The Calm Before the Storm

The wind on the rooftop suddenly died down.

Kakashi froze halfway through forming the hand signs for the Body Flicker Technique, his entire body like a paused videotape, his posture indescribably ridiculous.

Stiffly, frame by frame, he turned his head. His one remaining dead-fish eye had narrowed into an exceedingly dangerous slit, locking firmly onto the blond boy bathed in the afterglow of the setting sun.

Naruto shoved his hands back into his pockets, the wild, arrogant smile at the corner of his mouth especially glaring beneath the orange-red halo of light.

His tone was calm, yet each word struck Kakashi's heart like a sledgehammer.

"Teacher Kakashi."

"I hope you can be a little more serious tomorrow."

"Don't let me beat you too badly."

Holy shit!

Kakashi's brain crashed on the spot, a thousand alpacas stampeding through his mind.

What kind of insane thing was that to say?

A twelve-year-old Genin who had only just graduated publicly provoking him—an elite Jonin renowned for copying over a thousand jutsu?

And telling him not to get beaten too badly?

Was this brat really crazy, or simply tired of living?!

"Oh?"

Kakashi forcibly suppressed the storm raging within him, pulling his lips into a sinister curve.

The laziness in his dead-fish eye instantly vanished without a trace, replaced by the sharpness and scrutiny of a hunter eyeing prey.

"Anyone can talk big."

His voice turned cold as well, as though tempered in ice.

"Don't cry tomorrow, brat."

"Poof!"

Before his words had even faded, a cloud of white smoke exploded, and Kakashi's figure vanished completely from the rooftop.

Only a meaningful echo remained in the air, along with a coming storm that was destined to be anything but peaceful...

"Tch."

Naruto curled his lip disdainfully.

Still trying to talk tough?

Like elementary school kids arranging a fight.

He could not even be bothered to look at the two "teammates" beside him, who had already turned to stone. He turned and sauntered toward the stairwell.

Sakura Haruno was still immersed in the earth-shattering declaration about adding the most beautiful woman to the family register. Her little mouth was wide enough to fit an egg, and her mind was completely blank.

Meanwhile, Sasuke Uchiha clenched his fists so tightly that his nails dug deeply into his flesh.

Cracks appeared for the first time on that eternally icy face.

Humiliation, fury, unwillingness—and a trace of terror that even he himself refused to acknowledge!

Reviving the Uchiha Clan was his lifelong goal!

Yet Naruto, that "idiot," had shouted out a similar yet entirely different "dream" in an even more arrogant and domineering manner!

And Kakashi's final reaction... clearly showed that he had regarded that dead last as a genuine opponent!

Why?!

Why did that eternal dead last, who only knew how to pull pranks, deserve that?!

Sasuke's gloomy gaze was like a poisoned blade, nailed firmly to Naruto's departing back, only to discover that from beginning to end, the other boy could not even be bothered to spare him a glance.

It was pure disregard, originating from the depths of his bones.

As if Sasuke Uchiha did not even qualify to be his opponent.

"Uzumaki... Naruto!"

Sasuke forced the words through clenched teeth. His Two-Tomoe Sharingan spun madly in his eyes, and his violent killing intent nearly solidified.

Naruto naturally could not be bothered with what that terminally delusional teenager was thinking.

Returning to his simple, somewhat shabby bachelor apartment, he could not even be bothered to turn on the lights.

Once the door shut, the entire world instantly fell silent.

He took off that cumbersome orange tracksuit, revealing the perfect body beneath, brimming with explosive power. Then he casually sat cross-legged on the cold floor.

He closed his eyes and sank his awareness into his body.

"Phew..."

With a long breath, life energy as vast as the sea slowly began to flow through his limbs and bones.

The power of the Perfect Uzumaki Sage Body was like an inexhaustible treasure trove. Every deeper exploration brought him fresh surprises.

His five senses were magnified without limit. He could clearly "hear" the man next door grinding his teeth, "smell" the scent of grilled meat drifting up from the street below, and "see" tiny motes of dust floating in the air.

This absolute sense of control over himself and the outside world fascinated him immensely.

Tomorrow...

A playful smile curved Naruto's lips.

Team 7 was less a team and more a makeshift ragtag crew.

One with terminal lovesickness, who couldn't walk straight at the sight of a handsome guy—a pure deadweight.

One with terminal revenge obsession, whose head was filled with killing his brother, whose pride was higher than the sky and strength thinner than paper—a tsundere with a deadpan face.

And then there was a veteran teacher who looked lazy on the surface, was scheming underneath, and loved using lateness to manipulate people...

Tsk, tsk. What a bottomless pit of a lineup.

Naruto slowly opened his eyes, and a flash of golden light passed through his deep blue gaze.

Fine, then. Let this newly appointed "class monitor" give you all a proper lesson in real-world practice.

For the first lesson, I'll teach Teacher Kakashi... what power truly means!

Meanwhile, inside the Hokage's Office.

The atmosphere was heavy as iron.

The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, puffed steadily on his pipe. Blue-white smoke curled through the room, making his wrinkled old face appear even more profound.

Standing before him was Kakashi Hatake, who had just returned from the rooftop using the Body Flicker Technique.

At that moment, Kakashi no longer had even a trace of his usual laziness.

His hands remained in his pockets, but his body stood ramrod straight, and his expression was more solemn than ever.

"Lord Third."

Kakashi spoke first, breaking the silence.

"That child, Naruto Uzumaki... has changed."

"Oh?"

The Third Hokage exhaled a smoke ring and raised his clouded old eyes slightly. "Tell me in detail."

"He..." Kakashi seemed to be organizing his thoughts, and an unusual trace of hesitation appeared on his face. "There is a kind of... untamable wildness in his eyes."

"Those were not the eyes a twelve-year-old should possess. They held a... domineering arrogance that viewed all things as mere dogs and livestock! As though the entire world should prostrate itself at his feet!"

Kakashi took a deep breath and continued, "And his chakra... has no bottom!"

"Standing before him, I even had the illusion that I was facing a Tailed Beast! No, it was even more frightening than that! It was life energy condensed to the utmost extreme, purified to the utmost extreme! I have never seen such terrifying chakra!"

As he listened to Kakashi's report, the Third Hokage's brows drew tighter and tighter.

He tapped his pipe against the desk, producing a soft sound.

"Minato's child was never destined to be ordinary..."

He sighed quietly, his gaze complicated as he looked out at Konoha's nightscape beyond the window.

"Kakashi, you will be their instructor tomorrow. That exercise will be the perfect chance to probe his limits."

The Third Hokage's voice became stern. "I will have ANBU standing by at a distance, in case anything happens."

"Remember, do not strike to kill. I only want to know how far he has truly come."

"Yes, Lord Third."

Kakashi lowered his head respectfully, but a raging storm churned within his heart.

Even ANBU had to stand by?

What exactly was Lord Third guarding against?

Elsewhere, within the heavily guarded Hyuga Estate.

Unlike the treacherous currents outside, Hinata's bedroom was currently playing out the sweet scene of a young girl's first love.

Hinata Hyuga had buried herself entirely beneath a soft blanket, with only her tiny, flushed-red head exposed.

She lay on her stomach atop the bed, her pale little feet kicking wildly through the air without rhythm, like a happy little mermaid.

In her mind, the scene from the infirmary kept replaying over and over like a movie.

Naruto's scorching breath...

His low, dangerous question whispered against her ear...

And that gentle confession that had nearly made her heart leap from her chest—"I really like gentle girls like you."

"Ah—!"

Overwhelmed with embarrassment, Hinata buried her face deep in her pillow and let out a muffled, sweet cry.

"Naruto... likes... me..."

Fourteen years of secret love had finally received an answer today!

The immense happiness and satisfaction made her feel as if she were soaking in a jar of honey, every inch of her body radiating cloying sweetness.

She rolled around wildly beneath the blanket, rolling back and forth until she had wrapped herself into a plump little spring roll. Only then did she stop in satisfaction, grinning foolishly without end.

The following morning, the rising sun broke over the horizon.

A thin mist hung over the Third Training Ground.

Sasuke Uchiha leaned against a large tree, arms folded and eyes closed as if resting. Yet the occasional twitch at the corner of his eye exposed the unrest in his heart.

Sakura Haruno sat nearby, yawning repeatedly as her stomach growled. Her pretty face was full of grievance and resentment.

Both of them had strictly obeyed Kakashi's order not to eat breakfast, and they were now starving.

Yet on the other side of the training ground was an entirely different sight.

Naruto Uzumaki was not only refreshed and full of energy, but was leisurely practicing a set of slow, graceful fist techniques with a profound air to them.

The movements flowed like drifting clouds and running water, balancing hardness and softness. It was Tai Chi, which he had mastered in his previous life.

As his body stretched and moved, his muscles and bones emitted a series of crackling pops. His entire being gave off the air of a grandmaster—harmonious, self-contained, and endlessly vital.

Sasuke abruptly opened his eyes, and his pupils contracted sharply at the sight.

Sakura stared in bewilderment as well, her hunger-addled brain momentarily unable to process what she was seeing.

This guy... not only ate breakfast, he was even doing morning exercises here?

Was he treating Teacher Kakashi's words like wind past his ears?!

Just then.

"Yo, good morning, everyone."

A lazy voice rang out of nowhere.

Kakashi Hatake, a full three hours late, finally appeared before them with a messy head of silver hair and a copy of Icha Icha Paradise in hand.

He shook the two silver bells hanging from his waist, producing a crisp jingle.

"The rules of the exercise are simple."

Kakashi explained with a smiling face, "Before noon, anyone who takes these two bells from me passes and gets to eat the deluxe lunchboxes I prepared."

"As for those who fail..."

His dead-fish eye instantly turned cold.

"Go back to the Ninja Academy and be a trainee again!"

"What?!"

Sakura was shocked. "But... there are only two bells, and there are three of us!"

Kakashi smiled coldly. "That's right. Which means one of you is destined to be eliminated. Then you'll be tied to that post and watch everyone else eat lunch."

The terrifying pressure of elimination instantly descended upon Sasuke and Sakura.

"Well then..."

Kakashi closed his book and raised his head, revealing the Sharingan hidden beneath his forehead protector.

"Ready..."

"Begin!"

At his command!

"Whoosh!"

"Whoosh!"

Sasuke and Sakura did not dare hesitate in the slightest. They instantly turned into two afterimages and darted into the nearby woods at top speed, preparing to wait for an opportunity.

In the blink of an eye, only two people remained in the vast clearing.

One was Kakashi Hatake, the elite Jonin leisurely holding his little orange book.

The other was Naruto Uzumaki, the "dead last," with his hands in his pockets and a calm expression.

A breeze swept through, carrying several fallen leaves with it. The atmosphere turned murderous.

Kakashi watched his book with one eye while using the corner of the other to glance at the motionless Naruto. He spoke lazily. "Why aren't you hiding?"

"Facing a Jonin head-on is the most foolish choice, you know."

Naruto slowly raised his head and rolled his neck, producing a string of crisp pops like bursting beans.

He grinned, exposing a mouthful of gleaming white teeth.

"Hide?"

"That was a game only the weak needed to play."

"Against someone at your level..."

Naruto's gaze suddenly turned savage and ferocious!

"Just crush you head-on. That'll be enough!"

Before his words had even faded!

"Boom—!!!"

The ground beneath Naruto's feet violently exploded, leaving behind a crater half a meter wide!

Shattered stones flew everywhere!

His body was like a golden cannonball fired from its barrel, tearing through the air with a piercing howl as he instantly crossed more than ten meters and appeared directly before Kakashi!

That face wearing an arrogant grin was right before him!