The Academy was a cacophony of chatter and chalk dust, but Naruto sat at his usual spot in the back, his grin as bright as ever. "Hey, Sakura, you gonna ace this test or what?" he teased, leaning back in his chair. Sakura rolled her eyes, and Sasuke, sitting nearby, didn't even glance up. Good. They didn't suspect a thing. To them, he was still the same old Naruto—loud, annoying, and predictable.Inside, though, he was anything but. The training grounds had given him a piece of the puzzle, but it wasn't enough. He needed more, and the Academy was his next stop. Iruka-sensei kept records, old scrolls and files in the storage room. If there was anything about the Fourth Hokage or the Nine-Tails, it might be there. But getting in would be tricky—Iruka was sharp, and Naruto's reputation for pranks didn't help.During lunch, while the other kids ate outside, Naruto lingered in the classroom, pretending to doodle on his notebook. "Forgot my lunch again," he called to Iruka with a sheepish grin, rubbing the back of his neck. "Mind if I eat here?"Iruka sighed but nodded. "Just don't make a mess, Naruto." He stepped out to monitor the courtyard, leaving Naruto alone. Perfect. Naruto waited a beat, then slipped down the hall toward the storage room. The door was locked, but he'd swiped a paperclip from Iruka's desk earlier. He wasn't great at lockpicking, but desperation made him quick. After a few tense seconds, the lock clicked open.Inside, the room was cramped, stuffed with dusty scrolls and boxes. Naruto's heart raced as he scanned the labels: Graduation Records, Mission Reports, Hokage Archives. That last one made him pause. He pulled a scroll from the box, unrolling it carefully. It was a record of the Fourth Hokage's reign, detailing his missions and leadership. Toward the end, a single line stood out: Final Act: Sealing of the Kyuubi, October 10th. Sacrifice of the Yondaime.Naruto's breath hitched. October 10th—his birthday. The coincidence was too much. His hands shook as he unrolled another scroll, this one about village defenses. It mentioned a "vessel" for the Nine-Tails, chosen to protect Konoha, but the name was redacted, the ink blacked out. Naruto's jaw clenched. They were hiding it, even in the records. The Hokage, Iruka, everyone—they were all keeping the truth from him.He heard footsteps and quickly rolled the scrolls back up, shoving them into place. By the time Iruka opened the door, Naruto was leaning against a box, whistling casually. "Just looking for some cool ninja stuff!" he said with a grin, scratching his head.Iruka frowned. "Naruto, you shouldn't be in here. Get back to class.""Sure thing, Sensei!" Naruto chirped, sauntering out. But as he left, his smile vanished. Iruka's kind eyes didn't fool him anymore. He was part of it—part of the village that branded him a demon and lied about it. Naruto's chest tightened with betrayal, but he forced the grin back on as he rejoined his classmates. No one could know he was unraveling their secrets.That night, he added to his hidden notes: October 10th. Fourth's sacrifice. Vessel = me? He stared at the paper, his distrust hardening into a wall. Even Anko, who'd bought him ramen, might be hiding something. He couldn't let his guard down, not with anyone.
