In the audience.
Iruka was so shocked by what he saw that his mouth nearly hung open.
The Naruto on the screen was well-mannered and thoughtful. After finishing breakfast, he even helped clean up the dishes. He was completely different from the real-life Naruto who was always shouting, playing pranks, and stirring up trouble.
How had he changed so much in just a few days?
Iruka found it hard to believe his eyes.
"Naruto's grown up a lot, hasn't he?" Kakashi said casually as he glanced at the dumbfounded Iruka. "You should drop by his place when you have time. He's been keeping it really tidy lately."
"Seriously?"
Iruka couldn't hide the surprise in his voice.
His mind flashed back to the times he had visited Naruto's old apartment.
Back then, the place was always a disaster scattered trash, clutter everywhere, and ramen cups stacked in corners.
He still remembered how he'd always end up helping clean up whenever he came over.
And now Kakashi was saying Naruto kept the place clean?
[Ding! Emotional fluctuation detected from Iruka Umino! Emotional value +200!]
"It's so good to see Naruto grow like this." Iruka smiled warmly, relief and pride in his eyes.
As a teacher, there was no greater joy than watching a former troublemaker turn things around and mature.
Looking back, all of Naruto's outrageous antics had just been his way of crying out for attention.
Kakashi nodded quietly, a hint of emotion in his tone. "We really should've cared more about Naruto…"
As he said it, he couldn't help but think about how Naruto had grown up alone in reality. His voice softened with a trace of guilt and sorrow.
[Ding! Emotional fluctuation detected from Hatake Kakashi! Emotional value +200!]
Iruka glanced sideways at Kakashi, his expression showing silent agreement and newfound respect.
Sakura, sitting nearby, frowned slightly and mumbled under her breath, "Honestly, I don't really feel any difference. He still seems like the same old silly Naruto."
"Hmph, I don't see any change either." Sasuke crossed his arms and huffed. "Still the same idiot."
Hearing these two kids shamelessly talking behind their teammate's back, Kakashi's brow twitched.
"Hey, you two." He sighed and reached out, knocking both Sasuke and Sakura lightly on the head. "Is that any way to talk about your comrade?"
Sakura yelped, covering her forehead. "Ouch!" She stuck out her tongue and didn't dare say another word.
Sasuke grunted and turned his head away, clearly annoyed, but he didn't argue further.
In the picture.
Not long after breakfast, Naruto washed and dried the last bowl, then stretched with a satisfied yawn.
"Mom, I'm heading to the backyard to practice ninjutsu!"
He called out to Kushina, who was still wiping down the table. When she nodded in response, he dashed out of the house with excitement written all over his face.
The Namikaze family's backyard was wide and open, with a gentle morning breeze sweeping through the air, carrying the fresh scent of summer.
Standing in the center of the courtyard, Naruto rolled his wrists a few times, then pulled out a balloon he had prepared from his ninja tool pouch. His face was lit with eagerness.
Since Dad can't train with me today... then I'll practice on my own!
After all, in this dream world, everything goes his way. He believed no, knew he could master the Rasengan even by himself.
Me, in the dream... I'm unbeatable!
Naruto held the deflated balloon tightly, filled with confidence.
Kakashi-sensei had already explained the key steps of the third stage to him.
Taking a deep breath, Naruto channeled his chakra into the balloon. The soft rubber quickly expanded and distorted. The chakra inside stirred the air into a violent spin.
Naruto's eyes sparkled. He quickly adjusted his chakra flow.
Moments later, he opened his palm and looked down this time, the balloon wasn't destroyed like before. Instead, the outer layer bulged slightly, and the spinning air vortex inside was still rotating at high speed.
"Did I really do it?!" Naruto's eyes went wide with disbelief.
The third stage of Rasengan training, which had frustrated him for days controlling high-speed chakra rotation without destroying the container had just been cleared by him… so easily?
[Ding! Emotional fluctuation detected from Uzumaki Naruto! Emotional value +200!]
Overjoyed, Naruto gently set the intact balloon aside like it was a precious treasure. Then he took a deep breath and slowly raised his right palm.
He recalled the exact way his father and Kakashi had demonstrated the Rasengan and murmured to himself, "Gather chakra into the palm… rotate… compress…"
In an instant, the chakra inside him surged outward, rapidly concentrating in his hand.
The next moment hum a glowing blue sphere of chakra suddenly bloomed in his palm, shimmering with a radiant swirl of light!
"This is... Rasengan?!"
Naruto stared in awe at the spinning chakra ball in his hand, stunned.
He never imagined he could create the Rasengan on his own, without anyone guiding him.
What's more, its form and power looked exactly like the ones his father and Kakashi had shown him.
Once he realized that, a wave of pure joy swept over him like a flood.
Naruto leapt high into the air and shouted, "I DID IT!!"
The face of this twelve-year-old boy lit up with overwhelming pride and excitement.
This was the secret technique his father took pride in his father's signature jutsu.
The Rasengan.
The same technique mastered by the Fourth Hokage himself!
[Ding! Emotional fluctuation detected from Uzumaki Naruto! Emotional value +800!]
In the audience.
"Wait was that the same jutsu as Lord Fourth's?!"
Iruka was so shocked he nearly leapt out of his seat.
[Ding! Emotional fluctuation detected from Iruka Umino! Emotional value +200!]
"That's right."
Kakashi stared at the screen, his expression serious as he slowly nodded. "It's the Rasengan."
Naruto truly was his father's son. To master a technique like the Rasengan in such a short time it was nothing short of incredible. His determination and talent were far beyond what people had given him credit for.
This child's potential had been underestimated for far too long.
"Is this dream world really that incredible?" Iruka finally regained his composure and muttered in disbelief, "Is it really possible to learn actual ninjutsu just by training inside it?"
Kakashi nodded again. "It is. I guided Naruto through the third stage of the Rasengan, but the first two stages… those were all taught by Minato-sensei himself."
"I see…" Iruka murmured.
He turned his gaze back to the screen. Naruto was hopping excitedly around the backyard, beaming with joy. Iruka's eyes softened, filled with admiration and heartfelt happiness.
"That's wonderful, Naruto…"
Just as Iruka sighed with emotion, a cold scoff came from the other side.
Sasuke had his arms folded across his chest, head tilted, a smug smirk tugging at his lips.
"Tch. Took him long enough to pull off something that simple," he muttered with disdain. "What's there to be so happy about?"
After all, he had mastered the Genjutsu his older brother taught him in just one day.
The gap between them was clear undeniable.
Thinking about this, Sasuke's lips curled into a sneer.
[Ding! Emotional fluctuation detected from Uchiha Sasuke! Emotional value +400!]
Watching both Naruto and Sasuke grow rapidly stronger through their dreams, Sakura couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy.
Why… why am I the only one who hasn't gained anything?
When will it be my turn to have a dream like that something magical and life-changing?
She lowered her eyes, clenched her fists, and muttered in frustration deep within her heart.
[Ding! Emotional fluctuation detected from Haruno Sakura! Emotional value +300!]