Chapter 24 – For a Student
"Representative?"
Hearing this, Tsuruma Nobuyuki was completely baffled. How did his personal challenge against Neji Hyuga suddenly turn into him representing the entire first-year students against the second-years?
"When did I sign up for that?"
"It's normal to lose," said Shino Aburame, adjusting his sunglasses in his usual calm tone. "After all, second-year students have an extra year of training. That's the reality of the ninja world."
Sasuke Uchiha scoffed, crossing his arms, while Naruto Uzumaki hesitated, clearly wanting to tease Nobuyuki but holding himself back for once.
Meanwhile, Choji Akimichi took the most practical approach—he handed Nobuyuki a bag of chips. "Here, Shin! These are the special barbecue-flavored ones. Food always makes me feel better."
Aside from the well-known members of their class, a few other boys from civilian families also murmured words of encouragement, trying to cheer him up.
Then—
"Wait a minute..."
The lazy yet perceptive voice of Shikamaru Nara broke the flow of the conversation. He yawned, rubbing the back of his head.
"It doesn't seem like Nobuyuki ever said he lost."
The group fell silent.
"Huh?"
Kiba Inuzuka blinked. "Wait, wait, what do you mean, Shikamaru?"
Shikamaru sighed, spreading his hands. "I mean exactly what I said. And honestly, Nobuyuki's expression already gives it away."
Everyone turned their heads toward Nobuyuki.
A long pause.
Naruto squinted. "What are you talking about?! He doesn't have an expression at all!"
Choji crunched on a chip before suddenly realizing something. His eyes widened.
"Wait... If he didn't lose, then... he won?!"
The group collectively froze.
He won?!
If Nobuyuki had walked down excitedly from the rooftop, they would've immediately celebrated. But they had just spent all this time comforting him—only to find out he had won?!
This was beyond awkward.
"Seriously?" Kiba took a few sniffs, then sighed, clearly disappointed in himself. "Damn... I should've noticed earlier. The scent of blood—it's strong."
That caught everyone's attention.
Shino nodded knowingly. "The concentration suggests heavy blood loss. That means Neji was seriously injured."
The group stared at Nobuyuki with wide eyes.
"Shin… you really beat a second-year student?" Naruto asked in disbelief. His voice was laced with pure admiration—and a hint of envy.
The reactions of the others were mixed. Some were amazed, others frustrated. Even though they were the same age, the gap between them had become painfully clear in just a single month.
It was like holding up a mirror to their own weaknesses.
And that was hard to swallow.
For a moment, a heavy silence settled over them. But then—
"So… do you have some kind of special training method?" Kiba asked, breaking the tension. His ears perked up, and he leaned forward eagerly. "I mean, school only started a month ago! How the hell did you get so strong already?!"
Hearing this, Nobuyuki scanned the group. Most of them had the same burning curiosity in their eyes.
He smirked.
"If I really had a special training method, why would I tell anyone?" he teased.
The clan heirs—Shikamaru, Choji, and Shino—nodded in understanding, already used to their families keeping certain techniques secret.
But then, Nobuyuki continued, his voice turning serious.
"That said… I do have some advice on getting stronger."
The group leaned in closer.
"What is it?! Tell us!" Naruto practically shouted, bouncing on his feet.
Nobuyuki looked directly at him, pausing for effect. Then, with a completely straight face, he said:
"I'm not sure it'll work for you, Naruto."
Naruto's face fell. "Oi, why not?!"
Ignoring Naruto's whining, Nobuyuki turned to the others. "The key to getting stronger fast is mastering your Chakra Extraction Technique as soon as possible."
Shikamaru frowned. "But… you can't train Chakra Extraction, can you?"
In the ninja world, it was commonly believed that chakra control naturally improved over time through repeated use. No one really thought of "training" chakra extraction specifically.
But Nobuyuki, thanks to his system, knew better.
"The Chakra Extraction Technique is something that absolutely can—and should—be trained." He crossed his arms. "Especially for commoner ninjas like us, and even for you, Shikamaru, since you don't have a naturally large chakra pool."
The group absorbed his words, deep in thought.
"But," Nobuyuki added, "that's just my personal experience. It might not work for everyone."
He stretched his arms and gave a small wave. "Anyway, it's getting late. If you're interested, we can talk more about it tomorrow morning."
With that, he walked off, leaving the rest of them standing in deep contemplation.
---
Later That Night – Hokage's Office
Inside the dimly lit Hokage's office, Iruka Umino stood before the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi.
"Iruka?" The Hokage raised an eyebrow. "This is the first time you've come to me directly since becoming a teacher. What brings you here?"
Iruka took a deep breath, then spoke firmly.
"Hokage-sama, I came here because of a student."
Hiruzen's interest piqued. "A student?"
"Yes," Iruka nodded. "His talent… it has already surpassed what I, as a teacher, can properly guide."
A hint of surprise flickered across Hiruzen's face.
Iruka continued. "He comes from an ordinary family. His father died in battle, leaving him without proper guidance on the path of a shinobi. And yet, his potential is… remarkable."
"However," Iruka's expression darkened, "if left unchecked, his talent could lead to his downfall."
The Third Hokage remained silent, listening carefully.
After a moment, Iruka bowed deeply.
"Hokage-sama, I believe he needs proper guidance to walk the true path of a ninja."
Hiruzen inhaled from his pipe, exhaling slowly.
He had been watching the new generation with keen eyes.
And now, a new name had entered his radar—
Tsuruma Nobuyuki.
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