Chapter 9 (Patreon)

Naruto spent an hour with Konohamaru observing what he had called “the enemy’s territory.” After washing up, he had to practically drag the boy away. Konohamaru seemed determined to stay rooted to the spot.

They had only just reached a small grove to begin the next part of their training when Ebisu found them.

He stood on a branch, looking down at Naruto. Even his sunglasses couldn’t hide the contempt on his face.

“That damned demon fox,” he muttered.

Naruto’s senses were sharp enough to catch it. The familiar disgust in Ebisu’s expression brought everything from the past two days rushing back.

The shopkeeper had bullied him. Now he was dead.

The Anbu with the dog mask had insulted and threatened him. He was dead, too.

Mizuki had smiled to his face while looking down on him. He had ended up dead as well.

And now there was Ebisu.

‘Why does everyone think they can treat me like this? Damn that Third Hokage... and damn you, Ebisu!’

Naruto looked up at him coldly. Before he knew it, the question had left his mouth.

“If I were stronger than you, would you still treat me like this?”

“Hm? What did you say?”

Ebisu stared at him, then gave an amused smile, as though he couldn’t possibly have heard correctly.

Naruto clenched his teeth.

“I said, if I beat you, would you still dare to talk to me that way?”

“Hmph. Demon fox.”

Ebisu dismissed the question and turned to Konohamaru.

“Konohamaru-sama, we’re leaving. Someone of your standing shouldn’t associate with a fool who does nothing but play ridiculous tricks. Spend enough time with him, and you’ll become just as foolish!”

Naruto’s expression changed.

“That’s enough! Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu!”

He formed a hand sign, and hundreds of shadow clones appeared, surrounding Ebisu on every side.

Ebisu looked around with a sneer.

“You think a flashy jutsu like this will let you beat me? How naive.”

His hands moved to form signs of his own.

“Sexy Jutsu!”

Hundreds of voices rang out together, followed by a burst of smoke.

When it cleared, Ebisu found himself surrounded by transformed women. Naruto had combined his shadow clones with the Sexy Jutsu to create the Harem Jutsu.

“Wha—?!”

Ebisu’s hands froze. Blood gushed from his nose, and whatever jutsu he had been about to use vanished from his thoughts.

Beside Naruto, Konohamaru stared open-mouthed at the sheer scale of the technique. Naruto’s ridiculous lessons had clearly made an impression.

Elsewhere, the Third Hokage was watching through his crystal ball.

He coughed guiltily, glanced around to make sure no one was looking, and pulled out a pink handkerchief to wipe the blood from his own nose.

Naruto wasn’t about to waste the opening.

A hundred of his transformed clones rushed Ebisu and kicked him until he lost consciousness.

Once it was over, Naruto stepped forward with a cold smile. He picked up Ebisu’s fallen sunglasses and slipped them on.

‘These are useful. Now people won’t be able to see my eyes.’

Pleased with his new acquisition, he led Konohamaru away.

…

Back at home, Naruto spent the rest of the day carefully considering his next steps.

The following morning, he went to the Academy for the graduates’ orientation. In practice, it was the meeting where they would be assigned to their teams.

Today would mark the beginning of his efforts to become stronger.

If things went according to plan, Sasuke, Kakashi, and the others would all help him get there.

Naruto arrived early. Only a handful of students were in the classroom.

Spotting Sasuke eating a rice ball, he walked straight over and smiled.

“Hey, Sasuke. We’re going to be doing missions as real shinobi now. Just because someone did well at the Academy doesn’t mean they’ll stay ahead forever.”

Sasuke gave him a dismissive glance.

“That’s a big claim coming from the worst student in our class.”

“Sure, I was at the bottom. But I want to become strong.”

Naruto leaned closer and lowered his voice.

“Strong enough that nobody can do whatever they want with me. And I can help you get your revenge, too.”

Sasuke’s head snapped toward him.

“How do you—”

“Shh.”

Naruto raised a finger to his lips.

“What do you say? We help each other out, and we both get stronger.”

Sasuke could give him access to things he couldn’t obtain on his own. Naruto needed to get him to agree.

The surprise faded from Sasuke’s face, replaced by his usual cold expression. His eyes remained distrustful.

“Help each other how?” he asked. “What exactly do you have in mind?”

“We train together every day and share what we learn. Training methods, jutsu, things like that.”

Naruto smiled. He was getting close to the point of his proposal.

Sasuke gave a short, mocking laugh.

“And what could you possibly teach me?”

“I killed Mizuki-sensei and beat Konohamaru’s tutor, Ebisu. Do those count for anything?”

Naruto met his gaze with a challenging look.

“Oh, and Konohamaru is the Third Hokage’s grandson. Think about the kind of shinobi they’d choose to teach him.”

His grin widened.

“Agree to train with me, and I’ll teach you the techniques I used against them. Stick with me, and I’ll show you a few things you’d never learn sitting in this classroom!”

“Sounds convenient,” Sasuke said. “What do you want from me?”

He wasn’t foolish enough to miss the obvious question.

Naruto answered with a smile.

“I heard your family left behind a lot of ninjutsu scrolls.”

That was what he was after: the techniques the Uchiha clan had passed down.

“So that’s it.”

Sasuke sneered and turned away.

“I don’t believe you. You’re still the worst student in the class.”

“Then come outside and fight me!”

Sasuke ignored him. He finished his rice ball, stood up, and headed for the bathroom.

Talking to Naruto was a waste of time. He would be better off using those spare moments to practice his hand signs.

Naruto watched him leave and rolled his eyes.

After considering it for a moment, he followed.

If Sasuke wouldn’t listen, Naruto would corner him in the bathroom and beat him until he believed it.

“Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu!”

With a quiet shout, Naruto filled the boys’ bathroom with shadow clones.

Sasuke stared at the crowd that had appeared around him.

Suddenly, he found he couldn’t go.

“Well, Sasuke? Still think you can beat me?”

A dozen Narutos spoke at once.

Sasuke’s expression stiffened.

“You—!”

He started to prepare a Fire Style jutsu, but the clones swarmed him before he could release it and knocked him to the floor.

Five minutes later, Naruto emerged from the bathroom wearing his stolen sunglasses, walking as though he owned the hallway.

Sasuke followed behind him, his clothes rumpled and his expression utterly miserable.

With the sunglasses on, Naruto felt as though all he needed was a machete to complete the look of a swaggering gangster from an old movie.

A triumphant theme song from his previous life started playing in his head.

‘I’ll walk my own road, with my head held high!’

‘No turning back. I’ll keep moving on!’

‘Let the whole world shake—I’ll make my own rules!’

…

For six years, Sasuke had been the best student in their class, while Naruto had been stuck at the bottom.

Now he had finally beaten him.

Naruto was so pleased with himself that he nearly announced it to the entire hallway.

‘Six years at the bottom of the class, and I finally beat the top student! ...Maybe I’ll leave out the part about the bathroom.’

He pushed Ebisu’s sunglasses farther up his nose.

‘Beat a tutor yesterday, beat a genius today. These things are never coming off.’