Naruto silently observed those with whom he would spend the next five years at the Shinobi Academy. They made noise, discussed things, and laughed… One boy with red markings on his face even managed to pick a fight, clearly demanding a brawl. The new social circle was actively forming connections, while the blond was one of the few who remained an outside observer for now.
Some were shy, others disliked the noise, and some were afraid. Naruto simply wasn't interested—at least for now, he could focus on learning and gaining knowledge. That was why he was here at the Academy, and socializing came second. It was hard to make friends when people preferred to quietly hate you… But a child's soul gladly welcomes new experiences, unlike an adult's, so the King believed not all was lost yet.
One overly serious-looking boy was surrounded by a crowd of girls who chattered incessantly. This was Uchiha Sasuke, so Naruto wasn't even surprised. It was said that among young women and little girls, men from the Uchiha clan were often popular. This was just another confirmation.
"Silence! Silence in the classroom!"
The man who entered immediately raised his voice and demanded the children quiet down. With a scar on his nose, a stern expression, and a book under his arm, he gave the impression of a strict, possibly even rude teacher. But once the children fell silent, he scanned the room once more, closed his eyes, sighed tiredly, and his face smoothed out. He no longer frowned.
"I will be one of your teachers for the next five years, which you will spend at the Shinobi Academy," he introduced himself, a welcoming smile appearing on his lips as he took a few seconds to look at each student individually. "My name is Umino Iruka, and I'll be happy to spend this time with you, kids!"
The only one the teacher's gaze lingered on slightly longer than the others was Naruto. The King barely narrowed his eyes.
"Yes, sensei!" The classroom filled with noise again as the children shouted over each other.
But this time, Iruka only smiled faintly in amusement.
"Alright, kids, let's start today by introducing ourselves! Everyone, come down to the blackboard and give a short introduction!" His mood visibly improved when the children responded so warmly. "I'm Umino Iruka—but you already know that—and I like ramen. My dream is to raise the next generation of Leaf shinobi into worthy people! I don't like irresponsible and lazy individuals."
The children whispered among themselves, quietly discussing their new teacher, but no one challenged his authority yet. This was very good—the man hadn't lost hope that his first teaching experience would be successful.
"Then the first to come to the board will be…"
Naruto left the Academy at a leisurely pace. Nothing particularly noteworthy had happened today—none of them had even demonstrated their potential as future shinobi. Today was just about introductions and nothing more. Uzumaki had taken note of those worth paying attention to, whose skills might prove useful to learn from. For example, his class included many descendants of Konoha's clans, which meant he could pick up some techniques just by observing them. Such an opportunity couldn't be missed, for the foundation of the King's power was his might.
In the past, that might had been guaranteed by his absolute physiological superiority over any other biological species in the world. Strength, speed, durability, survivability, the volume and potency of his aura—in all these aspects, he had no equal. The only area where humans could compete with him was intellect. And even then, only in certain aspects and fields.
However, the only thing that remained from his former greatness was that same intellect. The invulnerability and incredible physical capabilities of the Chimera Ant King were no longer with him. This… wasn't ideal, but it could have been worse. Had he not regained his self-awareness, or had the human brain limited his cognitive potential, things could have been truly dire. For now, Naruto saw nothing irreparable.
Uzumaki clenched his fist, watching attentively as the undeveloped muscles of a child's body contracted beneath the skin. It amazed him that such potential could exist within such a fragile human form. After all, Komugi had remained an insurmountable wall for him when it came to Gungi. Or that old man with the golden-armed statue of Buddha behind him, whose hand speed had been beyond even his reach.
In the end, it was arrogance—his condescending view of humanity—that had doomed the Chimera Ant King. But as it turned out, humanity hadn't even needed one percent of its effort to destroy Meruem… That explosive device detonated by the old man, which had killed the King twice, likely wasn't the only one in existence. If that was the case, then the Chimera Ants never stood a chance from the beginning.
Slowly making his way to his favorite spot by the river, Naruto unclenched his fist, and a breeze danced across his palm. Long ago, he had discovered that his chakra possessed an unusual property—it could create wind capable of cutting. This discovery had been accidental, made when the boy was mastering and modifying techniques he had seen other shinobi use, adapting them for his young body.
As Naruto later learned, this was something shinobi called an elemental affinity. There were five in total, and Uzumaki's was wind. Much of a ninja's combat potential was built upon elemental techniques. Even now, the King could tell that wind control held incredible possibilities. So far, he had created twelve original wind-style techniques, not all of which were designed for offense.
With all this… His path was only just beginning!