Naruto: Blacksmith

It was nighttime when Kuro packed his things and headed home.

The streets were as crowded as ever.

On the way, he bought some ingredients for cooking. Once home, he prepared his meal, ate in silence, and after cleaning the dishes and chopsticks, went to the dojo.

He sat quietly to let his body digest the food before beginning his swordsmanship practice.

Practicing shuriken techniques in public was fine, but swordsmanship and ninjutsu were different.

Practicing them openly could expose his fighting style, and although they were all fellow villagers, Kuro knew that complete trust was dangerous in Konoha.

There was always the risk of information falling into the hands of spies.

Under the dim light, his sword danced in the air, filling the dojo with a cutting energy.

After half an hour of practice, Kuro sheathed his sword and exhaled deeply.

Another three-meter-long mark remained on the floor.

Although slightly shorter than last night's...

Yes!

Small progress was still progress.

---

The Next Day.

Kuro woke up early as usual and followed the same routine as the day before.

School had already started, and the first week focused on history lessons.

Iruka taught about Konoha's founding, recalling the great ninjas who had made significant contributions to the village.

Although this type of class didn't directly help in becoming a ninja, it reinforced a sense of pride and belonging among the students.

After these lessons, Kuro noticed some classmates brimming with enthusiasm, proclaiming that they would become exceptional ninjas.

They certainly weren't lacking energy.

In the second week, classes began to include basic theoretical knowledge, combined with outdoor physical training in the mornings and afternoons.

By the third week, outdoor sessions increased while theoretical classes decreased. That's when they started practicing with shuriken.

Week by week, the curriculum evolved. The students, especially those without ninja family backgrounds, showed visible improvements daily.

The Ninja Academy, founded over 40 years ago by the Second Hokage, had perfected its teaching model, striking a reasonable balance between theory and practice.

However, for Kuro, these classes were pointless.

He had already mastered everything necessary to be a Genin: basic ninjutsu, combat skills, and physical condition that surpassed anyone his age.

What he truly needed was theoretical knowledge, something he couldn't gain from outdoor sessions. So, he decided to focus on his weaknesses and compensate for them.

During and after class, Kuro always had a book in hand. Sometimes it was school materials; other times, extracurricular readings from the library.

To improve his efficiency, he took advantage of one of Naruto's typical "funny" moments to obtain a strand of Sakura's hair, hoping for a specific result.

[Special Item "Study Glasses" detected.

Effect: While wearing these glasses, the user experiences a significant improvement in concentration, memory, and comprehension while studying.

Note: Use them, and you'll learn!]

The result was a pair of minimalist gold-rimmed glasses, accompanied by an elegant black case.

Very classy, very stylish.

When he put them on, Kuro, already dedicated, became even more studious.

With the glasses, concepts that once seemed complex became easy to understand, and his ability to retain information improved dramatically.

Now, Kuro was a student obsessed with learning.

He spent most of his time reading and only practiced shuriken and swordsmanship after finishing his lessons.

In no time, he gained a reputation as the school's "famous nerd," something that didn't bother him in the slightest.

...

Time passed like water, silent and inevitable.

It was June, and the scorching sun already announced the arrival of summer.

People began wearing lighter clothing, and Kuro was no exception.

He wore a white vest, military green shorts that reached his knees, and functional yet comfortable shoes. His hair was slightly longer than before, and his gold-rimmed glasses gave him an elegant yet relaxed air.

He truly looked like a nerd.

That day, class was held outdoors.

Not interested in participating, Kuro had taken refuge under the shade of a large tree with a thick book in hand, silently observing the crowd.

"Kuro!"

Iruka's shout startled him.

Kuro sighed internally.

What do they want now?

Calmly, he partially closed the book and asked, "What's up?"

Iruka appeared from the crowd, clearly annoyed.

While the others actively participated in class, Kuro seemed completely uninterested—a pattern that wasn't new.

Iruka had tried several times to talk to him about his attitude, and while Kuro always admitted his faults, he repeated the same behavior the next day.

This frustrated Iruka deeply.

At one point, he even brought it up to the Hokage, suggesting that Kuro might not be fit for the Academy. But the Hokage only smiled and said:

"Kuro will become a great ninja on his own."

Why is he so sure?

Iruka didn't understand and didn't agree. Although Kuro had good theoretical results, his attitude toward practical classes was concerning. As a ninja, Iruka knew how dangerous that path could be; strength was essential for survival.

That's why he decided to take action.

Today's plan was simple: pit Kuro against Sasuke, the best student in the class, to help him understand the importance of practice and, hopefully, change his attitude.

But once again, the boy was hiding, reading.

Does he really want to be a ninja?

Iruka frowned and raised his voice, "Kuro!"

"Here."

Kuro stood up calmly.

Iruka fixed him with a stern look. "Do you know what class this is?"

"Practice," Kuro replied honestly.

Iruka sighed in relief. At least he knows what he's doing.

"In that case, you and Sasuke will form a team to demonstrate to the class."

He turned to Sasuke, who stood among the crowd.

"Sasuke, come here."

Sasuke nodded seriously and walked to the center of the field, fixing his gaze on Kuro.

"Let's go!" Iruka instructed.

Sigh...

Kuro sighed deeply, carefully marked his place in the book with a finger, and slowly walked to the designated spot.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow, noticing that Kuro was still holding the book. "Are you really going to fight me while holding that?"

Kuro lifted the book, inserting his index finger between the pages to save his spot.

"I don't have a bookmark, and I don't want to fold the pages. If the fight is quick, I can keep reading without interruption."

Sasuke stared at him in disbelief.

"…Are you in such a hurry to get beaten?"

His gaze turned cold, but before he could say more, the girls in the class started screaming excitedly.

"Look how beautiful Sasuke's eyes are!"

"Sasuke, teach that nerd a lesson!"

"Sasuke…"

The Sasuke Protectors cheered like fangirls, while only Naruto and Ino seemed displeased with the mocking comments directed at Kuro.

Kuro, for his part, shook his head. He didn't respond to the screams or comments, but behind his glasses, his gaze grew sharper.

I don't seek trouble, but I'm not someone you can intimidate either.

________

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