"Naruto! I know a great onigiri shop. After such a perfectly synced workout, wanna grab a bite together?"
Might Guy's enthusiastic invitation caught Naruto off guard. Most jōnin would steer clear of him due to his jinchūriki status, wary of getting too close. But Guy, far from avoiding him, was inviting him to eat together.
Thinking about Guy's personality—strong yet shunned even by Danzo—Naruto wasn't surprised anymore.
"Sure," Naruto agreed without overthinking.
"Oh! Youth! Pure youth!" Guy exclaimed, leaping to Naruto's side.
The two figures, one big, one small, headed toward Konoha's downtown. Along the way, villagers still cast cold glances at Naruto, whispering and pointing. Guy noticed it all.
It reminded him of his own childhood. Lacking any talent for ninjutsu and practicing his father's odd training methods, he'd been mocked relentlessly. But Naruto's treatment was far worse.
Guy's usual cheerful grin faded, his thick eyebrows furrowing with concern. He glanced at Naruto, intending to offer comfort. But seeing Naruto's calm, unshaken expression, he was struck with awe.
[To have such composure at this age… incredible.]
Guy recalled his own childhood, filled with self-doubt and discouragement at Naruto's age. He'd had his father's support, but Naruto…
His thoughts shifted, and Guy's view of Naruto deepened. In the next moment, he stomped the ground dramatically, striking a pose like a Saiyan powering up.
In front of the gossiping villagers, he roared, "Naruto! Run! If you're fast enough, those nasty voices can't catch you! Keep up, don't let me leave you behind!"
The sudden outburst startled Naruto, who briefly thought Guy was about to open the Eight Gates. The shout drowned out the villagers' murmurs.
With a whoosh, Guy shot forward like a cannonball. Naruto, catching on, felt a rare warmth in his heart. A faint smile curved his lips as he chased after the green-clad figure.
Two Anbu with fox masks shadowed them, flickering across rooftops. One, with white hair, stared at Naruto's bright blond hair, his eyes glinting beneath the mask.
On a quieter street, Guy skidded to a stylish stop in front of a modest shop. A handwritten wooden sign read Granny Lee's Onigiri.
Granny Lee… Naruto studied the sign. Given Guy's loud personality, he'd expected him to shout his order. Instead, Guy entered quietly, gesturing to a hunched, kind-faced old woman. She smiled warmly, nodding frequently, but never spoke.
Naruto quickly realized she was likely deaf and mute.
Soon, two towering plates of onigiri were placed on the table by Guy, who gave Naruto a thumbs-up, urging him to dig in. Naruto took a big bite, chewed twice, then paused.
Guy laughed heartily. "Pretty salty, right? But after sweating buckets, you need to replenish salt! This place's flavor is perfect for ninjas like us!"
Naruto saw through it. The "perfect flavor" was just an excuse—Guy was supporting the old woman's business. With his appetite, Guy alone could keep her afloat.
Naruto didn't call out Guy's kindness, just ate quietly, sipping water. With his Perfected Uzumaki Sage Physique, his appetite had grown. The mountain of onigiri vanished quickly.
Seeing Naruto's impressive eating at such a young age, Guy flashed a broad grin.
"Senior Guy, can I train with you for the next month?" Naruto asked bluntly. With someone like Guy, straightforwardness was best.
As expected, Guy agreed instantly, almost vibrating with excitement.
…
Over the next month, Training Ground Three buzzed from dawn to dusk with two figures training tirelessly, drawing many onlookers. The longer they trained together, the more Naruto's talent shocked Guy.
No matter how grueling the high-intensity workouts, Naruto persevered. His grasp of taijutsu was uncanny—learning techniques with a glance and mastering them with practice. With his exceptional physique and comprehension, Naruto's taijutsu improved visibly day by day.
Witnessing Naruto's staggering progress, Guy felt a mix of emotions. He'd honed his taijutsu through years of painstaking effort, step by step. Naruto, however, seemed to have a cheat code, progressing dozens of times faster than Guy had at his age.
…
In the training ground, Naruto sparred with Guy.
Konoha Prelude!Konoha Rock Crusher!Konoha Whirlwind!Konoha Great Whirlwind!Konoha Rigid Whirlwind!
Naruto chained Konoha-style taijutsu techniques, his movements fluid and fierce, clashing with Guy fist-to-fist, each strike landing solidly. Though Guy used only a fraction of his strength, the rapid exchange between the two figures looked intense, almost evenly matched!
Feeling Naruto's taijutsu prowess firsthand, Guy's heart surged with excitement. A thought struck him: [A genius who works this hard… someone like me, relying purely on effort, will soon be surpassed.]
Even his steadfast resolve wavered briefly, but only for a moment. The next second, he rallied himself to train harder—double, no, triple the effort!
After executing all the taijutsu he'd learned from Guy, Naruto landed steadily, halting his movements. A robotic voice echoed in his mind.
"Completed 30 days of training with Might Guy. Self-discipline task finished. Reward: [Wind Breathing Technique]."
Instantly, the breathing methods and nine corresponding sword techniques of the Wind Breathing Technique flooded his memory. Digesting the information, Naruto was surprised.
The reward was the Wind Breathing Technique from Demon Slayer. He pictured its dazzling sword forms, wondering, [What if I used chakra to enhance these techniques? Would they be even stronger?]
The month-long self-discipline task was a success—his taijutsu had skyrocketed, and he'd gained the Wind Breathing Technique. The only regret was not learning the Eight Gates from Guy. When he'd brought it up, Guy had looked unusually hesitant.
Naruto suspected the Third Hokage had warned Guy against teaching him such a "dangerous" technique. No matter—he'd get his hands on the Scroll of Seals eventually.
…
In the Hokage's office, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, watched Naruto's impressive taijutsu through a crystal ball. Pipe in mouth, his cloudy eyes gleamed with sharp interest.