Naruto pouted, rotating his arm and trying to will feeling back into it.
Just then, Uchiha Sasuke, surrounded by a flurry of admiring classmates, walked by indifferently with his hands tucked in his pockets and his eyes closed.
"Hmph, dead last. Do you really think this kind of pitiful effort can change anything?"
Naruto was stunned for a moment before his anger erupted. "Teme! What did you just say?!"
Uchiha Sasuke just snorted lightly and continued walking away without a single glance back.
"Damn it! That jerk Sasuke! If my right arm wasn't completely useless right now, I'd challenge you to a one-on-one fight!"
While he was still fuming, a rapid, earthquake-like sound rumbled from behind him. Naruto looked back and saw Sakura Haruno and Ino Yamanaka, shoulder-to-shoulder and elbow-to-elbow, practically squeezed together like conjoined twins as they ran towards him, neither willing to give an inch.
"Sakura-chan…"
The moment Naruto saw Sakura, his eyes immediately lit up, as if all his previous fatigue and pain had completely vanished.
However…
"Get out of the way, Naruto!" Sakura Haruno shouted as she shoved Naruto to the ground. Then, she and Ino Yamanaka wrestled each other as they continued their chase after Sasuke.
Naruto pushed himself back up, dusted off his clothes, and snorted as he watched Sasuke's retreating figure. "Every single one of them only cares about Sasuke. When I become Hokage, I'll definitely make all of you see me in a new light. Hmph, just you wait!"
"Ouch, ouch, ouch…" Naruto rubbed his sore shoulder and arm as he trudged toward the Ninja Academy classroom.
It wasn't time for class yet, and the room was filled with groups of students laughing and playing.
[Host it is detected…]
"Alright! I get it already!" Naruto interrupted. "It's just the Chakra Refining Technique, right? I'll start training now!"
Naruto had gradually figured out the System's routine. This time, without waiting for it to say more, he proactively responded and quickly entered a state of training. In any case, no one ever paid attention to him, so he might as well use this opportunity to improve himself.
The Chakra Refining Technique was Naruto's most proficient skill at the moment. And without Kurama interfering, his chakra refining efficiency was becoming higher and higher. His chakra reserves were already far beyond those of his peers, and now they were growing even more, rising steadily with each moment.
In fact… the current Naruto could now practice the Chakra Refining Technique while allowing his mind to wander. This was the result of practicing something until it was so deeply ingrained in his bones that he could do it subconsciously.
"To get into the top ten in class within a single month… How is that even possible!"
Naruto was extremely distressed. Even with the System's help, this felt like an impossible task. He had a very clear understanding of his own current skill level. You could call it self-awareness.
"Oh, that's right!" a thought suddenly struck him. "I can ask someone to help me with tutoring! Aha, I totally forgot about that trick… But who should I ask?"
The first person who appeared in his mind was, of course, Sakura Haruno. Although Sasuke was undoubtedly the best in the class overall, in terms of pure academic performance, Sakura Haruno was the undisputed top student.
Not to mention… a goofy, hopeful grin couldn't help but spread across Naruto's lips. He already liked Sakura more than anyone… this would be killing two birds with one stone!
While class hadn't started yet, he had already been practicing the Chakra Refining Technique for a good while. Naruto carefully stopped his training and, seeing no warning from the System, he breathed a quiet sigh of relief and happily went to find Sakura Haruno.
"Um, hey… Sakura, can I ask you for a favor?" Naruto pleaded, pressing his hands together earnestly.
Sakura Haruno had just been treated coldly by Sasuke, and she snapped back irritably, "What is it?!"
Naruto grinned. "Well, it's… um… could you maybe help me with tutoring?"
As soon as Naruto's words came out, not just Sakura Haruno, but everyone around them looked over in complete surprise. The noisy classroom immediately fell silent.
"What's wrong?" Naruto asked, scratching his head in confusion.
Sakura Haruno was startled at first, but then she decided that Naruto was just using this as another excuse to try and get close to her. She said impatiently, "Naruto, stop playing these games with me! I will never, ever like you!"
With that, she turned and stormed away.
Naruto was instantly frozen in place. A cold breeze seemed to blow through the silent room. A single piece of paper on a nearby desk fluttered to the ground. His plan had been so perfect, with just one tiny flaw: Sakura Haruno was completely unwilling.
Despairing, Naruto hung his head like a defeated rooster and dejectedly started to walk back to his seat.
Just then.
"Na… Naruto-kun…"
That faint, almost inaudible voice was… "Hm? What's wrong, Hinata?"
The short-haired girl with the pale eyes didn't dare to look at Naruto. She kept her head down, her face flushed a deep crimson, her index fingers gently touching as she tried to speak but couldn't seem to utter a single word.
"Strange girl…" Naruto pouted and was about to turn and leave.
But Hinata finally mustered her courage. "Th-that… Naruto-kun, if… if you really want tutoring… I… I can help you…"
Naruto's steps instantly halted. His eyes lit up, and he abruptly turned back, a wide, brilliant grin spreading across his face. "R-really, Hinata?!"
Hinata quickly lowered her head again, her face glowing red. She didn't dare to look at Naruto's face and could only give a shy, tiny nod.
"That's great!" Naruto exclaimed. He knew that although Hinata's grades weren't quite as good as Sakura Haruno's, she was still among the top students in the class. With her tutoring, his chances of avoiding the System's "small punishment" were now greatly increased!
"Thank you so much, Hinata!" Naruto couldn't help but step forward excitedly and grasp Hinata's small hand.
"Ah—" Hinata immediately let out a small gasp, her face turning completely red as if she had a high fever. Her small head looked like it was almost steaming.
"Hm? What's wrong, Hinata? Hinata?!"
…The young Naruto would never know that even though he failed almost all his subjects, there was one thing he always got a perfect score in: Hinata's affection for him. In any world, even if the universe was turned upside down and personalities were completely reversed… this one thing would never change.
Suddenly having her small hand held by Naruto—such an intimate contact—was more than Hinata's little heart could possibly bear. Her face was flushed, her head felt hot, and she almost fainted on the spot. Fortunately, Naruto's concerned calls brought her back to her senses. But seeing Naruto's face so close made Hinata blush all over again, her heart pounding like a startled deer in her chest.
"Na… Naruto-kun, you can let go of my hand now…"
Naruto then looked down and realized he had been tightly holding Hinata's hand this whole time. "Ahaha, sorry, I got too excited, I didn't even notice… Hinata, what's wrong?"
Hinata looked at her freed hand, feeling relieved for a moment, but then a strange sense of loss arose in her heart. She lowered her head, her face still bright red. "N-nothing… Naruto-kun, tomorrow is the weekend. We can arrange a time and a place for studying…"
Naruto thought for a moment. "Hmm… Then let's study in the morning. As for the location… how about your house?"
Hinata quickly shook her head. "I'm afraid that won't work…"
Naruto nodded. "You're right, you're the one helping me out after all… Then how about you come to my house!"
Hinata's small heart instantly began to pound wildly.