I'M NARUTO UZUMAKI

Evil Naruto Imp

At dawn, Sasuke woke up to the familiar voice of his mother, Mikoto, gently calling him. Rubbing his tired eyes, he groggily made his way to wash up.

Dark circles lined his face—he hadn't slept well. Every time he closed his eyes, the conversation between his father, Fugaku, and his older brother, Itachi, replayed in his mind.

His father wanted to use the Nine-Tails sealed within Naruto to initiate a coup against Konoha, a rebellion that would shatter the fragile peace the Uchiha had worked so hard to maintain.

Sasuke didn't understand. Why did his father insist on this course of action? Why Naruto? Was their so-called friendship just another piece of Fugaku's grand design?

And what role did his brother play in this? Why was Itachi, who was once the pride of the Uchiha, opposing the clan's decision?

Sasuke felt lost. He realized now that his family had been keeping secrets from him, unwilling to reveal their true intentions. And just like them, he too would soon learn to conceal the doubts in his heart.

---

After a quiet breakfast, Sasuke hurried to the Ninja Academy. He placed his schoolbag behind his desk drawer and joined his classmates, waiting for the final exam to begin.

The exam was divided into written and practical components.

The written test covered history, field tactics, and mathematics, while the practical portion assessed their combat and jutsu proficiency.

During the written exam, Sasuke found himself distracted, his eyes drifting toward Naruto from time to time. His usual confidence as the Academy's top student wavered, and for the first time, he turned in his paper with uncertainty.

Naruto, sitting a few rows away, noticed Sasuke's gaze but didn't react. His focus remained on the exam. Even if this was their last Academy test, he had no intention of slacking off. He had to maintain his performance and surpass all his classmates.

---

At lunchtime, Sasuke sought out Naruto beneath the shade of a tree. His expression was unreadable as he asked, "Naruto, what do you think is more important—the village or your family?"

Midway through his question, he hesitated, realizing how it might sound. He quickly added, "Don't take it the wrong way. I'm not questioning your beliefs. I just… want your opinion."

Naruto narrowed his eyes slightly but showed no sign of offense.

He had spent years alone in his past life, and now, with Kurama as his companion, he didn't care much for trivial disputes. His thoughts of leaving Konoha weren't driven by revenge, but by the simple desire to carve his own path.

At the same time, he wanted the village to realize the consequences of losing their Jinchūriki's protection.

Yet, Sasuke was asking him for guidance—about his family and the village. It was clear that Sasuke had begun to understand the deep conflict between the Uchiha and Konoha's leadership.

Had saving Shisui changed Sasuke's fate? Would he no longer awaken his Sharingan through loss and pain?

Naruto looked at Sasuke's serious expression and chuckled. "If it were me, I wouldn't choose either. Why should I have to?"

Sasuke fell silent. He understood what Naruto meant.

If he had Naruto's strength, there would be no need to choose. But right now, he was weak. No matter what decision he made, it wouldn't matter—no one would listen.

Naruto seemed to read his thoughts and continued, "It's not about choosing the right side. It's about making a choice you won't regret."

Sasuke mulled over his words.

At home, his voice carried little weight. But if he remained silent forever, he would regret it—even if he became a powerful shinobi one day.

No. He had to speak up. He had to find the right moment to confront his father and brother.

Determination lit up his gaze. He looked at Naruto, a rare hint of gratitude in his eyes.

"I'll think about it," Sasuke said. Then, after a pause, he added, "One more thing. Something feels off in the clan right now. Naruto, it's best if you stay away from the Uchiha district."

Without another word, Sasuke turned and left, heading for the afternoon's practical exam.

---

Watching Sasuke disappear into the distance, Naruto let out a small sigh. He picked up the book Customs and Traditions of the Ninja World and resumed reading, searching for the perfect place to escape to.

Would it be the Land of Water, isolated overseas? The Land of Iron, neutral and unaffiliated? Or the Land of Snow, hidden away from the world?

Kurama, who had been silently observing through their shared mindscape, suddenly spoke up.

"Naruto, does that Uchiha brat even realize what's happening? His emotions are a mess. The malice in him is almost as bad as yours was half a year ago…"

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "I had that much malice in me?"

Kurama snorted. "If not for that bitterness protecting you, you would've been crushed by my chakra a long time ago. My killing intent alone is enough to break weak-minded shinobi."

Naruto fell silent. He knew Kurama wasn't wrong.

Before entering the Academy, his thoughts had been filled with resentment.

Being treated like a monster by the villagers every day, being the target of their scorn—it was enough to warp anyone's heart.

Even the reincarnation of Asura would've been twisted into another Indra under those circumstances.

Naruto smirked slightly. "That was before. Now, I'm a bright and cheerful guy, a true believer in the Will of Fire."

Kurama scoffed. "You talk a big game. But I don't know any 'cheerful' kids who manipulate people without them realizing it. Who was it that saved Shisui from suicide and spent half a year convincing him to return and fight for Konoha?"

"That's just strategic planning," Naruto said, unbothered. "Besides, someone like Shisui shouldn't have died so easily."

Kurama huffed and lay down in his mental cage, pretending to sleep.

Naruto shrugged, closing his book. It was time for the practical exam.

If he performed well enough, the Third Hokage's surveillance on him would loosen even further.

Ever since he had displayed Chūnin-level abilities, Hiruzen had reduced the ANBU's watch over him. Now, they only monitored him during major events—exams, or when he left the village for training.

When Naruto entered the training grounds, he noticed that the practical exam wasn't limited to his grade alone. Third, fourth, fifth, and even sixth-year students were participating as well.

Something was different this year.

Judging by the expressions of the teachers and students, the exam format had changed.

Naruto smirked.

There was no doubt—this was the old man's doing.

The Third Hokage didn't want him to graduate early. But since he couldn't outright stop him, he was trying to make things difficult.

Too bad for him, no matter how the exam changed, it wouldn't be a challenge for Naruto.

For the others, however? They were about to question their entire existence.

As the actual combat assessment began, Naruto stepped forward.

Meanwhile, in the Hokage's office, Hiruzen Sarutobi activated his crystal ball, using the Academy's cameras to monitor Naruto's movements.

Taking a deep drag from his pipe, he exhaled a cloud of smoke and silently observed as the final test began.

Visit patreon.com/Akeyno to get 30+ chapters