Chapter 12 (Patreon)

Naruto looked at Sakura, thoroughly tired of arguing with her.

“If you think I still like you, Sakura, you’re wrong. Stop assuming everything I do is about you.”

Sakura turned toward him and answered without hesitation.

“Well, I’ve never liked you, Naruto. You’re always doing weird things and getting between me and Sasuke-kun!”

“Don’t worry. That won’t happen again.”

Naruto gave a scornful smile, then looked over the edge of the rooftop.

Below them, Hinata was heading home after finishing her first meeting with her jonin instructor.

He had already sensed her nearby.

“Hey, Hinata!”

Naruto jumped from the roof and landed in front of her.

“Ah! H-hello, Naruto-kun!”

Hinata had been walking along quietly, lost in thought. His sudden arrival startled her.

She looked up at the rooftop, a full twenty meters above them. Realizing he had jumped all the way down, she turned back to him with worry written across her face.

“Naruto-kun, are you hurt?”

The genuine concern in her expression made Naruto’s irritation melt away.

‘She really does care about me... This is the girl I want to protect for the rest of my life.’

As far as he was concerned, she was the true heroine of the story—the girl who would one day become the mother of Naruto’s children.

“I’m fine. Are you going home?”

“Y-yes.”

Hinata answered shyly, fidgeting with her hands.

“We’re going to train. Want to come with us?”

Naruto leaned closer with a smile.

“Huh?”

Hinata looked up and found his face right in front of hers. Her heart began pounding, and for a moment she couldn’t think how to answer.

Just then, a tall man in a kimono approached from farther down the path.

“Hinata. We’re going home.”

“Y-yes, Father!”

At her father’s call, Hinata quickly lowered her head and hurried toward him, her cheeks still red.

Naruto narrowed his eyes as he studied the man.

‘Hiashi Hyuga... So that’s my future father-in-law.’

He smiled and called after her.

“Hinata, make sure you eat properly! You’ve got to grow big and strong!”

Hiashi shot him a glare.

Naruto quickly added, “I mean, for training! You’ll need the energy! Haha...”

…

Back at the Academy’s training ground, Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura stood beneath three large trees, with Iruka facing them.

“You seem eager to work hard, Naruto,” Iruka said, looking pleased. “You’ve only just graduated, and you’re already asking to train.”

“Of course, Iruka-sensei! I’m going to become Hokage!”

Naruto gave him a mischievous grin.

“Old Man Hokage’s getting so old he can barely walk. I’d better hurry up and take over!”

“Naruto, honestly...”

Iruka shook his head, at a loss for what to say.

“Well, since you’ve come to me, I’ll give you one last lesson. The first exercise I learned after graduating was tree climbing. It’s a fundamental skill every shinobi should master.”

Naruto brightened.

This was exactly why he had asked Iruka to help. He already knew what the exercise involved, but he needed someone to teach it to him properly. Otherwise, how would he explain knowing something he had never been taught?

“How does it work, Iruka-sensei? Can you show us?”

Naruto made sure to sound impatient to get started.

“Watch carefully.”

Iruka formed a hand sign to focus his chakra.

“First, gather chakra in the soles of your feet. Then control how much you release.”

He placed a foot against the trunk and calmly walked up it, one step at a time, until he reached the branches.

“Wow! That’s amazing, Iruka-sensei!” Sakura exclaimed.

Sasuke said nothing, but the admiration in his eyes was plain. He was eager to try it himself.

Naruto pressed his lips together, looking just as keen to get started.

Iruka jumped down and smiled at the three of them.

“Alright. Give it a try.”

Each chose a tree, took a deep breath, and gathered chakra beneath their feet as Iruka had demonstrated.

Then they placed their feet against the trunks.

Thud!

Sasuke fell first. He hadn’t even managed a second step.

Thud!

Naruto fell next, though he had made it nine steps up—just one short of the top.

“I did it!”

Sakura’s delighted voice came from above.

She had reached the top on her first attempt. Standing on a high branch, she waved happily to Sasuke, eager for him to notice how well she had done.

To Sasuke, it looked as though she was showing off.

He snorted and rushed at his tree again.

‘The key is precise chakra control,’ Naruto thought. ‘The system’s [Enhanced Chakra Control] reward is only at [Beginner]. Sakura’s probably already at [Intermediate]. That’s why she managed it on her first try.’

He smiled, steadied his breathing, and gathered chakra beneath his feet again.

His left foot settled against the trunk, followed by his right.

Step by step, he climbed until he was once again just short of the top.

As he lifted his right foot for the final step, the chakra beneath his left foot faltered.

His foot lost its grip, and he fell.

Iruka caught him before he could hit the ground.

Naruto grinned up at him.

“Iruka-sensei, I’ll make it on my third try. Just watch!”

“Keep at it, Naruto.”

Iruka smiled encouragingly, though he wasn’t convinced.

He knew better than anyone how Naruto had performed during six years at the Academy. If the boy could master an exercise like this so quickly, would he really have spent all that time at the bottom of the class?

Beside them, Sasuke gave a dismissive snort.

Clearly, he didn’t believe Naruto either.

“Hey, Sasuke.”

Naruto turned toward him with a challenging smile.

“Want to bet? If I reach the top on my next try, we count it as another win for me. Deal?”

The reminder of his earlier defeats made Sasuke bristle.

“Fine!”

Naruto laughed.

“Then get ready to lose again!”

He focused once more. With the help of [Enhanced Chakra Control], he carefully adjusted the chakra beneath his feet until he found the right amount.

One step. Two. Three...

Nine.

Ten!

Thud!

Sasuke fell from his own tree again.

He looked up and saw Naruto standing at the top. Surprise crossed his face, followed by an embarrassed flush.

He had lost again.

He still hadn’t managed to beat Naruto, and now he couldn’t even match Sakura, whose attention he had always found irritating.

What did that say about the genius everyone thought he was?

[Ding! Long-term achievement mission: Defeat Sasuke Seven Times.]

[Progress: 3/7. Keep it up!]

Hearing the notification, Naruto planted his hands on his hips and laughed down at Sasuke.

Iruka watched him with a warm smile, both surprised and pleased by his progress.

On the neighboring tree, Sakura stared at Naruto in astonishment.

Then she forgot to maintain the chakra beneath her feet, lost her footing, and fell.