Naruto, What's the Point of Being Hokage If You Don't Get Involved!

"Are you addicted to studying?!"

After a ten-minute break between classes, Naruto's chakra volume increased by a full 3 points!

Furthermore, the proficiency of his Chakra Refinement Technique itself had improved, reaching 58 points. From now on, his efficiency in extracting chakra during cultivation would also increase significantly.

Having finally made it to the start of class, Naruto let out a sigh of relief, though he was already drenched in sweat.

However, seeing Mizuki walk into the classroom with long strides, Naruto was left with nothing but despair in his heart.

"Today, we will continue our study of chemistry..."

Naruto: "...Ahhhhhhh!"

"Why do ninjas even need to study something like chemistry!"

Although he roared at the heavens in his heart, Naruto had no choice but to widen his eyes again, forcing himself into a state of total concentration...

Fortunately, with the lessons learned from the previous class, Naruto entered that state much faster.

But the problem was that his mental energy and stamina were gradually reaching their limits...

If the previous class was a purgatory on earth...

Then this class was truly hell itself.

However...

In order to escape the Baptism of Lightning Release, Naruto still gave his all to persevere.

[You have focused intently on a lecture for the first time. Your mastery of [Chemistry] has improved. Proficiency +3, current proficiency 19 points!]

Naruto: "...It only went up by 19 points?"

"It was only 16 points before?!"

"That's even worse than physics class..."

With such intuitive data, Naruto became even more acutely aware of his status as a dead-last student.

Naruto's astonishing transformation finally drew the attention of everyone.

In reality, even as a dead-last student, Naruto's "presence" in the class remained off the charts.

Both the bottom-feeders and the top students are eye-catching existences.

Those who lack presence are always the mediocre ones who just scrape by.

Not to mention, Naruto also had the special identity of being the demon fox.

Even though these children didn't know the truth, they had all been influenced by their environment, sensing the peculiar attitudes of the adults toward Naruto and being subtly affected by them.

However, being distant and cold toward Naruto didn't mean they didn't see him...

On the contrary, whether it was the original Naruto—lazy, idle, and skipping class every day to pull pranks—or the current Naruto, who was suddenly listening intently and even using every break to cultivate, he firmly held everyone's gaze.

"What's up with that guy Naruto?"

"He seems like a completely different person all of a sudden?"

"Could he have been possessed by a demon?"

"Shh, don't talk nonsense. My dad scolded me last time I said something like that..."

"Did that kid get triggered by something?"

"Could it be that he's heartbroken?!"

"It's possible. He's always liked Sakura Haruno, but she only has eyes for Sasuke Uchiha..."

"Given Sakura Haruno's rough attitude, it wouldn't be surprising if he was triggered..."

"So that's it..."

Sakura Haruno naturally noticed Naruto's changes as well.

Listening to the heated discussions of the crowd, she couldn't help but knit her brows.

"Could that guy Naruto really be acting like this because of me..."

"Should I go and comfort him?"

"Hmph, forget it. That guy would definitely get the wrong idea, and I don't want him to think he has a chance..."

Thinking this, Sakura Haruno went back to hovering around Sasuke Uchiha.

However...

In reality, the person paying the most attention to Naruto was none other than Sasuke Uchiha.

His cold, unsmiling face still showed no fluctuations.

But inside, his heart was in turmoil.

"What the hell is that idiot Naruto up to?"

"A mere dead-last, and you think you can turn your life around?"

"Damn it... I won't lose to a guy like that..."

"I still have to... kill that man!"

"How can I be lazy and slack off here?!"

In the mind of Sasuke Uchiha, a figure deeply buried in blood and darkness surfaced. As he whipped his head around, a pair of scarlet Mangekyo Sharingan erupted with a hideous and terrifying light!

His body trembled instantly, his teeth gritted, and his fists clenched tight.

"Shut up!"

Sasuke Uchiha could no longer hold back, shouting viciously at Sakura Haruno, Ino Yamanaka, and the other girls.

"Sasuke-kun..."

Sakura Haruno and the others were startled. Seeing the terrifying expression on his face, they didn't dare to ask further and could only retreat sheepishly.

"Sakura, what's wrong with Sasuke..."

Ino Yamanaka asked with a pale face, full of worry.

"How would I know? Even if I did, I wouldn't tell you. Don't forget, we're rivals in love right now!"

Ino Yamanaka made a face at her.

"You're going to lose! Forehead girl!"

"Ino-pig!"

Sasuke Uchiha glared at these people with annoyance, and then...

He actually started training immediately himself.

"Huh? Sasuke-kun has started training too!"

"He's clearly a genius, yet he still works this hard?"

"Or is it because of that guy Naruto..."

"No, that can't be it. Sasuke-kun is so amazing, how could he be influenced by a guy like Naruto?"

"Exactly, the two of them are like heaven and earth!"

Sasuke Uchiha ignored them and immediately immersed himself in his training.

Naruto heard the commotion over there and couldn't help but take another look. Seeing Sasuke's actions, he couldn't help but widen his eyes in surprise...

"That bastard Sasuke, he actually started training too?"

"Ha, could it be that he saw how hard I'm working and is afraid of being caught up by me?!"

"That must be it!"

[Warning, Baptism of Lightning Release countdown, 5... 4... 3...]

"Ahhh! I don't need you to remind me! If that bastard Sasuke is working this hard, I definitely have to work ten times, no, a hundred times harder than him!"

Naruto also immediately entered training mode again.

The two stood in a distant standoff. Although they didn't say a word, they were already competing fiercely...

For a time, the entire classroom could sense this inexplicably oppressive and fanatical atmosphere.

It was as if intense, scorching electric currents were shooting out from Naruto and Sasuke, violently intertwining and colliding...

After surviving the eight periods of the day, which felt like years, along with every break in between.

Naruto finally reached the end of the school day.

But he didn't get any rest.

[Detected that the host is about to head home. The journey is the perfect opportunity to train physical strength. Please return home by doing weighted frog jumps!]

Naruto: "...Frog, frog jumps?"

"And weighted frog jumps at that?!"

"Spare me!"

"I really can't take it anymore..."

[Baptism of Lightning Release, countdown 5... 4... 3...]

"Ahhh, I'll jump! I'll jump, okay?!"

Naruto had no choice but to shove his textbooks and training ninja tools into his bag, strap it to his back, and with the posture of someone going to their execution...

He squatted down!

"Hm?"

Sasuke Uchiha, Sakura Haruno, and all the other teachers and students at the ninja academy couldn't help but stare in stunned silence toward Naruto's direction...

What, what on earth is wrong with that guy?

Has he completely lost his mind?

What the hell is he doing...

Only Iruka watched this scene, a look of immense gratification on his face.

"Naruto... hard work is good, but don't overdo it..."

Elsewhere.

Watching Naruto's back as he hopped away with his weighted load, a boy with a bowl cut and thick eyebrows from a higher grade couldn't help but let his eyes shine, clenching his fists tightly!

At the same time.

A short-haired girl with white eyes gazed silently at Naruto's retreating figure, her hands clasped together in prayer for him.

"Naruto-kun... g-go for it..."

T0 Combat Power! Naruto, Raised on Healthy Milk!

"501, 502, 503..."

Naruto trudged forward with his backpack weighing him down, as if trying to squeeze the very last ounce of strength from his body.

He was already drenched in sweat, his legs no longer feeling like his own.

Having already been exhausted at the Ninja Academy, his mind and body pushed to the brink, he now had to frog-jump home with a heavy load right after school!

I, Naruto, am truly bearing burdens no one my age should have to!

He grumbled inwardly, yet he dared not slack off in the slightest.

That Baptism of Lightning Release was just too intense...

Once you've tasted it, you never want to experience it a second time...