Naruto: Returns From Roger's Ship

"Sasuke has arrived at point B."

"Sakura has arrived at point C."

Over the walkie-talkie channel, Sakura and Sasuke both sent their readiness signals, but Kakashi still hadn't heard a reply from Naruto.

"Naruto? Naruto!"

'This kid, did he get drunk somewhere again?'

Rubbing his forehead, Kakashi felt a headache coming on.

Just a few days ago, he had brought the hearts of the members of Team 7 together in a cool manner, but during these past few missions, Naruto had either been slacking off in the trees or hiding in some bushes drinking.

He doesn't look like a Genin at all!

Rustle, rustle.

As the leaves parted, a figure slowly emerged.

It was none other than Naruto, the very person Kakashi had been complaining about.

"I always feel like someone is scolding me behind my back..."

Taking a swig from his flask with one hand while cradling a cat in the other, Naruto finally remembered he was still wearing his earpiece.

He adjusted the earpiece back into place.

"Naruto has arrived at Point A. Mission target captured - hiccup."

When everyone gathered around Naruto, their expressions shifted in different ways.

Sakura looked at Naruto with a complicated look in her eyes.

She always felt that the Naruto in front of him seemed very different from the one in her memories.

Unlike before, when he'd always buzz around her noisily, his strength now seemed far beyond what it used to be.

During these past missions, even though he never followed orders, he often completed objectives faster than the rest of them.

Of course, with her skill level, it was hard for her to notice just how strong Naruto had really become from the details.

However, she also realized that her attention had always been fixed on Sasuke, and she'd never really paid much attention to Naruto before.

'Had Naruto always been this tall?'

However, when she caught the scent of alcohol on him, the admiration that had just risen in her heart instantly turned to disgust.

'Ugh…'

This habit of drinking like some old man was something she just couldn't stand.

Unlike the girl's complicated thoughts, the look in Sasuke's eyes when he looked at Naruto was much simpler.

'This guy, when did he become so strong?'

'Even during the earlier training exercise, Kakashi-sensei had almost failed to react in time.'

'Why? How had he grown so much stronger in such a short time?'

"Alright, mission target confirmed. Let's head back."

After verifying that the cat in Naruto's arms matched the mission description, Kakashi clapped his hands and called for the team to return.

At the same time, he subtly glanced at Naruto, feeling like something was off.

"Got i-"

Before he could finish, Naruto's body suddenly turned into a puff of smoke and disappeared.

'A clone?'

'This guy… had he been using a clone to complete the mission the whole time?'

Almost at the same time, blue veins in the shape of a '#' appeared on the foreheads of the other two Genin.

Only Kakashi, who knew the inside story, silently picked up the cat and walked ahead without a word.

'Multiple Shadow Clone Technique... huh?'

Meanwhile, beneath a waterfall deep in the forest.

"One thousand nine hundred ninety-nine… two thousand!"

A shirtless figure, carrying a boulder far larger than his own body, was doing squats under the relentless pounding of the waterfall.

Not far from him, countless other figures were training in various Ninjutsu.

Every single one of them looked identical, their hands weaving signs to unleash a dazzling array of different techniques.

"Naruto-nii-chan, I… I did it."

After saying this, Konohamaru nearly collapsed, the boulder on his back crashing toward the ground.

Just as he was about to be crushed by the boulder, Naruto, who had been rowing with a massive tree trunk, directly used the 'tool' in his hand to accurately pick up the stone and send it flying.

"Then let's take a break."

As soon as he said this, the countless Narutos scattered throughout the forest vanished into smoke.

Instantly, an overwhelming wave of exhaustion crashed into Naruto's mind.

But he only stiffened for a second before nonchalantly walking over to Konohamaru and plopping down beside him.

"Here, hydrate yourself and get some nutrients."

With that, he pulled out a pile of food from who-knows-where, stuffing several large skewers of grilled meat into his own mouth while making sure Konohamaru got some too.

"Ugh... wait... Naruto-nii-chan..."

Konohamaru flailed desperately and finally managed to survive Naruto's deadly force-feeding.

"Huff… huff…"

"Nii-chan, will this really make me stronger?"

Konohamaru's eyes were unfocused as he mechanically chewed the meat in his hands, muttering the question.

Over the past few days, Naruto had put him through all kinds of training… so intense it felt like a year's worth of lessons under his glasses-wearing teacher.

Honestly speaking, he was planning to give up at first, but when he saw Naruto using the Shadow Clone Technique to perform various extraordinary training beside him, he couldn't bring himself to say the words.

"Of course."

Naruto nodded as if it were obvious, then reached out and roughly ruffled Konohamaru's hair, spinning him around like a top.

"Konohamaru, you're a genius."

Suddenly, Naruto pulled his hand back and dropped the statement out of nowhere.

"?"

Konohamaru raised his head and looked at Naruto blankly.

"Compared to me, you are really talented."

After taking a swig from his flask and letting the numbing buzz soothe his mind, Naruto continued slowly.

He wasn't exaggerating.

In fact, over the past few days, Naruto had tried teaching Konohamaru some of the Ninjutsu he'd mastered.

The results were surprising.

Aside from the Three Basic Techniques and his signature [Sexy Technique], Konohamaru had even managed to grasp advanced Ninjutsu like Swamp of the Underworld and Wind Cutter with decent proficiency.

That wasn't something just any kid could do… at the very least, Naruto definitely couldn't do it in the past.

Konohamaru lowered his head, staring at his still-trembling hands in confusion.

"Really? But, Naruto-nii-chan, I'm still so far behind you..."

Hearing this, Naruto scratched his head and smiled sheepishly.

He didn't know how to respond to this. He couldn't exactly say, 'Well, your nii-chan here has a few extra decades of experience.'

After thinking for a while, he suddenly stood up and clapped a hand on Konohamaru's shoulder.

"Come on, I'll take you somewhere."

After saying that, without waiting for Konohamaru to recover from his exhaustion, he hoisted the boy onto his back and took off.

The wind rushed past them so fast Konohamaru nearly threw up everything he'd just eaten.

By the time they reached the edge of the village, Naruto finally set him down.

"Hmm... calculating the time, it should be about time."

Glancing at the sun in the sky, Naruto muttered to himself, "Naruto-nii-chan, what are we waiting for?"

"Your answer. Look, here he comes."

As he spoke, Naruto pointed in a certain direction, and Konohamaru's gaze followed.

"Ten laps around the village in handstand! If I can't do it, then 2,000 kicks on the wooden post!"

"YOUTH! BURNS BRIGHT!"

In the distance, a thick-browed boy in a green spandex jumpsuit was hand-walking toward them at full speed.

Konohamaru gaped at the sheer, suicidal determination radiating from the guy, completely stunned.

By the time the boy reached them, Konohamaru still hadn't snapped out of it.

"Ah! Isn't that Naruto? Are you training nearby as well?"

When Rock Lee saw the familiar figure, he greeted Naruto loudly.

"Yo! Lee!"

Naruto also stretched out his hand and greeted Lee, then introduced Konohamaru next to him.

"I brought this kid here specially to see your training. He... can be considered my disciple! You can call him Konohamaru."

"Ahh! Nice to meet you, Konohamaru!"

"Uh… h-hi."

Konohamaru stammered, still dazed.

Then Lee suddenly panicked, as if remembering something urgent.

"Ah! I have to keep training! If I don't finish by noon, it's a failure! See you later, Naruto! Konohamaru!"

After saying that that, without waiting for a response, he walked away again.

"Later, Lee!"

After shouting at the departing Lee, Naruto turned around and looked at Konohamaru.

"I met Lee during training these past few days. He is a very hard-working guy."

As he spoke, Naruto led Konohamaru to a bench under a tree and sat down.

"Konohamaru, you're a genius. You have talents that neither Lee nor I have."

When Konohamaru heard Naruto say this, he immediately wanted to refute. After all, in his eyes, Naruto was already a superhuman powerhouse.

Unexpectedly, Naruto seemed to know what he was going to say and reached out to hold his head.

"Someone once told me that for ordinary people to catch up to geniuses, they have to put in a hundred… or even a thousand times the effort."

"Lee is a genius of hard work. He He's got a drive that surpasses normal people, and that is the step for him to climb to the top."

"And you, Konohamaru, you were born with stairs leading straight to the summit."

As he said this, Naruto stretched out his finger and pressed it on Konohamaru's heart.

"You are destined to surpass Lee and me and reach the highest peak that no one has ever imagined. I have great confidence in you."

"You're a genius. Remember that. Every step you take would take someone like us ten, a hundred steps to match."

"So don't stop. Don't doubt yourself. Keep moving forward."

"Go and help us see the scenery we'll never reach."

Hearing this, Konohamaru's eyes sparkled like stars, and there seemed to be a flame burning at the place on his chest where Naruto had touched him.

No one had ever acknowledged him like Naruto had.

Naruto recognized him as Konohamaru… not as the grandson of the Third Hokage.

"YOSH!"

With his heart pounding, Konohamaru shot to his feet, and the soreness and pain in his limbs seemed to have completely disappeared.

"I'll do my best!"

Meanwhile, far away in the Hokage's office, Hiruzen slowly withdrew his hand from the crystal ball and took a deep drag from his pipe.