11-15

*Chapter 11: The Next White Fang of Konoha*

The treasures of the three members of the protagonist team made Touji envious.

Both Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha had Kekkei Genkai, and they possessed incredibly powerful offensive ninjutsu.

Although Sakura Haruno didn't have strong attack ninjutsu, her ability to regenerate was undoubtedly a second life for a ninja, making it an absolute treasure.

The most important thing was that Naruto's Uzumaki bloodline and the Nine-Tails were the best sources for increasing chakra.

Thus, all three of them were characters that needed to have their favorability maxed out.

The only thing Touji couldn't figure out was why Sasuke's favorability was a bit lower.

"Sign in to Naruto Uzumaki and Sakura Haruno!"

*[Ding! Naruto Uzumaki signed in successfully! Received: 'Thousand Years of Death'! Favorability increased by 5 points! Current favorability: 55 points!]*

*[Ding! Since the host has already mastered 'Thousand Years of Death,' the experience from the lower-level version has been fully integrated into the higher-level one!]*

*[Ding! Sakura Haruno signed in successfully! Received: 'Substitution Jutsu'! Favorability increased by 5 points! Current favorability: 55 points!]*

Touji twitched at the corner of his mouth, surprised that 'Thousand Years of Death' even had experience levels. If the experience increased, would it mean the angle of attack becomes more precise, landing a perfect strike?

As for Sakura's Substitution Jutsu, it was one of the few ninjutsu Touji could currently perform.

Even though it was a basic ninjutsu, it was still one of the most god-tier techniques.

If used well, it could predict the opponent's prediction of your prediction.

After finishing the sign-in, Touji realized he was already surrounded by the three, and judging by their expressions, they weren't looking to chat.

But Touji had no intention of working for Kakashi Hatake.

If any of the three made a move, he would instantly drop to the ground and wouldn’t get up for less than a thousand bucks.

“Oh, right, Touji, if you purposely lose, I promise tonight will be unforgettable for you,” Kakashi Hatake said calmly, as if seeing through Touji's thoughts.

“Damn it!”

With Kakashi saying that, Touji didn't dare entertain any more ideas. He focused intently on the three in front of him.

Naruto was the first to lose his patience, crossing his hands and summoning dozens of shadow clones around him.

“Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu!”

Touji frowned.

The Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu was Naruto's signature move, used even more frequently than the Rasengan.

The most impressive part of it was that each clone could cause actual damage.

However, they were like balloons—one touch, and they popped.

Though Naruto wasn’t the brightest socially, his combat instincts were exceptional.

The clones ran around, making it difficult to locate the real Naruto in just a short time.

Even Kakashi Hatake was impressed by this move.

“That speed and strategy... it seems I’ve underestimated these three. Could Touji actually lose?”

Although Touji had pulled off two brilliant counterattacks when fighting against the Anbu, his weakness was obvious: too little chakra.

He had collapsed after just one use of the Hatake sword technique.

And Naruto’s Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu was a perfect counter to Touji.

If Touji wasted his already limited chakra on the clones, he would soon collapse.

Moreover, Sasuke Uchiha and Sakura Haruno were still on the side.

While Sakura could be ignored for now, Sasuke was the last of the Uchiha clan, with his Sharingan able to perceive everything.

This meant that every move Touji made would be seen by Sasuke, making another brilliant counterattack nearly impossible.

“I underestimated these kids... seems like I’ll have to step in myself,” Kakashi Hatake said, shaking his head. He was just about to step forward when he suddenly realized that Touji had disappeared from sight.

“Where is he?!”

Kakashi couldn’t believe his eyes.

In just the blink of an eye, Touji had vanished, and no trace of him could be found anywhere nearby.

Such speed was something Kakashi had only seen in three people.

One was Might Guy, the Blue Beast of Konoha.

Guy's mastery of taijutsu allowed him to move like lightning with each strike, so fast that even the Sharingan struggled to keep up.

The second was Shisui Uchiha, master of the Body Flicker Technique.

Shisui had refined this jutsu to its utmost, able to appear next to enemies without making a sound. Even those with Sharingan found it difficult to follow his movements.

The last one was the Fourth Hokage, the Yellow Flash of Konoha, Minato Namikaze.

Minato's speed transcended the Body Flicker Technique, reaching a higher level with the Flying Thunder God Jutsu, a space-time technique. His speed was so fast it was impossible to follow with the naked eye.

But Touji was only twelve years old and had already reached such incredible speed.

At that moment, Kakashi finally understood why Might Guy had been so adamant about keeping Touji.

If Kakashi had known how fast Touji was earlier, he wouldn’t have compromised, even if it meant burning bridges.

“Damn it, what else is this kid hiding from me!” Kakashi muttered, lifting his forehead protector to reveal his Sharingan.

Without it, there was no way Kakashi could track Touji’s movements.

However, even with the Sharingan, Kakashi felt a chill down his spine.

Because even with the Sharingan, he couldn’t clearly see Touji’s movements—he could only faintly track the traces Touji left behind.

This speed had already surpassed even Might Guy.

And Touji was only twelve years old!

“How has this kid trained to be this fast?”

Touji wasn’t just fast; he also had exceptional mastery of the Hatake sword techniques. With proper chakra training, Touji could become the next White Fang of Konoha, perhaps even surpass him!

But speed alone wasn’t everything.

Although it was hard to see him, ninjas with strong detection abilities could still track Touji’s position.

Even if Kakashi didn't rely on his Sharingan, he had countless ways to capture Touji.

In other words, Touji was like an unpolished gem, one that needed careful refinement to truly shine.

“With talent like that, who needs taijutsu? Tomorrow I’ll have a serious talk with Guy—everything except Sundays will be mine to train him. Sundays can be Guy's, just to be fair.”

Even though Touji seemed to have the upper hand, Kakashi still didn’t have high hopes for him.

While the Body Flicker Technique didn’t consume much chakra, it still required some.

With so many clones around, if Touji couldn’t find the real Naruto quickly, he would soon run out of chakra and collapse.

Naruto had hidden himself in such a clever spot that it would take time to locate him using conventional methods.

“This kid’s combat awareness is something else—he’s bound to be an outstanding ninja in the future!” Kakashi nodded approvingly and then looked at the other two.

*[New book launch! Please collect and recommend! This is very important!!!]*

(End of the chapter)

*Chapter 12: The Power of the Thousand Years of Death*

Although Naruto Uzumaki was safe, Sasuke Uchiha and Sakura Haruno were still in danger.

Sasuke was in a slightly better position, his blood-red Sharingan eyes constantly tracking Touji's movements. However, Sakura Haruno was completely defenseless.

“Naruto, quickly use your clones to surround us!” Sakura shouted anxiously.

Hearing her cry for help, Naruto hurried back.

Protecting Sakura was something Naruto was more than happy to do, but having to protect Sasuke at the same time? Not so much.

But it was Sakura’s order, so Naruto didn't dare argue. Otherwise, he'd surely end up getting a beating later.

“Finally, some teamwork! Although there’s still some internal conflict, the three are starting to cooperate. Perhaps that’s why Touji hasn’t made a move yet. But how will he handle this situation now?”

[Ding! Kakashi Hatake’s approval has increased by one! Current approval: 76 points!]

Touji was momentarily stunned, not expecting Kakashi's approval to rise again. But he had no time to dwell on it now.

With the recent improvement in his Body Flicker Technique, both his speed and range had significantly increased. He had used the technique several times in a row but still hadn't fully adjusted to the upgraded version.

Seeing the trio grouped together, Touji realized he had to get serious. Otherwise, he wouldn't have a pleasant evening.

"Alright, time to make my move!"

Sasuke, with his Sharingan activated, kept a close eye on his surroundings. Though he hated to admit it, Touji's speed was top-tier.

“Naruto! Behind you!” Sasuke shouted.

Naruto instinctively turned around, only to see Touji crouching behind him, hands clasped in a finger-gun position aimed at his waist.

“Thousand Years of Death!”

Touji thrust his hands toward Naruto's most vulnerable spot with all his might.

Naruto, not expecting such an attack, had no time to defend and was hit directly.

Bang!

Naruto exploded into a cloud of smoke — it was a shadow clone.

“Is he really still using such a primitive tactic?” Kakashi sighed, shaking his head.

Touji had great potential, but his combat experience was lacking. He panicked at the slightest challenge.

Kakashi picked up a small stone, ready to give Touji a hint. However, just as he was about to throw it, he hesitated.

“How is this possible? Did he figure it out by luck?”

Touji crouched behind Naruto, hands in the same “Thousand Years of Death” attack pose. But this time, his target was the real Naruto.

“I see now!” Kakashi's eyes gleamed as he nodded in approval.

The Shadow Clone Jutsu was classified as a forbidden technique not because of its power, but because of its side effects.

When a clone is dispersed, the experiences it gained are fed back to the original body. If too much information is sent back at once, it can overload the user's brain, potentially leading to a mental breakdown or even a vegetative state.

Touji was exploiting this very weakness.

He attacked a random clone with full force. If it were any other part of the body, Naruto might have been able to hide his reaction.

But Touji targeted the most sensitive spot on a person’s body. The intense pain would be transmitted back to the original.

No matter how strong someone is, they would flinch. And that's how Touji found the real Naruto.

With a powerful strike, Naruto was sent flying into the sky, landing on the ground, writhing in pain.

At the same time, all of Naruto's remaining shadow clones vanished.

“Brilliant! So this is another way to break Shadow Clones. I’ll have to try it next time!” Kakashi said as he mimicked Touji’s "Thousand Years of Death" stance.

“Not good! The Uchiha kid seized the opportunity!”

“Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!”

Sasuke clasped his hands together, took a deep breath, and exhaled a massive fireball, enveloping Touji in flames.

“No way, he didn’t dodge it?”

Kakashi looked at Sasuke in surprise. With his Sharingan, Sasuke was a cut above the average ninja, able to seize the smallest openings in battle.

Though Touji had the ability to cut through the flames and defeat Sasuke, doing so would leave him drained of chakra, losing his ability to fight.

At this point, the most unnoticed member of the group, Sakura Haruno, had become the key to victory.

Team 7 had won, but Kakashi wasn’t pleased with Sasuke.

In the previous fight, Sasuke had clearly used Naruto as bait, which rubbed Kakashi the wrong way. To Kakashi, abandoning a teammate was unforgivable.

“I guess I’ll have to train Touji more,” Kakashi muttered, preparing to intervene. Suddenly, he noticed something unusual about the fireball.

“Wait! That’s a substitution!”

Kakashi stared in disbelief. Performing a substitution technique right under his nose without being detected was no easy feat, even though Kakashi had let his guard down.

“This kid keeps surprising me. Looks like I’ll have to dig a little deeper into his skills tonight.”

Sasuke also noticed something odd. Usually, when a fireball hits, the victim would struggle or scream. But the flames in front of him remained unnaturally calm, like a log burning in a campfire.

“This isn’t good! A substitution!”

In an instant, Sasuke felt a chill run up his spine. His head turned slowly, like a rusty machine.

Touji was crouching behind him, hands in the same dreaded “Thousand Years of Death” pose.

Thinking of Naruto's earlier suffering, Sasuke broke into a cold sweat. “I-I think we can sit down and talk about this.”

“Sorry, but you’re not going to be sitting anytime soon!”

With a wicked grin, Touji delivered the Thousand Years of Death, sending Sasuke flying, crashing to the ground, unconscious. Only the tears in his eyes showed he was still alive.

Having dealt with Sasuke, Touji slowly turned his gaze to Sakura.

Sakura’s heart skipped a beat, and she hastily put up her guard. “I’m a girl! You can’t do that to me!”

Touji smiled. “On the battlefield, no one gets a pass just because they’re a girl.”

Before Sakura could react, Touji appeared behind her.

“Thousand Years of Death!”

*(Chapter End)*

---

Chapter 13: Sorry, I Misunderstood You

On Monday, Touji and Kakashi Hatake sat on the wooden stakes, while Team 7 stood below them.

It wasn't that Kakashi wouldn't let them sit; the truth was, the three of them were clutching their sore behinds and couldn’t sit down even if they wanted to.

"Alright, if any of you still doubt Touji's strength, feel free to spar with him one-on-one."

In an instant, the three of them shook their heads like rattles, vigorously denying the offer.

Winning or losing didn’t matter; even getting beaten up wasn’t a big deal. But Touji’s Thousand Years of Death technique? Just thinking about it made not only their bodies but even their souls tremble.

The three of them would rather face Kakashi than spar with Touji.

Seeing no objections, Kakashi nodded in satisfaction.

But suddenly, his expression changed. The one dead-fish eye visible through his mask grew sharp and fierce.

“You three have really disappointed me. Touji is the same age as you, and yet, the three of you couldn’t beat him.”

“But Touji is just way too strong!” Naruto Uzumaki protested, and the other two quickly nodded in agreement.

“Strong?” Kakashi let out a short laugh. “Sure, Touji is stronger than you, but you need to remember that there are three of you.”

“Naruto, you recklessly charge in, relying on your Shadow Clone Jutsu. If this were a real battle, you’d easily throw off the entire team's formation.”

Hearing himself called out, Naruto hung his head in frustration.

“Sakura, you were the first to attempt teamwork, but is that how you speak to your comrades?”

Sakura’s already slightly flushed face turned completely red, resembling an apple.

Seeing that he hadn’t been singled out, Sasuke Uchiha raised his head proudly.

After all, Sasuke had been the one to seize the only opportunity to defeat Touji, and he felt he had performed exceptionally well, with plenty of reason to be proud.

Seeing Sasuke’s expression, Kakashi’s smile grew colder.

“The one who disappointed me the most was you, Sasuke Uchiha!”

Hearing this, Sasuke furrowed his brow, his face showing clear displeasure.

“I was the one who took advantage of that opportunity!”

“Touji is the same age as you, and you think taking one opportunity is worth being proud of? Besides, that opportunity came at the cost of Naruto’s effort. Sacrificing your teammate to find an opening—how can you be proud of that?”

“A ninja’s duty is to complete the mission, no matter the means. A few sacrifices are inevitable,” Sasuke replied.

Kakashi’s temper flared instantly, and this time, it wasn’t just an act—he was genuinely angry.

“If you keep acting like this, who would ever want to be your teammate? What kind of ninja would want to work with you on a mission? If you still think this is right, then leave the team!”

Sasuke’s entire body trembled, and his eyes filled with unwillingness. But the pride of the Uchiha clan wouldn’t allow Sasuke to bow his head, so he turned and walked away.

Kakashi was taken aback, surprised that Sasuke had just left after a few harsh words. Still, Kakashi had no regrets.

To someone who doesn’t value their teammates, no matter how talented they are, Kakashi had no desire to teach them.

At this moment, Touji's lips curled into a small smile. He’d been wondering how to gain the team's favor, and now Kakashi had given him the perfect opportunity.

“Kakashi-sensei, you went too far. The current generation of ninja graduates have all been trained to put the mission above everything else. As their teacher, your job is to instill your own ninja way into them, not to simply deny their beliefs!”

Sakura looked at Touji in disbelief. Touji might be strong, but there’s no way he could stand up to Kakashi, especially given their difference in age. And now, just as Kakashi was asserting his authority, Touji had jumped in to oppose him—wasn't that asking for trouble?

Sakura was already imagining what was going to happen next.

But Kakashi just stared at Touji, his dead-fish eye showing a rare flicker of emotion.

Kakashi had spent a long time in the ANBU, dealing with the darkest aspects of village life. The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, had pulled Kakashi out of ANBU precisely because he saw Kakashi’s personality beginning to warp. If things had continued, Kakashi would have become nothing more than a killing machine, devoid of emotion.

Touji's words had shaken Kakashi to his core.

The legacy of ninja isn't passed down through books or jutsu, but through the ninja way! Even if a ninja dies in battle, as long as their way endures, they aren’t truly dead.

Kakashi didn't just want to pass down his own legacy—he also wanted to carry on the wills of Obito Uchiha and Rin Nohara!

Ding! Kakashi's favorability increased by 3 points! His favorability is now 79 points!

“You’ve woken me up, kid. I’m going to go bring Sasuke back right now!”

Ding! Sakura’s favorability increased by 3 points! Her favorability is now 58 points!

Ding! Naruto’s favorability increased by 2 points! His favorability is now 57 points!

Sakura stared at Touji in shock. She had expected him to get a thorough scolding, but instead, Kakashi had admitted his mistake and was now about to go retrieve Sasuke.

And Sakura, who had long had a crush on Sasuke, was thrilled at the thought of him coming back.

“If Kakashi-sensei brings Sasuke back, I’ll forgive Touji for the Thousand Years of Death!” Sakura thought, blushing as she touched her still-sore wound.

“Yeah, Kakashi-sensei, hurry and go get Sasuke back!” Sakura urged, running to Kakashi’s side.

“Wait, Kakashi-sensei, don’t go,” Touji said, raising a hand to stop him.

All three of them looked at Touji in confusion, especially Sakura, who anxiously ran up to him. If it weren’t for Touji holding Sasuke’s fate in his hands, she might have punched him by now.

But the memory of Touji’s Thousand Years of Death made her step back, covering her wound with one hand.

“Didn’t you just say we should stick to the ninja way? Why are you stopping Kakashi-sensei now?” Sakura asked.

“Yeah, Touji, what are you thinking?” Naruto chimed in.

Touji awkwardly cleared his throat. “Sasuke’s prideful. After being criticized by Kakashi-sensei, he’s probably not willing to come back. And even if he does, he’ll be difficult to teach afterward. I think it would be better if I went instead.”

“You’ve thought this through well,” Kakashi said with a slight nod.

Sakura, however, lowered her head, her face full of guilt.

“Sorry, Touji, I misunderstood you.”

Ding! Sakura’s favorability increased by 1 point! Her favorability is now 59 points!

Touji’s smile grew wider. This was the perfect opportunity to gain favor. Now he just had to see how much Sasuke’s favorability could increase after this little encounter.

---

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(End of chapter)

*Chapter 14: Persuading Uchiha Sasuke*

Uchiha Sasuke stormed angrily through the forest.

A ninja’s duty is to complete their mission. If it means making a sacrifice to do so, then so be it.

If he could kill that man, Uchiha Sasuke would be willing to make any sacrifice, no matter how great.

Even if it meant his own life!

"Who's there?! Show yourself!"

Already frustrated, Sasuke grew furious when he realized someone was following him. He immediately drew his kunai, eyeing his surroundings cautiously.

“Does it still hurt?”

Touji appeared, smiling. Seeing him, Sasuke instinctively covered his back.

It hurt! Of course, it still hurt! But admitting it would make him look weak, and Sasuke was not about to say that.

“Why are you following me? To mock me?”

“I was asking if your heart still hurts.”

The moment those words left Touji’s mouth, Sasuke felt a pang in his chest. His brow furrowed, and his face grew more hostile.

“What do you mean by that?!”

“I mean you’ve forgotten your hatred.”

Seeing Sasuke’s rage, Touji smiled inwardly.

As long as Sasuke still remembered his hatred, he wouldn’t be able to escape Touji’s plan.

“How could I forget?! My brother Itachi killed our entire clan, even our parents. I swear, I’ll kill that man in this lifetime!”

“I saw you walk away, and I thought you had let go of your hatred.”

“You’re here to convince me to go back, aren’t you?” Sasuke wasn’t stupid; he quickly understood Touji’s purpose.

“Give it up. My path and Kakashi’s are too different. We’ll never walk the same road.” Sasuke turned to leave as he spoke.

Touji didn’t chase after him; he simply chuckled.

“Uchiha Itachi... Some people might never surpass him in their lifetime.”

“What did you say?!”

Now, Sasuke was sure Touji knew what had happened that night. He even knew that man’s name.

“If you don’t go back and continue learning from Kakashi-sensei, there won’t be any teacher in the Leaf Village willing to take you. Do you really think you can surpass your brother on your own?”

Sasuke’s anger surged. His fists clenched so tightly that his nails dug into his skin, drawing blood, though he didn’t notice.

As unwilling as he was to admit it, Sasuke knew Touji was right. Without a teacher, he would never surpass Itachi on his own.

For a moment, Sasuke wavered. His pride was nothing compared to his hatred. When a better opportunity arose, he could always leave.

“But will Kakashi-sensei even let me come back?”

Seeing Sasuke’s change of heart, Touji felt relieved.

“At first, Kakashi-sensei refused. But I promised on my honor that you’d study hard and become a great ninja. That convinced him.”

Sasuke felt a wave of gratitude. He hadn’t expected Touji to go to such lengths for him.

As for doubting Touji’s intentions, Sasuke hadn’t even considered it. After all, he had nothing that Touji would want.

[Ding! Uchiha Sasuke's favorability increased by five points! Favorability is now at fifty-four! You may sign in!]

Touji’s lips curled into a slight smile. As expected, Sasuke’s favorability had increased.

“Sign in with Uchiha Sasuke!”

[Ding! You’ve successfully signed in with Uchiha Sasuke! You've gained the Shuriken Technique! Uchiha Sasuke’s favorability increased by five points! Favorability is now fifty-nine!]

[Ding! Since the host already possesses the Shuriken Technique, the lower-level version has been converted into experience for the higher-level technique!]

"Fine, I’ll go back with you," Sasuke said, stuffing his hands into his pockets as he swaggered back down the path they had come.

But before he could take more than a few steps, Touji extended his hand to block his way.

“Wait. Don’t you want to know more about your brother?”

Sasuke froze, his heart skipping a beat. His eyes filled with cold fury as he glared at Touji.

“That’s not funny!”

“Itachi is currently with the Akatsuki. I suspect he’ll come to the Leaf Village sometime this year.”

“Really?!”

Sasuke grabbed Touji’s arm in excitement.

Even if he couldn’t be sure whether it was true, Sasuke would never ignore any news about Itachi.

“Don’t you want to know why your brother did it? Why he killed the entire clan but left you alive?”

“That guy is a bloodthirsty monster! He’d do anything to awaken the Mangekyo Sharingan!”

Sasuke’s rage flared at the mere mention of Itachi. Having bottled it up for so long, now that he had someone to vent to, he couldn’t stop.

“You don’t understand your brother at all. Itachi is a gentle person. If you want the truth, beat me and prove your strength. Then I’ll tell you everything!”

Sasuke had always questioned Itachi’s motives, but he could never make sense of it. In the end, he had labeled his brother a heartless villain.

Now, with Touji’s words, Sasuke’s already shaky stance wavered even more.

“Could it be that Itachi had his reasons?”

“I’ll tell you—if you can beat me.”

“You!”

[Ding! Uchiha Sasuke’s favorability increased by two points! Favorability is now at sixty-one! You may sign in!]

Touji’s lips curved into a smile once more. Sasuke’s favorability had risen again.

With further interaction, Touji would gradually reveal the events of that night. Perhaps Sasuke would be the first to have maxed-out favorability!

“Sign in with Uchiha Sasuke!”

[Ding! You’ve successfully signed in with Uchiha Sasuke! You’ve gained the Lion Combo! Favorability increased by four points! Favorability is now sixty-five!]

Touji and Sasuke returned to the training ground.

Naruto Uzumaki and Sakura Haruno were kneeling on the ground, but something seemed off. Upon closer inspection, they weren’t actually sitting—they were hovering slightly above the ground.

Seeing this, Sasuke sighed in understanding and rubbed his own wounds.

When Sakura saw Sasuke return, her face lit up with joy, and she immediately ran over.

“Sasuke, you’re back!”

“I have to get stronger,” Sasuke said, glancing at Touji. “From now on, I’ll challenge you every day until I surpass you!”

Seeing Sasuke return, Kakashi sighed in relief but maintained his stern demeanor.

“I was disappointed with your performance earlier, but I’ll give you another chance. After lunch, you’ll all challenge Touji again.”

New book! Please add to your collection! Vote for recommendations! It’s important! 

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 15: The True Nature of Naruto Uzumaki*

Instead of calling it a challenge for Touji, it was more like observing the reactions of the three.

Among the three, only Sakura Haruno had a meal, and it was a very small portion, barely enough to leave a girl like her half full. And she still had two guys next to her.

If the three of them shared the meal, they wouldn't have enough strength to face the challenge that afternoon.

“I don't think Kakashi even wants us to win!” Sasuke Uchiha frowned and said angrily.

“So what should we do? Sasuke, why don’t you just eat it?” Sakura quickly handed the bento box to Sasuke, even though her stomach was growling.

“Sakura, can I just have a bite?”

Naruto Uzumaki, drooling and staring at the bento, asked with puppy-dog eyes.

“No way! Sasuke is the key to winning this afternoon. If we want to win, he has to eat!”

Hidden in the bushes, Kakashi Hatake sighed as he watched all of this.

“Touji, keep an eye on them for me. I need to step out for a bit.”

Touji's heart skipped with excitement, though he pretended to be reluctant on the outside.

“Kakashi-sensei is leaving? What if we encounter an enemy?”

In reality, Touji couldn’t have been happier.

The three members of Team 7 were in a tight spot. If he stepped in now, he’d definitely earn a lot of goodwill.

And with Kakashi stepping away, it was the perfect opportunity.

“Relax, you're still inside the village. No one's bold enough to come here just for you kids.”

Touji twitched a bit.

Is it really that safe inside the village?

Otherwise, how would Sasuke Uchiha have been kidnapped and the village blown up by a bag of explosive tags?

Thinking about it, Touji couldn’t help but shudder.

Once the main storyline of Naruto begins, it won’t be long before the Konoha Crush plan unfolds.

If I don’t improve my strength before then, I might not survive the chaos.

“It’s only a short while, no need to freak out,” Kakashi sighed before disappearing.

Touji’s eyes lit up.

For others, gaining strength meant constant training. But for Touji, gaining strength meant earning goodwill and collecting sign-in rewards.

With Kakashi gone, Touji jumped out without hesitation.

“Sasuke didn’t eat. I ate everything!”

Sakura quickly grabbed the bento and stuffed the remaining food into her mouth as soon as she saw Touji appear.

Naruto just stared sadly at the empty bento, holding his growling stomach.

“Stop pretending. I'm not Kakashi-sensei. I won't take it so seriously.”

“But I didn’t even get a bite…” Naruto pouted.

Touji chuckled.

Naruto Uzumaki really is the biggest simp, always thinking about Sakura, but Sakura never really gave him much thought.

Although Team 7 is the protagonist team, each member has their own agendas, making it tough for Kakashi to train them properly.

No wonder in the Naruto series, Kakashi mainly trained Sasuke, while the other two found their own mentors.

“I know you're still hungry, so I'll point you in the right direction,” Touji said, pointing towards a nearby lake.

“A lake? You can’t eat a lake.”

“Naruto, you idiot! There are fish in the lake!” Sakura smacked Naruto on the head before turning to Touji, her voice filled with concern. “Are you sure it’s okay? We won’t get punished by Kakashi-sensei, right?”

Touji smiled. No wonder Naruto is so head over heels for Sakura—those eyes are hard to resist.

“Don’t worry, I’ve got your back!”

*[Ding! Sakura Haruno’s goodwill increased by 2 points! Current goodwill is 61 points! You can now sign in!]*

“Sign in for Sakura Haruno!”

*[Ding! Sign-in for Sakura Haruno successful! You’ve obtained Chakra Control! Goodwill increased by 4 points! Sakura Haruno’s goodwill is now 65 points!]*

Touji’s eyes lit up.

Chakra control is part of the Ninja Academy curriculum, and Kakashi had shown Touji the material last night.

But to Touji, chakra control seemed as difficult as advanced calculus.

Now, however, with Sakura’s proficiency in chakra control unlocked, everything suddenly became clear.

As long as he follows the lessons, his chakra control and reserves will improve significantly.

Satisfied, Touji nodded and found Sakura much more agreeable now.

“Go catch some fish, but remember to control your chakra and walk on the water. It’s not easy explaining wet clothes to Kakashi-sensei.”

Naruto, who had been starving, suddenly perked up and ran up to Touji excitedly.

“If wet clothes will give us away, why don’t we just strip before getting into the water?”

Touji twitched.

I’ve always thought Naruto wasn’t as innocent as he seemed. Otherwise, how could he have come up with the Sexy Jutsu?

And let’s not forget, Naruto’s student, Konohamaru, used a version of the jutsu while still wearing clothes. But Naruto? He left nothing to the imagination.

The Sexy Jutsu is just a Transformation Jutsu, and to master it requires keen observation and detail.

Naruto lives alone, so it’s not hard to guess where his inspiration comes from.

Touji merely mentioned not getting their clothes wet, and Naruto immediately found a workaround. Definitely a seasoned veteran.

Sakura rejecting Naruto suddenly made more sense.

“Naruto, what are you even saying!”

“I’m just trying to avoid getting caught by Kakashi-sensei. What would you prefer, getting expelled or stripping to catch fish?”

“You! I choose not to eat!”

“If you don’t eat, how are you going to fight this afternoon?”

Touji rolled his eyes, unable to watch Naruto make a fool of himself any longer.

“I think Naruto is right. You’ll have to strip before getting into the water.”

“Touji-kun, you too?” Sakura crossed her arms, her face turning bright red.

“Sasuke and Naruto will go catch the fish, and Sakura, you should gather some dry wood,” Touji quickly coughed and changed the subject.

Sakura’s face turned even redder.

So I misunderstood Touji. He’s been helping me all along.

Maybe everything he’s done in front of Kakashi was for my sake?

Now that I look closer, Touji-kun is pretty handsome, and more importantly, he’s really strong!

*[Ding! Sakura Haruno’s goodwill increased by 3 points! Current goodwill is 68 points!]*

*[Ding! Naruto Uzumaki’s goodwill decreased by 1 point! Current goodwill is 54 points!]*

Touji’s brow furrowed. It made sense for Sakura’s goodwill to increase, but Naruto had the nerve to lower his?

Touji smirked. It’s time to teach Naruto a lesson.

He’ll soon feel the power of my new technique: Spiral Thousand Years of Pain!

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