Hokage : My Nine tails are getting more and more

"Of course, I'm fine." Naruto smiled warmly as he gently pinched Hinata's delicate cheek. "I won't make you worry anymore."

Inside the classroom, Haruno Sakura and Ino exchanged resigned glances as they watched Naruto and Hinata interact so closely.

"Damn it, why couldn't I be Naruto-kun's fiancée?" Sakura complained.

"I know, right? Ever since they got engaged, it's like I can't even bring myself to eat anymore," Ino sighed dramatically.

"Why not, Sakura-chan?"

"Because all I taste is dog food..."

"..."

Hinata blushed slightly before returning to her seat.

Iruka, standing at the front of the classroom, turned to Naruto. "Naruto, since you're alright, you'll need to take a makeup exam tomorrow."

Naruto had missed today's graduation assessment, but he nodded obediently. "Okay, Iruka-sensei."

As Naruto settled back into his seat, a familiar notification rang in his mind.

[Ding~ System mission released: Pass the Ninja Academy Graduation Assessment. Reward: Simulation opportunity +1.]

Naruto smirked inwardly. Passing the graduation assessment was child's play for him at this point. The real prize was the simulation opportunity that came with it.

After Iruka finished giving a brief concluding speech about their time at the academy, essentially advising the students to use what they'd learned to stay alive in the harsh world outside, the day officially ended. Although the placement of students into their respective teams would happen tomorrow, for now, the students were free to go.

Naruto sat in his seat for a moment, reflecting on his next steps. Becoming a ninja had always been his goal, but now that he had lived through the events of the original story and possessed a system that granted him unimaginable power, he wondered if following the traditional path even mattered anymore.

Initially, he had wanted to experience the ninja world exactly as the original Naruto had, but with the abilities he'd gained through the system, Naruto realized that he had the freedom to shape his own future—without being tied to the expectations of the past.

He decided that he would still take the graduation exam tomorrow, just to secure the simulation reward, but after that... perhaps the life of a traditional ninja wasn't for him.

Iruka's concluding speech wrapped up, and the students began to file out of the classroom. Naruto and Hinata stood up together, walking side by side toward the exit. He glanced back at Iruka, who was standing by the door with a look of pride mixed with melancholy on his face.

Iruka smiled weakly at Naruto, clearly reflecting on how far the class had come. The children he'd taught for six long years were finally ready to take on the world—ready, but also vulnerable to its dangers.

Naruto gave Iruka a small wave, which his teacher returned with a brighter smile. Then, without further delay, Naruto and Hinata left the building.

Unusually, neither Sakura nor Ino bothered them as they walked out, which Naruto silently appreciated. However, once they reached the bottom of the stairs, they encountered an obstacle—Uchiha Sasuke.

With his hands in his pockets and his usual cold expression, Sasuke stared directly at Naruto. "Uzumaki Naruto," he said, his tone firm. "Don't be late tomorrow."

"Huh?" Naruto raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Why should I care?"

Sasuke's eyes narrowed. "I've already checked. We're going to be in the same team. I expect you to take things seriously because I intend to challenge you every single day."

Naruto's mouth twitched. "There's no need to go that far, is there?"

To Sasuke, however, Naruto's nonchalant tone came across as an insult. He clenched his fists and gritted his teeth. "I've lost to you sixty-seven times already," Sasuke hissed. "You may think I'm beneath you now, but one day, I'll surpass you. My Sharingan will ensure that!"

He tapped his forehead, pointing directly at his newly awakened Two-Tomoe Sharingan.

Before Naruto could respond, Sasuke turned and stormed off.

Naruto stood there, stunned. "...Well, that's one more reason not to become a ninja," he muttered under his breath.

Naruto shook his head. As if being a ninja wasn't exhausting enough, having Sasuke constantly on his case would just make things worse.

Just as Naruto was about to leave with Hinata, another teacher approached them—Mizuki. He was holding a stack of papers and had a warm smile on his face, but Naruto, having seen this scene before in the original story, instantly knew something was up.

"Naruto, isn't it?" Mizuki asked kindly. "There's something I wanted to talk to you about."

Naruto raised an eyebrow but played along. "Yeah, that's me. What's up, Mizuki-sensei?"

Mizuki smiled even more brightly. "You missed the graduation exam today, so there's a make-up test happening later. Want to come take it now?"

Naruto mentally rolled his eyes. The old "make-up test" trick? Seriously?

Iruka had already told him the make-up exam was scheduled for tomorrow morning, not today. Still, Naruto decided to play along. He knew what Mizuki was planning, and frankly, it sounded interesting.

"Really? That sounds great!" Naruto replied, feigning excitement. He then turned to Hinata, "You should head home for now, Hinata. I'll catch up with you later."

Hinata hesitated for a moment. "I-I can wait for you, Naruto-kun."

Naruto chuckled. "No need. If you stay, your dad will get mad like last time."

Hinata blushed deeply as she recalled the memory. Once, she and Naruto had stayed out too late, and her father, Hiashi, had sent the entire Hyuga clan searching for her. Though outwardly strict, Hiashi cared deeply for Hinata and, to his dismay, worried about her being alone with Naruto. Ever since that incident, Hiashi had imposed a strict curfew.

Reluctantly, Hinata nodded. "Okay, I'll go home first then."

Once Hinata had left, Naruto turned back to Mizuki with an eager expression. "Alright, Mizuki-sensei, let's go take that make-up exam!"

Mizuki smiled, not realizing that Naruto was fully aware of his intentions. "Great. Follow me."

As they walked, Naruto considered his options. He could easily avoid the entire scenario if he wanted to. After all, he knew Mizuki's plan—to manipulate him into stealing the Scroll of Seals. But Naruto wasn't one to leave dangerous people unattended. Mizuki was a threat, and while Naruto didn't care about him personally, Iruka did. Naruto wasn't about to let Mizuki get the chance to harm his teacher.

Naruto smirked to himself. Time to deal with Mizuki once and for all.

--------------------------------------

Visit our Patreon for more:

patreon.com/Johnwick007

Extra Content Already Available