Naruto stood outside the Academy gates on the morning of his graduation day. His usual bright grin masked the storm of thoughts beneath his calm exterior. Uzuhiko had been coaching him for weeks on how to handle this day. The plan was simple: hold back and blend in.
"Naruto, remember," Uzuhiko's voice echoed in his mind, "you're far beyond the academy level. This is a chance to keep your abilities hidden while preparing for what comes next. Trust me, this will work in your favor."
Naruto smirked. "Yeah, yeah, Uzuhiko. I've got it. Just don't let me mess up too much, alright?"
"That's why I'm here, partner."
The Graduation Exam
In the Academy classroom, Iruka-sensei stood at the front, clipboard in hand. "Alright, class, today's the big day. To pass, you need to successfully perform the Clone Jutsu. When I call your name, come to the front."
Naruto's heart thudded as he watched his classmates showcase their techniques one by one. Most of them performed the jutsu with ease, summoning two or three clones.
Finally, it was his turn.
"Uzumaki Naruto!" Iruka called.
Naruto walked to the front, scratching the back of his head with an awkward grin. "Alright, here we go!"
He formed the hand signs and gathered his chakra. Uzuhiko whispered instructions to make his performance intentionally flawed.
With a puff of smoke, a single, poorly formed clone appeared. It was hunched over, looking sickly and ready to fall apart.
Iruka sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Naruto… You failed."
The room filled with laughter, and Naruto slumped his shoulders, feigning disappointment. Inside, he was grinning. "Step one, done. Now for step two."
Mizuki's Proposal
Later that evening, as Naruto sat on the swing outside the Academy, watching the other graduates celebrate, Mizuki approached him with a kind smile.
"Hey, Naruto," Mizuki said, kneeling beside him. "Don't let today get you down. You have potential, you just need a second chance."
Naruto tilted his head. "What do you mean, Mizuki-sensei?"
Mizuki leaned closer, his voice lowering conspiratorially. "There's a secret test you can take. If you pass, you'll become a ninja, no matter what happened today."
Naruto's eyes widened, playing his part. "Really? What do I have to do?"
Mizuki grinned. "All you have to do is sneak into the Hokage's office tonight and take the Scroll of Seals. Learn one jutsu from it and bring it to me. Can you do that?"
Uzuhiko's voice buzzed in Naruto's mind. "Do as he says, Naruto. This is the perfect chance to expose him—and to gain something valuable."
Naruto nodded eagerly. "I'll do it!"
Uzuhiko's Task
Once Mizuki was gone, Uzuhiko laid out the details of Naruto's task.
"Naruto, Mizuki intends to use you to steal the Scroll of Seals for his own gain. He'll betray you the moment he gets what he wants. Your task is to retrieve the scroll, analyze its contents, and act like you learned the Shadow Clone Jutsu. The reward for completing this task is knowledge on Yin and Yang Release, which will be essential for your future growth."
Naruto grinned. "Got it. Time to put on a show."
Infiltrating the Hokage's Office
Naruto waited until nightfall before making his move. With his chakra suppressed and his movements precise, he easily evaded the guards and entered the Hokage's office. Uzuhiko provided detailed instructions, highlighting blind spots and patrol patterns.
Inside the office, Naruto located the Scroll of Seals. As he unrolled it, Uzuhiko began scanning its contents.
"Scanning complete. Several jutsu of interest detected. The Flying Thunder God formula has been copied for future use."
Naruto's eyes lit up. "Flying Thunder God, huh? That's Dad's jutsu. I'll definitely use that later."
He stopped at the section detailing the Shadow Clone Jutsu, a technique he had already mastered with Minato's guidance.
Uzuhiko chuckled. "Now, pretend to learn this. Mizuki will never suspect you've already mastered it."
Naruto spent the next hour practicing the jutsu, making enough noise to ensure Mizuki would believe he was struggling.
The Confrontation
Naruto arrived at the designated meeting spot with the Scroll of Seals slung over his shoulder. Mizuki was waiting for him, his expression eager.
"Good job, Naruto!" Mizuki said, his smile hiding his true intentions. "Now hand over the scroll."
Before Naruto could respond, Iruka appeared, panting as he landed beside them. "Naruto! Don't trust him! Mizuki's been lying to you!"
Mizuki scowled. "Tch. You just had to show up, didn't you, Iruka?"
Turning to Naruto, Mizuki sneered. "Didn't you ever wonder why the villagers hate you? Why they call you a monster? It's because you're the Nine-Tails! The demon fox that attacked the village twelve years ago!"
Naruto froze, the words hitting him like a blow. Uzuhiko quickly stepped in, calming his swirling emotions.
"Naruto, stay focused. Remember, you already know the truth. Use this moment to expose Mizuki."
Naruto clenched his fists, his expression darkening. "So that's why… The villagers hate me because of something I had no control over."
He looked up, his eyes burning with determination. "But that doesn't give you the right to manipulate me, Mizuki!"
Mizuki laughed. "What are you going to do about it, demon?!"
Naruto smirked, forming a hand sign. "This."
With a puff of smoke, dozens of perfect Shadow Clones appeared, surrounding Mizuki.
Mizuki's jaw dropped. "What?! That's not possible!"
The clones attacked in unison, pummeling Mizuki into unconsciousness. Iruka watched in shock, realizing just how skilled Naruto truly was.
Aftermath
Once the situation was resolved, Iruka awarded Naruto his headband, officially recognizing him as a ninja.
Back in his underground base, Uzuhiko presented Naruto with his reward.
"Task complete. Reward unlocked: Knowledge on Yin and Yang Release."
Naruto closed his eyes as Uzuhiko transferred the information directly into his mind. He saw flashes of concepts and techniques related to the balance of creation and destruction, light and shadow.
When it was over, Naruto opened his eyes, a new understanding reflected in his gaze.
"With this, I'm one step closer to mastering everything."
Minato and Kushina's soul fragments appeared, smiling proudly.
"You handled that perfectly, Naruto," Minato said. "You're growing stronger every day."
Kushina nodded. "Just remember, never lose sight of who you are. You're our son, and we're so proud of you."
Naruto smiled softly. "Thanks, Mom, Dad. I won't let you down."
The stage was set for Naruto's next chapter as a shinobi, where his hidden strength, unmatched intelligence, and growing mastery over Yin-Yang Release would continue to shape his destiny.