Tōma met the chūnin’s glare head-on, not flinching even a fraction.For a moment, the man actually looked surprised. Maintaining killing intent wasn’t his specialty, but any adult shinobi should have been able to pressure a child.Yet Tōma stood there like he couldn’t even feel it.
"I’ll make it simple, sensei," Tōma said calmly. "Iruka-sensei didn’t lie. I’m the one who put your students on the ground. If you don’t believe me, they’re right there. Ask them."
The chūnin’s mouth twitched.A kid shouldn’t be able to stand so casually under a shinobi’s intimidation... unless the kid really was something else.The pieces slid together. Iruka wasn’t joking about this boy.
Still, he forced out a stiff question."Even so... why would you go that far?"
Iruka cut in quickly and summarized the real cause of the fight.
When he finished, the chūnin’s brow furrowed.Given what he knew of those troublemakers, the story was... unfortunately believable.
"...Is that true?" he asked his own students.
They wanted to deny it.But the moment their leader looked up and saw Tōma watching him with a mild, patient smile that felt like a kunai at his throat... his spirit collapsed.
"Y—yes... that’s how it happened..."
The chūnin’s entire face went dark red.Not from anger at Naruto—but from shame.His own class had been humiliated by first-years, and worse, proven to be bullies in front of another teacher.How was he supposed to look Iruka in the eye now?
"Get back to class! All of you!" he snapped.
"Wait," Tōma said.
The chūnin ground his teeth. "What now?"
"They haven’t apologized."
Instant outrage erupted from the fourth-years.
"Why would we apologize to that monster—"
They froze as Tōma flexed his fingers.Just a tiny gesture.But it shut every mouth instantly.
Their scowls said everything—they hated it.But they feared him more.
The chūnin seized the chance to scold someone other than himself.
"Even if they were wrong, you beat them like this! Doesn’t that make you guilty too? And apologizing to... him?"His eyes slid toward Naruto with thinly veiled disgust.
Tōma laughed once, sharp as breaking glass.
"Oh? So bullying younger students is fine, but when a younger student fights back, that’s the real crime? Want to take this to the principal? We can ask every teacher to weigh in."
The chūnin’s face drained of color.The Hokage was the principal.No chance he’d risk that.
Naruto tugged lightly at Tōma’s sleeve.
"Tōma... maybe we shouldn’t—"
Iruka stepped in front of him.
"No. I agree with Fujimoto. They owe Naruto an apology."
For a moment, the chūnin looked like he’d choke on his own pride.Then he rounded on his students with pure fury.
"Well? Why are you standing there?! Go apologize!"
The fourth-years shuffled over like condemned prisoners.Their apologies were mumbled, stiff, and completely reluctant.
Naruto didn’t know how to respond.He could feel how forced they were... but hearing the words still meant something.
"Now can they leave?" the chūnin muttered, barely holding back another explosion of shame.
"Yes," Iruka answered quickly.He wasn’t letting Tōma collect any more grudges than necessary.
The fourth-years retreated as fast as dignity allowed.
After a while, Tōma turned to Naruto, who was still staring at the ground in silence.
"This time, they apologized because I made them," Tōma said. "But next time? You need the strength to make people think twice on your own."
Naruto blinked—then his eyes lit with fierce resolve.
"I will! I’ll get strong enough!"
Iruka watched the exchange with a tired sigh of relief.He’d come running, terrified of what he might find... only to witness Tōma flattening fourth-years like a seasoned genin.It scared him a little.But the boy had control. Everyone was bruised, not broken.
Good grief, Iruka thought. He gets more frighteningly talented by the day.
And yet...
Seeing Naruto laughing with his classmates—not alone—Iruka felt something warm settle in his chest.
Maybe this really will change things for him.
"Alright, everyone," Iruka called out with a smile. "Back to class. And if something like this happens again, come get a teacher immediately."
A chorus of "Yeah!" echoed back.
"Oi, Naruto, help me walk," Shikamaru groaned.
"Okay!" Naruto ran to him—only for Kiba to bark:
"Get lost! I don’t need help!"
"U-um... Kiba-kun... rude language isn’t... um... polite..." came Hinata’s tiny voice.
Laughter rippled through the group as they made their way back toward their classroom—even Hinata smiling shyly among them.