noveltune Chapter 121 Becoming a Ninja
Chapter 121 Becoming a Ninja
The day of the graduation exam finally arrived. The content of the exam was exactly the same as in the original work: the most basic clone technique.
However, this time Naruto had completely shed the title of "underachiever".
Ever since the day he entered school, after his fierce battle with Uchiha Satsuki that shocked everyone and was comparable to a ninja duel, he has been regarded as an absolute genius by his classmates and teachers.
Therefore, when it was Naruto's turn to be tested, he was not nervous at all. He calmly and unhurriedly formed the hand seal that he already knew by heart.
"The art of creating clones!"
Bang!Bang!Bang!
With a few clean, crisp sounds, three solid and stable clones, almost identical to the original body, instantly appeared in the center of the examination hall.
Iruka, acting as the examiner, wore an undisguised smile of satisfaction and pride, and announced without hesitation, "Naruto Uzumaki, you pass!"
He picked up a brand-new ninja headband, a symbol of Konoha ninjas, from the table and solemnly handed it to Naruto.
Iruka watched as Naruto received the headband, his eyes filled with a mix of emotions and deep concern. The child he had cared for for years had finally become a true ninja!
With the talent and character Naruto has shown so far, he will surely become a great and respected ninja in the future...
Naruto took the headband but didn't put it on immediately. Instead, he faced Iruka and bowed respectfully and formally, his voice clear and sincere. "Thank you, Iruka-sensei! Thank you for your guidance over the years!"
This sudden and heartfelt gratitude startled Iruka for a moment. Looking at the now grown-up blond boy before him, a surge of reluctance and excitement welled up in his heart, and his eyes involuntarily reddened.
He forced down his surging emotions, nodded vigorously, and replied in as calm a voice as possible, "Yes! Naruto, congratulations on graduating! Keep up the good work!"
This scene, filled with trust and gratitude between teacher and student, looked especially heartwarming in the sunlight.
However, amidst this heartwarming scene, Mizuki, who was also proctoring the exam, secretly turned his head away. The usual, insincere, gentle smile on his face was almost impossible to maintain, and his back teeth were grinding together.
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As Naruto and Satsuki walked side by side out of the Ninja Academy gates, Naruto immediately saw two familiar figures standing not far away, waiting for him—it was Fugaku Uchiha and Mikoto Uchiha.
"Dad! Mom!"
Satsuki's face beamed with the joy of graduation as she ran over to her parents, eager to show them the headband she had just received, a symbol of her ninja identity.
Seeing this, Mikoto smiled gently and with satisfaction, stroking Satsuki's hair lightly. "You've already become a capable ninja so quickly. What would you like to eat tonight?"
Satsuki, her face slightly flushed, did not immediately answer her mother's suggestion about dinner. Instead, she subconsciously looked at her father, whose expression was somewhat serious.
Fugaku Uchiha took two steps forward, his gaze falling on the headband in his daughter's hand. Although his face remained expressionless, he said, "Hmm, as expected of my daughter."
Naruto stood a little distance away, watching this scene. He was filled with mixed emotions; Satsuki's life trajectory had ultimately been completely altered...
Although Satsuki experienced that nightmarish night, because both her parents survived, her personality hasn't become as cold and aloof as in the original work. No... it seems that apart from her parents and me, she still has that indifferent and aloof attitude towards everyone else...
Just then, Satsuki, holding her mother's hand, walked up to Naruto and said in a lighthearted tone, "Naruto, Dad said we're going out for dinner tonight to celebrate graduation. Why don't you come along?"
"Huh? Can I do it too?" Naruto subconsciously looked at Fugaku and Mikoto.
Mikoto looked at Naruto with incredibly loving eyes. "Yes, of course you can. Naruto doesn't need to be so polite with us." She had long regarded Naruto as her own son.
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Seeing this, Fugaku sighed almost imperceptibly and did not object, which was considered as tacitly approving of his wife's invitation.
Just then, out of the corner of Naruto's eye, he noticed that Iruka-sensei seemed to have finished dealing with the follow-up work at the school and was walking out of the Ninja Academy.
Naruto turned to look at Aunt Mikoto with a questioning gaze, and after receiving a gentle and affirmative nod of permission from her, he immediately turned and ran towards Iruka.
"Iruka-sensei!" Naruto called out, "Satsuki and I are going out for dinner tonight to celebrate our graduation, why don't you come along too!"
Iruka wasn't too surprised by Naruto's invitation and readily agreed with a smile. "Great! Graduation definitely deserves a celebration. The teacher will treat us tonight..."
However, before he could finish speaking, Naruto added, "Yeah! Satsuki and her mom and dad are with them too!"
"Eh?! Wait... the Uchiha clan head and his wife are also...?!" Iruka's smile froze instantly, replaced by a look of unprepared panic.
Although he had a close relationship with Naruto, often treating him to Ichiraku Ramen and receiving many incredibly delicious homemade bento boxes from Naruto, the sudden prospect of having dinner with the usually dignified former Uchiha clan leader and his wife... this unexpected atmosphere of "meeting a big shot" made Iruka-sensei feel a bit of pressure.
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At night, in a well-known barbecue restaurant in Konoha Village, Satsuki's family, Naruto, and the slightly reserved Iruka-sensei sat around a barbecue table for a graduation dinner.
The charcoal crackled, and various slices of meat and vegetables sizzled and dripped with oil on the grill, filling the air with their aroma.
The evening's conversation mainly revolved around Naruto and Satsuki's amusing experiences at the Ninja Academy. Iruka-sensei recounted their performances in class and training, while Aunt Mikoto listened with great interest, occasionally chuckling softly. Her words were filled with emotion and anticipation for the two children finally growing into ninjas and embarking on a new journey.
As Naruto enjoyed his meal, he observed Iruka with some confusion. Logically speaking, Iruka-sensei had dined with the Third Hokage before, and he had never been this nervous in front of that truly important figure. For some reason, when facing Fugaku and Mikoto, he always seemed somewhat awkward and respectful, and his posture was much more upright than usual.
When the conversation came to a close, Fugaku put down his teacup and turned to Iruka. "Teacher Iruka, my daughter Satsuki has been well taken care of by you at the Ninja Academy these past few years. Thank you very much."
Upon hearing this, Iruka immediately straightened his back, hurriedly waved his hands, and even sounded a little flustered. "No, no, no! You flatter me, Mr. Fugaku! Rather, it's more like..." He seemed to want to be polite and ease the atmosphere, but in his nervousness, the words slipped out without thinking.
"From now on, I'll have to ask you to take good care of Naruto!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the atmosphere at the entire dining table momentarily froze.
Naruto. "???"
Iruka immediately realized that his words seemed a bit off, his face flushed red, and he opened his mouth, not knowing how to make amends.
These words struck a chord deep within Fugaku Uchiha. His body stiffened almost imperceptibly, and the fingers holding his teacup tightened slightly.
I took care of him?
A wave of bitterness and frustration washed over him. He subconsciously looked up at the person opposite him—and there he saw his beloved daughter, Satsuki, naturally placing slices of grilled meat from the grill into Naruto's bowl. Her eyes, as she looked at Naruto, shone with undisguised dependence and joy.
The displeasure and entanglement in Fugaku's heart eventually turned into a deep sense of helplessness. All his emotions were condensed into a very short syllable, accompanied by a barely perceptible nod.
"……Um."