Chapter 21. Hokage's Speech.
Bang! Bang!
Sounds of battle echoed across the training grounds as Naruto and Sasuke engaged in intense taijutsu combat. For the past few days, they had thrown themselves into this rigorous training, honing their bodies and focusing purely on building physical strength.
Naruto lunged forward, his fist aiming for Sasuke's side. Sasuke dodged and countered with a swift kick, which Naruto barely managed to block. They clashed again, their movements a blur of punches, kicks, and dodges.
Over these days, Naruto had lost five times to Sasuke's speed and technique, while Sasuke had lost twice, caught by Naruto's relentless stamina. Most of their fights ended in a tie — twenty times.
This evening was no different. Their fists collided in a final strike, both falling back onto the ground, panting heavily — one more tie.
"Another tie," Naruto muttered, lying on his back, breathless but satisfied.
Sasuke gave a short nod.
[ Ding! You have levelled up! ]
[Ding! Basic Taijutsu Levelled up! ]
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[ Ding! You have levelled up! ]
[Ding! Basic Taijutsu Levelled up! ]
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[ Name: Sasuke Uchiha
Title: Last Uchiha, Genius Uchiha
Level: 7→9
HP: 188
Chakra: 48/198 ]
[ Basic Taijutsu
Sasuke Uchiha
• Level: 4 → 7
• Experience: 1/700 ]
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[ Name: Naruto Uzumaki
Title: Konoha's Jinchuriki, Demon Fox, Prankster
Level: 6→8
HP: 400
Chakra: 201/4955 ]
[ Basic Taijutsu
Naruto Uzumaki
• Level: 1 → 6
• Experience: 1/600 ]
As the moonlight filled training ground, both Sasuke and Naruto smiled as the level-up notification finally flashed on their panels. Over the past few days, they had come to understand that leveling up was challenging when fighting opponents of the same level.
To level up more quickly, they would need to fight someone stronger than themselves. They had even tried battling with shadow clones to gain more experience, but despite pitting hundreds of Naruto clones against hundreds of Sasuke clones, the system still counted it as a single fight, limiting the amount of experience they gained.
Naruto and Sasuke also found out that their taijutsu training could only be effectively done by their main bodies, as the system indicated that clones couldn't earn experience in taijutsu. Since taijutsu was meant to improve physical strength, clones were unable to transfer these gains to the main body.
They could only provide knowledge of the training, but that alone couldn't increase physical power. This revelation meant that all taijutsu practice had to come from real effort and physical strain from their main bodies.
And in the midst of all this training, Sasuke had noticed something peculiar. No matter how tired he felt after their intense taijutsu battles, his body seemed to recover very quickly after he fell asleep.
Thinking back, he recalled Naruto's unique chakra, Ashura's chakra, and his own, which is Indra's chakra. Sasuke realized that the fast recovery could be due to Naruto's chakra mixing with his, enhancing his stamina and healing capacity.
To test this, a day ago, Sasuke avoided taking any of Naruto's chakra to see if he could still recover quickly on his own. However, he found that without Naruto's chakra, his healing rate returned to normal. This confirmed his suspicion—only with Naruto's chakra did he experience this rapid recovery.
Curious about any possible benefits he might be able to share with Naruto, Sasuke had tried passing some of his chakra to him, hoping it might have an effect. But after a few days of testing, he admitted to himself that it was too early to see any real results.
Reflecting on Madara Uchiha, Sasuke recalled how it had taken Madara decades to unlock the Rinnegan associated with Indra and Ashura's combined chakra. Realizing this, he chuckled at his own impatience, understanding that true power often took time to cultivate.
Sasuke felt that his Sharingan would evolve quickly with the help of Naruto's chakra, though awakening the Rinnegan might take quite a long time.
His mind wandered, and he was lost in thought, considering the changes that were happening inside him. As he mulled over these thoughts, a soft snoring sound reached his ears.
Sasuke turned and saw Naruto, sprawled out and fast asleep, his face relaxed in a way that was rare when he was awake. Sasuke couldn't help but let out a quiet laugh. "Idiot," he muttered, shaking his head before settling down himself.
His body ached from the intense training, but his mind was at ease. Without another thought, Sasuke drifted into sleep beside Naruto.
But as both of them slept soundly, their efforts did not go unnoticed.
Yamato, who had been assigned to keep an eye on the two, sighed quietly beneath his ANBU mask as he watched over them. His job wasn't easy watching over kyuubi, but he admired their relentless dedication to their training.
The ANBU had been watching Naruto and Sasuke's training closely. Both kids pushed each other to limit multiple times. Yamato decided to take action. He swiftly appeared beside Naruto, lifting the boy with ease. He then made his way to Naruto's house, placing the exhausted ninja carefully on his bed.
At the same time, Uzuki took care of Sasuke. She appeared beside the Uchiha, noting his fatigue, and carefully transported him to his home as well.
It wasn't the first time they'd taken Naruto and Sasuke back to their respective houses; just two days ago, both had been so exhausted from training that they had knocked each other out, and the ANBU had stepped in to make sure they rested properly.
The ANBU guards assigned to Naruto and Sasuke had become more impressed by their training. To ensure they didn't catch a cold or worse from overexertion, the ANBU had started taking them home after each session.
As the quiet night stretched on, the two boys lay in their beds, each exhausted but dreaming of the progress they'd make the next day. For now, though, they would rest—thanks to the unseen hands of the ANBU who had been looking out for them.
Seeing that they would be taken to their houses, Naruto and Sasuke started to fall asleep daily right on the training ground itself.
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The sun began to rise the next morning, painting the sky with hues of golden and red, signaling the start of a new day. It was 7 AM, but despite the early hour, the students of the academy were already gathered, standing at attention. Iruka-sensei had instructed them to arrive early—today marked the beginning of the elite shinobi class.
The students, still groggy from their early wake-up call, stood in formation on the training ground, their faces filled with a mix of anticipation and nerves. Around them stood the Third Hokage, along with many of the village's most experienced Jonin. The air was thick with the weight of what this moment meant.
The Third Hokage stepped forward, his usual calm demeanor giving way to the gravitas of the occasion. His voice, though soft, carried through the grounds, reaching each student with ease.
"Today marks the beginning of a new chapter for each of you," the Hokage began, his eyes scanning the young faces before him. "You are the future of Konohagakure, the ones who will protect this village and ensure its continued strength and prosperity. And it is because of that—because of your potential—that you have been selected for this elite class."
The Hokage paused, letting his words sink in before continuing. "You are among the best of the best. I have seen each of you grow in strength, in character, and in resolve. You will now be guided by the greatest shinobi this village has to offer, and I expect nothing less than your absolute best in the days to come. You will train harder than you've ever trained before. You will face challenges that test not just your skills, but your very will to succeed."
Naruto, who had been struggling to stay awake through the speech, let out a small yawn and rubbed his eyes. Sasuke, standing beside him, did the same, fighting the overwhelming urge to fall asleep right then and there. Their bodies were still drained from the previous day's efforts.
The Hokage continued, seemingly unaware of the two's battle against sleep. "Just as our village has been led by powerful Hokages, each of you will have the opportunity to rise to those ranks. Whether you become the next Hokage, or stand alongside them as a protector of this village, your path starts now. You will train, you will grow, and you will become the great shinobi Konoha will depend on."
Naruto could barely keep his eyes open, and Sasuke's posture seemed to slacken. Both were barely holding it together as the Hokage's voice echoed on.
"But do not worry," the Hokage said with a slight smile, his tone softening, "You will not be alone in your journey. Elite Jonin will personally train you, guiding you every step of the way, ensuring that you all reach your full potential."
At the mention of elite Jonin, Naruto and Sasuke's ears perked up slightly, but the exhaustion from their grueling training was too much. Their heads drooped, and they both looked like they might topple over any second, but the Hokage's speech continued, though they barely registered it.
"You are not just students anymore. You are the future of Konoha. I expect you to make the village proud."
Naruto and Sasuke exchanged a quick, sleepy glance, barely acknowledging each other as they tried to keep themselves awake. They had both been so focused on their training that this speech, while important, was beginning to feel like a distant hum in the background.
As the Hokage finished his speech, the Jonin trainers stepped forward, ready to begin the day's first session. They were tasked with ensuring these young, talented shinobi could harness their abilities and become true forces to be reckoned with.
End of the chapter. _____________________________________________________________
Power stones, please