Looping, oh the fun! (Naruto)

Ch4 Graduation Exam

"And now we'll begin the final portion of the exam! Come in when I call your name! First up, Yuri Akihisa!" Iruka called out to the class, his gaze lingering on Naruto for a while before entering the unoccupied testing room next door. After hearing about what happened yesterday from the Hokage, Iruka couldn't help but worry about the boy.

Learning jutsus (and not just one, but many!) from the Forbidden Scroll, finding out about his burden, being betrayed by a trusted adult...all that happened in one night? Could the boy handle it all?

Iruka was surprised to find Mizuki's attempt to get the boy in trouble, but he couldn't say that he hadn't seen it coming. After all, being with Mizuki for so many years, Iruka could tell if his friend was lying or not. Every time Mizuki looked at Naruto, he'd have a strange, dangerous glint in his eyes that only those trained, or those who were used to it, could tell. Even more, whenever it's Naruto's turn in a taijutsu match against Mizuki, he'd always get the hardest punches and kicks.

Iruka had told Mizuki to look underneath the underneath, and how Naruto wasn't the Kyuubi. His friend had listened, and complied; he had began to treat Naruto better, but the glint in his eyes never vanished. And now, Mizuki had to suffer because of his unfair hatred for something the boy had no control of. Iruka felt bad for the way Mizuki's life will end, but he doesn't pity the man because he had tried to reason with him, yet he didn't listen.

Mizuki's execution was probably going to happen in the next few days, and most likely it was going to be held in secret. The Hokage had made everything that happened yesterday a S-ranked secret. After all, it'd do no good if the villagers knew how Naruto didn't just learned forbidden and dangerous jutsus, but also found out about his own burden, wouldn't it? They'd probably think the 'demon brat' was rising in power and was going to unleash Kyuubi's fury upon them all, not that they don't deserve it for the horrible ways they'd been treating the boy.

Of course, due to it's being a S-ranked secret, Iruka didn't tell the class the truth about Mizuki's absence. He merely told them that the man was sick and couldn't show up today. And since all the students were most likely going to graduate today, they'd have no time to worry about their old academy instructor's well-being when they were finally ninjas.

Iruka watched as Yuri stepped into the testing room nervously. She was chewing on her lips and her body was stiff. Yuri was an average student. She could pass if she did her best. But if her anxiety distracted her, her performance would most likely be of poor quality. So Iruka did her best to sooth the girl.

"B-bunshin no jutsu!"

Poof!

Beside her appeared two clones, looking a little ashen, but they were standing firmly on the ground alright. To pass the test, the student will have to make two clones that could be useful in a battle. Yuri's clones may not be the best, but they should work.

"Congratulation, you passed."

Iruka smiled and handed her a blue headband. The girl was skipping merrily when she exited the door proudly with her headband tied on her forehead for all to see.

The testing continued. Haruno Sakura had excellent chakra control, so she passed the test easily. Uchiha Sasuke...there's nothing that needed to be said about him. Before Iruka had even written down the boy's name onto the grading sheet, Sasuke had already performed two clones wordlessly. The boy wasn't known as the Rookie of The Year for nothing.

And now, finally, it's Uzumaki Naruto's turn.

Iruka watched as the boy opened the door, closed it, and stepped in front of him, all the while bearing a serious expression.

"To pass the exam, you'll have to perform the bunshin no jutsu," Iruka explained. It's getting tiring saying the same exact sentence for over 30 times.

"Does any bunshin jutsu work?" Naruto asked. Iruka raised an eyebrow. Does the boy know any other bunshin jutsus?

"Yes, as long as you can make two workable clones, you can pass."

"Alright then!" Iruka watched as Naruto placed his hands into a cross seal. Isn't that the-! "Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu!" The boy yelled as white smoke filled the room. When it disappeared, Iruka was surrounded with over 30 Narutos, crowding in the room. Some were even standing on top of another. "So, did I pass?" All of them said at once.

"O-of course. Congratulation, Naruto, you've passed," Iruka said as the clones poof-ed out of existence, then handed the original Naruto a blue headband, but surprisingly, the boy didn't take it.

"Actually, Iruka-sensei, can I take a black one?"

"Of course." Naruto took the black headband offered to him. "But why? I thought you like blue because you were always wearing blue and orange."

"Iruka-sensei... I'm sure you know, that as an orphan, sometimes you can't refuse to do something simply because you don't like it. You have to do it, because it's your only choice." Naruto began in a sorrowful tone. His hands gripping the headband tightly. "I didn't wear this jumpsuit because I like it. It's because this is the only clothes the shop was willing to sell to me."

Iruka listened with thoughtful eyes. He thought he understood the boy, but it appeared that he hadn't looked deep enough.

"Naruto..."

"Anyway, I'm glad that I passed!" In the blink of an eye, Naruto had reverted back to his happy self. "Thank you Iruka-sensei for teaching me and being nice to me! I won't ever forget you! I hope we can meet at Ichiraku Ramen again!"

"I bet that your real thoughts! That you won't forget me merely because I buy you ramen!" Iruka yelled after Naruto as he watched Naruto jogged out the room happily.

It doesn't matter whether Naruto remembers him or not. He'd be satisfied with being the 'person who I felt happy every time I thought of him though I forgot who he is.' He just hoped that he had made a positive influence to Naruto's life.

As Naruto exited the testing room, he felt many burning gazes directed towards him. Some filled with fear and hatred, like those of two civilian women, who were most likely wondering just how powerful the 'demon brat' was now that he's a ninja. While others were filled with shocking disbelief, like the gaze of Haruno Sakura, along with her opened mouth and bulging eyes had made her look quite comically. Naruto wished he had a camera right now.

Naruto looked around, and saw Sasuke sitting on that swing underneath the tree, waiting for Naruto. He smiled when he saw the black headband on Naruto's hands. Naruto was about to walk towards him, when a familiar voice interrupted his thoughts.

"Congratulation, Naruto, for passing the exam."

He turned, and saw the Third Hokage's walking towards him, leaving behind a confused crowd of people who doesn't know why the Hokage came personally.

"Jiji!" Naruto said, surprised. He doesn't even had to fake it because he was genuinely surprised. In all the loops he'd been through, the Third Hokage had never visited him personally on the exam day. Naruto knew what had caused the change in this loop, of course. "Look! I passed! I'm a ninja now!"

Sarutobi smiled as he stared at the metal plate of the black headband that was inches away from his eyes. He quickly pushed the headband to the side, and said, "Naruto, let's go to my office. We should continue our discussion from yesterday."

"Of course! Let's go jiji!"

Naruto cheered as he followed the Hokage, leaving the academy. However, he secretly made a unique hand-sign, he'd created himself, behind his back, knowing Sasuke was watching, that gestured for Sasuke to return home and don't wait for him.

He knew this will take more than a while.