Naruto, What's the point of being Hokage without you!

"Still no good!"

"The Stamina Monster trait is certainly useful, but once Knowledge Absorption activates and I enter a state of total focus, I'm so absorbed in the textbooks that I can't keep up the weighted handstand!"

"I have to... multitask!"

There was no turning back now.

I have to do it!

Naruto gritted his teeth, struggled to get up once more, and began this impossible challenge.

"What on earth is that guy Naruto doing?"

"Nom, nom, nom..."

Choji Akimichi munched on potato chips, staring at Naruto's back as he spoke indistinctly.

Shikamaru Nara faced the morning sun, yawning wide with a listless expression on his face.

"Who knows..."

Choji shook his head. "Even if he was provoked by something, isn't this a bit too much effort?"

"It's practically exaggerated... nom, nom, nom..."

"Hey, Shikamaru, do you think we should be working harder too?"

Shikamaru gazed at the white clouds in the sky, his eyelids drooping.

"Why?"

Choji was taken aback, his hand pausing mid-air as he reached for more chips.

"After all, even Naruto is working that hard, and it seems like everyone else in class has been influenced by him too..."

"Naruto hasn't been standing in the corner with us lately; I actually feel a bit lonely..."

Shikamaru yawned again.

"Choji, Naruto working hard might be a good thing for him."

"But everyone has different pursuits. Even though he's a dead-last like us, he has a dream of becoming Hokage, and he wants to catch up to others and earn everyone's recognition."

"But I'm different."

"I just want to live a plain, ordinary life..."

Choji stuffed another mouthful of chips into his mouth.

"I, I guess that's true, but it still feels like we're wasting our time..."

Shikamaru patted his shoulder and smiled.

"Are you happy every day?"

"Hmm... how should I put it? I'm pretty happy, actually..."

"Then it's not a waste of time."

"Well, actually, it's fine if you're not happy either. I don't really care either way..."

With that, he clasped his hands behind his head and sauntered forward lazily.

Choji didn't fully understand, but he trusted Shikamaru deeply, so he stopped dwelling on it, stuffed his mouth full of chips, and chased after him.

"Naru—"

Up ahead, Rock Lee, who was also sweating and pouring his heart out under the morning sun, was overjoyed to see Naruto's figure. He was just about to wave a greeting when he suddenly froze in place.

"Naruto?"

This terrifying method of training left Rock Lee stunned!

"To, to think he could do something like this?!"

"That guy Naruto complains all the time, but in reality, he's working even harder than I am!"

"I see. I can't lose to him either. Weighted one-handed handstand, and studying at the same time?!"

"Alright, I'll do it too!"

Rock Lee tried to follow suit, but just like Naruto, it wasn't that simple...

He lasted for three seconds before crashing heavily to the ground.

"Damn it..."

"Again!"

On the other side.

Hinata also caught sight of Naruto. Remembering their "date" at Ichiraku Ramen yesterday, she couldn't help but blush, a hint of sweetness blooming in her heart.

"Naruto-kun... has he started training even harder?"

"I... I shouldn't disturb him..."

"Besides, I have to work even harder, otherwise I won't be qualified to stand by his side..."

Hinata watched Naruto silently, not disturbing him, only cheering for him in her heart.

Having finally reached the Ninja Academy with great difficulty, Naruto was already drenched in sweat and utterly exhausted.

This time, it was a double torment of both mind and body!

It far surpassed anything he had experienced before.

He could finally set down his weights and discard those damned textbooks, collapsing onto the ground to gasp for air.

However...

[Congratulations to the host for completing a higher-difficulty training challenge. Dual-Tasking ability has improved, proficiency +3, current proficiency 51 points!]

Naruto was stunned, then overjoyed.

"So, Dual-Tasking can be improved as well?"

"That's great!"

Just then, a figure blocked the morning sun, casting a shadow over Naruto as he sat slumped on the ground.

Naruto looked up and saw a cold face with hands tucked into pockets.

"Hmph, loser..."

Before Sasuke Uchiha could finish his sentence, Naruto suddenly had a stress reaction.

"Sa! Su! Ke!"

"Let's fight again!"

He suddenly leaped into the air and charged straight at Sasuke!

Sasuke's expression changed in shock.

"What are you doing?!"

Naruto was clearly triggered from the night before; seeing Sasuke's face made him want to beat him up uncontrollably.

In fact, it was only natural. Anyone who had fought 37 consecutive matches, with 3 wins and 34 losses, would never let it go so easily.

Although Sasuke was startled, he instinctively dodged the strike.

Suddenly, a figure stepped between Naruto and Sasuke, arms spread wide, shouting angrily.

"Stop it right now, you idiot Naruto!"

It was Sakura Haruno.

But Naruto's eyes were bloodshot by now, and he didn't even notice who had appeared before him.

His body moved faster than his brain.

In an instant, Naruto's fist had already been thrown out with full force!

Bang--

It struck Sakura Haruno square in the face!

Naruto's fierce punch landed right on Sakura Haruno's face!

Instantly, Sakura Haruno's nose bled, her features seemed to twist together, and the intense pain sank deep into her bones. She was sent flying backward, crashing heavily onto the ground!

For a moment, the entire Ninja Academy playground fell into a deathly, stunned silence.

"Nar, Naruto, what did that guy just do?!"

"He actually punched Sakura Haruno away!"

"What on earth is he thinking?!"

"No, that's not right. Hasn't he always been Sakura Haruno's admirer and sycophant?!"

"How could he..."

"He actually did something like this..."

"No, he probably just wanted to hit Sasuke, and Sakura rushed in, so Naruto couldn't pull his punch back in time..."

"Even so, this is just too..."

Not to mention the others, even Naruto himself was completely dumbfounded, staring at his own fist in a daze, then looking at Sakura Haruno lying on the ground, at a loss for what to do...

"Sa, Sakura-chan..."

"I... what have I done?"

Sasuke Uchiha also frowned.

He had seen it clearly; Naruto's punch was definitely not aimed at Sakura Haruno.

It was aimed at him.

However, why would this dead-last suddenly lay a hand on him?

Could it be that the hatred accumulated over all this time had finally become unbearable for him?

Of course, he could not know that Naruto now had an instinctive reaction the moment he saw his face...

If he didn't strike first to gain the advantage, the one who would "die" would be himself!

Under these circumstances, Naruto acted almost subconsciously.

Moreover, he maintained the high-spirited fighting spirit from his dreams.

How could Sakura Haruno possibly withstand such a blow?

What's more, she never imagined that Naruto would actually lay a hand on her...

This was simply turning the world upside down!

The crowd of onlookers grew larger, all of them in an uproar, whispering and buzzing with commotion.

Even Shikamaru, Choji, and Kiba Inuzuka stood there with their mouths agape.

Upon seeing this, Ino Yamanaka let out a shriek and rushed forward to check on Sakura Haruno's condition.

"Sakura, are, are you okay?"

Although the two were now rivals in love and seemed to fight fiercely, deep down they still considered each other their best friend.

Ino certainly wouldn't just sit by and do nothing.

Sakura Haruno struggled to sit up, blankly wiping away the blood gushing from her nose, still not having recovered her senses or understanding what had happened.

"I, what happened to me..."

Ino said, "Naruto was about to fight Sasuke, you suddenly rushed over, and Naruto punched you flying..."

Sakura Haruno's ears were still ringing, but upon hearing Ino's words, she finally cleared her head a little.