Is There Really a Need for So Many People?

The next day.

Uchiha compound.

Inside a room.

Sasuke looked at the people before him, his expression conflicted.

He said awkwardly, "Is there really a need for so many people just to take a photo?"

Naruto raised the camera in his hand and said to Sasuke, "teme, you don't understand."

"I'm the photographer, Sakura is the lighting technician, and Ino is the makeup artist. They're all essential."

Sakura Haruno held a wooden stick wrapped in electrical wire, with a light bulb tied to its end.

She said to Sasuke, "Yeah, teme, don't be shy. There aren't any outsiders here anyway."

"Yeah, yeah~ Hehehe~" Ino nodded as well, though there was something rather off about her tone.

Sasuke fell silent for a moment before finally resigning himself to it.

After fiddling around for most of the morning, they finally finished the shoot.

Sasuke walked into the bathroom with a numb expression.

Before long, the sound of running water came from inside.

Sakura Haruno and Ino had obtained their supply and began handling the sales.

Not long after.

Sasuke finished showering, changed into his clothes, and walked out with an icy expression.

He impatiently said to Naruto, "Naruto Uzumaki, let's begin!"

Naruto nodded slightly. "Alright. Attack me with everything you've got. Let me see where you stand now."

Hearing Naruto's words, Sasuke's heart surged with excitement.

Finally!

After going through so much hardship and even losing his dignity.

He had finally received Naruto's guidance.

He wondered what Naruto would teach him.

Filled with anticipation, Sasuke followed Naruto out of the room.

The two left the Uchiha compound and arrived beside a river.

The moment he stopped, Sasuke impatiently activated his Sharingan.

He explained to Naruto, "My Sharingan can copy your movements and your techniques, and it can also enhance my dynamic vision. Naruto, you'd better be careful."

With that, he charged at Naruto without hesitation.

Naruto, meanwhile, narrowed his eyes slightly and judged Sasuke's movements based on his combat experience.

Sasuke rushed forward and attacked Naruto with everything he had.

But after throwing punches and kicks for quite a while, every attack was blocked by Naruto's single hand with flawless precision.

After gauging Sasuke's level, Naruto began to take the initiative.

He grabbed Sasuke's arm and twisted it, sending him sprawling to the ground.

Then, with a light push, Sasuke fell into the river and became a drenched rat.

In the water.

Sasuke recalled Naruto's movements in shock.

No!

The gap between them was simply too great.

It was like an adult fighting a child.

Sasuke clenched his teeth and swam upstream until he finally reached the riverbank.

"I lost."

Sasuke lowered his head, his feelings complicated.

He had lost to Naruto so many times that he no longer knew which loss this was.

Naruto pulled Sasuke up from the ground and evaluated him. "Among people your age, your taijutsu is in the top tier."

Top tier?

How did I not know I was that impressive?

Sasuke was somewhat suspicious.

But soon, he relaxed, because he knew Naruto was not lying.

Before Naruto started putting in effort, Sasuke had always ranked first in the academy's practical combat exercises.

In terms of taijutsu alone, Kiba Inuzuka was the only one in the entire class who was remotely decent.

Unfortunately, after Naruto began putting in effort, Sasuke had never again taken first place in the practical combat exercises.

Even though he challenged Naruto in every practical combat exercise...

Naruto continued, "However, what you lack is not physical strength. Do you understand what I mean?"

"This..." Sasuke asked in confusion, "What do you mean?"

Naruto explained, "You've trained all year round. Your physical strength is enough to support combat. What you lack is technique, as well as real combat experience."

"So, next, I'll make a training plan for you."

Hearing this, Sasuke perked up.

Naruto continued, "On Tuesdays and Thursdays, you can challenge me and gain experience from your defeats. That rule won't change."

"Every Monday, I'll teach you a new technique until you master it."

"Also, once your strength reaches a certain level, we'll try taking on some missions."

Sasuke knew Naruto did not want to do ninja missions, which was why he had been slacking off like this.

But Naruto then said, "We'll take missions so you can see some blood too."

Sasuke's heartbeat suddenly accelerated, but he was not afraid.

The plan was set.

Sasuke asked Naruto, "Naruto, what's today's technique?"

Naruto asked Sasuke, "teme, why did you fall into the water?"

"Huh?" Sasuke was even more confused.

Wasn't it perfectly normal for someone to fall into the water?

Sasuke tentatively said, "Because... I'm heavier?"

Naruto did not answer. Instead, he lifted his foot and stepped onto the water.

Then, right before Sasuke's eyes, Naruto stood safely on the surface of the water.

"What?" Sasuke was stunned. "Naruto, how did you do that?"

Naruto explained, "This is the first technique I told you about."

"It's gathering Chakra beneath your feet, allowing yourself to adhere to any object."

"Walking on water might be difficult for you, so you can start by practicing tree climbing."

"I don't need to tell you how to climb a tree, right?"

Sasuke felt a little excited after hearing that. "No, I know!"

After saying that, he went over to a large tree.

He raised his foot, placed it against the trunk, and gathered Chakra.

Just as I thought! It feels like I'm sticking to it.

As expected of Naruto. He actually knew a technique like this.

If that was the case, he could fight without regard for the terrain.

Sasuke began training seriously.

Naruto nodded and turned to leave.

It was already close to afternoon.

Naruto had his own plans.

He first went to Ichiraku Ramen to fill his stomach, then rested at home for a while.

Only then did Naruto set out and head to Konoha's main gate.

Although it was a time of peace.

As one of the Five Great Villages, Konoha still required registration for anyone entering or leaving.

When Izumo Kamizuki saw Naruto approaching, he hurried over.

"Naruto Uzumaki?" Izumo Kamizuki was initially somewhat puzzled, then said to Naruto, "Do you want to leave the village? Do you have a mission authorization from Lord Hokage?"

The feeling of being restricted made Naruto frown slightly.

Naruto shrugged. "I'm not a jinchuriki anymore, so why would I need a mission authorization?"

"Huh?" Izumo Kamizuki's mind went blank for a moment, then he felt that made sense...

The news of the Nine-Tails Fox leaving Konoha had already become common knowledge.

Now, whenever people saw Naruto, who had been called the "demon fox," they wore expressions of shock and confusion.

After all, they had previously regarded Naruto as the demon fox.

But now that the Nine-Tails had left while Naruto remained.

What did that mean?

It meant Naruto was not the demon fox!

Izumo Kamizuki hesitated for a moment before saying to Naruto, "Alright, then. But you still need to register. That's standard procedure."

"Mm." Naruto walked to the small table outside the guard post, picked up a pen, and wrote down his name and the time he was leaving the village.

After leaving Konoha's main gate, Naruto immediately avoided the main roads and chose only small paths.

Before long, he was far from Konoha, deep within a remote forest.