"Clone Technique x10!"
Chapter 11: The Little Dream of a Dead-Last Student
Throughout the entire basic ninjutsu lesson, Naruto kept practicing the Clone Technique.
"Clone Technique!"
"Damn it..."
"Clone Technique!"
Before long, Naruto was drenched in sweat and utterly exhausted.
Practicing ninjutsu wasn't easy. It demanded a great deal of chakra and stamina, as well as mental strength and endurance.
Naruto's chakra and stamina were both excellent.
His mental strength and endurance, on the other hand, had always been sorely lacking.
But with the system's "gentle reminders" in mind, and the small punishment awaiting him in a month, Naruto had no choice but to throw himself into his training.
[Host has completed fifty Clone Technique practice sessions. Proficiency has increased! Proficiency +1!]
"Fantastic!"
Gazing at the clone he had just produced, Naruto threw both hands high in the air and cried out with excitement.
Sasuke, Sakura, and the others couldn't help looking over.
Iruka-sensei also walked over.
"...Naruto, your clone is still lying facedown!"
Naruto pointed proudly at his clone.
"Look closely, Iruka-sensei!"
"Sure, it's still lying facedown, but it isn't sticking its tongue out or rolling its eyes anymore!"
"Now it just looks like it's asleep!"
That was true.
Before, Naruto's clones had looked like they'd been drinking cheap liquor. Now, they merely looked like they'd fallen asleep.
There was no denying it was a huge improvement.
Iruka: "..."
"The Clone Technique is supposed to deceive the enemy. What good is lying facedown?"
Still, he had seen how hard Naruto was working.
By the latter part of the lesson, most of the other students had already stopped practicing. Their attempts had grown few and far between.
Those who were still at it were only pretending.
But Naruto had kept going until the very end.
Curious, Iruka asked, "Naruto, you've been pushing yourself so hard lately... Is there something you're trying to achieve?"
With his face covered in snot and tears, Naruto blurted out, "Iruka-sensei, I have to place in the top ten in class at the assessment a month from now!"
Iruka's eyes widened.
"Huh?"
The whole classroom fell silent.
Then a wave of laughter erupted.
"Hahahahaha!"
"Has Naruto gone crazy? What kind of nonsense is he spouting?"
"He's the dead-last student, and he thinks he can make the top ten in a month?"
"How's that even possible?"
"That's hilarious!"
Sasuke looked at Naruto's earnest expression and furrowed his brow.
He thought it was ridiculous too, but looking at Naruto, he couldn't help feeling that the boy wasn't joking.
"What's that dead-last student thinking?"
"Why does he seem like a completely different person these past couple of days...?"
Hinata blushed, the corners of her mouth lifting into a gentle smile.
"Naruto-kun, g-go for it..."
"I believe you can do it..."
Though the whole class was laughing, Iruka-sensei didn't join in.
He patted Naruto on the shoulder and said earnestly, "Naruto, I can see how determined you are to get stronger."
"I've seen how hard you've been working these past couple of days, too. But..."
"Rushing won't get you there. Of course, we should strive to improve, but we can't set our sights too high. We have to take it one step at a time, all right?"
"Placing in the top ten in class in just one month would be too much for you..."
"If you want to set a goal, you don't have to compare yourself with other people. Just compare yourself with who you are now..."
Listening to Iruka-sensei, Naruto knew he was genuinely trying to help.
But he had his reasons!
"Iruka-sensei, I understand what you mean, but... but I..."
"I still have to make the top ten in a month!"
"Pfft—"
The other students burst out laughing again.
But Iruka asked seriously, "Why, Naruto?"
"Why are you so determined to make the top ten?"
Naruto said, "Because..."
"Argh, I can't say it!"
Iruka didn't laugh.
He nodded and ruffled Naruto's hair.
"All right. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. Having that kind of ambition is a good thing. Even if you don't reach your goal in the end, you'll certainly have improved a lot by then."
"Good job, Naruto. If there's anything you don't understand, just ask me."
Naruto was deeply grateful.
Iruka-sensei was the only one who took him seriously instead of treating him like a joke...
"Yeah, I understand, Iruka-sensei!"
At dusk, the school bell finally rang.
Soon, groups of three and five streamed out of the Ninja Academy, cheerful laughter filling the evening air.
"Dad!"
"Let's go home, Santai."
"Mom, I want ice cream!"
"All right, all right. I'll buy you some on the way."
"Awesome!"
Exhausted, Naruto made his way through the crowd, unable to keep a hint of loneliness from creeping into his heart.
"Hmph, dead-last. You think you can make the top ten in class in a month?"
"Dream on."
With his hands in his pockets, Sasuke walked past, followed as always by a large crowd of lovestruck girls.
This time, Naruto didn't get angry. Instead, he grinned and teased Sasuke.
"Sasuke, you don't have to pay so much attention to me, you know."
Sasuke's expression changed instantly. "What did you say, dead-last?!"
"I mean, you're supposed to be a genius, but you keep paying attention to me. I bet you're afraid I'll surpass you, aren't you?"
Sasuke immediately snapped, "What a joke!"
"You think a dead-last like you could ever be on my level?"
Naruto folded his arms across his chest, brimming with confidence. "Yeah, that's exactly what I think."
"I've never thought I was beneath you!"
Sasuke clenched his fists, veins bulging on his forehead.
"Hmph, you fool. I'll show you just how big the gap between us is!"
With that, he stalked off, his face full of anger.
But the inexplicable pressure Naruto put on him made Sasuke resolve to train ten, even a hundred times harder once he got home.
"What's wrong with Sasuke-kun?"
"Seems like Naruto got him all worked up..."
"That jerk Naruto just loves picking on Sasuke!"
"But Sasuke-kun really does seem to care about that guy. Why is that...?"
"Who knows..."
Naruto pulled a face at Sasuke's retreating back, tugging down his lower eyelids and sticking out his tongue. "Bleh, bleh, bleh..."
"N-Naruto-kun, see you tomorrow."
Naruto hurriedly dropped his silly face. When he saw Hinata, he scratched his head awkwardly.
"Ahaha, it's you, Hinata. Oh, right, tutoring. I almost forgot..."
"See you tomorrow!"
Naruto beamed and waved at Hinata, then began doing weighted frog jumps, making his way home one hop at a time.
Hinata touched her fingertips together, her face flushed. Thinking about their tutoring session tomorrow made her heart pound wildly.
"Tomorrow, I'll get to be with Naruto-kun..."
Hinata covered her hot, scarlet cheeks with both hands.
"Ah..."
"I probably won't be able to sleep tonight..."
Chapter 12: Naruto and Hinata's First Tutoring Session!
Konoha was peaceful and safe.
Once again, lights shone in homes throughout the village all night long.
Naruto frog-jumped home with his weights on. He made dinner, already getting used to doing it after only two tries, then, without even waiting for a reminder from the system, promptly continued practicing the Clone Technique.
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