"Huh?"
After hearing that, Naruto Uzumaki froze for a moment, his face flushing red.
But then…
He lowered his head dejectedly.
"But everyone looks down on me. Including you."
"That's because you're incapable, and all you do is cause trouble and pull pranks. A useless attention-seeker like you—why should anyone respect you?"
Masahiko's answer was blunt and cold. "But now… haven't you noticed?"
"Noticed what?"
Naruto looked up, confused.
Masahiko replied calmly, "Over the past half month, Iruka Umino and your classmates have all changed their attitude toward you."
Naruto froze for quite a while. Then his eyes lit up, and he clapped his hands suddenly. "You're right! Sakura hasn't yelled at me in ages!"
Then he scratched his head.
"No wonder things have felt kind of different lately…"
Masahiko's eyelid twitched slightly, but he didn't scold him.
He stood up to pay, speaking as he did. "You can't change where you start in life, but where you pass through and where you end up—that's your choice."
Masahiko lowered his head, his expression serious.
"Starting tomorrow, I won't wake you up anymore. Whether you keep being a useless bum or make an effort to change—that's up to you."
"You're free."
With that, Masahiko Kanzaki paid the bill and turned to leave.
Outside Ichiraku Ramen, Naruto stood there in a daze for a long time.
After nearly twenty days of "torment," he thought he would hate and resent Masahiko.
But what left him confused was—
At this moment, he felt neither joy nor anger, neither hatred nor resentment. His heart was filled only with uncertainty and confusion.
...
The next day, before dawn.
The early spring morning was still bitterly cold.
Before six o'clock, Naruto woke up on his own, mechanically brushing his teeth and washing up.
Only after finishing did he remember—
Starting today, Masahiko-sensei wouldn't force him to do anything anymore.
Naruto stood by the window, sitting there blankly for a long time. Finally, he got up, jumped out, and began running along his usual route.
One lap.
Ten laps.
Twenty laps…
After more than an hour, Naruto trudged into a sushi shop and bought some rice balls and hot milk.
Thirty-five laps.
That was the total he counted.
"So… I never actually finished fifty laps."
Naruto's emotions became even more complicated—shock, confusion, and a faint sense of something else. He sat there for a long time without moving.
Until someone passed by.
"Naruto? What are you doing here?"
"Pineapple head? Ah—wait! I'm gonna be late!"
Naruto snapped back to reality.
Shikamaru Nara sighed helplessly. "It's Saturday. There's no school today."
"Saturday?"
Naruto blinked, stunned, before remembering—
Right, that was a thing.
Shikamaru rested his chin on his hand. "You've changed a lot lately. You even care about being late now."
"Yeah…"
Naruto responded vaguely, scratching his head, unsure how to explain.
After thinking for a long time without an answer, he got up and ordered food for Shikamaru.
Then Naruto sat down and poured out his confusion.
Their friendship had come from skipping classes together.
Of course, it wasn't that deep—normally, Naruto wouldn't open up like this.
Shikamaru listened, a thoughtful look appearing on his usually lazy face as he accepted the sushi.
After thanking him, he said, "You're just not used to him being gone."
"Maybe…"
Naruto scratched his head.
He wasn't one to think too hard. Since he couldn't figure it out, he simply stopped trying.
Shikamaru ate his sushi and drank his milk.
"So what are you doing next?"
"Haven't thought about it."
Naruto lay on the table, thinking for a while before suddenly raising his head. "Got it!"
"Hm?"
"Hehe! I'm gonna find people to race and run with me!"
Naruto jumped up, energized. "I'm heading out, Shikamaru. Take your time eating!"
"The money—"
"I'll get it later!"
Naruto waved as he ran off, his cheerful laughter echoing behind him.
Shikamaru shook his head lightly, then quickly finished eating and left the shop.
Once inside an alley, he dispelled his Transformation Technique.
"Just as I thought, people don't change that easily. Still… this is better than before. Even if the Third Hokage holds someone accountable, it won't be me."
Masahiko's expression turned cold as he walked toward the outskirts of the village.
Once outside, he resumed training the Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique.
Chakra nature transformation—
Turning chakra into flames was only the first step. He still had to refine, sustain, compress, and expand it…
Until finally—
Chakra surged into blazing flames, pouring from his mouth as a roaring inferno condensed into a massive fireball.
The fireball lasted several seconds before dissipating.
Masahiko exhaled and glanced at the panel.
[Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique — Proficient]
It had improved!
Only at the proficient level could it truly be used in combat.
But just then—
A figure appeared behind him with a whoosh.
Masahiko spun, his leg already lashing out before his mind fully registered it, striking hard at the approaching ninja.
The opponent caught his leg—
But—
Masahiko planted one hand on the ground, twisting into a spinning kick aimed at the opponent's head.
Bang!
The opponent quickly let go and retreated using the Body Flicker Technique.
Masahiko didn't pursue. Instead, he observed carefully.
The other person coughed lightly, and the voice suddenly sounded familiar.
Masahiko stopped and lowered his guard. "Hayate?"
"Cough… it's been a while. Your taijutsu has improved a lot."
The man stood up.
It was indeed Hayate Gekkō.
They were about the same age and had once been classmates at the Ninja Academy.
But back then, "Masahiko" had been unremarkable.
Now…
Hayate was shocked. Based on that exchange alone, he might not even be Masahiko's match in taijutsu anymore.
Suppressing his surprise, he coughed again. "The Hokage wants to see you."
"Huh?"
Masahiko paused, then rubbed his temples. "Don't tell me that idiot Naruto caused trouble again."
"Naruto Uzumaki vandalized the Hokage building, led a group of chunin running through the streets, and got arrested by the guards."
Hayate explained.
He stood up. "As for why the Hokage summoned you… I don't know."
"Thanks. I'll head over immediately."
Masahiko vanished with the Body Flicker Technique.
Hayate watched his departing figure, then glanced at the scorched ground, pressing a hand to his chest as he sighed.
In his memory, Masahiko had never been outstanding.
But now, with a healthy body and relentless effort, he was steadily catching up—
While Hayate himself would only grow weaker.
...
By the time Masahiko arrived at the Hokage building and saw the graffiti covering its walls, his eyelid twitched.
As expected…
After more than twenty days of training, Naruto's physical ability and taijutsu had improved significantly—but that only made him more troublesome.
Masahiko looked up at the building, lost in thought for a moment.
Then he took a deep breath and headed toward the office of Hiruzen Sarutobi.
No point avoiding it.
Whether he faced it or not, the outcome was the same.
Fortunately, he wasn't Naruto's guardian. At worst, he wouldn't bear much responsibility.
Masahiko knocked on the door.
"Come in."
The voice of the Third Hokage came from inside.
Masahiko entered—and besides Hiruzen, he saw someone else.
Someone unexpected.
Danzo Shimura.