"Sasuke-kun..."
Sakura's vision blurred.
"Hmph~!"
"Don't get full of yourself, ugly."
"I just don't need things that other people give out of pity."
Sakura: "???"
So annoying... Ugly?!!
"Looks like you've made your choices."
Just then, Cangwu's voice suddenly rang out.
By now, the three of them had grown somewhat used to his sudden appearances.
"So, Sakura is the only one who passed."
Seeing that neither Naruto nor Sasuke looked regretful, Cangwu gave a slight nod and announced the results.
"Just you wait, Teacher Cangwu. I'll make you acknowledge me."
"Within a year, at most!"
Sasuke added, "I may not have much time, but if I can't gain strength, then no matter how much time I have, I'll still end up failing."
"I don't want to pass either~!" Sakura shouted.
As soon as she finished speaking, the ropes binding her also came loose.
If she weren't so flat-chested, she'd have been able to appreciate Cangwu's knot-tying skills.
Of course, who knew whether Sakura could tell.
Naruto blinked, then laughed out loud.
"In that case, the three of us can go back and repeat the year together~!"
In that moment, all three of them changed their outlook.
As Naruto's laughter rang out, Sasuke gave a snort, a smile appearing on his usually aloof face.
Sakura was still crying, but a smile spread across her face, too.
Being a ninja wasn't child's play.
Being a ninja wasn't about romance, either.
Strength wasn't something you could gain just by keeping your head down and working hard.
[Ping~!] A crisp mechanical notification sounded in Cangwu's mind. [Congratulations, Host! You have completed the mission!] [The prerequisite for becoming stronger is having a strong enough heart!] [The Host has received the first mission reward!] [Would you like to open it now?] Cangwu thought to himself: No. [Ping~!] [Your reward has been stored in your inventory!] Cangwu looked into the system space and glanced at the box in the corner. Oh? So the reward came in a box, too. He looked away and turned to the three little ones. Grrr— Uh... Cangwu opened his mouth, ready to take the opportunity to say something inspiring. But the grumbling of the three kids' stomachs ruined the mood. He shook his head with a smile. Then, as if by magic, he produced another bento. "Have a bite to tide you over. We'll talk about everything else later." "If you're not enthusiastic about eating, there's something wrong with your attitude. Got it?" At that, only Naruto nodded rapidly like a pecking chick. "Got it~!" Sasuke and Sakura, however, picked up on the hidden meaning. Uchiha Sasuke: *Just as I thought! I bet right!* Pink Hair: *That's great~ Teacher Cangwu, I love you so much~! Ahem...* Cangwu watched the three little ones wolfing down their food, sat down to one side, and said softly: "Actually, this kind of test isn't normal." "I've made a few improvements, but the core hasn't changed." "Because it's an assignment from higher up." "Higher up?" The three of them looked at him at the same time. A gentle smile spread across Cangwu's face. *I knew it. Teacher Cangwu wouldn't be that mean!* Naruto swallowed the food in his mouth. Then, without realizing it, he looked toward the Hokage Building. Sasuke and Sakura were a little slower to react. When they noticed Naruto's movement, they followed his gaze. The Hokage Building?! Did that mean the "higher up" Teacher Cangwu had mentioned was... Sakura and Sasuke weren't as disinclined to think as Naruto. Cangwu shook his head with a smile. "You did much better than I expected." "Did you know that the bell test is an old tradition?" "There are only two bells, but there are three of you." "The one who fails gets sent back to become... This is meant to make you turn against each other." "That includes the earlier rule about not eating." At that, Cangwu said no more. He only watched the three little ones with a smile. You couldn't change someone who'd been indoctrinated through simple, heavy-handed methods. Cangwu chose a gentler approach. Now that he and the three little ones were tied together, he naturally didn't want them to end up like this: One who went around saying he'd become Hokage, constantly preaching the Will of Fire. One who was deeply obsessive, only to feel empty and be used by others after learning the "truth." And one... never mind. Aside from her feelings for Uchiha Sasuke, Pink Hair had always been the class representative for looks. In this messed-up world, good looks were sometimes more useful than strength. It was only natural that Pink Hair, who was often treated well because of her appearance and was unfamiliar with certain problems, lacked empathy. "How could this happen..." Sakura murmured. She stared blankly at her bento. Sasuke merely furrowed his brows, then focused on eating. Cangwu glanced at Naruto. The kid looked as if he hadn't given anything a thought. But that wasn't the case. Naruto was often very perceptive. That was because his capacity for sympathy was too strong. Perhaps it was one of the reasons he hadn't gone insane. One second, he'd want to kill his enemy. The next, his sympathy would kick in, and he'd start feeling sorry for them. Cangwu shook his head and stopped thinking about all that nonsense. Now, it was time to open the box!
[Ping~!]
[Your reward box has been opened!]
As the bargain-bin special effects faded, five colored orbs of light appeared before Cangwu.
[Ping~!]
[Congratulations, Host! You have obtained Five-Attribute Chakra!]
[Ping~!]
[Congratulations, Host! You have obtained One Card Chakra Amount!]
[Ping~!]
[Congratulations, Host! You have obtained Physique Enhancement!]
[Ping~!]
[Congratulations, Host! You have obtained the right to choose one of the five chakra natures—Earth, Water, Fire, Lightning, or Wind—and gain mastery of its corresponding style!]
Fire Style. Cangwu thought for a moment, then chose Fire Style.
[Ping~!]
[Congratulations, Host! You have obtained Fire Style Ninjutsu Mastery!]
Whoosh—
Cangwu took a deep breath.
He felt the changes taking place in his body.
He was incredibly glad he'd chosen the advanced mission.
He'd received so many rewards all at once.
His chakra had even doubled—to two cards.
And on top of that, his physique had been enhanced.
Cangwu couldn't stop the corners of his mouth from rising.
If he'd stayed at the Ninja Academy, he wouldn't have been able to make this kind of progress in such a short time.
Cangwu looked at the three little ones.
He suddenly found them adorable.
Hahaha~
System, you're my god~
"Teacher Cangwu, what's wrong?" Naruto asked, his mouth full.
"Nothing. I just suddenly feel like the three of you are even cuter."
At that, Sasuke turned his head slightly.
Sakura blinked, concealing the subtle change in her expression well.
Naruto, meanwhile, said with a look of disgust, "Teacher Cangwu, you mean handsome... No, I'm handsome, Sakura's cute, and that obnoxious Sasuke... is the most obnoxious~!"
Though he sounded dismissive, the corners of his mouth kept curling upward.
The impact of what Cangwu had said earlier vanished with that one compliment.
Now, it's time for the next plan to improve their strength.
Let's move it up... Their strength may be about the same as in the original story, but their mindsets have changed a lot. They're ready for the training that comes next.
With that in mind, Cangwu said:
"Eat your fill first. We'll train a little later."
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