Live... Grow Stronger!

Naruto made it sound simple, but Iruka knew the process had to have been incredibly dangerous!

He had seen the mission certificates. The mission reports listed every enemy they had encountered and exactly how many there were!

It was hard to imagine how Naruto and the other two had persevered through it all.

Looking at Naruto, Iruka suddenly felt relieved. This was the price they had paid to become so strong!

As their former teacher, he felt very proud!

"Ramen's here!"

"Enjoy, you two!"

"Thanks for the hard work, old man!"

"Iruka-sensei, thanks for the meal!"

Naruto rubbed his hands together, staring at the ramen. This felt like the happiest moment of his life!

The two ate their ramen as they chatted!

"Naruto, your team's missions are so dangerous. Have you ever thought about switching teams or teachers?"

Naruto froze for a moment, then shook his head!

"No!"

"I won't change either my team or my teacher!"

"Why?"

"Isn't it scary, with how dangerous it is?"

"It is!"

"But... being scared is useless!"

"Before I started school at six, I spent all my time living in fear!"

"After starting school, I made one or two friends, even if not many!"

"But I was still scared!"

"Iruka-sensei!"

"To be honest, at first, I was really afraid of Tenka-sensei!"

"The first time we met him, he killed three people!"

"That was the first time I saw three lives disappear right in front of me!"

"Sensei was so cold, like he didn't have any feelings at all. He scared me!"

"But he didn't look at me the way everyone else did!"

"He was willing to teach me so many things, and he never looked down on me!"

"As we gradually got to know each other, I realized that as long as he wasn't angry, he was actually pretty nice!"

"He wasn't as terrifying as everyone imagined!"

"I learned a lot over the past three months!"

"For example, when dealing with enemies, you have to be ruthless. If you can kill them, don't just wound them!"

"Once you make an enemy, you have to find a way to kill them, or you'll suffer for it in the end!"

"When you kill, you must never go soft!"

"I learned that the hard way. If it hadn't been for Sakura and Sasuke, I probably wouldn't have come back!"

"What left the deepest impression on me was our last mission!"

Naruto suddenly became filled with killing intent as he spoke in a low voice.

"Tenka-sensei said that when dealing with enemies, you have to put away your pity!"

"You have to wipe them out completely!"

"Leaving behind future trouble is the stupidest thing you can do!"

Iruka looked at Naruto as he was now, deeply worried!

Before coming to see Naruto, he had specifically asked around about Team 7!

He had heard people say that Team 7 was a squad of killing stars, three little killing stars raised by an ancestor among killing stars!

He had not believed it at first. After seeing Naruto, he felt even more certain that those people were just talking nonsense!

But now, seeing Naruto suddenly reveal this side of himself and hearing those "principles" he spoke of!

Were those really principles?

Iruka did not know. This touched upon a blind spot in him as a teacher!

But Iruka knew that those principles had all been forged through killing!

Otherwise, Naruto would not possess such intense killing intent. Still, this was Naruto's choice!

And Naruto seemed quite happy there, didn't he?

Naruto continued speaking. Iruka pushed his thoughts aside and listened carefully!

"I know that following Tenka-sensei is indeed dangerous!"

"I don't even know whether I'll be able to come back alive the next time we go out on a mission!"

"But as long as we live, we can grow stronger!"

"Me, Sakura, and Sasuke!"

"The three of us are the same. For every mission, there are only four words for us!"

"Live. Grow stronger!"

After saying that, Naruto suddenly smiled, a very natural smile.

"Iruka-sensei!"

"Even though I'm still afraid now!"

"I actually like it. I'm willing to face those fears!"

"Mm, Naruto!"

"You really have grown up!"

"Then as your teacher, I wish you—and Team 7—"

"That you keep living and keep growing stronger!"

"We will!"

"We definitely will!"

Naruto was extremely resolute. Every mission was a gamble with their lives; without resolve, it was easy to die!

At noon the next day, after Team 7 finished eating, the three of them lazily wandered the streets again!

This kind of peace and comfort had seemed cut off from them for the past three months!

They had never had such a long vacation before. Taking this opportunity, the three of them wanted to properly enjoy themselves for once!

"Let go of me, you cat-faced freak!"

"Do you know who my big brother is?"

"If you don't let go of me, you'll be sorry when he gets here!"

"Hm?"

"Konohamaru?"

Hearing the voice in the distance, Naruto turned and looked over, just in time to see Konohamaru being held by someone dressed entirely in black!

His face was covered in ugly markings, and he had something wrapped in bandages strapped to his back.

He gripped Konohamaru by the neck, his voice dripping with mockery and disdain!

"Your big brother?"

"Is he strong?"

"Don't tell me you think you're still playing ninja games, brat?"

Sasuke and Sakura noticed the commotion as well and looked at Naruto!

"His big brother is you, right?"

"I remember, for a while, you played with him every day!"

Sakura was somewhat unsure. They were too far away, and the child had his back to her, so she could not clearly see whether he was the same child from before!

"Yeah!"

"That guy's gone too far!"

Naruto casually picked up a few stones and walked toward Konohamaru!

"Ugly freak!"

"Let Konohamaru go!"

"Big Brother Naruto!"

Konohamaru was incredibly excited. His big brother had finally come. In his mind,

Naruto was a man who could even defeat the Hokage. Dealing with this big cat-faced freak would be a piece of cake!

"Oh?"

"You're his big brother?"

"You're just another brat!"

"So you really are playing ninja games!"

"What if I don't let him go?"

The moment Kankuro saw Naruto, he started talking trash!

Whoosh!

Whoosh, whoosh!

Agh!

Naruto threw three stones. One struck the wrist of the hand Kankuro was using to grip Konohamaru!

The other two hit both of his knees!

Kankuro cried out in pain!

He released Konohamaru, his knees buckled, and he fell to both knees!

"Huh?"

"Making such a grand gesture the first time we meet!"

"Looks like I misunderstood you. You're actually quite polite!"

Naruto used the Body Flicker Technique, catching the falling Konohamaru and appearing right in front of Kankuro!

"You little bastard!"

"I'll kill you!"

Kankuro was furious and humiliated. A plain-looking little brat had humiliated him like this!

He could not swallow this insult. He had to get even!

"Wow!"

"You're kneeling and begging me to let you kill me?"

"I just said you were polite. Why are you still such an idiot?"

"Stand up before you talk... big cat-face!"

It had to be said that after following Tenka for three months, Naruto seemed to have lost his ultimate technique: Talk no Jutsu!

And it had even reversed, becoming something specialized in provoking hatred. What should this kind of jutsu be called?