Three days later.
It was the usual morning for Konoha's Ninja Academy—but today was different. Not because of some special event outside, but because today marked the annual graduation ceremony of the Ninja Academy. The students who had passed their graduation exams three days ago would, today, attend their final day as students. After the official team placements, this group of boys and girls would at last become full-fledged genin of the Hidden Leaf Village.
Naruto arrived at his usual time, heading straight for his favorite seat in the back corner. Around him, the classroom buzzed with excitement. His classmates were talking cheerfully, thrilled about finally becoming shinobi. Yet Naruto sat quietly, watching them, his blue eyes thoughtful.
"It's really peaceful…" he murmured inwardly.
There was no fear in their faces, no doubt about the path ahead—only excitement and hope. It wasn't wrong to feel that way. But in such a world, how many of these bright, innocent faces would still be smiling after seeing the reality of a ninja's life?
Being a ninja wasn't just about pride or duty.
It was walking the line between life and death.
Konoha had lived in peace for too long. Without the constant shadow of war, the Academy could train students safely—but it also meant they grew up soft, untouched by the harshness of the battlefield. How many of these "geniuses" would survive once they faced a true enemy?
"Some of them might not even make it through a simple C-rank mission…"
Naruto's thought wasn't mocking—just brutally honest. "Flowers in a greenhouse," he thought. That was the best way to describe this group of new graduates.
What bothered him most was that none of them seemed nervous. To them, being a ninja looked like a dream come true—glorious and bright. They could see the light, but not the darkness behind it. They enjoyed the peace their predecessors had built but had never glimpsed the cruelty of war itself.
Naruto refused to be that naive. Knowing what awaited in the future, he understood that time was precious. Every minute had to be fought for.
In this classroom, perhaps only one other person could faintly understand that truth—the dark-haired boy sitting near the window, eyes cold and distant.
Naruto's gaze shifted slightly toward Sasuke Uchiha's calm profile. A faint glint flickered in his eyes.
Only that Uchiha orphan, driven by revenge, shared a bit of the same shadow he carried inside.
Let the others play their little "ninja" games for now.
"Huh? Naruto? You actually showed up for the graduation ceremony? Didn't you fail the exam the other day?"
A lazy voice interrupted his thoughts. Naruto didn't even have to turn his head—he knew that tone. When he did glance over, he saw the familiar ponytailed figure leaning lazily beside him.
As expected—it was Nara Shikamaru, the so-called "brains" of the future Konoha Twelve, whose IQ was said to top two hundred.
Even his face now showed a flicker of curiosity.
After all, three days earlier, Naruto had failed the graduation exam—something Shikamaru still couldn't quite wrap his head around. Naruto's scores had been among the top five in the class when it came to actual performance. So, seeing him at today's ceremony wearing the Leaf's forehead protector made Shikamaru scratch his head in disbelief.
"Oh, Shikamaru, there was a make-up exam afterward," Naruto replied with a grin, pointing at the shining Leaf headband tied proudly around his forehead. "I passed that one."
Across six long years at the Academy, Naruto had built decent relationships with most of his classmates. It wasn't just because of his grades, but his open and easygoing nature. Though some of the commoner students kept their distance because of their parents' bias, those from the old clans—like Shikamaru, Chōji, Shino, and even Kiba—treated him normally.
Their families, such as the Nara, Akimichi, Hyūga, and Aburame clans, might have known about Naruto's special background, but they didn't teach their children to shun him. They simply told them to judge by their own eyes. So Naruto had gotten along well with most of them.
"Oh? A make-up exam, huh? Makes sense," Shikamaru said, nodding lazily. With his sharp mind, he could easily guess there was more to the story—but since Naruto was standing here as a genin, clearly the Hokage had approved. That was enough for him. Thinking too much was, as always, "such a drag."
"That's awesome, Naruto! You really did it!" came a cheerful voice. Chōji Akimichi, as usual, was munching on potato chips, smiling widely. "Want some? Shikamaru? Naruto?"
Both waved him off politely.
"No thanks, Chōji—you can have them," Naruto and Shikamaru said almost in unison.
"We're gonna get our team assignments soon," Shikamaru said, stretching and yawning. "I wonder who I'll end up with. Hopefully, it's someone from the top of the class."
Naruto tilted his head slightly, resting his chin on one hand. "You say that, but don't you already know who you'll be teamed with?"
Shikamaru froze for a moment before sighing.
"Well… yeah, I guess you're right."
The Ino–Shika–Chō formation—the alliance between the Yamanaka, Nara, and Akimichi clans—was a tradition that went back generations. Whenever three heirs from those families graduated together, they were always placed on the same squad.
This year's lineup was obvious: Shikamaru Nara, Chōji Akimichi, and Ino Yamanaka.
Everyone in the village knew it.
Shikamaru did, too—and it didn't surprise him that Naruto had figured it out. After all, Naruto had spent half his free time reading in the Academy library, probably more than their entire class combined.
So knowing even that little detail was hardly surprising.