Naruto: the spiral of inheritance

[abyssalmandate]

Choji had forgotten his second breakfast.

Under ordinary circumstances, this wouldn't have attracted much attention. Unfortunately, he'd spent the better part of the morning searching his bag, and Shikamaru had finally grown tired of listening to him rummage through it.

"Choji, you checked that pocket already."

"I know I packed something."

"You ate on the way here."

"That was breakfast. This is different."

Shikamaru stared at him for a moment, then returned his head to the desk. Ino offered Choji part of her rice ball, which he accepted after promising to replace it tomorrow.

Naruto laughed with the others, glad to have something other than the examination on his mind. He hadn't slept particularly well, and his breakfast had been hurried. Around him, the classroom was unusually restless. Sakura had arranged three sharpened pencils beside her notebook, Kiba was discussing the practical examination with Shino, and Sasuke appeared to be ignoring everyone.

Naruto found that last part especially irritating. He'd spent half the morning imagining his clone collapsing in front of the examiners, while Sasuke hadn't even bothered taking out his examination notice.

Iruka arrived without his usual stack of exercises. He placed a folder on the desk and waited for the conversations to die down.

"We'll finish reviewing the examination procedures this morning. After that, you're free to go. There won't be any additional assignments."

That caught everyone's attention.

Iruka went through the reporting times, the equipment they needed, and the procedures for each examination. He answered several questions before having them practise their hand seals without using chakra.

Naruto knew the sequence well enough to perform it with his eyes closed. Nevertheless, his fingers trembled during the second set, and he pressed them together harder.

"Don't force your hands," Iruka reminded the class. "You've practised these seals for years. I want you to perform them carefully, not as quickly as possible."

Naruto loosened his grip and tried again.

Near the end of the lesson, Mizuki arrived to collect the examination lists. He exchanged a few words with Iruka before wishing the students luck. Naruto grinned when the man looked in his direction, earning a friendly smile in return.

When the bell rang, nobody moved immediately.

Iruka sighed. "You're dismissed. Go home and get some rest."

The classroom emptied almost at once.

Naruto collected his belongings and joined the students heading downstairs. Sakura was walking ahead of him, carefully putting her pencils away.

"You've got enough pencils for three people," Naruto remarked.

Sakura turned. "And you only brought one. What are you going to do if it breaks?"

"I'll borrow one."

"From who?"

Naruto was about to answer when he remembered breaking his pencil yesterday. He opened his bag and checked that the replacement was still there.

Sakura laughed.

"See? You didn't even know if you had it!"

"I knew!"

"Then bring another one tomorrow."

Ino called from the stairs, and Sakura hurried to catch up with her. Naruto watched them leave before continuing toward the workshop.

School had ended earlier than usual, and he didn't feel like going straight home. He could spend some time helping Kamui with the smaller jobs, or simply sit around while Daichi complained about something Masato had done.

The workshop was closed when he arrived.

A wooden sign hung from the door, announcing that they wouldn't be opening that afternoon. Beneath it was a smaller note in Kamui's handwriting.

Naruto — We're at the river bend, west path. Come over after school. Don't bring your tools.

Naruto read the message twice.

Genzo spotted him from across the street, where he was arranging sacks beside his vegetable stall.

"They left about an hour ago. Daichi decided to take the afternoon off."

Naruto looked surprised.

"Daichi wanted a day off?"

Genzo laughed. "That's what I said. There's food waiting for you, so you'd better get moving."

Naruto needed no further encouragement.

The river bend was a short walk from the village. The water flowed around a bed of smooth stones, and several trees provided shade along the wider part of the bank.

Kamui stood near the water, searching for flat stones, while Daichi sat beneath a tree repairing a fishing line.

Naruto came down the path at a run.

"You went fishing without me!"

Kamui turned at the sound of his voice. "We left you a note."

"You could've waited!"

"Daichi wanted to get here before the afternoon was over. Come and eat something."

A cloth bundle lay beneath the tree, containing rice balls, vegetables, and a flask of tea. Naruto sat beside Daichi and began eating while watching him work.

He was still curious about the sudden holiday. Daichi rarely left the workshop before evening, especially when there were orders waiting.

"Did you finish everything?"

"The important things," Daichi answered.

"Even that cabinet?"

"Kamui and Masato finished it this morning. I checked the measurements before we left."

Naruto glanced toward Kamui, who had returned to the water.

"Then why is he throwing stones instead of fishing?"

"He's waiting for me to finish fixing the line. If you want to help, there's another rod in the bag."

Naruto considered the offer, but the flat stones caught his attention first.

He remembered their previous visit. Kamui had managed five skips with one stone, a record Naruto had been unable to beat.

After finishing his rice ball, he went down to the water and began searching for suitable stones.

His first throw sank immediately.

He tried another, adjusting his arm as Daichi had shown him before. This one skipped twice, and the next managed three.

Naruto turned toward Kamui.

"Did you see that?"

"I saw."

"I nearly got four!"

"Try releasing it a little lower."

Naruto crouched, selected another stone, and threw. It struck the water at the wrong angle, sending up a splash.

Kamui moved back to avoid the droplets.

Naruto blamed the stone and went looking for a better one.

They continued until Daichi finished repairing the fishing line. The old man joined them briefly and sent a stone skimming four times across the water, much to Naruto's annoyance.

He demonstrated the movement once more before returning to his rod.

"If you're going to keep throwing, move farther downstream. I don't want you frightening every fish in the river."

Naruto gathered several promising stones and carried them along the bank. Kamui accompanied him for a while, but the morning's work had evidently caught up with him. He eventually returned to the shade and stretched out on the grass.

When Naruto came back with another collection of stones, Kamui was asleep.

Naruto stopped beside him.

He hadn't noticed how tired Kamui looked earlier. There was sawdust caught in the seams of his trousers, and a small cut near his wrist had opened again. The breeze coming off the water had grown cooler, but Kamui didn't stir.

Naruto searched the nearby bag and found a spare jacket.

He looked toward Daichi, who was watching his fishing line.

"Can I use this?"

Daichi glanced over and nodded.

Naruto spread the jacket across Kamui's chest. Kamui shifted slightly and pulled it closer without waking.

Satisfied, Naruto returned to the riverbank and sat beside Daichi.

They remained quiet for a while. The current moved slowly past the reeds, and insects occasionally landed on the surface before taking flight again.

Naruto watched the float with growing impatience. He'd seen people fishing before, but he hadn't realised how much time they spent waiting.

"You haven't caught anything."

"Not yet."

"Maybe there aren't any fish here."

"There are. You saw some earlier."

Naruto leaned forward, searching the water. Daichi caught the back of his jacket before he could slide down the bank.

"Careful. The ground's slippery."

Naruto settled farther back, drawing his knees toward his chest.

After a while, he noticed the old man's hands resting on the rod. The knuckles were broad and marked by years of work, with several old scars that Naruto had never thought to ask about.

"Did you learn fishing before carpentry?"

Daichi glanced at him.

"My father taught me both. There was a river near our house, and he used to take me there when work was slow."

Naruto became interested. He'd heard Daichi mention his father only a handful of times.

"I was about your age when he started letting me help at the workshop," Daichi continued. "Mostly carrying things and cleaning up. I wanted to make furniture, but he wouldn't let me near the good timber."

"Why not?"

"Because I'd already spoiled enough of it."

Naruto looked at him in surprise.

Daichi chuckled.

"My first stool had four legs of different lengths. I spent two days making it, and it wouldn't stand without wobbling. My father made me take it apart and start again."

Naruto tried imagining Daichi as a boy being ordered to redo his work. He'd seen the old man make Kamui repeat measurements, but it had never occurred to him that Daichi might once have been on the receiving end.

"Did you get angry?"

"Very. Thought he'd done it just to annoy me."

"What happened?"

"I made another stool. That one stood properly."

Naruto grinned.

"Did he praise you?"

"He sat on it."

Naruto laughed. He liked the story, especially the thought of Daichi standing beside a badly made stool, waiting for his father to approve.

They continued watching the river. Daichi occasionally adjusted the rod, while Naruto searched for fish among the reeds.

Behind them, Kamui stirred.

He sat up slowly, the jacket slipping from his shoulders, and rubbed his eyes. After looking around for a moment, he reached for the tea flask.

"You've been asleep nearly an hour," Daichi told him.

Kamui glanced at the sun.

"No wonder my neck hurts."

He poured himself some tea and moved closer to the bank, still wearing the jacket Naruto had placed over him.

Naruto was about to tell him about Daichi's first stool when the fishing line jerked.

Daichi lifted the rod.

A small fish emerged from the water, twisting at the end of the line.

Naruto hurried forward, excited until he saw its size.

"That's tiny!"

Daichi carefully removed the hook and lowered the fish back into the river.

"It's too young to keep."

Naruto watched it disappear beneath the surface.

He'd been hoping for something they could cook.

Kamui took the rod next. During their previous fishing trip, he'd lost a catch and damaged the tackle, so he spent some time checking the line before casting.

Naruto settled beside him and began describing a fish he'd imagined living somewhere in the deeper part of the river. It was enormous, covered in scars, and strong enough to overturn a boat.

Kamui listened while keeping his attention on the float.

Naruto gradually added more details. The fish had sharp teeth, several smaller fish that followed it, and a habit of attacking anyone foolish enough to enter its territory.

By the time he finished, the creature had grown considerably larger than anything that could reasonably live in the river.

Daichi, resting beneath the tree, raised the brim of his hat.

"If a fish that size lived here, someone would've caught it years ago."

Naruto disagreed. The creature was clever, he explained, and wouldn't approach an ordinary fishing line.

Kamui examined the modest rod in his hands.

"In that case, we'll leave it alone."

Naruto was still explaining how he intended to catch the monster when the float suddenly moved.

Kamui lifted the rod too quickly.

The hook came out empty.

Naruto groaned and reached for it.

"Let me try! You pulled before it took the bait."

Kamui handed him the rod and moved aside.

Naruto settled at the edge of the bank, holding the handle tightly while Daichi explained how to recognise a proper bite. He watched the float until his eyes began to sting.

Unfortunately, the next movement came while he was looking toward the reeds.

He pulled too late and brought up a wet twig.

Naruto stared at it.

Kamui inspected the end of the line before taking the rod back. Daichi freed the hook and handed Naruto the twig.

Naruto carried it to the blanket and began drawing his enormous fish in the dirt. He gave it sharp teeth, a broad tail, and a scar across one eye.

Kamui joined him once Daichi had taken over the fishing again.

Naruto added a small figure beside the creature.

"That's you," he announced.

Kamui examined the drawing.

The figure was standing inside the fish's mouth.

Naruto started laughing before Kamui could say anything.

He spent some time adding details to his drawing, including a boat and a heroic figure wearing a Hokage hat. When he grew bored, he returned to skipping stones, occasionally calling Kamui over whenever he managed a particularly good throw.

The afternoon passed without anyone paying much attention to the time. Daichi caught another small fish and released it. Kamui tried fishing again, while Naruto alternated between watching the water and searching the bank for better stones.

A few people passed along the path. One shinobi recognised Daichi and stopped to ask about a table he'd ordered. Daichi told him to come by the workshop tomorrow, then returned to his fishing.

As the sun began to descend, they ate the remaining food and gathered their belongings.

Naruto sat beside Kamui, watching Daichi wind the line around the rod.

He'd barely thought about the examination all afternoon. Now that they were preparing to leave, it returned to him.

"I think I'll practise when I get home."

Kamui paused while folding the blanket.

"You've got your examination tomorrow."

"I know. I haven't tried the clone today."

"Iruka told you to rest."

Naruto pulled at a loose thread on his trousers. He'd heard the same advice several times, but that didn't make it easier to follow.

"What if I manage it tonight?"

Kamui didn't answer immediately. He finished folding the blanket and placed it in the bag.

"You've been practising for weeks, Naruto. One evening isn't going to undo all that work."

Naruto wasn't convinced. He remembered the clone collapsing in front of Iruka yesterday, its arms hanging uselessly before the whole thing folded toward the ground.

He wanted another chance to get it right before tomorrow.

Kamui sat beside him.

"Do what you think you need to. Just get some sleep afterward. I'd rather you weren't half-awake when Iruka calls your name."

Naruto nodded slowly.

He looked toward Daichi, then back at Kamui.

"You'll be at the workshop tomorrow?"

"Yeah. We've got an order to deliver in the morning, but I should be back before noon."

Naruto seemed satisfied with that.

He helped gather the empty containers while Kamui packed the fishing equipment. Daichi took the toolbox, refusing assistance until they reached the steeper part of the path, where he handed it over without comment.

They returned to the village as the evening lamps were beginning to glow.

Genzo was closing his stall when he spotted them. Naruto immediately went over to report their disappointing catch, demonstrating the size of Daichi's fish with his fingers.

Genzo laughed and offered several suggestions for their next trip. Daichi stopped to discuss bait with him, leaving Kamui and Naruto waiting nearby.

Naruto soon grew impatient. He still needed to go home and prepare dinner, and the two men seemed capable of discussing fishing for the rest of the evening.

Eventually, Daichi finished speaking with Genzo, and they continued toward Naruto's apartment.

At the familiar turn, the three stopped.

Daichi reminded Naruto to bring his examination notice and pencil. Naruto assured him that both were already in his bag.

Kamui was about to speak when Naruto interrupted.

"And I've got dinner! Rice, eggs, and cabbage. You don't have to ask me again."

Kamui smiled and adjusted the fishing rod on his shoulder.

"Then get home before it gets too late."

Naruto waved and started down the street.

He'd gone several steps before stopping and turning around.

"Kamui!"

Kamui looked back.

Naruto hesitated, shifting his bag higher on his shoulder.

"Today was fun."

Kamui's expression softened.

"We'll do it again. Maybe we'll catch something worth bringing home next time."

Naruto grinned and waved before hurrying away.

When he reached his apartment, he placed his examination notice on the shelf beside his pencil. He prepared dinner, washed the dishes, and checked his bag one last time.

Remembering Sakura's warning, he found a spare pencil in a drawer and sharpened it.

There. She wouldn't have anything to complain about tomorrow.

After changing into his sleeping clothes, Naruto stood beside the window for a while. There was enough room to practise the Clone Technique, and he could still attempt it several times before going to bed.

His fingers began forming the first seal.

He stopped halfway through.

He'd spent the entire week practising. If he started now, he'd keep going until he managed something better, and there was no telling how long that would take.

Naruto lowered his hands and climbed into bed.

Sleep didn't come immediately. He could hear someone moving furniture upstairs, and voices drifted in from the street whenever the wind changed direction.

Tomorrow, Sasuke would pass. Sakura too. Kiba would certainly make enough noise about it for the entire Academy to hear.

Naruto pulled the blanket higher.

He remembered the river, Daichi's ridiculous little fish, and Kamui falling asleep beneath the tree. There was also the enormous fish he'd drawn in the dirt. He'd forgotten to tell Lee about it. Maybe he could describe it when they met again.

His eyes drifted toward the shelf.

The examination notice lay beside two freshly sharpened pencils.

Naruto turned onto his side and closed his eyes.

He still wanted to practise, but morning would come soon enough.


Author's Note

Thanks for reading! I hope you're enjoying the story and following Kamui's journey through Konoha.

If you're enjoying Naruto: Spiral of Inheritance and would like to read ahead, you can find advance chapters on my Patreon, along with my other fanfiction projects.

Of course, there's absolutely no pressure to subscribe! Every comment, review, and bit of feedback means a lot to me and helps keep me motivated to continue writing.

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/AbyssalMandate

Thanks again for your support, and I'll see you in the next chapter!

 

[abyssalmandate]

The chair really did wobble.

Naruto discovered this shortly after sitting down for the written examination. One of its legs was shorter than the others, exactly as he remembered. He considered raising his hand, but the thought of Kiba finding out he'd complained about a chair on examination day made him reconsider.

He shifted his weight until the wobbling stopped.

The classroom smelled of ink and freshly sharpened pencils. Iruka stood at the front checking names while another instructor distributed the examination papers. Mizuki waited near the door with the practical-assessment folders tucked beneath one arm.

"You may begin," Iruka announced.

Naruto turned his paper over, then checked the back before starting. Sakura had reminded him to do that yesterday, and he'd rather not discover another page after handing everything in.

The first question was easy. He knew the answer and wrote it down carefully. The second required more thought, while the third described a situation involving an injured teammate and several possible escape routes. Naruto recognised something similar from an argument he'd had with Shikamaru on the bridge. He read the question again, paying closer attention to the terrain this time.

For a while, the examination went better than he'd expected.

Then someone finished early.

A chair scraped against the floor, and Naruto glanced up as the student handed in his paper. He checked the remaining questions and the time. There were more questions left than he'd realised, and his handwriting began growing hurried and uneven.

Iruka passed his desk. He stopped briefly, noticing the half-finished answer and the way Naruto was gripping his pencil.

"Naruto, you've got time. Read carefully."

Naruto loosened his grip and returned to the question.

By the end, he'd answered everything he understood and made an attempt at the rest. He checked the back one last time before handing in his paper.

Iruka accepted it without comment.

Naruto tried to read something from his expression, but his teacher had already turned to the next student.

During the break, the students were sent outside to eat before the practical examination. Naruto found a place on a low wall near the training yard and opened the lunch he'd prepared that morning.

Kiba joined him a little later, carrying Akamaru inside his jacket.

"I finished the written part early," Kiba announced, settling beside him. "Shino was still checking his answers when I left."

Naruto glanced at him. "That doesn't mean you got everything right."

"I know what I wrote."

"So do I."

Kiba looked at him, but Naruto was already eating. After a moment, Kiba opened his own lunch and began sharing small pieces with Akamaru.

Across the yard, Sakura was discussing hand seals with Ino. Neither seemed willing to admit the other might be correct. Choji had finished his lunch and was helping Shikamaru find a comfortable place beneath a tree.

Naruto watched the other students for a while. Everyone had something to say about the examination, but nobody knew what the instructors would actually ask them to demonstrate.

Kiba nudged him with an elbow.

"Your transformation was good yesterday."

Naruto glanced over, surprised.

"I know."

"Then stop looking like you're going to throw up."

Naruto frowned. "I don't look like that!"

"You've barely touched your lunch."

Naruto looked down. He'd eaten half of it without remembering much of the taste.

Kiba scratched Akamaru behind the ears and returned to his food, leaving Naruto to decide whether he appreciated the concern.

When the bell rang, they gathered their belongings and went back inside.

The waiting room for the practical examination was worse than the written test.

Students were called individually, and each departure left the room a little quieter. Those who passed returned carrying forehead protectors. Some couldn't stop smiling, while others tried to appear composed and failed miserably.

Not everyone returned with one.

Naruto watched a boy from another class collect his bag and leave without speaking. He didn't know him well, but seeing the boy's empty hands made his stomach tighten.

Sakura was called soon afterward.

She stood so quickly that the strap of her bag caught on the chair. Ino freed it for her while trying not to laugh.

"Be careful."

"I am being careful!"

"You nearly took the chair with you."

Sakura straightened her clothes and hurried out, her face red.

Naruto smiled as she passed.

"Good luck, Sakura!"

She gave him a distracted nod before disappearing into the examination room.

When she returned, the metal plate of a forehead protector caught the light in her hands.

Ino immediately went over to congratulate her. Sakura tried to keep her expression composed, but the smile on her face made the effort pointless.

Naruto joined them.

"You passed!"

Sakura nodded, looking happier than he'd seen her in days.

"Thanks, Naruto. You'll do fine too."

He grinned and told her to save him a place among the graduates.

After she left, he looked toward the examination room again.

Shino passed. Choji followed, returning with his protector already tied around his forehead. Kiba emerged so loudly that Iruka had to remind him there were still students being examined.

Naruto laughed when Akamaru began barking from inside Kiba's jacket, apparently sharing his excitement.

Then Hinata came out.

She held her forehead protector carefully against her chest. When she noticed Naruto, she hesitated before approaching him.

"Good luck, Naruto-kun."

He looked up. "You too!"

Hinata glanced down at the protector in her hands.

Naruto realised what he'd said.

"Ah, right. You've already finished."

Hinata smiled faintly.

"I hope you pass."

"Yeah! I'll be out soon."

She nodded and went to join the others.

Naruto watched her leave. He was happy that she'd passed, and for Sakura and Choji too. Even Kiba deserved to be proud of himself.

Still, the room seemed emptier every time someone returned wearing a forehead protector.

"Naruto Uzumaki."

He stood immediately.

His bag slipped from his chair, and he caught it before it hit the ground. After putting it back, he followed the instructor into the adjoining room.

Iruka and Mizuki sat behind a table. A clear space had been marked on the floor, and several forehead protectors lay neatly arranged on the far side.

Naruto stared at them for a moment before Iruka called his attention back.

"Stand here."

Naruto moved into position.

Iruka reviewed his results from the earlier assessments. His written work was sufficient, and he'd met the required standard in basic equipment handling and transformation.

Naruto felt a little better hearing that.

Then Iruka placed the assessment sheet on the table.

"We'll finish with the Clone Technique."

Naruto swallowed.

He'd known it was coming. He'd spent weeks preparing for this exact moment, but the knowledge didn't make standing in front of the two instructors any easier.

He raised his hands and began forming the seals.

Slowly.

He couldn't afford to rush.

Chakra gathered as he moved through the sequence. He remembered Iruka correcting his control, Kamui watching him practise, and the one attempt that had managed to stand upright before collapsing.

He focused on that attempt.

"Clone Technique!"

Smoke burst into the space beside him.

For an instant, Naruto couldn't see the result.

Then the smoke cleared.

A pale, distorted version of himself lay on the floor. Its shoulders sagged, and one arm hung at an unnatural angle. The clone lifted its head weakly before losing its shape.

Naruto stared.

He'd felt the chakra move correctly. He was certain he'd done it better this time.

"I can do it again."

Iruka looked at the assessment sheet.

"Naruto—"

"Please, Iruka-sensei. I know what I did wrong. I used too much chakra at the end."

Mizuki glanced toward Iruka.

"There's still time for another attempt."

Iruka considered the request before nodding.

"One more. Take a moment first."

Naruto stepped back and rubbed his palms against his trousers. His hands were shaking, and he hated that the instructors could see it.

He waited until his breathing settled, then formed the seals again.

The second clone appeared more clearly.

It remained upright for a moment, long enough for Naruto to feel a surge of hope.

Then its knees buckled.

The figure collapsed.

Naruto stood motionless, staring at the place where it had fallen.

He wanted to try again. If he could adjust the chakra just a little, if he could get another attempt—

Mizuki leaned toward Iruka.

"His other results are satisfactory. He's improved quite a bit."

Iruka looked at the failed clone before returning his attention to Naruto.

"The examination requires a functioning clone."

"I know," Naruto said quickly. "But I was closer that time."

"You were."

"Then let me try once more."

Iruka didn't answer immediately.

Naruto watched his face, searching for some sign that another attempt might be allowed.

Finally, Iruka lowered the assessment sheet.

"I'm sorry, Naruto. You haven't met the requirement."

The words took a moment to settle.

Naruto looked toward the forehead protectors on the table.

"So I failed."

Iruka's expression tightened.

"Yes."

Naruto nodded.

He could feel his eyes beginning to sting, and he looked away before either instructor noticed.

"Can I go?"

"There's something I want to discuss with you first," Iruka said. "We can look at what you need to work on and—"

"Later."

The word came out more sharply than Naruto intended.

Iruka stopped speaking.

Naruto stared at the floor. He knew he should apologise, but he couldn't trust his voice.

After a moment, Iruka nodded.

"All right. We'll talk later."

Naruto turned and left before either of them could say anything else.

The waiting room was nearly empty. He collected his bag, slung it over his shoulder, and walked into the courtyard.

Families had begun gathering near the Academy gates.

Children showed their new forehead protectors to their parents. Some had already tied them around their heads, while others were still figuring out how to fasten the straps. A father lifted his daughter off the ground despite her protests, and a nearby mother kept adjusting her son's protector until he finally pushed her hands away.

Naruto slowed.

He spotted Ino with her family and turned before she noticed him.

"Naruto!"

Choji called from somewhere behind him.

Naruto lifted a hand without looking back and continued walking. He didn't want to explain anything. Not to Choji, not to Kiba, and certainly not to Sakura.

The swing beneath the tree was empty.

He sat down and let his feet rest against the dirt.

The ropes creaked as he shifted his weight. Beyond the tree, students continued leaving with their families, their voices carrying across the courtyard.

Naruto looked down at his sandals.

He'd imagined this day plenty of times.

He'd pictured himself walking into the workshop with a forehead protector tied proudly around his head. Daichi would inspect it, Kamui would congratulate him, and Masato would demand to see it before believing anything.

Naruto had even planned to act as though passing had been easy.

He'd been looking forward to that part.

Now he didn't know what to tell them.

A woman passing nearby noticed him and lowered her voice. Naruto caught a few words before she hurried her child along.

He gripped the ropes more tightly.

He was used to people whispering. Usually, he could shout something back or pretend he hadn't heard them. Today, he didn't have the energy.

Across the courtyard, Sasuke walked toward the gate with his forehead protector in one hand.

Their eyes met briefly.

Naruto looked away.

For once, Sasuke didn't say anything. He continued through the gate, leaving Naruto alone beneath the tree.

Naruto stayed until most of the families had gone.

Then he got up and left.

Iruka watched the empty swing from the Academy entrance.

Mizuki stood beside him, holding the completed assessment forms.

"You followed the requirements," Mizuki said.

Iruka rubbed his forehead.

"I know."

"He's made progress. He'll have another opportunity."

Iruka looked toward the gate.

Naruto had worked harder over the past few weeks than he had at any point earlier in the year. His control was improving, and he'd done well enough in the other portions of the examination. But the Clone Technique remained a serious weakness.

Iruka couldn't ignore that simply because he wanted the boy to graduate.

He took the forms from Mizuki.

"I'll speak to him once he's had time to settle down."

Mizuki nodded and returned inside.

Iruka remained at the entrance for another moment before following him.

Naruto wandered through the village without choosing a destination.

He passed the food stalls near the market, crossed the bridge, and followed a street that eventually brought him back toward the workshop district.

He hadn't eaten since lunch, but the thought of stopping for food didn't appeal to him.

The workshop door was open.

Kamui stood inside, leaning over a table with his sleeves rolled up. Daichi was sitting near the window, inspecting a drawer that had been brought in for repairs. Naruto could hear the familiar sound of tools moving against wood.

He stopped outside.

Kamui was explaining something about the drawer's frame. Daichi interrupted him, pointing toward a section that needed adjusting.

Everything looked the same as it had yesterday.

Naruto stood there for a while, one hand gripping the strap of his bag.

He could walk inside. He'd done it hundreds of times, sometimes without even bothering to announce himself.

But then Kamui would look up, notice the missing forehead protector, and ask how the examination had gone.

Daichi would stop working.

Naruto didn't want to see their expressions change.

He turned away and continued down the street.

Inside the workshop, Kamui glanced toward the entrance when a shadow passed across the doorway.

By the time he looked outside, Naruto had disappeared around the corner.

Kamui returned to his work, but after a few minutes, he checked the clock again.

Daichi noticed.

"Go and look for him."

Kamui glanced over.

"We still need to finish this."

"The drawer can wait until tomorrow."

Kamui hesitated, then set down his tool.

Daichi had already returned to examining the frame.

"Wash your hands before you leave. You're covered in dust."

Kamui did as he was told, collected his coat, and headed toward the Academy.

He found Iruka sorting examination forms in an almost empty classroom.

The teacher looked up when Kamui appeared.

"Have you seen Naruto?"

"Not yet. He didn't come to the workshop."

Iruka put down the papers.

"He didn't pass."

Kamui had suspected as much when Naruto failed to appear, but hearing it confirmed was different.

"What happened?"

"His written results were sufficient. He passed the other requirements, but he still couldn't produce a functioning clone."

Kamui pulled out a chair and sat opposite him.

Iruka explained the two attempts and Naruto's request to try again. He sounded tired, and Kamui could see that he was still thinking about the examination.

"He left before I could speak to him properly," Iruka finished.

Kamui remembered Naruto sitting beneath the Hokage Monument, worrying about being left behind when everyone else graduated.

The boy had been trying so hard to improve.

"Did he say where he was going?"

Iruka shook his head.

"I'll check his apartment. Could you look around the places he usually visits?"

Kamui nodded and stood.

They left the Academy together, separating near the bridge.

Kamui checked the streets around the market first. Genzo remembered seeing Naruto earlier, but the boy hadn't stopped to speak.

"He went past with his head down," Genzo said. "I thought he was in a hurry."

Kamui thanked him and continued toward the river.

He checked the bend where they'd spent yesterday afternoon, then followed the path toward the small training ground.

Nobody was there.

The marks Lee had made during practice were still visible beside the wooden post. Kamui stood near the entrance for a moment, looking around the empty clearing.

"Naruto!"

There was no answer.

He continued searching until the light began to fade.

By then, he'd checked most of the places Naruto liked visiting. He'd even looked near Ichiraku, though the boy hadn't been there either.

Finally, he headed toward Naruto's apartment.

He found Iruka standing outside the building.

"Any luck?" Kamui asked.

Iruka nodded toward the upper floor.

"He's home."

Kamui looked up.

"Did you speak to him?"

"Through the door. He wouldn't open it."

Iruka had heard movement inside and managed to get Naruto to answer. The boy was upset but unhurt, and he'd made it clear that he didn't want to talk.

"I told him I'd come back tomorrow," Iruka said.

Kamui rubbed a hand over his face.

Part of him wanted to go upstairs and knock himself. Naruto might open the door for him, or he might become even more upset.

He looked at the dark window for a while.

"Has he eaten?"

"I brought him something."

Iruka indicated a paper packet he'd left outside the apartment.

Kamui considered that, then took a small piece of paper from his pocket and borrowed Iruka's pencil.

He wrote a short message.

The workshop opens early tomorrow. Come over whenever you feel like it.

He folded the note and handed it to Iruka.

"Could you leave this with the food?"

Iruka nodded.

They went upstairs together. The hallway was quiet, and no light showed beneath Naruto's door.

Iruka placed the note beside the packet and knocked gently.

"Naruto, I've left you some food. Kamui's here too."

There was no answer.

Kamui stood beside him for a moment before speaking.

"I'll be at the workshop tomorrow. You don't need to come early."

Something shifted faintly inside the apartment.

Neither man tried to open the door.

After a while, they went downstairs.

Naruto waited until their footsteps had faded before getting up.

He'd been sitting on the floor beside his bed, listening to the conversation through the door. When the building grew quiet again, he opened it.

The food was still warm.

He carried the packet inside, then noticed the folded paper resting beneath it.

Kamui's handwriting was easy to recognise.

Naruto read the message twice.

He placed it on the shelf beside his examination notice and sat down on the floor to eat.

He hadn't realised how hungry he was. He finished nearly half the food before his eyes began to sting again.

Naruto lowered his chopsticks.

He'd wanted to show Kamui and Daichi his forehead protector today. He'd imagined walking into the workshop and watching their reactions, and he'd spent the entire morning thinking about how good that would feel.

Instead, they'd spent the evening looking for him.

He rubbed his eyes with his sleeve, angry that he was crying again.

Nobody was there to see him, but that didn't make it any easier.

After a while, he picked up his chopsticks and continued eating.

The food had begun to cool.

He finished it anyway.


Author's Note

Thanks for reading! I hope you're enjoying the story and following Kamui's journey through Konoha.

If you're enjoying Naruto: Spiral of Inheritance and would like to read ahead, you can find advance chapters on my Patreon, along with my other fanfiction projects.

Of course, there's absolutely no pressure to subscribe! Every comment, review, and bit of feedback means a lot to me and helps keep me motivated to continue writing.

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/AbyssalMandate

Thanks again for your support, and I'll see you in the next chapter!

 

[abyssalmandate]

Naruto arrived before the shutters were open.

He had almost turned back twice. Once at the stairs outside his apartment, when he remembered the food packet and felt embarrassed all over again. Once at the corner of the workshop street, when he saw the closed door and considered using that as an excuse to go home.

Then the bolt moved.

Daichi stood in the doorway with a broom in one hand. He looked at Naruto, at the pale sky behind him, and then at the empty food container tucked beneath the boy's arm.

"Come in."

Naruto followed him inside.

The room was cold. The stove hadn't been lit, and the workbenches were covered with things left ready for morning. Naruto put the container beside the basin and waited.

Daichi handed him the broom.

"Front step. Don't sweep the dust back through the door."

"I know how to sweep."

"Then get to it."

Naruto took the broom outside.

By the time Kamui came from the rear room, tying his hair back and looking insufficiently awake, the step was clean and Naruto had started on the narrow strip beside the wall.

Kamui stopped when he saw him.

Naruto tightened his grip on the broom. He had spent most of the walk thinking about what to say if Kamui asked about the examination.

"Morning," Kamui said. "Have you eaten? I'll put something on."

Naruto shook his head.

Kamui took the kettle to the basin. Naruto swept another line along the wall, although there was hardly any dust left to move.

They ate near the stove once it warmed. Daichi read through an order sheet while Kamui tried to rescue a piece of food that had stuck to the pan.

"You're scraping too hard," Naruto told him.

Kamui looked up.

"That's what you said when I was sanding the birdhouse."

Kamui glanced at the pan, added a little water, and worked the food loose.

"There. Happy?"

Naruto nodded with considerable satisfaction.

Nobody mentioned the examination.

After breakfast, Kamui gave Naruto the usual task of sorting short offcuts by size. Daichi began fitting a replacement hinge to a cupboard door, but the holes refused to line up.

Naruto watched from the floor as the old man checked the spacing.

"Could it be the other one?"

Daichi glanced at him.

Naruto pointed to the second hinge lying beside the screws. It looked almost identical, except for the position of its plate.

Daichi picked it up, turned it over, and set it against the door.

The holes aligned.

"Well spotted."

Naruto smiled and returned to the wood.

Kamui came over to hold the cupboard door steady while Daichi fitted the hinge. Naruto passed him the screws when asked, taking care not to mix them with the ones for the other side.

Iruka arrived shortly before noon.

Naruto heard his voice at the entrance and stopped sorting.

Kamui cleared the small table, pulled out two chairs, and gathered the tools he'd been using.

"I'll be outside if you need anything."

Daichi disappeared into the storeroom after muttering something about misplaced fittings.

Naruto sat down.

Iruka took the opposite chair and placed a folded document on the table.

"Morning, Naruto. Did you sleep all right?"

"A bit."

Iruka nodded. There was an ink mark near his thumb and another on his sleeve. Naruto wondered whether he'd been up late marking papers.

For a while, neither said anything.

"I wasn't trying to make you worry," Naruto said at last. "I just didn't want to talk yesterday."

"I figured as much. You gave me quite a scare when you disappeared."

Naruto picked at the rough edge of the offcut he'd accidentally carried to the table.

"I'm still angry with you, you know. You could've passed me. My other scores weren't even bad."

"They weren't. You've improved quite a bit this term."

"Then why didn't that matter?"

"It did matter, Naruto. But the Clone Technique is still part of the practical examination. I can't simply ignore it."

Naruto looked away.

"Mizuki-sensei thought my other marks might be enough."

"He asked me to consider them, and I did. Unfortunately, the requirements are quite clear."

Naruto pressed his lips together. He'd heard enough about the Clone Technique to last a lifetime.

"So I have to wait another year?"

"No. That's actually why I came."

Iruka unfolded the paper.

Naruto glanced down.

His name was written near the top. Below it was a date, followed by several lines of instructions.

"What's this?"

"A supplementary assessment. I've confirmed you're eligible to take it next week."

Naruto looked up so quickly that Iruka almost smiled.

"Seriously? I can take it again?"

"Yes. Your written and equipment scores will stand. We only need to address the practical portion."

Naruto took the paper and read it.

Then he read it again.

The excitement faded somewhat when he reached the section describing the technique he'd have to perform.

"But it's still the Clone Technique."

"I'm afraid so."

"I've tried it hundreds of times! Every time it's the same stupid thing."

Iruka leaned back in his chair.

"That's why I want to change how we practise. You've been following the same instructions for months, and something clearly isn't working."

Naruto frowned.

"Are you saying the instructions are wrong?"

"Not necessarily. But tomorrow, instead of telling me what the textbook says you should feel when gathering chakra, I want you to describe what's actually happening."

Naruto considered that.

"I don't know if I can explain it."

"We'll figure that out during practice. Bring your old notes too. I'd like to see what you've been recording."

Naruto glanced down at the paper again.

A week ago, he'd have jumped at the chance to prove himself. Now he could remember the smoke clearing and the awful silence before Iruka announced the result.

"What if I fail again?"

"We'll see how your practice goes first."

"You keep saying things like that. What if I really can't do it?"

Iruka was quiet for a moment.

Outside, something scraped across the yard. Kamui called to Daichi, asking where the longer support blocks had been put.

"I wish I could promise you'll pass next week," Iruka said. "But I can't. What I can promise is that we'll spend the time finding out where you're struggling instead of making you repeat the same exercise until you're exhausted."

Naruto rubbed his thumb along the edge of the paper.

He understood what Iruka meant. He just wished understanding it made him feel better.

After a while, he asked a quieter question.

"Are you disappointed in me?"

Iruka looked at him.

"Naruto, I know how hard you've been working. I was upset about yesterday, but not because you didn't try."

"You looked pretty disappointed."

"I wanted to see you graduate. I've been looking forward to it too."

Naruto lowered his eyes.

"I thought you'd just tell me to work harder."

"I probably would have said something about practising," Iruka admitted.

Naruto gave a reluctant snort.

"You always do."

"Well, it's usually good advice."

"Not when I've already been practising!"

Iruka smiled.

"Fair point."

Naruto finally looked at him.

"I was really angry yesterday."

"I noticed. You left before I could finish speaking."

"I didn't want to hear anything else."

"I know. But next time, at least give me a chance to explain before running off."

Naruto scratched his cheek.

"I'll try."

They went through the schedule together.

Morning sessions at the Academy, some individual practice later, and enough rest between attempts that Naruto wouldn't exhaust himself before the assessment.

Iruka asked him to bring his old notes. Naruto complained that most of them were useless.

"Bring them anyway."

"Even the ones with the bad drawings?"

"Especially those. I want to see how you've been recording your practice."

"Then you're going to see a lot of bad drawings."

"I've seen worse."

"You haven't seen the one I did of Mizuki-sensei."

Iruka looked at him.

Naruto grinned and quickly folded the schedule.

When they finished, Iruka gathered his papers and stood. He stretched his back with a small grimace.

Naruto noticed.

"Is the chair okay now? The one we fixed?"

"Much better. And thank you for sanding that edge. It doesn't catch my trousers anymore."

Naruto smiled.

Kamui returned from the yard carrying a single board. He had been outside for nearly the whole conversation, although Naruto suspected he'd found very little work to do out there.

Iruka thanked him for the food and the note sent to Naruto the previous evening.

Kamui glanced at Naruto.

"I'm glad you came this morning."

Naruto looked toward the empty food container beside the basin.

"Yeah. Thanks for bringing that over."

"You're welcome."

Iruka confirmed the next morning's time before leaving. Daichi came out of the storeroom to see him off, and the two exchanged a few words about the Academy chair.

When Iruka had gone, Daichi returned to the cupboard.

"You'll be here after practice tomorrow? We've got a delivery coming before noon, so use the side entrance if the cart's blocking the front."

Naruto hesitated.

"Sure. I can come."

"And don't leave your bag where someone can trip over it."

"I don't!"

Kamui, who had already tripped over Naruto's bag twice in the past month, said nothing.

Naruto pointed at him.

"Don't you start."

Kamui raised his hands and returned to his work.

The afternoon was awkward for a few minutes. Naruto didn't know whether he was supposed to be happy now. He had another chance, but the failed examination hadn't disappeared.

Fortunately, Kamui needed help.

"Can you give me a hand with this panel?"

Naruto put his bag away and joined him.

They were assembling a folding screen for a small restaurant near the market. The owner wanted something to hide the storage corner from customers.

Kamui had called the design simple.

Daichi had immediately asked him to check the measurements again.

There were three frames, six hinges, and several pieces that looked almost identical until somebody tried fitting them together.

Naruto held one frame upright while Kamui brought the second against it.

The wood shifted.

"Hold your end a little higher."

"I am!"

"A little more."

"It's going to fall!"

Daichi came over, looked at the supports, and put a block beneath the shorter one.

The frame settled.

"There. Now you can stop wrestling with it."

Naruto adjusted his grip while Kamui positioned the second frame.

He noticed a pencil mark facing the wrong way.

"Hey, isn't that supposed to be on the other side?"

Kamui followed his gaze, then checked the hinges he'd already fastened.

He sighed.

"I've put it on backward."

Daichi glanced over from the cupboard.

"Didn't I tell you to check the markings?"

"You did."

"Next time, try listening."

He went back to his work.

Naruto tried not to laugh.

Kamui handed him a screwdriver.

"You can laugh after we get these out."

"I wasn't laughing!"

"You were about to."

Naruto took the screwdriver and crouched beside the frame.

They spent the next half hour undoing the mistake. Kamui supported the wood while Naruto removed the screws and counted them into a shallow dish.

When Kamui reached for one, Naruto pulled the dish away.

"Those are for this frame. Take yours from the other dish."

"They're the same screws."

"Then you won't have any trouble using those ones."

Kamui gave him an amused look before reaching for the other dish.

Naruto resumed counting.

They were fitting the corrected panel when the restaurant owner arrived.

He looked at the dismantled frame, then at the single finished panel leaning against the wall.

"Is that all you've got done?"

Kamui stood.

"I'm sorry. I made a mistake with one of the frames and had to take it apart."

The man glanced at the remaining pieces.

"I was expecting it before we open. We've got sacks piled beside the tables. That's why I ordered the thing."

Daichi came over.

"We can bring this finished section and fit it against your existing brackets. It'll cover most of the storage corner for tonight."

The man looked doubtful.

"And the rest?"

"Tomorrow morning. We'll bring it over ourselves, no charge for the extra trip."

The owner considered the offer, then walked over to examine the finished panel.

"Will that stand properly on its own?"

"With the brackets you showed us, yes. We'll secure it before we leave."

"All right. But I need the rest tomorrow."

"You'll have it."

After the man left, Kamui checked the hinges again.

Naruto watched him.

"He looked pretty angry."

"Can't blame him. We promised to have everything ready today."

"You think Daichi's going to make you pay for the extra delivery?"

Kamui glanced toward the old man, who was already examining the remaining hinges.

"I'd rather not find out. Come on, help me turn this around. We've still got plenty to finish."

Naruto took his end of the frame.

"You should've checked the marks first."

"I know, Naruto."

"Daichi told you."

"I heard him."

"And I noticed it before you did."

Kamui looked at him.

Naruto grinned.

"All right, all right. I'm holding it!"

They finished the remaining frames without another mistake. Kamui checked the direction of each hinge before fastening it, while Naruto kept the screws sorted and helped test how the panels folded.

By late afternoon, the screen was assembled and ready for finishing.

Kamui stood it upright and folded the sections inward.

Naruto tested the movement himself.

One hinge resisted slightly.

"It's catching here."

Kamui crouched beside him and examined it. They loosened the hinge, adjusted it, and tried again.

This time the panel folded smoothly.

Naruto opened and closed it twice more before letting go.

He'd forgotten about the examination for most of the afternoon. Remembering it made his stomach tighten again, but there was still work to finish.

Once the screen was put aside, Naruto brought out the offcuts he'd been saving.

"I want to make a box."

Kamui glanced at the pieces.

"What sort?"

"One with a lid. For keeping my papers and stuff."

"Should be easy enough. Have you worked out the measurements?"

Naruto held his hands apart.

"About this big."

"Get some paper. We'll need something more accurate than that."

Naruto found a sheet and drew a rectangle, then another inside it.

He wanted somewhere to keep his examination papers. The shelf in his apartment was getting crowded, and he was tired of seeing the failed notice every time he woke up.

Kamui leaned over his shoulder.

"Leave enough room around the lid or it'll get stuck when you try to lift it."

"I know how boxes work."

"Good. Show me where it rests."

Naruto added another line and adjusted the measurements.

Daichi came over to inspect the wood he'd chosen.

"These will do. Leave them stacked until tomorrow."

"Can't I start now? I haven't even cut anything!"

"It's nearly closing time. Finish your measurements and put the tools away."

Naruto hurried to fetch the ruler before the old man changed his mind.

By evening, the paper had dimensions written around the edges, and each piece of wood had pencil marks showing where it needed to be cut.

Naruto stacked everything carefully beneath the bench.

He would finish it after practice tomorrow.

Outside, Kamui was closing the side shutter. Naruto sat on the step, watching the street while Genzo carried vegetables into his shop across the road.

"I almost went home this morning," Naruto admitted. "I got all the way to the corner before I decided to come."

Kamui tested the latch.

"I wondered whether you'd show up."

"I thought you'd start asking me about the exam the moment I walked in."

"I was going to ask eventually. You looked hungry, though."

"I wasn't that hungry."

Kamui glanced at him.

Naruto frowned.

"Okay, maybe I was. But I thought you'd be disappointed too."

Kamui sat beside him.

For a while, they watched Genzo struggle to carry two baskets through his narrow doorway. He managed the first, then had to turn sideways to get the second inside.

Naruto took the notice out of his bag again.

"A week isn't long. I don't even know if I'll get the stupid technique right by then."

"You'll have Iruka helping you. That's better than trying to figure it out on your own."

"I know."

Naruto folded the paper along its original crease.

He'd been thinking about something since Iruka left, and now that he was sitting here, he couldn't keep it to himself.

"I don't want you to get used to me failing."

Kamui turned toward him.

"Why would I?"

"Because I keep doing it! Every time I think I'm finally getting somewhere, something goes wrong."

Kamui rested his elbows on his knees.

"I want you to pass, Naruto. I've wanted that since you first told me about becoming a ninja."

Naruto stared at the notice.

"I wanted to come back yesterday and tell you I'd passed."

"I would've liked that."

"Yeah."

For a while, Naruto said nothing.

Then Kamui asked, "Remember your equipment test?"

Naruto looked up.

"The one where I got seven out of ten?"

"You came running in here waving your score around. Nearly knocked over the bucket by the entrance."

"That was a good score!"

"It was. And you spent most of lunch complaining about the three questions you got wrong."

"Because one of them was stupid! How was I supposed to know they wanted the second answer when both of them could've worked?"

Kamui laughed.

Naruto started explaining the question again before realizing he'd already complained about it twice that week.

He settled back against the doorframe.

"I liked coming here that day."

"Then keep coming. You don't need an examination result to have something to talk about."

Naruto looked at him for a moment before folding the notice and putting it away.

"I'm still going to pass next week."

"I hope you do."

"I will!"

Kamui stood and brushed the dust from his trousers.

"Come on. I'll walk with you to the market."

Naruto collected his bag and followed him.

They walked together as far as the market turn. Kamui stopped to buy a few vegetables, and Naruto admitted that he was planning to make instant noodles for dinner.

"Again? At least put something else in them."

"They're fine the way they are!"

Kamui handed him a carrot.

Naruto examined it.

"You seriously expect me to eat this with ramen?"

"Wash it, cut it up, and cook it with the noodles. You might even like it."

Naruto held the carrot upright, studying it.

"Welcome to the bowl," he announced in a deep voice.

Kamui stared at him.

Naruto switched to a squeaky voice.

"Thank you, Lord Noodle. I'm honoured to be here."

A passing woman turned to look at them.

Naruto grinned at her.

Kamui shook his head and handed him another carrot.

"For tomorrow."

Naruto put both into his bag.

At the corner, he waved and headed toward his apartment, still arguing with an imaginary noodle about whether vegetables deserved a place in the broth.

Kamui watched him go before turning back toward the workshop.


Mizuki stood near the opposite side of the street.

He'd expected Naruto to be in a far worse mood. Yesterday, the boy had stormed out of the examination room without waiting to hear anything more, furious at Iruka and thoroughly miserable over his failure.

That anger should have made approaching him easy.

Instead, Naruto had spent the afternoon at the carpenter's workshop and was now heading home laughing at his own jokes, with a carrot sticking out of his bag.

Mizuki frowned.

He knew Iruka had been looking for Naruto after the examination. Had the man already spoken to him?

Whatever they'd discussed, Naruto certainly wasn't behaving like a boy who believed he'd lost his last chance.

Mizuki watched until he turned the corner.

He'd intended to approach Naruto today and offer a sympathetic ear. A few carefully chosen words about the Academy's unfairness, perhaps a suggestion that Iruka had never properly appreciated his efforts.

There was little point trying that while the boy was in such a good mood.

Still, Naruto wanted his forehead protector more than anything. That hadn't changed, and neither had his difficulties with the Clone Technique.

Mizuki continued down the street.

He would find out what Iruka had told him first.

There was no reason to rush.
Author's Note

Thanks for reading! I hope you're enjoying the story and following Kamui's journey through Konoha.

If you're enjoying Naruto: Spiral of Inheritance and would like to read ahead, you can find advance chapters on my Patreon, along with my other fanfiction projects.

Of course, there's absolutely no pressure to subscribe! Every comment, review, and bit of feedback means a lot to me and helps keep me motivated to continue writing.

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/AbyssalMandate

Thanks again for your support, and I'll see you in the next chapter!