Chapter 349 : Naruto Passed!!
"Naruto, you're up next. Show us your Clone Jutsu."
Iruka looked at the eager Naruto and spoke in a calm but firm voice.
His heart was steady.
He knew Naruto's talent—he was good.
A little mischievous, sure, but he was confident Naruto could pass this test.
"Alright."
Naruto nodded at Genya, and his expression turned serious.
He began to channel his chakra.
From the soles of his feet, a spiral of chakra surged upward—mostly blue, but with hints of red.
It spread outward, so strong and vast that even people standing outside the classroom windows could feel its intensity.
"This chakra…"
Iruka whispered to himself, his surprised expression quickly turning solemn.
His face grew heavy with concern.
Every time he sensed this chakra, he thought of that beast—the Nine-Tails.
"This overwhelming chakra… no doubt about it—it's the fox's…"
The other proctor standing nearby sighed in amazement.
But halfway through his sentence, he realized he had spoken out of turn and immediately stopped himself.
He focused intently on Naruto's performance.
Outside the classroom, many students were peeking in through the windows.
Some were stunned.
Others acted like it was nothing special.
"Looks like… the Nine-Tails is getting along with Naruto pretty well."
Genya whispered softly to himself.
If Naruto could access the Nine-Tails' chakra, it meant the fox had accepted him—even if just a little.
That alone was halfway to mastering the role of a Jinchūriki.
If he'd been clashing with the Nine-Tails, that chakra would've wrecked him from the inside.
But now—if the fox was lending him its power?
Then Naruto wasn't just a capable student…
He was a genius among geniuses.
As everyone was caught up in their own thoughts— a puff of smoke burst out, and two figures appeared beside Naruto.
It was the Shadow Clone Jutsu!
Next came the Substitution Jutsu—once again, flawlessly executed!
But then… came the third one: the Transformation Jutsu.
"Naruto, next up is your Transformation Jutsu," Iruka said calmly.
This kind of behavior was typical for Naruto, so he let him continue without fuss.
"Alrighty, Iruka-sensei!" Naruto grinned, forming hand seals with practiced ease.
Poof!
A puff of smoke filled the classroom.
When it cleared, a slim, blonde beauty stood in Naruto's place, swaying her hips seductively and oozing charm.
She even winked at Iruka and purred, "Iruka-sensei~ Did I pass~?"
Poof!
Poof!
Poof!
One of the proctors, who had just lifted a cup of water, sprayed it out in shock.
Iruka dropped his pen with a clatter, and blood spurted from his nose.
Outside the classroom, the students were equally stunned.
The girls blushed and turned their heads away bashfully—but oddly enough, it was the girls who were averting their gaze.
Shouldn't it be the guys who were embarrassed?
What are you girls looking away for?
The boys, on the other hand, responded just like Iruka—nosebleeds everywhere!
"Yep… Naruto's personality hasn't changed one bit," Genya muttered, watching the chaos unfold. He didn't even know what to say anymore.
Honestly… only Naruto could come up with something like this.
Even later, when he was fighting Kaguya, he still thought of transforming into a handsome man…
Cough cough cough
This guy, seriously...
Just as Genya was roasting him in his mind, a furious voice roared from inside the classroom.
"Naruto!!"
What followed was a full-on scolding. Iruka didn't let up for several minutes straight, while Naruto sat there, lips pouting, clearly not the least bit sorry.
He believed he wasn't wrong.
In the end, Iruka still handed the forehead protector to Naruto.
Naruto might be a little unruly, but… he could be counted on.
And in terms of strength, he had passed the test fair and square.
Hokage's Office
"How is this possible…?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen muttered under his breath as he gazed into the crystal ball.
Through it, he had been watching the Graduation exam unfold.
"It looks like… Naruto has already started tapping into the Nine-Tails' chakra."
The old man's eyes, though cloudy with age, glimmered with a hint of hope.
Since when had the Nine-Tails become so cooperative?
That question lingered in Hiruzen's eyes. Surprise had not yet faded from his expression.
"What's so bad about that?"
A low voice came from beside him.
Danzo Shimura, seated calmly, let a thin smile creep across his face.
"Haven't you been setting this up for years?" he said, his words piercing straight into Hiruzen's heart.
"A sealed Tailed Beast is nothing more than a burden. Not even useful as a proper weapon."
"But… a Tailed Beast that can be controlled—now that is a true weapon of war."
Danzo's gaze was sharp.
He had always seen through the so-called "Tailed Beasts" for what they really were.
He had never approved of Hashirama's decision to distribute the beasts among the villages.
To him, it wasn't about balance—it was about suppressing potential threats.
The Tailed Beasts…
Even someone like Kushina Uzumaki—Naruto's mother—though she could seal the Nine-Tails, she couldn't control it.
Because of the fox's wild nature, she could never truly harness its power.
In the end, the beast ran wild.
Konoha paid the price, suffering immense loss.
It had been nothing but a disaster.
Few Jinchuriki could ever actually control a Tailed Beast.
Most could only borrow bits and pieces of chakra—if the beast allowed it.
But now…
Looking at Naruto's current condition, it was clear—he had already started to meet the requirements of a true Jinchuriki.
In the future, Naruto Uzumaki could very well become a perfect Jinchuriki.
Just like Killer Bee of the Hidden Cloud.
"Heh… Naruto trusts me a lot right now."
Hiruzen's tone was calm, almost amused.
"In time, he'll become the perfect weapon."
A smile appeared on Sarutobi Hiruzen's wrinkled face.
"I will guide him," he said softly.
"Guide him to become… a perfect Jinchuriki."
"Let him become the guardian of the Sarutobi clan!"
Shimura Danzo laughed heartily and didn't say anything more.
Sarutobi Hiruzen had already planned everything in advance.
Right now, in all of Konoha, the one Naruto Uzumaki was most grateful to… was probably Sarutobi Hiruzen!
At the Ninja Academy...
The exams were still underway.
After being scolded, Naruto Uzumaki walked out of the classroom looking frustrated.
But the moment he stepped outside, his face lit up with a wide grin.
Waving the forehead protector in his hand, he shouted, "Genya, I did it! I'm a ninja now!"
"Congratulations!" Genya replied with a smile.
"Uchiha Genya," Iruka's voice called out from inside the classroom again.
Genya knew it was his turn. He nodded to Hinata and the others nearby, then turned and walked toward the classroom.
"Genya…" Naruto called after him, staring at his back.
"What is it?" Genya turned slightly, frowning.
"Do your best! Let's become ninjas together!" Naruto said again, full of spirit.
"I will." Genya answered simply and pushed the door open.
"Genya…" Hinata whispered, watching him go. Her small hands gripped the edge of her clothes tightly. Her heart was in turmoil.
Inside the classroom...
It was quiet.
Iruka looked at the student standing before him—someone he hadn't interacted with much—and felt a bit uncertain.
Still,
Since Genya had come for the exam, he had to follow procedure.
"I know your situation is a bit unique," Iruka said, "so we'll do a taijutsu test. If you can pass the taijutsu part, you can still graduate and become a Genin."
This taijutsu test was added in recent years.
Of course, only two students had ever passed purely through taijutsu—Neji Hyuga and Rock Lee.
The rest had all made it through using ninjutsu.
After all, ninjutsu was far easier to learn than taijutsu.
"No need!" Genya shook his head and looked at Iruka. "I want to take the ninja exam."
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