They walked straight through the corridors and courtyards,
until they reached the westernmost wing of the academy building.
This was where the new students gathered every year—
no different from how it had been in the original story.
Iruka led Naruto into the classroom he would be responsible for.
At first glance, the room seemed to have a mix of clan heirs and children of commoners,
but the truth was obvious: this was the most important class of the entire new intake.
And Naruto, because of his "special" identity,
had been assigned here directly.
By the time he followed Iruka inside,
the room was already buzzing with chatter.
Naruto swept his gaze across the many figures—faces that felt familiar.
Not familiar because he had met them in this life,
but because he knew them from the story of his past life.
All of them… except for one.
That single white silhouette.
The first thing that caught his eyes as he entered.
Short hair brushing her cheeks,
bright eyes tinged with timidity,
a quiet unease that seemed to spill from her presence without her even noticing.
The princess of the Hyuga clan—
Hinata Hyuga.
Even in his previous life, Naruto had held a deep fondness for this gentle heiress,
who bore none of the arrogance one might expect from her status.
And in this life, that accidental encounter more than a year ago
had left an even stronger mark on his heart.
Hinata Hyuga…
His gaze softened as it lingered on her delicate, palm-sized face.
As a Hyuga, even without her Byakugan awakened,
Hinata's perception surpassed that of ordinary children.
The instant Naruto's eyes stayed on her for half a second too long,
she noticed.
Her head lifted ever so slightly,
and their eyes met.
Surprise flashed across her expression—
but before it could settle, Naruto gave her a gentle nod,
a soft smile curving his lips.
That tiny gesture alone
was enough to send a wave of crimson flooding Hinata's cheeks.
It was as though steam rose visibly from her brow.
She dropped her head at once, fumbling with her hair,
looking all the more fragile and lovely.
The sight made Naruto's own smile soften further.
"Naruto, just find yourself a seat for now."
It had been only a brief exchange of glances,
so brief that none of the other students noticed,
not even Iruka at the teacher's desk.
After quieting the class with a light tap on the table,
he turned to Naruto and spoke gently.
"Yes, Iruka-sensei."
Naruto answered right away,
then walked toward the very back of the classroom,
taking a window seat along the wall.
There was no need for unnecessary closeness, no need for reckless contact.
His identity was far too sensitive.
A chance encounter in childhood—
that much the Hyuga clan and Konoha's elders would overlook.
But if he were to approach Hinata openly now,
even without ulterior motives,
it would be twisted into meaning something else entirely.
Until he had the power to truly protect himself,
every step he took had to be calculated.
He had to play his role—
play the actor.
Don't draw too much attention.
Advance step by step.
Follow the plan, and strengthen yourself little by little.
Once his body was tempered enough,
he would attempt to reach out to the Nine-Tails within.
And once he did…
Naruto was confident he could persuade that prideful fox to work with him.
Knowledge of the story gave him plenty of leverage—
far more than anyone else could imagine.
For now, the rest could wait.
Around him sat many familiar figures—
the so-called "Konoha 11."
Eight of them, besides Naruto himself, were gathered in this class,
most of them heirs to the village's great clans.
Truly "civilian" shinobi, in the original story,
were perhaps only Sakura Haruno and Rock Lee.
Even Tenten, who seemed ordinary,
showed her background every time she flaunted her arsenal of weapons.
No common family could fund such extravagance.
But all of this had nothing to do with Naruto.
He had no intention of befriending them the way his counterpart in the original timeline did.
This time, he wanted more than just survival—
he wanted everything.
Some of these classmates might become companions,
but many more might one day become his enemies.
At this stage,
he had no interest in any of them.
Only once, as he passed by a certain dark-haired boy,
did his steps falter ever so slightly.
His gaze paused for a heartbeat.
The boy himself didn't notice.
Naruto quickly moved on,
settling quietly at the very back of the classroom.
Uchiha Sasuke…
He didn't linger,
his expression giving nothing away.
Just a fleeting glance at the fan-shaped crest on the boy's back,
a whisper of a name surfacing in his mind.
Iruka at the front of the room noticed none of this.
He only saw Naruto choosing the most secluded seat,
and his expression flickered faintly for a moment—
before he smoothed it over with a smile.
"Clap, clap, clap."
He brought his hands together,
drawing everyone's attention.
"All right, everyone is here. Today marks your first day at the Academy.
I am your instructor, Umino Iruka. First of all, congratulations.
"For the next six years, you will study everything there is to know about being a shinobi—
not only combat, but also theory.
Both are indispensable if you wish to become excellent ninja.
"I hope that in these six years,
each of you will study earnestly,
follow your teachers' guidance,
and upon graduation…
grow into true shinobi of Konoha!"
Iruka's steady voice carried across the classroom,
his gaze sweeping over the thirty-odd children before him.