ตอน 39: A New And Improved Naruto?
-----
In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.
John 16:33
-----
Several hours had passed, and the initial dismay shrouding the room had simmered down. However, some of the students would occasionally spare glances in the direction of Naruto and Karin, because the truth was... This was a rather ironic turnaround, so much so that the students questioned the validity of the epiphany.
It was as though the very chains of fate had been manipulated... Ahem.
As usual, the day was boring, which somewhat justifies the abundance of internal battles between the students, and their extreme urge to sleep... But among these battles, one particular youth had the audacity to succumb to such luxuries! You guessed right; he was none other than Uzumaki Naruto, and he had no shame.
Such courage is truly commendable.
Our blonde protagonist over here kept dozing off at subjects, inevitably reaching a point where his desk served as a cushion for his head. Though he had done his utmost to remain awake, he would quickly fall victim to sloth and slumber, exploring the dreamland where he becomes a revered Hokage, battling unfathomable evil, but managing to turn the tides in his favour, and triumphing over the hard-fought ordeal.
"Hehe, I'm the strongest, ya know," Naruto unconsciously giggled, unaware of the drool seeping from his mouth and soaking the desk.
Seeing Naruto snore, a sheepish bead of sweat traced by Karin's temple. Leaning toward her brother, she exhorted in a barely audible pitch, "Naruto, wake up."
And as expected, her action came to no avail.
The exhausted Iruka sucked in a mouthful of chilly air, releasing his pent-up frustration with this a single bellow;
"NARUTO, WAKE UP," Iruka hollered, snapping the sleeping youth from his daze who jolted up in fear.
Rubbing his hunched eyes, the blurry surroundings reconfigured to clarity, and Naruto found himself staring at the malicious gaze of his mentor. Iruka stood akimbo, and continued, "Honestly, you're beyond help at this point."
Assuming a slouching posture, Naruto mulled, 'This is just so boring.'
The vacant lustre in his eyes conveyed a deep-rooted annoyance at this dilemma, but this plight also reminded him of a past conversation he had with his uncle not long back:
[FLASHBACK NO JUTSU]
Ushering into the comfy confines of his well-nourished living room, Naruto whined, clutching his head in agony, "Ahh, so annoying. I hate studying, I wanna be a ninja already."
Overhearing the cries of his nephew, Hayato sighed, his mind illustrating the chaos of his days as a student of the academy. As someone who reprimanded his own actions back in the academy, he didn't want Naruto to inherit the same, because he knew from experience if Naruto doesn't focus now, then the future will be a lot harder, especially taking into consideration his undying amibiton on attaining the title of Hokage...
As such, Hayato started, "Naruto."
Earning Naruto's attention, Hayato deliberated, "I know from experience it's hard, but make sure to focus hard on your subjects. If you wanna be Hokage, not only should you be strong, but you must be smart. As the leader of Konoha, you will need to possess the capacity to protect the village, that's true, but you must also be smart enough to handle the financial and political dilemmas."
Placing a reassuring hand on the youth's shoulder, he assured, "You have it in you Naruto. I believe in you. Never give up."
The azure in the youth's eyes glimmered, his determination incandescent at the utteration of his benevolent uncle; that Hayato believed in him. Those words of courage pierced him deeply. As such, Naruto promised himself to venture forth, his mind echoing in lilts of victory!
[END OF FLASHBACK NO JUTSU]
Reciting the dialogue in his mind, Naruto lifted both hands to the side as though attempting a... bear hug?
Unable to decipher the nature behind the audacious stance, a question mark rang in the air as the onlookers looked to their peers, only to share equal bewilderment at Naruto's antics. As such, they could only stare at Naruto in wonder... Just what has gotten into Naruto?
*SMACK*
A resounding smack echoed off the walls of the class. The obnoxious action not only took Iruka off guard but the surrounding students, some flinching back as though aligning with the pain despite being unharmed.
Recollecting himself, Naruto inwardly proclaimed, 'I'M GONNA BE HOKAGE YA KNOW!'
"E-Eh," Iruka was surprised.
As Naruto removed his palm from his face, the imprint of toddler-sized hand marks plastered across Naruto's cheeks, resulting from his self-inflicted slap! Leaning forward on an extended elbow, his aura had changed, oozing with unwavering focus as he stared at the foreign glyphs on the blackboard, trying to decode the essence behind the symbols... Maths has truly proven to be a formidable enemy!
However, it was at this very moment he decided he must reconcile his abhorrent shortcomings.
Observing the unusually domineering hue enveloping Naruto, Iruka couldn't help but express his surprise. The gleaming sapphire that held boundless depth further amplified the youth's intimidation despite being a mere child, and it was truly a personification Iruka didn't think he would ever see in Naruto. To confirm this incredulous scene, he had to blink a couple of times before complimenting, 'Well... that's a surprise... It seems his new parents seem to be a positive influence. Naruto's becoming more mature.'
Iruka stared into Naruto's deep blue eyes, eyes like a torrential squall, as imposing as the unravelled mystique behind the ocean. Even Karin was pleasantly surprised by this development.
Iruka turned his focus back onto the blackboard, and intoned, "R-Right, let me continue. So over here, x will be equal to- "
He spared a temporary glance in Naruto's direction, and...
"!"
Astonishment!
A pen elegantly twirled around Naruto's finger, and his notebook which had been a vacant carcass his whole life finally brimmed to life in a show of breathtaking display, as the lazy youth appeared to be filling the page with incomprehensible words! Not only Iruka, but the populace dwelling in the terrain were stupefied at this unbelievable behaviour.
Iruka's chalk elegantly paced along the blackboard, undeterred by the unexpected transition of Naruto's demeanour. Upon completion, Iruka turned around, eager to bear witness to the new and improved version of Naruto...
Or so he thought.
*Zzzz*
Shrouding the premises was a peculiar sound; the sound one would involuntarily make upon sleeping, like a snoring sound, but this particular sound buzzed with familiarity... That's right.
Naruto was snoring.
While Naruto's clutch tightened on his pencil, his scribbling had ceased, and the tip of his pencil remained atop the paper. Saliva had started to leak from his mouth while his head was cocked to the left, and he snored miserably. Karin smiled wryly at her younger brother's face, unsurprised by the youth's mental deceleration.
Poor Iruka was left crestfallen, facepalming himself; 'I should've anticipated this.'
Veins bulged from the man's temples, he took a deep breath in, and...
"NARUTOOO!"
***
Sorry if the chapter was boring, or if it may be starting to get boring. Just hang on a while longer; think of this as the calm before the storm.
Stay tuned brothers.
สถานะพลังงานรายสัปดาห์
-- การจัดอันดับด้วยพลัง 
-- หินพลัง