Ninja Academy.
Ryuku and Naruto sat on the chairs placed at the center of the Headmaster's office, waiting patiently for Hiruzen's response. Both had already attached their photos to their Ninja Profile sheets, which listed their names and abilities for the Shinobi Registration Book.
Seated behind the desk were Sarutobi Hiruzen and Takamori Arata, the head of the Ninja Academy—a man in his late forties who had served as the Academy's headmaster for over fifteen years.
Ryuku gave Arata a brief glance before turning his attention back to Hiruzen, who was carefully reviewing their profile sheets.
"Good," Hiruzen said, a single word escaping his mouth as his pipe rested between his lips.
Being praised by the old man, Naruto giggled. "Hehehe," he laughed, proudly flashing his forehead protector with a wide grin. "Of course it's good! I'm the most handsome ninja—Uzumaki Naruto, after all!"
Ryuku remained silent, his eyes fixed on the old man before him with a look of admiration he could barely force himself to show. The elder sitting across from him wasn't just any shinobi—he was a Kage-level powerhouse, a cunning schemer, a two-faced hypocrite, and above all, a master of nearly every orthodox Jutsu, excluding only the Hidden Techniques of certain clans and Kekkei Genkai scattered across the world. It was no wonder he was revered as The Professor and The God of Shinobi, earning widespread respect from the entire village.
Who knows if he has Sensory-type techniques too... That's why I've refrained from using my Spiritual Sense ever since I arrived. Then there are also his Anbu to consider... One slip, and they'll track me instantly. And since Sensory Techniques aren't taught at the Academy, using one would instantly blow my cover.
Because of that, Ryuku had made a decision—to reinvent himself.
How?
From the very beginning, he had shown himself to be a polite, gentle boy with an innate talent for embracing the philosophy of the Will of Fire.
What did people like Hiruzen seek in the next generation?
The answer was simple.
Someone easy to manipulate—an obedient idealist devoted to the Will of Fire.
And Ryuku understood this all too well.
That's why he had long since decided to play this role to perfection... and enjoy every moment of the deception.
Hiruzen let out a puff of smoke and spoke with a small smile, "Now then, all the procedures for the Shinobi Registration Book are complete. Well done on graduating from the Academy, you two."
Rubbing the back of his head, Naruto chuckled awkwardly. "It wasn't that hard, ahaha..." — though he still felt a bit guilty about stealing the Forbidden Scroll.
Unlike him, Ryuku remained silent, offering only a quiet nod. He looked slightly flustered, keeping up the image he had carefully crafted.
Seeing their reactions, Hiruzen sighed. He understood the reason behind them, but chose not to press further. Instead, he simply said, "The one responsible for the theft was Mizuki. So there's no need to worry. Just be sure not to repeat that mistake again—next time, your life could truly be at risk. Understood, Naruto?"
Naruto suddenly nodded vigorously, his face a mix of seriousness and comedic exaggeration. "Yes, yes!!"
As for Ryuku, he did something unexpected. He stood up from his chair and bowed deeply. In a calm yet remorseful voice, he said, "Please forgive me, Hokage-sama. Even though I sensed something was off about the situation, I still broke the village's rules and learned the Shadow Clone Jutsu without permission. I... I deserve to be punished."
"..."
The room fell silent.
Takamori Arata, the Academy Head, nodded internally. That's how a young shinobi should be—honest and devoted to the village.
Hiruzen, however, didn't speak immediately. He quietly took in every word Ryuku said, analyzing the boy with a thoughtful expression.
But the silence was soon broken by Naruto.
"Huh? Why would you want to be punished?" he blurted, scratching his head. "Didn't Grandpa Hokage just say we were innocent? I don't get it!"
Still, Ryuku remained in his bow, head lowered, not lifting an inch. He waited patiently—until, just as he expected, the old man's amused voice reached his ears.
"Ho ho ho... Lift your head, Ryuku. As I said earlier, only Mizuki will be punished for this incident. You kids have nothing to worry about... Alright?"
Ryuku straightened up, putting on an innocent yet grateful expression, and softly replied, "As Hokage-sama wishes."
"See? No punishment!" Naruto huffed, half annoyed and half relieved. "You really had me nervous there for a second, you jerk!"
After all, if Ryuku had been punished, it was likely Naruto would've received the same—or worse. That alone was enough to give him a scare.
"I was simply stating the truth, you idiot. The Forbidden Scroll is called forbidden for a reason," Ryuku replied, making the blond boy scrunch his face in confusion.
Hiruzen nodded slightly to himself, appreciating the boy's cautious and sincere mindset.
However, he soon turned his eyes to Ryuku, as if recalling something, and asked, "Ryuku, are you planning to pursue Medical Ninjutsu alongside your shinobi path?"
Ryuku paused his playful bickering with Naruto and shifted his gaze toward Hiruzen.
So it really was his ANBU that time, he thought, then calmly responded.
"Yes, Hokage-sama. I wish to become a powerful Medical Ninja like Lady Tsunade—no, I want to surpass her."
His face flushed with slight embarrassment as he continued, "Actually… my talent in Ninjutsu isn't very good. What I'm better at are Genjutsu and Shurikenjutsu. That's why I chose to walk the path of a Medical-nin, while serving Konoha to the best of my ability as a Shinobi."
Naruto didn't know who Tsunade was, or what Medical Ninjutsu even meant, so he chose to remain silent. If he asked, his so-called friend would probably just tease him again for being an idiot.
Knowing about Ryuku's average Ninjutsu talent from the Academy records, Hiruzen let out another puff of smoke, a trace of bitterness in his eyes as he thought to himself:
Surpass Tsunade, huh... A bit childish, but it's a good starting goal. Aiming for Medical Ninjutsu and Genjutsu could make him an invaluable asset to his team...
Then, with a kind voice, he spoke aloud, "That's a very challenging goal. I'm sure you'll face many hardships, but remember—hard work and determination never betray those who persist." Taking another puff and exhaling through his nose, he added, "And don't give up on Ninjutsu just yet. You've already managed to learn the A-rank Shadow Clone Jutsu, after all. If you keep training, you'll eventually overcome your weaknesses. That's what it means to be a true Shinobi."
Listening intently to Hiruzen's words, Ryuku gave a firm nod. But his voice soon betrayed his confidence as he admitted, "Uh, to tell the truth, I only managed to learn the Shadow Clone Jutsu because of Naruto… I barely grasped it on my own. If it weren't for him practising so many times in front of me, I'm sure I wouldn't have learned it. Besides, with my chakra levels, I can only make two clones at once—but he can create thousands…"
"..."
The room fell silent for a moment—until Naruto suddenly flashed a cheeky grin and shouted, "So that's how it is!! Hehe, I'm finally better at something than you—Yahoo!!"
He nearly exploded with smugness.
Hiruzen glanced at both of them with a tired smile before letting out a quiet sigh. Poor kid... That's something you can't overcome through training alone...