After escaping from the Hokage Building, Naruto was completely drowning in embarrassment.
“Sure enough, it’s better to get stronger slowly.”
Every time he thought about transforming into a woman and using the Sexy Jutsu on that old man, the Third Hokage, Naruto felt as though his life had been permanently stained.
Social death!
“Uzumaki Naruto!” ×3
While Naruto was still wallowing in shame, three furious roars suddenly rang out.
He focused his eyes and realized they came from the three Jōnin his Shadow Clones had tricked earlier.
Naruto sighed.
“Seriously, aren’t you guys tired of this? You already chased my Shadow Clones all the way around Konoha. Can’t you just let me go?”
He spoke as though they were somehow the ones at fault.
Veins bulged on the foreheads of all three Jōnin.
They looked ready to skin Naruto alive on the spot.
“You little—”
Just as the three were about to explode, an ANBU suddenly appeared.
The ANBU gave Naruto a hostile glance before turning toward the three Jōnin.
“Lord Third wants to see you.”
“Yes!”
The three Jōnin shot Naruto one last vicious glare, then walked past him and headed toward the Hokage Building.
At that moment, the Third Hokage was watching Naruto through the window, deep in thought.
“Shadow Clones… Who taught Naruto that technique?”
Worried that someone with ulterior motives might be manipulating Naruto, the Third Hokage briefly considered assigning additional ANBU to keep watch over him.
But then he remembered that Naruto would graduate in only a few months.
“Forget it.”
“Minato’s child… I’ll let his student worry about him a little more.”
“Young people should be guided by other young people.”
…
The next day.
Naruto had returned to his usual lazy demeanor.
The moment he entered the classroom, he immediately spotted Hinata.
Not because he had specifically looked for her, but because at some point, she had exchanged seats with the student who normally sat beside him.
Naruto was briefly surprised before smiling and walking over to his seat.
“Morning, Hinata.”
“Naruto-kun… about yesterday…”
“You don’t need to explain. I understand your situation.”
Naruto smiled.
“It’s just that I won’t be able to help you train anymore, so don’t slack off.”
“I’ll be waiting for you up ahead.”
Receiving Naruto’s encouragement, Hinata nodded firmly.
“Mm! I will, Naruto-kun!”
The fact that Hinata had moved to the front of the classroom and taken a seat beside Naruto naturally surprised the other students.
Kiba Inuzuka looked over curiously.
Akamaru barked.
“Woof!”
Shino Aburame remained silent.
“…”
Among the Ino-Shika-Chō trio—
Ino frowned.
“That’s strange. Hinata actually took the initiative to switch seats and sit next to that idiot.”
Shikamaru Nara yawned.
“Yeah. Weird…”
Chōji Akimichi didn’t care at all.
He wasn’t particularly close to Hinata anyway.
All he cared about was his snacks.
Not long afterward, Iruka entered the classroom.
He was somewhat surprised to see that Hinata had moved beside Naruto, but he didn’t say anything.
He simply began teaching as usual.
After class ended, Naruto had originally planned to walk Hinata home, but Iruka called him over.
“Naruto, I heard you went to the Hokage Building and caused trouble again a couple of days ago?”
Iruka wore a stern expression.
“Mm.”
Naruto answered absentmindedly.
That scene of social death was something he had no desire to remember.
“You behaved yourself for an entire month! I thought you’d finally matured!”
Iruka looked thoroughly disappointed.
“I can’t believe you’re still the same as ever.”
“Lord Third already spoke to me about what happened, so I’ve decided on your punishment.”
“Every weekend, you’re going to perform community service!”
“Community service? I’m not going.”
Naruto rejected the idea without hesitation.
He would rather walk through the streets of Konoha and be cursed at by villagers than waste his time doing unpaid labor.
Who would willingly do something so thankless?
“You don’t get to refuse.”
Iruka immediately crushed that hope.
“I’ve already arranged for a guardian to supervise you while you perform your community service.”
“A guardian?”
Naruto froze.
“Who?”
“Me.”
Hearing the voice, Naruto turned toward its source.
His eyes widened.
“Kakashi?!”
“Oh? You know me?”
“No.”
Naruto curled his lips.
Kakashi fell silent.
“…”
“Whatever. I’m not going to argue with some blond brat.”
With that, Kakashi casually returned to reading his rather questionable book.
If this had been the old Naruto, he probably would have jumped up and started arguing with Kakashi.
But the current Naruto wasn’t nearly that stupid.
He was simply curious about why Kakashi had appeared here.
According to how things were supposed to go, it wasn’t time for Kakashi to enter the story yet.
As for Iruka’s claim that he had arranged this himself?
Naruto didn’t believe that for a second.
Iruka was merely a Chūnin instructor at the Ninja Academy.
How could he possibly order around a Jōnin?
And not just any Jōnin—
Hatake Kakashi.
Thinking about it that way, this was probably the Third Hokage’s idea.
Naruto just didn’t know what the old man was planning.
“Anyway, that’s how things are.”
Iruka continued, “For the next few weeks, Kakashi will come pick you up and take you to perform community service.”
Since there was no point arguing about something he couldn’t refuse, Naruto didn’t bother wasting his breath.
He simply gave an indifferent—
“Oh.”
Then turned around and left.
Watching Naruto walk away without even saying goodbye, Iruka felt an enormous headache coming on.
“Kakashi, I’m leaving Naruto in your hands,” Iruka said.
Kakashi lowered his book and looked at him.
“I’m not here to teach Naruto.”
“Then why did Lord Hokage ask you to spend time with him?” Iruka asked.
“I don’t know.”
Kakashi scratched his white hair.
“Lord Hokage only told me to take Naruto along on a few D-rank missions. I don’t know why he specifically wants me to do it.”
In truth, Kakashi did know why.
The Third Hokage had assigned him to both monitor and protect Naruto.
The Third suspected that Naruto’s drastic recent changes might have been caused by contact with Root.
By placing Kakashi at Naruto’s side, he was indirectly sending Danzō a warning—
Stay away from the Jinchūriki.
Of course, the truth was that Naruto’s changes had absolutely nothing to do with Danzō.
Danzō had simply taken the blame for something he hadn’t done.