Just Look at Naruto!

Naruto pouted and rotated his arm, trying to get it working again.

Just then,

Sasuke Uchiha passed by with his hands in his pockets and his eyes closed, surrounded by admirers and showered with praise.

"Hmph. Dead last, you think you can turn things around with effort like that?"

Naruto froze for a moment, then flew into a rage.

"You jerk, Sasuke! What did you say?!"

Sasuke Uchiha gave a soft snort and walked away without looking back.

"Damn it! That lousy Sasuke! If my right arm weren't busted, I'd challenge you to a one-on-one fight!"

"Grr..."

As Naruto fumed, a rumbling, hurried sound suddenly came from behind him.

He looked back and saw Sakura Haruno and Ino Yamanaka running side by side, their elbows locked together. They were practically squashed into a pair of conjoined twins, neither willing to give way.

"Sakura-chan..."

When Naruto saw Sakura, his eyes lit up. It was as if all his exhaustion and pain had vanished.

But...

"Out of the way, Naruto!"

Sakura shoved Naruto to the ground, then chased after Sasuke, still tussling with Ino.

Naruto got back to his feet, brushed the dust off himself, and snorted as he watched Sasuke walk away.

"Every single one of them only likes Sasuke."

"Once I become Hokage, I'll make every one of you see me in a whole new light. Hmph, just you wait!"

"Ow, ow, ow..."

Rubbing his shoulder and arm, Naruto headed toward the Ninja Academy classroom.

It wasn't time for class yet, and small groups of students were laughing and roughhousing around the room.

[Host detected...]

"Okay, I know!"

"It's the Chakra Refinement Technique, right?"

"I'll start training now!"

[...]

Naruto had gradually figured out the system's routine. This time, before it could say anything more, he jumped in with the answer and soon settled into training.

Since nobody paid him any attention anyway, he might as well use the opportunity to improve.

The Chakra Refinement Technique was the ability Naruto had practiced the most.

And with Kurama no longer messing with him, Naruto was becoming more and more efficient at refining chakra.

He had already had far more chakra than his peers. Now, his reserves kept growing, higher and higher.

In fact...

Naruto could now practice the Chakra Refinement Technique while letting his mind wander.

He had trained until it was second nature; his body could do it without conscious thought.

"Get into the top ten in class within a month..."

"How's that even possible?!"

Naruto was in despair. Even with the system's help, there was no way he could pull that off...

He had a very clear grasp of his current level.

That was what people called knowing one's limits.

"Oh, right!"

"I can ask someone to tutor me!"

"Ahaha, I forgot I could do that..."

"But who should I ask?"

The first person who came to mind, of course, was Sakura Haruno.

Sasuke was undoubtedly the best in class overall, but when it came to academics alone, Sakura was number one.

And besides...

A lecherous grin crept across Naruto's face...

He already liked Sakura best...

It was killing two birds with one stone!

With class still some time away, Naruto practiced the Chakra Refinement Technique for quite a while longer.

He carefully stopped. Only after he saw that the system hadn't issued a warning did he breathe a sigh of relief, then happily went to find Sakura Haruno.

"Um, um..."

"Sakura, could I ask you a favor?"

Naruto pressed his palms together and pleaded.

Sakura had just been treated coldly by Sasuke, so she snapped, "What is it?!"

Naruto grinned. "Well, um..."

"Could you help tutor me?"

The moment Naruto asked, everyone nearby—not just Sakura—looked at him in astonishment.

The classroom fell silent.

"What's wrong?"

Naruto scratched his head.

Sakura was stunned too, but then decided Naruto was only using this as an excuse to get close to her.

She said impatiently, "Naruto, quit trying to pull something!"

"I'm never going to like you!"

With that, she turned and strode away.

Naruto was left standing there, stunned.

A cold draft swept past.

A sheet of paper fluttered off a desk and drifted to the floor.

His plan had been perfect, except for one tiny little thing.

Sakura Haruno wasn't willing to help.

Despairing, Naruto lowered his head like a defeated rooster and trudged back to his seat.

Just then,

"N-Naruto-kun..."

That voice, faint as a mosquito's buzz, belonged to...

"Hm? What is it, Hinata?"

The short-haired girl with pale eyes didn't dare look up at Naruto. Head bowed and cheeks red, she gently touched her index fingers together, trying to say something but unable to get a word out.

"Weirdo..."

Naruto pouted and started to turn away.

But Hinata finally mustered her courage. "Um, well..."

"Naruto-kun, i-if you really want a tutor..."

"I... I can help you..."

Naruto stopped in his tracks. His eyes lit up, and he whipped around with a wide grin.

"R-really, Hinata?!"

Hinata quickly lowered her head again. Her cheeks reddened, and she couldn't bring herself to look at Naruto. She only gave a shy little nod.

"That's great!"

Naruto knew that Hinata's grades weren't as good as Sakura's, but she was still one of the top students.

With her tutoring him, he had a much, much better chance of avoiding the system's "little punishment"!

"Thanks, Hinata!"

Unable to contain his excitement, Naruto stepped forward and took Hinata's little hand in his.

"Ah—"

Hinata let out a startled cry. Her face went beet red, as if she had a fever, and steam almost seemed to rise from her little head...

"Hm? Hinata, what's wrong?"

"Hinata?!"

Young Naruto would never know that although he failed every subject, there was one thing he would always get full marks in.

That was Hinata's love for him.

No matter the world—not even if heaven and earth were turned upside down and their personalities completely reversed...

That never changed.

Chapter 9: Just Look at Naruto!

Naruto suddenly taking her little hand in his was such an intimate gesture that Hinata's poor heart couldn't take it.

Her face flushed, her head spun, and she nearly fainted on the spot.

Fortunately, Naruto's calls brought her back to her senses.

But seeing Naruto's face so close to hers made Hinata blush all over again, her heart pounding like a startled fawn's.

"N-Naruto-kun, let go of my hand..."

Only then did Naruto look down and realize he was still holding Hinata's hand tightly.

"Ahaha, I was so excited, I didn't notice..."

"Hinata, what's wrong?"

Hinata looked down at their hands. She felt relieved for a moment, yet an inexplicable sense of disappointment welled up inside her.

With her head lowered and her face flushed, she said, "I-it's nothing..."

"Naruto-kun, tomorrow's the weekend. We can pick a time and place to study..."

Naruto thought for a moment.

"Hmm..."

"Let's study in the morning. As for where..."

"How about your place?"

Hinata shook her head. "I'm afraid that won't work..."

Naruto said, "That's true. You're helping me study, after all..."

"Then come to my place!"

Hinata's heart started pounding wildly.