*Chapter 48: Mizuki's Threat!*

Kiba Inuzuka grudgingly found a new seat, settling down just as Iruka-sensei entered the classroom.

The room instantly quieted.

All the girls, including Sakura and Ino, felt a collective sense of relief. As long as Sasuke wasn’t sitting next to Hinata, they had nothing to worry about. At first, they'd feared Sasuke had chosen that spot intentionally, and it had rattled them.

With the graduation exam approaching, Iruka kept his lecture brief, allowing the students to use the time for self-study and review.

Sasuke wasted no time pulling out his textbook.

Not to review—*to learn.*

For most of the other students, the material in these books was old news. But for Sasuke, much of it was fresh and unfamiliar. Thankfully, subjects like math and physics, comparable to junior high school level, were easy for someone with his prior education.

He immersed himself in the material, reading intently.

“Sasuke, I’ve got a question about the Shadow Clone Jutsu...” Naruto leaned over and whispered conspiratorially.

“Ask Hinata,” Sasuke replied without even looking up, his eyes still glued to his book.

Naruto froze, stunned. Sasuke was clearly engrossed and not in the mood to chat.

Reluctantly, Naruto stole a glance at Hinata, who sat quietly beside him. She didn’t look like she could help him with the Shadow Clone Jutsu either.

Nope, no way this is going to work, Naruto thought, resigned. With no other option, he pulled out his textbook. The pages might as well have been covered in hieroglyphics—he recognized every character, but their meanings escaped him entirely.

After a few minutes of futile effort, he felt his head spinning.

“Na...Naruto-kun...”

A soft, barely audible voice pulled Naruto from his stupor.

“Huh?” He turned toward Hinata, his expression full of curiosity. “What did you say?”

“I...I...I...”

Hinata froze. Her face turned crimson, her mind blank. She couldn’t remember what she’d been trying to say.

“Hinata, your face is all red! Are you sick?” Naruto leaned in, reaching a hand toward her forehead.

“N-no! I’m fine!” Hinata panicked, dodging his hand. The moment she did, regret flooded her. She berated herself inwardly for her awkwardness, but the embarrassment was overwhelming.

“Well, as long as you’re not sick,” Naruto said, withdrawing his hand. He still thought Hinata was acting a bit strange but didn’t dwell on it.

“Naruto, how are you preparing for the graduation exam?” Hinata asked softly, her head lowered, her fingers fidgeting nervously.

“Me? I’m going to be Hokage! How can some little graduation exam stop me?” Naruto grinned, his voice brimming with confidence.

“You’ll definitely succeed,” Hinata replied with a shy giggle, her heart racing.

“Not just succeed! I’m going to surpass all the previous Hokage and become the strongest Hokage ever!” Naruto declared, his excitement spilling over.

As Naruto dove into his ambitions, Sasuke continued reading with laser focus. The dense material was taxing, and after a while, his mind felt foggy and fatigued, as if he’d been gaming for hours.

For the first time, Sasuke experienced the mental exhaustion that came from intense studying.

Ding ding!  

A soft chime echoed in his mind, signaling progress. Sasuke quickly opened his system panel and saw his *Spirit* attribute had increased by 1 point, rising from 3 to 4.

So that’s how it works!  

Sasuke realized that consuming mental energy—just like physical exertion—could lead to attribute gains. This included studying or using chakra, but not pointless activities like staying up late.

Excited, he immediately allocated 1 point to his Spirit attribute. A cool, refreshing sensation swept over him, clearing away all his fatigue.

This feels incredible!  

Studying hard had never been so rewarding. With a reinvigorated mind, Sasuke returned to his textbook with renewed enthusiasm.

---

The creak of the classroom door broke the peaceful atmosphere.

Everyone turned as a ninja in uniform stepped in.

“Mizuki, what brings you here?” Iruka asked, rising from his podium.

“I need to speak with Uchiha Sasuke,” Mizuki said, flashing a polite smile.

Iruka nodded and glanced toward the back of the room. “Sasuke, step outside for a moment.”

“Yes, Sensei.”

Sasuke stood and walked calmly to the door, his expression unreadable. He wasn’t sure what Mizuki wanted, but he felt no anxiety.

Mizuki, his light blue hair catching the light, waited by the door. He gestured for Sasuke to follow him down the corridor.

When they reached the far end, Mizuki stopped, turning to face him.

“Mizuki-sensei, what’s this about?” Sasuke asked, his voice cool and composed.

Mizuki’s smile faded, his tone growing serious. “Yesterday, you told Iruka that the forbidden jutsu Naruto learned was given to him by the Third Hokage. Is that true?”

Ah, so it’s about the forbidden scroll, Sasuke thought. He stared at Mizuki silently, his expression indifferent.

+1

“Sasuke, I’m asking you a question!” Mizuki’s tone sharpened, irritated by Sasuke’s nonchalant attitude.

“Why don’t you ask the Third Hokage yourself?” Sasuke replied, a smirk playing at the corner of his mouth.

+2

Mizuki’s eyes narrowed. “Don’t play games with me, Sasuke. Do you think I wouldn’t dare? I’m giving you a chance to come clean now. If I report this to the Hokage, do you know what the consequences will be?”

(End of Chapter)