By the time noon arrived, Shouta Kazuki, who had been dozing off at his desk, slowly opened his eyes and stretched his stiff joints, feeling the soreness spreading through his body.
"Damn that old man Madara… He really didn't hold back!"
Shouta muttered under his breath, rubbing his sore shoulders. Despite the complaints, a small smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. His body was aching all over, but that was proof that he had grown stronger. In just a single day and a half, his overall physical abilities had seen a remarkable improvement. His reflexes were sharper, his stamina had increased, and most importantly—his chakra reserves had surged significantly.
It wasn't just an illusion—he had indeed become much stronger.
And it wasn't just in physical abilities. The biggest gain from today's training was undoubtedly the mastery of a proper ninjutsu. Within just half a day, he had managed to fully learn the Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique, a C-rank ninjutsu that Uchiha clan members prided themselves on.
More importantly, he wasn't just barely managing to use it—he had completely mastered it to a proficient level! With his current chakra reserves, he estimated that he could launch at least three fully-powered fireballs before feeling any strain.
Of course, compared to Madara's version, his Fireball Jutsu was still like a candle flame next to a raging inferno. While Shouta's attack could at best be described as a "big fireball," Madara's was like a miniature sun crashing down upon the earth. The sheer power disparity was overwhelming.
When Madara demonstrated his version of the jutsu, Shouta had been left utterly dumbfounded. No matter how many times he had watched Naruto in his past life, seeing such overwhelming power with his own eyes was an entirely different experience.
Still, the fact that he had managed to learn the technique in such a short time was nothing short of incredible. Even Madara had been slightly surprised, considering Shouta didn't have a Sharingan to help him copy techniques.
"Half a day to fully master a C-rank ninjutsu without a Sharingan… Kid, your talent isn't bad at all," Madara had remarked, though his tone carried a hint of grudging acknowledgment.
However, Shouta knew that his talent alone wasn't the reason for his rapid growth.
It was Indra's chakra.
The moment he had summoned Madara's spirit, a fragment of Indra Otsutsuki's chakra had been integrated into his own body. This wasn't just an abstract boost—it was a direct, tangible enhancement, almost like copying and pasting raw power into himself.
"Hangbi Ninja really is the best name for Naruto…" Shouta chuckled bitterly to himself. "Or maybe Tailed Beast Trainer, or Legend of the Eyes? Honestly, the way this world works is totally broken."
Before he could continue his thoughts, a loud voice snapped him back to reality.
"Shouta! You slept way too long today! I woke up hours ago, and you're still snoozing!"
It was Naruto, his loud voice carrying across the classroom.
Shouta blinked and looked around. Most of the students had already taken out their lunchboxes, gathering in small groups to eat together.
Over the past few years, the bonds between his classmates had become much stronger than in the original story. The group that was once loosely connected had now formed a tight-knit circle, with Naruto right in the middle of it.
At first, their small group had consisted of just Shouta and Naruto. But over time, it had expanded.
First, Yamanaka Ino had joined, her affection for Shouta becoming increasingly obvious.
Then, Nara Shikamaru and Akimichi Choji had naturally become part of the group as well.
Later, Inuzuka Kiba and Aburame Shino were added to the mix.
Even Hyuga Hinata had eventually joined—though in her case, it was likely because of her growing feelings for Naruto.
Now, even Haruno Sakura had become a part of the group, due to her close friendship with Ino.
With just one exception, the entire Konoha 11 had already formed an early friendship.
The only one missing was Uchiha Sasuke.
As usual, Sasuke sat alone by the window, quietly eating from his lunchbox. Yet, every now and then, his gaze would drift toward their group, a flicker of envy passing through his eyes.
Shouta sighed.
This version of Sasuke was still just a child—arrogant, sure, but deep down, he craved connection.
"Alright, time to eat!"
Before he could dwell on it further, Naruto suddenly pulled him toward the table where the others had gathered.
"Secret burger! Naruto's secret burger! Secret burger! Naruto's secret burger!"
With an exaggerated chant, Naruto dramatically revealed what looked like a homemade hamburger.
Everyone in the group was already used to Naruto's antics. Over the years, they had picked up a lot of unusual phrases and behaviors from Shouta, turning their group into a rather eccentric bunch.
What started as strange habits had now become inside jokes shared among them.
Sitting nearby, Hinata stole a glance at Naruto, blushing slightly.
"Naruto-kun's songs are really fun… And it looks like he really likes hamburgers. I should learn how to make them someday…"
Unfortunately for her, Naruto's attention was elsewhere.
"Sakura! This is Naruto's special homemade burger! Try it!"
He enthusiastically offered the hamburger to Haruno Sakura, his eyes full of expectation.
Sakura, however, stared at the questionable-looking food with pure suspicion. It looked more like an experiment gone wrong than an actual meal.
BAM!
A loud thwack echoed through the classroom as Sakura delivered a powerful punch to Naruto's head.
"Who the hell would eat something that looks this weird?!"
Everyone watching couldn't help but chuckle.
Choji, on the other hand, ignored the commotion and dumped his entire bag of snacks onto the table.
"Alright, let's dig in!"
Ino then pulled out a small, elegant lunchbox and placed it in front of Shouta.
"Shouta… I made this for you. Try it and tell me what you think."
Shouta raised an eyebrow as he examined the bento.
It was clear that Ino had put a lot of effort into making it. Small, carefully arranged rice balls were neatly placed inside, accompanied by decorative side dishes.
Before responding, Shouta reached under his desk and retrieved a massive lunchbox.
The moment he placed it on the table, everyone's eyes lit up.
They all knew what this meant.
Shouta's mother had once been a top-tier chef before marrying into the Kazuki family, and the food she prepared was on an entirely different level compared to the average home-cooked meal.
Each day, she filled his lunchbox with delicious dishes inspired by the cuisine of his past life, many of which didn't even exist in the Naruto world.
For his classmates—who had grown up eating the same few dishes their entire lives—Shouta's lunchbox was practically legendary.
"Alright, alright, I get it," Shouta chuckled as he opened the lid.
The second he did, the rich aroma of perfectly cooked food filled the air, causing even Sasuke—who was still sitting by himself—to glance in their direction.
The battle for the lunchbox had begun.