Chapter 08: The Girl's Face Blushed Redder Than Anything
It wasn't Naruto's fault for exploding.
Wanting to leap from the dead last in the class to the top ten within a month...
It was simply a fantasy!
But the system remained as cold as ever.
[Detected that it is time for the Host to go to school. Please head to the Ninja Academy immediately. The method is walking on your hands!]
Naruto: "..."
"Weighted frog leaps after school, walking on hands to school, huh?"
"You're actually quite gentle, afraid my legs can't take it, so you switch to torturing my arms, right?!"
Although he complained frantically in his heart, he had no choice but to obey obediently.
With a sudden handstand, supporting himself with both hands, he gritted his teeth and headed towards the Ninja Academy.
"Hmph, isn't it just a handstand?"
"What's so great about it!"
"This level is nothing for me who wants to become Hokage!"
[The Host's method of walking on hands is incorrect. Please immediately switch to walking on one hand!]
Naruto: "...Huh?!"
[Warning! Lightning Release Baptism countdown...]
"...I'll switch, I'll switch right away!"
Naruto gritted his teeth, struggling to shift his body's center of gravity to one side, then carefully lifted one hand, swaying and trembling...
Although he could barely maintain his balance, wanting to walk all the way to the Ninja Academy on one hand was a completely different matter...
Thump—
Thump!
Such eccentric behavior naturally sparked everyone's discussions again. Pedestrians couldn't help but point and keep their distance.
"That kid really has gone crazy..."
"What is he doing? Trying to grab attention this way?"
"Hmph, indeed a weird guy!"
At this time, Naruto had no mind to pay attention to others' discussions.
His face was flushed red, grimacing in pain, concentrating all his spirit and strength on his right arm, exerting all his might just to support himself from falling.
Sweat poured down continuously.
Dripping onto the land of Konoha Village.
...
Phew—
Finally arrived at the Ninja Academy.
Naruto didn't want to pay attention to everyone's strange looks anymore.
He stood up again, feeling like his entire right arm didn't belong to him anymore.
[Host completed the training of walking to the Ninja Academy on one hand for the first time. Stamina +1.]
Naruto curled his lips, rotating his arm, trying to bring it back to life.
At this time.
Surrounded by admirers like stars around the moon, Uchiha Sasuke passed by indifferently with his hands in his pockets and eyes closed.
"Hmph, dead last, do you think you can turn things around with this kind of effort?"
Naruto was stunned for a moment, then flew into a rage.
"Bastard Sasuke! What did you say?!"
Uchiha Sasuke gave a light snort and left without looking back.
"Damn it! Damn Sasuke! If my right hand wasn't useless right now, I would definitely challenge you to a duel!"
"Hiss..."
While he was fuming, suddenly a rapid sound like an earthquake came from behind.
Naruto looked back and saw Haruno Sakura and Yamanaka Ino running towards him shoulder to shoulder, elbow to elbow, squeezed together like conjoined twins, neither giving way to the other.
"Sakura-chan..."
Seeing Sakura, Naruto's eyes instantly lit up, as if the exhaustion and pain just now had disappeared.
However...
"Move out of the way, Naruto!"
Haruno Sakura pushed Naruto to the ground, then continued to chase after Sasuke while wrestling with Yamanaka Ino.
Naruto stood up again, patted the dust off his body, and huffed looking at Sasuke's back.
"Every single one of them only likes Sasuke."
"Wait until I become Hokage, I will definitely make all of you look at me with new eyes. Hmph, just you wait!"
"Ouch ouch ouch..."
Naruto rubbed his shoulder and arm while walking towards the Ninja Academy classroom.
Before class time, groups of two or three were laughing and playing in the classroom.
[Detected that the Host...]
"Alright! I know!"
"Isn't it just the Chakra Refining Technique?"
"I'll start cultivating right now!"
[...]
Naruto had gradually figured out the system's routine. This time, without waiting for it to say more, he proactively learned to answer first and quickly entered the state of cultivation.
Anyway, no one paid attention to him, so he might as well take this opportunity to improve.
The Chakra Refining Technique was the ability Naruto currently had the highest proficiency in.
Plus, without Kurama causing trouble, Naruto's efficiency in refining chakra became higher and higher.
His chakra volume already far exceeded his peers, and now it was rising even more, increasing steadily.
Even...
Now Naruto could allow his mind to wander while cultivating the Chakra Refining Technique.
This was practicing cultivation into his bones, able to perform it subconsciously.
"One month's time, rise to the top ten in the class..."
"How is that possible!"
Naruto was extremely distressed. Even with the system's help, this was simply impossible to achieve...
He had a very deep understanding of his current level.
This is what is called self-knowledge.
"Ah, right!"
"I can find someone to help tutor me!"
"Aha, I forgot about this trick..."
"But, who should I ask?"
The first person that popped into his mind was, of course, Haruno Sakura.
Although Sasuke was undoubtedly the best in the class, that was a comprehensive assessment. In terms of cultural studies alone, Haruno Sakura was the number one.
Not to mention...
A hint of a wretched smile couldn't help but appear at the corner of Naruto's mouth...
He liked Sakura the most anyway...
It was simply killing two birds with one stone!
Taking advantage of the time before class started, he cultivated the Chakra Refining Technique for a long time.
Naruto stopped carefully, and only after receiving no warning from the system did he breathe a sigh of relief and happily went to find Haruno Sakura.
"Ano sa, ano sa..."
"Sakura, can I ask you a favor?"
Naruto clasped his hands together and pleaded.
Haruno Sakura had just been treated coldly by Sasuke and said grumpily: "What is it?!"
Naruto grinned and said: "It's just, um..."
"Can you help tutor me?"
As soon as Naruto's words came out, not to mention Haruno Sakura, everyone around looked over in extreme astonishment.
The classroom instantly fell silent.
"What's wrong?"
Naruto scratched his head.
Haruno Sakura was also stunned, but then she decided that Naruto was just using this excuse to get close to her.
She said impatiently: "Naruto, don't play tricks with me!"
"I won't like you!"
After speaking, she turned around and strode away.
Naruto stood frozen on the spot.
A cold wind blew past.
A piece of white paper on the desk fluttered to the ground.
His plan was so perfect, except for a tiny little mistake.
That was Haruno Sakura's unwillingness.
Despairing, Naruto hung his head like a defeated rooster and walked back dejectedly.
Just then.
"Na... Naruto-kun..."
This faint, mosquito-like voice was...
"Hmm? What is it, Hinata?"
The short-haired girl with white eyes didn't dare to look up at Naruto. With her head lowered and face blushing, she gently touched her index fingers together, wanting to say something but unable to utter a word.
"Weirdo..."
Naruto curled his lips and was about to turn away.
Hinata finally mustered up enough courage: "Um, well..."
"Naruto-kun, if, if you really want tutoring..."
"I... I can help you..."
Naruto's steps halted instantly. His eyes lit up, he turned back abruptly, and grinned.
"Re, really, Hinata?!"
Hinata hurriedly lowered her head again, blushing and not daring to look at Naruto's face, only nodding shyly.
"That's great!"
Naruto knew that although Hinata's grades were not as good as Haruno Sakura's, she was still one of the best.
With her tutoring, his hope of escaping the system's "tiny little punishment" was huge!
"Thank you, Hinata!"
Naruto couldn't help but walk forward excitedly and grab Hinata's small hand.
"Ah—"
Hinata instantly exclaimed. Like having a fever, her face turned completely red, and steam seemed to be rising from her little head...
"Hmm? Hinata, what's wrong?"
"Hinata?!"
...
Young Naruto wouldn't know that although he failed every subject, there was one item where he always scored full marks.
That was Hinata's love for him.
In any world, even if heaven and earth were overturned and character settings completely reversed...
This point has never changed.