The Next Morning
Naruto woke up with a bright expression. His body felt light, and his muscles were well-rested.
He walked over to the sink, splashed water on his face, and checked the time.
"Five o'clock, huh? Perfect time for a run," he muttered.
Naruto didn't bother changing his clothes. He was going to sweat anyway, so changing now would be pointless.
After getting ready for a bit, he stepped outside.
Outside, Naruto was greeted by the peaceful morning atmosphere. The cool air gave his body an extra boost of energy.
The streets were still empty, but that was normal. People usually woke up around seven, and the academy started at eight.
After some light stretching, Naruto began to run. He followed no specific route. His goal was simple: to train his stamina by running.
However, after a few kilometers, his pace slowed, and he eventually collapsed near the riverside.
"Hahhh," Naruto sighed, his breathing ragged. He decided to sit and rest on the grass.
"This is rough... but not bad, at least compared to that weak body that couldn't do anything," he thought.
At the very least, his body had inherited the Uzumaki clan's trait of fast recovery.
Naruto enjoyed the morning sky, watching the clouds drift slowly, the sun beginning to rise, and the calming sound of the river's flow.
But just as he was lost in the view, he suddenly felt something cold touch his shoulder.
Startled, he jumped forward and spun around to see who had touched him.
"Hey, young man. Drink this..."
A man with a strange appearance—tight green clothes and a jonin vest—offered him a drink. That was Naruto's first impression of the man.
Naruto took the drink, looked at the label, and realized it was an isotonic drink. He took a few sips.
"Thanks," said Naruto, glancing again at the man's appearance.
Guy noticed, but he didn't mind.
"Hahaha, sorry about that. I must've surprised you, suddenly giving you a drink."
Naruto gave a slight nod. He already had an idea of what he wanted to say next.
"Actually, from over there—" Guy pointed toward a spot in the distance, "I saw you running. Your running was terrible, young man. But watching your determination to keep going despite your exhaustion got my blood boiling! So I decided to follow you. You probably didn't notice, but I was running behind you the whole time, hahaha!" said Guy with his signature laugh.
"Ahaha, I see..." Naruto felt awkward, scratching his head repeatedly.
But he quickly searched for a topic. He had a goal: to ask Guy to train him. In Naruto's opinion, no one in Konoha could match Guy's physical strength.
"Umm... excuse me... are you Guy-san?" Naruto asked.
Guy paused for a moment, then smiled and gave a thumbs up.
"Yes, that's right, young man. What's the matter? Do you need something?"
Naruto replied, "I heard you're a ninja with incredible physical strength and stamina, so..."
Before Naruto could finish, Guy cut him off.
"Wooh! This is wonderful news! My blood is pumping! I feel like doing a thousand push-ups right here!"
"Wait, Uncle! I have a request for you!" Naruto quickly said before Guy really started doing push-ups.
"A request? Go ahead, young man," said Guy seriously.
Naruto took a deep breath.
"I'm a student at the ninja academy. But my body is really weak and I want to get stronger. So... could you train me? Help me become stronger?"
Guy nodded.
"Young man, you've made the right decision asking for my help!" He patted Naruto's shoulder several times. "Tomorrow, meet me here at five o'clock. Not a minute more, not a minute less. Discipline is essential for training!"
Naruto blinked. "That easy?" he thought.
"Alright, Guy-san."
"Okay! Then I'll be going now. It's time to climb a cliff!" Guy said, then ran off into the distance until he vanished from Naruto's sight.
"Alright, time to head back. I need to eat and then go to the academy."
At the Academy
"Ino, is it true you're dating Naruto?" asked Sakura, who sat beside her.
Ino was about to deny it, but stopped herself. It was pointless—Sakura wouldn't believe her anyway.
"Buzz off. Mind your own business," Ino replied coldly.
"So you're denying it? Maybe it's true then..." Sakura teased.
Ino didn't respond. She simply lowered her head to the desk, closed her eyes, and tried to ignore Sakura's chatter.
She was completely exhausted. Last night's training had drained her mentally.
Sakura scoffed coldly at the lack of response. Not long after, Sasuke entered the classroom, and Sakura immediately greeted him.
"Sasuke-kun! Good morning! Did you sleep well last night? Oh, have you eaten? If not, take this lunch I—"
Sasuke was about to interrupt, but a voice came from behind.
"Heh, you're so noisy, Sakura."
Sasuke turned. It was Naruto.
"What do you want with me? Go away! Stop bothering me!" Sakura snapped when she saw it was Naruto.
"Of course I have something to say. You're so noisy, you know? You're ruining my peaceful morning," Naruto replied, clearly annoyed.
Deep down, Sasuke agreed. "He's right... you are noisy," he thought.
"So what? Like I care? Whatever, just stop bothering me. Go sit in your seat!" Sakura shouted.
"Bothering? Sakura... you're the one being a nuisance. You're disturbing everyone's peace, even Sasuke. You know? Sasuke will never like you. On the contrary, he probably hates you for always getting in his way and wasting his precious time..."
Naruto's words cut through the air. The girls behind Sakura were shocked by his boldness. The entire class went silent.
Naruto, you really understand me..., Sasuke's eyes were sharp, but deep down, he smiled.
"Naruto-kun... are you alright?" Hinata whispered quietly.
"What is he up to now... such a pain," said Shikamaru, who had just woken up from the commotion.
Naruto walked past Sakura indifferently. Honestly, he didn't want to act like this. But he was exhausted, and seeing the girl he liked fawning over someone else made his chest feel tight.
"Huhh... damn it," he muttered, then sat beside Ino, who was asleep.
Seeing her resting, Naruto laid his head down too. At the very least, he could get a bit of rest.
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Someone commented that Naruto wasn't that weak. But honestly, have you ever thought about it? Naruto, who was always losing, failing at everything, and growing up without proper nutrition—how could he possibly have a strong body? Based on that alone, it's clear that Naruto should've had a weak physique. If it weren't for Kurama or some special physical traits, I believe he could've easily died at the hands of the villagers.
Also, Naruto's feelings toward others remain the same. What makes him a bit different now is simply the fact that he knows everything. Remember, they are one and the same.
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