The air inside the Academy crackled with anticipation.
The once-spacious hall felt suffocating under the weight of a single realization—today would determine who among them would step into the world as shinobi… and who would remain shackled as mere students.
For most, this was a day of nerves, whispered prayers, and silent doubts.
But for Naruto Uzumaki, it was just another day.
He sat lazily at the back of the room, feet propped on the desk, an arrogant smirk playing on his lips. Unlike the others, who fidgeted and twitched like frightened rabbits, Naruto just sat there calmly, his expression full of confidence.
The girls?
They adored him as they kept stealing glances in his direction.
Sakura, Ino, and Hinata clung to his every movement, eyes sparkling with devotion. They belonged to him—mind, body, and soul. He had shattered their wills, molded them into his perfect kunoichi, utterly devoted to his every word.
They were no longer mere students.
They were his.
As if sensing their gaze, Naruto tilted his head slightly, his deep blue eyes flickering with amusement. His lips curled into a knowing smirk, making his personal trinity of beauties blush furiously.
And then...
"Sasuke Uchiha, step forward."
Iruka's voice cut through the air, and immediately, all eyes shifted to the brooding boy who was quite jealous of Naruto for stealing all the limelight.
Sasuke walked to the center of the room, hands in his pockets, exuding an aura of untouchable arrogance. The Uchiha Prodigy—the so-called "genius" of the Academy.
Silence reigned as he effortlessly performed the required jutsu.
His Transformation Jutsu? Flawless. He turned into Iruka Sensei himself, drawing hushed murmurs of approval.
His Substitution Jutsu? Performed with lightning speed and perfection.
His Shadow Clone? Perfectly formed, standing beside him in eerie synchronization.
A moment passed before Iruka nodded in approval. "Excellent as always, Sasuke."
A slow smirk crept across Sasuke's lips. He turned slightly, his gaze flickering towards Naruto.
Hah. Try to outshine that, dobe.
And as on cue, Iruka called out his name.
"Naruto Uzumaki. Step forward."
The shift in the atmosphere was immediate as all the murmurs stopped.
The very air felt heavier.
This was the moment everyone had been waiting for.
Unlike Sasuke, who carried himself with a forced air of superiority, Naruto moved with a natural confidence. He had an aura of warmth around him that made people relax and believe in him.
Even the instructors tensed, their hands tightening into subtle fists, waiting for whatever surprise Naruto was about to unleash.
Iruka crossed his arms. "Alright, Naruto, show us your—"
BOOM!!
Before Iruka could finish, the very air trembled as a violent shockwave of chakra burst from Naruto's body. A pulse of raw energy crackled.
And then, in a puff of smoke—three Narutos appeared at once.
Iruka and other instructors could see it.
That they were not mere clones.
Each of them was real.
Each of them executed a separate jutsu simultaneously.
The first Naruto transformed, but not into something simple. In a mere flicker, his form morphed into the Fourth Hokage, his father—Minato Namikaze. Not just a vague resemblance, but a flawless replication, from the piercing blue eyes to the flowing white cloak that billowed as if caught in an invisible wind.
The resemblance was so perfect that some of the younger students instinctively bowed, their bodies reacting before their minds could catch up.
Even some instructors stiffened at the sight, their breath caught in their throats.
The second Naruto vanished in a flicker of pure speed—and then Iruka was gone.
No, not gone. He was swapped.
Before anyone could react, Naruto had performed a Substitution Jutsu with Iruka himself, so seamlessly that even the seasoned instructor didn't realize what had happened until he suddenly found himself standing where Naruto had been a second ago.
Iruka's eyes widened in disbelief. "What—!?"
And the third?
The third was already there, standing in front of Sasuke.
Not just standing—mocking.
A fully solid Shadow Clone, its hands lazily tucked in its pockets, tilting its head slightly as it peered at the Uchiha prodigy with a perfectly mirrored smirk.
Sasuke felt a chill race down his spine.
Because it wasn't just a clone.
It was him.
A flawless imitation. The stance, the aura, the smirk, even the slightest flicker of condescension in the eyes—it was Sasuke, standing before Sasuke.
For the first time in his life, Sasuke felt a sensation he could not place.
It wasn't jealousy or frustration.
It was something far worse.
He was feeling inferior.
On the other side, the entire room was silent.
The weight of what they had just witnessed hit the instructors like a hammer.
"H-He did… all three… at the same time?" Mizuki's voice was barely above a whisper.
Iruka couldn't even breathe. He had felt it—Naruto's chakra hadn't wavered, hadn't fluctuated.
It had been flawless.
"Impossible…" One of the assistant teachers muttered.
Sasuke felt something ugly curl in his stomach.
This wasn't the first time that he lost to Naruto.
Not the second.
Not the hundredth.
Again and Again.
Naruto had outshined him.
His fists clenched and his jaw tightened in frustration.
No matter how hard he trained… no matter how much effort he poured into his techniques…
Naruto was always ahead of him.
Naruto, still in the Hokage's form, stretched lazily. "Ne, Iruka-sensei… how'd I do?"
The class erupted.
"THREE JUTSU AT ONCE?!?"
"HOW THE HELL—?!"
"This is INSANE!"
Even Sakura and Ino, who worshiped the ground he walked on, had to clap their hands over their mouths to keep from screaming.
Hinata? She nearly fainted, her heart thumping into her chest.
Iruka finally found his voice. "…Incredible."
Mizuki, still shaken, tried to regain control. "We… We need to inform the Hokage about this immediately!"
Iruka nodded firmly. "Naruto… come with us."
The class exploded into chaos.
"Are they failing him?"
"NO WAY! THAT WAS TOO PERFECT!"
"ARE THEY PROMOTING HIM TO CHUNIN?!"
Naruto simply grinned.
With a lazy stretch, he shoved his hands in his pockets, flashing his most charming smirk at his kunoichi.
"I'll be back soon, ladies."
Their faces burned red.
And then—he was gone
----
Inside the Teacher's Office
Naruto sat across from Iruka and the instructors, completely at ease, stretching his arms behind his head.
Iruka leaned forward, his brows furrowed. "Naruto… how did you do that?"
Naruto's smirk widened. "Dunno. Just did."
Mizuki scoffed. "Don't play dumb! Performing those jutsus simultaneously requires perfect chakra control and multitasking on a level even most Jonin struggle with!"
Naruto simply chuckled. "Guess I'm just special."
Iruka's gaze sharpened. "Have you been training in secret?"
Naruto's eyes glinted with mischief. "Maybe."
The instructors exchanged uneasy glances.
Mizuki muttered, "We need to notify the Hokage immediately. If Naruto possesses this level of skill, then—"
"He passed."
Mizuki's head snapped up. "What?"
"I said, he passed." Iruka's voice was unwavering. "Naruto didn't just complete the test. He aced it. There's no debate. He is a genin."
The room fell silent.
Finally, Iruka turned to Naruto, smiling.
"Congratulations, Naruto. You're officially a shinobi."
For a moment, Naruto stared at him.
Then—he grinned.
"Took you guys long enough."
Iruka chuckled. "Go. Before I change my mind."
Naruto stood, stretching lazily. As he reached the door, he turned back—his gaze sharp.
"Oh… and tell grandpa Hokage I'll be dropping by soon. Got some things I wanna talk about."
Iruka blinked. "Huh?"
But before he could ask Naruto was already gone.
--- ✦ ✦ ✦ ---
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