Naruto: I, who fooled the ninja world, was hailed as a savior.

Chapter 212 Naruto and Sasuke's Gradual Reversal
The night sky had not yet completely faded.

A thin, hazy morning light quietly emerged, tinging the night with a deep blue hue.

In the bedroom, Naruto Uzumaki lay sprawled on the bed, wrapped in a blanket, a silly, unguarded smile on his lips, emitting soft, even snores.

Just then, on the bedside table, a simple alarm clock clicked, its hands precisely jumping to 5:30.

Ring ring! Ring ring!

The deafening, piercing ringing of the bell abruptly shattered the tranquility of the early morning!
Naruto was abruptly dragged from his sweet dream, and sat up abruptly. He looked around the still dimly lit room in a daze, and then turned to look out the window.

The sky outside the window was still hazy; it was still some time before dawn.

"Well……"

Seeing this, Naruto covered his face and said in a mournful voice, "What's going on? Why are you up so early on the weekend..."

I studied until very late in the sealed space yesterday, and now, a strong wave of drowsiness is washing over me again.

Naruto let himself fall back onto the bed like half a piece of pork, and was embraced by the soft, warm blankets.

"call!"

Naruto let out a satisfied sigh, his eyelids, which seemed to be filled with lead, slowly closed, ready to immediately drift off into the gentle embrace of a second nap.

However, just as his consciousness was about to drift back into sleep.

"Kid." Kurama's deep voice suddenly rang out in the depths of Naruto's mind, slowly saying, "Use your pig brain and think carefully about what day of the week it is today."

"..."

Naruto suddenly opened his eyes wide and sprang up from the bed with a "whoosh," the movement so forceful that it even created a gust of wind.

But his toes slammed hard against the hard edge of the bed, and a piercing pain shot from his toes to the top of his head.

"Hah!"

Naruto gasped instantly, clutching his unfortunate toe with both hands, his face contorted in pain, hissing and gasping for air.

In the shadows beside his bed, a slender cat eye slowly opened, looked up and saw Naruto's foolish appearance, and a human-like disdain appeared in the cat eye.

"It hurts, it hurts, it hurts! I'm going to die, I'm going to die..."

Naruto mumbled incoherently, and as soon as the excruciating pain subsided slightly, he jumped off the bed and shouted, "Monday, Monday, today is Monday!"

Today is the first day of the new semester, and we'll be assigned to new grades and new classes.

He didn't even bother to put on slippers, and went barefoot on the cold floor into the bathroom.

A moment later, a lithe black figure followed behind him, taking light, lazy cat-like steps, tugging at Naruto's slippers as it slowly walked into the washroom.

It was a black cat with jet-black fur and glossy coat. With a light leap, it jumped onto the edge of the sink and sat down steadily, looking at Naruto.

"Glug glug glug—Pfft!"

Naruto spat out the toothpaste foam, looked down at the slippers at his feet after seeing the black cat, put them on, and then grinned at the black cat, saying, "Thank you, Blackie!"

This cat is very special; it is entirely black without a single stray hair.

Only on his left eye, there was a hideous scar running vertically through his tightly closed eyelid, as if it had been slashed by a cat's claws, clearly indicating that he was blind.

It stared intently at Naruto with its only remaining amber-colored right eye, its gaze unwavering and scrutinizing.

The one-eyed black cat that Naruto named "Kuro" was an "accident".

One morning a few months ago, Naruto had just opened his door when a dark figure darted in from beside his feet and brazenly took over the most comfortable spot on the sofa.
No matter how Naruto coaxed or chased him away, he stubbornly refused to leave, acting as if "this place is now my territory."

In the past, Naruto himself often went hungry, so there was absolutely no way he would have taken in this "uninvited guest".

However, ever since he met Hiruzen Sarutobi, the so-called subsidy gold has been in his hands. Although it's not very rich, it's more than enough to support himself and a cat.

So, Naruto softened and kept it.

But he later discovered that the cat was incredibly smart. It would go outside to use the litter box and hunt for food by itself every day, and it would come back to sleep on time every night, so he didn't have to worry about it at all.

Sometimes, when Naruto does something stupid like he did just now, it will lie in its cat bed and look over with a human-like look of disdain in its eyes.

Naruto didn't care at all; he had long since gotten used to its presence.

Naruto quickly finished washing up, went to the kitchen, stood on a small stool, and began to work clumsily but earnestly.

Chop vegetables, crack eggs, turn on the stove...

sizzle.

The eggs sizzled enticingly in the pan, releasing a delightful aroma.

The black cat jumped onto the cabinet next to it, looking down at Naruto's busy figure, its tail swishing leisurely.

Although the movements are still a bit clumsy, it's much better than the initial chaos and near-burning down of the kitchen.

Naruto doesn't know how to cook. Even if he has extra money and restaurants refuse to serve him, he has no intention of cooking for himself. He just buys instant ramen and other food.

One day, during a class in the sealed space, the 'teacher' suddenly said that eating ramen all the time is unhealthy and not suitable for human growth, and that you need to learn to cook for yourself.

So Naruto started learning to cook for himself, and now he makes simple dishes.

Fried eggs, toast, miso soup, or simple rice balls...

Although they were all simple things, Naruto had a huge appetite.

After eating the equivalent of three normal adult men's meals, Naruto returned to his room to change. He stood in front of the full-length mirror, carefully looking at himself.

Wearing a short, white-on-the-outside, red-on-the-inside stand-up collar coat with clearly defined shoulder lines and fitted cuffs, she looked clean and sharp. The sleeves were embroidered with the red spiral family crest of the "Whirlpool Clan," and the front of the coat was open, revealing the white lining underneath.

A pair of loose-fitting black capri pants, tapered at the knees, revealing a section of calves clad in dark red ninja leggings.

He wore a pair of black ninja shoes with slightly high ankles, and a wide belt around his waist with a metal buckle in the center.

"Teacher, big fox, is this outfit okay?" Naruto asked tentatively in his mind.

The teacher made him change into these clothes as well.

He has completely said goodbye to those faded, garish yellow coats he used to wear.

"Hmm," Yun's calm voice rang out.

"Nonsense, the old man and I picked out the clothes for you." Nine-Tails' words were still sharp. "It's impossible for them to be uglier than that yellow outfit you wore before."

Naruto in the mirror was still somewhat thin, but he was much more upright than before, and his brows were less somber than they used to be.

He casually ruffled his slightly long, tousled blond hair a few times. Although it was still a bit messy, it looked much better than his previous "hedgehog" hairstyle.

However, the six lines on his tender little face, resembling a cat's whiskers, were still clearly visible.

"Okay! Let's go!"

Naruto grinned at his reflection in the mirror, picked up the prepared lunchbox from the table, and took one last look at Kuro, who had already jumped back into its cat bed, curled up in a ball, and closed its eyes to rest.

"I'm leaving, Xiao Hei!" he shouted, and without waiting for Xiao Hei to respond, he yanked open the door.

The pale blue sky in the distance had been tinged with a warm golden edge, and the golden light pierced through the morning mist, coating the whole world with a warm halo.

Naruto Uzumaki took a deep breath and ran towards the Ninja Academy, bathed in the bright morning light.

Inside the closed door behind them, the black cat curled up in its cat bed opened its eyes.

This time, it wasn't just one pupil, but two. One was a vertical pupil as clear as amber, the other a strange, entirely white pupil.

Without a doubt, this was the cat that lured Hiruzen Sarutobi to witness the scene by using the white snake's corpse when Hyuga Kumokawa was deceiving Orochimaru into conducting experiments.

The true owner of this cat is none other than Hinata Kumokawa.

That 'blind' eye was, of course, a real white eye.

------

The gentle morning light shines on the gates of the ninja academy.

At the start of the new school year, the school gate was bustling with activity, filled with the noise of children and the admonitions of parents, a scene full of vitality.

Naruto Uzumaki jogged to the school gate, a habitual sunny smile on his face.

However, just as he stepped into the relatively crowded area near the school gate...

The parents, who had been smiling and exchanging pleasantries, all turned their attention to Naruto, focusing on the six clearly visible lines on his face...

The smiles on their faces froze and stiffened instantly, then quickly faded, replaced by a complex expression of wariness and alienation.

The originally noisy and chaotic sound suddenly decreased by several decibels.

The parents who had been chatting together nearby stopped talking in unison and subtly turned to the side, blocking their child's view.

Then, they moved a few steps to the side with the child, creating a no-man's-land around Naruto.

Although children are naive, they are most sensitive to their parents' behavior and can detect sudden changes in their parents' emotions.

Some children looked confused, some looked at Naruto curiously but their view was blocked and they were whispered instructions, while others subconsciously imitated their parents' vigilance and rejection.

Naruto's smile flickered slightly before fading away.

He knew what they were talking about and what they were doing.

It's basically saying things like "Don't go near that child," "He's dangerous," "Stay away from him"...

At the time, Hiruzen Sarutobi had indeed refuted the rumors, telling the villagers that Naruto was not a monster and that they did not need to fear or reject him, and strictly forbade them from spreading the rumors again.

He even invited Naruto to school, hoping he could make friends, and Naruto excitedly agreed.

Naruto still remembers that morning on his first day of school. He was wearing brand new clothes and ran into the school and classroom with unprecedented excitement and anticipation.

He thought everything was different now.

However, the villagers did stop slandering him; they changed their approach, adopting a more thorough and indifferent attitude.

— Ignore it.

No matter how hard he tries to get close or how much he longs to fit in, the moment he appears, the lively conversation cools down instantly, the laughter stops abruptly, and then everyone disperses and leaves.

In the end, he was left alone, standing in the suddenly quiet, empty space.

Clearly, his situation in Konoha did not improve fundamentally; in fact, it became even more awkward due to Hiruzen Sarutobi's intervention.

He went from being a "monster" that everyone hated to a "trouble" that everyone wanted to avoid.

Not only in the eyes of those ignorant villagers, but even in the eyes of those knowledgeable ninjas, Naruto, as a Jinchūriki, was a "troublesome" person.

Their children are the same, naturally.

Influenced and instructed by his parents, and in that silent yet omnipresent atmosphere of rejection, no one was willing to get close to him, let alone be his friend.

However, after a while, seeing this scene again...

The grievances that Naruto had once felt so intense now only caused a ripple before subsiding.

He's used to it.

Or rather, he no longer cares.

Because, as he read in the book, "If no one is willing to understand the truth, then even if the truth is sown on the streets, not a single one will sprout or blossom."

Because, as his teacher had told him, "People are foolish only because of fear, and people are fearful only because of ignorance."

“Ignorance does not remove them from sloth; it only plunges them into sloth, corrupts them, makes them cowardly, and makes them more foolish, fearful, and ignorant.”

Therefore, you only need to care about those who care about you as well, and accept those who are willing to accept you as well.

Thinking of this, Naruto Uzumaki took a deep breath, the cool morning air filling his lungs, carrying a hint of fresh grass and trees.

The turmoil in his heart completely subsided, and the smile on his face, though fading, did not disappear; instead, it settled into a more resilient smile.

He ignored the evasive gazes and the silence that had been created because of him, and walked straight into the school gate.

Naruto walked into the school building and through the corridor, searching for the classroom door number of his new class. He finally stopped outside a classroom.

Click.

Many students had already arrived in the classroom. They gathered in twos and threes, excitedly discussing the start of the new semester and getting to know each other without any formality.

A new semester, new teachers, new classmates...

A fresh and curious atmosphere filled the air.

However, the moment Naruto pushed open the door and entered, the previously noisy classroom suddenly fell silent, and dozens of eyes turned to him.

He habitually walked to the back of the classroom and chose a seat by the window.

This location offers a wide view, is relatively quiet, and, more importantly, is further away from crowds.

After sitting down, Naruto lowered his eyes slightly, as if waiting for some expected reaction.

However, nothing happened.

The silence in the classroom lasted only a very brief few seconds.

The noise, which had subsided, surged back up like waves after the tide had receded, even more intensely than before.

The students continued their conversation, discussing their holiday fun, their expectations for the new semester, and who their new teachers would be...

Occasionally, a few curious glances would fall upon him, but they would quickly look away and continue their conversation, as if his appearance was just an insignificant interlude.

Some people even came over on their own initiative.

A black-haired boy wearing a dark purple stand-up collar short-sleeved jacket with a round fan emblem embroidered on the back.

All the girls in the classroom followed his figure, watching him walk up to Naruto and stop.

Then, to Naruto's slightly astonished gaze, Sasuke's lips slowly curled upwards, revealing a gentle, friendly, and even slightly boyish sunny smile.

"Hello."

Sasuke's voice was clear and pleasant, carrying a sincere kindness: "I am Uchiha Sasuke, and we will be classmates from now on."

"I want to get to know everyone in the class, so I'd like to ask, what's your name?"

Naruto Uzumaki was momentarily stunned when he saw Sasuke Uchiha standing before him.

Not only him, but also Otsutsuki Kumoshiki, who was inside the sealed space, opened his eyes at this moment.

(This is a chapter of over 4,000 words. There will be another chapter today, a little later, lol)

(End of this chapter)