MTLNOVEL Chapter 28: Chapter 28
After Naruto settled into his seat, the students in the front row began chatting with him. Introductions were exchanged, and both sides gained a preliminary understanding of one another. Naruto, ever the friendly and approachable figure, smiled warmly as he listened to his new classmates. However, he remained unaware that in the corner of the classroom, a girl with short lavender hair and pale white eyes was silently observing him. Her cheeks were slightly flushed, and her thoughts seemed to wander as she stared in his direction.
Once all the students had introduced themselves, Iruka-sensei led the class to collect their textbooks. The atmosphere in the room shifted as the students began to mingle more freely. Almost immediately, a circle of classmates formed around Naruto and Sasuke, eager to get to know the two boys who had already garnered so much attention.
Naruto took the opportunity to learn more about his peers. Among them were heirs to prestigious clans and ordinary villagers alike. From these initial interactions, Naruto identified a few individuals he felt he could potentially befriend.
"Sasuke, Naruto, hello! I-I'm Haruno Sakura. I hope we can be good friends," a pink-haired girl stammered, her face tinged with shyness as she approached with a blonde girl in tow.
"My name is Ino Yamanaka. I know I introduced myself earlier, but I doubt you remember. Make sure you remember it this time!" Ino declared with a confident smile, her demeanor far more outgoing compared to Sakura's reserved nature.
Naruto chuckled softly, his gentle smile putting both girls at ease. "Sakura Haruno and Ino Yamanaka, right? You're both very kind and beautiful. I'll definitely remember you."
Sakura and Ino beamed at his words, their earlier nervousness melting away. Sasuke, standing beside Naruto, rolled his eyes discreetly. He couldn't help but think to himself how effortlessly Naruto seemed to charm everyone around him. Yet, when it came to training, Naruto was anything but lenient. No matter how hard Sasuke pushed himself, Naruto's feedback was always the same: "Not bad, but we have to work harder." It was frustrating for Sasuke, who secretly longed for more recognition from his friend.
The rest of the day's lessons were uneventful. Iruka-sensei covered basic ninja knowledge, much of which Naruto had already mastered through his own studies. The topics ranged from chakra control to the history of the Will of Fire—a philosophy Naruto had long internalized. In fact, he felt he could write an entire book on the subject if given the chance.
When the final bell rang, signaling the end of the school day, Naruto and Sasuke made their way to the entrance, where they met up with Rock Lee. The trio headed to their usual training ground, their footsteps falling into a familiar rhythm.
As they arrived, they found Naruto's shadow clones already hard at work, practicing various techniques with unwavering focus.
"Naruto! You've been training with shadow clones again?!" Sasuke exclaimed, his voice a mix of surprise and exasperation.
Naruto grinned, unbothered by Sasuke's reaction. "Of course. I've been training openly and aboveboard. It's not like I'm hiding it."
"But… I thought you'd take it easy on your first day at the academy," Sasuke muttered, crossing his arms.
Naruto raised an eyebrow, his expression playful. "After all this time, do you really think I'd slack off? If anything, it's you who's been slacking, Sasuke."
Sasuke flushed slightly, quickly dropping his bag and stretching to hide his embarrassment. Meanwhile, Rock Lee had already begun his warm-up jog, his determination as unwavering as ever.
"Lee's always the hardest worker," Sasuke remarked, a hint of admiration in his voice.
Rock Lee paused, scratching the back of his head with a sheepish grin. "I don't have the natural talent you two possess, so I have to make up for it with hard work."
"You're already the top of our class," Sasuke pointed out, his tone tinged with envy. In a recent sparring match, Rock Lee had stunned everyone by defeating his peers with sheer physical prowess, even besting Hyuga Neji on his first attempt. His success had inspired many, proving that hard work could indeed rival natural talent.
Under Naruto's influence, Rock Lee had adopted a more refined appearance, trading his green jumpsuit for a white robe over a black battle suit. He had even picked up Naruto's habit of dramatically tossing his robe into the air before a fight. Despite these changes, Lee's earnest personality remained unchanged, earning him a loyal following among his peers.
Sasuke's determination to surpass Naruto had only grown stronger over time. He often sought advice from his older brother, Itachi, on ways to improve. While he had begun experimenting with shadow clones to aid his training, his stamina and pain tolerance paled in comparison to Naruto's. As a result, he could only maintain one clone at a time and needed days to recover afterward. This limitation frustrated Sasuke, but it also fueled his resolve to find other ways to grow stronger.
With Itachi's guidance, Sasuke delved deeper into ninjutsu and chakra manipulation. His progress was slow but steady, and he took pride in every small victory.
As the others trained, Naruto sat cross-legged on the grass, his Zanpakuto, Kyoka Suigetsu, resting in front of him. He closed his eyes, allowing his spiritual pressure to flow freely. The world around him faded as he entered a meditative state, attuned to every subtle shift in the air and the presence of nearby ninjas.
Naruto recalled Aizen's words: mastering the initial release of a Zanpakuto was only the beginning. True power lay in achieving Shikai and Bankai, as well as mastering the myriad of Kido spells. For now, the power of a Shinigami offered Naruto a greater advantage than his ninja abilities, and he was determined to hone it to its fullest potential.
Sasuke glanced curiously at the dark green blade resting before Naruto. He had asked Naruto about it before, but Naruto's responses were always cryptic. "When you can force me to use Shikai, you'll understand the true power of this blade," Naruto would say with a knowing smile. The mystery only deepened Sasuke's resolve to one day push Naruto to his limits.
Life as a ninja academy student brought little change to Naruto's routine. He continued to train diligently, his strength growing with each passing day. Over time, he grew closer to his classmates, particularly the members of the Ino-Shika-Cho trio. Nara Shikamaru's sharp intellect impressed Naruto, while Akimichi Choji's loyalty and good-natured personality made him a reliable friend. Ino Yamanaka, despite her occasional flirtatiousness, was a spirited and dependable ally.
What surprised Naruto, however, was the attention Sasuke received from the girls in their class. Both Sakura and Ino seemed far more interested in Sasuke's aloof demeanor than Naruto's warm and approachable nature. Their constant attempts to gain Sasuke's attention often left him exasperated, much to Naruto's amusement.
One day, Sasuke turned to Naruto for help. "Can't you do something about them? They're driving me crazy," he grumbled.
Naruto simply laughed, enjoying the spectacle. "Sorry, Sasuke. You're on your own with this one."
As the days turned into weeks, Naruto found himself settling into his new life. The bonds he formed with his classmates, the challenges of training, and the mysteries of his Shinigami powers all wove together into a tapestry of growth and discovery. And through it all, Naruto remained steadfast in his determination to protect those he cared about, no matter what challenges lay ahead.