Introduce Yourself and Sasuke
As the class bell rang, Iruka Umino walked into the classroom, carrying the attendance roster.
There were no pranks today—no erasers set to fall from the door, no buckets precariously placed—but Iruka's eyes still instinctively locked onto Naruto Uzumaki, seated in the back row.
Naruto had his head down, pretending to read, looking for all the world like a diligent student. But Iruka knew better. Naruto was the Nine-Tails' Jinchūriki—the boy many in the village saw as the demon fox incarnate.
Iruka's own parents had perished during the Nine-Tails' rampage. Even though he understood, logically, that a Jinchūriki was not the same as a tailed beast, that ingrained resentment was difficult to erase. Most shinobi, who lived their lives on the edge of death, rarely cared about such distinctions. They needed someone to blame.
But Iruka was different. He struggled against his prejudices. He wanted to be a teacher who judged his students not by their lineage or past, but by their actions.
Taking a deep breath, he began his introduction.
"Before we begin, I'll introduce myself. I'm Iruka Umino, your homeroom teacher for the next six years. I like Ichiraku Ramen and dislike food that's too mixed together. My dream is to be an excellent teacher who treats all students fairly."
Laughter broke out among the students.
"What kind of dream is that? Shouldn't a teacher want to be Hokage?"
"The principal of the Academy, maybe, but a teacher?"
Iruka's expression tightened, but he remained patient. "Dreams aren't about rank or status. They're about what matters to you. Now, who would like to introduce themselves first?"
Silence filled the room.
"Alright, I'll go by the roster."
Naruto perked up, glancing at Iruka, then at the other students. What was his dream?
To be Hokage, as everyone expected?
Or to be something else entirely?
Meanwhile, in the Hokage's Office, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, set down his pipe and gazed into his crystal ball, watching the classroom.
This was the most important class of the year.
The next generation of Ino-Shika-Chō, the heiress of the Hyūga clan, the second son of the Uchiha clan, and—most of all—Naruto Uzumaki, the Jinchūriki he had spent years watching over.
And Iruka, whom he had personally trained, was the best man to teach them.
Naruto's Introduction
Eventually, it was Naruto's turn.
Standing up, he spoke in an even tone:
"I'm Uzumaki Naruto. Anyone in the village knows my name. My hobbies are cooking, reading, and training. I hate... those who hate me. My dream is to live an ordinary life and protect the people I care about."
The room fell silent.
Iruka frowned. An ordinary life?
That was far too modest a dream—especially for Naruto.
Shikamaru and Chōji exchanged glances, understanding the loneliness behind Naruto's words. Hinata looked worried, wanting to comfort him but feeling unsure of herself.
Sakura and Sasuke, seated nearby, observed Naruto curiously. He wasn't just a troublemaker—he had depth.
In his office, the Third Hokage exhaled slowly.
Had he been too hard on Naruto? Since learning the truth of his Jinchūriki status, Naruto seemed to have given up on ambition altogether.
But a Jinchūriki could never lead an ordinary life.
Sighing, Hiruzen set aside his crystal ball and turned to his paperwork.
Meanwhile, Naruto felt the weight of the Hokage's gaze vanish. His introduction was over.
He hadn't been speaking just to his classmates or to Iruka. He had been speaking to the Third Hokage—the man who held his future in his hands.
Now, he had passed the test.
The rest of the introductions no longer interested him. Naruto returned to his book. If he wanted to be taken seriously, he couldn't just be strong—he needed to be smart, too.
Sasuke's Challenge
When the bell rang for a break, Sasuke Uchiha approached Naruto's desk.
"Hey. You're Naruto, right?"
Naruto looked up.
"They call you 'demon fox' behind your back," Sasuke continued bluntly. "Are you really that strong?"
Naruto studied Sasuke—the last Uchiha, proud and confident, but still just a kid.
He sighed. This Sasuke hadn't yet been hardened by loss.
"They do call me that," Naruto admitted, "but I'm not that strong. I've barely mastered the Three Basic Jutsu."
Sasuke's eyes narrowed. "You've already mastered all three?"
He sounded genuinely surprised.
Everyone had just entered the Academy. Most hadn't even perfected Clone Jutsu, let alone the entire Transformation, Substitution, and Clone set.
Only his brother, Itachi, had done that at this age.
Sasuke's excitement grew. Maybe Naruto was worth challenging.
Naruto smirked. "You're Sasuke Uchiha, right? The clan that runs the police force?"
Sasuke nodded.
"Wanna test your skills against me?" Naruto challenged. "Or... have you not mastered the Three Basic Jutsu yet?"
Sasuke's face flushed. He hadn't. He could only do Clone Jutsu and Substitution, but not Transformation.
He clenched his fists. He had no choice.
"I accept your challenge," Sasuke declared. "Let's go outside."
"The playground, then?"
Before Sasuke could react, he felt a sharp tap against his neck—Naruto had pressed a pencil against his throat.
"You already lost," Naruto said casually.
Sasuke tensed. "That was a sneak attack!"
Naruto scoffed. "The fight started the moment you challenged me. Enemies won't wait for you to be ready."
Sasuke was speechless.
Still, he refused to back down. "Fine. I challenge you again, but this time, I'm ready."
Naruto shook his head and turned away.
"I refuse," he said. "Train harder first. I don't waste my time playing ninja."
Sasuke's frustration boiled into determination.
He had assumed no one at the Academy would challenge him—but Naruto was different.
The Academy just got interesting.
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