Is This Many People Really Necessary?

The next day.

Uchiha compound.

Inside a certain room.

Sasuke looked at the people in front of him, his expression conflicted.

He said awkwardly, "Does it take this many people just to take a photo?"

Naruto held up 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. These are all essential."

Sakura Haruno held a wooden stick wrapped in wires, with a light bulb tied to the tip.

She said to Sasuke, "That's right, Teme, don't be shy. There's no one else here anyway."

"Yeah, yeah~ Hehehe~" Ino nodded too, but her tone was a bit off.

Sasuke was silent for a moment, then finally resigned himself.

The group fumbled around for a good half of the day before finally finishing the photoshoot.

Sasuke walked into the bathroom with a blank expression.

Soon after, the sound of running water could be heard from inside.

Sakura Haruno and Ino had obtained their goods and started selling them.

Not long after.

Sasuke finished bathing and changed his clothes, walking out with a cold expression.

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

Naruto nodded slightly, "Okay. Then attack me with all you've got. I want to see what your current level is."

Hearing Naruto's words, Sasuke felt a surge of excitement.

Finally!

After all the hardships, even losing his dignity.

He had finally received guidance from Naruto.

He wondered what Naruto would teach him.

Sasuke, full of anticipation, walked out of the room with Naruto.

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

As soon as they stopped, Sasuke impatiently activated his Sharingan.

He explained to Naruto, "My Sharingan can copy your movements, copy your jutsu, and enhance my dynamic vision. Naruto, you need to be careful."

After speaking, he charged at Naruto without hesitation.

Naruto, on the other hand, kept his eyes half-closed, judging Sasuke's movements based on his combat experience.

Sasuke charged forward and attacked Naruto with all his might.

But after a flurry of punches and kicks, all of his attacks were precisely and accurately defended by Naruto with one hand.

Naruto estimated Sasuke's level and then began to take the offensive.

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

Then, with a gentle push, Sasuke fell into the river, becoming a drowned rat.

In the water.

Sasuke stared in shock, recalling Naruto's movements.

No!

The gap was just too huge.

It was like an adult fighting a child.

Sasuke gritted his teeth, swam upstream, and finally reached the riverbank.

"I lost."

Sasuke lowered his head, his mood somewhat complicated.

This was already... he didn't know how many times he had lost to Naruto.

Naruto pulled Sasuke up from the ground and commented, "Your taijutsu is top-tier among those your age."

Top-tier?

How did I not know I was this strong?

Sasuke was a little suspicious.

But then he felt relieved, because he knew Naruto wasn't lying.

Before Naruto started to exert himself, Sasuke had always been first place in combat exercises at the academy.

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

Unfortunately, later on, Naruto stepped up his game, and Sasuke never managed to get first place in the combat exercises again.

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

Naruto continued, "But, what you're lacking isn't physical strength. Do you understand what I mean?"

"This..." Sasuke asked, confused, "What do you mean?"

Naruto explained, "You've trained for years, and your physical strength is enough to support combat. What you lack are techniques and practical combat experience."

"So, next, I'm going to create a training plan for you."

Hearing this, Sasuke's spirits lifted.

Naruto continued, "On Tuesdays and Thursdays, you can challenge me and gain experience from your failures. This rule remains unchanged."

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

"Furthermore, once your strength improves to a certain level, we'll try taking on some missions."

Sasuke knew Naruto didn't want to do ninja missions, which was why he'd been slacking off.

But then Naruto said, "We'll take on missions, and it'll let you see some blood."

Sasuke's heart rate quickened, but he wasn't 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 bewildered.

Isn't it normal for people to fall into water?

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

Naruto didn't answer. Instead, he stepped onto the surface of the water and walked.

Then, right before Sasuke's eyes, Naruto stood on the water's surface, completely unharmed.

"What?" Sasuke exclaimed in astonishment, "Naruto, how did you do that?"

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

"It's about concentrating your chakra at the soles of your feet, allowing you to adhere to any surface."

"Walking on water might be difficult for you. You can start by practicing climbing trees."

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

Sasuke felt a surge of excitement upon hearing this. "No, I know!"

He said, then walked over to a large tree.

He lifted his foot, placed it on the trunk, and concentrated his chakra.

Sasuke thought, This is it! I feel the adhesion.

He's truly worthy of being Naruto; he actually knows this kind of technique.

If this is the case, I'll be able to fight regardless of the terrain.

Sasuke began to train earnestly.

Naruto nodded and turned to leave.

It was already approaching the afternoon.

Naruto had his own plans.

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

Afterward, Naruto set off and arrived at the gates of Konoha.

Even though it was a time of peace.

As one of the Five Great Ninja Villages, Konoha.

Entry and exit still required registration.

Seeing Naruto approach, Izumo Kamizuki, the gatekeeper, hurried over.

"Naruto Uzumaki?" Izumo was initially confused, then said to Naruto, "Do you have a mission order from the Hokage if you wish to leave the village?"

This feeling of being restricted made Naruto frown slightly.

Naruto shrugged, "I'm not a Jinchuriki anymore, why would I need a mission order?"

"Uh?" Izumo's mind went blank, then he thought, That's right...

The departure of the Nine-Tails Fox from Konohagakure was already common knowledge.

Now, when people saw Naruto, who was once called the 'demon fox,' they wore expressions of shock and confusion.

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

But now the Nine-Tails had escaped, yet Naruto was still here.

What did this mean?

This meant Naruto wasn't the Nine-Tails demon!

Izumo Kamizuki hesitated for a moment, then said to Naruto, "Alright then, but you need to register. It's standard procedure."

"Okay." Naruto walked to the small table outside the 'security office' and picked up a pen to write his name and departure time on the paper.

After Naruto walked out of the gates of Konoha, he immediately headed away from the mainland, deliberately choosing smaller paths.

Before long, he had distanced himself from Konoha and arrived in a secluded jungle.