Swish… swish…
On the outskirts of Konoha, two figures raced through the trees at mid–chūnin speed. As the village walls came into view, they slowed to a steady jog.
Over the past year, Naruto had changed.
He had improved drastically in every aspect of his training. Graduation was only one day away. For twelve relentless months, he pushed his body like Rock Lee, training until his muscles screamed, while his shadow clones handled everything else—taijutsu, ninjutsu, shurikenjutsu, and advanced chakra control. Rock balancing. Kunai balancing. Senbon precision drills. Tree climbing with leaves stuck across his body. Even balancing senbon on his fingers like his master.
He had taken up the sword—and excelled at it. Even Sasuke had been surprised by his natural talent. Wind and lightning were his favored natures. When he coated his blade in wind chakra, it sliced through nearly anything. His main combat style revolved around kenjutsu and ninjutsu. Thanks to spamming over two hundred clones daily for chakra control refinement, he could now perform one-handed seals mid-combat while wielding his sword.
His stealth had reached ANBU level—ironically born from years of being forced to abandon that loud orange suit.
Ninjutsu-wise, he was monstrous. He mastered Chidori, Chidori Stream, Wind Gale Palm, Phoenix Flower Jutsu, and refined Uchiha-style taijutsu to a frightening degree. When he activated the red perception state he called Kurugan, his combat awareness sharpened dramatically. With Kurama's chakra focused into his eyes, time seemed to slow. He predicted movements, calculated ricochets, and countered like a seasoned Uchiha. His shurikenjutsu was precise and deadly.
Physically, he had grown as well. Forced to eat real meals instead of ramen, he shot up to 5'6—taller than most of his peers. His mind had matured too. Tactical simulations, endless shogi matches, and battlefield drills shaped his thinking into something sharp and calculated.
He was still Naruto.
Just quieter.
More strategic.
And honestly… that was scarier.
Altogether, he stood at solid low-to-mid jōnin level without his weights.
They stopped at the tree line.
Sasuke looked at him calmly. "Naruto… this is where we part ways. I've done everything I can with the time I had."
Naruto's eyes widened. Tears gathered instantly.
Sasuke gave a small smile. "I have to return to my family and friends."
Naruto swallowed hard. "…I understand, sensei."
Sasuke unsheathed his sword and held it out. "Take this."
Naruto blinked. "B-but—"
"No arguments. Keep it. That way… a part of me is always with you."
Naruto accepted it with trembling hands, bowing his head. "Thank you… for everything."
Sasuke pulled out the small turtle artifact, channeling chakra into it.
Space distorted.
And he vanished.
From here on… the story continued with Naruto.
Walking home felt different.
Empty.
He sighed and leapt toward the Hokage Monument, standing atop the Fourth's stone head. The village stretched below him. Memories flooded in—the laughter, the grueling drills, the electric shocks, the ramen bribes.
His resolve hardened.
"I can't sit here sulking," he muttered. "I'll achieve my dream… and honor him that way."
The next morning.
His body snapped awake the moment the alarm blared. Blue eyes opened sharply. He showered quickly, checking the clock—thirty minutes left. He made eggs and toast, eating in silence. With ten minutes to spare, he dressed.
Black ANBU-style pants. Black coat. Grey and black shirt. Bandages around his ankles. His longer blond hair tied loosely back, resembling Minato more each day—just as Kazu-sensei had suggested. The chokutō rested angled across his lower back.
He vanished in a Shunshin and reappeared at the academy gates.
One minute early.
He walked down the hallway calmly and pushed the classroom door open.
The chatter died instantly.
Every eye turned toward him.
"Who's that hottie?" Ino whispered to Sakura.
"I don't know… but he's not better than Sasuke-kun," Sakura replied, though she stared just as hard.
Naruto ignored them and walked to a seat by the window in the back.
Iruka entered. "Alright! Settle down!" Silence fell quickly. He blinked. They actually listened…
"The graduation exam will begin."
One by one, students were called.
"Naruto Uzumaki!"
"Here, sensei."
Confusion spread across the room.
"Where is he?"
Naruto stood and walked forward.
"WHAAAAT?! No way that's Naruto!" Sakura shouted.
"Sakura. You're too loud," Naruto replied coldly.
The class froze.
Naruto… just told Sakura off?
Iruka cleared his throat nervously. "Naruto, transformation."
Naruto nodded.
No hand signs.
He transformed seamlessly into Iruka.
Iruka's jaw dropped. "Seal-less…?"
"Clone Jutsu."
Six perfect clones appeared—again without seals.
"How—? You could never—"
"Practice," Naruto answered simply.
"Kawarimi."
In an instant, he switched with a log.
Iruka stared in stunned silence… then smiled widely. "Congratulations, Naruto. You pass."
Naruto nodded once and vanished in a blur, leaving the class whispering wildly.
Training Ground Seven.
He summoned seven hundred clones.
They scattered instantly—advanced chakra drills, jutsu refinement, seal reduction, tactical simulations.
Naruto himself focused on kenjutsu.
The one-handed sword style his master created—Kirin. Fast. Precise. Efficient. Designed for predictive combat and lethal counters.
For three hours he drilled footwork, strikes, and transitions.
Sweat rolled down his face.
Finally, he sheathed the blade and formed hand signs. Lightning crackled violently in his palm, chirping like a thousand birds.
He leapt to the top of a tree, sprinted downward at breakneck speed.
"CHIDORI!"
He drove it into a massive rock.
The stone exploded into fragments.
Naruto nodded in satisfaction. He dispelled his clones slowly—ten every five seconds to avoid mental overload.
When the last memory settled, he vanished back to his apartment.
Tomorrow… a new chapter would begin.