Spring turned to autumn.
Another year passed in the blink of an eye.
It was now October 10th, Year 53 of the Hidden Leaf—Naruto's sixth birthday.
For once, Naruto didn't train. Instead, he made a full table of food.
> "Birthday? What's that?" Kakarot asked, completely confused.
> "It's the day you were born," Naruto explained patiently.
> "Oh! I've never celebrated mine before. Hahaha!"
Kakarot laughed, completely unfazed. His story, though, wasn't a happy one.
Just like Naruto, he lost his parents early—killed when Frieza destroyed Planet Vegeta. Then he crash-landed on Earth, hit his head, and forgot everything… even their faces.
He was raised by Grandpa Gohan, who also died—crushed when Goku transformed into a Great Ape.
> Honestly? Kinda sounds like my life, Naruto thought.
> "Happy birthday, sensei," Naruto said with a grin.
> "Happy birthday, kid! Hahaha!"
Naruto turned to the window and raised his homemade grape juice.
> "Happy birthday to you too, ANBU big brother."
The shadows in the trees outside shifted ever so slightly—almost like a nod.
After a year of this strange relationship, the ANBU captain had long since stopped being surprised by how easily Naruto could sense him.
After all, Naruto was his late teacher's son. The Nine-Tails Jinchūriki. A special existence.
That's how he comforted himself.
And unlike the others who spied on him, this ANBU had no malice in his heart.
Naruto could feel it.
And over time, he'd even guessed this ANBU's identity.
> Funny, I used to go days without meeting a single person who didn't hate me… now there are a few.
Teuchi from Ichiraku.
Granny Cat.
Hinata Hyūga.
Mikoto and Fugaku Uchiha.
And this quiet ANBU in the trees.
Six people.
Out of an entire village.
---
In one more week, Naruto would begin attending the Konoha Ninja Academy.
The rules were simple: once you turned six and showed potential, you started your education.
But Naruto's enrollment had, of course, sparked another political mess.
Danzo wanted him trained in Root, molded into a cold, loyal weapon.
Koharu and Homura, the two resident fence-sitters, said:
> "Danzo makes some good points."
Hiruzen, the Third Hokage, countered:
> "He belongs in the Academy. He needs connections, bonds—like Kushina once formed here. Love makes a Jinchūriki stable."
To which the elders replied:
> "That's a good point too, Hiruzen."
Classic.
> "The previous Nine-Tails host had more talent than this one," Danzo argued.
"We can't let him waste time playing ninja at school."
> "Without Root's guidance, you'll ruin him."
But Hiruzen ended the discussion with five sharp words:
> "I am the Hokage."
Danzo's obsession with the seat of power only deepened.
In the end, Naruto won the right to attend school like everyone else.
---
Konoha Ninja Academy — Enrollment Day
No drums.
No fireworks.
No flags.
No cheering crowds.
But there was a lot of people.
After all, Konoha had only one ninja academy, and every clan sent their children here.
Naruto was one of the few without a parent or guardian accompanying him.
---
> "Hello, big brother. I'm here to register."
Naruto handed over his form—personally signed by the Hokage—to the enrollment officer.
A man with a spiky pineapple haircut, average looks, standard flak vest—and a horizontal scar across his nose.
Iruka Umino.
As soon as Iruka saw Naruto's name—
> "Nine—"
He nearly blurted it out.
Then… it hit him.
A flicker of dark malice leaked from his body.
Naruto recognized it instantly.
He was used to it by now.
Iruka's parents had died in the Nine-Tails' attack.
> "Can I sign up?" Naruto asked sweetly.
> "...You can," Iruka replied, his voice strange. The malice in him flared slightly.
> "Go inside and check in."
> "Thank you," Naruto replied politely, and trotted off.
He didn't look back.
> Iruka's trauma has nothing to do with me.
> He can hate me if he wants. I won't force him.
If not for the Third's insistence, Naruto wouldn't have even come.
He'd rather be training.
> The Turtle School's martial arts are addicting as hell.
---
As Naruto passed through the crowd, he felt stares and whispers.
Parents pulled their kids close. Muttered things.
Even the shinobi weren't much better.
Their malice wasn't any weaker than the villagers'.
Some minor clans held less hate.
But some were worse.
Thanks to his growing mastery of Ki, Naruto could now sense power levels.
It had become a hobby—his little game.
He wasn't dumb. He knew power level alone didn't guarantee real strength…
But it was fun.
And it made things interesting.
---
He started rating everyone around him.
> 30 Points — Girl with the big forehead and sea-star hair.
85 Points — Giant belly dad with equally round son.
66 Points — Big pineapple-head with little pineapple-head.
75 Points — Handsome middle-aged guy with a cute daughter.
70 Points — Wild-looking lady with a wolf-sized dog.
40 Points — Boring nobody.
> 28 Points… 1, 2… 377?
Power flickering like a glitching radar.
A tall man in sunglasses. Big ones. With a matching little version.
> Okay. Weird.
As for the students?
Naruto sneered internally.
> Bunch of weaklings. All their power levels are below 5.
Most civilian kids' parents were under 50.
Those with clan training were over 50—with exceptions.
Then—
> Wait… 99?
Naruto froze.
He immediately recognized the source.
A figure who had once come to enroll his younger brother.
Uchiha Itachi.
> Damn… that's strong.
Naruto casually sidestepped.
Not out of fear.
Out of caution.
> It's not that he's strong. Or that he's crazy.
It's that he's both.
If I catch even a little bit of that crazy, I'm doomed.
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