MeridiansIn the morning, Naruto lazily arrived at the training ground outside the village."Hey! I've been waiting for a long time, brat!"As soon as he entered, Naruto heard a voice that was not quite familiar, yet not entirely strange.He looked toward the sound and saw a man in black clothes and pants wearing sunglasses.Ebisu?That seems to be his name, right?He seemed to be Konohamaru's private tutor.Why would he be here?A series of questions surfaced, and Narutosubconsciously looked at Kakashi, who was beside Ebisu, wanting an explanation from him."You finally arrived, Naruto. We've been waiting for you for a long time."Kakashi complained helplessly.Naruto, however, showed no remorse: "Isn't Kakashi-sensei the king of being late? That's why you asked me out today, so I specifically left an hour late!"Hearing this, Ebisu also looked at Kakashi, the resentment in his eyes unhidden even by his sunglasses.Kakashi guiltily rubbed his nose and didn't answer, changing the subject: "Ahem, speaking of which, I came to find you today for something important.""What is it?" Naruto scanned the two of them curiously.Although Kakashi was usually unreliable, he rarely lied about anything other than his excuses for being late, so if he said it was important, it must be important.It's just that Naruto didn't quite understand what important matter required Ebisu's participation.After all, this guy had been easily defeated by him before; he seemed like nothing more than a theoretical Ninja who talked big but couldn't deliver."Brat! Your thoughts are already showing in your eyes!"Veins bulged on Ebisu's forehead."It's about developing your Bloodline Limit. Isn't your Vibration Release stuck at the third stage?" Kakashi became serious. "Hokage-sama heard about this and originally wanted to find a very powerful teacher to guide you, but that person is currently traveling the Ninja World, so he sent Ebisu-sensei—"As he spoke, Kakashi pointed at Ebisu: "Ebisu-sensei's theoretical foundation is very solid. Your basic knowledge is too thin, so it's perfect for him to guide your training.""Hmm."Naruto rested his chin on his hand, seemingly contemplating whether to accept Ebisu's guidance.Seeing him like this, Ebisu's expression darkened even further.He was the dignified tutor of the Hokage's grandson! His theoretical knowledge was far superior to the teachers at the Ninja Academy!Now he was reduced to being nitpicked by a dead last; how unlucky!But there was no helping it; who told him he was close to being unemployed?It was all this Nine-Tailed brat's fault for instilling those [Five Lessons] into Konohamaru.Now young master Konohamaru didn't do any proper work all day, hiding away to ponder this Nine-Tailed brat's inexplicable nonsense, putting all his energy into practicing the lewd [Sexy Jutsu]. It was simply outrageous!And Hokage-sama didn't even bother to manage it, even sending him here to teach this Nine-Tailedbrat. It was such a waste of talent!Thinking of this, Ebisu became even more resentful; the heavy grudge was almost condensing into a tangible black mist.Naruto blinked and finally nodded: "Alright."...Kakashi left, leaving only Naruto and Ebisu in the training ground.After listening carefully to Naruto's current training progress, the look in Ebisu's eyes changed."Hey, hey, hey, for real? This brat was clearly a dead last when he was in school, right?""To be able to develop a Bloodline Limit at just twelve years old is already outrageous enough, and the progress has reached this level?"Originally, Ebisu had held a perfunctory attitude, thinking Naruto was just a dead last and he only needed to teach him a little knowledge.Now it seemed he had to take it seriously, otherwise he, the tutor of the Hokage's grandson, would lose all face.So Ebisu sat down with Naruto, thought for a moment, and asked a question: "Do you know about meridians?"Naruto nodded: "Of course I do."However, after a pause, he added: "But I'm not familiar with them."In fact, as a former Tibetan monk, Naruto was quite familiar with meridians.It was just that his knowledge of meridians remained at a relatively basic theoretical stage, such as the twelve regular meridians, the eight extraordinary meridians, and the circulation of Qi.What Naruto knew best was the Hamon system related to blood.And it was the first time he knew that the theory of human meridians also existed in the Ninja World."So-called meridians are the system through which Chakra flows and circulates within the human body." Ebisu explained, "Your third stage, [Absorption], is to absorb the Vibration ReleaseChakra created after releasing it and incorporate it into your own meridians."As he spoke, he rubbed his chin and observed Naruto: "Unlike when you directly convert Hamoninto Shockwaves in your body and hurt yourself, the Vibration Release Chakra you refine is stable and can circulate in the body, but absorbing and storing Chakra back into the body is a difficult problem.""Can you draw a rough sketch of human meridians?" Naruto's eyes lit up, thinking of something."What's difficult about that?"Ebisu's theoretical knowledge was very solid, and he immediately took out a notebook and pen from his Ninja pouch and drew on it.Soon, a human meridian diagram, which looked rough but was clear and understandable, appeared in the notebook.For the rest of the morning, Ebisu used this sketch to explain the detailed information of human meridians to Naruto.Although the names were different, the human meridians in the Ninja World were exactly the same as those of Earthlings.This undoubtedly gave Naruto great inspiration, and he quickly thought of a training method for the third stage."In Chinese meridian theory, one can circulate the cultivated [Qi] within the body and store it in the Dantian acupoint.""I seem to be able to borrow this idea, take back the created Chakra through the acupoints on my hands, and then store it."Naruto had always been a decisive person who acted as soon as he thought of something. After lunch, he dragged Ebisu back to the training ground."Are you sure? Do you really have a method?"Ebisu looked at Naruto with a skeptical face.This kid's comprehension was too heaven-defying, right? He had only roughly explained the meridian system to him, and he actually figured out the next training method directly?Naruto nodded heavily, then sat cross-legged and pressed his palms together.He pulled his palms apart, and bubbles appeared in his palms, which contained Vibration ReleaseChakra.Naruto tried to absorb the Chakra on the bubbles into his body, but he couldn't do it no matter what.Ebisu, sitting on the side, noticed this and shook his head: "Absorbing Chakra is different from releasing Chakra; it's a completely different feeling. It requires long-term practice and cannot be achieved overnight. I think you should..."Naruto opened his eyes, the corners of his mouth curled up, interrupting Ebisu: "It requires long-term practice, right?"After speaking, he stood up and formed a cross seal.Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu!Pop!The next second, thousands of Naruto filled the entire training ground."Huh?"Ebisu's jaw dropped so low it almost hit the ground.Watching thousands of Naruto sit down, close their eyes, and practice trying to absorb Vibration Release Chakra, the shock in his heart was beyond words."Having Naruto as a student, as a teacher, is really frustrating..."Ebisu couldn't help but shake his head.For a student like this who understood everything at a single hint and also possessed talent and effort, even he, who boasted of being the [Konoha's Most Excellent Teacher], couldn't help but feel huge pressure.Unknowingly, his address for Naruto changed from [Brat] to calling him by his name."Success!"This training lasted until sunset before Narutoopened his eyes, a look of joy on his face.But the next second, his expression turned to exhaustion.After dispelling the Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu, all the fatigue accumulated by the clones rushed over.Even with Naruto's super-strong physique, he couldn't withstand such a terrifying drain, and his body swayed and fell backward."Tsk tsk, you really are desperate for training."Ebisu stepped forward, supported Naruto, and shook his head with a sigh.Naruto felt the change in Ebisu's gaze; different from the previous alienation and disdain, it was replaced by appreciation and admiration.So he smiled: "After all, with you as my teacher, I can't be looked down upon, or I won't be able to hold my head up in front of Konohamaru."Ebisu smiled knowingly: "As a reward for your hard training, dinner is on me!""I want to eat Ichiraku Ramen!" Naruto's eyes turned into stars.Ebisu pushed up his sunglasses: "As the one treating, what we eat is obviously up to me! Let's go eat dumplings!"Naruto pouted: "Che! What's so good about dumplings?""A child who is picky about food will also be picky in interpersonal relationships in the future and will not be happy!"For the sake of his beloved food, Ebisu was incredibly serious at this moment: "Also, a life that doesn't know the deliciousness of dumplings is incomplete!"
Chapter 43: Because You Are My TeacherIn the end, Naruto could not win against Ebisu and followed him to the dango shop.Three-colored dango paired with red bean soup—this sugar-overloaded combination worked surprisingly well, instantly sweeping away Naruto's hunger and helping him find himself again.So, after a full meal, Naruto dragged Ebisu back to the training ground.He prepared to finish developing his Bloodline Limit in one go.Seeing Naruto full of energy, Ebisu regained a long-lost passion for teaching.Under the moonlight, he guided Naruto through the human meridian chart once more.Afterward, Naruto sat cross-legged and attempted to absorb the Vibration Release Chakra into his body.Everything went smoothly.The sensation of the Vibration Release Chakra felt like a cool stream of water flowing along his meridians.After circulating for one cycle, it gathered at Naruto's dantian.As he continuously produced more Chakra, the amount stored inside grew and grew.Ebisu watched expectantly from the side, but soon, he caught a whiff of something unusual.Chakra was leaking out from Naruto's body!And the feeling of that Chakra was, to Ebisu, unforgettable—the Nine-Tailed!That earth-shattering Nine-Tailed incident twelve years ago had left an incredibly deep impression on Ebisu's heart.His expression changed drastically, and he wanted to step forward to check on Naruto.But as soon as he got close to Naruto, a powerful Shockwave radiated from his body.Caught off guard, Ebisu was sent flying backward and slammed heavily into the ground.He scrambled up in a panic, only to find that Naruto, who had been sitting cross-legged, was now on all fours like a beast.Those sky-blue eyes had been dyed red, turning into the fierce and violent slit pupils of a demon fox."The Nine-Tails Chakra has leaked? How is that possible? How could the Fourth Hokage's seal have a problem?!"Ebisu immediately understood what was happening, but he could not figure out the reason.However, he quickly realized that now was not the time to dwell on that!Because the current Naruto was no different from a wild beast, looking around, exhaling hot air, saliva slowly dripping down—he looked exactly like a creature on the hunt.Run?Ebisu's legs trembled as he tried hard to control his body to move.And Naruto, as if noticing the gaze he had subconsciously cast, slowly turned his head.Under that predatory gaze, Ebisu instantly felt as if his legs no longer belonged to him; never mind running, even moving was a struggle."Roar!"Naruto turned around, his body enveloped in tangible, blood-red Chakra.Fangs grew out from his mouth, turning into snow-white tusks, and his nails extended, transforming into sharp claws.A crisis of death hung over Ebisu, leaving him unable to move.The next second, Naruto stomped his hands and feet on the ground and lunged directly at him....Inside the consciousness space.Naruto knelt before the massive iron gate sealing the Nine-Tailed, his body trembling uncontrollably as if suffering immense pain.A blood-red torrent surged from within the gate, mixing with the water at his feet, slowly rising along Naruto's body as if to swallow him whole."Kill! Kill! Kill! Revenge! Revenge! Revenge! Cry! Scream! Die! Destroy everything! Eliminate everything! Obliterate everything!"The Nine-Tailed's voice was fierce and shrill, echoing in Naruto's mind.Intertwined with it were those memories that had once become blurred."Get lost! Brat!" "dead last, big loser, shameless!" "We don't want to play with him! He's an orphan, he has no parents!"Naruto clutched his head tightly, struggling not to let himself be affected by these voices."Join me and take revenge on this world!" "Pour out all the flames in your heart! Let the whole world burn!"The Nine-Tailed's voice continued, this time carrying a hint of seduction and incitement.Naruto struggled to lift his head, not looking at the beastly eyes emitting a blood-red light behind the iron gate, but instead looking at the seal paper pasted on the gate.Sure enough, the character [Seal] on the paper had dimmed slightly.This undoubtedly meant that the seal on his body had been weakened.But why was this happening? How could something like this happen all of a sudden?However, the Nine-Tailed would not give Naruto a chance to think; the blood-red water surged crazily, trying to drag him into it.This time, Naruto deeply realized just how powerful the Nine-Tailed's strength was.It turned out that before, when he used the combination of his Stand and Hamon to harass the Nine-Tailed through the iron gate, it was only because the power of the seal was too strong.But now that the seal had only weakened slightly, his spirit and strength were instantly subjected to a violent impact.That surge of anger and hatred, wanting to burn the entire world to ashes, made it almost impossible for Naruto to maintain his sense of self.Even when using Hamon, that little bit of golden light only flickered for a moment before being swallowed by the blood-red water.And with Hamon struggling to take effect, Naruto's Stand could not exert its usual power either.He felt a large hand pulling his consciousness down into the abyss.A wave of exhaustion surged in, making Narutojust want to close his eyes and rest for a while.Just rest like this, it does not matter anymore..."Naruto!"A shout rang out from somewhere unknown.Naruto, who was about to close his eyes, suddenly snapped back to alertness.It was Ebisu's voice!That's right! He was still nearby!If he let the Nine-Tailed's power run wild, Ebisuwould die!Even if it was just for Ebisu, I absolutely cannot give up!Naruto's eyes widened, he took a deep breath, and the Hamon on his body surged once again.Although that golden light was still weak, a massive Shockwave erupted from within it.Hum!The blood-red water entangled around him was stripped away by the vibration, Naruto breathed a sigh of relief, and the next second, his figure vanished from the spot."Naruto!"Watching Naruto rush toward him at high speed, Ebisu had no time to run; he could only shout his name, trying to wake him up.But in the other's eyes, there remained only the ferocity of a beast."..."Ebisu closed his eyes in despair, but the expected excruciating pain did not come.He opened his eyes curiously to find Narutostopped right in front of him, his face full of pain.That sharp-clawed hand was less than ten centimeters away from Ebisu's heart.Gulp. Ebisu swallowed hard.Naruto struggled, his left hand gripping his right wrist tightly, seemingly trying to suppress the desire to kill within him.Seeing this, Ebisu realized he should try to run.But as soon as he moved, it triggered Naruto's beastly nature, and the sharp claws lunged straight for his heart."Am I going to die?"Ebisu froze; this was the only thought remaining in his mind.Then, hearing a crack, he could not help but widen his eyes.It turned out Naruto had steeled himself, clenching his left hand into a fist and striking fiercely, actually breaking his own out-of-control right arm.His arm twisted at a strange angle, grazing past Ebisu's body.The excruciating pain hit like a tidal wave, which instead helped Naruto snap to his senses and regain control of his body.He collapsed to the ground, cold sweat beading on his forehead, panting heavily."Naruto!"Ebisu finally realized what had happened and turned around, crouching down to check on his condition.The arm bone, bent at almost ninety degrees after breaking, was terrifying just to look at, let alone imagine how intense the pain must be."Why... why did you do that?"Ebisu could not help but ask.Naruto lifted his head, forcing a smile: "Because you are my teacher."After saying this, Naruto's head tilted, and he completely passed out.
Chapter 44: A Different Way of Living"Ugh..."Naruto woke up, the heavy scent of disinfectant flooding his nasal cavity.He groaned, squinting his eyes, struggling to adjust to the light."Naruto, you're finally awake!"Kakashi's voice came from nearby.Naruto propped himself up to a sitting position, shook his head, and realized he was in a hospital room.Before he could clearly see the people surrounding the bed, he felt a soft body throw itself into his arms."Naruto..."The girl's sobbing sounded in his ear, warm tears dripping one by one onto his shoulder.Feeling the wetness on him, Naruto raised his left hand and gently patted Sakura's back: "I'm fine, Sakura."Sasuke stood by the bedside, watching the two embracing, and after a moment of silence, the corner of his mouth curled slightly."Alright, Sakura, Naruto has only been unconscious for a day, there's no need for such a dramatic farewell, is there?"Kakashi crossed his arms, waiting a while before speaking."S-sorry..." Sakura stood up embarrassedly, wiping the tears from her face, "I got a little too emotional.""I was unconscious for a day? That's rare."Naruto replied with a grin.This was true; with his powerful recovery ability, no matter the injury, he could recover after just one sleep.Previously, when he was heavily injured by Haku while protecting Sasuke, he only lay down for half a day.This was the first time he had been unconscious for a whole day.Kakashi didn't answer, but instead looked at Sasuke and Sakura: "Could I ask you two to step out for a moment? I have something to discuss with Naruto.""Is there something so important that we can't hear it..."Sakura pouted, complaining as she left the room with Sasuke.After confirming the door was closed, Kakashi sat by the bed and said seriously: "Do you know, this situation was very dangerous."Naruto nodded: "The Nine-Tailed's seal was weakened, right?""That's right, you must have felt that guy's power, right? Even if only a little bit leaked out, it was enough to make you lose your sanity."Saying this, Kakashi shook his head with lingering fear: "It's said that Ebisu carried you, rushing into the hospital desperately to seek help, begging Hokage-sama to save you like a madman.""Is that so?" Naruto's mind flashed with the image of Ebisu, and he laughed, "It's hard to imagine that scene.""I told you, he is an excellent teacher." Kakashisighed.Realizing the conversation had drifted, Kakashigathered his thoughts, shook his head, and said: "Do you remember what happened before you lost control?""What happened?" Naruto squinted, deep in thought.Kakashi explained: "Well, the seal on your body is called the [Eight Trigrams Seal]. It is extremely effective at sealing the Nine-Tailed and shouldn't weaken easily; something must have happened. Although Hokage-sama has some theories, I still want to hear your description.""Well," Naruto rubbed his chin, recalling the situation at the time, "I remember that the development of Vibration Release had a breakthrough, and I tried to absorb the Vibration Release Chakra into my body, storing it in the Dantian area, which is here—"As he spoke, Naruto pointed to his stomach."Just as I thought!"Kakashi nodded knowingly."Just as you thought?"Naruto looked over, puzzled."The location of the Eight Trigrams Seal is right at your navel," Kakashi said with a grave expression, "Before, based on Ebisu's description, Hokage-sama speculated that your Vibration ReleaseChakra might have some property that could loosen or even break the seal. Now that I've heard your recollection, I feel this possibility is even greater.""Is that really the case?"Naruto lowered his head, touching his stomach in disbelief."In any case, I suggest you put aside the development of Vibration Release for the time being." Kakashi stood up, "Hokage-sama will find a way to reinforce your seal and find other feasible training methods."Hearing this, there was unwillingness in Naruto's eyes.Seeing that the development of Vibration Releasewas about to be completed, anyone would be anxious to have it paused like this.But thinking about his previous experience of almost seriously injuring or even killing Ebisu, he couldn't help but sigh.If one were to be indulgent and willful with such things, the consequences would be catastrophic.So even though he was unwilling, Naruto didn't throw a tantrum: "I understand, Kakashi-sensei."Kakashi showed a gratified smile and patted his shoulder: "Very well, I won't disturb your rest. I'll come to see you tomorrow."After saying this, he opened the door, let Sakuraand Sasuke, who were waiting at the door, come in, and then left."Naruto, what exactly happened to you? Kakashi-sensei refused to say anything before!"Sakura couldn't help but ask hurriedly as soon as she entered, her eyes full of confusion and concern.Although Sasuke didn't speak, he nodded silently.It seems Kakashi-sensei didn't tell them my identity. That's right, I should be the one to tell them myself.Naruto understood, but seeing Sakura's worried expression, he decided to save it for later: "It's nothing, just had some issues while developing Vibration Release."As he spoke, he lifted his right arm to show them.Naruto had previously broken his right arm, and with the support of his powerful self-healing ability, although it hadn't fully recovered, it was already movable."The mission in the Land of Waves is already over, you shouldn't train so hard, Naruto."Sakura didn't suspect anything; she just touched Naruto's bandaged arm with pity.Sasuke, with his hands in his pockets, said in a tsundere tone: "Recover quickly. Without a hot-blooded idiot like you, our mission efficiency has dropped.""I'm creating an opportunity for you to catch up to me, genius Sasuke." Naruto smiled."I don't need it." Sasuke curled his lip.The three of them laughed and joked around, and then Sakura and Sasuke were chased away by a nurse who arrived, citing the need for the patient to rest.Facing the now empty and quiet hospital room, Naruto closed his eyes, his consciousness slowly sinking.Drip, drip.The familiar sewer.Splashing footsteps echoed as Naruto walked on the water, arriving in front of the iron gate sealing the Nine-Tailed.The Nine-Tailed was curled up in the shadows behind the gate; its ears twitched, sensing Naruto's arrival, but it didn't react at all.Naruto didn't speak either; he silently sat cross-legged, gazing at the Nine-Tailed without a word.After a long while, the Nine-Tailed finally couldn't hold back.Its massive head tilted, its crimson beast-like pupils staring at Naruto, and it exhaled a puff of hot air from its nose: "Hey, brat! What are you doing here?!""Do you know? Chakra is a special energy formed by mixing physical energy and spiritual energy..."Naruto tilted his head, speaking nonsensical words.At least in the eyes of the Nine-Tailed, it was very nonsensical.Its mouth twitched slightly, its tone filled with suppressed rage: "Stop talking nonsense! Were you scared by my power?"The Nine-Tailed laughed loudly: "Haha, bastard, since you've seen my power, be careful from now on, or I will take over your body at any time, destroy your Village, kill your companions, and destroy everything you cherish and protect...""I saw it."Naruto spoke, and although his voice was soft, it interrupted the Nine-Tailed's roar."What are you talking about?"The Nine-Tailed frowned."Chakra connection represents the fusion of spiritual energy, so in that moment, I saw your memories, although only in fragments."Naruto looked up, his gaze colliding with the Nine-Tailed's."What did you see?"The Nine-Tailed's throat felt dry."I saw flames. The fire of revenge rising in your heart against the malice, hatred, and persecution from humans, burning away all the kindness and goodness in your nature."Naruto's voice echoed in its ears.Roar!The Nine-Tailed jumped up, its fur standing on end.Nine tails swayed behind it, and the entire space shook."Don't act like you see through me, brat!"The Nine-Tailed's voice was filled with uncontrollable anger."A humble, insignificant, short-lived mortal like you, whose life will vanish in the blink of an eye, yet you act so self-righteous, pretending to see through everything. If it weren't for this broken gate, I would have rushed out and torn you to pieces long ago!"Naruto responded calmly, standing up and looking up at the Nine-Tailed: "I know, you are very strong. Just a little bit of leaked Chakra is enough to shake my spirit and corrode and destroy my body."As he spoke, Naruto's body expanded rapidly, reaching a size comparable to the Nine-Tailed.This time, he looked the Nine-Tailed in the eye: "This is my promise to you: I will keep getting stronger, and one day, I will open this gate for you with my own hands.""At that time, I will bear your hatred, your disgust, and your fire of revenge."As he spoke, his body continued to grow larger, his head reaching the ceiling of the sewer, looking down at the Nine-Tailed: "You, like me, like everyone else, are a life, not a tool. You were not given a mission at the moment of birth, nor was your way of living set in stone.""So at least once, I hope to take you on a different path, to try a different way of living!"
Chapter 45: You'd Better Not Be Too Arrogant When You Speak; It Makes You Look Weak"You're being a bit too desperate, aren't you, Sasuke?"The setting sun slanted slightly as The Three Little Ones walked down the street, and Sakura couldn't help but ask.This usually handsome and cool genius looked rather disheveled at the moment, with one arm draped over Naruto's shoulder and several wounds on his body.More than half a month had passed since Narutorecovered and was discharged from the hospital, and today was the day Team 7 was finally executing a C-rank mission after a long time.Unfortunately, unlike the previous encounter with Zabuza, this mission was just a simple matter of taking care of a gang of mountain bandits.Originally, for Team 7, the difficulty of this mission was very low.In normal circumstances, Sasuke would have played it safe and steady, easily taking care of all the enemies by himself.But during the battle, he acted recklessly, rushing headlong into the bandits' hideout, which was why he got injured in the fight.Sakura glanced at Naruto, naturally knowing that Sasuke was competing with him.She just really couldn't understand—even if he was weaker than Naruto, so what? Was it really necessary to fight for a victory?After all, with Sasuke's current strength, he had already surpassed the vast majority of Genin; wasn't that enough?"It's none of your business," Sasuke replied coldly.Sakura's words caught in her throat, and she felt her breathing become somewhat labored."Hey, hey, hey, you're in this state, can't you stop trying to act tough?" Naruto interrupted."Don't get cocky yourself," Sasuke rolled his eyes at Naruto, who was supporting him, though he lacked the overbearing attitude he had shown Sakura. "I'll be able to surpass you very soon, Naruto!"There was confidence in Sasuke's voice.Since returning from the Land of Waves, he had started a demonic training regimen that bordered on self-abuse.Although limited by his own physique, the strength of Sasuke's Hamon had reached its limit a week ago and could not increase any further.However, his control over Chakra had become increasingly mature through constant tempering.The current Sasuke was confident that he could easily defeat the version of himself that had just returned from the Land of Waves.Even against Naruto, with the help of the Sharingan, Sasuke felt that he would not easily lose to him.Of course, in their usual training, they had their respective wins and losses, which didn't count for much.So Sasuke was waiting—waiting for a stage that would allow him to defeat Naruto fair and square."If you want to surpass me, you'll have to get a little stronger," Naruto said, giving him a thumbs up.Looking at the smile beaming on Naruto's face, Sasuke clenched his teeth.What he couldn't stand the most was Naruto's smiling face.This guy was grinning and laughing all day long, yet he was inexplicably getting stronger and stronger, to the point where even he had to lag behind; it was truly enough to make one jealous."Could it be... that mindset is the most important thing? Is it only by being like Kakashi or Naruto, grinning and being unreliable, that one can become stronger?"Thinking of this, Sasuke couldn't help but shudder.I refuse to become an idiot like that!"You seem to be thinking about something quite rude, Sasuke," Naruto noticed something and teased him.Sakura retorted unhappily: "I think you're the one thinking about rude things, Naruto! You're smiling so lecherously!""Do I?" Naruto touched his face."Of course you are!"Watching The Three Little Ones arguing in a heap, Kakashi, who was walking silently behind them, sighed.Then he heard a long, clear cry, and looking up, he saw a messenger hawk sweeping across the horizon in the distance."Everyone, let's dismiss for today. I'm going to go submit the report on this mission now."Kakashi said, turning to The Three Little Ones. Before his voice had even faded, Kakashidisappeared from where he stood.Seeing him leave so hurriedly, Sakura rubbed her chin and guessed not without malice: "Kakashi-sensei left in such a rush, he must be finding a place to read icha icha paradise!"As she spoke, she turned to look at the other two, seemingly seeking their opinions.Sasuke met Sakura's gaze, withdrew the arm draped over Naruto's shoulder without hesitation, and turned to leave: "If you have the free time to worry about such boring things, you'd be better off training properly. Right now, you're just a dead weight."A dead weight...It was as if a giant mountain had pressed down on Sakura's head, almost causing it to droop to her chest."Sasuke is actually trying to encourage you; he just doesn't know how to express it," Naruto said, walking to her side and patting Sakura on the head to comfort her.That big, secure hand brought warmth, making Sakura's mood instantly improve: "Thank you for comforting me, Naruto.""It's okay," Naruto said, his eyebrows curving into a smile, "After all, to me, there isn't much difference between you and Sasuke; you're both dead weights, so neither of you needs to talk about the other."Thud—another mountain slammed onto Sakura's head."You jerk Naruto! I'm going to kill you!"Sakura didn't have many reservations when facing Naruto; after a brief moment of dejection, she rushed up with red eyes, intending to punch Narutoa few times to vent her anger."Woohoo, Nige-ru-da-yo!" Naruto wouldn't give Sakura the chance; he took big strides and ran off.Sakura was unrelenting, clenching her fists and chasing after him.However, they had run less than twenty meters when Naruto's footsteps came to an abrupt stop, freezing at a street corner."Caught you, you jerk Naruto!"Sakura couldn't react in time and couldn't stop her momentum; she brushed past Naruto and slammed hard into another person at the corner.Panicked, she fell backward, but was gently caught by Naruto.Feeling the warmth from Naruto, a blush flew across Sakura's face: "Naruto..."But just as the atmosphere was becoming romantic, a voice that sounded quite arrogant rang out inappropriately."Hey, stinky woman, slamming into me like that hurts, you know!"The two looked toward the sound and saw a boy in black clothes brushing off his outfit, his face full of impatience.That person was dressed quite strangely, wearing all-black clothing, with strange paint on his face, and a bundle wrapped in bandages on his back.Naruto narrowed his eyes: "If you take back what you just said, I can apologize to you on her behalf."Sakura pouted, her second personality thinking: It's not like it didn't hurt when I was hit too...However, although she was dissatisfied in her heart, she did not express any objection to Naruto's words."Yo? Trying to stand up for a woman, you bastard?"The boy in black scanned Naruto and Sakuraflippantly, his gaze filled with undisguised provocation."Kankuro, if you mess around, you're going to get taught a lesson."A pretty girl with her hair tied in four unique buns stood beside the boy in black, curling her lip and speaking with considerable impatience.While speaking, she was also sizing up Naruto and Sakura, her gaze lingering on Naruto's face for a few seconds.A month had passed since the Land of Wavesmission, and Naruto's stature had grown again, now reaching 160cm, exactly the same height as Temari.He's actually quite handsome, this kid."What's there to worry about, Temari? I just wanted to play around with some Konoha people before that annoying, naggy guy gets here."Kankuro shook his head and answered with a grin."Konoha people? Are you foreigners?"Sakura, who was meticulous, immediately deduced information from Kankuro's words."You are Konoha Ninja?" Kankuro raised an eyebrow and asked in return."That goes without saying," Naruto replied calmly."Heh, it just so happens that I'll test the mettle of you Konoha Ninja. Don't disappoint me too much, kid!"Kankuro's gaze was sharp as he loosened up his body.Temari wrinkled her pretty, upturned nose and finally turned her gaze away: "Whatever, do as you please. I don't care anymore.""Just a word of advice," Naruto looked at Kankurowith a half-smile, "You'd better not be too arrogant when you speak; it makes you look weak."
Chapter 46: Sorry, I Don't Remember the Names of the Weak"Let me give you a piece of advice," Naruto looked at Kankuro with a faint smile, "You'd better not be too arrogant when you speak; it just makes you look weak.""You brat from Konoha, I think it's you who shouldn't be so arrogant!"Kankuro shouted angrily.As he spoke, he opened his right hand and wiggled his fingers.Naruto frowned, as if he had discovered something, and took a step back with Sakura.Seeing this, Kankuro sneered: "What's this? You talk such a big game, but you're already scared into retreating before I've even made a move.""We are not!" Sakura said loudly, dissatisfied.Naruto didn't speak, instead looking Kankuro up and down.He was certain that his intuition hadn't failed him; the opponent had definitely attacked him using some method.It was just that this method was very subtle, and since the guy withdrew his hand immediately after missing, it made it difficult for him to see through it for the moment."If you're scared, just admit it; why put on such a brave front? I thought you were so tough, but it seems I only need one hand to take you both down."Looking at the smug Kankuro, Sakura's eyes blazed with fire.This jerk definitely wouldn't be a match for Naruto, yet he was acting so high and mighty—it was really annoying!However, Sakura didn't act impulsively and instead looked at Naruto: "What should we do, Naruto?"Naruto wasn't angry or annoyed; instead, he smiled back: "Heh, one hand? I think you can't even beat my companion, Sakura.""Huh? I fight this guy? For real?"Before Kankuro could say anything, Sakura was stunned.After all, Kankuro was tall and burly, and the difference in their physiques was quite obvious.Once a real fight broke out, Sakura wasn't confident she could win."You really are just trash hiding behind a woman..."Kankuro clearly noticed this too, and with a curled lip, he began to mock them.But before he could finish his harsh words, Narutowhispered a few things in Sakura's ear and then patted her on the shoulder: "Go!""Got it!"Meeting Naruto's confident gaze, Sakura nodded firmly, took a step, and rushed toward Kankuro, her eyes shining: "Take this! You fat pig!"Fat pig...Kankuro's brow twitched.He was just dressed a bit heavily; did she even know what a puppeteer was? You country bumpkin from Konoha!With anger welling up inside, Kankuro let out two puffs of hot air from his nose, didn't hesitate to reach out again, and flicked his fingers a few times.Naruto, having been prepared, narrowed his eyes; this time he saw it clearly.He saw a few almost transparent threads shoot from Kankuro's fingertips and connect to Sakura's body.Following his control, Sakura, while running, felt her feet trip over something; she lost her balance completely and fell backward in a panic."I knew it! So that's his trick!"Naruto's lips curled slightly upon seeing this.Kankuro didn't want to miss the opportunity; he stepped forward and kicked directly toward the falling Sakura, aiming his toe at her head.It was easy to imagine that if this kick landed, Sakura would be bedridden for at least ten days or half a month.Kankuro seemed to foresee the outcome, a cruel grin appearing on his face.He wouldn't show any mercy to people from Konoha, especially someone who had just insulted him!However, Naruto was not panicked at all; in fact, he was smiling.The next second, golden specks of light danced over Sakura's body.It was Hamon!Naruto's pat from earlier had infused Hamon into her body, and it was now taking effect.Sakura felt a tingling sensation, and her arms instinctively reached out to brace herself against the ground.Then, the tingling of the Hamon traveled to her lower body, and she kicked upward diagonally with both feet."What?"Kankuro never expected that a seemingly weak and delicate woman could actually fight back at such a moment.You have to know, even an average Chunin, unless they were specialized in Taijutsu, would only be able to cover their head and take the hit in such a situation.Could Konoha really be that strong? A girl who clearly wasn't skilled in Taijutsu had such power?Kankuro gritted his teeth; of course, he wouldn't believe such a thing.Furthermore, as an elite of the Hidden Sand Village, he definitely wouldn't be defeated by a girl who suddenly had a burst of strength.Thinking this, Kankuro moved his fingers again, preparing to control Sakura's movements once more while also raising his hand to block her kick.But this time, he failed.After the Hamon reached Sakura's lower body, it surged back along the Chakra threads.Although Kankuro immediately realized something was wrong and snapped the Chakra threads in his hands, a portion of the Hamon still entered his body.Hum~As the tingling sensation entered his body, Kankuro's body went stiff for a split second.It was in that split second that he was too late to raise his arms to block.With a loud bang, Sakura's feet kicked heavily into Kankuro's heavily painted face.Although Sakura had exerted force in a rush under the influence of the Hamon and the kick's power wasn't fully developed, it still sent Kankuro flying."Kankuro!"This series of events all happened in an instant.By the time Temari reacted, Kankuro was already flying backward.She hurriedly reached out to grab his collar, forcibly pulling down Kankuro, who had been kicked into the air.On the other side, after completing the kick, the Hamon in Sakura's body was exhausted, and she leaned back again, about to fall.At this moment, Naruto appeared behind her and supported her until she stood steady."Naruto, I did it!"After her feet touched the ground, Sakura excitedly hugged Naruto.She knew very well that it was because Narutohad transmitted the Hamon into her body that she was able to defeat the enemy in front of them."Heh, well done."Naruto patted Sakura on the back and fixed his gaze on Kankuro.From the very beginning, every move this guy made was within Naruto's expectations.This guy opened with 'don't be too arrogant' and his attacks were swift and strange.So Naruto judged that when Kankuro dealt with Sakura, he would definitely aim for her legs, just like he had when he attacked him earlier.For one, the defense of the lower body was weaker, and secondly, once an attack aimed at the legs succeeded, it was very effective for either following up with more attacks or humiliating the opponent.So Naruto had targetedly infused the Hamon, letting Sakura react according to the moves he had planned.The result was exactly as Naruto had anticipated, ending in Kankuro's total defeat."Oh my, oh my, you are just too easy to read—Kan-something, was it?" Naruto tilted his head, putting on an expression of deep thought, then waved his hand dismissively, "Sorry, I don't remember the names of the weak.""You bastard!"Kankuro stood up with Temari's help, his face marked with two shoe prints, looking incredibly disheveled.Hearing Naruto's insulting provocation, his blood instantly boiled, and he reached back to take off the bundle he was carrying."I'm going to kill you, you annoying brat!"
Chapter 47: Would You Consider Ants Your Comrades?"I'm going to kill you, you annoying brat!"With two shoe prints now on his face, Kankuro felt his blood boil and his rage soar. He reached back, loosened the straps on his body, and took down the bundle from his back.Seeing this, Temari hurriedly blocked his path: "Hey, surely you don't intend to use Crow, do you, Kankuro?"Fisticuffs could still be explained as an ordinary conflict, but once it escalated to using Ninja tools, it would be unjustifiable.Moreover, she knew Kankuro's personality well; deploying his puppet was basically meant for killing.Temari certainly didn't care about a few lives, but now was not the time to engage in a direct confrontation with Konoha Ninja.However, Kankuro couldn't care about all that right now. His killing intent was undisguised, and the bandages wrapped around the bundle in his hands had already been loosened slightly, revealing a mass of black resembling hair inside.Seeing the situation becoming tense, Narutoshielded Sakura behind him, tilted his head, and looked at Kankuro with a smile: "Getting worked up?"But to Kankuro, this guy's smile was full of mockery, and his rage surged and boiled in his chest even more uncontrollably."You're courting death!"Kankuro took a large stride and charged straight at him.Strangely, Naruto didn't react at all and just stood there in place."Scared stupid?"Kankuro mocked, while simultaneously flicking out several Chakra threads, wanting to control Naruto's movements.Naruto shook his head: "As a Ninja, shouldn't your senses be at least a little sharper?""What?" Kankuro was slightly stunned.Immediately, he felt a black shadow flash before his eyes, followed by a sharp pain in his wrist, and the Chakra threads he had thrown out snapped due to the sudden pain."Hiss—"Kankuro gasped, discovering that what had hit him was actually a pebble!He turned his head to look at the source of the pebble and found that a figure had appeared on a branch of a nearby tree, though he didn't know when.The person was sitting leisurely on the branch, coldly scanning Temari and Kankuro below, looking completely aloof and superior."Judging by the patterns on your headbands, you two are from the Hidden Sand Village, right? How can you run wild in someone else's Village? Get lost immediately."Sasuke dangled his legs, his expression cold."Another Konoha Ninja?"Temari looked at Sasuke, whose presence she hadn't detected, and couldn't help but knit her brows.Although this guy was quite handsome, she had no heart for such things at the moment, only feeling a sense of awe at the strength of Konoha Ninja."You're too impolite, Sasuke," Naruto protested loudly. "These two came all the way from the countryside to the big city; we should at least properly show them the strength of Konoha.""These two scumbags..."Temari gritted her teeth. Being insulted like this, anger also surged in her heart.However, she managed to keep her composure and stopped Kankuro, who still wanted to make a move.After all, this guy had already suffered a setback for the second time, and these two guys, Narutoand Sasuke, were clearly unfathomable. If she continued to let Kankuro embarrass himself, the face of the Hidden Sand Village would be trampled under Konoha's feet.At this moment, for the first time, Temari wished for Gaara to appear quickly, at least to dampen the arrogance of these Konoha brats."My apologies."A cold, hoarse voice suddenly came from behind Sasuke."!!!"Sasuke turned around immediately and discovered that on a slightly higher branch behind him, a young man had appeared without him noticing when.The youth had red hair, dark circles around his eyes, and carried a huge gourd on his back. He stood on the branch in an upside-down posture, his expression cold and his gaze indifferent.When did this guy appear? I didn't notice it at all! This speed is probably comparable to Kakashi!Sasuke stared at the red-haired youth, his eyes holding a hint of surprise in addition to vigilance."Kankuro is truly too disappointing; he has lost face for our Village and made a laughingstock of us before you."The youth ignored Sasuke, who was close at hand and guarding vigilantly, and looked at Narutobelow as he spoke.When he spoke, his voice was calm and waveless, as if he were a robot without emotions.But Kankuro, who had been furious, immediately calmed down upon hearing his words, and beads of cold sweat even broke out on his forehead: "G-Gaara...""Losing your reason over a trivial matter is the most unsightly thing. Do you still remember what we came all the way to Konoha for?"Gaara's questioning rang out like a great bell in Kankuro's ears, striking one after another."Gaara, listen to me..." Kankuro hurriedly put away his puppet, his voice trembling involuntarily. "It was them who provoked me first..."Gaara interrupted coldly: "Shut up, or I will kill you."Just a simple sentence instantly froze Kankuro in place.He could feel the genuine killing intent radiating from Gaara.Facing a life-or-death crisis, Kankuro no longer had his previous irritability and could only tremble while apologizing repeatedly: "S-sorry, it's my fault, sorry, I'm really sorry..."Who exactly is this Gaara?How could Kankuro, who was just so arrogant, be scared to the point of shaking like a sieve by a single sentence from him?Such a question flashed through the minds of The Three Little Ones.Even Sasuke and Sakura, who had seen a powerhouse on the level of the Demon of the Hidden Mist, were suppressed by the aura emanating from Gaara.Just as the atmosphere became incredibly oppressive due to Gaara's appearance, Narutosuddenly spoke up."That guy named Gaara, could you be the 'annoying, long-winded guy' that Kankuromentioned earlier?"Naruto shaded his eyes with his hand and looked up at the tree, but he didn't look at Gaara, his gaze falling on Sasuke instead."Come to think of it, Sasuke, your sensory abilities still need more practice. You didn't even notice this guy."As soon as these words were spoken, before anyone else could react, Kankuro shouted anxiously: "I didn't! I don't! What I said was Ma..."Before he could finish, Gaara had already appeared behind him, his cold aura pressing down on Kankuro: "Enough, Kankuro. Haven't you embarrassed yourself enough?""Ah!"Kankuro clutched his arm, let out a scream, his legs went weak, and he knelt on the ground."Remember, I am sparing your life only because I still need you alive for what comes next."Gaara didn't even glance at Kankuro, tossing out a cold warning.To this, Kankuro dared not show the slightest dissatisfaction; he even nodded repeatedly, as if he had received some sort of grace: "O-okay, I understand!""Wow, that's truly cruel. Doing such a thing to your own comrade? Do you have no heart?"Naruto put his hands on his hips, watching Gaarawith composure."Do not compare me to him. Would you consider ants your comrades?"Gaara turned his head and looked at Naruto coldly, as if he wasn't talking about his own comrades, but rather some insignificant strangers.Behind him, Kankuro and Temari's faces turned pale, but no one dared to say anything.
Chapter 48: Since when was Uzumaki Naruto such an expert?"Don't compare me to him. Do you consider an ant to be your companion?" Gaara said without a hint of emotion."I'm sorry, I don't see the difference between you and that Guy." Uzumaki Naruto gestured toward Kankuro. "Of course, I'm talking about strength. In terms of character, although he's a bit arrogant, he's still much better than you.""A boring provocation. Although, given Kankuro's personality, he would indeed be goaded into losing his temper by such low-level verbal attacks." Gaaradidn't seem the least bit irritated. "I originally thought you would be stronger, but it turns out you're just a Guy who likes to use his tongue.""Don't you think that's also a boring provocation?" Uzumaki Naruto waved his hand, completely unbothered.Gaara ignored Uzumaki Naruto's further provocation and turned around. "We didn't come here to play. Let's go.""Wait!" Just as Kankuro and Temari were about to leave with Gaara, Sakura, who had walked over, spoke up."What?" Gaara looked Sakura up and down, then immediately looked away.Although it was only for a split second, the undisguised indifference in his eyes left a deep impression on Sakura.Inner Sakura: What's so great about this Guy? How dare he ignore me! I'll make sure Uzumaki Narutoand Sasuke teach you a lesson later!While venting her dissatisfaction internally, Sakurabecame serious. "Although the Hidden Sand Village and Konoha are allies, the treaty between our two nations prohibits Ninjas from entering each other's territory at will. Therefore, unless you explain your purpose here, we cannot let you leave."Her voice carried undisguised vigilance. In response, the trio from the Hidden Sand Villageappeared quite relaxed.Temari even gave a disdainful smile. "What is this? Are you Guys such incompetent Genin that you haven't even heard the news?" As she spoke, she pulled a document from her pocket. "This is our pass.""What news?" Sasuke jumped down from the tree and stood beside Uzumaki Naruto."It doesn't matter if I tell you," Temari put away the document and explained with her hands on her hips, "We are Genin from the Hidden Sand Village, here to participate in the Chunin Exams.""Chunin Exams?" The three of them said in unison.Seeing their confused expressions, Temarihelplessly put a hand to her forehead and began to explain."The so-called Chunin Exams are tests that bring together outstanding Genin who aspire to become Chunin from the Hidden Sand Village, Konoha, and neighboring small countries.""The purpose of holding these exams centrally is to deepen the friendship between allied nations and improve the quality of Ninjas. But the deeper meaning is for each country to demonstrate its military potential, thereby resolving conflicts and confrontations between nations."Inside the Hokage Office, the Third Hokage was explaining the significance of the Chunin Exams. In front of the desk, a group of Konoha Ninjas gathered, listening intently. These people were the backbone of the Village, mostly Jonin, and even elite Jonin with famous reputations like Kakashi."I now officially announce that Konoha will hold the Chunin Exams in seven days, on July 1st." The Third Hokage's gaze swept across the crowd. "I believe the Genin from previous years have already made their choices regarding whether to participate in the Chunin Exams, so there's no need to say much. Therefore, I am specifically asking you three now: Kakashi, Kurenai, and Asuma."Hearing the Third Hokage's words, the three of them, led by Kakashi, stepped forward."How about it? Among the new Genin you three lead, are there any you wish to recommend for the Chunin Exams?" The Third Hokage's gaze finally fell on Kakashi. "Let's start with Kakashi."Facing the Hokage's request, Kakashi did not hesitate. "Team 7, led by me, Kakashi, will recommend Uzumaki Naruto, Uchiha Sasuke, and Sakura Haruno to participate in the Chunin Examsin my name, Kakashi Hatake.""What?" Before the Third Hokage could speak, Iruka's exclamation came from the crowd.But no one gave Iruka a chance to object. Kurenai, the only female Jonin instructor, followed immediately. "Team 8, led by me, Kurenai, will recommend Hyuga Hinata, Inuzuka Kiba, and Shino Aburame to participate in the Chunin Examsin my name, Kurenai Yuhi.""Team 10, led by me, Asuma, will recommend Ino Yamanaka, Nara Shikamaru, and Akimichi Choji to participate in the Chunin Exams in my name, Asuma Sarutobi." Asuma, with a cigarette in his mouth, followed right after."Hmm, it seems you all have a lot of confidence in your subordinates." The Third Hokage took a puff from his pipe."Wait a minute!" A discordant voice came from the crowd. Iruka pushed to the front, his face showing a hint of anxiety."Iruka, do you have something to say?" The Third Hokage exhaled a cloud of smoke."Hokage-sama, please forgive my rudeness," Irukabowed slightly before speaking. "The nine Geninjust recommended by the three Jonin instructors were all my students at the Ninja Academy. Although they are indeed very talented, they have been Ninjas for less than three months."As he spoke, he looked at Kakashi and the others. "They need to undergo more training and gain sufficient experience before they can participate in the Chunin Exams. I really cannot agree with the Jonin's recommendations!""When I became a Chunin, I was six years younger than Naruto," Kakashi answered lazily."The times are different now!" Iruka stared directly at Kakashi. "Besides, Naruto is not like you. Do you want to ruin that child?"Facing Iruka's questioning, Kakashi countered sharply, refusing to back down. "You're the one who wants to ruin Naruto. Do you know his current progress? Do you know how his strength has developed? Do you want to bind Naruto to the Genin level based on so-called 'care'?"Kurenai sensed that the atmosphere was not right. "Kakashi, that's enough."Kakashi ignored her and continued. "Iruka-sensei, you should let go. Don't always treat Naruto as that little child who still needs your care. In my opinion, on the path of the Ninja, Naruto has already gone further than you.""You..." Iruka locked eyes with Kakashi. Under the other's burning gaze, although he had a thousand words in his chest, he couldn't utter a single one.The atmosphere stiffened for a moment. Asuma, standing nearby, just like his old father, took a puff of his cigarette and sighed inwardly. "What a troublesome Guy. Fortunately, the fire landed on Kakashi..."Just as the scene fell into an awkward silence, a resonant voice broke the quiet. "Yo, Kakashi, it seems you have high hopes for your students!"The loud, masculine voice sounded like a drum, making everyone's eardrums buzz. Without even looking at the face, the voice alone was enough for people to recognize the identity."Guy, your students are all participating in the Chunin Exams this year, right?" Kakashi withdrew his gaze and looked at the figure pushing through the crowd.That person had a sleek, shiny bowl cut, a stern face, and a pair of thick, dark eyebrows that were very eye-catching. Underneath his Jonin vest, he was wearing his signature green bodysuit. It was the Village's elite Jonin, Might Guy.His appearance immediately caused the Konoha Ninjas to start whispering."I heard Guy-senpai's team is very strong. They are the strongest among the last graduating class.""That's right. It's said that the one in his team named Hyuga Neji has already been called the strongest Genin in Konoha.""That strong? Then why didn't they participate in the Chunin Exams?""It seems the Village specially let them wait until this year to participate in the upcoming joint Chunin Exams, wanting to showcase their strength in front of other countries."Hearing the praise for his subordinates, Might Guycouldn't help but curl the corners of his mouth upward, feeling the fire of youth in his chest burning even hotter."Kakashi, you didn't recommend your subordinates just to spite me because mine are participating in the Chunin Exams, did you?" Might Guy arrived in front of the crowd and said to Kakashi in a boisterous manner.Looking at the self-satisfied Might Guy, Kakashialmost couldn't keep his composure. "I haven't..." But before he could finish, Might Guy gave him a thumbs up. "Well done!""Huh?" This time, not only Kakashi, but even Irukacouldn't help but look confused."Youth is all about striving! Kakashi, it seems you have finally understood a little bit of the meaning of youth!" Might Guy clenched his fists to himself, looking deeply moved."Here we go again, Guy-senpai..." Kurenai poked Asuma in the side, the meaning in her eyes unspoken. Asuma was speechless and just took two more puffs of his cigarette."Don't worry, my subordinates are very measured. They won't crush your subordinates too much." Might Guy gave Kakashi a 'don't worry about it' smile.After his interruption, the atmosphere in the room was no longer as awkward as before. However, seeing everyone unconsciously put their hands to their foreheads, it was hard to tell if it was good or bad.Only Kakashi, holding his chin, remembered something. "Speaking of which, my record against you is 49 wins and 50 losses, right?" He said, smiling. "But unfortunately, in terms of the strength of our subordinates, I'm about to secure another win.""It seems you have great confidence in your subordinates, Kakashi." Might Guy shook his head. He rarely saw Kakashi show such a serious expression, and looking closely, one could see a hint of pride in his eyes."Let's put it this way," Kakashi said confidently. "Would you doubt the Fourth Hokage?"As soon as these words were spoken, the entire Hokage Office was in an uproar. Kakashi's meaning was clear: he was comparing his subordinates to the late Fourth Hokage. But such a simple analogy caused a huge sensation among the crowd.One must know that the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, was considered the most outstanding existence among all Konoha Ninjas. Almost everyone present had witnessed his style back in the day.From the Ninja Academy, Minato Namikaze was called a genius. After graduation, he rose rapidly, not only becoming famous in the Ninja World at a young age but also ascending to the Hokagethrone in his prime.Even geniuses like Kakashi and Uchiha Itachiwould feel inferior in front of him. Now, Kakashiwas comparing his students to the Fourth Hokage?Everyone had heard of that genius named Sasuke. But he was just an ordinary genius, the kind that appears every year. The reason he was famous was because of his identity as an orphan of the Uchiha Clan. Such a person deserves to be compared to the Fourth Hokage? It's simply a joke!Kakashi curled his lips. "I have great confidence in my student, Uzumaki Naruto!"Wait! A question flashed through the minds of the Jonin. Since when was Uzumaki Naruto such an expert?
Chapter 49: I Want to Know Your ChoiceSince when was Uzumaki Naruto some kind of expert?The Jonin cast suspicious gazes toward Kakashione after another.They were certainly no strangers to the name Uzumaki Naruto, but in their minds, the only things associated with that name were—The Jinchuriki of the Nine-Tailed, the dead last of the Ninja Academy, a brat who loved pulling pranks...No matter how you looked at these labels, they had nothing to do with genius, let alone being mentioned in the same breath as the Fourth Hokage.However, Kakashi didn't care about their gazes; instead, he proudly puffed out his chest. "My student, Uzumaki Naruto—his talent and strength of character are such that only the former Fourth Hokage-sama can be mentioned in the same breath as him..."At this point, Kakashi paused. "Mentioned in the same breath? Heh, perhaps Naruto's strength has already far surpassed that of the Fourth Hokage at the same age!""..."The Konoha Jonin were speechless.Human nature always tends towards compromise; for instance, when Kakashi previously claimed Naruto could rival the Fourth Hokage, everyone was indignant and deeply dissatisfied.But now that he claimed Naruto had already far surpassed the Fourth Hokage at the same age, everyone was suddenly compliant and respectful.Kakashi knew his words were too shocking and didn't expect anyone to believe them, so he just smiled faintly."Next, let's just wait and see during the Chunin Exams!"After Temari finished explaining about the Chunin Exams, her gaze swept over Naruto.Although, in terms of presence, Sasuke seemed a bit stronger.Naruto hadn't even made a move during the fight with Kankuro just now.Yet, the experience she had honed over the years told her that Naruto was the strongest among The Three Little Ones.Gaara's perception was even keener; he could deeply sense a profound hatred emanating from Naruto.That didn't come from his heart, but from the restless Ichibi Shukaku within his body.Gaara swayed slightly, forcibly suppressing the killing intent caused by Shukaku's restlessness, and spoke coldly, "I am very interested in you two. What are your names?""Sasuke. Uchiha Sasuke." Sasuke answered immediately."Uzumaki Naruto." Naruto raised a finger and pointed at himself. "And you?""Gaara of the Desert. I hope you won't disappoint me."After speaking, Gaara turned away. "Let's go.""Yes."Temari and Kankuro, who had stood up with his arms crossed, agreed simultaneously, and then the three of them vanished from the spot.Seeing that the Hidden Sand Village trio had also left, Sakura, who had been worried about a fight breaking out, breathed a sigh of relief. "Whew! Those strange guys are finally gone."Naruto looked at Sasuke. "Any thoughts?"Sasuke pondered for a moment. "Except for the one carrying the gourd, the other two… Hmph!""Good! Very spirited!"Naruto gave a thumbs up."You're going to participate in the Chunin Exams, right?" Sasuke asked in return."Of course. Would anyone want to miss something like that? Surely not, right?"Naruto answered with a grin.Sakura: "..."Second Personality: Am I not a person? Am I actually a person or not?Of course, no one noticed her internal monologue.Sasuke and Naruto agreed to find Kakashitomorrow to ask about the Chunin Exams, and then he turned and left.Watching Sasuke's back disappear around the street corner, Naruto turned around while humming an unknown tune, only to see Sakurasilently sighing.She lowered her head slightly, looking somewhat dejected.Naruto leaned in close and heard Sakurawhispering to herself in a tiny voice, "I… I don't want to participate…"To tell the truth, Sakura didn't have any grand ambitions; she was just someone content with getting by.In her eyes, being a Ninja was just a job. As long as she could occasionally do some missions, earn some pay, and support herself, that was enough.There was nothing wrong with this mindset; in fact, it could be said that this was how the vast majority of Ninja Academy students felt.Otherwise, with so many graduates in this batch, there wouldn't have been only three teams—nine people in total—recommended to participate in the Chunin Exams.Sometimes, Sakura would even fantasize about how nice it would be if things could just go on like this forever.Being by the teacher's side, bickering with her teammates, completing small, non-difficult but tiring daily missions, and just getting along like this every day without any major worries.But unfortunately, Sakura's dream was destined to remain unfulfilled.Because her teammates were the genius Sasukeand the even greater genius, Naruto.Whether in terms of their radiance or their ambition, they had long since outgrown what a Genin could be satisfied with.Sakura didn't want to lose her two teammates, but she increasingly felt a sense of powerlessness."You seem to be worried about something?"Naruto's voice suddenly rang in her ear.Sakura was startled, and upon seeing Naruto so close, a flush of red spread across her face.They were alone at that moment, and Naruto's expression was very serious—no longer the grinning, sloppy look he had before running into Kankuro—carrying a certain unique charm.Now, under the stimulation of Hamon, he had grown to 1.6 meters, a far cry from the malnourished look he had right after graduation, when he was even shorter than Sakura.Coupled with the last two months of spending time together and the sense of security Narutodisplayed, Sakura's heart began to pound wildly as she looked at his serious profile."N-nothing!"Sakura hurriedly shook her head."Don't lie. Just look at yourself right now—I can tell you definitely have something on your mind."Naruto grinned and pulled a mirror from his pocket, placing it in front of Sakura."Ah! I've been tired all day and haven't even gone home to wash up yet!"Sakura shrieked and recoiled, completely afraid to look at her reflection in the mirror."That is your problem, Sakura." Naruto said as he tossed the mirror over.Sakura caught it clumsily and looked at Naruto, bewildered. "What?""You don't dare to face yourself—is it because of insecurity?" Naruto pointed to the mirror in Sakura's hand."I… I…"Sakura opened her mouth, and after a long silence, she gave a bitter smile. "Facing you two geniuses every day—wouldn't it be strange if I didn't feel insecure?"Naruto nodded. "I see. So you want to give up, is that it?""..." Sakura was speechless."Do you still remember what I said to you on the day our team was formed?" Naruto asked again."The day our team was formed…" Sakura frowned and tried hard to remember, but after a while, her eyes were still full of confusion.Naruto spread his hands. He wasn't angry that Sakura had forgotten; instead, he repeated what he had said that day. "If you try, there is at least a fifty percent chance of success, but if you don't try, the chance of success is zero.""Ah, that's the one…" Sakura scratched her head, looking apologetic."I'm different from that guy Sasuke. I don't want to leave my teammates behind. But I can only help those who are ready to accept help."Naruto extended his hand."So, will you choose to give up, or will you choose to catch up? I want to know your choice."Sakura lowered her head, looking at the hand extended toward her, feeling a bit dazed.After a moment of thought, she took a deep breath, finally gathered her courage, and grasped Naruto's hand. "I will work hard to catch up with you!"
Chapter 50: Sasuke's hands are itchy, craving a fight.The next day, morning.Meeting place."Sigh —"Sakura let out a long sigh.Then she turned her head to look at Naruto and Sasuke nearby, with undisguised anger on her face: "Can you guys really put up with this? Every time that jerk calls us out super early, only to make us wait for him!"Sasuke leaned against the railing, unbothered: "Instead of complaining, you'd be better off using the time to train."Sakura had already anticipated Sasuke's response and turned her head to look at Naruto with a pleading gaze."Is it?" Naruto sat on the railing, swinging his legs boredly, "Why don't I feel like we've been waiting for a long time?"Sakura slapped her forehead: "I almost forgot! You're not much earlier than Kakashi-sensei either, always showing up an hour or two late!"Naruto looked proud rather than ashamed: "Then you should be smarter. Isn't everyone already clear on what kind of person Kakashi-sensei is?""Damn it!"Sakura, having hit a wall with Naruto, could only indignantly pull at her hair: "That jerk Kakashi-sensei, how could he do this to a girl who overslept and ran over without even fixing her hair!""That's clearly your own fault." Sasuke twitched his mouth, "And being this energetic early in the morning, it really doesn't look like you, Sakura.""What do you mean, I'm not!"Sakura protested dissatisfiedly.Just then, Kakashi's voice came from above."Good morning, everyone. Sorry, I got lost on the path of life just now..."Looking up at Kakashi, who was squatting on the sign above and waving, Sakura's anger flared: "You're lying! Reflect on your actions properly!"Kakashi ignored the girl's anger, jumped down lightly in front of The Three Little Ones, and took three forms out of his pocket to hand over: "Here."Naruto took them: "What's this?""Although it happened suddenly, I have already recommended you to participate in the Chunin Exams. This is the application form." Kakashiexplained."Woohoo, we were just about to look for you to ask about this." Naruto cheered excitedly and handed the applications to the other two.He had agreed with Sasuke yesterday to ask Kakashi about the Chunin Exams today.Unexpectedly, without him needing to say anything today, Kakashi had taken the initiative to hand over the application forms.Although Sasuke still had that cool guy look, a glimmer flashed in his eyes: "Hmph, the Chunin Exams, huh? Just don't let me down."Sakura, having received encouragement from Naruto yesterday, looked at the application in her hand, her lips slightly curled up."Of course, the recommendation is not mandatory. Whether or not to participate in the Chunin Examsis up to you to decide." Kakashi saw the reaction of The Three Little Ones and showed a gratified smile, "If you want to participate, sign the application form, and then deliver it to Classroom 301 of the Ninja Academy teaching building before 4:00 PM tomorrow.""That's all."Before the words faded, Kakashi disappeared from the spot."What is this, calling us out just for this?"Sasuke curled his lips.He had given up his training time to come here and wait for Kakashi for over two hours.This guy clearly said there was something important, and he thought they were going to do some difficult mission today, but it turned out to be such a small thing as delivering application forms.But thinking again, since they were going to participate in the Chunin Exams next, being able to fight against a powerhouse like Gaara made him feel a little better."Good luck!" Naruto gave Sakura a thumbs up, and received a sweet smile from the girl in return.The next day, The Three Little Ones followed Kakashi's instructions and arrived at the third floor of the Ninja Academy building.At this moment, a large crowd had already gathered here.In the center of the crowd was Classroom 301, where the application forms were to be submitted.Two boys who looked about fifteen or sixteen years old were guarding the door, blocking everyone.Naruto fully utilized his advantage of good physical strength, taking Sasuke and Sakura with him, and forcefully squeezed a path through the crowd to the very front."Hmph, trash like you guys better not dream of participating in the Chunin Exams."The red-nosed boy among them sneered and punched the boy wearing a green bodysuit with a bowl cut to the ground."Please, let us in!" A girl with two Chinese-style buns stepped forward, seemingly wanting to negotiate.But with a slap, as soon as the girl spoke, she was slapped in the face by the red-nosed boy."Tenten!"The bowl-cut boy exclaimed.This slap was surprisingly powerful, and the girl was knocked backward."Huh? Just joining in the fun, and I'm this unlucky?"Naruto blinked, seeing Tenten falling towards his side.Of course, although he thought this in his heart, Naruto's movements were not slow.He took a half step forward and adjusted his stance.A fragrant scent wafted over, and Tenten landed steadily in Naruto's arms."Eh?"Upon touching the girl's delicate body, Naruto was startled.Tenten's body was tense, clearly having prepared to land.'Is she hiding her strength? Did I meddle?'Naruto thought, looking down, meeting Tenten's equally surprised gaze.'Where did this kid pop out from? But he is quite handsome.'Tenten's thought flashed by, and she immediately went with the flow, leaning in Naruto's arms and putting on a panicky look: "Oh my ~"Clumsy acting...Naruto evaluated expressionlessly in his heart, while slightly lowering his head, saying in a voice only the two of them could hear in Tenten's ear: "Pulling this kind of stunt, aren't you two too bored?"Tenten only felt the hot air from his breath hitting her ear, knowing that Naruto had already seen through their plan of playing the pig to eat the tiger, her little face couldn't help but turn slightly red: "This wasn't my idea!"Then, she felt a fiery gaze sweep over her.Tenten turned her head to look and found that Sakura was looking at her with a murderous gaze.She raised an eyebrow and leaned closer to Naruto's ear: "Is that girl your teammate?"Naruto shook his head: "To be precise, she is my companion.""She seems to have a lot of hostility towards me." Tenten smiled.Naruto helplessly pushed her away: "So you should be more self-aware then."Tenten was not angry, but instead made a face at Sakura, making the other girl furious.Second personality: Wearing a Konoha headband, but I don't recognize her, she must be from the previous batch or an older woman! Why pretend to be weak!Sakura cursed inwardly, while stepping forward to stand side-by-side with Naruto.She wasn't like this green tea Tenten; she was the person who could stand by Naruto's side!She just said loudly: "Hey, you two hurry up and move aside, we still need to go to the third floor!""What third floor?""Isn't this the third floor?"Sakura's words caused a stir in the crowd.Sasuke lazily raised his chin: "These two used barrier techniques and illusions; this is actually the second floor."Sure enough, after he exposed the truth, the 301 sign hanging on the classroom door twisted for a moment and turned into 201.Then Sasuke turned back to look at the crowd: "If you can't even see through this, I advise you to leave as soon as possible, otherwise it will just be self-humiliation in front of other countries, and a disgrace to Konoha.""What an arrogant guy!""What is this brat saying!""I really want to teach that stinking face of his a lesson!"In an instant, many Genin were enraged by Sasuke's mockery.However, the first to move were not them, but the two who were blocking the door just now."Hey, kid, don't steal our lines."Sasuke turned back: "You two are the same, using such underhanded means to block competitors, you really are trash.""I feel like Sasuke has become a lot more irritable." Sakura poked Naruto in the waist, saying in a voice only the two could hear.Naruto returned a helpless look.After all, under his own comparison, Sasuke, as a genius, had been suppressed for a long time, so naturally, he needed an outlet.And now, showing off in public and acting cool, naturally fits his needs perfectly.Sasuke's hands were itchy, craving a fight.
Chapter 51: The Forbidden Technique—Omote Renge!Seeing the gate-blocking duo approach with ill intent, excitement flickered in Sasuke's eyes.The sky cleared, the rain stopped; Erzhuzi's hands were itching for a fight, and he craved combat.Unfortunately, just as the gate-blocking duo was about to make a move, a green shadow flashed before everyone's eyes.Then, with two loud thuds, the gatekeepers were kicked to the ground.Looking closely, the one who had acted was actually the bowl-cut boy who had just been knocked down earlier.Now, even the stupidest person could understand that being knocked down earlier was just him hiding his strength, playing the pig to eat the tiger.Sasuke frowned, clearly displeased with this guy who had stolen his opponent: "Who are you?""My name is Rock Lee, but my friends call me Lee."Lee struck a cool pose."Hey, Lee, this isn't what we agreed on. Didn't you say you'd keep a low profile and hide your strength?"Neji, who had been standing on the side like an NPC, spoke up with dissatisfaction."Because..."Lee turned his head and walked over.Sasuke narrowed his eyes, noticing that the injuries Lee had sustained earlier had disappeared.Lee stopped in front of Sakura and tossed his hair, thinking he looked cool: "You're Sakura, right? Please go out with me! I will protect you with my life!""..."The scene fell into a deathly silence.Sakura, the center of everyone's attention, shook her head vigorously under Lee's expectant gaze: "I refuse! I hate Bushy Eyebrows!"Duang~Lee, who had been full of energy just a moment ago, visibly wilted.He seemed to lose all color, squatting down to draw circles on the ground: "What a blow."However, no one was paying attention to him at the moment because Sasuke had already finished the fight on the other side.Compared to Lee knocking down the gatekeepers, Sasuke's record was even more startling.In just over ten seconds, nearly ten of the Genin he had provoked earlier were already lying on the ground.Although the others were still angry, under the pressure of the aura radiating from Sasuke, they all hesitated, and no one dared to make a move."Hmph, is that all?"Sasuke let out a cold snort, though his mood had improved significantly.He looked down at his fist, clearly able to feel the progress he had made recently."Let's go."The Three Little Ones were about to leave but were stopped by another voice."Wait a moment."Looking back, they saw Hyuga Neji speak: "You're pretty good. Give me your name."His gaze fell on Sasuke, his eyes burning with fighting spirit."Isn't it basic manners to give your own name before asking someone else's?" Sasuke sneered.Neji frowned: "Are you a rookie? How old are you?""I'm under no obligation to answer."Sasuke turned his head and left.Naruto gave the two an apologetic smile and waved to Tenten: "Bye."Tenten smiled back, then heard Neji's inquiry: "Any clues?"She pulled a booklet from her waist, flipped through it, and replied: "The three of them don't match any of the intel from previous years. They must be among the nine rookies, but I'm not sure which team they're on.""I have a feeling," Lee said, finally recovering from his failed confession and walking over to them, "that they belong to Kakashi's Team 7!"Neji nodded slightly: "I hope so."Meanwhile, behind a door not far away, the two gatekeepers Lee had knocked down watched them with a smile."Are those the kids recommended by Kakashi? Their strength is indeed impressive."As they spoke, the two released their Transformation Technique and returned to their original forms; they were the Special Jonin Kotetsu Hagane and Izumo Kamizuki."Pity the Nine-Tails brat didn't make a move. They say he's a genius who can rival or even surpass the Fourth Hokage.""What's the rush? He'll have plenty of time to show off later anyway."..."Please wait."On the other side, as The Three Little Onesreached the third floor, Lee's voice suddenly came from behind them.He caught up, his gaze falling on Sasuke: "You, with the black hair.""What is it?" Sasuke tilted his head slightly.Lee replied word for word: "Could I ask you to have a match with me?""You want to fight me?" Sasuke said, as if he had heard a joke."Yes." Lee leaped into the third-floor hall. "My name is Rock Lee. You said earlier that it's basic manners to give your own name before asking someone else's, right?"This time, Sasuke didn't act cool: "Sasuke. Uchiha Sasuke.""I want to test my techniques against a genius of the Uchiha Clan to see if they work."Lee bent his knees slightly, assuming a fighting stance.Hearing the other party specifically mention the 'Uchiha' surname, Sasuke clenched his fists inside his pockets.But he showed no emotional fluctuation: "Are you challenging me because of the 'Uchiha' name? To be honest, you're quite ignorant. I'll show you exactly what the name 'Uchiha' represents!""If you would." Lee was fearless, even offering a smile."Sasuke," Naruto suddenly spoke."What?""Look at the time," Naruto pointed to the clock on the wall. "There are only ten minutes left until the 4:00 PM registration deadline."Sasuke raised an eyebrow: "So? You're not going to try and stop me, are you?""Make it quick. I think five minutes should be enough to get to Room 301." Naruto shrugged."It won't even take a minute!"Sasuke let out a cold snort, then turned toward Lee. As he sprinted forward, he didn't forget to warn his opponent."Here I come!"Charging at me? I'll test him with this move first!Lee made up his mind, bent low, and launched a sweeping kick."Leaf Gale!"Sasuke pushed off his toes, leaping into the air. While avoiding the sweep, his flying kick aimed straight for Lee's head.Lee retracted his move and crossed his arms in front of him, blocking Sasuke's kick.He then grabbed Sasuke's ankle and threw him away with force."Leaving the ground so recklessly... how naive."As Lee critiqued, he slapped his palm against the ground, using the momentum to dash forward and launch a flying kick at the mid-air Sasuke.Dynamic Entry!"You're the naive one!"Sasuke retorted, forcing his body to twist in mid-air and meeting the flying kick with a punch.However, in the next second, to his complete surprise, Lee suddenly braked, stopping his flying kick mid-motion.Then he twisted his waist, bent low, and changed the flying kick into an upward thrust."Ugh!"Suspended in the air, Sasuke had nothing to push off of; his previous twist had already exhausted his momentum.Facing Lee's change in technique, he could only pull back his fist to block his chin.Thud!Lee's upward kick landed squarely on Sasuke's forearm.Under the immense force, Sasuke was sent flying helplessly upward."This guy's taijutsu... is so strong!"The thought flashed through Sasuke's mind, and then a crimson light emerged in his eyes.Sharingan, activate!Having landed a hit, Lee didn't let up. He stepped off the ground and leaped into the air as well.Konoha Senpu!He swung his leg around, aiming straight for Sasuke's waist.However, Sasuke wasn't without a way to fight back; he met the attack with a direct punch.With a sharp crack, the fist ultimately couldn't block the kick.Sasuke was kicked even higher, but Lee was also uncomfortable, feeling a strange power surge from the punch that left his right leg slightly numb.Is this the power of the Uchiha Clan? Forget it, it doesn't matter!Lee's doubt vanished in an instant. After landing, he leaped up again, closing in on Sasuke.This time he didn't use brute force, but chased after Sasuke from below, positioning himself parallel to him.At the same time, the bandages wrapped around his hands began to unravel.I'm sorry, Guy-sensei. To test my capacity, I must use the forbidden technique...Omote Renge!