Team Naruto sat cross-legged, closing their eyes as Iruka instructed.
"Good, clear your minds, don't think of anything, slowly… slowly… feel yourselves… feel the True Qi…"
Iruka's voice gradually became unsteady.
Team Naruto unconsciously sank into it, forgetting everything.
Until… snore…
A series of snoring sounds echoed.
*WHACK!*
Naruto vaguely felt someone tap his head, then opened his eyes.
"What's up, Iruka-sensei?"
His voice was full of confusion, laziness, and bewilderment.
"Naruto, you just fell asleep." Iruka said with a smile.
"Ugh, maybe I'm too tired… I still want to sleep a bit…" Naruto yawned, about to close his eyes again.
"Snap out of it! Have you forgotten why you came here?" Iruka reminded him.
Naruto froze, suddenly recalling everything that happened before.
He scratched his head and said, "Sorry, Iruka-sensei… I don't know why I fell asleep."
As he spoke, he glanced at Sakura, Yamato, and Sai beside him, then continued:
"Iruka-sensei, they fell asleep too. Should I wake them?"
"Naruto, take a closer look at them."
Iruka prompted.
Naruto frowned unconsciously, carefully observing his three teammates.
Yamato and Sai's breathing was steady, nothing unusual.
But Sakura, upon closer inspection, had transparent streams of energy moving across her once-pale skin.
"Sakura! Sakura, she looks weird!" Naruto exclaimed.
"You noticed? Good. This is a sign that Sakura-san has sensed True Qi and activated it. Once she's fully accustomed, she can move to the next stage of training."
Iruka's expression showed admiration as he spoke.
"Amazing! As expected of Sakura—she was always the best at theoretical lessons in the ninja academy!"
Naruto's face showed a hint of pride and hope.
"Sakura-san is indeed very smart and quick to grasp things. People like her are actually more suited to training in Mental Martial Arts. But for Rokushiki, she won't do badly either." Iruka nodded in agreement.
"But… Captain Yamato and Sai? Are they really not asleep?" Naruto looked at the two doubtfully.
"Yamato-san and Sai-san's comprehension and adaptability aren't as strong as Sakura-san's, but they're still sensing it. Among all of you, only you, Naruto, actually fell asleep."
Iruka looked at Naruto helplessly.
"Hahaha! Got it. Sorry, Iruka-sensei. But I'll succeed soon! Just watch!"
After speaking, Naruto formed a hand seal.
In an instant, a puff of smoke appeared.
Over a dozen Naruto clones materialized in Iruka's office, making the once-empty room feel a bit crowded.
Seeing this, Iruka was slightly surprised.
"This is?"
"Iruka-sensei, I know I'm not smart enough, not as great as Sakura, Yamato, or Sai, but I have my strengths—chakra and stamina stronger than theirsкової
System: theirs. So if I keep going, I'll run out of steam!"
Naruto grinned, "No worries, Iruka-sensei, I'm used to it!"
Iruka nodded, "I understand."
A new round of training began.
All the Narutos' breathing gradually calmed.
But if any fell asleep, Iruka would wake them until one successfully entered the state and sent the sensation back to the original body…
Naruto began to meditate seriously.
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
Some time later, Naruto slowly opened his eyes, looking at Iruka with excitement.
"Iruka-sensei, I did it! I can clearly feel a warm flow in my stomach now—it feels so comfortable! I can even move it to any part of my body!"
"Congratulations." Iruka smiled.
"Congrats, Naruto!"
A soft, familiar voice came from Sakura.
Naruto turned to see his three teammates smiling at him.
"Everyone succeeded?"
"Yeah."
"Awesome! Now we can all get stronger! Better protect the village!"
Naruto rejoiced.
His three teammates, hearing this, also showed faint smiles.
Previously, their strength was far behind the people of this world.
But by mastering new powers like martial arts, that gap might soon shrink or even disappear, right?
Then, they'd teach True Qi martial arts to the people in the village.
If something unexpected happened with the Empire, they'd at least have some ability to fight back.
The four thought in unison.
"Now that you've mastered the basics of True Qi, the next step is daily training and coordinating with True Qi circulation. Follow me and train with your other friends."
Iruka smiled broadly, heading toward the door.
Team Naruto quickly followed.
Leaving the teacher's office building, Iruka led them to a classroom.
The entire room was filled with young children, seemingly only nine or ten years old.
Upon seeing Iruka, they said in unison:
"Good morning, Iruka-sensei!"
Then they looked at Team Naruto with curiosity.
"Good morning, everyone! Before class starts today, Sensei will introduce some new students!"
"New students? Sensei, you don't mean those uncles and aunties beside you, do you?"
A boy with spiky hair, clearly young but sporting a fake mustache and sucking on a toy cigarette, looked at Team Naruto with slight disdain.
"Hey, you little brat! What's with that look?"
Naruto clenched his fists, glaring angrily at the boy.
This kid looked like he deserved a beating! Did they really think he wouldn't hit kids?
He was the guy who even punched the Third Hokage's grandson!
"Exactly! You little punk, who're you calling an old lady?" Sakura shouted, veins bulging on her forehead.
"You guys, obviously! Who else is here? Right, everyone?" the boy said arrogantly.
"Mirai's right!" added a boy wearing dark sunglasses and a headband.
"You annoying little brats!"
Naruto and Sakura were furious, itching to step forward and throw a few punches.
Iruka glared at the two kids:
"Sarutobi Mirai! Kenzo! How can you talk like that?"
"I'm just telling the truth! Look at them—none of them aren't old geezers! Especially the one with the metal thing on his head—he looks over 40. Coming to Capital Junior High to study with us? Aren't they embarrassed? So weak, they'd be better off as logistics ninjas planting crops. Studying with them is embarrassing." the boy with the toy cigarette said with disgust.
"!"
Yamato, who had been quietly smiling, froze.
'Over 40? Me? I'm clearly in my early thirties!'
Naruto, Sakura, and Sai's faces twitched. This kid sure knew how to talk.
But… this kid's surname is Sarutobi?
"You little punk, are you Asuma-sensei's kid?" Naruto stared at the boy with the toy cigarette.
"How could you be my grandpa's student? No way, right? My grandpa was a hero—how could he take old geezers like you, still studying at junior high, as students?"
The boy with the toy cigarette looked incredulous.
"Asuma-sensei's a hero here? That's awesome! But why's a hero's kid such a rude little brat?"
Naruto growled, glaring at the boy.
"Rude? I don't need to be polite to people who don't even know history and are so weak." Mirai sneered.
"Exactly! People who don't even know why Uncle Asuma became a hero don't deserve our respect!" the boy with sunglasses added condescendingly.
"Annoying brats! Fine, tell us then! Why's Asuma-sensei a hero?"
Naruto snapped.
"Hmph! You dumb old man, since you're so curious, I'll kindly tell you!"
"Uncle Asuma hid in the shadows, enduring endless inner torment, and finally realized his path, seizing the chance to kill the remnants of the ninja village leaders—Sarutobi Hiruzen and Shimura Danzo!"
"He also greatly helped the Empire liberate the ninja world! Got it now?"