Chapter 140: Naruto: Teacher, I will take the top spot!
"Gulp." Uzumaki Naruto swallowed hard. He stared wide-eyed at the incredibly lavish dishes on the table in front of him. There was a giant roasted chicken, golden and glistening with oil, a mountain of crispy tempura, and an entire steaming steamed sea bass, all adorned with exquisite sushi and sashimi that Uzumaki Naruto couldn't name.
"Tea… Teacher…" Naruto stammered. "Are we… entertaining some important figure?"
Uchiha Akira picked up a cup of clear tea and gently blew on the hot surface. "To celebrate your first time not being a dead last." He lowered his head, not wanting anyone to see his reddened eyes. This was the first time in his life someone had celebrated for him.
"Thank you… Teacher." Naruto's voice was thick with emotion.
"Eat up. Once you're done, I have new tasks to give you."
Hinata, sitting next to Naruto, watched this scene and a gentle smile appeared on her fair face. She was happy for Naruto. At the same time, her gaze couldn't help but subtly drift towards the man at the head of the table. Akira, though always appearing so aloof, was actually… a very gentle person, wasn't he?
On the other side of the dining table, Kurenai Yūhi's movements seemed a bit constrained. She had also been asked to stay for dinner today. Akira's command was something she couldn't refuse, nor did she want to. It was just that ever since the afternoon at the training ground, when that man, under the guise of teaching, corrected her taijutsu with an almost embracing posture… her heart had been in a mess. She didn't even dare to look Uchiha Akira in the eye now.
When they were nearly finished eating, Uchiha Akira's voice sounded again. "Uzumaki Naruto, I have a new task for you."
Naruto immediately put down his chopsticks, straightened his back, and with half a piece of tempura still in his mouth, mumbled, "Teacher! Tell me! I guarantee I'll complete the mission!"
Hinata also dutifully put down her bowl and chopsticks, looking intently at Uchiha Akira, awaiting her teacher's instructions.
Uchiha Akira's gaze, however, did not immediately fall on his 2 disciples, but rather subtly glanced at Kurenai Yūhi beside him. "Yūhi."
"Ah? Yes! Akira!" Kurenai Yūhi was delicately savoring a piece of exquisite yōkan when her name was suddenly called, and her body instinctively tensed, almost dropping the silver spoon in her hand. Her cheeks began to uncontrollably flush again. What was wrong with her? Why did she get so nervous whenever she heard Akira call her name! Kurenai Yūhi, oh Kurenai Yūhi, you are a Konoha Jōnin, a Genjutsu Master! Calm down! You must calm down!
She took a deep breath, forcibly suppressed the throbbing in her heart, and tried to make her voice sound steady: "Akira, do you have any instructions?"
Uchiha Akira looked at her feigned composure and smiled slightly. "Nothing, it's just that the next matter also requires your cooperation. Uzumaki Naruto, I know all about your performance at the Ninja School today."
"Hehe…" Naruto scratched the back of his head, a little embarrassed, but more so proud.
"Defeating a Sasuke is nothing to be proud of. The Ninja School is the cradle of Ninja, but this cradle now is too comfortable, and too fragile." Uchiha Akira paused. "Eagles cannot be raised in a greenhouse. The future of Konoha cannot be entrusted to a bunch of kids who haven't even seen blood. Therefore, I have decided, in the name of the Fifth Hokage, to implement a comprehensive reform of the Ninja School."
Reform? Kurenai Yūhi's heart stirred; she keenly sensed that this was far more than just a change in teaching methods. This was the Fifth Hokage making a move on the Village's foundation.
"Starting next week, the Ninja School will abolish the division where practical training is only conducted for upper grades. All grades will undergo unified, combat-focused confrontation training."
Naruto's eyes lit up. Combat confrontation? Doesn't that mean he'll get to fight that Sasuke guy often from now on?
"Every week, there will be a school-wide combat test. The results of the test will be posted in ranking form in the most prominent location in the school. So, every grade will have a Chief!"
At these words, even the usually composed Hinata slightly parted her lips. This… this was too cruel.
"A Ninja, from the moment they step onto the battlefield, has no retreat. Weakness is the original sin. I will make them adapt to this cruelty early, even in school." His gaze finally fell on Uzumaki Naruto, carrying an undeniable authority. "Uzumaki Naruto."
"Yes! Teacher!"
"As the Hokage's disciple! Your mission is to take first place in next week's first combat test. Become the Chief of your class! I want you to become the goal all students look up to. Can you do it?"
Naruto felt his blood instantly boil. Chief! The one and only Chief! He seemed to already see Sasuke's unwilling and shocked expression when he saw his name high on the top of the list.
He suddenly stood up from his seat and loudly promised: "Yes! Teacher! I, Uzumaki Naruto, swear by my Ninja Way, I will definitely take first place!"
Meanwhile, at the Uchiha Clan's territory. It was still before dawn. On the training ground, a lean figure was frantically repeating the same action. Throw. Retrieve. Throw again. Sasuke's face had lost its usual composure, replaced by a nearly savage stubbornness. "Why… why did I lose to that guy!" In his mind, the scene from yesterday's training ground replayed over and over again. "I'm the genius! I'm the Uchiha!"
Whoosh! Another shuriken left his hand. Clang! This time, the shuriken accurately pierced a fallen leaf blown by the wind. Not enough. Far from enough. He had to do better!
Sasuke gasped for breath, abandoning shuriken training and turning to a nearby wooden stake. Bang! A heavy punch landed squarely on the head of the wooden dummy. Wood chips flew. Bang! Bang! Bang! He was like a madman, unleashing all his anger and unwillingness onto this lifeless wooden stake. He wasn't hitting the wooden stake. He was hitting that blond figure, that face always wearing a foolish smile.
"Dead last… How dare you… How dare you!" Crack—! The sturdy wooden dummy cracked from Sasuke's kick. No. Still not enough.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!" Boom—!!! A Great Fireball suddenly erupted from Sasuke's mouth! The fireball roared, crashing heavily into the training ground wall with a loud bang. A scorching wave of heat washed over him. Under the high-intensity training, Sasuke could no longer hold on, his vision went black, and he collapsed straight down.
Not far away, Uchiha Fugaku stood quietly. He did not step forward. He just said faintly. "The training volume is still too low."
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