A/N- hope you enjoy

Chapter 3:- Just a Normal Day

Xx—Fuyuki City—xX

-Homurahara Academy-

Homurahara Academy was one of the most prestigious schools in Fuyuki City, known for its strict discipline and required uniforms. However, there were notable exceptions—Naruto Uzumaki being one of them. Instead of the standard uniform, Naruto could often be found sporting his signature orange t-shirt. Another exception was Rin Tohsaka, who proudly wore her flashy red jacket, flaunting the rules with confidence.

When other students complained to the teachers about the rule-breaking, expecting some form of reprimand, the teachers would merely shrug and explain that both Naruto and Rin were top students. Their academic excellence had earned them privileges other students didn't have.

Naruto, the former class clown back in Konoha, had somehow become one of the best students at Homurahara. Not that it was by choice—Shirou and Sakura constantly nagged him to study. He couldn't resist their puppy-dog eyes, and though he complained, he knew he was wrapped around their fingers. Kurama found this endlessly amusing.

"Heh, you're totally whipped," Kurama teased.

Naruto would grumble, though deep down, he didn't mind. Having people who cared about him was a new experience. For once, he wasn't a failure in the eyes of others.

As Naruto, Shirou, and Sakura walked through the school gates, he could hear whispers among the students.

"The Dark King of Homurahara and the two Onee-chans have arrived," someone murmured.

Naruto chuckled to himself. He understood why Shirou and Sakura were called "Onee-chans." They were always helping other students, and Shirou's heroic personality had rubbed off on Sakura. Both of them were beautiful in their own way: Sakura with her purple hair and purple eyes, and Shirou with her red hair and orange-ringed eyes. Both wore the standard Homurahara uniform, but each had an earring in one ear—Sakura with a black earring designed like a sun on her left ear, and Shirou with a black earring shaped like a crescent moon on her right ear. Both earrings were gifts from Naruto. His nickname, "The Dark King," had come from his feral yet handsome appearance—and because he had taken down several gangs that tried to harass the students and teachers. After a particularly notorious prank, word had spread across Fuyuki City to avoid crossing him.

Once, when a gang tried to cause trouble at the school, Naruto had set up an elaborate prank. He had lured them into a trap using shadow clones, and when they entered the alley, smoke bombs went off, blinding them. Paint cans suspended from the rooftops splattered the gang members with bright colors, while glue traps made it impossible for them to escape without tripping and falling over each other. They ended up looking like a bunch of clowns by the time the teachers arrived. From that day forward, Naruto's reputation as the Dark King was solidified.

As they walked, Naruto overheard the infamous perverted trio—three boys known for their shamelessness—whispering.

"Man, look at those oppai. I'm so jealous of the Dark King. He spends all his time with the two Onee-chans."

Naruto rolled his eyes. The perverted trio was a constant nuisance, and he had pranked them more times than he could count. But no matter how many times he got them, they never learned. It seemed like it was time for another prank.

Naruto was deep in thought, plotting his next move, when he was interrupted by a voice.

"Thinking of pranking them again, Naruto-san?"

Naruto looked up to see Issei, the student council president, smiling at him. Issei was the only male friend Naruto had at the academy. Unlike the others, who were either intimidated by Naruto's height and achievements or jealous of his good looks, Issei had quickly become a friend and ally. Naruto had even been offered the role of student council president but had turned it down.

"I'm not one to follow rules, so who am I to enforce them?" Naruto had laughed when he rejected the offer, suggesting Issei would be a much better fit for the role.

Issei grinned knowingly. "You should try something new this time," he said, before heading off to deal with his council duties.

As Naruto, Shirou, and Sakura continued walking, they soon reached their class. Naruto and Shirou shared most of their classes, while Sakura, being a year younger, headed to her own. They exchanged goodbyes, and Naruto couldn't shake the strange feeling in the back of his mind. Something felt off.

As Naruto stepped inside, Kurama stirred within him, the fox's deep voice echoing through his mind. "Naruto, there's a huge spike in energy covering Fuyuki City… It's familiar. Similar to the energy from when you first arrived in this world."

Naruto's eyes narrowed. "The Grail..." he thought.

"Exactly. Kiritsugu mentioned that the Grail War happens every sixty years, yet it's only been ten." Kurama's tone was low and serious. "So why is this energy here now?"

"Could the Grail War be starting again?" he wondered.

Kurama rumbled, "Something's wrong. I don't know what it is, but this isn't normal. You need to stay alert."

Naruto pondered Kurama's words as he sat down at his desk, still lost in thought. Shirou, noticing his distracted expression, leaned in closer.

"Are you okay, Naruto?"

Naruto quickly waved off her concern, a smirk spreading across his face. "Oh, nothing. I was just thinking about how beautiful you look today."

Shirou's cheeks flushed a soft pink, and she rolled her eyes, trying to maintain her composure. "Idiot," she muttered, though the small smile that crept onto her lips betrayed her amusement.

Naruto chuckled, pleased with the reaction he had elicited. But just as he was about to continue teasing her, the weight of Kurama's warning crept back into his mind. He leaned back in his chair, the smile fading slightly as he stared at the wall, trying to shake off the unease.

With Sakura, after class

When the period ended, it was time for lunch. As Sakura was packing her things, a shy girl approached her with a nervous smile.
"Um, Sakura-san? Will you be having lunch with Naruto-kun today?"

Sakura nodded, and the girl blushed even more. She handed Sakura a letter adorned with little hearts.
"Could you… give this to Naruto for me, please?"

Sakura accepted the letter, watching as the girl ran off, her face red with embarrassment.
"That's just great," Sakura thought, shaking her head. "Now I have to compete with love letters, too."

On the roof of Homurahara Academy

Naruto, Shirou, and Sakura had finished eating, and Naruto was lying down, resting his head on Sakura's lap. Sakura absentmindedly tore the love letter to shreds and tossed it into the wind.

"What was that?" Naruto asked, glancing up at her.

"Nothing," Sakura replied calmly. "Just garbage."

Shirou gave Sakura a knowing look. Both she and Sakura were fully aware of the other's feelings for Naruto. They had grown to silently compete for his affection, though they worked together to keep away any hussie who tried to approach him.

Naruto, however, was completely oblivious to their rivalry. He was as dense as ever, which only made Shirou and Sakura sigh in unison.

"What's wrong?" Naruto asked, puzzled by their synchronized sighs.

"Nothing," they both replied, looking away, keeping their true feelings hidden—at least for now.

Xx—Fuyuki City—xX
-Emiya Household, Porch-

Kiritsugu and a twelve-year-old Naruto sat side-by-side on the porch, staring up at the bright, full moon illuminating the night sky. The soft chirping of crickets filled the air, creating a peaceful contrast to the weight of their conversation. Beside them, Shirou and Sakura quietly listened, perched on the porch steps, curious about what Kiritsugu was about to say.

"You know, Naruto," Kiritsugu began, his voice thoughtful, "when I was a kid, I wanted to be a superhero."

Naruto tilted his head, confused. "A superhero? Like what—you wanted powers or something? Cool entrances? A cape? Background music?"

Kiritsugu chuckled, shaking his head. "No, none of that... Okay, maybe a few of those things, but that's not what I meant. By superhero, I wanted to save everyone in the world."

Shirou's eyes widened slightly at her father's admission, while Sakura glanced over at Naruto, waiting for his reaction. Naruto blinked, absorbing Kiritsugu's words.

"Everyone in the world? You said you 'wanted to'—did you give up?" Naruto asked, his tone a mix of curiosity and disbelief.

Kiritsugu sighed, the weight of years of regret showing in his expression. "Yes. I got older and realized it was impossible to accomplish this dream of mine."

Naruto furrowed his brows. "Did you at least try?"

Shirou's face softened as she observed the exchange. She had always admired her father but knew that there were parts of him weighed down by a painful past. Sakura remained quiet but leaned in slightly, curious about the answer.

Kiritsugu's smile was bitter. "Yeah. I tried my best to fix this world's problems. I tried to fix humanity's nature—our desire to hurt and kill each other—but in the end, all I did was hurt people."

Naruto let out a small laugh. "Heh, fixing humanity? Is that what you were trying to do? Remove what makes us human? You were going to change every person by yourself? To take away all the bad traits in someone means turning them into something else, y'know."

Shirou looked over at Naruto, surprised by his insight. She'd known him to be loud and playful, but in moments like these, he revealed just how much he thought about the world around him.

Naruto paused, glancing at Kiritsugu before adding, "But maybe that's not such a bad thing. Change isn't always bad. The problem is we're stuck with this—stuck as a species full of flaws and imperfections."

A small smile crept onto his face. "But I don't hate it. Being human isn't so bad. Having flaws and imperfections isn't so bad. If you don't like how people are, instead of changing them yourself, why not inspire them to change?"

Naruto leaned back, looking up at the moon, his fingers laced behind his head. "Of course, there will always be bad people—those who kill for pleasure or give in to their desires. But that doesn't mean all humans are bad. Tragedies happen, and they'll keep happening. The best we can do is inspire people to limit those tragedies."

Shirou's lips parted slightly as she listened, admiration clear in her eyes. Sakura smiled softly, though she remained quiet, her gaze flicking between Naruto and Kiritsugu.

Naruto's gaze returned to Kiritsugu, his blue eyes shining with determination. "Have some faith in humanity, old man. Sometimes, just having faith is enough."

Kiritsugu closed his eyes, his mind swirling with memories of all the bloodshed and lives lost in the name of his ideals. "That's a very naïve point of view."

Naruto shrugged, flashing a grin. "So what? What's wrong with being naïve? If everyone in the world were a little naïve—if they had faith in each other—don't you think the world would be a better place?"

Shirou nodded quietly in agreement, her own heart stirred by Naruto's words. She had always believed in the potential for good in people, and hearing Naruto express something so similar made her feel a sense of connection to him.

Kiritsugu glanced at the blonde boy, whose grin was unwavering. "It would be. But this world is cruel. People don't have faith in each other. The naïve ones get crushed."

Naruto raised his arm toward the moon, curling his fingers into a fist as if trying to grab the light. "Maybe, but that's why I said what I said. If the world is cruel—if people don't trust each other—then inspire them to. Inspire them to be better. It might take generations, maybe more, and we might never reach perfection. But that's fine."

"Why?" Kiritsugu asked, his tone softer, almost curious.

Naruto turned his head to look at Kiritsugu, his smile bright and full of hope. "Because we're human."

For a moment, no one spoke. The air between them was thick with unspoken thoughts and emotions. Kiritsugu remained quiet, pondering Naruto's words. The hope Naruto carried in his heart was so different from the bitterness Kiritsugu had lived with for so long.

Shirou smiled softly, feeling warmth bloom in her chest. She admired Naruto's ability to believe in people, in the goodness of humanity—even in a world full of cruelty. Sakura, too, found herself looking at Naruto in a new light, her affection for him deepening as she realized just how much he believed in others.

Kiritsugu let out a deep sigh, his gaze drifting back to the moon. He couldn't deny the boy's point. As impossible as it sounded, the idea of inspiring others, of spreading hope, had a certain appeal.

Maybe, just maybe, Naruto had the right idea after all.

"Naruto, NARUTO!"

The boy blinked and jolted as if shaken out of a trance. "H-huh? Fuji-nee?"

Standing with her hands on her hips, Taiga Fujimura gave him a sharp look. "What were you doing, just staring at the front door like that?"

Naruto let out a sheepish laugh, rubbing the back of his head. "Ah, I was just... reminiscing."

Inwardly, he cringed. Did I just waste the whole day reminiscing?

Kurama, ever the stern voice of reason in his head, immediately chimed in. "I just warned you not to let your guard down, and what do you do? Space out five seconds later! Damnit, Naruto! I'm serious—don't let your guard down like that again!"

Ah, sorry, Naruto replied, knowing Kurama had a point.

Before he could reflect further, Fuji-nee broke through his mental conversation. "Reminiscing? What about?"

Naruto hesitated, a fleeting sadness crossing his features. "...About Kiritsugu."

Fuji-nee's usual playful demeanor softened, and her expression turned kind. She was silent for a moment, then smiled warmly. "I see."

She gently placed her hands on his back and gave him a light push towards the house. "Come on, get inside. Shirou and Sakura are waiting for you."

As he stepped inside, Naruto couldn't help but feel the weight of his memories with Kiritsugu, but Fuji-nee's comforting touch and the thought of his friends waiting inside brought a small sense of relief.

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