Chapter 303: Naruto Wants to Be a Hero
Chapter 303: Naruto Wants to Be a Hero
Haneda said without hesitation:
"No need. I'll pinpoint any potentially dangerous locations. This can serve as a special training exercise for the students."
"A ninja must be prepared to face danger at any time."
"Itachi, you may leave now."
Itachi nodded and replied, "Understood," before leaving to head toward the mission location.
Watching Itachi's figure disappear, Haneda appeared lost in thought.
The beasts emerging from the Forest of Death weren't like boars—thick-skinned and relatively harmless.
Most of them were over two or three meters tall, ferocious in appearance, and highly aggressive.
What he said about using this as student training was only half true. He had no intention of putting the students in harm's way.
After all, they were just children, and many of them wouldn't even pursue the kind of work where killing was part of the job description.
Haneda's focus was primarily on Naruto and Sasuke.
With Sasuke's current abilities, he might not be able to handle the ferocious beasts from the Forest of Death alone.
But with Naruto, who had just learned the Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu, it would be a different story...
Ever since Naruto enrolled in the Academy, he often brought up how he was labeled a loser.
Naruto cared deeply about what others thought of him, perhaps because of the psychological scars from his childhood.
Haneda hoped this incident could create a situation where Naruto would emerge as a hero.
At the same time, it could inspire the other students to learn from Naruto.
Knock, knock, knock!
Suddenly, there was an urgent knocking at the door. The eager rhythm instantly told Haneda who it was.
"Naruto, is that you? Come in."
The door opened, revealing a blond boy with six whisker-like marks on his cheeks—Naruto.
Today, he was unusually dressed in a black jacket with a red interior, a white T-shirt peeking out from the zipper, and slightly flashy black pants.
Naruto's outfit gave him a cool, stylish look, as though he had carefully followed a fashion magazine's advice.
Haneda teased, "Is today a date with a girl you like? Or are you trying to impress someone special?"
Naruto, about to close the door behind him, froze upon hearing this. He pulled the door back open, as if planning to leave.
Haneda chuckled, realizing Naruto didn't want to entertain him any further. Quickly, he grabbed Naruto's right hand.
"Hey, hey, why are you in such a hurry?"
"I actually wanted to ask you something just now."
Naruto, feeling only mildly embarrassed, turned back when he saw Haneda wasn't pressing him for personal details anymore.
"What is it, Uncle Haneda?"
"Do you want to be a hero?"
Considering the complexity of the term, Haneda worried Naruto's somewhat simple mind might not grasp it fully, so he elaborated:
"I mean the kind of hero who protects others and earns their respect—a true ninja."
"A hero? A ninja?" Naruto's eyes lit up with excitement.
Both his father and his foster father were powerful ninja, heroes of Konoha, admired by all.
Of course, he wanted to become a heroic ninja too!
And if he became a hero, he could show off to everyone—and impress Sakura!
Naruto nodded enthusiastically. "Yes, yes, I want to be a hero, Uncle Haneda!"
Hearing his answer, Haneda lightly tapped Naruto's forehead and smiled faintly.
"Maybe when you're older."
"Huh???" Naruto's eyes widened, almost forming question marks.
At that moment, he desperately wished he could grow up instantly and flip the tables on his annoying Uncle Haneda.
Haneda chuckled softly. A true hero wasn't something Naruto could grasp yet.
The weight and bitterness borne by heroes were things only those who had experienced them firsthand could understand.
When Haneda was not even twelve, he was already sent to fight for Konoha, enduring countless dangers and hardships—memories that were still vividly clear to him.
He didn't want Naruto to carry such burdens.
But becoming a small hero within the Academy? That was doable.
After preparing breakfast for the kids at home, Haneda headed to the Ninja Academy to finalize his plans.
By the time the bell for the first class of the morning rang, all the Academy teachers and students had arrived.
The students stayed in their classrooms, waiting for instructions, while the teachers gathered in a larger office.
Most of the Academy teachers were retired ninja from the Second and Third Shinobi Wars.
They were still sensitive to such summons, and the core requirements of being a ninja hadn't entirely faded from them.
The office was silent, everyone waiting for Haneda's orders.
Haneda scanned the room, ensuring all the teachers were present before explaining the key points of the upcoming practical training.
Before arriving, he had used his Kagura's Mind Eye and shadow clones to thoroughly scout the entire Area 7 experimental farm.
He knew exactly where the dangerous beasts were hiding and had marked each location with the Flying Thunder God technique to ensure precise tracking.
Haneda assigned most of the dangerous areas to higher-grade classes, leaving the spot with the fiercest beasts for Naruto and Sasuke's second-year Class A.
This training wasn't just about teaching students the practical applications of ninja skills in production or the importance of hard work—it was also a surprise drill.
Naruto and Sasuke would shine in front of everyone, earning admiration from their peers and setting an example. Meanwhile, the senior students would gain valuable experience.
It was a plan that killed two birds with one stone.
Still, after hearing Haneda's arrangements, one teacher couldn't help but voice their concerns:
"Hokage-sama, what if a student gets seriously injured?"
The teacher avoided mentioning death directly but made their point clear.
Iruka also chimed in, "Hokage-sama, I don't think my class is suitable for this. While Sasuke is quite skilled, they're still too young and inexperienced."
Haneda waved a hand, signaling them to relax.
"I've marked all the dangerous areas with Flying Thunder God, and I'll be keeping a constant watch on the farm."
"Plus, every one of those little cuties is being monitored by ANBU operatives, so there's no need to worry."
"As for Class A, where Naruto and Sasuke are… I'll be keeping a close eye on them myself."
After settling matters at the Academy, Haneda teleported to the edge of the Forest of Death, where the Area 7 experimental farm was located.
The farm had once been a wasteland, practically uninhabitable.
Being so close to the Forest of Death, few civilians dared to farm or live there.
Later, Haneda had transformed the wasteland into a farm and orchard to improve the utilization of the surrounding area and boost Konoha's economy.
Upon reaching the farm, Haneda activated Kagura's Mind Eye to scan the area.
He sensed a familiar chakra—Kakashi's. Without hesitation, Haneda teleported to his location.