"Three hundred times! I only managed to practice about eighty times during the entire class! If I don't hurry up, I won't get any sleep tonight!"
In the spiritual space, Kurama twitched his ears with satisfaction.
"Humph, this brat… it seems he's not so hopeless after all. You can't sleep, but I can…"
Kurama grinned, yawned, twitched his ears once more, and promptly fell asleep.
"Clone Technique—"
"Clone Technique!"
"I'll split!"
[Host has completed one hundred clone techniques. His mastery has increased. Proficiency +1!]
Although Naruto was sweating profusely and panting for breath, a smug smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.
"Ahaha, I've really made great progress… My clone is almost opening his eyes now!…"
Naruto pondered this, thinking back to the metaphor Iruka-sensei had used.
"It's like pulling your own reflection out of a mirror."
Naruto pounded his fist into his palm. "Ha! I figured it out!"
He immediately ran to the mirror, looked at his own reflection, and carefully studied himself from top to bottom.
"The reason I can't do the clone technique well is probably because I can't multitask properly. Making the hand seals while thinking about my own shadow in my head and controlling my chakra at the same time is just too troublesome! If I could just see my reflection, I wouldn't have to think about it myself! I'm such a genius!"
Naruto immediately began to experiment again.
"Ram, Snake, Tiger…"
"Clone Technique!"
Sure enough, although the clone was still lying on the ground this time, his eyes were fully open! What was even more surprising was that the face finally looked exactly like Naruto's.
"It really works!"
Naruto wiped the sweat from his forehead, overjoyed, and immediately immersed himself in his training once more.
[Host has completed 300 clone techniques. His mastery has increased. Proficiency +3!]
[Current Clone Technique Proficiency Level: 36!]
Although it was still only at 36, it had been a mere 16 before! After just one day of intense, hard training, his proficiency had increased by a full 20 points! If this continued… Naruto couldn't help but stroke his chin proudly, his imagination beginning to run wild.
He saw himself getting first place in the class, finally stepping on Sasuke, being hugged and kissed by Sakura, with all the girls looking at him with adoring eyes, and all the boys burning with envy and jealousy…
Unfortunately, this pleasant scene did not last long, and he soon fell asleep from complete and utter exhaustion.
…
The next day, early in the morning.
This was the third day since Naruto had gotten the System, and it was also his first weekend. He was woken up by the System at six o'clock sharp. He stretched, got out of bed reluctantly, and began to wash up and cook his breakfast.
He walked over to the window and glanced downstairs without thinking.
The early morning sunlight, casting mottled shadows, fell on a girl's white dress and cheeks. The breeze blew gently, causing soft ripples to dance across her long skirt. The girl was wearing a white sun hat, which was almost blown away by the wind. She quickly used her small hands to hold it down, revealing a pretty, lovely, but shy and blushing face.
Naruto couldn't help but feel a slight flutter in his heart.
"Hinata?"
He suddenly remembered that he had an appointment with Hinata for tutoring today. But… the Hinata he saw today seemed different from usual.
*'Not quite the wierd girl like always.?'*
The doubts in Naruto's mind flashed away, and he immediately became excited. He grabbed the window bars and waved his hands vigorously towards Hinata, who was waiting downstairs.
"Hey! Hinata! Over here!"
Hinata's heart trembled when she heard Naruto's call. She looked up, holding her white sun hat, and saw the most familiar face in the world.
"Naruto-kun?" Her heart immediately started beating fast, and her face turned a deep shade of red with embarrassment.
Naruto, being thick-skinned, of course, had no idea what girls were thinking. He shouted, "Hinata, why don't you come on up?"
Hinata lowered her head. "I… I…"
"What happened?"
Hinata twisted her fingers together, speechless for a moment. How was she supposed to tell him that she was just too shy…
Naruto smiled and said, "Then I'll come down and get you! Wait for me for a moment!"
Naruto immediately ran downstairs, pushed the door open, and rushed out, running right up to Hinata.
"Let's go." He gently grabbed Hinata's hand. Hinata's body suddenly trembled, but she couldn't bring herself to refuse. She followed Naruto's footsteps and walked towards his home on the second floor.
*'Naruto-kun is holding my hand…'* Hinata's mind went completely blank for a moment.
"Ta-da! This is my home! How is it? Not bad, right?" Naruto let go of Hinata's hand and casually picked up a watering can to water the plants he was raising. This was one of his few hobbies besides eating ramen.
Hinata looked at her now-empty hand, feeling a little lost.
"What's wrong, Hinata?"
"N-no, nothing…" She looked at Naruto watering the flowers, and a smile appeared on her blushing little face. "I… I didn't expect Naruto-kun to have such a hobby."
"This? Hahaha, I guess so!" Naruto put the watering can down carelessly. "Have you eaten yet?"
"I have."
"Oh, then should we get started right away?"
Hinata nervously pinched the corner of her clothes. "O-okay…"
Naruto led her to his 'study room,' which was a complete and utter mess. Even a rough-and-tumble guy like him couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed.
"Aha, this is a bit messy…"
Hinata smiled secretly. "It's… it's okay."
Naruto simply pushed all the messy things on the table onto the floor. "Come on, Hinata, sit next to me."
Hinata had just calmed down a little, but her heart instantly started beating wildly again, as if a little rabbit was thumping uncontrollably inside her chest.
*'Sit… sit next to Naruto-kun?'*
Naruto said, "Ah, of course. How else are going to teach me?"
Hinata hesitated for a moment before saying, "What you said is correct…" She lowered her head, blushing deeply as she moved closer and carefully sat on the chair next to Naruto.
"Hinata, I feel like you seem a little different today… Hmm… how should I put it…"
Hinata's heart trembled. She had put a lot of thought into today's "date." Instead of wearing her usual bulky clothes, she had chosen a long white skirt and a sun hat. Of course, she wanted Naruto to pay more attention to her.
*'Did he realize my feelings?'*
Naruto thought for a long time and finally came to a conclusion. "Hmm… it's probably because we're not in school. You don't seem so gloomy anymore!"
Hinata: "…"
Although she felt a little disappointed, Hinata still smiled shyly. "Well, I'll try harder and stop being so gloomy… Naruto-kun, let's get started."
Naruto also clenched his fists. "Alright! Getting into the top ten and defeating Sasuke is all up to you, Hinata!"
Hinata nodded slightly, opened her textbook and notes, and began to explain everything to Naruto carefully, starting from the very beginning.
At this moment, the sun gradually rose, shining through the window and falling on the two people who were pressed closely together.