Naruto, What's the Point of Being Hokage Without You!

They charged toward each other once again!

But the scene came to an abrupt halt at that very instant.

"Huh?!"

Naruto returned to the chaotic dreamscape.

"What just happened?"

Congratulations to the host for successfully defeating an opponent for the first time. However, please do not become arrogant or complacent. The enemies in the dreamscape will also evolve and adjust their strategies based on their battles with the host. A stroke of luck proves nothing; please continue to persevere and work hard!

Naruto understood what it meant, but he couldn't help but cheer with joy.

"Ha... haha..."

"I really defeated Sasuke just now!"

"Even though it was in a dream, the feeling of the sparring was completely real!"

"Even if you say it was luck, it at least proves that I have the possibility of defeating Sasuke!"

The system did not deny this.

[Yes.]

"Alright! Then let's keep fighting!"

Naruto's eyes immediately blazed with fire, his fighting spirit soaring as if he were boiling over.

Failure is the mother of success.

That is wrong.

Success is the mother of success.

Once a person has the experience of success, even if only once, they gain unprecedented self-confidence.

That is exactly how Naruto felt right now.

Sasuke Uchiha, who had always seemed unreachable and far beyond his reach, had finally been proven—through his own efforts—to be someone he could potentially defeat!

Although he acted like he couldn't stand Sasuke on the surface, deep down, Naruto knew that Sasuke was the person he looked up to.

He was gifted with extraordinary talent and aptitude, praised as a genius wherever he went!

And he himself was the recognized dead last...

He might grumble and curse at Sasuke, but the person he most wanted recognition from was, in fact, Sasuke Uchiha.

Naruto also knew very well that there was only one path to making someone like Sasuke acknowledge him.

And that was to thoroughly defeat him!

Now, he had finally caught a glimpse of that faint glimmer of light...

Throughout the night in his dreams, Naruto continuously engaged in simulated ninja sparring.

Just as the system said, "Sasuke Uchiha" would also constantly improve, even coming up with countermeasures based on their previous bouts.

It became impossible for Naruto to rely on killing intent and surprise attacks to defeat Sasuke in a single move anymore.

And when it came to comparing comprehensive techniques, Naruto fell completely behind.

But at the same time...

Naruto's practical combat experience was also rising frantically and continuously through each simulated sparring session...

Have you ever seen Konoha at four in the morning?

Others might not know.

But Naruto had seen the sun at two in the morning.

He had even been sweating profusely under that sun, pouring out his youth.

Sometimes, he was beaten until his face was bruised and swollen, his mouth and eyes crooked.

He suddenly thought of Might Guy.

That's right, youth is meant to burn!

He didn't know how long his passion had been burning when the system's alarm suddenly rang in his ears.

[It is six o'clock in the morning. Please get up immediately, host, and prepare to begin a new day of training!]

Naruto rubbed his eyes in a daze, looking at the morning sunlight, which still seemed gentle, and felt a moment of disorientation...

"Am I... awake?"

Constantly switching scenes in his dreams, which were no different from the real world, gave Naruto a sense of illusion where it was difficult to distinguish between the true and the false.

[The host is already awake. If you are still unable to regain clarity, this system can provide one free Baptism of Lightning Release.]

"...I'm awake!"

Naruto let out a huge yawn, threw off his blanket, got out of bed, and opened the window to look at the morning sun, finally feeling like he had truly returned to the real world.

It felt like playing a game all night long, and a 100% realistic VR game at that.

"Right, in my dream last night, I think I beat the crap out of Sasuke!"

"So satisfying..."

Naruto suddenly recalled the memory, his lips curling upward uncontrollably.

[In reality, the host fought Sasuke 37 times in his dream last night and only won 3 times. It would be more accurate to say the host was beaten by Sasuke rather than the other way around.]

Naruto was rinsing his mouth when he suddenly spat out a mouthful of water.

"The record is that miserable?!"

However, he could accept it; after all, he was just getting started.

As for defeating Sasuke, as long as it happened once, there would definitely be a second time.

Thinking of this, Naruto suddenly took out paper and a pen. In messy, ugly handwriting, he boldly wrote the four characters: "Defeat Sasuke."

He stuck the note in the most conspicuous spot, right below the note that said "Become Hokage."

Naruto clapped his hands and nodded with satisfaction.

"Very good, today is another day full of fighting spirit!"

"Work hard, let's go!"

"Become Hokage, defeat Sasuke!"

Just as Naruto was becoming proficient at preparing for his handstand walking.

[Host's parameters have upgraded, and the body's pressure tolerance has increased significantly. Ordinary handstand walking can no longer meet the requirements of training. Please perform weighted one-handed handstand walking training! And...]

[While performing physical training, complete the study of cultural courses!]

Naruto, currently in a one-handed handstand, froze instantly.

Then, a hysterical, heart-wrenching scream echoed across the entire Konoha.

"Huh?!"

"This... this isn't right, is it?!"

Naruto was on the verge of tears. He had finally gotten used to the current rhythm of hard work, and the system was already piling on more!

"Weighted, one-handed handstand, and I have to study cultural courses at the same time?!"

[Please start training immediately, or face the Baptism of Lightning Release.]

[Warning, countdown 5...]

"Ahhh! I'll do it, I'll do it, okay!"

Naruto had no choice but to return to his room, take out two barbells used for training, stand on his hands, toss a barbell up with one hand, and carefully catch it with the soles of his feet.

Suddenly, a feeling like Mount Tai pressing down on him rushed over.

Pfft—

Naruto exhaled like a toad, almost losing his breath.

Fortunately, the desperate training of these past few days had not been without effect.

His formidable physical strength and astonishing endurance ultimately allowed him to resist the heavy pressure.

But attempting a weighted one-handed handstand was a completely different matter.

Naruto gritted his teeth, struggling to support himself on the ground with one hand while slowly lifting the other.

His entire body immediately swayed, on the verge of collapsing at any moment...

This was not just a requirement for physical strength, but also for balance.

Naruto was instantly drenched in sweat, but this was only the beginning.

He barely managed to open a textbook of Ninja Insights with his raised hand.

"Ninja songs, ninja mechanisms; when a large group of enemies is in turmoil, that is the best time to infiltrate..."

"Ah... ah!"

Thud—

Naruto couldn't multitask and finally fell headfirst.

He sat up in a duck-sit position with a mournful face.

"Ahhh! This is completely impossible to do!"

[Please start training immediately, or face the Baptism of Lightning Release.]

[Warning, countdown 5...]

"...Fine, brother."

Naruto struggled to get back into a handstand, followed the previous process of tossing the barbell and catching it with his feet, then lifted one hand, picked up the textbook that had fallen on the floor, and began to test his limits once again.

"...A quiet place is not necessarily a place to hide; the most important thing for a ninja is to seize the right moment..."

"Ah--"

Thud--

He had been too immersed in reciting the textbook content this time, causing his physical coordination to falter, and a barbell crashed heavily to the ground.

But he didn't complain to the system again (because it was useless).

Gritting his teeth, he quickly hoisted the barbell back up before picking up the textbook to continue his recitation.

"Oh, right, I still have the power of my traits..."

Naruto's eyes suddenly lit up.

[Stamina Monster] trait power activated!

Instantly, his already superhuman stamina surged by another significant margin!

The crushing weight that had been so difficult to bear seemed to lighten considerably...

"Wow, it really works!"

However, [Stamina Monster] only enhanced his stamina; it couldn't improve his coordination. Completing a weighted one-handed handstand was still no easy task.

[Knowledge Absorption] trait power activated!

Naruto instantly entered a state of total focus, and the words in the textbook flowed into his mind frantically, like a sponge soaking up water...

However...

Thump--

Naruto fell to the ground again, a large bump forming on his head.

He rubbed the back of his head, hissing as he sucked in a cold breath.