The morning sun bathed Konoha in soft golden light, casting long shadows over the village rooftops. The air was fresh, carrying the familiar scent of dew-soaked leaves and distant cooking fires. For most villagers, it was just another day.
But for Naruto Uzumaki, today was different.
Today, he was a ninja.
Naruto practically bounced down the dirt path leading back to the village, his new headband gleaming proudly on his forehead. The weight of it felt perfect—solid, like proof that he wasn't just a screw-up or some loudmouth kid.
He kept glancing at Iruka-sensei, who trudged beside him with a bandaged shoulder but a warm smile on his face.
"You sure you're okay, Iruka-sensei?" Naruto asked for the third time, his brow furrowed with concern.
Iruka chuckled softly, waving him off. "I'm fine, Naruto. Takes more than a scratch to take me down."
Naruto grinned, his energy bubbling over. "Still… you didn't have to jump in like that. I had it covered with my awesome Shadow Clones!"
Iruka's eyes softened. "I know you did. But protecting my students—that's my job." He paused, glancing at Naruto. "And now, it's yours too."
Naruto blinked, letting the words sink in. He was a shinobi now. A protector of the village. It felt… right.
As the village gates came into view, Naruto's excitement reignited. "Man, I can't wait to tell Mom! She's gonna freak out!" He paused, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Bet she'll make me a special Ramen Pizza or something."
Iruka raised an eyebrow. "Ramen… pizza?"
Naruto nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah! It's a genius idea. Combine the best of both worlds—ramen noodles as the topping, with a spicy miso sauce base. It's gonna be legendary!"
Iruka laughed, shaking his head. "Well, if anyone could make that work, it'd be you."
As they passed through the gates, villagers whispered and pointed. Naruto caught snippets of conversation—"Is that the kid who stole the scroll?" "I heard he saved Iruka-sensei!" "Maybe he's not such a troublemaker after all…"
For the first time in his life, Naruto wasn't just the loud, annoying kid. He was being noticed for something good. The warmth in his chest grew with every step.
Iruka clapped a hand on his shoulder. "Ignore them, Naruto. You've earned this moment. Let it sink in."
Naruto nodded, his grin stretching from ear to ear. But as much as he appreciated the village's attention, there was one person he couldn't wait to see.
The Arata residence stood quietly at the edge of the village, the familiar scent of herbs and baked goods wafting from the kitchen window. Naruto sprinted up the front steps, throwing the door open with a loud bang.
"Mom! I'm home!" he shouted, his voice echoing through the house.
From the kitchen, Sayuri Arata emerged, her long black hair tied back, flour dusting the front of her apron. She held a tray of freshly baked pizza in one hand, her other resting on her hip as she raised an eyebrow.
"Well, well," she said, her lips curling into a teasing smile. "Look who finally decided to show up. Let me guess—you got distracted by a bowl of ramen on the way home?"
Naruto puffed out his chest, pointing proudly at his new headband. "Nope! I was busy becoming a ninja!"
Sayuri's eyes flicked to the headband, and for a brief moment, something warm and proud flickered in her gaze. But then her smirk returned.
"A ninja, huh?" she said, setting the pizza tray on the table. "Well, I suppose even ramen-fueled shinobi need to eat. How about celebrating with a nice, hot slice of The Sage of Six Slices Special?"
Naruto groaned, flopping into a chair. "Mom, I literally just became a ninja, and you're already trying to convert me to the pizza side?"
Sayuri chuckled, ruffling his hair as she passed by. "One day, Naruto. One day, you'll see the light."
Naruto grinned up at her. "Not a chance. Ramen got me here, and ramen's gonna keep me going."
But as he bit into a celebratory bowl of instant ramen, he couldn't deny that the smell of fresh pizza was starting to grow on him—just a little.
The sun hadn't fully risen when Naruto burst into the Academy the next day, his headband gleaming under the early light. He strutted into the classroom with all the confidence of someone who'd just saved the world—or at least saved his reputation.
His classmates glanced up, some with surprise, others with curiosity. But Naruto's eyes immediately found Raven Kamizuki, lounging in her usual seat by the window, her violet eyes gleaming with mischief.
"Well, well," she drawled as he approached. "Look who finally made it to class without oversleeping. Did ramen give you superpowers, or did you finally realize pizza is the true source of all strength?"
Naruto groaned, dropping into the seat next to her. "Oh, come on, Raven. You're really gonna start this now?"
Raven smirked. "What can I say? I'm just here to keep you humble."
Naruto shot her a defiant look. "I don't need pizza to be humble. I've got Shadow Clones for that."
The two of them shared a brief moment of laughter, the playful banter masking the deeper connection neither of them fully acknowledged. But beneath Raven's teasing, there was a quiet pride swelling in her chest. She'd watched Naruto grow, stumble, and rise again—and she knew this was just the beginning.
The classroom quieted as Iruka-sensei entered, his arm still bandaged from the night before but his eyes bright with pride.
"Congratulations, everyone," he said, his voice carrying a warmth that filled the room. "You're all officially genin now. But your journey is just beginning."
Naruto straightened in his seat, his heart pounding with excitement. This is it. The next step.
Iruka scanned the room, then continued. "Today, you'll be assigned to your squads. These teams will be your partners for missions, training, and—if you're lucky—lifelong bonds."
Naruto's heart leapt. Please, please let me be on Sakura's team. Anyone but Sasuke…
Iruka began reading names, the tension in the room growing with each announcement. Finally, he reached the one Naruto had been waiting for.
"Team 7 will consist of Sasuke Uchiha…"
Naruto groaned internally but held his breath.
"…Sakura Haruno…"
A triumphant grin spread across Naruto's face as he shot a glance at Sakura, who, of course, only had eyes for Sasuke.
"…Naruto Uzumaki…"
"Yes!" Naruto pumped his fist in the air.
"…and Raven Kamizuki."
Naruto froze mid-celebration, his mouth hanging open. "Wait, what?!"
Raven leaned over, her grin widening. "Looks like we're teammates, ramen boy."
Naruto slumped in his seat, groaning. "Great. Just great."
Later that afternoon, Team 7 gathered on the rooftop for their first official meeting. Kakashi Hatake, their jonin instructor, arrived fashionably late, his nose buried in his ever-present orange book.
He glanced at them lazily. "You're an interesting bunch."
Naruto bounced in place, eager to impress. "I'm Naruto Uzumaki! I'm gonna be the Hokage one day, believe it!"
Sakura introduced herself next, her voice sweet but her eyes glued to Sasuke.
Sasuke gave his usual brooding, one-word introduction, and then it was Raven's turn.
She leaned back, her voice smooth and confident. "Raven Kamizuki. I like good pizza, strong jutsu, and teasing certain teammates about their questionable taste in food."
Naruto groaned. "You're never gonna let that go, are you?"
Raven winked. "Not a chance."
But before Kakashi could continue, Raven subtly pulled out a small, perfectly folded pizza slice from her pouch and slipped it into Kakashi's book when he wasn't looking.
Raven grinned, whispering to her teammates."Just a little taste of what's to come, sensei. The pranks from here on out? They're gonna be legendary."
Naruto's eyes lit up like fireworks. "Oh man, pizza pranks? That's genius!" He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I could totally pull off some ramen pranks on Kakashi-sensei too…"
But then his excitement faltered, and he shuddered at a thought. What if I pranked Mom?
The idea alone sent a chill down his spine. Sayuri was fun, sure—but when she was mad? That was a different story.
Naruto quickly shook his head. "Nope. Only other people can be pranked. Never Mom."
Raven chuckled softly, watching Naruto's reaction with amusement. Smart kid, she thought. Even Shadow Clones wouldn't save him from that.
And she would be there, every step of the way—guiding him, teasing him, and maybe, just maybe, converting him to the glory of pizza.
"One day, Naruto," she thought, her lips curling into a soft smile. "You'll realize the truth—about yourself, about me… and about pizza."
All four of them watched Kakashi to see how he would react to Ravens prank.
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