Hokage Office. Naruto took his photo and went to see the Third Hokage.
Right now, Hiruzen Sarutobi held Naruto's registration form with the photo attached. For some reason, looking at Naruto's smile made Hiruzen feel as if he saw a glimpse of Naruto's father—the Fourth Hokage—Minato Namikaze.
"Minato, huh…" A soft nostalgia surfaced in the old man's heart, mixed with a sliver of guilt about how he'd treated Naruto. But that guilt quickly vanished under the weight of the great benefits Hiruzen expected to gain from controlling and directing Naruto. He did not regret the things he'd done to the boy. It was all for the Sarutobi clan's interests.
"All right, Naruto. From today on, you're a true shinobi of Konoha. " "Keep working hard. One day you'll be Hokage! " Hiruzen stamped the registration form with a smile and offered the standard encouragement.
Naruto, using his actor-worthy performance, thanked the Third Hokage politely and promised to keep striving to become Hokage.
At that moment the room's door was flung open. "Grandpa, I challenge you to a match! " Konohamaru charged in, clutching a stack of shuriken with confidence — and promptly tripped and fell flat.
Hiruzen looked at his grandson with a resigned look. "Troublesome kid, " he muttered.
Konohamaru picked himself up, rubbing his bumped forehead. He muttered, convinced he'd been set up by a trap. Ebisu, Konohamaru's tutor, rushed in behind him.
"Master One-Eighty, are you okay, Young Master? !" Ebisu fussed. "By the way — there's no trap here! " He scanned the room and saw Naruto sitting opposite the Third. Ebisu's face showed immediate disdain. "Hmph, that Nine-Tails brat — I can't stand him. "
Naruto's Ultimate Mind's Eye detected Ebisu's inner disgust at once. Frankly, if it were just ordinary villagers being manipulated by Konoha's upper echelon with lies, that might make some sense. But Ebisu was a Konoha shinobi who knew the truth — who knew how vital a jinchūriki, especially a powerful Kurama host, could be to the village — and yet he still harbored prejudice toward a child forced into being the Nine-Tails' vessel.
Naruto suspected the Konoha shinobi had been brainwashed by the Third into becoming foolish.
Konohamaru looked around the room, ruled out his grandfather and the other senior advisor as suspects, and—predictably—pointed a finger at the only outsider: Naruto.
"It's you! " "You set the trap! " Konohamaru accused.
Annoyance flickered through Naruto's chest but he hid it with his usual performance. He knew Konohamaru was only a kid who didn't understand much. Still—Naruto was a kid too. He'd tolerated the village's treatment of him for years; now he didn't owe anyone politeness.
Without hesitation Naruto lifted Konohamaru by the collar. "Hey, you tripped yourself and now you've got the nerve to blame me? "
Ebisu, seeing his young master grabbed, panicked: "Damn it! Naruto Uzumaki, put down Young Master Konohamaru this instant — he's the Hokage's grandson! "
Naruto inwardly almost laughed. As if I care about your grandfather. he thought. Konohamaru, dangling in Naruto's grip, sneered as if daring him: You wouldn't hit me — you're afraid of my being the Hokage's grandson, right?
Naruto didn't humor him. Kids fight; who cares. With a single punch he sent Konohamaru sprawling. Ebisu gaped in disbelief. Hiruzen propped his chin on his hands and watched, utterly nonplussed. "Oh my, " he murmured.
After taking care of Konohamaru, Naruto bade the Third Hokage farewell. Now that he was registered as a Konoha shinobi, in three days the new genin would return to the Academy to be assigned to three-man squads under a jonin instructor. They'd learn through missions under that jonin and grow.
On his way home, Naruto didn't realize Konohamaru had followed him. The boy's clumsy tailing was obvious, and Naruto ignored it. But then Konohamaru suddenly provoked him again. Naruto slightly furrowed his brow, flashed in place, and easily avoided Konohamaru's attack with a fluid movement. Konohamaru was shocked — he hadn't expected the "strongest Academy student" to be so capable.
"I, Konohamaru, acknowledge you! " he declared. "If I beat you, I'll defeat my grandpa! "
Naruto merely walked past him without answering. Konohamaru kept clinging and shouting until Naruto's patience broke. He punched the boy again, leaving a swollen lump on Konohamaru's head. The child burst into tears. Naruto mocked him:
"You've always been headstrong, huh? Doing whatever you want, trampling others to get your way. You think being the Hokage's grandson gives you the right. Without that title you're nothing. "
Konohamaru's crying stopped at those words; he looked up at Naruto. Naruto's indifferent gaze — the kind of look that ignored his status — was something Konohamaru had never experienced. If Konohamaru had lived Naruto's life even a fraction, he'd understand: walking through town, the villagers' open malice; the constant discrimination; it was far worse than being ignored by a brat like Konohamaru.
Naruto had grown used to shielding himself from the villagers' hatred. He no longer believed in winning hearts with kindness. He believed in eye-for-an-eye — repay hate in kind.
Ebisu returned and scooped up Konohamaru, furious that Naruto had made the boy cry. "You Nine-Tails brat! Apologize to Young Master Konohamaru! " Ebisu demanded, blind to any context.
Naruto gave Ebisu a cold look. That glance itself was enough to chill the tutor — Ebisu felt drenched in ice, like he'd been looked at by the real Nine-Tails. He stepped back pale and shaking. Then, when he looked again, the terrifying look had vanished as if it never happened. Ebisu's heart fluttered; he wasn't sure if he'd imagined it.
Three days later Naruto woke early. Morning light streamed through the window. He felt today would be a good day. After a meticulous breakfast prepared by him (and eaten), he dressed in clean black clothes, packed his ninja pouch, tied his Leaf forehead protector to his shoulder, and headed out.
Walking to the Academy he could hear villagers' whispers: "That fox actually graduated from the Academy? " "I didn't expect it. If that fox becomes our ninja, we're doomed! " "Maybe he'll die on his first mission — that'd save us from this worry! " "Yeah, hope a strong enemy kills him right away! "
Countless villagers expressed shock and hatred that this Nine-Tails kid had become a Konoha shinobi, openly wishing for his death. Naruto heard every slanderous word but remained unmoved. He calmly entered the classroom where he'd studied for six years. Most classmates were present; a few arrived later. Naruto greeted Hinata and Shikamaru and sat down to wait for Iruka.
Soon Iruka arrived with the list of jonin instructors for squad assignments. "Sit down, class, " he instructed. When the students quieted, he continued: "You'll be sent on missions as three-person teams under a jonin instructor. That jonin will lead you and evaluate your performance. "
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