CH - 330 Am I really as dumb as Mom?

As the evening sky deepened into twilight, Pakura stirred awake. Stretching with a contented sigh, she let out a slight groan, complaining softly, "You should've woken me up. I wasted so much time sleeping." She yawned as she gathered her things and leisurely began her walk home.

Akihiko watched her go, shaking his head with a faint smile. "Some people will complain no matter what you do," he muttered to himself before turning to leave as well. The days had been longer for him since Mikoto went on leave, and the mounting workload weighed heavily on his shoulders.

Kushina had, in her usual spirited way, volunteered to fill in as his secretary. While her enthusiasm was admirable, Akihiko had politely declined. With her unpredictable energy, the office would likely be in utter chaos within days.

As for his relationship with Mikoto… Akihiko paused briefly on the road, his expression softening. It wasn't something he dwelled on much—what happened had happened. It was an unplanned moment in the quiet of an evening at the office, born of mutual understanding rather than youthful passion. At their age, there was little need for drama or elaborate explanations. Life, after all, tended to unfold in its own unpredictable way.

Akihiko strolled slowly through the lively streets of Grass Village, taking in the vibrant atmosphere around him. The streets were aglow with modern ninja technology, with streetlights casting a warm, steady light that kept the village illuminated even into the late hours. In fact, the village seemed to come alive even more after dark, its energy infectious.

As he walked, a thought struck him, and he couldn't help but feel pity. Konoha had been closed for years. He couldn't help but occasionally think of Danzo. The only small solace was that he occasionally heard the news of the Third Hokage's health, mostly through Tsunade's endless string of failed box-office attempts. It seems that at least Sarutobi Hiruzen was still alive and seemingly doing well.

Speaking of Konoha, the village's ongoing isolation had sparked increasing curiosity across the ninja world. Eager to satisfy this hunger for information, a bold and seasoned reporter recently embarked on the risky mission of infiltrating Konoha to get an exclusive interview with both Danzo and the Third Hokage.

According to the report, Third Hokage, who had been enjoying his peaceful retirement, and Danzo, who had been contemplating the impermanence of life and the possible reopening of Konoha, were both completely taken aback when a mysterious white figure suddenly appeared from underground.

"How did he get in here?" Both men were baffled, as Konoha's barrier was said to be impenetrable, and no one had breached it before. The sudden appearance of the figure left them so startled that they nearly had to be hospitalized again.

This event sparked an enormous manhunt throughout Konoha, with the village going so far as to erect a stone monument outside its barrier that read: "Shinobi Times Reporters and Grass Bandits are not Allowed."

The veteran reporter barely managed to escape and deliver his story, sharing that the entire village had mobilized in pursuit. According to him, they were really serious in his pursuit, so much so that the commotion nearly led to the premature reopening of Konoha's gates.

When Akihiko heard the tale, he found himself torn between laughter and disbelief.

"These guys really have guts!" he muttered to himself with a wry smile.

Before long, Akihiko returned home, only to be greeted by the familiar sight of Kushina scolding Naruto.

Apparently, Naruto had advised Sasuke that, should he have a little sister, Kushina should not be her teacher. Naturally, Kushina overheard the remark and, in typical fashion, took it out on Naruto. As always, the kid never learned.

When Akihiko stepped in, Kushina flashed him a sheepish smile and stopped her scolding. Naruto's face was already sporting a few bruises from the reprimanding. Karin, the new little 'Habanero,' quickly stepped in with an excuse to smooth things over, blaming the whole situation on a misunderstanding.

With the situation diffused, everyone gathered around the table, and they sat down to enjoy a cheerful family dinner together.

Since Mikoto and Fuso had stepped back from work, Kushina and Kana had been helping with the household chores. Aside from that, things remained as they always had—everyone gathered together, enjoying their meal and happily chatting about their day.

Karin, Naruto, and Sasuke eagerly shared stories from the academy. With graduation approaching, both Naruto and Sasuke felt a mix of excitement and sentimentality.

One had been shunned and mistreated in Konoha, the other had faced a devastating family loss. Yet both had found a sense of belonging here in the Grass Village.

Sasuke, having received a wealth of education, now spoke about Itachi with a mix of anger and introspection. He couldn't help but mock his older brother, recalling how, "At just five years old, he really deserves all the praise as a genius with the thinking of a Hokage."

Though Sasuke's strength might not yet match Itachi's, his perspective had expanded far beyond his brother's narrow view. In his eyes, Itachi was nothing but a fool.

Anyway, both Naruto and Sasuke had spent happy years in the academy, but their one regret was the mountain of homework that awaited them after graduation.

They had briefly considered giving it to Karin as a 'gift,' but she had firmly refused, swinging her little fist in defiance.

Naruto, feeling a wave of nostalgia, couldn't help but mutter, "Karin used to be so cute... but now she's just like Mom!"

Naturally, that remark earned him another slap from his mother.

As graduation day drew nearer, both Naruto and Sasuke found themselves in a fierce rivalry for the top student title. Neither of them was willing to back down.

Though Akihiko had already sent his recommendation to Pakura, no one could predict the outcome until the final moment.

After dinner, having been scolded once again, Naruto and Sasuke retreated to their rooms to study.

At first, Sasuke was the only one seriously focused, while Naruto, true to form, was goofing off and showing little interest in studying. But as time passed, something changed. Maybe it was Sasuke's unwavering dedication, or perhaps the weight of the approaching deadline finally sank in, but Naruto eventually started to study seriously too.

Honestly, Akihiko and Kushina were just grateful to see Naruto stick with it for as long as he did.

As for studying… Well, it was only a matter of time before Naruto, after a brief burst of effort, would slump over his desk and fall asleep.

Still, despite all the mischief and laziness, it had to be said… that kid had grown a lot.

…

However, neither of them realized that Naruto's late-night study sessions had a deeper, more personal motivation.

When he found out that Aunt Mikoto was pregnant, a wave of regret swept over Naruto. He believed that his constant antics and playful behavior with his mom, along with his teasing of Uncle Akihiko, had kept them from getting closer, and as a result, he felt responsible for causing the delay in their relationship.

He kept telling himself that if things had been different, maybe his mom would have been the one to take the first step.

Sitting at his desk, surrounded by his books, Naruto muttered to himself, "It's been so long… it should be soon, right?"

He muttered excitedly to himself, but before long, the thrill faded as he stared at the test papers in front of him. The questions on the application of ninja techniques, along with the endless information he had to memorize, were starting to feel overwhelming.

"Damn it! Am I really as dumb as Mom?" he grumbled, frustration rising in his chest. Quickly, he glanced at the closed door, relieved to see it hadn't opened. He let out a sigh, thankful for the moment of peace.

He yawned and then returned his gaze to the test papers, his thoughts drifting. He actually wanted to become the top student. But, unfortunately… everyone else was just so much more talented.

Even compared to the cocky Sasuke, Naruto had to admit, when it came to studying, he was still a step behind.

As Naruto twirled his pen, his eyes wandered to the photo on his desk. A smile slowly spread across his face.

The picture had everyone in it—his mom, Uncle Akihiko, Karin, Aunt Kana, Aunt Fuso, Aunt Mikoto, and of course, the ever-arrogant Sasuke. And right in the front, grinning with a peace sign and looking all cool and confident, was Naruto himself. It was a snapshot of everyone he cared about.

Staring at the photo, his smile grew wider. "This is nice," he murmured, feeling the warmth spread through him.

He was glad he had secretly followed Grandpa Yoshinori at that time. Otherwise, he might have been hated in Konoha forever.

His thoughts shifted to an essay assigned last year, where they were asked to write about their parents. Since he didn't know much about his dad, Naruto had originally planned to write about his mom. But after some thought, he had ended up writing about Uncle Akihiko instead. The essay was titled "My Leader Uncle."

Sadly, he didn't win first place. That honor went to Black Zetsu, who had written about his mother. Zetsu had shared a poignant story about how, because of his older brother, he had never truly known his mom and had lived a life of wandering. In his eyes, though, his mom was incredibly beautiful, and the whole class—including the teacher—had been moved.

Naruto hadn't expected such a pitiful story from Black Zetsu. However, when Uncle Akihiko saw it, his expression had been strange. At the time, Naruto assumed Black Zetsu was just making things up. But when he asked Uncle Akihiko about it, Akihiko had said, "It's not exactly a lie, but it's not entirely true either!" That answer left Naruto even more confused.

"Wait! What am I thinking?" Naruto's eyes flickered from the well-placed, excellent essay titled 'My Leader Uncle' back to the test papers in front of him. "I said I was going to study seriously today. I'll show that arrogant Sasuke!"

With that, his expression shifted to one of determination as he focused back on the test papers. But before long, his face fell again. "Why is this ninja encounter problem so complicated?"

"And this damage multiplier question... Why not just ask how many times the damage is? What's with all this confusing data?" he muttered, clutching his head as he skimmed over the questions, one by one.

"Ninja technique geometry problem? Direction of the technique issue? Kunai throwing a power problem... Is this test way above my level?" His voice grew quieter with each passing complaint.

Then, with a soft thud, Naruto collapsed onto his desk, his head hitting the surface as he fell into a deep sleep.

But not long after, a strange, dimly lit space appeared in his dream. A deep voice echoed through the darkness. "Are you finally here?"

Naruto's brow furrowed in confusion. He scanned the shadowy surroundings, and his eyes widened when he noticed a strange creature behind bars, its terrifying scarlet eyes gleaming ominously in the gloom.

Flustered and confused, Naruto stumbled to his feet. "Where is this? Am I... dreaming?" he muttered, his heart racing.