Chapter 26: Nice Job, Naruto

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"You do what makes you happy."

Kitazawa spoke helplessly.

Since Naruto Uzumaki had already met Might Guy, he had no reason to stop them.

Besides, he hadn't done anything wrong; Hiruzen Sarutobi surely wouldn't blame him for this.

As for Minato Namikaze, all he could do was wish him luck.

Hopefully, when he finally sees his son, he'll still be able to recognize him.

"I'm really happy," Naruto said, grinning ear‑to‑ear. "Uncle Guy is so nice to me—he's taught me a lot of useful things."

"In taijutsu, you should definitely keep learning from him."

Kitazawa sighed at that.

Poor kid—he hardly had any normal friends.

"Mm‑hmm!"

Naruto nodded. "Kitazawa‑sensei, can I start tree‑climbing training now?"

Perhaps because "stand users" are drawn to each other, he felt a special fixation on Sasuke Uchiha—

—in short, he didn't want to fall behind him.

"Start tree climbing after you place first in physical training."

Kitazawa thought for a moment. "You wouldn't want to lose first place just because you slacked off, right?"

"I understand!"

Naruto's fighting spirit was instantly ignited.

He would take first place in physical training and make everyone sit up and notice.

"I'm going for a run!"

Naruto began circling the training field again.

Kitazawa's gaze drifted to Yakumo Kurama in the distance.

She was dripping with sweat yet still kept jogging.

Kitazawa gave a slight nod.

Children in the shinobi world matured early; their willpower was astonishingly firm.

Back in his previous life, when he was six, he'd still been making mud pies.

Withdrawing his gaze, Kitazawa walked over to the tree to help Sasuke and the others train.

He was already starting to feel a bit stretched thin.

His current hope rested on Naruto's mission.

Once he had the Shadow Clone Technique, things would be much easier.

…

Two days flashed by, and Thursday's combat class arrived.

On the academy field, First‑Year Class A students drifted in one after another.

"Physical training again. How troublesome," Shikamaru Nara muttered, hands cradling his head.

"I only narrowly lost to Sasuke last time. This time I'm taking back everything that's mine!" Kiba Inuzuka clenched his fists.

"Hey, that line's mine!" Naruto shouted. "First place is mine!"

"How could any of you beat Sasuke‑kun?" Sakura Haruno asked with a grin. "Right, Ino?"

"Yeah," Ino Yamanaka replied off‑handedly.

She'd been too busy training to fight Sakura for Sasuke's attention lately.

"…?"

Sakura noticed the perfunctory answer.

Sasuke Uchiha merely nodded slightly—that was exactly how he felt.

Frankly speaking, everyone here except Kitazawa was destined to lose to him.

"This time's different! Kitazawa‑sensei taught me secret running techniques!" Naruto boasted.

Sasuke? Piece of cake!

"Kitazawa‑sensei being great doesn't make you great," Sasuke said calmly.

He knew Naruto had trained with Kitazawa, but a week wasn't enough to matter.

Last time they'd been eight places apart.

"Just watch!" Naruto retorted. "I'll have you on your knees!"

"Hey! I'm the one who came second last time!" Kiba protested. "Don't ignore me!"

"Kitazawa‑sensei's here!" Ino suddenly perked up.

"Line up in order. First, fifty laps," Kitazawa said bluntly from the track.

He immediately felt a very obvious stare—no need to look: Sasuke.

"Ready—run!" Kitazawa raised his voice.

Everyone set off neatly, and unlike last time, Naruto didn't sprint right away.

Sasuke glanced at him. Though he doubted Naruto could beat him, Kitazawa's involvement made it worth taking seriously—just in case.

Kitazawa ran in front, breathing steady.

He didn't look fast, yet no one could catch him.

He had no idea what Sasuke was thinking—if he had, he'd tell him: when a "stat monster" masters technique, they're unbeatable.

As before, after fifty laps most students couldn't continue.

Ten laps later only Sasuke, Naruto, Kiba, Shino Aburame, and Hinata Hyuga remained.

"What's going on?" Sakura, sitting on the ground, asked in confusion. "Why's Naruto still running?"

Last time by now, Naruto had been dead on his feet.

"That's Kitazawa‑sensei for you," Ino panted.

"Are those running secrets really that useful?" Choji Akimichi asked in surprise.

"The secrets help, but the main thing is Naruto's own ability," Shikamaru said, seeing through it at a glance. "Last time he blew himself out by sprinting like crazy."

Time crept by. Lap seventy.

Sasuke was gasping, body heavy.

He looked at Kitazawa ahead and clenched his teeth—still impossible to catch up.

Fine. Kitazawa was a teacher with ten‑plus years' advantage. Beating him was unrealistic; he just had to secure first place among students—wait!

Sasuke suddenly heard breathing behind him.

Last time at lap seventy, everyone else was long gone.

Turning, he saw—Naruto?!

Something was very wrong.

How was he still running?

Even Kiba and Shino had quit; why was the guy who'd placed ninth last time still going—

—and looking much more relaxed than Sasuke himself?

Impossible. Absolutely impossible! What was going on?

Just then Naruto noticed Sasuke spacing out.

Perfect chance—go!

Exploding with speed, Naruto overtook him.

Sasuke's breathing fell apart; his steps wobbled, reactions dulled.

He could only watch Naruto pull farther and farther away.

Already at his limit, Sasuke couldn't even get a full breath—there was no catching up.

"Hahaha! I'm first place!" Naruto pumped his fist in excitement. "This is youth!"

"…?"

Kitazawa pressed a hand to his forehead.

Oh no—

Another "youth maniac"!

[Current mission: Help Naruto place second in physical training.]

[Mission reward: Shadow Clone Technique.]

[Mission complete. Reward issued.]

Kitazawa froze, then beamed.

Nice job, Naruto!

~~~

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