Naruto didn't use Hiraishin no Jutsu in the fight; his speed alone was enough to outpace Mizuki's attacks. Today, he had decided not to wear his usual weights, wanting to relax his body after the test. Without them, his speed was far beyond the average Genin, and even faster than 80% of Chunin at the moment. It was a testament to the intense training he had undergone, even without the aid of his weights.
After dispatching Mizuki, Naruto effortlessly picked him up, his mind already set on the next move. Without missing a beat, he activated Hiraishin, the jutsu flashing to life in a blur. In a split second, the entire scene around him distorted, Naruto vanished.
Appearing in the Hokage's office, Naruto dropped Mizuki onto the floor, causing the old man to jump up in shock. Hiruzen was taken aback, his calm demeanor faltering for a moment.
"Naruto! I told you to stop using that ability so casually!" Hiruzen shouted, his tone stern, though a hint of worry lingered in his voice. The sheer speed and unpredictability of Naruto's use of Hiraishin was something that concerned him greatly.
Naruto shrugged nonchalantly, a smirk still on his face. "Yeah, yeah, this guy tried to kill me. Something about me being the Nine Tails or whatever," he said, waving a hand dismissively. It was clear that he didn't take the situation as seriously as Hiruzen might have hoped.
Hiruzen froze at those words. His face fell, the weight of the situation crashing down on him. "Oh, I didn't think you'd find out like that," he murmured, his voice soft with regret. "I'm sorry for not telling you, Naruto. Let me explain—"
"No," Naruto interrupted, his voice calm but unwavering. "It's nothing. I've always known. So you don't have to say anything." His tone was casual, almost as if the revelation didn't bother him in the slightest. "Umm, I'll go now," he added, turning on his heel. Before Hiruzen could even respond, Naruto vanished, leaving behind only the faintest trace of his presence.
As Naruto disappeared from the room, Hiruzen stood there for a long moment, lost in thought. ' That boy... at such a young age, ' he mused inwardly. ' I think the most fit Sensei for him is Kakashi. Yes, I'll choose them to be his leader.'
The decision felt right. Kakashi's skills, experience, and unique perspective on life made him the perfect mentor for Naruto. The young boy would need guidance, but the right kind of guidance. Hiruzen's heart softened as he imagined the bond that would grow between them. Naruto's potential was limitless, but he needed someone to help him navigate the complex world around him.
....
During the weekend, Naruto wandered through the village, enjoying his newfound status as an official Genin. It was during one of these strolls that he met a young boy named Konohamaru, who had been causing mischief around the Hokage's Tower. After a brief and chaotic encounter involving a few trip wires and some poorly executed Transformation Jutsu, Naruto ended up inspiring the boy. With his confident attitude, unbreakable spirit, and straightforward words, Naruto unknowingly became a role model for Konohamaru, giving him someone to admire outside of the shadow of his grandfather, the Third Hokage.
After that amusing event, Naruto headed to the photographer to get his official ninja portrait taken. He made sure to grin widely, flashing a peace sign despite the photographer's complaints about professionalism. A few hours later, he picked up his special custom black headband, feeling a rush of pride as he tied it properly around his forehead. It was a small thing, but to Naruto, it meant everything — proof that he was truly a ninja now.
The weekend flew by, and before he knew it, Monday had arrived. Excitement buzzed through the Academy as all the fresh Genin gathered to find out which teams they would be assigned to.
The teams were announced as follows:
Team 7 –
Kakashi Hatake (Leader)
Naruto Uzumaki
Sasuke Uchiha
Sakura Haruno
Team 8 –
Kurenai Yuhi (Leader)
Kiba Inuzuka
Hinata Hyuga
Shino Aburame
Team 10 –
Asuma Sarutobi (Leader)
Shikamaru Nara
Ino Yamanaka
Choji Akimichi
With the teams set, the room quickly filled with chatter and excitement. Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura stayed behind, waiting for their new sensei to arrive. However, Kakashi took his own sweet time, and what was meant to be a brief wait stretched on and on, testing everyone's patience — especially Naruto's.
When Kakashi finally arrived, he ushered them out of the classroom and led them up to the rooftop, the afternoon sun beating down gently on them.
Standing casually with his hands in his pockets, Kakashi addressed them,
"Alright, I don't hate you... for now, that is. I want each of you to tell me a little about yourselves. Here, I'll start: My name is Hatake Kakashi, I'm the kind of person who doesn't feel like talking about his likes and dislikes. My dreams for the future are none of your business, but anyway, I have lots of hobbies, which I won't be discussing with kids like yourselves. Umm, that's it," he said with a lazy tone, his visible eye curving into a crescent.
Sakura gave him a deadpanned look. "He said a whole lot of nothing."
"All he did say was his name. Which I've already forgotten," Naruto added bluntly.
"I think it's Kakashi Hatake or something," Sakura said, slightly unsure.
"Really? I'll try to remember that," Naruto responded casually, stretching his arms behind his head.
Kakashi watched the exchange, a sweatdrop forming at the side of his head. 'They're... an interesting bunch,' he thought to himself.
"Alright, now it's your turn," Kakashi said, pointing at Naruto, who was on the right.
Stepping forward confidently, Naruto grinned. "My name is Uzumaki Naruto! What I like is an instant cup of ramen! But I like it even better when Iruka-sensei takes me to Ichiraku's noodle bar. Umm, my dream, well, I want to be Hokage, that's for sure, but my number one goal is to be the strongest to ever exist," he said with shining eyes filled with pure determination.
Kakashi listened carefully, committing every word to memory. 'He's Master Minato's son. He really does take a lot from him. I visited his apartment recently, and he's a serious kid... learning such complex jutsu at such an age. I'm genuinely impressed,' he thought, feeling a tinge of nostalgia and pride.
"Oh, and my hobbies are training, eating, sleeping, and annoying people," Naruto added, scratching the back of his head with a sheepish smile.
"Right... Well, next, emo kid," Kakashi said, turning to Sasuke.
Sasuke crossed his arms, his expression cold and serious. "My name is Uchiha Sasuke. There are plenty of things that I hate. But I don't see that it matters, considering there is almost nothing I do like. It seems pointless to talk about dreams... that's just a word. But what I do have is determination. I plan to restore my clan, and there's someone I have sworn to kill," he said, his voice low and intense.
Naruto visibly cringed at the edginess, while Sakura practically melted in place, hearts in her eyes. 'He's so cool,' she thought dreamily, resting her chin on her hands.
'I expected as much,' Kakashi thought, not surprised at all by Sasuke's grim ambition.
"And finally, the young lady," he said, turning to Sakura.
"I am Haruno Sakura—" she began enthusiastically.
'I'll do you a favor and not have you listen to her rant,' Naruto thought dryly, fast-forwarding mentally through her long-winded speech about her likes, dislikes, and Sasuke obsession.
"Okay, I believe we all understand one another now. Formal training begins tomorrow. Our first project involves only the members of this cell — it'll be a survival exercise," Kakashi announced.
"What? But we've done a lot of survival exercises back in the Academy," Sakura protested, confused.
"Yes, I know," Kakashi replied, his eye narrowing mischievously, "but this will be different... because you'll have to survive against me."
A shiver went down Sakura's spine as Kakashi began to chuckle ominously. The other two simply stared at him, trying to gauge whether he was serious or not.
"Don't chicken out now. Out of the twenty-seven members of your graduation class, only nine will actually be accepted as Genin. The other eighteen will have to go back for more training. The test we are about to perform... has a 66% failure rate."
Naruto smirked, undeterred by the threat. 'This'll be easy,' he thought confidently, his spirit burning brightly at the challenge.
TO BE CONTINUED