Naruto: From Fake to Real, Deceiving the Ninja World.

This time, it wasn't just one eye, but two eyes wide open.

One 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)

Chapter 213 How exactly did these guys get together?

"..."

Looking into those black eyes that showed no trace of disgust or aloofness, Naruto couldn't help but feel a sense of curiosity and closeness.

Strangely enough, the recognition I once craved has now been met, and I feel surprisingly calm.

She was simply curious why Uchiha Sasuke wasn't like the others, and at the same time, she felt a slight liking for this classmate who was the first to show her kindness.

Naruto suppressed the surging emotions in his heart, and a calm smile appeared on his face.

“My name is Naruto Uzumaki.” His voice was clear and steady. “It’s nice to be your classmate, Sasuke Uchiha.”

"Just call me Sasuke, I can call you..." Sasuke's smile deepened, and he opened his mouth as if to say something else.

However, at that moment, the classroom door was pushed open again.

A young man with a scar running across his nose walked in; his gentle face carried a composure and authority characteristic of a teacher.

It was Iruka Umino.

His appearance instantly calmed the relaxed and noisy atmosphere in the classroom, and the students subconsciously returned to their seats and sat up straight.

Iruka's gaze swept steadily across the entire classroom, passing over the faces of each student, before finally settling on the blond-haired boy by the window.

"Uzumaki Naruto..."

A complex emotion flickered in the depths of his eyes—a scrutiny, a heaviness, and a suppressed, surging hatred deep within.

Although he had already learned from the Third Hokage that he would become Naruto's teacher, and was also told about Naruto's true identity and the responsibility of "properly guiding" him.

But when Iruka actually saw the child, his heart still clenched uncontrollably.

His parents died in the Nine-Tailed Fox's rampage, and the pain and despair brought by that disaster were branded deep in his memory.

And the child in front of us is the vessel that holds the "real culprit".

Even though reason tells Iruka that Naruto is just an innocent child who did nothing wrong.

But the pain and hatred that originated from the depths of his memory grew wildly and painfully in his heart like thorns, making it almost impossible for him to maintain a calm expression for a moment.

"Ok?"

Naruto, who was turning his head to look at Sasuke Uchiha, keenly noticed Iruka's gaze and looked up.

He has recently discovered that he is getting stronger and stronger, and his perception of his surroundings is becoming more acute.

Although Iruka's complex and heavy gaze lasted only a moment, it felt as if it were actually falling on him.

"This new teacher..." A strong intuition rose in Naruto's mind, "Does he hate me too?"

He sensed hatred in Iruka's eyes, but also a hint of struggle.

However, Iruka had already suppressed his complicated thoughts and put on his kind, professional smile again.

He stopped looking at Naruto, turned around and walked to the podium, picked up the chalk, and wrote his name on the blackboard in a few quick strokes.

"Hello everyone."

Iruka turned around to face the whole class, a gentle smile on his face, his voice clear and steady: "I am your teacher, Iruka Umino."

“From today onwards, I will be in charge of teaching you all.”

His gaze swept across the class again, and his tone was relaxed and infectious: "Since this is our first meeting, please come up and introduce yourselves so that everyone can get to know each other."

"You can talk about your name, things you dislike, things you like, or your future aspirations..."

He paused, looking at the students encouragingly: "So, who would like to be the first to come up and introduce themselves?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Uchiha Sasuke stood up on his own initiative.

He walked confidently to the podium, faced the whole class, and said with a smile and a clear voice: "Hello everyone, I am Uchiha Sasuke, from the Uchiha clan."

"I enjoy making friends and the feeling of working together with everyone to improve." He glanced at the audience. "I hate those self-important guys."

"And my dream is to become Hokage."

Upon hearing this, a soft murmur arose from the crowd.

Making friends is something many people enjoy, and becoming Hokage is a dream for many children in Konoha, but these words coming from the Uchiha clan...

Nara Shikamaru, who was lying on his desk, slowly raised his head and raised an eyebrow at Uchiha Sasuke on the podium.

Sasuke Uchiha paused slightly, then said frankly, "I know that everyone should know about what happened to the Uchiha clan and have heard about the Uchiha clan's past practices."

"I admit that part of the reason why the Uchiha clan has fallen to its current state is due to our own arrogance and closed-mindedness."

"So..." Sasuke's voice suddenly rose, "I hope to correct the mistakes of the Uchiha clan in the past! I also hope to become true comrades and friends with everyone!"

"I hope to gain everyone's recognition through my own efforts, become Hokage, and make the Uchiha clan great again."

"thank you all!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Uchiha Sasuke bowed slightly and stepped down from the podium.

clap clap clap!

The classroom fell into a brief silence, followed by enthusiastic and sustained applause. Many girls looked at Uchiha Sasuke with sparkling eyes.

Sasuke's honesty, self-reflection, and determination to change and integrate undoubtedly won the favor of many classmates.