ᴅᴇꜱᴛɪɴʏ ʀᴇʙɪʀᴛʜ|ⁿᵃʳᵘᵗᵒˣⁿᵃʳᵘᵏᵒ

Settling in p.4

After enjoying a breakfast of rice balls and milk courtesy of Naruko, the Uzumaki siblings were now standing in front of a blacksmith store named "Tetsu no Konoha", or "Iron of the Leaf". It was located near the center of the village, just a few streets away from Ramen Ichiraku.

Naruko looked at her brother in bewilderment, "Why are we here, Naruto-nii? Isn't the Academy in the other direction?" she asked.

She had been a little curious when Naruto wanted to take a detour to the Academy, but she hadn't expected him to visit a blacksmith of all places. Sure, she visited a few herself — mostly to replace her kunais and shurikens — though she figured that Naruto needed to gather a few supplies of his own.

Naruto nodded with a small smile. "Yes, but Hokage-Jiji promised me to make these kunai that I requested for me, and I'm here to collect them!" he explained cheerfully, making the girl nod in understanding. He then ushered her inside. "Come on, let's go in!"

Inside, sitting behind the counter was a fairly heavyset man in his late forties with graying dark hair and brown eyes, and those same eyes lit up when he saw the Uzumaki siblings enter as he stood up to greet them. "Ah, welcome to my humble abode! What can I do for you today?"

Naruto stepped up to the counter and placed down a note. "I was told that Hokage-sama had ordered some special kunai from you?" Seeing the man nod in confirmation, Naruto continued, "I'm here to collect them. Here's the pass."

"Well you've come at the right time!" the man said as he turned around after scanning the note to confirm its authenticity to rummage through the countless racks of weapons of all shapes and sizes, "To be frank, I'm actually quite confused at first when Hokage-sama asked me to make them, since nobody had used them since the Yondaime Hokage."

Off to the side, Naruko's eyes widened as she heard those words. Her brother was using something that hadn't been used by anyone since the Yondaime himself? Just when Naruko thought she had her brother figured out, he would then go and surprise her again with something even more outrageous and cool.

A few minutes later, a few dozen scrolls were placed on the counter as the man finally fished out the last scroll from the back, "And that's the last one. I've applied the seal on the handle as Hokage-sama requested and sealed them into these scrolls. The payment's already been made, so no worries there." The man said cheerfully. Naruto shook the man's hand as he sealed all the scrolls away into his storage seal, "Tell Hokage-sama it's a pleasure doing business with him!"

Naruto nodded and waved at the man as he followed Naruko on the way out, and the both of them started to make their way towards the Academy.

Naruko turned to him, expression curious. "So, what's in the scrolls?" she asked. The number of scrolls were a lot, and even with her limited knowledge of fūinjutsu she could tell that a large number of objects were sealed in them. What were they, she had no clue. That was why she was asking right now.

Naruto chuckled. "They're special kunais that I am planning to use in the future." He said.

Of course, he could use them now if he wanted to, but decided against it as it could draw too much attention to himself and Naruko. He would never forgive himself if his father's enemies came after him, or worse, went after Naruko herself.

"Really?! Can I see them?" the excitable girl asked, eager to know what was so special about the kunais that made her brother buy them in large numbers.

Naruto chuckled at her eagerness. "I'll show it to you tonight when we go home, not right now though."

Naruko pouted, but nodded nonetheless. "Hai, Onii-chan... let's just get to the Academy then!"

"Then what are we waiting for?" Naruto asked with a grin, "Let's get going! Last one there is a rotten shinobi!"

With that, he bolted towards the Academy by jumping onto the rooftops, with Naruko soon joining him, both laughing all the way.

The Konoha Academy's graduating class was currently waiting for their senseis to arrive, and the eager young shinobi were chatting adamantly among themselves, and in one case, sleeping. This year's batch of Genin saw the highest number of heirs and heiresses from the most prestigious clans in Konoha graduating in the same year, and suffice to say many saw them as the greatest generation of shinobi Konoha has ever produced.

Most notable were Nara Shikamaru of the Nara Clan, who was currently dozing off at the end of the class. Akimichi Chōji of the Akimichi Clan, who was munching on a bag of chips. Yamanaka Ino of the Yamanaka Clan, who was currently having a glaring contest with her rival and friend Haruno Sakura over who gets to sit with the last of the Uchiha Clan, Uchiha Sasuke, who was brooding beside the window while tuning out the argument that was beside him and thinking about how he would kill that man. There was also Aburame Shino of the insect-using Aburame Clan, who remained emotionless throughout the waiting session. Inuzuka Kiba of the Inuzuka Clan, who was petting his ninken Akamaru who was in his jacket. And, last but not least, there was Hyūga Hinata of the Hyūga Clan, who was busy scanning the room with her pale lavender eyes for her best friend.

Since joining the Academy, Hinata had always been very shy around others due to her status as clan heiress and her father's strict attitude towards her since her mother's death. She wallowed in her self-pity and sorrow because of that — before Uzumaki Naruko came into her life, the one who gave her friendship and kindness and strength to do what she believes in, not what others expected of her.

In a short time, Naruko had broken Hinata out of her shell and instilled the confidence she so desperately needed into the lavender-eyed girl, and the Hyūga Heiress became a force to be reckoned with during the Academy, sweeping aside all opposition except for Naruko who she was nipping at the heels. She had also earned her father's respect after the man saw her progress in the Academy, much to her joy and happiness. She couldn't repay Naruko for what she did that turned her life for the better.

'Naruko-chan, where are you?' Hinata thought worriedly, 'You're not normally this late... what's keeping you?'

Of course, she had heard the rumors that Mizuki had sabotaged the test and purposely failed Naruko out of spite, and in a rare moment of rage Hinata wanted to strike a Jūken palm to the man's heart. After resolving the situation with the Hokage, Hinata was sure that Naruko had passed the test... she had faith she did.

She was snapped out of her thoughts when the door suddenly opened, and her eyes widened in joy at the familiar shade of blonde hair she grew to adore. All chatter suddenly stopped as everyone in the room turned to look at the newcomer, most showing surprise while some showed indifference and some showed approval, at the sudden appearance of their 'Kunoichi of the Year' and object of most boy's affections, Uzumaki Naruko.

Hinata was the first out of her seat as she quickly glomped her best friend. "Naruko-chan!" she squealed, "I knew the rumors weren't true! You passed after all!"

Naruko just chuckled at her best friend as she pointed at her hitai-ate around her neck, tied like a necklace much like Hinata's. "Yep. I passed Hina-chan!" she declared with a huge smile.

Seeing her other friends starting to move towards them, Hinata was about to say something when Naruko suddenly turned and shouted at the door, "Hah! Told you I would win!"

The entire class went silent as they stared at Naruko like she had grown a second head.

Hinata was the first to speak. "Ano, Naruko-chan? Who are you talking to?" she asked.