Hiruzen Sarutobi listened to the ANBU shinobi’s laughter with a dark expression.
Truthfully, he wanted to laugh too.
However, the thought that such a “brilliant” young man was supposed to join the ANBU immediately killed the urge.
Itachi Uchiha might be a genius, but his intelligence…
genuinely appeared somewhat questionable.
Perhaps allowing him to join the ANBU had been a hasty decision.
The matter required further consideration!
…
Before long, the ANBU shinobi led Hiruzen to the Ninja Academy.
Looking at the familiar building, Hiruzen turned toward him and frowned.
“Isn’t this the Ninja Academy?”
“Why are we here?”
Suppressing his laughter, the ANBU shinobi answered, “Lord Hokage, the person who defeated Itachi Uchiha is a six-year-old child.”
Hiruzen’s expression darkened until it was practically pitch-black.
Damn it!
He couldn’t even defeat a six-year-old child?!
Itachi Uchiha!
Just how low was your intelligence?!
“Who was it?” Hiruzen demanded darkly.
“Naruto Uzumaki,” the ANBU shinobi casually replied.
“Who?”
Hiruzen froze in place.
The ANBU shinobi pointed in a particular direction.
“Naruto Uzumaki.
That child over there—the Nine-Tails’ jinchūriki.
He’s standing beside the young lady of the Hyūga clan.”
Hiruzen followed his finger and immediately stiffened.
A handsome boy with tousled blond hair, a crimson robe, and red markings at the corners of his eyes stood beside an adorable girl.
Warm, reddish sunlight spilled across the blond boy, surrounding him with a soft and gentle glow.
His clear blue eyes refracted the sunlight like multicolored crystal.
Combined with his smile, they made him seem as warm as the sun itself.
“Minato…”
Hiruzen couldn’t help murmuring the name.
He looked so similar!
The Naruto Uzumaki before him seemed like the reincarnation of Minato Namikaze.
No.
He was even more handsome than Minato had been.
“Naruto Uzumaki?”
“This is Naruto Uzumaki?”
Hiruzen regarded him with a complicated expression.
It was incredible.
In the past, Naruto hadn’t resembled Minato in the slightest.
But now…
“He’s changed far too much…”
Hiruzen took a deep breath before turning toward the ANBU shinobi.
“Tell me why Naruto Uzumaki has changed so drastically.”
The ANBU shinobi began explaining.
Hiruzen wasn’t surprised to learn that Naruto had bought new clothes and styled his hair.
After all, Hiruzen had previously given him 30,000 ryō.
It was perfectly normal for a child to care about his appearance.
However, when Hiruzen learned about Naruto’s extraordinary kunai throwing skills, his eyes widened in disbelief.
“You’re saying Naruto Uzumaki’s kunai throwing is even better than yours?”
The ANBU shinobi smiled bitterly and shook his head.
“Lord Hokage, you’re giving me far too much credit.
If we compared only our kunai throwing skills, even ten of me together couldn’t match Naruto Uzumaki.”
Hiruzen sucked in a sharp breath.
“He’s that good?”
The ANBU shinobi nodded bitterly.
“Yes.
It would be difficult to find anyone in all of Konoha with better kunai throwing skills than Naruto Uzumaki.”
Hiruzen stared gravely at Naruto.
He had always believed Naruto possessed little talent.
He had been wrong.
Completely wrong.
Naruto’s talent was actually extraordinary.
The only reason it had never manifested was that the Nine-Tails’ chakra interfered with Naruto’s own chakra, preventing him from using ninjutsu.
If Naruto didn’t have the Nine-Tails, then his talent…
Fortunately, Naruto Uzumaki cannot use ninjutsu.
A dark thought surfaced in Hiruzen’s mind.
Taijutsu was admittedly powerful, but there were very few true taijutsu masters in the entire shinobi world.
He had no reason to fear Naruto’s growth.
Even if Naruto trained his taijutsu to the level of a jōnin, he would still be nothing more than a blade in Hiruzen’s hand.
Meanwhile, the Ninja Academy’s training field was packed with people.
The vast open space now seemed extraordinarily crowded, with everyone craning their necks to see the handsome boy standing at its center.
“Is it true?
Was Naruto Uzumaki really the one who defeated the Uchiha clan?”
“Isn’t that the fox brat?”
“When did that monster become so strong?”
“Hmph!
Damn it!
Anyone else could have won, so why did it have to be that monster?”
I heard Naruto Uzumaki even won the Uchiha clan leader’s house…”
“That’s right.
If Shisui Uchiha hadn’t returned, the Uchiha clan leader would have been sleeping on the street tonight.”
“If that monster has any sense, he won’t agree to compete against Shisui Uchiha…”
“…”
Whispers spread throughout the enormous crowd.
Some were malicious.
Some were mocking.
Others were simply excited.
Yet without exception, everyone watched the handsome boy at the center of the training field with great interest.
…
“Hahaha!
The Uchiha clan actually lost to a little kid in the kunai throwing skills they’re so proud of!
Hahaha!”
“I’d love to see the Uchiha clan leader’s expression right now.
It must be priceless!
Hahaha!”
“I heard Sasuke Uchiha lost first, followed by Itachi Uchiha!
Hahaha!
Are those two not very intelligent?
Hahaha!”
Standing on the roof of the Ninja Academy, Hiashi Hyūga couldn’t stop laughing.
The Uchiha and Hyūga clans had always been bitter rivals.
Ever since Konoha’s founding, the two clans had been at odds.
Both believed themselves to be the foremost dōjutsu clan in the shinobi world.
They competed with each other both openly and in secret.
Now that the Uchiha clan had suffered such a humiliating defeat, Hiashi felt indescribably satisfied.
Even his opinion of Naruto had improved considerably.
“Fortunately, Hinata is such an obedient child.
She would never gamble.
Hahaha…”
Hiashi was immensely pleased with himself.
Then, without warning, his expression went blank.
His gaze stiffened as he stared down at the training field.
Her face burning red, Hinata leaned forward and gave Naruto an encouraging kiss on the cheek.
She then hurried to the edge of the training field and softly called out, “Do your best, Naruto-kun!”
“WHAT?!”
Hiashi’s eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.
The two Uchiha brothers had gambled away their family home to Naruto Uzumaki.
Hinata…
Had she gambled herself away to Naruto Uzumaki?!
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