Chapter 109

Although Kitazawa wanted to help Yakushi Nono—the kind-hearted kunoichi—he knew his limits. With his current ability, there was no way he could do it alone. Tsunade, on the other hand, could... but that hinged on whether he could find the right moment to bring it up. Nono’s value wasn’t small. If Tsunade could save her, she’d gain a loyal and skilled ally once she became Hokage. Of course, that was the tricky part—Tsunade was still highly averse to the idea of becoming Hokage. Still, Kitazawa hoped she would accept it. If she did, he’d have a powerful backer. That would make his life in Konoha Village much safer. Hiruzen Sarutobi had treated him well—but his ties to Danzo ran deeper. If Danzo ever wanted him dead, it would likely be swept under the rug. "Tsunade is the better choice." Kitazawa didn’t return to the Ninja Academy. He already knew the results from Second Year Class A, and as for First Year, he’d find out as soon as he released his Shadow Clone. "I’m back." He opened the door and stepped inside. "There’s lemonade in the fridge." Kurenai turned from the TV to glance at him, her tone casual. "Lady Tsunade and Shizune-senpai aren’t back yet?" Kitazawa asked, grabbing the lemonade and taking a refreshing sip. "Nope." Kurenai was lounging on the sofa, eyes fixed on the screen. "Why are you imitating Lady Tsunade now?" Kitazawa asked, eyeing her feet propped up on the table. "Aren’t you cold?" "It’s summer," Kurenai replied nonchalantly. "How would it be cold?" But a second later, she flinched. Kitazawa had walked over and gently grabbed her feet—his hands chilled from the fridge. "What are you doing!?" Kurenai squealed, yanking her legs back and kicking at him instinctively. "Cooling you down," Kitazawa replied, straight-faced. "Let go!" Her feet were cradled in his cold hands. The initial shock quickly gave way to warmth as her body adjusted. It was summer, after all. Kitazawa smirked, fingers lightly tickling the soles of her feet. Kurenai’s body jolted. Her insteps arched, toes curling instinctively. She glared at him with fury, yanked her legs back, and curled up on the couch like a wary cat. "I saw it." Kitazawa couldn’t help teasing. There’d been a flash of white—he wasn’t even sure what he saw, but it was enough to make her flustered. "You’re not allowed to look!" Kurenai’s face turned crimson as she tugged down her skirt to cover her exposed thighs. "I was joking," Kitazawa said solemnly. "Didn’t see a thing." "Really?" Her ruby eyes locked onto his, suspicious yet hopeful. "Really," he nodded, deadpan. Kurenai exhaled in relief. Kitazawa casually sat down beside her, then formed a hand seal and released the Shadow Clone Technique. The clone’s memories rushed back. He smiled. First Year Class A’s results were in—Shikamaru had taken the top spot. Pressure truly was a great motivator—especially for someone as lazy as Shikamaru. Of course, that only worked if the person in question had genius-level intelligence. Shikamaru wasn’t inattentive in class because he didn’t care—he simply understood the entire textbook already. The rankings were more or less unchanged since the previous exam: Sakura was in second, Sasuke in third, and Hinata in fourth. As for Naruto... still in twelfth place, trailing just behind Kiba. But judging by actual combat potential, Naruto would likely surpass him soon. "Kitazawa," Kurenai suddenly asked, "what color did you actually see?" "White," he answered instinctively—then froze. "Wait! Let me explain—" Too late. "Pervert! Go to hell!" Kurenai sprang at him. Kitazawa stumbled backward, but she landed right on top of him, knocking them both onto the sofa. Their eyes met. Kurenai froze as she realized the compromising position. Her cheeks turned crimson, heart racing uncontrollably. Just then, the front door opened. Kurenai scrambled upright and sat stiffly, fixing her skirt and tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "Did I come at a bad time?" Tsunade strolled in, eyeing the room with a raised brow. "Not at all," Kitazawa replied smoothly. "I just got back too." "Good. Let’s get started on that new Ninjutsu." Tsunade plopped down on the sofa and stretched. "Where did we leave off yesterday?" The new Ninjutsu was proving tricky—it was meant to mimic Yakumo’s Genjutsu kekkei genkai, but they hadn’t cracked it yet. Kitazawa didn’t join the discussion. He quietly went upstairs. Genjutsu wasn’t his strong suit. Apart from Demonic Illusion: Tree Binding Death, he didn’t know much. The night passed quickly. After Tsunade and Shizune left the next morning, Kitazawa and Kurenai resumed their usual routine—escorting Yakumo home. "Kurenai," Kitazawa asked as they walked, slipping his hand into hers, "what are your plans for summer vacation?" "In the past, I’d take missions," she said, "but I don’t have to anymore." There was no longer a need. Helping develop Yakumo’s new ninjutsu paid well—and it was safe. Unless it was a direct order from Konoha’s higher-ups, she had no intention of going back into the field anytime soon. "Then... can you teach me Genjutsu?" Kurenai blinked in surprise. "Can you handle that?" She knew Kitazawa had some talent—he had used Tree Binding Death before—but learning both Medical Ninjutsu and Genjutsu at once? Just imagining that schedule made her scalp tingle. "I’ll learn what I can," Kitazawa said with a shrug. "It’s not like I have other plans this summer." Kurenai stared at him for a beat, then nodded. "Alright. I’ll teach you." — The next day arrived. At the school gate, Kitazawa met Iruka. "Kitazawa-senpai," Iruka greeted with a warm smile. "I’m curious to see how our students do in their first real practical exam." After all, the previous sessions had only been Taijutsu drills—not actual combat. "They won’t let us down," Kitazawa said confidently. "Or have you already forgotten that friendly match?" "Right..." Iruka nodded, a touch of awe in his tone. "To be honest, I feel like Yakumo and Sasuke have already surpassed me." He was a Chunin—an average one at that, with no Kekkei Genkai or special bloodline. "Geniuses tend to make us question our life choices," Kitazawa agreed, half-joking. "You’re too modest, Kitazawa-senpai. You’re a Special Jonin now," Iruka reminded, recalling how Kitazawa had taken down three Chunins singlehandedly—including Mizuki. Kitazawa chuckled. "And you’re here early today." Iruka scratched his head sheepishly. "Tsubaki reminded me." Just as Kitazawa opened his mouth to reply, his gaze sharpened. Naruto was heading their way—but it wasn’t Naruto who caught Kitazawa’s attention. It was the person beside him: Hiruzen Sarutobi. Kitazawa’s brow twitched. This wasn’t a good sign. He remembered the condition: to complete his mission, he’d have to fight the student ranked first in the practical exam. And now the Hokage himself was present to witness it. Then again... even if Hiruzen hadn’t shown up in person, he’d just watch everything through that cursed crystal ball anyway. Either way, there was no escaping it. "Is that... the Hokage?" Iruka asked, noticing Kitazawa’s stiff expression. "Let’s go greet him," Kitazawa said with a nod. "Kitazawa-sensei!" Naruto called out with a wide grin, jumping and waving. "Hokage-sama," both Kitazawa and Iruka said respectfully as they approached. "No need for formalities," Hiruzen replied with a gentle smile. "I had some time today and thought I’d stop by." ’Yeah, right.’ Kitazawa almost rolled his eyes. ’You’ve got nothing better to do than stalk Naruto again? Old fox.’ "The students will be thrilled to see you," Kitazawa said diplomatically. "I’m sure they’ll try their best with you watching." "Their performance is thanks to your teaching, not my presence," Hiruzen said sincerely. "You’ve done well." "Thank you, Hokage-sama!" Iruka replied, standing at attention with a flush of pride. Kitazawa, meanwhile, took it in stride. He was already used to praise from the Hokage. A few minutes later, the students of First Year Class A began arriving at the Training Grounds. "Whoa! It’s the Hokage!" "Hokage-sama!" The children swarmed around Hiruzen like excited puppies. "Good morning, everyone." Hiruzen patted heads and shoulders, smiling warmly. "Hokage-sama really is down-to-earth," Iruka said with admiration. Kitazawa gave a quiet nod. Among the Hokage, Hiruzen’s public persona was impeccable. He carefully cultivated his image, always aligning himself with the Will of Fire. At precisely 9 a.m., the final practical exam of the semester officially began. "There are only two rules for this exam," Kitazawa addressed the class. "First, it’s sparring only—do not injure your opponent. Second, you’ll be paired by random draw." Most students were only six or seven years old. A full tournament would drain their chakra reserves quickly, and besides, this was an exam, not a competition. The goal was performance, not victory. Kitazawa and Iruka would score each student over three rounds. Only those who met the threshold would advance. Hiruzen, arms crossed and beard-stroking, watched quietly from the side. He was looking forward to seeing how much the students had grown. He still remembered the stellar performance of Naruto, Sasuke, Hinata, and Yakumo during the friendly match with Second Year Class A. ’It’s a shame Yakumo isn’t here today,’ he thought. ’But no matter—my real interest lies in Naruto and the clan heirs. They’re the future of Konoha.’ "One by one, come forward to draw your numbers," Kitazawa announced, unsealing a summoning scroll and producing a lottery box. "I’m number one!" Naruto declared, holding his slip high. "Who’s my opponent?" Kiba stared at his paper in disbelief, turned it over—twice—just in case it had magically changed. It hadn’t. "Me," he groaned. Naruto lit up. "Kiba! I’ve been itching to fight you!" "Kiba, give it your best!" Shikamaru chuckled. "Show him the fire you usually have when you’re arguing with him!" Ino added playfully. "Whoever drew number one, step forward!" Kitazawa cut in, signaling the start of the match. Kiba and Naruto stepped onto the field. "Don’t think I’ll go down easily!" Kiba said with determination. "I’ll give it everything I’ve got!" Naruto flashed a thumbs-up. "That’s how youth should be lived!" ’Geez, take it easy,’ Kiba thought, gritting his teeth. "Four Legs Technique!" Without hesitation, Kiba dropped into the Inuzuka clan’s combat stance. Chakra flared from his limbs as he launched forward like a beast. He pounced with claws out, slicing through the air with a sharp whistle. "Leaf Whirlwind!" Naruto countered with a fluid kick. Compared to Kitazawa, Kiba’s speed felt sluggish to Naruto. He’d been training under Might Gai, and it showed. WHAM! Kiba was kicked hard, tumbling back across the ground. He managed to scratch Naruto’s pant leg—but it hadn’t pierced his chakra defense. Kiba staggered to his feet—only for Naruto to vanish in a blur of green. ’He’s fast!’ "Leaf Great Whirlwind!" Kiba saw a flash of light—and then felt the earth spinning beneath him as he was sent flying. From the sidelines, Sasuke’s eyes narrowed. ’When did Naruto get this fast?’ He was easily twice as fast as he’d been during the match with Second Year Class A. ’Must be Gai-sensei’s insane training,’ Sasuke concluded, annoyed. "Well done," Hiruzen muttered with a pleased nod. Kiba’s Four Legs Technique was designed for enhanced speed and power, but even that couldn’t keep up with Naruto. ’Could this boy really be the second coming of the Yellow Flash?’ Hiruzen mused.’ "This is a tough score to assign..." Iruka said, rubbing his head before finally settling on a 90. Under normal circumstances, Naruto’s performance would be worthy of full marks. His speed alone rivaled that of a Chunin. But in a class filled with prodigies? Things were a bit more complicated. Besides, there were still two more rounds to go. Back in line, Kiba was immediately mobbed by supportive classmates. "Kiba, you were great!" "Don’t feel bad! Losing to Naruto is nothing to be ashamed of.’ "Seriously, you were just unlucky!" Kiba twitched. ’So I’m just supposed to lose, huh?’ ------------------ AN: Check out my P@treon For +40 extra Chapters. Thank You For your Support!! [email protected]/noviceauthor777