The chūnin instructors began guiding the children who hadn't yet learned how to refine chakra, carefully teaching them the basic method. Those who already possessed chakra were tested briefly, and once confirmed, were allowed to pass immediately.
As Naruto glanced around, he quickly noticed a pattern. Almost all of the kids who passed right away came from shinobi families. With relatives who were already ninjas, they had a head start over the others.
Later that day, Naruto spotted Kakashi again. His teacher's jōnin uniform was torn and scorched, as though he had just fought a vicious battle.
Naruto tilted his head curiously. "Kakashi-sensei, what happened to you?"
Kakashi scratched the back of his head, clearly avoiding the question. "Well… to celebrate you passing the test, how about I treat you to ramen for lunch?"
Naruto's blue eyes lit up instantly. "Really? You're the best, Kakashi-sensei!" His cheer completely erased any thought of asking further.
Not far away, Fugaku approached Sasuke. His voice was calm and commanding as always. "If you and Naruto are getting along, you should invite him over sometime."
Sasuke blinked, surprised. "Huh? Really? But… he's just a civilian."
"It doesn't matter. He's your friend." Fugaku's tone was cool, but there was a rare warmth hidden beneath the words.
Sasuke felt a small warmth bloom in his chest. His father did care, after all. If Naruto visited, his mother Mikoto would certainly be overjoyed too. Fugaku thought the same but kept it to himself.
Meanwhile, Shikaku and Choza quietly gave similar instructions to their own sons. They couldn't openly approach Naruto, but if their children befriended him, everything looked natural. School friends visiting each other's homes? No spy would question that.
Soon, the first official day of classes arrived.
Naruto and Sasuke were assigned to the same class. Walking in together, Naruto's grin widened when he spotted Shikamaru and Choji inside as well. "Hey! You guys are here too!"
Since the entrance exam, Naruto already considered the two his friends, so seeing them again filled him with joy.
Sasuke, however, wasn't nearly as expressive. He gave Shikamaru and Choji a curt nod, his face impassive. The Uchiha clan carried an air of superiority, and while the Nara and Akimichi clans were respected, they were hardly on par with the Uchihas.
Shikamaru and Choji didn't take offense. Their easy-going natures shone through as they responded with friendly smiles.
The four boys soon sat together, chatting lightly while munching on snacks Choji generously shared.
Their conversation quieted only when the classroom door slid open. A scar-faced chūnin strode in, his voice carrying authority yet also warmth.
"Hello, everyone. My name is Iruka Umino, and I'll be your homeroom teacher. I look forward to guiding you all." He smiled brightly at the rows of nervous children.
"To help everyone get to know each other, we'll do introductions. When I call your name, come to the front and share something simple your name, your hobbies, your dream."
He began reading names from the list.
"Iwasaki Hideki."
"Uh, hi everyone…"
"Yoshioka Naosuke."
"I'm Yoshioka…"
"Haruno Sakura."
"My name is Haruno Sakura…"
"Choji Akimichi."
"Uh, I'm Choji. I like food!"
"Hinata Hyuga."
Naruto blinked as the timid girl stepped forward. Her pale lavender eyes looked down at the floor, and her cheeks flushed crimson as she stumbled over her words. "M-my name is… Hinata Hyuga. I-I like… training… and… my dream is…" Her voice trailed off as though she might faint on the spot.
Naruto scratched his head. She looked familiar. Then it clicked she was the same girl he had once saved before. So she was in his class now? And her name was Hinata… interesting.
Iruka called the next name. "Sasuke Uchiha."
As Sasuke walked to the front, a chorus of gasps and whispers spread through the classroom.
"He's so cool!"
"So handsome!"
Several of the girls' eyes even seemed to sparkle like hearts.
Sasuke's expression remained cold as stone. "My name is Sasuke Uchiha. My hobby is training with my brother. My dream is to become strong like him." He turned and walked off without so much as glancing at his admirers.
The next name made Iruka hesitate for a brief moment. He pressed his lips together before continuing. "Naruto Uzumaki."
The room instantly fell silent.
Dozens of eyes turned toward the blond boy, many filled with poorly concealed disgust. Their parents had drilled it into them Naruto was someone to avoid. Though none of them had ever spoken to him before, their first impression was already poisoned.
Sasuke, Shikamaru, and Choji immediately sensed the change in atmosphere.
Sasuke's expression hardened, his aura turning icy. At times he pretended to act cool, copying his brother's demeanor, but this was different. This time, he was genuinely angry. Naruto was his friend. If anyone despised Naruto, then Sasuke despised them right back.
Shikamaru and Choji weren't as intense, but their faces darkened as well.
Hinata bit her lip, her gaze soft and full of sympathy. To her, Naruto wasn't someone to scorn. He was someone to admire.
Naruto, however, was long used to these stares. Glares and whispers never hurt him. If anyone had a real problem, they could prove themselves with fists.
"My name is Naruto Uzumaki!" he declared loudly. "My hobby is training, and my dream is to become Hokage!"
His words were followed by mocking laughter.
"Hah! You? Hokage?"
"What a joke."
"Great, I'm stuck in class with him."
The ridicule spread like wildfire, filling the classroom.
Iruka's brow twitched. Though he disliked Naruto himself, his duty as a teacher demanded he maintain order. He prepared to intervene
"Bang!"
The sharp crack of Sasuke's palm slamming against his desk silenced the entire room.
Every eye turned to him. His dark gaze was colder than steel, his young face tight with fury.
"What's so funny?" His voice cut like a blade. "You think you're better than him? Most of you were struggling to keep up during the entrance exam while Naruto left you in the dust. And now you dare to laugh at him?"
His tone dropped even lower, menacing and dangerous. "If anyone here thinks they don't belong in this class, I'll be more than happy to send you somewhere else myself. Keep laughing at Naruto, and you'll regret it."
The students squirmed, their faces pale. None of them dared challenge Sasuke. He wasn't just any student he was the son of Fugaku Uchiha, leader of the village's most powerful clan. They might mock a boy like Naruto, but crossing Sasuke was another matter entirely.
Grudgingly, the laughter died away. The silence that followed only made Sasuke's presence feel heavier. Yet strangely, some of the girls stared at him with even more admiration. He was so cool when he was angry.
Iruka paused, then decided not to interfere. Sasuke had already resolved the situation more effectively than he could have. "Alright. Naruto, return to your seat."
Naruto gave Sasuke a wide, grateful smile as he sat back down. "Thanks, Sasuke!"
He truly didn't mind the mockery, but having someone defend him it warmed him in a way words couldn't describe. No one had ever stood up for him before.
That was what made Sasuke his best friend.