As the class bell rang, Scarface Iruka walked into the classroom carrying the roster.
This time, there were no sneaky traps—no blackboard erasers flying at heads, no buckets perched above doors—but Iruka still made sure Naruto was seated in the back row.
Naruto had his head buried in a book, looking like the model student everyone dreamed of. But Iruka hadn't forgotten who he was: the Nine-Tails' Jinchuriki, the village's so-called "demon fox," whose parents had died during the chaos of the Nine-Tails' attack.
Even though there's a huge difference between a Jinchuriki and a Tailed Beast, villagers—including some ninja—often lumped Naruto in with their hatred. They were always on edge, constantly walking the knife's edge of fear and anger. Any outlet, any chance to vent, and they'd take it.
Iruka sometimes felt the same urge, but he had trained himself to rise above it. His dream was simple: to be a teacher who treated every student equally, no matter their bloodline or tragic past.
Taking a deep breath, Iruka began his introduction:
"Before we start lessons, let me introduce myself. I'm Iruka, your homeroom teacher for the next six years. I like ramen, hate bibimbap, and my dream is to become a teacher who doesn't discriminate against any student."
A student muttered, "What kind of dream is that? Shouldn't a teacher want to become Hokage?"
Iruka's face twitched slightly. "No, I want to be principal of the ninja school. Becoming a teacher is my dream!"
As expected, the classroom erupted into whispers and laughter. Iruka's expression soured, but he stayed patient:
"Dreams don't have a ranking. Respect everyone's dream. Now, who wants to introduce themselves first? If not, I'll call names from the roster."
Naruto looked up from his book, curious. Other students' dreams? Meh. His own dream? That was a tougher question. Should he aim to meet the expectations of the village and become the Seventh Hokage? Or should he follow his own path? What would the Third Hokage dream of, if he were in Naruto's shoes?
Meanwhile, the Third Hokage, back in his office, had the crystal ball out, watching the class. This particular class was his priority. The next generation of Ino, the eldest Hyuga lady, the second Uchiha heir, and, of course, Naruto himself—all in one class. And Iruka, personally trained by the Hokage, was the perfect teacher for them.
Finally, it was Naruto's turn. He stood, neither humble nor boastful:
"I'm Naruto Uzumaki. My real identity is easily found if you ask around. My hobbies are cooking, reading, and training. I hate injustice. My dream… is to live an ordinary life and protect those I care about."
Iruka fell silent. Humble? Too humble. Impossible? Absolutely. Those who hated him would still hate him—but his dream was almost too difficult for someone like him.
Shikamaru and Choji exchanged looks of sympathy—they could tell Naruto carried a deep loneliness. Hinata fidgeted, torn between comforting him and regretting that she'd never truly understood his heart. Sakura and Sasuke, meanwhile, eyed their new classmate with curiosity, realizing he wasn't just another ordinary kid.
The Third Hokage, putting down his pipe, sighed. He wondered if he had been too hard on Naruto. Knowing he was a Jinchuriki, had the village taken away Naruto's chance to just be a normal kid? But Naruto… was never meant to be ordinary.
After the speech in the classroom, the chakra enveloping him faded. Naruto understood: his self-introduction was complete.
It had never been about impressing Iruka or the students. It was about passing the silent judgment of the Third Hokage, who controlled the strings of his life. Once the old man was satisfied, Naruto could move forward, gaining privileges and advantages.
The other students' introductions were background noise. Naruto returned to his textbook—being high-profile didn't mean neglecting academics, and he was genuinely curious about the lessons.
But his words hadn't gone unnoticed. Sasuke's eyes followed him.
After class, Sasuke approached. "Hey… you're Naruto, right? They call you the demon fox behind your back. Are you… strong?"
Naruto lowered his book and smiled faintly. Strong? He could handle this kid—but Sasuke had the gall to call him a demon fox to his face. That alone deserved a smack.
"They do call me that. But I'm not that strong. I can barely handle the Sanshenjutsu."
Sasuke's eyes widened. No wonder Naruto gave off that faint aura of power. Only his older brother had mastered that technique—yet here Naruto was, a first-year student.
Naruto leaned back, smiling. "You must be Uchiha Sasuke, the security force family. Want to spar?"
Sasuke, flushed with pride, said, "You… you haven't mastered the Sanshenjutsu yet? Aren't all Uchiha geniuses?"
Naruto's smile widened. If he told the truth, Sasuke wouldn't stand a chance—but honor demanded a fight.
"I accept. Let's find a spacious place."
"How about the playground? In front of everyone."
The next moment, Naruto pressed Sasuke's neck to a pencil, leaving a black dot.
"Sasuke… you've already lost!" Naruto declared.
Sasuke, indignant, protested: "That was a sneak attack! We didn't even start!"
Naruto shook his head. "The moment you challenged me, the battle began. The enemy doesn't wait for you to prepare. That's the rule."
Sasuke choked, but his pride refused to admit defeat. "Another challenge! This time, I'm ready."
Naruto just shook his head. "I decline. Come back when you've mastered the Sanshenjutsu. Until then… it's like playing tricks."
Sasuke's face turned red, but he didn't retreat—if anything, his determination burned brighter. Few students could truly challenge him, but now he had a worthy rival at his side. School life, finally, got interesting.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
You can visit my Patreon page:
Patreon.com/PhoeniXcel
I upload 2 chapters daily on Patreon!
There are 30+ advanced chapters available for you to read.
Your support would be greatly appreciated.