The metallic bell rang, signaling the start of recess.
Within seconds, the classroom atmosphere shifted entirely. Conversations erupted in every direction as the children quickly abandoned their seats to head out to the courtyard. Some ran toward the play areas; others simply sought out their friends before recess ended.
Naruto waited a few seconds before standing up.
Under his arm, he carried the small book he had bought the day before: The Art of Seals for Beginners.
He had no intention of wasting recess.
The Academy courtyard was spacious and surrounded by several trees that cast a pleasant shade over the grounds. Naruto picked one of the furthest trees from the noise and took a seat against the trunk. He leaned his back against the bark, carefully opened the book, and began to scan its pages.
Unlike the introductory text he had flipped through in the shop, this one was much easier to follow. It explained the origins of fūinjutsu, the various uses seals could have, and a few fundamental concepts regarding chakra circulation within an inscription matrix. It didn't teach any techniques; it solely established the necessary foundation to understand the discipline.
Naruto moved forward slowly, making sure to memorize every definition and illustration before turning the page.
"HAHAHA!!"
An exaggerated shout shattered the quiet.
Naruto looked up from the book.
Several yards away, Kiba Inuzuka was sprinting across the yard, chasing a group of classmates amidst roaring laughter. Near him, a few civilian kids tried to keep up with his pace. A bit further back, Chōji sat under another tree with a bag of chips in his hands, while Shikamaru, completely oblivious to the racket, lay flat on the grass staring at the sky.
Naruto watched them for a brief moment before looking back down at his book.
The shout had only broken his concentration for a split second.
Nothing more.
However, his thoughts ended up drifting elsewhere.
Two weeks had passed since the start of classes.
Two weeks in which the Academy had barely advanced beyond elementary chakra theory, village history, and basic regulations. Not a single serious combat drill. Not a single lesson on throwing weapons. Not one exercise that actually made a difference on the path of a shinobi.
And yet, nobody seemed to care.
Naruto closed the book over his legs for a moment.
During those same two weeks, he had managed to gradually stabilize his chakra flow, now holding the leaf to his forehead for a minute straight. He had also corrected the most glaring errors in his combat stance and taken his first steps with throwing weapons. The progress was still modest, but it was real. Every afternoon of training brought him a step closer to the goal he had set for himself the day he entered the Academy.
If he had waited for classes to teach him all that...
He would likely be in the exact same spot as day one.
His gaze scanned the courtyard once more. Many of his classmates belonged to great clans. When the day ended, they would return to homes where parents, siblings, or instructors would continue shaping the foundations of their training.
He didn't have that option.
Because of that, he couldn't afford to move at the Academy's pace either.
He reopened the book to the page where he had left off.
There were still several minutes left before recess ended.
Time passed as Naruto turned the pages calmly, completely absorbed.
Until...
"Modern fūinjutsu finds its roots in the ancient masters of Uzushiogakure, whose knowledge laid the groundwork for much of the sealing techniques used today..."
Naruto continued reading without stopping.
"Among them all, the Uzumaki clan was recognized for generations as the premier exponent of this discipline..."
The movement of his hand froze.
His eyes slowly drifted back to the line he had just read to make sure he hadn't misread it.
"...Uzumaki?"
For the first time since he had opened the book, his expression lost a fraction of its usual indifference.
He looked down a few inches and kept reading.
"The complex seals developed by the Uzumaki were considered masterpieces of fūinjutsu..."
He turned the page.
"Following the destruction of Uzushiogakure, much of the Uzumaki clan's knowledge was lost..."
Naruto was no longer just reading the book.
He was tearing through it.
His eyes raced across the pages, almost completely ignoring the explanations of matrices and sealing formulas.
They were only looking for one word.
Uzumaki.
It appeared over and over again.
Every few pages.
In historical references.
In annotations.
In ancient treatises.
Ding... Ding... The metallic bell announced the end of recess.
Naruto's half-open mouth snapped shut, and he stood up.
End
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I hope you enjoyed it. If so, don't forget to leave your power stones.
I would also like to clarify that English is not my native language, in case you spot any errors.