"The new Hokage?"
Under a waterfall, a sturdy figure, unfazed by the pounding water, asked without changing his expression.
"Yeah! I heard he was directly appointed by the Daimyo, the head of the Hyuga Clan."
"They also said they're going to capture the Missing-Nin, 'Uzumaki Naru-'"
By the waterfall, the two kids, Udon and Moegi, took turns narrating.
Hearing this, Konohamaru merely let out a disdainful sneer.
"With their abilities?"
As he spoke, Konohamaru flexed his muscles, Armament Haki covering his entire body, briefly 'cutting off' the cascading waterfall.
Seizing this gap, he leisurely walked out of the pond, stepping onto the water's surface to reach the shore.
Moegi quickly draped a jacket over Konohamaru, while Udon brought him a towel for his hair.
At first glance, the three seemed to be similar in age, all just kids who had recently entered the Ninja Academy.
But Konohamaru's height had already surpassed 160 centimeters, and the muscles on his back clearly outlined an inverted triangle.
The headband he used to wear was long gone, revealing somewhat long brown hair, now wet and hanging down in strands.
Konohamaru was truly a genius.
After Naruto left the village, he began rigorously training himself according to the methods Naruto had left behind.
It wasn't just physical conditioning… it also included Haki training.
Later, Naruto returned, but only took Sasuke with him.
But Konohamaru didn't hold a grudge against Naruto for this.
He simply believed he hadn't trained hard enough.
So, after that, he doubled his daily training load, often pushing himself to the point of collapse, only to be carried back by Ebisu.
Ebisu often advised him not to train so recklessly.
That inhuman training regimen was simply not something an ordinary person could endure.
But Konohamaru wouldn't listen.
'If Naruto Aniki could do it, then I, who had received such deep expectations from Aniki, could do it too.'
Konohamaru didn't have a Tailed Beast providing him with constant Chakra for recovery, nor did he possess a Devil Fruit powerful enough to change his destiny.
One could say that up to this point, his progress was purely due to his own efforts and an unyielding spirit.
Moegi and Udon initially trained alongside Konohamaru.
But they didn't possess such exaggerated willpower… their previous training was already endured through gritted teeth.
After Konohamaru doubled the training load, they simply couldn't keep up.
This led to an ever-widening gap between them.
The most obvious difference was in height… Konohamaru was already a full 30 centimeters taller than them.
In terms of height alone, the current Konohamaru had already surpassed Naruto when he first graduated from the Academy.
"Let's go, time to eat."
Konohamaru casually took a string and tied his lengthened hair into a bundle.
"Huh? Shouldn't we send a message to Naruto-niichan?"
Udon adjusted his glasses, looking puzzled.
"Hmph, with their abilities… you think they can deal with Naruto Aniki?"
A look of contempt spread across Konohamaru's face, as if in his heart, his Aniki was stronger than all the village's Ninja combined.
Just then, rustling sounds came from the forest.
In the next moment, a wild boar, taller than a person, burst out, charging straight towards the trio.
Seeing this, Moegi and Udon grew tense but showed no intention of running.
They instinctively prepared to use the techniques learned at the Academy, ready to throw shuriken.
But Konohamaru stopped them with an outstretched hand.
"Don't. Let me handle it."
He took a step forward, cracking his knuckles.
"Perfect. Makes for a decent warm-up before the meal."
As the saying goes, first the boar, then the bear, then the tiger.
In the wild, wild boars pose an even greater threat to humans than the other two predators.
This isn't just because boars are numerous and frequently encountered.
An average wild boar can charge at speeds of 40-50 kilometers per hour.
The immense impact force, combined with sharp tusks, means an ordinary person would likely suffer severe injuries if hit.
-And that's just for an average-sized boar.
The giant boar now facing the [Konohamaru Corps] trio was clearly even more terrifying.
Feeling the slight tremors in the ground, Konohamaru showed no trace of fear.
He simply rolled up his sleeves, revealing his forearms.
This provocative posture further enraged the giant boar.
"Come on!"
The boar charged with a whooshing sound, its massive tusks seemingly capable of shattering rocks, only to be firmly grasped by two hands.
Boom-
Konohamaru's body was pushed back several steps by the boar's charging force before he stabilized himself.
The muscles on his arms bulged with the effort. The giant boar kept digging its hooves into the ground, trying to toss this annoying figure away.
But its head seemed stuck between mountain walls… no matter how hard it struggled, it couldn't move an inch further.
It couldn't retreat either.
Konohamaru's hands were like vices, gripping the two tusks tightly.
This incredibly impactful scene left the other two members of the Konohamaru Corps dazzled and awestruck.
Influenced by Konohamaru, their perception of what a 'strong person' was had been subtly shifting.
"Pretty strong-"
Konohamaru gritted his teeth as he said this, then suddenly increased his strength, veins bulging on his neck from the exertion.
He actually lifted the giant boar up and flipped it over!
Thud!
The boar landed heavily on the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.
The impact left the boar disoriented, its legs scrambling as it tried to get back up.
Throughout this process, Konohamaru made no move to finish it off, simply standing there, quietly waiting for it to charge again.
After about ten seconds, the boar finally shook off its dizziness and turned to face Konohamaru again.
The giant boar's eyes were bloodshot, steam puffing from its nostrils, drool dripping from its tusks.
It had realized the small figure before it was not to be trifled with.
But unlike other mountain beasts, wild boars have much fiercer tempers and are more stubborn.
Now, the boar's hooves pawed at the ground uncertainly, seeming hesitant.
"Scared?"
A mocking smile appeared on Konohamaru's face. Then, completely unconcerned, he turned his back, leaving himself wide open.
This provocative posture completely enraged the giant boar.
It charged at Konohamaru once more.
Konohamaru didn't even bother to look back, maintaining his calm demeanor with his back turned.
This scene made Moegi and Udon, watching from the side, gasp in alarm.
"Watch out, Konohamaru!"
Just as the boar closed in to less than a meter, Konohamaru, as if he had eyes on the back of his head, nimbly turned, precisely avoiding the attack.
In the next instant, the muscles in his fist swelled suddenly, black Haki covering it.
"Ha!"
A terrifying impact force struck the boar directly in its side, followed by the sound of cracking bones.
The giant boar, carried by its momentum, stumbled forward a few steps before its legs gave way and it collapsed.
Its spine was completely shattered, and its internal organs were torn apart by the concussive force.
In an instant, the boar was dead.
"What a coincidence. I was just thinking about going for Ichiraku Ramen."
Konohamaru walked over and hoisted the giant boar onto his shoulder with one hand.
"Moegi, start the fire and boil water. Udon, get the seasonings."
"We're eating this today."
"Roger!" *2