"Oh?" Hinata's voice was barely a whisper, trembling slightly as her fingers fidgeted nervously. "G-go to… Naruto-kun's house?"
Naruto's face lit up instantly, joy practically radiating from every pore. "Of course! There's nowhere else better to go! Then it's settled—see you tomorrow!"
As he skipped back to his seat, he clasped his hands behind his head and hummed cheerfully, humming a tune as light and carefree as his grin. Hinata watched his retreating figure, a small, faint smile brushing her flushed cheeks. Her chest fluttered at the thought, almost unable to believe that she had actually agreed to this.
"Can I really train with Naruto-kun tomorrow?" she whispered to herself, heart thumping erratically. "T-This is… wonderful…"
Meanwhile, Sakura Haruno and Ino Yamanaka exchanged knowing glances from across the classroom, having witnessed the scene unfold.
"Look at Hinata… helping Naruto?" Ino smirked, tilting her head. "Heh, I think Naruto might actually be changing his mind soon."
Sakura huffed, crossing her arms. "Huh? What does that have to do with me? That troublemaker had better not bother me!" She shot a glare at Ino and returned to her work, though her curiosity lingered.
Even after Ino wandered off, Naruto's determined gaze occasionally flicked toward Hinata, though he quickly shook his head to push away distracting thoughts. Straightening his posture, he fixed his attention on Sasuke, who sat with his usual aloofness, and on Nara Shikamaru and Akimichi Choji, who were staring at him with visible disbelief.
"B-bu… Naruto? Did he just… ask someone to tutor him?" Choji whispered, his mouth full of fries. He chewed loudly, muttering, "Aw-woo… aw-woo… this is insane…"
Shikamaru leaned back in his chair with a long, lazy yawn. "There are only two possibilities: either Naruto has gone completely mad, or we've all fallen into some genjutsu," he muttered, closing his eyes.
Choji shook his head dramatically. "No, there's a third option—I haven't fully woken up yet." He plopped onto his desk, slumping like a ragdoll. "I need more sleep…"
Even Inuzuka Kiba, sitting in the back row, frowned in disbelief. His personality mirrored Naruto's in many ways—they were both brash, love attention, and most importantly, both had their sights set on becoming Hokage. Kiba muttered, "Is Naruto trying to get rid of that 'Diao Che Wei' title or something?"
Just then, a calm, measured voice interrupted from nearby.
"That's not necessarily true," Shino Aburame said quietly. "Everyone has the potential to change."
Kiba jumped slightly, barking, "Shino?! When did you get here?"
"I've been sitting here for half an hour," Shino replied calmly, adjusting his glasses. "You just didn't notice."
The chatter in the classroom suddenly quieted as Iruka Umino stepped forward, frowning slightly at the sudden silence. "What's going on with all of you?"
"N-nothing…" the students stammered.
Iruka's eyes flickered toward Naruto, noting the boy's intense focus and unusual seriousness. He's still developing his chakra… Iruka thought, pride swelling in his chest. My guidance worked, but… maybe a little too well. This level of effort seems extreme. Is he preparing for a graduate exam or something?
Suppressing a slight blush, Iruka cleared his throat. "Okay, everyone. Let's begin the lesson."
"Detected…" the system interjected automatically, but Naruto had already braced himself. "Heh heh heh… I know. Full concentration!"
Naruto opened his eyes wide, ears perked, and fixed his gaze on Iruka-sensei. He refused to miss a single word. His stance was alert, precise, and disciplined, drawing startled glances from classmates. Some even whispered in disbelief.
"Yesterday's Naruto wasn't just acting… is he seriously paying attention now?" one student murmured. "This is as shocking as Sasuke suddenly appearing and doing… something ridiculous on stage!"
Choji whispered back, "Definitely scarier than me suddenly saying I'd lose weight."
Ino giggled quietly. "It's as unbelievable as Sakura… falling for Naruto!"
Suddenly, a chalk fragment flew across the room, splitting into three pieces midair, hitting three students squarely on the forehead. Iruka's eyes narrowed. "No whispering!" he barked. The students winced, rubbing their heads.
Iruka sighed, muttering, "Can none of you pay attention properly?"
But his gaze shifted to Naruto, and a rare sense of awe washed over him. The boy—still the same mischievous, troublemaking Naruto—had suddenly become the embodiment of focus and diligence. Iruka was slightly taken aback.
"Ahem," Iruka cleared his throat, trying to regain composure. "Naruto, why don't you answer this question?"
The class held its collective breath as Naruto froze for a split second, mind racing. He recalled yesterday's lesson, combined it with Sakura's explanations, and pulled together knowledge from Iruka-sensei's recent lectures. His observation, memory, and analytical skills had all improved drastically from his recent training sessions.
"5… 500 meters?" he answered cautiously, as if handling a live explosive, measuring each word carefully.
Iruka's eyes widened in astonishment, his jaw slack. He actually understood the reasoning!
Naruto's lips curled into an uncontrollable grin. "Ano sa… ano sa… Iruka-sensei, did I get it right?!"
Iruka shook his head slowly. "No… but you almost did. The answer was very close. You made a common mistake—one even Sakura might make if distracted. This… is already miraculous."
Naruto ran his hands through his messy hair, frustrated but exhilarated. "…But I still didn't get it completely right, did I?"
The classroom had gone completely silent. Every student's eyes were glued to him, mouths slightly agape. Sasuke, Sakura, and even Choji were in various stages of shock, unable to believe the transformation in front of them.
This was still… Naruto?
The boy who had once been the class clown, the one who often fell behind, the one mocked for his lack of skill—he now sat on the verge of mastering lessons with unwavering determination.
Even the system itself seemed to register this growth. [Knowledge Absorption Level Increased – Stage One]
Naruto's heart raced, a fierce mix of pride and exhilaration swelling within him. He had started this journey with one simple goal: to survive the system's harsh training and rise above the ridicule. Now, he was beginning to realize that every bit of effort, every drop of sweat, every stumble in front of his classmates was turning him into someone formidable.
"Tomorrow," Naruto thought to himself, "I'll refine my chakra further, strengthen my body, and maybe… just maybe, I'll finally catch up to Sasuke in more ways than one."
And with Hinata's quiet support, and the system pushing him beyond ordinary limits, Naruto felt the first true sense of possibility—an inkling that he was no longer just a kid struggling to survive. He was on the path to greatness, and nothing—not ridicule, not exhaustion, not even the impossible goals of the system—could stop him.
The bell rang, signaling the end of the first intense lesson of the day. But for Naruto, it was only the beginning. The real journey—the journey to become Hokage—was just starting to take shape.
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