6 Preparation

Today is the day that Naruto steals the Forbidden Scroll of something. I don't exactly know what's in that scroll aside from the Shadow Clone Jutsu or Kage Bunshin No Jutsu as they say it.

But even so, I know that there has to be multiple useful Jutsus in there for me.

I need that Scroll if I need to make it up in life, so I'm not helping Naruto here. Well, I'm more or so aiding him here.

But I've wondered how to steal or copy the contents from it for the past few months. I don't think Naruto had it for that long. Then while I was thinking about it, I saw an unbelievable scene. I saw a camera in use. Not a modern one, more like an old-timey one, still it was a camera.

I sometimes forget how advanced the technology is here. Which is weird, I've seen things from televisions to securuty cameras but everything is so old fashioned.

Besides the point, so I get myself a camera, it was way on the bigger side but it was a camera nonetheless. Dammit, there goes the allowance I was saving up for the past few years, why is this thing so expensive.

I'm going to plant the camera nearby along with a few lamps for light. It was a somewhat good plan.

I already used it to take photos at night with the help of the lamps, it came out pretty good so, it shouldn't be a problem for me.

Now all I need to do is follow Naruto and get the scroll from him. It shouldn't take more than a few minutes to take the picture.

I need to be careful though, If I get caught, I'll probably under surveillance or even get executed however unlikely that may be.

I remember bits and pieces of the event but it has gotten blurry. I wrote down everything I remember and burned it. I did it, again and again, to familiarize myself with how everything turned out.

"Hey Hiro, you okay? You've been out of it for a while now"

"Hmm? Oh yeah, I'm just thinking here"

"Heh, yeah I kinda get it too, I'm pretty nervous too," Naruto responds with his trademark goofy smile.

"Also I got ramen with Iruka sensei yesterday night, isn't that cool heh?"

"Woah really, did you get some insider info or something on the test?" I smile as I make up some filler response.

"Hah, I wish, anyway as I was saying..."

"..."

"Well I guess I'll talk to you later, it seems like you have a lot on your mind"

Huh, he must have sensed how out of it I was, he's pretty sensitive to these things sometimes, must be from all the cold shoulder he gets.

"Nah, I was just thinking about this comic I was reading, imagine this right?"

"Huh, I never saw you read anything tho?, I'm kind of surprised" he says with a dumb smile on his face".

Heh, I can see through his rose of trying to break my perceived nervousness.

Well I am nervous but not from the test.

"Well I do have hobbies thank you, anyways as I was saying, the main character lost an important piece of document while he was hiding from enemies, hah, If it was me, I would have totally hidden it nearby."

"Huh, why would you do that?" he asks with a questioning look on his face.

He's actually considering the question, good.

"Because I could rest freely knowing that even if I fail, the enemy doesn't get it like a real shinobi, duh idiot".

That seems to rile him up, good. But it seems like he's not as nervous before.

Anyway, it seems like the graduation exam is starting now, they started calling names already.

Naruto reaches out to me and say with a sheepish smile. "Hey, what was the exam again? Sorry I didn't manage to catch it"

"Really?" How is this idiot gonna pass at this rate?

"It's the Clone Technique, didn't you hear it?."

"Ah no, my worst technique" I can almost see him transform into a puddle haha.

Ah, well it is what it is but it's kind of fun knowing how things are going to turn out in the end. Now that I think about it, I should try a bit more for the graduation, you know for the fun of it and for good luck for the future.

Spoiling myself a bit ya know? I too need some encouragement here and then, I deserve it after all the training I did.

"Hiro"

Ah, it seems like it's already my turn. I turn back to Naruto and say our usual spiel.

"Well wish me luck then."

He responds with a weak smile. "Heh, you're gonna need it, you're almost bad as me"

I smirk on the inside knowing how truly good I am while keeping my outer facade up.

"No way, I'm way better than you, dumbass" Naruto gives me a middle finger in response.

Man, what a child, though I guess I'm not much better considering I'm humoring him too.

As I enter the other room, I see my two teachers, Iruka sensei, and Mizuki "sensei".

"Good evening, teacher"

"Good evening Hiro, now please show us your Clone Technique, please. You'll pass if you have three or more clones." says the traitor with a sweet smile.

"Okay!" I respond with enthusiasm I really didn't have, but I really wanna punch his smug face but I can't do something that rash...yet.

"Clone Technique!!"

Man, it's really embarrassing shouting it out loud like that but it's "When in Rome" kind of deal, it also helps you cast the jutsu for some reason, probably visualization.

Iruka sensei and Mizuki both seem surprised, after all, my expertise in Ninjutsu is just barely above Naruto's. In their mind, my specialty is Taijutsu.

"Pass, Four clones... impressive Hiro. You must have practiced hard for today" Iruka sensei responds as he gave me my headband with a smile.

"Haha, it's nothing. It was easy" I copy Naruto's goofy smile.

"No no, it must have taken the effort to reach this level from your previous ones" The snake casually smiles. Man, he has a really punchable face.

Heh, slimy fucker.

"Well, congrats on becoming a shinobi, Hiro," Iruka says as he shakes my hands. If I were a kid, it would have made me feel like an adult heh.

"I won't let you down Sensei!" I'm gonna do much worse.

-----------------------

But it seems like someone else let Sensei down huh, after I wait outside for a while, Naruto comes out with a dejected face. Guess failure hit him hard.

"Hey Hiro, you wanna go celebrate?" one of my cannon fodder classmates comes up to me. Now that I'm in the big leagues, I can't pass my time with these nobodies so I'll have to say n-

"My mom said that I can brin- Huh? What is it, mom? Wait for what? Uhh, I guess you can't come, sorry Hiro. So maybe later okay"

"..."

Heh, it seems like fooling around with Naruto has finally excluded me from the social norm. Well, they already did their purpose which was to act as a smokescreen for me. It should be okay to ignore them now but man it kind of stings huh. And to think he lives like this for his entire life, yikes.

Speaking of Naruto, he's at the famous sad swing with that lonely look in his eyes. What a legendary scene though, I can already sense the flashbacks, hah.

I can't approach him today though, no matter how sad he looks right now.

Sorry Naruto, It's for the greater good, I promise you.

And with a hypocritical line, I leave a sad Naruto to his loneliness and watch him from afar, waiting for my "sensei" to approach him.

"..."

Wait, I wonder if I'll show up in a flashback? Is someone going to watch or read this?

Is there gonna be a copy of Naruto with a messed up side character somewhere?

This just opened a can of worms, I need answe-