Natsuro stared blankly at the test papers in front of him. What on earth had he done in his past life to deserve this? Why was he being punished so severely?
Despite explaining things repeatedly and trying his best to make them clear, the test papers were filled with incorrect answers, revealing Naruto's lack of understanding.
In his previous life, he had never had the opportunity to experience the frustration of tutoring a child. He didn't expect that he'd face it so soon with Naruto.
After grading Naruto's test papers, Natsuro looked utterly defeated. His mouth curled into a faint grimace.
He knew Naruto's theoretical knowledge was poor from the original story, but he hadn't anticipated it would be this bad.
He sighed deeply. To be Naruto's teacher for six years and to help him become a ninja, Iruka must be truly remarkable.
So, Naruto's later learning was largely due to Shadow Clones. Although that was a form of talent, it wouldn't work in their current situation.
Firstly, the Third Hokage was certainly watching Naruto closely, so he couldn't just give Naruto the Shadow Clone Jutsu. Secondly, even if he disregarded the Third Hokage's watch and gave Naruto the technique, Naruto might not be able to use it effectively yet.
Naruto had sufficient chakra, but the problem was the Nine-Tails causing chaos within him, making chakra control difficult.
Teaching Naruto ninjutsu in his current state would be almost futile. Even if it was the Shadow Clone Jutsu or Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu, Naruto might not be able to learn it.
He thought it was quite extraordinary if Naruto could learn the Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu now. It only confirmed that he was indeed an unpredictable ninja.
Seeing Natsuro's state, Naruto awkwardly scratched his head, feeling like he had disappointed him.
Natsuro put down the test papers, deciding not to continue with theoretical lessons. Since Naruto seemed better suited for physical training, the current teaching method was ineffective. But that didn't mean there weren't other ways to help.
"Naruto, where do you usually train?" he asked.
"Train? Well, anywhere outside should be fine." Naruto scratched his head, realizing he didn't have a specific training location.
"Alright, then come with me." Natsuro decided that this secluded area was actually suitable for training.
"Okay," Naruto nodded and followed him.
In a slightly cleared area of the forest, Natsuro and Naruto stood facing each other.
"Natsuro, are you really going to do this?" Naruto asked, reluctant to attack him, still seeking confirmation.
"Naruto, don't you want to become Hokage? To become Hokage, you need to be a ninja, and being a ninja isn't easy. Every ninja has to undergo rigorous training," Natsuro said, looking intently at Naruto. Although he hadn't fully recovered, he was more than capable of dealing with Naruto in his current state.
"But…"
"There are no buts. If you can't even get through this test, how can you hope to become Hokage? Don't you want to be recognized by others? Then you need to show your strength. Don't worry about me getting hurt. Haven't you forgotten that I was also the top in physical tests at school?" Natsuro's gaze turned cold as he continued, "If you can't even handle this, then maybe you should give up on being a ninja. I don't want to be friends with someone who can't even be a ninja."
Naruto froze at his words. Despite not understanding many things, he understood this one clearly: if he didn't fight, he would lose his only friend.
He didn't want to return to his lonely past, where he used to cry alone at night. He had cried enough and was fed up with that life.
He wasn't going back to his old life!
"No way, absolutely not!" Naruto gritted his teeth, his blue eyes filled with determination. The next moment, he charged at Natsuro.
"Huh?" Natsuro observed Naruto's actions. Although his movements were uncoordinated, his speed was commendable.
Testing Naruto's current physical condition, He decided to remain on the defensive, avoiding active attacks.
Naruto, motivated by the thought of losing Natsuro as a friend, attacked with everything he had. Although his strikes were unrefined, his persistence and strength were not to be underestimated. Natsuro was somewhat surprised by Naruto's speed, endurance, and power, which were higher than he had expected, and far superior to his performance in school tests.
Was it because of his recent words that Naruto was performing so well? he thought, even though the Nine-Tails' chakra was only slightly leaking through the seal, Naruto was still able to exert a greater force.
Natsuro smacked his lips, feeling a bit envious.
Since Naruto had unleashed more strength than usual, Natsuro decided to stop holding back. Although Naruto's performance exceeded expectations, he was still at a child's level compared to someone like Lee in terms of technique, power, and speed.
Eventually, as Naruto grew tired and Natsuro began his counterattack, targeting every part of Naruto's body except for the crucial areas.
He controlled his strength, making sure not to injure Naruto severely. If he had been fully merciless, he could have beaten Naruto to death.
Despite the controlled force, Naruto was in immense pain, feeling as if he wanted to cry. Yet, he did not fall down because he didn't want to lose his only friend.
Becoming Hokage was important, but Naruto's main goal was to gain recognition and friendship. Losing his first friend would undermine all his efforts.
Therefore, he had to persevere. The pain he felt in his body was nothing compared to the loneliness and scorn he had experienced before.
Natsuro, watching Naruto, was unsure. Naruto's body should have reached its limit, but why hadn't he fallen yet?
As he looked on in astonishment, Naruto moved slowly toward him, lifting his hand with minimal strength and lightly tapping him.
There was no force behind it, nor any harm, just as he had anticipated. So he didn't dodge, allowing Naruto's weak punch to land. Naruto had reached his limit, and what allowed him to persist until now…
Natsuro's eyes flickered. He sighed and looked at the fallen Naruto. "That's enough, Naruto."
"Are we still friends?" Naruto panted, gazing up at him.
"Of course," Natsuro nodded, smiling. "I was just trying to push you a bit. In reality, you're better than I imagined, Naruto."
"Well, of course! I… I'm going to be Hokage!" Before he could finish, Naruto collapsed forward.
As he fell, a smile remained on his lips. He had managed to hold on to his friend.
Natsuro caught Naruto as he fell and smiled. He admired Naruto's willpower. Although he hadn't planned to go easy, Naruto's recovery ability made it less necessary to hold back. The fact that Naruto had endured so long was beyond his expectations.
So, Naruto ended up in this state, with hardly a sound part left on him, but without any fatal injuries. He had done it on purpose.
This way, the Nine-Tails' chakra would activate passively, and with the repeated healing, Naruto's body would be strengthened. Similar to Natsuro's Lightning Release massage, but more gentle. He just needed to endure a thorough beating, which he found quite enviable.
With this approach, Naruto might become stronger than in the original story. Perhaps he would even avoid needing the Six Paths Sage's power.
He looked at the unconscious Naruto, stroking his chin. It seemed like a good approach to try.