Chapter 11: The Small Dream of the Dead Last
Throughout the entire basic ninjutsu class, Naruto continued to practice the Clone Technique relentlessly.
"Clone Technique!"
"Damn it..."
"Clone Technique!"
Soon, Naruto was drenched in sweat and mentally exhausted.
Practicing ninjutsu wasn't easy. Not only did it have high requirements for chakra and stamina, but also for spirit and endurance.
Naruto's chakra and stamina could be considered excellent.
His spirit and endurance were originally far behind.
But under the system's "gentle reminder," thinking of the tiny punishment a month later, Naruto had to cultivate with all his might.
[Host completed fifty times of Clone Technique cultivation. Mastery increased. Proficiency +1!]
"That's great!"
Looking at his newly created clone, Naruto raised his hands high and shouted excitedly.
Sasuke, Sakura, and the others couldn't help but look over.
Iruka-sensei also walked up.
"...Naruto, your clone is still lying on the ground!"
Naruto confidently pointed angrily at his clone.
"Look carefully, Iruka-sensei!"
"Although he is indeed still lying on the ground, now he neither sticks out his tongue nor rolls his eyes!"
"He looks just like he's asleep!"
Indeed.
If Naruto's Clone Technique before looked like he had drunk fake wine, now he just simply looked asleep.
It had to be said, this was indeed a huge improvement.
Iruka: "..."
"The Clone Technique is used to lure enemies. What's the point of lying on the ground!"
However, he also saw Naruto's efforts.
Because towards the end of the class, other students had actually become sparse and basically gave up practicing.
Even if they were practicing, they were just going through the motions.
But Naruto persisted until the very end.
He couldn't help but ask curiously: "Naruto, you... have been working so desperately hard recently. Is there some goal you want to achieve?"
Snot and tears running down his face, Naruto blurted out.
"Iruka-sensei, I must get into the top ten of the class in the assessment a month from now!"
Iruka's eyes instantly widened.
"Huh?"
The entire classroom also fell into dead silence immediately.
Then, a tsunami of mocking laughter erupted.
"Hahahahaha!"
"Is that guy Naruto crazy? What kind of daydream is he talking about!"
"Clearly the dead last, wanting to get into the top ten in a month?"
"How is that possible!"
"I'm dying of laughter!"
Sasuke looked at Naruto's serious face and frowned as well.
Although he also found it laughable, seeing Naruto's expression, he felt that he wasn't joking.
"What exactly is that dead last thinking?"
"Why does it feel like he's become a completely different person these past two days..."
Hinata, however, blushed slightly, the corners of her mouth gently curving up.
"Naruto-kun, do, do your best..."
"I believe you can definitely do it..."
Facing the ridicule of the whole class, Iruka-sensei didn't laugh.
He patted Naruto's shoulder and said earnestly.
"Naruto, I see your determination to become stronger."
"I've also seen all your efforts these past two days, but..."
"Haste makes waste. Of course we should pursue progress, but we shouldn't aim too high. We still need to take it one step at a time, okay?"
"Getting into the top ten of the class in a month is too forced for you..."
"If you want to set a goal, you don't need to compare yourself with others. Comparing with yourself first is enough..."
Listening to Iruka-sensei's words, Naruto knew he genuinely wanted what was best for him.
It was just that he had compelling reasons!
"Iruka-sensei, I understand what you mean, but, but I..."
"Still have to get into the top ten in a month!"
"Pfft—"
Other students in the class couldn't help but burst out laughing again.
Iruka, however, asked seriously: "Why, Naruto?"
"Why must you be so obsessed with getting into the top ten?"
Naruto: "Because..."
"Aaaaaahhhhh, I can't say it!"
Iruka didn't laugh.
He nodded and ruffled Naruto's hair.
"Alright, it doesn't matter if you don't want to say. Since you have such ambition, it's always a good thing. Even if you don't reach the goal in the end, you will definitely improve a lot compared to now."
"Good job, Naruto. Feel free to ask me anytime if there's anything you don't understand."
Naruto was filled with gratitude.
Only Iruka-sensei would treat him so seriously instead of treating him as a joke...
"Mm, I understand, Iruka-sensei!"
...
At dusk, the dismissal bell of the Ninja Academy finally rang.
Soon, groups of three or five filled the entire Ninja Academy, and cheerful laughter permeated the whole dusk.
"Dad!"
"Let's go home, Santa."
"Mom, I want ice cream!"
"Okay, okay, okay, I'll buy it for you on the way."
"Awesome!"
Naruto walked through them exhaustedly, inevitably feeling a bit lonely in his heart.
"Hmph, dead last, wanting to rise to the top ten in the class in a month?"
"Too naive."
Sasuke passed by with his hands in his pockets, followed by a large group of lovestruck girls as usual.
Naruto didn't get angry this time, but instead grinned and teased Sasuke.
"Sasuke, you don't need to pay so much attention to me, do you?"
Sasuke's face changed instantly: "Dead last, what did you say?!"
"I'm saying, you guy who's called a genius keep paying so much attention to me. I think you must be afraid of being surpassed by me, right?"
Sasuke immediately retorted angrily: "Are you kidding me!"
"Do you think a dead last like you can be mentioned in the same breath as me?"
Naruto crossed his arms and said confidently: "Yeah, that's exactly what I think."
"I never felt that I was inferior to you!"
Sasuke clenched his fists, veins popping on his forehead.
"Hmph, ignorant guy, I will let you know the gap between you and me!"
After saying this, he left with a face full of anger.
However, the inexplicable pressure Naruto gave him made Sasuke determined to cultivate ten times, a hundred times harder than now when he got home!
...
"What's wrong with Sasuke-kun?"
"Seems like he was angered by that guy Naruto..."
"That bastard Naruto only knows how to give Sasuke a hard time!"
"However, Sasuke-kun does seem to care a lot about that guy. Why is that..."
"Who knows..."
Naruto made a face at Sasuke's back, pulling down his eyelid and sticking out his tongue, bleh bleh bleh...
"Na, Naruto-kun, see you tomorrow."
Naruto hurriedly put away his funny face. Seeing it was Hinata, he scratched his head embarrassedly.
"Aha, it's Hinata. Right, tutoring, I almost forgot..."
"See you tomorrow!"
Naruto smiled brightly, waved at Hinata, then started weighted frog leaps, heading step by step towards his home.
Hinata gently touched her fingers together, her small face red. Thinking of tomorrow's tutoring, her heart couldn't help but thump wildly like a little deer...
"Tomorrow I can be with Naruto-kun..."
Hinata covered her blushing, hot cheeks with her two small hands.
"Ah..."
"I'm afraid I won't be able to sleep tonight..."