It was time for the lunch break.
The students all returned to their seats and began their snoring contest.
As long as you fell asleep before everyone else, their snores wouldn't bother you!
Naruto understood this principle well and had gone into the Sealing Space early to race horses with his teacher and the big fox.
Hinata tilted her head and secretly watched Naruto's sleeping face for a while before falling asleep herself.
Sasuke, however, kept feeling as though many pairs of eyes were watching him from hidden places.
With the Uchiha Clan's exceptional senses, he discovered a blonde and a pink-haired girl nearby sneaking looks at him.
Sneaking peeks at my good looks? Boring.
That was what Sasuke thought before turning his head toward Naruto, who was sleeping with his head on his desk.
Hmm, he might be a blond, but at least he's easy on the eyes.
Snore, snore, snore... (This is nap time!!!)
"Class, wake up! Time to get up!"
Hinata's eyelashes fluttered, and then she opened her eyes.
Mm, nap time's over.
Naruto still hadn't woken up, though. He was still inside the Sealing Space, riding a wooden version of the fox clad in Majestic Attire: Susanoo as it ran.
"Naruto-kun, wake up."
Hinata gently nudged Naruto's back, trying to wake her friend.
Unfortunately, it had no effect whatsoever.
Then Sasuke, who had experienced just how soundly Naruto slept, got hands-on. He gave Naruto a rough shake and woke him up.
Huh? Is it time already?
Naruto rubbed his sleepy eyes, patted Sasuke, who had just shaken him awake, and greeted Hinata.
"Good afternoon, Hinata-chan."
"Mm, good afternoon."
Hinata's reply was as brief as ever, but the smile on her face was very happy.
"Good afternoon to you too, little bro."
After getting Hinata's reply, Naruto turned his attention to his tsundere little bro.
Yeah, he clearly cares, but he just won't say anything and sulks by himself.
After Naruto greeted him, the corners of Sasuke's mouth first rose, then were immediately forced back down.
"Oh, good afternoon."
His aloof reply fit his persona perfectly, and then Naruto dragged him off to the bathroom.
Inside the bathroom.
"Come on, lemme have a look~"
"No, stay away~"
"Resisting, huh? The more you resist, the more I..."
"Huh. Pretty average."
Naruto drew his head back in disappointment. Acorn Kappa's figure still often lingered in his mind.
But he hadn't seen Uncle Kappa again since that humiliation at the bathhouse.
Meanwhile, Sasuke's little face was bright red with anger. Humiliation! This was humiliation!
"Hurry up, we're about to have our outdoor class."
Naruto urged him on.
"You're so annoying. I know."
The two little boys returned to the classroom and followed Iruka to the training ground.
"Whew, it's so hot."
The sun at half past one in the afternoon was dazzling. Its scorching rays poured over the ground, leaving the students drenched in sweat.
Iruka-sensei had gone to fetch the practice equipment, leaving the students to their own devices on the training ground.
Tch, I don't care.
That was what Sasuke thought. As a ninja, he ought to learn to endure all sorts of extreme conditions so he could carry out assassinations and other missions.
With the handsome, aloof Sasuke setting an example, quite a few girls drawn to his looks and boys who were rather afraid of the teacher chose to stand with him in their original spot under the sun.
Naruto, meanwhile, quietly took Hinata along toward the shade of a tree.
On a day this sunny, running around playing out there would be one thing, but just standing there?
(Are you practicing standing at attention?)
He left Sasuke and the others standing there like fools.
Iruka-sensei returned from the Equipment Room with a dozen or so Wooden Kunai and Shuriken.
These Kunai and Shuriken had wooden exteriors but iron cores, allowing the students to familiarize themselves with the use of these ninja tools without hurting themselves.
Everyone, take a guess whose idea this was?
From the wood wrapped around the outside, it wasn't hard to tell that this was a product of Wood Release.
This was the handiwork of Kō, now known as Tenzo, whom Sarutobi had requisitioned (forcibly snatched) from Danzo.
Tenzo: "Hehe, ten ryo per Kunai, five ryo per Shuriken. Exclusively made by the only shop of its kind in all of Konoha-ninja tools better suited to Konoha babies' constitutions!"
(✪ω✪)
However, Tenzo's intelligence alone could never have produced such a brilliant idea. Thus, to find the true inventor of the Wooden Kunai, we had no choice but to seek out the previous user of Wood Release.
By now, you've probably figured it out. That's right, this idea was developed by the creator of Wood Release, the God of Shinobi World, Hashirama Senju...'s younger brother, Tobirama Senju.
Upon returning, Iruka saw a group of children sweating profusely under the sun, with even the Uchiha Clan's Second Young Master standing among them with his head held high and chest out.
???
I think I forgot to tell them they could move around freely. But aren't Naruto, Hinata, and the others hiding in the shade?
Never mind. Kids' minds are hard to figure out. I'd better take them into the shade first. It'll be trouble if they all pass out from the heat.
"Class, let's go stand under the trees first. It's too hot right now."
Under the trees, Naruto, Hinata, Shikamaru, Choji, Kiba, and the others looked at their sweat-drenched classmates, all feeling that following Naruto had been the right choice.
Shikamaru: "I'm just lazy and don't want to be out in the sun."
Kiba: "Naruto came over anyway, so there's nothing wrong with me coming too."
Choji: "They all went. Wouldn't I be unsociable if I didn't go? Mm, I can finish my Potato Chips over there while I'm at it."
Sasuke walked over to Naruto, an air of resentment and displeasure surrounding him.
Uchiha Sasuke: a true failed show-off.
"Class, come get your ninja tools. One Kunai and two Shuriken each, fifteen people at a time."
Iruka called the students over to collect their Ninja Trainee Special Edition Ninja Tools.
Inside the Sealing Space, Hashirama's eyes lit up at the sight of the wood-wrapped Kunai.
"Ah, this really takes me back."
Hashirama planted one foot on Kurama's tail, then ignored Kurama's protests as he sank into his thoughts.
Back when Tobirama had founded the school, the unique nature of the ninja profession meant that children living in peacetime were still rather unfamiliar with ninja tools.
Normally, the children did fine playing with ninja tools made of wood, but when they switched to real ninja tools at the Ninja Academy, the civilian children were utterly clueless.
They frequently managed to cut themselves with Kunai.
There was even a child with a particularly snakelike air who cut his tongue by licking a Kunai.
Fortunately, the school's Kunai were regularly disinfected, or that child might have contracted tetanus too.
Still, according to Tobirama, that child seemed to have signed a Summoning Contract with Ryūchi Cave. Hashirama didn't know what had happened afterward, though.
Come to think of it, this Kunai didn't look old. Even something made with his own Wood Release couldn't stay like this for decades.
So there was only one truth: he still had descendants in Konoha!
"Hmm, let me guess. Is it Little Tsunade's descendant, or Nawaki's?"
Hashirama stamped his foot and began to imagine.
"Hey, Hashirama, I hate to shatter your fantasies, but your grandson Nawaki died a long time ago."
"He died during the Second Shinobi World War. He was... killed by an Explosive Tag."
The Nine-Tails paused, but still revealed the cruel truth.
But Mito had cried terribly when she learned about it. Mm, he had been forced to mourn along with her, too.
Hashirama froze, took a deep breath, and then grew despondent.
"An Explosive Tag?"
After taking some time to compose himself, Hashirama emerged from his grief. After all, he had already died once, so he wasn't all that afraid of death.
Instead, what he felt more was regret.
Nawaki had died too young. If he'd only been given a few more years, how could an Explosive Tag possibly have taken his life?
"Then it must be Little Tsunade's child. Ah, it's been three whole years, and I still haven't met them."
"I'm really looking forward to it."
Danzo: "Uh, Teacher, just putting this out there, but is there any chance he might be your son?"
An awkward yet polite smile.