Naruto: I Am Uzumaki Naruto!?

Under the shade of a large tree, I adjusted my position, making sure Hinata was comfortable as she slept soundly on my lap.

Even in her sleep, she instinctively snuggled closer, mumbling softly.

"Naruto-kun… I… I like you too…"

I paused, staring down at her flushed cheeks. Cute. Way too cute.

Unable to resist, I reached out and lightly poked her soft cheek.

"Mmm… Naruto-kun… don't do that…" she whispered, her blush deepening.

I stifled a laugh but stopped teasing her. Letting her rest, I reached into my pocket and pulled out the money pouches I'd taken from those three thugs earlier. With a quick count, I raised an eyebrow.

"Four thousand ryo? Damn, just how many people have these guys been extorting?"

Well, no use worrying about it now. Their loss was my gain. I pocketed the money just as I felt movement against my legs. Looking down, I found Hinata slowly waking up, her face still tinted red.

She blinked up at me, hesitated for a moment, then sat up and held out a small pouch of coins with both hands.

"Naruto-kun… do you need money?" she asked softly. "This is all I have right now, but… if it's not enough, I can go home and get more."

I blinked, caught off guard by the unexpected offer. Then, with a chuckle, I shook my head.

"I wasn't robbing those guys for cash. Just teaching them a lesson. Losing that much money should make them think twice before bullying you again."

Hinata nodded slightly, though she still seemed unsure. She glanced at the pouch in her hands before murmuring:

"Actually… it's okay. I still have a lot of pocket money. If Naruto-kun ever needs it… I can… I can take care of you…"

I froze.

Wait.

Did she just… offer to be my sponsor?!

Suppressing a laugh, I poked her cheek again.

"Oi, oi, you shouldn't be thinking about keeping a man at such a young age. And just so you know, I'm not someone who can be bought with money."

Hinata's expression faltered slightly, and she lowered her hands.

"Oh… I thought Naruto-kun needed money…" she mumbled. "Then… I'll just put away the ten thousand ryo—"

I stiffened.

Wait.

Ten thousand ryo?!

Before she could even react, I grabbed her wrist, looked straight into her eyes, and declared with absolute sincerity:

"Hinata… from today onward, I will be your man."

Without hesitation, I took the money from her hands and pocketed it.

Ten thousand ryo. That was over a month's worth of living expenses. Just how ridiculously rich was the Hyuga clan?!

I smirked. Good thing the girl I like is loaded.

Feeling grateful, I leaned in and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Thanks, my sweet little Hinata."

Poof!

A visible cloud of white smoke seemed to rise from Hinata's head. Her entire face turned a deep crimson, her eyes spinning in a daze.

"Naruto-kun… kissed me…" she mumbled.

And just like that, for the third time today, she fainted into my arms.

After dropping Hinata off at the Hyuga compound—ignoring the unfriendly glares of the clan guards—I strolled home in an excellent mood.

Once inside, I dumped all my money onto the table and counted it carefully.

"Fourteen thousand two hundred and thirty ryo!" I announced proudly.

What a haul! If I had tried to save this much on my own, I'd be living off instant ramen for a month and a half.

Leaning back in my chair, I crossed my arms and smirked.

"So this is what it feels like to have a sponsor, huh? Heh… little Hinata is seriously something…"

Later that night, I sat cross-legged on my bed, closing my eyes and focusing on the system in my mind.

This time, instead of checking out Bloodline Containers, I opened the Learning Container.

[Physical Training Mode: Body Training]

Grants one month's worth of physical training experience, improving strength and endurance.

Price: 1,000 ryo.

[Ninjutsu Mode: Clone Jutsu]

Grants one month's worth of Clone Jutsu training experience, enhancing skill proficiency.

Price: 1,000 ryo.

[Weapon Mode: Kunai Training]

Grants one month's worth of kunai combat experience, improving accuracy and agility.

Price: 5,000 ryo.

I glanced over the selection. This was my first time buying learning enhancements. Before, I had to hoard every single ryo to afford Bloodline Containers.

My gaze shifted to my reflection in the mirror.

Unkempt blond hair, a thin frame, slightly pale skin—all clear signs of malnutrition.

"Living off ramen three times a day isn't exactly a balanced diet… Even if I splurge on some protein now and then, it's not enough to keep up with my body's needs."

I sighed.

"In the whole class, I'm probably the shortest."

Shaking my head, I turned my attention back to the system.

"Buy Physical Training!"

The words on the Learning Container dimmed, and suddenly, a flood of memories surged into my mind.

Scenes flashed before me—an intense, brutal training routine.

A thousand push-ups.

A thousand sit-ups.

A thousand handstand push-ups.

Ten laps around Konoha—on my hands.

It was insane. Pure hell. Even the harshest Anbu training camps wouldn't push someone this hard.

But the results…

I could feel my body changing.

The sickly pale tone of my skin gave way to a healthier complexion.

My thin arms gained muscle definition.

My legs, once scrawny, now had noticeable strength.

Even my height, which had been stunted due to malnutrition, seemed to increase slightly.

In just a few moments, the weak, underfed boy in the mirror had transformed into someone stronger.

Clenching my fists, I grinned.

"Heh… not bad at all."