Chapter 18: Teacher and Student

The semester ended swiftly.
After the final closing ceremony of the term, the students all left the school cheerfully.
Only Naruto remained in the classroom, cleaning up.
Of course, it wasn’t out of punishment; Naruto simply had plans with friends. Cleaning was just something he did in passing—he only needed to unleash his steam-powered machine legion, after all.
Although Naruto rather wanted to become the ringleader of the class, his special status meant he inevitably faced a cold shoulder.
Most of the children weren’t from ninja families, and even many who were didn’t necessarily hail from renowned clans.
These children, influenced by their households, kept their distance from Naruto.
Still, Naruto wasn’t completely friendless.
For instance, the famed trio of the Ino-Shika-Cho formation—Ino Yamanaka, Choji Akimichi, and Shikamaru Nara—had quite a good relationship with him.
There was also Hinata Hyuga, who eventually became his friend as well.
Of all these friends, the one who gave Naruto the most headaches was Kiba Inuzuka.
Kiba had a boisterous, competitive nature.
Naruto didn’t take his studies particularly seriously—after all, with his adult mind, it would be embarrassing to compete with children so earnestly.
But Kiba didn’t care about that.
He only knew that Naruto was outstanding and attention-grabbing, so he was constantly challenging Naruto, always seeking to prove himself.
There was another slightly troublesome friend: Shino Aburame, from the Aburame clan.
Shino was a peculiar child. He yearned for others’ attention, yet his presence was so faint that people often overlooked him without meaning to.
Naruto suspected it might even be intentional.
The Aburames faced similar awkwardness as Naruto.
Their secret clan technique involved manipulating special insects, and as their chakra increased, they had to cultivate these insects within their bodies as hosts.
Many people were wary of associating with the Aburame clan, afraid of being cursed or manipulated.
However, Naruto discovered that, while the family’s presence was subtle and their demeanor seemed indifferent, they were actually warm and hospitable.
He’d visited the Aburame estate and received a hearty welcome, even tasting their homemade honey and mushrooms.
Among all the heirs to these ninja families, the one Naruto could never quite get through to was Sasuke Uchiha.

Sasuke Uchiha was the second son of the Uchiha clan leader’s family.
This child was even more competitive than Kiba, though not as overtly enthusiastic; instead, he would fix Naruto with a resentful stare, as if Naruto had stolen his favorite toy.
Naruto had tried to talk with Sasuke, but Sasuke would just silently gaze at him, listening to Naruto’s chatter without a word.
In short, Naruto had no idea what Sasuke was thinking.
But the boy seemed to adore his older brother.
Whenever Naruto saw Sasuke’s brother picking him up at the school gates, Sasuke would instantly come alive, turning back into an animated child.
What perplexed Naruto was that Sasuke’s brother seemed reluctant for Sasuke to get close to him, for reasons unknown.
Sasuke’s parents, on the other hand, were warm and welcoming.
Once, when Sasuke’s brother didn’t come, his parents came to fetch him, greeting Naruto with friendly smiles.
Sasuke’s mother even patted Naruto’s head kindly, gave him a hug, and said some encouraging words, hoping the two boys would get along.
Though Naruto didn’t know the reason, he could sense a genuine warmth and affection from the couple.
“Sorry to keep you waiting, Naruto.”
Iruka knocked on the doorframe, appearing at the classroom entrance.
“The meeting ran long today—the Hokage was in high spirits.”
“But at least it’s the start of vacation now, so being busy isn’t so bad.”
Naruto shrugged and sighed,
“Well, who knows where those bigwigs get all their nonsense from. They talk for hours, and it’s us little pawns who pay the price.”
Iruka rapped Naruto’s head lightly,
“Forgot what I taught you in intelligence class again, haven’t you? What did I say? When you’re not sure if there are eavesdroppers, don’t speak so frankly. Be careful, or you’ll get in trouble.”
Naruto grinned, “It’s fine! I already scanned the area with my sensing technique—there’s no one within three floors of the building but us, so it’s all right.”
Iruka looked envious. “That’s the Uzumaki clan’s Mind’s Eye of Kagura, right? I really envy that… Come on, I’ll treat you to one last meal before vacation. Let’s go to Ichiraku Ramen!”
“Great!”
As a teacher, Iruka was undoubtedly dedicated.
Though he harbored a grudge against the Nine-Tails sealed inside Naruto, he made a conscious effort to suppress his resentment, treating Naruto just as he did any other student.
To Iruka, both he and Naruto were orphans who lost their parents young, both having tasted the bitterness of solitude.

But Naruto’s loneliness ran even deeper; at least Iruka, as a child, had neighbors and his parents’ friends to care for him.
Naruto, meanwhile, had to endure the village’s cold indifference.
It was bad enough that Naruto had lost his parents and become a weapon—subjecting him to emotional isolation was simply unjust.
So Iruka tried to conquer his hatred and fear, reaching out to Naruto and offering him kindness.
“Naruto, I know your circumstances are a bit unusual,”
Iruka had once said, “You’re just a child, so some things might be inconvenient. If you ever need help, just tell me. I’ll do my best to help you.”
“Thank you, Iruka-sensei,”
Naruto had replied with a bright smile. “I won’t stand on ceremony with you!”
Since then, Iruka and Naruto had grown close.
Iruka had also learned a few of Naruto’s little secrets—
For example, Naruto had already mastered quite a few advanced ninja techniques and was well-versed in complex shinobi knowledge.
Yet he still attended class diligently and completed his assignments.
Iruka had expected Naruto, as a neglected orphan, to cause even more mischief than he had as a child, trying to draw attention to himself.
But Naruto did nothing of the sort; he simply interacted with everyone in a calm, ordinary way.
Moreover, Iruka found Naruto to be as warm as the blazing sun.
His kindness was returned with Naruto’s own exuberant goodwill.
By now, Iruka had completely let down his guard.
He had come to accept a truth at last: Naruto was Naruto, and the Nine-Tails was the Nine-Tails.
At Ichiraku Ramen, under the kindly gaze of the owner, the teacher and student slurped their noodles together.
“Naruto, your skills are impressive—and your strength is considerable. At least in terms of being a ninja, you’re probably better than I am. You could easily be a Special Jonin, couldn’t you?”
Iruka asked, mouth full, “So why are you wasting time at school? Wouldn’t it be better to just become a ninja and earn a living?”