Chapter 39: This Uchiha Is Not Proud

Early morning, in front of the mirror.

"I seem to have gotten even more handsome. No wonder Ino didn't even look at Sasuke during the dinner gathering yesterday, but kept staring at me."

Naruto carefully inspected himself in the mirror: tall, with a sunny, handsome face and a pair of sharp, spirited eyes.

Especially these eyes.

They shimmered with a confident light, exceptionally charming. A single glance was enough to make anyone fall for them.

"Why am I so confident?" He asked himself, and immediately found the answer.

Well, when you're invincible, how could you not be confident? If someone gave you 500 billion, you’d be confident too.

After admiring himself for a moment longer, Naruto put on a bright smile and donned his forehead protector.

"Let's go!"

Upon arriving at the designated meeting place on the small bridge, Naruto was taken aback. It was understandable that Sakura and Sasuke had arrived, but why was Kakashi-sensei there too?

He checked the time. He hadn't been late.

Walking over to his friend Sasuke, Naruto stared at Kakashi and remarked, "The sun must be rising from the west today. Kakashi-sensei isn't just on time; he's even earlier than I am."

Kakashi's expression remained unchanged, as if he hadn't heard, but Sakura covered her mouth and giggled.

"I dragged Kakashi-sensei here," Sasuke replied.

"You?"

Naruto looked at Sasuke in surprise. Upon making eye contact, he immediately understood. Sasuke really was eager to make progress. Having tasted the immense benefits of their all-night training sessions over the past five days, Sasuke had become addicted to that feeling of growth and empowerment. He had become obsessed with these training bouts and wouldn't let any opportunity slip by.

Last night, the usually reserved and prideful Sasuke had even proposed a "cohabitation plan." After Naruto firmly rejected it, Sasuke had dragged Kakashi-sensei out early this morning.

He truly lived up to the reputation of the Sasuke who chose to defect in his previous life for the sake of power; in this life, for the sake of strength and revenge, his transformation was drastic. This Uchiha was not acting aloof at all.

What exactly was driving Sasuke to become like this? Was it the distortion of human nature? Or the corruption of morals? It couldn't possibly be the 114,514 beatings he took every night, could it?

"Sigh!"

Life isn't easy, Naruto sighed. It seemed he was destined to be a tool.

***

However.

"Do you really want to be beaten that badly?"

Sasuke didn't get angry at the remark. He knew there was a massive gap between him and Naruto, but he was also very confident in himself.

"It's just six years of extra training, isn't it? Naruto, give me three years, and I will definitely catch up to you!"

Naruto raised an eyebrow. Very good, full of spirit. In your previous life, even at thirty-two, you were still being thrashed by me. In this life, you'd better work harder. People, you see, don't realize they are just lazy couch potatoes until they try to struggle for something.

No, wait. Sasuke was different. He was a couch potato who was working hard and had a dream.

"Good luck!"

"Alright, that's enough chatting." Kakashi stepped in to interrupt them. "Today, per the request of Sasuke and Sakura, we will be taking on a C-rank mission if one is available."

Upon arriving at the mission hall, the Third Hokage hadn't said a word yet when Iruka-sensei strongly opposed Team 7's request for a C-rank mission.

"You idiots! You're just beginners who have barely started; how could you possibly want to take on a C-rank mission? Go home and reflect on yourselves!"

Iruka, who had just started his shift, scolded the three of them with a tone of concern. Hearing this, Naruto's eyes lit up instantly. His chance had arrived!

He chimed in: "Yeah, yeah, we're still just beginners. Isn't it better to just honestly do D-rank missions in the village? How could we dare to take on a C-rank mission!"

That's right! He, Naruto Uzumaki, loved the village so much! In this life, he only wanted to do simple D-rank missions during the day and travel around the ninja world at night. As for being a portable power bank or a tool? That was just too terrifying.

This attitude made Sakura unhappy. "Hey, Naruto..."

She tugged on his sleeve, her eyes conveying the message clearly: 'Have you forgotten the vote we took earlier?'

Naruto curled his lip helplessly. Next, Sasuke delivered the fatal blow.

"Hey, Naruto, don't you want to be Hokage? You can't become Hokage by only doing low-level missions."

Naruto suddenly realized. That's right. He had been so dizzy from being pushed around by Sasuke these past few days that he had almost forgotten about that. He, Naruto Uzumaki, still had to become Hokage.

"Old man Hokage, hurry and find us a C-rank mission! We've grown up; we're not the same as when we just graduated. We are fully capable of handling a C-rank mission."

Hearing this, Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at him with a smile. Naruto was still the same mischievous Naruto. However, he had indeed grown up.

***

Iruka felt gratified as well. It had been nearly half a month since Naruto graduated. Though the time was short, looking at the three of them now, they really seemed to have grown.

"In that case, I will have you protect someone." The Third Hokage issued the mission. "Look, the client has already arrived."

The three turned their heads and saw someone pushing the door open. The visitor was a middle-aged man with an honest appearance—slightly chubby, with a beer belly, wearing glasses, and sporting a face that looked like it was constantly being bullied.

"Are you the ones who are going to protect me? Why is it just a bunch of brats?"

As expected, the tone alone made one want to hit him. On the other side, Tazuna saw that the ones taking his mission were three kids and felt that the Hidden Leaf Village didn't take him seriously. He was facing assassination by the villain Gato; how could three kids possibly complete the mission?

But the Land of Waves was too poor, and they were too poor themselves to afford a more expensive B-rank mission, so this was the only way. Having ninjas was better than having none at all. Besides, the rumors about Gato wanting to kill him were just that—rumors. That guy was stingy to the core and might not necessarily spend money to hire ninjas just to kill him. For ordinary people, these kids should be fine.

"I am the famous bridge builder, Tazuna. During the time I return to my country to finish building the bridge, you must protect me with your lives!"

"The time it takes to build the bridge?"

Triggered by the keyword, Sasuke's eyes lit up. "It must take quite a long time, right?"

"It will take at least three more weeks to complete the bridge," Tazuna replied.

Three weeks!

"Perfect!" Sasuke whispered to himself. A whole three weeks—he had to seize this opportunity properly.

The scene shifted to the gate of the Hidden Leaf Village.

"Kakashi-sensei, this gate looks a bit different," Naruto said, touching the gate and asking curiously.

Taking a look, Kakashi explained, "This is the First Hokage's Wood Style gate. It is extremely sturdy."

"Oh? Is the First's Wood Style a special Bloodline Limit? How come I haven't seen anyone else use it? Also, is this Wood Style created by fusing Water and Earth chakra natures? Can't an individual fuse these two to awaken Wood Style?" Naruto asked sincerely.

"Wood Style is a unique Bloodline Limit. As for synthesizing it..."

Mentioning Wood Style, Kakashi thought of the Wood Style ninja he had known since he was young, who had a less-than-pleasant past. He skipped over that history and encouraged him: "Perhaps. Naruto, you have already mastered both Earth and Water natures. You could try fusing them; you never know, you might succeed."

He said it, but Kakashi never truly thought Naruto would succeed. Even if Naruto was a genius, things like Bloodline Limits weren't that simple.

But.

Naruto's goal had been achieved. See, even Kakashi-sensei had said so. If he were to pull out Wood Style later on, it wouldn't be anything strange at all, would it?