Naruto:The avenger of the uzumaki clan

Chapter

30: Graduation Ceremony

'What a very comfortable night!'

Menma thought, reflecting on his first time sleeping until dawn since he was a

baby. He stood by the window, looking at the distant scenery, feeling a

long-lost sense of relaxation and joy.

After tidying up briefly and eating

breakfast, Menma put on his outing clothes, tied a forehead protector on his

head, and opened the door to stride toward the Ninja Academy. This time was

different from before. Menma didn't choose a less crowded path to take a

detour. Like all the other students, he walked on the main avenue, basking in

the morning sun. The streets were already bustling with people, the shops open,

and the atmosphere lively.

But this time, Menma didn't hear any

vague scoldings like before. Almost everyone who saw the iconic forehead

protector of a Konoha ninja on Menma's forehead subconsciously tensed up.

Ninjas were revered in this world! While people could still dislike Menma and

even isolate him in private, they could no longer show their malicious

intentions openly as in the past. The status gap between ninjas and ordinary

people was immense.

At this moment, when they looked at

Menma, they all became timid. Menma walked past with a calm expression. He

didn't mean to see the different attitudes of these ordinary people; he just

felt that now he could walk openly. Previously, the malicious looks and insults

from these people were intolerable. Menma naturally chose paths with fewer

people. Now that he had officially become a ninja, there was no need to worry

about these issues anymore.

Walking through the crowd, ordinary

people acted as if they didn't see him. After Menma's figure gradually faded

away, everyone looked at his departing back with incomprehensible eyes.

"I didn't expect this kid to

become a ninja!" "I don't know what the Third Hokage is

thinking." "Why..." "Really..." They knew that from

today, everything would be different.

Menma, who had already left,

naturally had no way of knowing what these ordinary people were thinking. Even

if he knew, he wouldn't care at all. Now he was only thinking about his next

class assignment and who he would form a team with. Although he replaced

'Naruto' in the original work, he was not Naruto! In this time and space,

Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki had twins. He was Menma Uzumaki, with a

younger brother, Naruto Namikaze. With one more person, everything would

naturally be different.

The only thing that could be

determined with high probability was that his sensei should still be Hatake

Kakashi. There was no one more suitable in the current Konoha Hidden Village

than Kakashi. 'It depends on what the old guy thinks about it.'

When Menma arrived at the Ninja

Academy, already bustling with activity, there was a hint of thoughtfulness in

his eyes. Walking into the Academy lightly, he saw graduates of the same level,

all with excitement and yearning on their faces. They seemed to foresee that

after becoming ninjas, they could easily complete various high-level tasks and

become heroes of the village.

Menma could only think that Konoha

had become too comfortable these past few years, turning each graduate into a

flower cultivated in a greenhouse. These people might die on any C-level

mission after graduation. Geniuses were in the minority. Only a few could get

preferential treatment. Not everyone was qualified to join a team led by a

Jonin, and not everyone could stand out in such a cruel ninja world.

Among the top ninjas in the powerful

ninja world, whose hands weren't stained with blood? Whose reputation wasn't

built on piles of bones? Without talent, background, or the right mentality,

the future of these people wasn't promising. They could only become one of the

numerous bones. The same was true for Menma. The decision he made and the path

he was destined to follow would turn him into a withered skeleton if he wasn't

careful.

'This is also a side of Konoha's

continuous decline. It is the truth to be prepared for danger in times of

peace...' Menma thought as he shook his head slightly.

"Oh!? Isn't this our number one? You came so late

today, the graduation ceremony is about to begin!" "Woof woof

woof!" As soon as Menma entered the classroom, before he reached his seat,

he heard a slightly high-pitched voice and the barking of a young puppy.

No need to turn his head—Menma knew who it was. In their

classroom, or even in this grade, there was only one student who brought a

puppy into the school: Inuzuka Kiba from the Inuzuka clan, famous for breeding

ninja dogs. Kiba had always been boisterous, with his loyal ninja dog Akamaru

always by his side, and was one of the few companions Menma had communicated

with several times in the Academy. Although Menma was reluctant, he never took

the initiative to communicate with these classmates. But some people were

willing to approach Menma. Kiba was one of them.

"Ah, it's Kiba. I practiced a little longer last

night, so I overslept today, but I'm not late!" Menma smiled and replied

softly.

"Tsk tsk, you're already the first, and you're still

working so hard, Menma." Kiba's voice held a mixture of amazement and

teasing. "Woof woof woof!" Akamaru barked in agreement, perched on

Kiba's head as usual.

"This is why Menma can always be the first in our

class, Kiba. Menma is different from you," a voice interjected from the

side. Menma turned to see Akimichi Choji and Nara Shikamaru approaching.

Choji, with his ever-present bag of potato chips in hand,

chuckled. "Yeah, Menma is always working hard. You could learn a thing or

two from him, Kiba."

Shikamaru, the lazy genius known for his strategic mind and

often seen with his hands behind his head, smirked. "Kiba, you should take

notes. Menma's dedication is on a different level."

Kiba rolled his eyes playfully. "Well, maybe. But I

think I'll stick to my own methods. Right, Akamaru?" He patted the puppy

on his head.

Menma couldn't help but smile at their banter. Despite his

aloof nature, moments like these reminded him that he was part of a community,

even if he kept most people at arm's length. The camaraderie among his

classmates, however lighthearted, was something he quietly appreciated.

The graduation ceremony was about to begin, and the air was

thick with excitement and anticipation. The students gathered in the courtyard,

awaiting the arrival of their senseis and the announcement of their team

assignments. Menma's heart raced with a mixture of eagerness and apprehension.

Today marked the beginning of a new chapter in their lives—a step closer to

their dreams and the challenges that lay ahead.