Chapter 16: Seventeen Cards
What can a normal Genin-level Chakra do?
Nothing at all.
Unless it's a Genin who has climbed to the peak of Konoha's combat power.
But that's the future, not the present.
Naruto was quite diligent in refining Chakra on a daily basis, but the growth rate was limited.
Mainly because his physical condition didn't allow it.
If the hardware isn't up to standard, one can only sigh at being powerless despite having the will.
With the midterm exams over, Naruto had no reason to go to school and continued using a Shadow Clone for classes.
The next day.
The sun was shining brightly.
Of his two clones, one was practicing ninja toolusage techniques, and the other was guarding the rice fields with a hoe.
The main body stood before a horizontal bar, considering how to hide from Kakashi so his third Shadow Clone could go to the small woods to practice Eight Extremes Fist.
Just then, the kind old man, Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi, appeared before him holding a piece of paper.
"Naruto, you did quite well yesterday."
"My report card?"
Naruto naturally knew that Hiruzen Sarutobiwould use a crystal ball to spy on him.
This old man had a very serious track record.
But he didn't expect the report card to be given to him.
Since he had no parents, shouldn't it be given to me directly?
Was he tacitly my guardian?
"Yes, third place."
Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at him with gratification.
Ignoring the fact that he hadn't attended a single class.
As long as grades are good, one can have certain privileges.
"First is Sasuke, second is Hinata?"
Naruto asked casually.
Sasuke was originally the top of this class in the original work.
And Hinata must have abstained by herself.
He was third, and Hinata was second as expected.
There was no shame in being below his own wife.
"Logically speaking, you could have been second."
Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed with some emotion.
He thought of Minato and Kushina.
Similarly, Minato always yielded to Kushina in everything.
However, Kushina and Hinata were worlds apart, not even in the same dimension.
Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't care about what her personality was like.
Regardless, her identity was sufficient.
An important resource like a Jinchuriki.
Everything had to be arranged clearly.
Back then, when Minato became Hokage, it was partially due to the bonus of Kushina being a Jinchuriki.
"It makes no difference."
Naruto didn't care.
With the Eight Extremes Fist, he should be able to beat Sasuke, who was in first place.
Should he find a time to have a battle with him?
After all, he planned to get some of Indra's Chakra.
To deal with an arrogant guy like Sasuke, you have to trample him underfoot.
Then have an equal exchange.
Otherwise, he simply won't listen to what you're saying.
"You are quite open-minded, not like a hot-blooded young man."
Hiruzen Sarutobi always felt that Naruto was overly precocious.
He gave a slight sigh.
The reason perhaps lay in the Village's attitude towards him.
"You have to spend six years at the Ninja Academy. If you have nothing to do, you should still go to class. Training all day will actually affect your development."
Hiruzen Sarutobi reached out to measure and said, "You wouldn't want to be only 1.5 meters tall when you grow up, would you?"
"..."
Pah, pah, pah, what bad luck!
Naruto shouted, "Impossible, I'll be at least 1.8 meters!"
But he then remembered that in the original work, Naruto indeed wasn't particularly tall, and he couldn't help but feel some panic.
No, he had to improve his diet.
Besides genetics from parents, a proper diet is undoubtedly the most important factor for height.
The Naruto in the original work was careless, not even knowing when milk had expired.
Let alone paying attention to nutritional balance and such.
Hiruzen Sarutobi showed a smile that indicated everything was under control.
So, this little fellow who feared nothing had a weakness here.
"A mature adult naturally won't lie to a child. Only by balancing work and rest can you grow tall."
"I get it!"
Naruto waved his hand; he was annoyed by the old man's nagging.
However, he now had a solution for the problem he was worrying about earlier.
He packed up and headed straight for the school.
Hiruzen Sarutobi happily blew out a flashy heart-shaped smoke ring with his pipe.
After Naruto arrived at school, he didn't rashly burst into the classroom.
Instead, he controlled his Shadow Clone to leave and go under the trees by the playground.
However, when he saw Hinata following behind, he couldn't help but give an awkward yet polite smile.
"So Naruto-kun has been using a Shadow Clone to attend classes all this time."
Hinata spoke weakly as usual, but with an emotion different from the norm.
Naruto scratched his head.
Deceiving a six-year-old little loli gave him quite a sense of guilt.
Just as he was struggling to find the words to explain, Hinata suddenly started laughing.
Naruto was a bit dazed.
Why did it feel a bit scary?
Fortunately, Hinata soon returned to normal and said, "Naruto-kun, class is about to start, let's go in."
"Oh."
Naruto stole a few glances.
There didn't seem to be much change on her face.
That moment just now must have been his imagination.
"Hinata, what's the next class?"
"It's the teamwork class."
Hinata blurted out.
She knew the daily curriculum like the back of her hand.
She was a total good girl.
She looked at Naruto out of the corner of her eye.
Learning that he used a Shadow Clone for class actually made her feel better.
Because she was the only one who knew this secret.
At the same time, it proved that the distance between them recently wasn't real.
"If... if Naruto-kun doesn't want to attend class, I will keep this secret for you."
Hinata couldn't help but speak up.
After saying it, her little heart started thumping wildly.
Naruto was stunned; it seemed the little loli wasn't angry.
But why is your face red again?
"Okay, thank you."
He didn't refuse Hinata's kindness.
Returning to his seat, Iruka soon entered the classroom.
The so-called teamwork was naturally the classic three-man Ninja squad.
For Ninjas, especially Chunin and Genin, learning teamwork can reduce unnecessary casualties.
The truly strong don't need it at all.
For example, the Akatsuki Organization never fights as a group.
What are teammates?
Nuisances.
While Naruto was in class, the Shadow Cloneunder the tree called out to Kakashi but got no response.
As expected, their eyes were all on the main body.
So he quickly formed seals and used a Transformation Jutsu to slip out of the school.
Considering Hiruzen Sarutobi's Telescope Technique, Naruto bypassed the two gatekeepers of Konoha and came to a quiet little forest.
First, he recalled the content of the Eight Extremes Fist in his mind, and after becoming familiar with it, he began to practice the forms.
The movements were powerful and rhythmic, repeating over and over.
Until nightfall, he disappeared because his Chakrawas exhausted.
Naruto's main body immediately received his feedback.
His proficiency in Eight Extremes Fist increased by a few more points.
After saying goodbye to Hinata, he returned to the Treehouse and sank his mind into the Sealing Space.
"Dinner's ready! Big Fox!"
Naruto shouted the dinner magic words and threw today's portion of dog food to it.
The Nine-Tailed, lying on its side, opened and closed its huge mouth, smacking its lips, and asked, "When can I have more?"
"Soon, soon."
Naruto stared at the Big Fox's orange fur.
It reminded him of an orange cat.
I wonder how it feels to the touch?
"Brat, what are you thinking?"
The Nine-Tailed sensed a surge of malice, and its expression became ferocious.
"Nothing."
Naruto smiled and said, "Big Fox, since there's nothing to do anyway, let's play fight the landlord."
"What is fight the landlord?"
The Nine-Tailed had no idea about human entertainment.
After all, the latter half of its life had been spent entirely in a dark room.
After Naruto explained the rules of fight the landlord to it, he used some Talk-no-Jutsu.
The Nine-Tailed roared as it joined the fray.
It used its Chakra to condense playing cards.
After a moment, various sounds rang out.
"Claim the Landlord!"
"Pass!"
"Re-claim!"
"Double!"
"Super Double!"
"Seventeen cards, can you insta-kill me?!"
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