บท 5: Chapter 5: I Too Am a Genius
...
Sarutobi Hiruzen did not go knock on the door again.
He just stood outside the wall for a while, listening to the sounds of chopping on a cutting board, bubbling soup, and wafting meat aroma.
Compared to when Naruto started having his own thoughts, the events currently unfolding made Hiruzen feel the threshold for acceptance was higher.
The "den" that used to house the Jinchuriki now had a "home" vibe to it.
Hiruzen consoled himself.
There's nothing wrong with this.
Wasn't this what he had hoped for in the past, that Naruto could be well? Lord Fourth would be pleased to see this scene as well...
But why did he feel a little uneasy?
Perhaps he still didn't understand Naruto well enough.
He turned and left.
He decided he would observe closely during this period.
The Jinchuriki... must not stray down the wrong path.
Uzumaki Naruto had changed greatly.
His classmates at the shinobi academy noticed it first.
The boy who was shunned just a few days ago was suddenly not so dislikable anymore.
The most noticeable change was in his appearance.
Previously, Naruto always wore a dirty high-collar orange tracksuit, looking shabby and unkempt.
But now he had finally taken off that tracksuit.
He had replaced it with a plain white hoodie that complemented his blond hair, paired with gray three-quarter pants, giving off a bright and clean impression.
"That Uzumaki guy has become a lot more palatable." Yamanaka Ino suddenly spoke up during their lunch break, as she ate with Haruno Sakura.
Sakura followed Ino's gaze.
Uzumaki Naruto didn't seem any different than usual - at least in her eyes, still sitting alone and eating his lunch.
"Is he making his own bento now?" she quickly noticed the lunchbox in his hands. While the side dishes and rice weren't as neatly arranged as her own parents', the food still looked reasonably appetizing.
Ino hesitated, "I don't think so? He used to just eat bread, right?"
She wasn't sure either.
Before this period, who would have paid attention to that Uzumaki Naruto guy?
"Even if he's become a bit more palatable, he's still leagues behind Sasuke-kun." Sakura crossed her arms, looking past Naruto towards the seated Uchiha Sasuke. "That dead-last will always be a dead-last, maybe this is just some new gimmick to grab attention."
She didn't like Naruto at all.
Ino shook her head without saying anything, not fully agreeing with this view.
Compared to the students, the shinobi academy teachers were more aware of the internal changes in Naruto.
He had started studying seriously!
No more skipping class, no more sleeping, excellent grades...
He had transformed from the "dead-last" to an "excellent student" almost instantly.
However... most of the teachers still didn't like him, and even more loathed him - the news of Naruto "attacking" the convenience store owner had spread, but he faced no punishment, and the Third Hokage had "favored" Naruto, forcing nearby shops to do business with him.
They had almost the same view as Sakura.
They felt this despicable brat could never study seriously, that it was just a passing phase.
Moreover, with graduation nearing, what use was this pretense!
But Naruto was genuinely interested in shinobi knowledge.
Previously he had found these things very dull, since the teachers didn't encourage and his classmates didn't welcome it, he had no motivation to learn.
But after returning from the Shin'ō Academy...
Reviewing the textbooks, everything felt fresh.
The understanding and definition of "Chakra", the basic physics knowledge, the applications of the Three Aspects Technique...
Although fundamentally, chakra and spiritual energy are two completely different forces - one originating from the body, the other from the soul.
But the techniques for using them are the same.
["Spiritual Threads"] - a sensing and discernment technique of spiritual energy taught at the Shin'ō Academy, can also be performed using "chakra", allowing him to discern who's nearby without even looking, just by the feel of their chakra.
After a few rounds of practice, he could smoothly execute the [Kidō] as well.
Of course, the parts of the textbooks dealing with "Will of Fire" were still dull and lacking in substance.
In the last class of the new week, Iruka heavily struck the lectern "In just a week, you'll be taking the graduation exam, you'll become true shinobi."
"So today... is a practical training session."
"Everyone, assemble on the training grounds."
The class let out a chorus of complaints.
Compared to training and practical sessions, they preferred the theoretical classes.
The latter were boring, but they could slack off and the teachers wouldn't say anything.
As for the former...
After the practical session, there would surely be physical training.
They really didn't want to run three kilometers!
But the students still obediently left their seats, either climbing out the window or walking out the door, heading to the training grounds.
Lining up properly, the students sat around a designated area.
"Is there any volunteer..." Iruka raised his hand.
Naruto immediately stood up "Iruka-sensei, I want to have a practical training session with Uchiha Sasuke."
His tone was firm.
In these past few days, the teachers and classmates hadn't changed their view of him.
He was quite clear that he needed a chance, an opportunity for the teacher and classmates to understand his changes.
And now... this was it.
Iruka was just about to refuse.
Although Naruto had improved, he was clearly not on the same level as Uchiha Sasuke.
But the words of refusal hadn't even left his mouth yet.
The orders from the Third Hokage a few days ago suddenly came to mind.
He quickly changed his response "Alright, since you insist so much, Uchiha Sasuke, come have a practical training session with Naruto."
The students were surprised.
In the past, Iruka-sensei wouldn't so easily agree to Naruto's unreasonable demands.
Uchiha Sasuke coldly stood up and walked to the central field with Naruto.
"First match of the practical training session."
"Uzumaki Naruto v/s Uchiha Sasuke."
"Begin!"
Iruka-sensei picked up his notebook and retreated to the edge of the field, announcing the start.
The battle did not immediately erupt.
Uchiha Sasuke had his hands in his pockets, coldly eyeing his opponent "Uzumaki Naruto, you can never be my match."
"The burdens we each carry are different."
"A person of your caliber has no qualifications to be compared to me."
"Iruka-sensei should have paired me with a more worthy opponent."
The girls' cheers surged up.
Naruto didn't say anything.
Chakra gathered at his feet, then with a sudden burst, his silhouette stretched out like a line, closing the distance in an instant.
A golden flash -
Those cheers sounded like they were celebrating this moment.
Uchiha Sasuke, his pupils dilating.
So fast!
He barely managed to raise his hands in a cross guard.
But Naruto's hand had already grabbed his face, slamming it down hard.
"Caliber?"
"Are you qualified to talk about caliber with me?"
A thunderous thud as they hit the ground, smoke billowing up in clumps, mingling with Naruto's calm words.
He held up a fist in one hand, the other reaching for his waist, index and middle fingers hooking around two kunai.
The fist struck the smoke.
A cracking sound~
A block of solid wood was sent flying out.
A Substitution Jutsu.
There was a presence rapidly moving within the smoke.
Naruto wasn't surprised at all, in his eyes, ribbons like ["Spiritual Threads"] fluttered. Those were the chakra signatures he could only see.
Representing Uchiha Sasuke, there were two.
One was sneaking around the group towards his back, the other was charging openly to the left.
He waved a hand.
The kunai shot towards those two directions.
"You've indeed made some progress, but you're still far from my level." Sasuke's voice came from the left.
Naruto ignored him, not even glancing that way.
That was a shadow clone.
The real Sasuke was..
He reached out and grabbed the thicker chakra signature, twisting around.
Sure enough, it was behind him.
Face dusted with grime, forehead smeared with blood, unable to evade the first blow, the disheveled Uchiha Sasuke raised a kunai to throw.
Clang!
But if that's the case.
The kunai he had shot out earlier and this one, colliding in the air, dropped to the ground.
Sasuke's eyes were wide with shock.
How did he sense it!
After being hit the first time, when Sasuke used the Substitution Jutsu to escape, he had also deployed a shadow clone.
And let that clone speak to interfere.
But Naruto didn't even glance at it?
He just trusted that the real one was behind him?
In the midst of these thoughts.
Another golden blur.
Naruto stepped forward, one hand chopping down, the other reaching for his waist.
Sasuke this time was prepared, his hands no longer in his pockets, barely able to keep up with this speed, raising his hands to defend.
But...
The attack came from below, hooking his leg, suddenly shifting his center of gravity.
Naruto easily swept Sasuke off his feet.
A loud thud as he hit the ground.
Sasuke still wanted to move again.
A slight prick at his neck, a worn, no longer sharp kunai pressed against his throat.
"You lost, Uchiha Sasuke." Naruto said softly, declaring the result.
Sasuke was unwilling, but didn't argue.
He looked at Naruto, his expression shocked and perplexed.
Unable to comprehend, in just a few days, this dead-last had changed so much.
Iruka and the other students were also astonished.
Uchiha Sasuke... had lost.
Naruto stood up straight, calmly looking at Sasuke "You carry a heavy burden."
"But that is no excuse to look down on your opponent."
"You are not yet strong."
"You have no right to look down on others from on high."
Sasuke gritted his teeth, clenching his fists. Lowering his head.
He... can't even match a dead-last now?
Naruto paused briefly, then raised his voice, not just for Sasuke to hear, but also for Iruka-sensei and his classmates.
"The result is obvious."
"I'm not a dead-last."
"I too am a Genius."
สถานะพลังงานรายสัปดาห์
-- การจัดอันดับด้วยพลัง 
-- หินพลัง