Chapter 1 - The Graduation Exam!
The next morning, Sakumo woke up on the couch where he'd fallen asleep without even realizing it. His face was sticking to the seat and he could hear his alarm clock ringing from his bedroom.
For a blissful moment, everything felt normal. Then yesterday's memories crashed back into his mind, making his head throb where Sasuke had hit him.
"Maybe I just dreamed it all," he muttered, rubbing his temples. "Wouldn't be the first time Sasuke knocked something loose up there."
It made more sense than the alternative. Past lives? Floating status screens? Knowledge of the future? He'd probably just gotten his brain scrambled by that Uchiha jerk's punch.
Sakumo pushed himself up from the couch, ready to laugh it off and get ready for the graduation exam—
The familiar jingling sound made him freeze.
Name: Sakumo Izuno
Age: 18
Rank: Academy Student
Chakra Reserves: 300/500
Ninjutsu: 457/500
Taijutsu: 480/500
Genjutsu: 225/500
Strength: 500/500
Speed: 450/500
Stamina: 500/500
Chakra Control: 310/500
The translucent purple screen hung in the air, exactly as it had yesterday. So it hadn't been a dream. And he hadn't imagined it. The floating box was real.
Which meant everything else was real too.
Sakumo stared at the floating screen until the insistent beeping of his alarm finally registered in his brain. He glanced at the clock on the wall and his heart nearly stopped.
"Shit!" Sakumo scrambled off the couch, nearly face-planting when his foot caught in the blanket. "Shit shit shit!"
He was late and Iruka-sensei was a stickler for punctuality—he'd failed students for being late to the graduation exam before.
Sakumo bolted to his room, yanking on his clothes while hopping on one foot. No time for breakfast. No time for a shower. He grabbed his weapon pouch from his dresser, nearly stabbing himself with a kunai in his haste to attach it to his leg.
His reflection in the mirror showed a disheveled mess—dark circles under his eyes, hair sticking up at odd angles, and his shirt was definitely inside out. But there was no time to fix any of it.
"I am not failing again because I overslept!" he growled, leaping out his bedroom window.
|—|
The ninja academy in Konoha was a sprawling complex of buildings, with the main classrooms featuring a stadium-style seating arrangement. The seats rose in tiers, each one giving the students a better view of the teacher's podium at the front of the room.
Sakumo felt every eye in those seats staring at him as he burst through the door. Including Iruka-sensei's disapproving gaze from behind his desk.
"Cutting it rather close, aren't we, Sakumo? You've already failed once, you won't get a third chance." Iruka said, marking something on his clipboard. "Take your seat. We're about to begin."
Sakumo sank into the first free seat he could find and not a second later the bell rang, signaling the beginning of class.
He really had been cutting it close.
Very, very close.
With class now started, Iruka gave Sakumo one last disappointed look before addressing the rest of his students.
"I'm sure all of you know that today you will all be taking the graduation exam. The exam will be on the three academy jutsu. When your name is called, please report to the testing room."
Sakumo slumped in his chair as Iruka left the room. Around him, the usual pre-exam chatter filled the class as everyone waited for their names to be called. He could hear Kiba bragging about how he was going to ace the test, while Shikamaru dozed nearby, apparently unconcerned about the whole thing.
His eyes drifted to the window, watching clouds drift past as his thoughts turned to everything he knew about the future and he couldn't help but wonder how it was possible that his entire world had been turned into a manga?
Did it even matter? He had seen the future and that was that. This was his life now and he needed to make the best of it.
Instead of focusing on the how or why, he needed to focus on what he was going to do about the future. Orochimaru's invasion during the Chunin exams, the Akatsuki, the Fourth Great Ninja War—it was all coming and Sakumo had a choice to make.
Right here…right now.
Did he even want to get involved?
For the most part, everything was going to work out in the end. The world didn't need him.
He wasn't the hero of this story.
But I could be? Sakumo fidgeted in his seat and as he thought about what he knew. The weight of the knowledge pressing down on him like a heavy stone. For a brief, irrational moment, he considered telling someone. But logic and reason quickly saw to it that such an idea was promptly discarded. He almost laughed at the idea.
Yeah, that would go over well: "Hey, Lord Third! I died in another world and got reincarnated here with knowledge of the future because I watched an anime about it. Also, I have a video game power now!"
No one in their right mind would believe him. And even if by some miracle he wasn't immediately labeled insane, what then?
Worst case scenario, they would assume he was a spy or some kind of sleeper agent and turn him over to the Konoha Torture and Interrogation Force where he would probably be worked over by Ibiki before he was handed off to a Yamanaka to be mind fucked until his brain was mush.
The vivid image made Sakumo wince, his stomach churning with fear. The idea of being tortured and interrogated for telling the truth wasn't very appealing.
He was going to pass on the torture, thank you very much.
And what was the best case scenario? If by some miracle the Hokage did believe him, Lord Third would use him as an information source and keep him under constant surveillance. There was no way the Hokage would send a genin to deal with threats like the Akatsuki or Orochimaru.
No...the Hokage would send the most powerful shinobi in the village to act on 'my' knowledge, Sakumo thought as he stepped out of the shower, and dried off.
And where would that leave him?
No one in the village knew the names of those spying or analyzing data for all of their military victories. All they remembered were the great shinobi like the Legendary Sannin, the Yellow Flash, and the Copy Cat Ninja Kakashi Hatake.
"I wouldn't even be a footnote in history," Sakumo muttered as he dragged himself to his room and collapsed on his bed.
He couldn't let that happen.
His clan, the Izuno, was a relatively obscure clan and not particularly remarkable. They hadn't been renowned for any powerful Kekkai Genkai or producing great shinobi.
In fact, Sakumo could count the number of Izuno Clan members who had made it to chunin rank with one hand with fingers to spare. To most of the village, the Izuno were essentially just regular civilians, but now he had the opportunity to change his clan's reputation.
He could use his new knowledge to become a strong shinobi and make the village respect the Izuno name.
"Sasuke Uchiha!"
Sakumo looked up as Sasuke's name was called. Half the class was already gone and he hadn't even noticed, to lost in his thoughts. The only reason he was paying attention now was what came after Sasuke's name was called.
"Go Sasuke!"
"You'll do great Sasuke!"
Nearly every girl still left in class was cheering for Sasuke. A flare of jealousy burned in Sakumo's chest at their fawning admiration. It reminded him of the years he spent practically invisible as Shohei's best friend. The female population at their school and even some older women had been infatuated with his friend. He didn't understand what all the fuss was about, but here in this new ninja world, the dynamic was easier to see.
It didn't matter if Sasuke never so much as gave the girls a second glance. He had everything—looks, talent, and the prestigious Uchiha name. Everyone expected greatness from him. Then, after the massacre, he got the tragic backstory.
The jealousy burned hotter as Sakumo watched Sasuke ignore all the girls throwing themselves at him. He glanced at the girls again, imagining their reactions when he started showing what he could do.
Sorry Naruto, he thought with a slight smirk. But you're not going to be the only one surprising people around here.
He had been given a second chance at life, complete with a cheat code to the future. Only an idiot would waste that kind of advantage.
And this time, he wasn't going to be content standing in anyone's shadow.
"Izuno Sakumo," Mizuki's voice called from the doorway. "You're up."
Sakumo stood up and made his way to the door not suprised at all that Sasuke managed to finish the exam so quickly. He didn't like the prick, but he couldn't pretend Sasuke wasn't a genius.
As he walked down the hall towards the exam room, he took a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves. All he had to do today was successfully perform the three basic academy jutsu—the Transformation Jutsu, the Clone Jutsu, and the Substitution Jutsu. E-rank jutsu that most students could eventually master through sheer repetition if nothing else.
So why am I so nervous?
It was a stupid question to ask, because Sakumo knew the answer deep down.
He wasn't as naturally gifted as people like Sasuke and Naruto. He was already behind being almost two years older than his classmates, and it didn't help that after his mum had died, Sakumo's grandfather had started talking about the Izuno clan no longer being ninja and refused to train him or let him join the academy. The old man had still gone on missions which gave Sakumo the opportunity to train, but with no one to help he was just another run-of-the-mill ninja.
Sakumo didn't want that. He wanted to make a name for himself and the Izuno clan that would turn heads and have kunoichi whispering and fawning over him the way the girls did for Sasuke. He wanted the same kind of fame, admiration, and frankly, romantic opportunities that Sasuke had.
When he walked into the exam room, he immediately noticed the line of tree logs stacked against the wall at the front of the room.
Iruka and Mizuki, sat at a table at the back of the room. Sakumo didn't know Mizuki well, but now thanks to his memories of the "Manga" he did know that tonight the chunin would trick Naruto into stealing the Scroll of Sealing.
Laid out on the table in front of the two instructors were two dozen blue forehead protectors with engraved metal plates sewn on the front. Sakumo swallowed hard as he stared at them. He had dreamed of wearing one of those protectors ever since he was a child, but he knew that he had to earn it.
"Izuno Sakumo, begin," Iruka said in a serious tone.
Sakumo took a deep breath and focused his chakra. The Clone Jutsu was one of the more difficult techniques, but he had practiced it countless times.
He made the correct hand seals and then concentrated, doing the required Jutsu.
"Clone Jutsu!" he said. Thick-as-soup smoke particular to ninjutsu exploded into existence around him. Sakumo waited with bated breath for the smoke to clear. When he saw his clones, he almost fist-pumped.
He had done it—three perfect copies!
"Very good," Iruka nodded. "Now the Transformation Jutsu."
Sakumo breathed a sigh of relief. The Transformation jutsu wasn't really that difficult. With a little practice, almost anyone could transform themselves. Fighting or using another jutsu while transformed was another story. But a simple, no-frills transformation?
Easy.
He made the Transformation jutsu hand sign.
"Transform!"
Sakumo cloaked himself in smoke while Iruka watched. He stepped out of the smoke and grinned at Iruka.
"Like looking into a mirror, right, sensei?" he asked.
Iruka smiled. "Not bad, Sakumo," he said. "But you still have one more jutsu before you can pass."
Sakumo's transformation faded and he frowned. The Substitution jutsu had been the reason he'd failed last year.
"I'm not going to fail again," he muttered to himself, slowly forming hand signs for the jutsu slowly, methodically, feeling the chakra flow through his body as he did so. He couldn't risk his ninja career by trying to hurry.
His fingers moved in a fluid motion as he completed the hand seals. Tiger—Boar—Ox—Dog—Snake!
"Substitute!" he shouted as he released his chakra and disappeared in a puff of smoke.
In his place, one of the wooden chairs that had been lined up against the wall fell to the floor, revealing that Sakumo had successfully executed the Substitution Jutsu.
"Yes!" he pumped his fist, relief washing over him. He had done it. He had passed the graduation exam.
"Outstanding work, Sakumo!" Iruka stood up from his chair. "You passed the exam with flying colors."
Sakumo had never been so happy in his life! He had worked so hard for this moment, and it had finally paid off.
Iruka picked up one of the forehead protectors from the table and walked over to Sakumo, holding it out to him.
"Please, turn around," he instructed.
Sakumo turned around. He felt Iruka tie the forehead protector around his head, its weight settling above his eyes.
"Congratulations, Sakumo," Iruka said, patting him on the shoulder. "You can head home now, but report back to the academy in one week. You'll be assigned to a genin team then."
As he walked out of the classroom, Sakumo felt a mix of emotions. He was thrilled to have passed the academy, but he knew that this was just the beginning of his journey. He was eager to prove himself as a ninja and become one of the most powerful in the village.
Outside the school, students who had passed the exam were celebrating with their families and enjoying the moment. Parents were hugging their children, proud of their achievements, and beaming with joy. It was a sight to behold, and Sakumo couldn't help but feel a pang of envy as he looked at the happy families.
But then he saw Naruto sitting on a swing, alone and forlorn, watching the happy families with a sad expression on his face…and that's when a plan began to form in Sakumo's mind.
A dangerous plan, one that could potentially get him killed. But if he didn't try, he was probably going to end up dead anyway.
Or worse, just another "Eternal Genin".
Sakumo knew that with the shitstorm heading for Konoha, a weak genin like him wasn't going to last long. And he didn't have the luxury of time to waste on training or missions.
If I want to do more than just survive, I need to get stronger—a lot stronger—and fast! Sakumo thought as he headed over to Naruto.
As he approached Naruto, he noticed the hostile stares of some of the parents in the area. They didn't seem to care that Naruto had saved the village from destruction. All they saw was the demon fox that had nearly destroyed them all. It wasn't fair, and it made Sakumo angry.
Naruto looked up, shocked that someone was purposefully standing near him.
"What do you want?" he asked, rudely.
"Just saw you over here without a headband," Sakumo shrugged. "Figured you failed."
"What's it to you?" Naruto snapped, glaring at him.
Sakumo looked back at the happy families. He could see the parents were even looking at him distrustful looks for even being near Naruto. He had been too young to remember the attack, but it was well-known how devastating the Kyuubi's rampage had been.
Hundreds of ninja had died, and thousands had been injured. Never mind the damage done to the village itself. If it hadn't been for the Fourth Hokage, Konoha might have been completely destroyed.
Sakumo understood that a lot of the village didn't hate Naruto, but were afraid of him. And that wasn't fair. Naruto didn't ask to be a jinchūriki. He didn't deserve the village's scorn.
If it wasn't for Naruto, the entire village might have been destroyed.
"Oh! That's him, isn't it?" a mother hissed in their direction.
"Yeah, that's him," another mother nodded. "I guess he flunked."
"Good. Someone like him can't become a ninja! Think of what might happen!"
"I know! If his true nature ever emerges, we'll all be—"
But before they could go on, a third mother quickly interrupted them. "Shhh, you two! We're not supposed to talk about him, remember?" she chided.
"Don't listen to them, Naruto." a kind voice said.
Sakumo yanked his head up. Mizuki stood in front of him, smiling at Naruto with false sympathy.
"C'mon, let's get out of here," Mizuki patted Naruto on the shoulder.
Before they left, the chunin glanced back at Sakumo as he led Naruto away.
"Congratulations on graduating, Sakumo. I didn't get a chance to say it inside."
"Thank you," said Sakumo, staring at Mizuki's back. He waited until the two of them vanished around the corner, then he started to follow them as Mizuki led Naruto to a tall building at the edge of Konoha with a panoramic view of the village
They sat on the balcony in silence for a while until Mizuki finally spoke. "Don't hate him, Naruto. He means well."
"Who?" Naruto asked.
"Iruka. He lost his parents when he was very young, so he's been alone most of his life. Going through all that has made him a very serious man."
"Pfft! So why does he keep picking on me?" Naruto griped, puffing out his cheeks.
"He thinks you're like him."
"Like him? How?" Naruto asked with surprise.
"You don't have parents either," Mizuki explained. "Iruka wants you to become as strong as he has had to be. Can you at least try to understand?"
Naruto frowned and stared straight ahead. "But I really wanted to graduate," he muttered.
Sakumo saw Mizuki give Naruto a quick, sharp glance. Then his face softened to its usual mild expression. I'll give the traitor this, he's a damn good actor, he thought as Mizuki continued speaking.
"You want to graduate? Then do something to impress Iruka," the chunin suggested gently.
"Like what?"
"I have an idea. Do this, and Iruka will definitely have to let you graduate."
"What is it?" Naruto asked excitedly.
Sakumo listened closely as Mizuki told Naruto all about the Scroll of Sealing and where to find it.