Friday was combat training.
As usual, Naruto threw five shuriken and missed the target every single time.
This time, he didn’t even bother aiming.
He simply flicked all five out casually, then immediately moved on.
Iruka was so angry that he was practically grinding his teeth, but the system rewarded Naruto with 30 Lazing Points.
Naruto had gotten smarter.
Whether he was a useless failure or a genius didn’t matter.
As long as he proved himself beyond saving, sooner or later, he’d become nothing more than a pile of rotten mud.
At noon, school let out.
Since Naruto was on cleaning duty, he had to stay behind and clean the classroom.
He swept his assigned area and finished it in no time.
Then he tossed the broom aside and ran off.
Just as the system’s check-in countdown ended, Naruto happened to reach the school gate.
“Ding!
Check-in complete!”
“Check-in location: Konoha Ninja Academy.
Duration: 4 hours.”
“Check-in reward: Second Hokage Tobirama Senju Random Skill Pack ×1, +55 Lazing Points.”
Naruto seemed to have hit the jackpot today.
He had actually received 55 Lazing Points from the check-in.
He opened the skill pack.
Another Water Release technique.
At this point, Naruto was beginning to wonder whether checking in at the Ninja Academy could even produce forbidden techniques.
“Having Water Release is already pretty good.
Why am I worrying about anything else?”
Compared with what the original Naruto had gone through, he already had it far better.
He didn’t have to worry about food or clothing, and he could increase his attributes every day and become stronger.
What more could he ask for?
The system chimed again.
Another 30 points had been deposited into the Salted-Fish Treasury.
The corners of Naruto’s mouth curled upward as he walked proudly out of the academy.
But the moment he stepped outside—
“Naruto!”
A familiar, goofy voice rang out.
Warm, energetic, and completely unrestrained.
“School ended a little early today!
Are you ready to enjoy the blazing youth of the afternoon?”
“…”
Naruto stopped walking.
That guy is still here.
The students around them curiously looked over.
Naruto glanced toward the gatekeeper standing nearby.
Yet the man didn’t even look in their direction.
At the same time, that familiar sensation returned.
The Third Hokage was watching him again.
“Sigh…”
Naruto sighed.
Apparently, the Third Hokage had already given his orders.
Looking at Guy standing before him like a complete idiot, Naruto’s expression became conflicted.
Refusing probably wouldn’t work anymore.
Running away didn’t seem possible either.
Naruto thought about whether there were any other options.
There weren’t.
His opponent wasn’t Might Guy.
It was the Third Hokage.
And so far, there was nothing the Third Hokage wanted to accomplish that he had failed to accomplish.
The Senju clan had disappeared just like that.
The former White Fang of Konoha had taken his own life, while his son had to continue working for Konoha’s higher-ups.
The Fourth Hokage had been in office for less than two years before he and Kushina died together.
And now the countdown to the Uchiha massacre was nearing its end.
Itachi would soon become the Third Hokage’s blade and slaughter his entire clan.
The Will of Fire…
The Third Hokage had truly mastered how to use it.
Burn everyone else to illuminate yourself.
Trying to oppose the Third Hokage right now…
There was no chance.
Then he could only go along with it.
There was no other choice.
For now, it was only Might Guy.
If Naruto stubbornly refused, who knew what the Third Hokage would send next?
Even if he only wanted to laze around…
The White Fang had once devoted himself entirely to his comrades.
And what had happened in the end?
He still killed himself for the sake of his son.
Forget it.
No more resisting.
“I’m ready.”
“I’ll be in your care from now on.”
Naruto looked at Might Guy again.
He had given up.
Fine.
It was just Might Guy.
The Third Hokage had his concerns, so Naruto would cooperate a little.
You can pursue your youth.
I’ll continue lazing around.
We’ll both do our best.
Good luck.
“Ding!
Successful act of lazing around.”
“Received 30 Lazing Points.”
Guy’s eyes suddenly lit up.
“Really?”
“You’re really ready, Naruto?”
“You’re finally going to experience true youth!?”
“Yes.
Go ahead.”
Naruto answered with the resignation of someone who had accepted his fate.
“Yo-ho!”
Guy instantly jumped three meters into the air.
“Then before lunch, let’s have a passionate and energetic pre-meal training session!”
“Let’s scatter our sweat across the entire Konoha!”
“…I’ll see you on top of the Hokage Rock!”
Whoosh!
Guy immediately took off, sprinting away at full speed.
The students around them stared wide-eyed.
Is this guy insane?
Naruto watched Guy’s rapidly disappearing back.
Then he glanced toward home.
Can I still regret this?
Forget it.
He hadn’t tried checking in at the Hokage Rock before.
He might as well go take a look.
Naruto lowered his head and started walking.
He had no intention of running there.
He hadn’t eaten lunch yet.
He didn’t have the energy.
But after walking only a short distance, Naruto suddenly noticed another person.
Another bowl-haired kid.
He wore a sleeveless green training vest and was staring in the direction Guy had left with an expression of pure admiration.
“Is that… Lee?”
Naruto’s expression became strange.
Lee was a year above them and would eventually become one of Konoha’s prominent young shinobi.
He had quite a few impressive moments early in the original story.
For example, teaching Sasuke a lesson before the Chunin Exams, nearly forcing Gaara to release Shukaku during their battle, and later fighting Kimimaro with his Drunken Fist.
Under normal circumstances, Lee would be Guy’s true disciple.
Unfortunately, because of the Third Hokage…
That seemed to have changed.
“Hmm?”
A spark suddenly appeared in Naruto’s dead-fish eyes.
He quickened his pace toward Lee.
Under the latter’s bewildered gaze, Naruto firmly slapped him on the shoulder.
“Hey, do you want to experience the blazing youth?”
“Ah… what?”
“Water your youth with sweat and ignite your passion with youth!”
Naruto pointed in the direction Guy had disappeared.
“Do you want to train under that senior and begin experiencing true youth?”
“Yes!”
Lee immediately nodded so hard it looked like his head might fly off.
But soon, his confidence faltered.
“But… would that senior be willing to teach me?”
“Remove the ‘would,’ buddy.”
Naruto looked at him with utmost sincerity.
“Here’s what you do.”
“Run to the Hokage Rock right now and tell that senior that Uzumaki Naruto went to get lunch.”
“Today’s youth will be experienced by you on my behalf.”
“Good luck!”