage-sama..." a jōnin sensei with glasses began, their voice trailing off as they noticed Naruto staring at them through the crystal ball. Offering a nonchalant wave.
Hiruzen chuckled at the boy's actions. Naruto would surely him more pain and amusement as he continued as a ninja. "Well then, any more questions?" he inquired.
Silence prevailed. Kakashi took a mental note of Naruto's detection skills. Is he a sensor? Hmm, I'll have to wait and see, he contemplated.
KONOHA NINJA ACADEMY
Shikamaru stared at Naruto with confusion as he saw him wave at the ceiling corner. "Are you good? I think you got hit too hard in the head," he said.
"Ah, it's nothing. Don't worry about it," Naruto said, getting comfortable in his seat.
Man, what a drag, Shikamaru thought to himself.
Iruka and Mizuki returned with a box full of forehead protectors. "If you hear your name called come to the front and retrieve a hitai-ate. For those who did not receive one, make sure to come to class tomorrow to learn about future opportunities," Iruka said.
Once all the forehead protectors were distributed, Iruka began to listen out to the teams. He finally reached Naruto's team.
"Next is Team 7: Naruto Uzumaki, Kiyomi Uchiha, and Sasuke Uchiha. Your jōnin sensei is Kakashi Hatake," he said.
The new team had varied reactions. Naruto smiled; he was glad to have strong teammates. Kiyomi fidgeted in her seat, feeling awkward after pummeling Naruto. Sasuke had a neutral face; part of him was glad Kiyomi was on the team, but he knew how annoying she and Naruto could be when they were together.
"NOOOOOOOO!" were the simultaneous shouts from both Naruto and Sasuke fangirls.
Hinata looked at where Sasuke was sitting. So, I'll be in a different team from Sasuke-kun, she thought.
"Next is Team 8: Hinata Hyūga, Kiba Inuzuka, and Shino Aburame. Your jōnin sensei is Kurenai Yūhi," he continued. "Team 9 is already in commission. Next is Team 10; Ino Yamanaka, Shikamaru Nara, and Choji Akimichi. Your jōnin sensei is Asuma Sarutobi," Iruka finished.
"This is going to be troublesome," Shikamaru said.
Naruto slapped Shikamaru's shoulder. "Oh, lighten up, Shikamaru. Your sensei is cool," he said.
"And how would you know?" Shikamaru retorted.
"C'mon, trust me. When have I ever let you down?" Naruto said with a grin.
Shikamaru sighed.
"I want to reiterate how proud I am of you all and your resilience to make it to this next step," Iruka said with a smile. "Do your best, trust your teammates, and never give up. Your jōnin senseis should be arriving at any moment. I wish you the best of luck," he finished.
Iruka, Mizuki, and the students who failed the graduation exam left the classroom.
After a few minutes, two jōnin entered the classroom together. There was a black-haired kunoichi, Kurenai Yūhi, with red eyes that had a ring in them. She had fair skin and a red mesh armor blouse with only the right sleeve visible. On top of this was a white material that resembled bandages with a rose thorn pattern on it. Her hands and upper thighs were wrapped in bandages as well and she wore a Konoha forehead protector with black shinobi sandals. The second jōnin was a man Naruto knew well. He was a tall man, with brown eyes, olive skin, short black spiky hair, and a beard. He wore a standard Konoha ninja uniform with the sleeves rolled halfway up, a jōnin flak jacket, forehead protector, and black sandals. He had a sash tied around his waist with the kanji for fire (火), a pair of black bangles, and bandages wrapped around the arms of his sleeves. This was Asuma Sarutobi, son of the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi.
"Team 8, come with me," Kurenai said before leaving with her team.
Shino said nothing and followed his sensei, Hinata waved goodbye to Kiyomi, and Kiba, along with Akamaru, started down Naruto as they exited the room.
"Team 10, I'm your sensei. Let's head out and grab some barbeque," Asuma said.
Choji got excited, Shikamaru groaned, and Ino was still struggling with the fact that she didn't get on a team with a cute boy.
"Yo, Naruto," Asuma called out to the white-haired boy.
"Yo Asuma." Naruto turned towards Shikamaru. "See Shikamaru, I told you."
Shikamaru just rolled his eyes.
How does he know Naruto? Sasuke thought.
"So, you're friends with two of my genin? Guess I'll have to take them seriously," Asuma said with a grin.
Naruto grinned. "Yeah, don't hold back on them," he said putting his arm around Shikamaru. "Especially on this guy."
This is going to be even more troublesome than I thought, Shikamaru contemplated.
"Good luck waiting on your sensei. He's notorious for being late," Asuma said.
Sweat tickled down Naruto's face. "You're joking right...," he said.
Asuma just laughed before leaving with Team 10.
It had been an hour since Asuma had left and their sensei still hadn't shown up. All the other jōnin senseis had picked up their new teams; Team 7 was the only one left in the room.
"ARGHH! What is taking him so long? We've been sitting here for over an hour!" Kiyomi said pacing back and forth.
Sasuke was reading a book, preoccupying himself until their new sensei arrived. From the corner of his eye, he observed his sister, but he also noticed Naruto fake sleeping on the desk. This was odd as typically, Kiyomi and Naruto would be talking Sasuke's ear off. But they hadn't said a word to each other since earlier. The way they were acting was childish and started to annoy Sasuke. He generally stays out of other's conflicts, but this was distracting him from reading.
He put his book down and looked at them. "We should spend this time getting to know each other better. It'll help when we start taking missions."
"What about waiting for our sensei? What if he shows up when we're gone?" Kiyomi asked.
"That's his fault for showing up late," Sasuke replied. He turned towards Naruto, "Naruto, are you coming with us?"
Naruto lifted his head from the desk and looked at the Uchiha. "Sure, this was getting boring anyway," he said as he stood up.
They headed outside into the village, looking for something to do.
KONOHA MARKETPLACE
As they strolled through the streets of Konoha, passing various shops and stalls, Sasuke couldn't help but observe his teammates. The trio chatted occasionally, but Sasuke noticed a lack of interaction between Naruto and Kiyomi. Their unspoken tension still lingering in the air.
The trio eventually passed by Amaguriama, a popular sweet shop in the village.
"Amaguriama," Kiyomi said, reading the entrance sign. "I've heard about this place. Supposedly they've got the best dango in the Land of Fire."
"Oh, is that true?" Naruto said, getting intrigued. He had never been here before.
"Yep, it's pretty popular," she replied.
"It doesn't seem too busy right now," Naruto said. "You want to go? Their line doesn't seem too long."
"Yeah, it's not long, but sadly I don't have any money with me," she said, pouting.
"I can pay for you," Naruto offered.
"A-are you sure?" Kiyomi asked hesitantly. "I can pay you back."
Naruto waved his hand. "No need, I'll pay. It'll be my treat," he said with a smile.
Sasuke decided to head to a bookstore a few blocks down. "Come find me once you're done," he said, leaving Naruto and Kiyomi at the shop entrance.
The two entered the shop, becoming next in line.
As they waited in line, Kiyomi sensed eyes on her, watching and whispering. It wasn't the usual glances she received as the daughter of the Uchiha Clan head. She was accustomed to prying eyes, both friendly and hostile. But this was different. The hate, fear, and disgust radiating from these eyes was massive. The weight of this negativity was becoming unbearable.
She was about to ask Naruto if he felt it too when a villager approached him.
"Look, it's the demon brat," the older man sneered. "I don't want you here. You need to leave, now."
"I don't remember asking for your opinion, trash. Get out of my way or I'll move you," Naruto retorted coldly.
Confused by the sudden hostility, Kiyomi attempted to intervene, "Naruto, I think we should―"
"Did you hear me, demon? I said get out," the villager interrupted, noticing Kiyomi beside Naruto. "Oh, it seems the demon has a bitc―."
Suddenly, the man's nose started bleeding profusely. Blood flew out, and Kiyomi, perplexed, saw Naruto seemingly unaffected. The blood was suspended in the air and clumped together as it hit a wall, it did not touch Naruto.
"I thought I told you to move," Naruto said, grabbing the man by the face and slamming him into the ground. He then put his hands in his pockets and placed his foot on the man's face.
A crowd had formed from the commotion, met with the daunting sight of Naruto standing over the man. Everyone was both applauded and frightened. Naruto's showcase of power, strength, and speed left them in awe and terror.
"You don't look too great," Naruto said, stepping down harder. "Apologize," he demanded.
"P-p-l-ease I-I'm s-s-orry," the man sobbed.
"Come on, I didn't hear you!" Naruto said manically, applying even more force. The villager screamed out in pain as his face was being flattened.
A young girl emerged from the crowd. "Tousan!" she cried out.
Kiyomi, noticing the distressed girl, tugged at Naruto's sleeves, causing him to turn towards her. As he looked into her eyes, worry and concern were visible. Naruto removed his foot from the man.
The young girl raced to her father, crying and calling for medical aid. Naruto walked out of the shop with Kiyomi following, but her eyes were focused on the sight of the bloodied man and the crying girl.
As they were leaving, the shop owner emerged from the back of the counter and approached them.
"Wait!" she cried out causing them to turn around. "I want to apologize for this customer's actions. Please accept this as a token of forgiveness," she said, bowing frantically. With sincerity in her voice, she handed two boxes of Dango to them.
Naruto said nothing, his expression unreadable, as he took a box. Kiyomi bowed back, a mix of gratitude and unease in her eyes, as she accepted the other box.
The young girl continued to weep by her father's side, and Kiyomi couldn't shake the heaviness in her chest as they left the scene.
Outside the shop, the two ate their Dango in silence. Kiyomi looked over at Naruto, his eyes hidden behind his glasses, but she could sense shame and guilt emanating from his face. She decided to break the silence.
"H-hey, N-naruto," she said.
Naruto looked up from his dango box.
Kiyomi fidgeted with her hands. "I want to apologize for hitting you earlier. I don't know what possessed me," she said.
Naruto grinned and rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "You don't have to apologize. I was trying to have some fun, but I might have overdone it," he said.
They briefly locked eyes before returning to their dango.
Kiyomi spoke up again, "Naruto, why did that man call you a demon?"
"Because he hates me," Naruto replied.
"Yes, but why? Did you do anything to him?" she asked.
Naruto put his dango down and turned towards her. "Do you know what happened to the village fourteen years ago?"
Kiyomi pondered before answering, "I believe the village was attacked by something."
"Yes, it was attacked by the Kyūbi," he said.
"The giant fox with nine tails?" she said.
"Yes, that's the one. The Kyūbi attacked the village, destroying many homes and buildings. Many people, shinobi and civilians, died that night. Even the Fourth Hokage... however before the Kyūbi killed him, the Fourth sealed the beast inside a newborn infant to save the village," he said, taking a pause. "I was that newborn infant."
Kiyomi's eyes widened at this revelation. "So, that's why everyone was staring at you, calling you a demon and monster," she said. "But why did you attack him? He didn't hurt you."
Naruto took a long pause before he spoke.
"When I turned 4 years old, I was kicked out of the orphanage and had to defend myself for a long time," he said. "Someone must have leaked my 'status' to the people because before then no one treated me poorly, without any reason. But after I got kicked out everyone seemed to hate me. Everywhere I went, the villagers would call me names, throw garbage at me, and beat me. They would raise the prices in their shops and block me from entering their stores altogether. I had to fend for myself, getting what I could and barely making it by."
"They hated me, and I learned to hate them back. These weak and pathetic people would blame a child for some much death and destruction. To be such a coward that you would take your pain out on someone who couldn't defend themselves." Naruto laughed, "This village loves to preach about the 'Will of Fire' and all that other crap. It's a bunch of nonsense. Why should the strong risk their lives for the weak who care nothing for them?" He finished.
Kiyomi thought on his words for a moment. "I can see why you acted like you did, but I still don't understand why. Naruto, you don't need to be like them, full of hate and anger." She paused looking at Naruto with a smile. "You've always been there for me, supporting and caring. That's what makes you the coolest person I know."
Naruto's eyes widened at her comments. Her words stirred lingering thoughts that had been long forgotten.
"If I have the time to hate someone, I'd rather spend it thinking about those precious to me," she said. "Forgiving people isn't necessarily a bad thing."
Naruto remained silent; his mind processing her words. A brief pause hung in the air, filled with the weight of his thoughts. It felt like an eternity for Naruto, but only a couple of seconds had passed in the outside world.
After a brief moment, he looked at her. "Hmph maybe..." he said, his tone thoughtful. "Let's find Sasuke. Hopefully, our sensei has arrived." He stood up, putting his hands back in his pockets. "Let's go Kiyomi."
"Hai," she said, smiling.
"What's funny?" he asked.
"You," she said, flicking his forehead.
"Oww, what was that for?" he said, rubbing his forehead.
"Oh, nothing," she said. "Just making sure you're still you."
The two walked away from the shop, the atmosphere lighter, as they teased each other and had a carefree conversation. Unbeknownst to them, behind a curtain, sitting down in the shop was their jōnin sensei, Kakashi Hatake.
The joys of being young and in love. How sweet, he thought. He flipped to the next page of his favorite book, giggling like a child every so often.
They eventually found Sasuke. He was paying for his book after he handed the cashier the money, and he walked up to them.
"It seems you two settled your differences. You were starting to get more annoying than usual," he said.
Kiyomi blushed slightly at his comments, a tinge of pink spreading across her cheeks.
"Let's head back; hopefully, our sensei is there," Sasuke said, walking in the direction of the academy.
"Uhhh, we're too far away. I don't want to walk back," Kiyomi said.
"How else are we supposed to get back?" Sasuke said.
"You two are in luck as I am on your team," Naruto said, striking a pose.
Sasuke looked at Naruto. "What are you talking about?" he asked.
"I can get us back to the academy in a few short seconds," Naruto replied. "I just need you two to touch me."
Kiyomi placed her hand on Naruto's right shoulder. "Come on, Sasuke," she said.
"I don't buy it. Also, why are you just going to believe what he says?" Sasuke said.
"I don't want to walk back, and if he says he's got a way to get there in seconds, I'm all in," she replied.
"I'm hurt, Sasuke, I'm your best friend," Naruto said fake crying. "I would never trick you."
Sasuke gritted his teeth, "Yeah, sure." He did not trust Naruto.
"C'mon Sasuke, I won't bite," Naruto pleaded.
"Tch," Sasuke said. He had a feeling he was going to regret this. He put his hand on Naruto's right shoulder.
"See that wasn't so bad," Naruto said.
Sasuke closed his eyes. "Just hurry up."
"You may experience a slight discomfort or... your body may get ripped apart, and you'll die slowly. This is my first time doing it with other people," Naruto admitted.
"WHAT!?" the twins yelled.
"Here goes," he said.
"Wait, Naru—" Sasuke said. But it was too late.
Naruto clasped his hands together, and the three vanished from their position.
A short few moments later, they appeared in their classroom.
"See that wasn't so bad—" Naruto said until he saw Sasuke throwing up in a trash can while Kiyomi rushed to find another bin.
She frantically rushed to the door trying to find a place to empty her guts. Just as she reached the door, it slid open revealing a tall man with gravity-defying silverly white hair, a mask covering most of his face, and a Konoha forehead protector covering his left eye.
"Yo! I'm your new jōnin sensei. Sorry about the wait, a black cat crossed my path―" Before he could finish his sentence, throw up shot out towards Kakashi getting all over his body and hair.
Kiyomi wanted to apologize but moved past the still Kakashi, confused about what was happening, as she continued on her journey to find a trash bin.
Kakashi scanned the room through his visible eyes, slapping off chunks of dango from his clothes. He saw Sasuke in the corner, hurling his lunch in the corner and Naruto laughing at him, hunched over and holding his stomach. This group was going to be interesting he thought as he picked up some dango in his hair.
KONOHA NINJA ACADEMY ROOF
After everyone got cleaned up, the team met on the roof for proper introductions.
Kakashi had his hand on his chin, standing before the three genin who were seated on the steps. "How should I put this?" he closed his eyes, "As for my first impressions of you guys... Well, I hate you."
"Hey, don't blame us. You should've moved out of the way," Naruto said. "Man, I wish I could've got a picture of that. It was glorious" he said.
Sasuke and Kiyomi said nothing as they sat trembling, holding their stomachs, still feeling the effects of Naruto's teleportation.
Kakashi observed his new team. He had heard a lot about the Uchiha twins; Kiyomi was vibrant and cheerful while her twin was more stoic, calm, and rational. However, he observed that Sasuke could be rather aloof and distant from people. It was hard to get a good read on him. He'd have to spend more time with the two of them for proper analysis. And lastly, there was Naruto Uzumaki. He looked at the white-haired boy with dark glasses. For those who knew Minato, it was easy to see that Naruto was his son; they had the same facial and body structure, the only difference was hair color. Not much was known about Naruto besides the typical; his profile was that of a loudmouth, arrogant, and bashful kid who made fun of everyone. However, information regarding his abilities and skills was limited. Heck, Kakashi couldn't even find out why Naruto wore those glasses. Kakashi never saw his eyes, and this piqued his interest; what was Naruto hiding underneath them?
"Anyway, why don't you introduce yourselves?" he asked. "Say your likes, dislikes, dreams, and hobbies."
"Why don't you go first sensei?" Kiyomi said.
"Well, I'm Kakashi Hatake. My likes are my likes, my dislikes are my dislikes. My dreams for the future..." Kakashi trailed off. "As hobbies... I have a few."
Weird old man, Sasuke thought.
He didn't say anything besides his name, Kiyomi thought.
Naruto just smiled.
"Now you guys are up," Kakashi said. "We'll start with you," he said pointing to Kiyomi.
"My name is Kiyomi Uchiha. My likes are my family and close friends. I don't dislike anything really, but my dream is to support my family and represent my clan to the best of my abilities. As for hobbies, I like to eat ramen, watch sunsets, and hang out with friends" Kiyomi said.
"That's nice," Kakashi said giving her an eye smile. "Okay, four eyes you're next."
"I'm Naruto Uzumaki. I like candy, cakes, dangos, and anything sweet; it helps stimulate my brain. As for dislikes, I hate cowards and the weak" he said. "As for hobbies? Don't have any, I'm too good at anything I pick up. But my dreams?" Naruto paused for a moment, his gaze drifting to the horizon. "I don't have any dreams... who needs them," he said regaining his normal attitude. "The only thing that matters is strength."
Kakashi observed Naruto closely, sensing there was more beneath the surface. He could see a flicker of something in Naruto's eyes, a hidden pain that contradicted the cheerful exterior.
This boy... he's seen more than he lets on. Kakashi thought. He knew Naruto was an orphan, similar to him, and experienced hardships. At least Kakashi had his father for the beginning of his life. He couldn't imagine the loneliness Naruto dealt with. Kakashi decided to share a piece of his own experience.
"You know, Naruto, even in a world filled with pain and suffering, connections with others can be a source of strength," Kakashi said, his tone carrying a hint of understanding. "Sometimes, it's the bonds we form that give us the strength to face the darkness."
Naruto looked at Kakashi, his eyes reflecting a mix of curiosity and yearning.
Kakashi continued, "You don't have to navigate this world alone. As you grow you'll meet people who will care about you, and who will be there for you. These people can be invaluable and lift you at your lowest moments… so don't underestimate the power of having close ones."
Naruto's facade wavered for a moment, and then, with a determined smile, he shrugged off the sentiment. "Yeah, yeah, I get it. Friends and loved ones are important, yada, yada."
Kakashi gave him an eye smile at him.
I guess he isn't all jokes, after all, Sasuke thought.
Naruto..., she thought.
"Well," Kakashi said, clasping his hands together, breaking the tension. "You're next, emo."
Kiyomi let a laugh escape her lips, "Ha, emo!"
Naruto joined in on her laughter as well.
Sasuke ignored them. "My name is Sasuke Uchiha. I like rice, chicken, and ginger. I dislike red bell peppers," he said.
That was random, Naruto thought.
Kiyomi facepalmed. Uhhh he couldn't have thought of anything better to say.
Noted..., Kakashi thought.
"For my hobbies, I like to read. But my dream," he said taking a more serious tone, "no my goal is to avenge my clan... and to kill a certain man."
I assumed Kakashi thought.
Kiyomi lowered her head.
Naruto nodded his head in approval.
"Okay then, that was nice. It's good that we all know each other. Hopefully, you three will be good friends after getting sent back to the academy," he said, his tone carrying an air of nonchalance.
"Wait, what do you mean, sensei?" Kiyomi asked, her confusion evident. "Didn't passing the graduation exam make us genin?"
Sasuke and Naruto exchanged intrigued glances, equally puzzled.
"You're technically not genin. The graduation exam is just to sort out those with the potential. Your jōnin sensei has the final say on whether or not you become an official genin. You three will have a survival test to determine if you'll be on my squad," Kakashi explained a hint of mystery in his tone. "If you fail, you'll be sent back to the academy and have to try again to become a genin."
"There's no way... you have to be joking," Kiyomi said nervously.
Kakashi shook his head. "So, with that all said, meet me at Training Ground 7 at five in the morning. Also, you'd best skip breakfast; otherwise, you'll throw up. Bye!" Kakashi added before vanishing in a poof of smoke, leaving an air of mystery behind him.
"Well, this will be fun," Naruto said getting up from the steps. "I'd recommend you two to ignore his advice."
"What makes you sure Naruto?" Kiyomi asked.
Sasuke chimed in. "He was messing with us. Also, he was three hours late today. What makes you think he'll be there at 5 in the morning?"
"Oh, I see," she said.
"I'm off," Naruto said. "Do you want me to drop you two off at home?"
"No" the twins replied still feeling the effects of his teleportation.
Naruto shrugged his shoulders. "Suit yourself, it's your loss," he said. He clasped his hands and vanished, leaving behind a small ripple. It was almost as if he was being sucked away by some invisible force.
"Let's go Kiyomi," Sasuke said to his sister.
Kiyomi nodded and followed him home. Worried about if she could pass the test.
/END OF CHAPTER/