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

Naruto stood up, and looking at her small back silhouetted against the morning sun, he couldn't help but blurt out.

"Hinata..."

"Hm?"

Hinata stopped in her tracks, turning back to look at Naruto with a hint of unease.

"W-what is it, Naruto?"

Naruto flashed a bright, sunny smile.

"Thank you."

Hinata trembled slightly at his words, her face flushing even deeper. Unable to respond, she gave an almost imperceptible nod and immediately ran off.

Naruto wanted to say something more...

[Host, please begin the Chakra Refinement Technique training immediately!]

[Warning...]

[Warning!]

Naruto: "..."

Tossing all the messy thoughts in his head aside, this thing was the most important after all!

He immediately ran toward the classroom, ready to start his training at once.

Sasuke let out a cold snort; although he claimed it was boring, he had watched the entire scene.

He walked away with his hands in his pockets, but his mind was replaying the look in Naruto's eyes just now...

That gaze, filled with fighting spirit, and perhaps even killing intent...

In that instant, the thought that had crossed his mind was...

To flee.

That's right, to flee...

A mere dead-last, actually making me feel fear?!

No, that's absolutely impossible...

But deep down, Sasuke knew this was his true feeling.

That man's voice reminded him of it every single moment, appearing even in his most terrifying nightmares...

"Foolish little brother..."

"If you want to kill me, to avenge our parents and our clan, then hate me, despise me!"

"And then..."

"Live an ugly life, run away as hard as you can, struggle to survive..."

That was the demonic voice of Itachi Uchiha, the executioner who slaughtered the entire clan and murdered their parents!

Although he was the person Sasuke hated most, Sasuke was still subtly and deeply influenced by his words, affecting his mind and everything else...

Therefore, when faced with fear and despair, Sasuke would develop the urge to run away.

But... even so, what was that just now?!

It wasn't some powerful enemy, nor was it a desperate situation; it was just...

A mere Naruto!

"Damn it—"

Sasuke gritted his teeth, his fists clenching until they creaked.

He was still too weak right now, not just in strength, but in his state of mind as well.

He had to find a way to force himself to grow rapidly!

Otherwise, even Naruto would surpass him, let alone killing Itachi Uchiha!

The crowd gradually dispersed.

Choji, still munching on his chips, had watched the whole show.

"Shikamaru, what do you think?"

Shikamaru curled his lip: "Women... they really are the most troublesome and terrifying creatures..."

"My mom is like that, Ino is like that, Sakura is like that..."

"Even the shyest and most introverted Hinata hides such a terrifying side..."

"That's why I'm never going to get involved with any woman in my life..."

He yawned as he spoke, heading toward the classroom.

Choji stuffed his mouth with chips, a smile spreading across his face.

"Don't speak too soon, Shikamaru..."

As Iruka entered the classroom, he sensed an unusual atmosphere.

And...

"Hmm?"

"Why aren't Sakura and Ino here for class?"

Hinata lowered her head, feeling somewhat guilty, her fingers subconsciously interlacing.

But the "culprit," Naruto Uzumaki, had his eyes wide as copper bells, seizing every second for diligent cultivation, not even hearing Iruka's words.

A girl spoke up timidly: "Iruka-sensei, Sakura and Ino... they had a fight..."

Iruka frowned.

"Just because of that?"

"Honestly, I understand you are all in the prime of your youth, but you can't all be this willful..."

"And it's not just Naruto; even Sakura is acting like this..."

A boy snickered: "Iruka-sensei, it's precisely because of Naruto that Sakura is like this..."

Iruka was stunned.

"What?"

Following the gazes of the crowd, he quickly locked onto the target...

Hinata?

Naruto?

And Sakura, Ino...

Could it be... a Asura field with three girls surrounding Naruto?!

Dual-Tasking and Perpetual Motion Machine!

A bewildered Iruka was completely lost.

Naruto's appearance had changed quite a bit, but surely not to this extent?

Hinata went without saying.

He could tell the young girl had always looked at Naruto differently.

Iruka had always kept an eye on Naruto, so he knew clearly who treated him well and who didn't.

He subconsciously glanced at Hinata, who hurriedly lowered her head in shyness.

But...

Weren't Sakura and Ino always revolving around Sasuke?

How strange...

Although Iruka was older, he was a confirmed bachelor and couldn't make heads or tails of these romantic entanglements.

He shook his head.

"Ahem, never mind. I'll talk to them when they return."

"Class begins now."

[Host, it is time for class. However, please maintain the Chakra Refinement Technique while entering the state of Knowledge Absorption. Practice Dual-Tasking and listen to the lecture attentively.]

Only then did Naruto realize Iruka had entered at some point.

Although what just happened puzzled him, he hadn't thought much of it because he was "immersed" in his cultivation.

But...

Demanding he perform the Chakra Refinement Technique while listening to a lecture was simply going too far!

Even when he was doing handstands with weights on the way to school, at least that was a division of labor between hands and brain that didn't interfere with each other...

Now you want me to listen to a lecture while refining chakra?!

Is that even possible?!

Dual-Tasking, and listening attentively?

Are you even speaking human language?!

[Please begin cultivation immediately, or you will be subjected to the Baptism of Lightning Release.]

[Warning countdown: 5...]

"Fine, fine, fine! You win!"

Naruto cursed inwardly, but not daring to defy the system, he immediately began, albeit with a skeptical attitude.

He had been practicing the Chakra Refinement Technique all along.

After such a long period of cultivation, his proficiency in the Chakra Refinement Technique had already reached 80 points!

It was indeed the technique he was most skilled at for the time being.

"Hmm..."

"If I want to practice the Chakra Refinement Technique while listening to the lecture, and also enter the state of Knowledge Absorption, there is only one way..."

"And that is to stop using my brain entirely and let my body refine chakra on its own!"

Naruto was analyzing things much more clearly now.

For the [Knowledge Absorption] trait to take full effect, one had to go all out, which meant occupying every single brain cell.

Therefore, to achieve Dual-Tasking, he had to let his body move on its own.

In other words...

It was subconsciousness.

Or, one could call it muscle memory.

In reality, this was not impossible; whether it be sports or work, as long as one was sufficiently skilled, it was entirely possible to do things without using one's brain.

For instance, anyone could walk and chat at the same time.

One would not trip while walking just because they were using their brain to chat.

There is no other secret, only practice makes perfect.

A jonin like Kakashi Hatake, when dealing with a genin squad like Team 7, could read Icha Icha Paradise while beating them to a pulp; it was the exact same principle.

That said, Naruto could only attempt it bit by bit.

Fortunately, his proficiency in Dual-Tasking had increased somewhat previously, which gave Naruto at least a little bit of experience...