Naruto: Naruto's Uchiha girlfriend is too tsundere

Rumors about him never stopped in the village; the "fox demon" story was like a persistent ailment, always creeping into people's ears unexpectedly.

At first, Iruka really didn't know how to face this child. Reason told him that the sins of the Nine-Tails shouldn't be blamed on a child, but he just couldn't get over that hurdle in his heart, like an invisible knot blocking his way.

Later, he gradually came to understand Naruto's situation. Every time the boy went out, he would encounter the villagers' evasive gazes and hear their whispers, which were deliberately lowered but could still be clearly heard.

Although Iruka's own childhood was lonely, he had never experienced the feeling of being hated by almost the entire village—a loneliness that even the sunlight avoided.

But Naruto didn't seem to care at all.

He ignored all the unfriendly stares and veiled criticisms. He arrived at the classroom on time every day with his schoolbag and greeted the teachers respectfully. As a student, he was actually very easy for the teachers to manage and could even be considered quite outstanding.

Gifted with exceptional talent and strength far surpassing his peers, Iruka was only slightly worried during his first sparring session with Satsuki, but he never displayed any arrogance in class afterward.

Unlike Zuo Yue, who was cold to everyone, he could chat with anyone who spoke to him without prejudice. He also always showed respect to his teacher.

As a result, Iruka felt somewhat guilty. He knew perfectly well that the rumors shouldn't affect his opinion of the child, yet in the initial days, he still paid him unnecessary attention, unlike his natural behavior towards other students.

Thinking about all this, and looking at Naruto's perpetually cheerful demeanor, as if he had never suffered any injustice, Iruka's guilt deepened even further.

Soon, the stationery store's sign appeared on the street corner. Iruka pushed open the door and entered, but before he could even greet the shop owner, his gaze was drawn to a familiar figure in the distance.

"Naruto?!"

Chapter 61 Malice and Goodwill

Naruto was facing the counter, clutching something in his hand, seemingly about to pay. Hearing the call, he jerked around, a flicker of panic in his eyes.

"Teacher Iruka?!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Iruka noticed something was wrong—Naruto quickly hid what he was holding behind his back, his hands clenched tightly behind his waist, his secretive manner completely unlike his usual mature personality.

"Hmm? What's wrong, Naruto?" Iruka deliberately slowed his pace as he approached, his gaze falling on Naruto's tense arms. "Why are you putting your hands behind your back? What good stuff did you take?"

Naruto's eyes flickered as he took a half-step to the side, his voice becoming muffled. "...This? It's nothing! Just some...things that aren't worth talking about!"

"Your tone doesn't sound like 'nothing to say'." Iruka couldn't help but curl the corners of his mouth into a smile, then deliberately put on a stern face. "What are you hiding?"

"Seriously!" Naruto took a small step back, muttering defiantly, "This isn't school, Iruka-sensei can't interfere here, can he?"

"Huh? What nonsense are you talking about?" Iruka took two steps forward, his tone taking on a teacher's authority. "As your teacher, I don't..."

"cough!"

A deliberate cough suddenly rang out, and Iruka turned his head in the direction of the sound... What he saw made his heart sink.

The stationery store owner stood behind the counter, his eyes brimming with undisguised malice, piercing straight at Naruto.

"No chatting here, get out of here." The boss's voice was cold and harsh, every word filled with disgust.

Iruka's fingers tightened unconsciously. Was this the villagers' attitude towards Naruto that he had heard so much about? The rejection he had only heard about in the shadows was now laid bare before his eyes.

He couldn't help but turn to look at Naruto, only to see that the boy had no obvious expression on his face. He simply walked silently toward the cashier and placed the things he had hidden behind his back on the counter.

"Uncle, how much are these two?"

Iruka leaned closer to see clearly—it was just a notebook with a gold-embossed cover and a piece of dusty clay. It was a common material used by novice ninjas when practicing Earth Release; it could be stored inside the body to assist in using Earth Release techniques, and it was an ordinary thing.

The boss pursed his lips and didn't say anything.

"Uncle?" Naruto called softly again.

"Whatever! Just get out of here!" The boss finally snapped, his voice urgent and forceful.

“…I understand.” Naruto replied, took out some coins from his pocket, counted them according to the approximate market price, gently placed them on the table, then picked up his notebook and clay, turned and walked towards the door.

Just as he was about to step out the door, the boss's low but clear voice came from behind him. "...Monster."

Naruto paused noticeably. Iruka's heart tightened, but the boy only hesitated for half a second, said nothing, and didn't turn around. He simply opened the door and walked out silently.

The door slammed shut, and the shop owner's cursing voice immediately filled the air. "What bad luck! Why did anyone want to buy anything from me? Who knows what he'll do in a minute."

As he spoke, he strode to the door, grabbed the salt shaker by the door, and threw a handful of salt onto the ground.

(This kind of plot doesn't happen again, and he'll get his revenge by taking the stand of a Konoha hero who refuses to accept kindness or apologies.)

As Iruka watched the shopkeeper sprinkle salt, he felt a tightness in his chest, a suffocating sensation. So… this was the situation Naruto faced every day?

The rejection that had been lurking in the corners had now transformed into such blatant malice that just looking at it made him feel suffocated.

He lost all interest in choosing any ninja tools for practice, turned around and rushed out of the stationery store, his eyes scanning the street eagerly—not far away, Naruto was walking slowly forward, his steps steady, showing no sign of anything amiss.

"Hey! Naruto! Wait a minute!" Iruka called out in that direction, quickening his pace.

Naruto turned around at the sound, stopped and waited for him to approach.

Iruka ran up to him, looked into Naruto's clear eyes, and remained silent for a few seconds before speaking, trying to make his tone sound as relaxed as possible.

"So... all you bought were notebooks and clay? Honestly, it's not like you're hiding anything. Why were you hiding it from the teacher?"

Naruto laughed upon hearing this, "Iruka-sensei, this isn't your ordinary notebook and Nendoroid... It may look unremarkable now, but it will soon become something special."

“I see…” Iruka nodded thoughtfully, then pointed to a spot not far away. “That’s perfect, it’s almost noon, how about we go get some ramen? It’ll be on me.”

"Eh? Really?"

“Of course, teacher, I can easily afford to treat you to a bowl of ramen.” Iruka smiled and patted him on the shoulder.

Seeing the concerned smile on Iruka's face, Naruto understood that Iruka was deliberately trying to comfort him.

To be honest, what happened in the shop just now was nothing at all. Ever since he could remember, he had been used to those kinds of looks and words. Just like eating and cultivating every day, it had long become an insignificant part of his life. He wasn't hurt, and he certainly wouldn't take it to heart.

But at this moment, Iruka specially invited him to eat ramen, his tone gentle and his eyes showing no perfunctoriness. That genuine concern, with its warm touch, gently enveloped Naruto's heart.

He couldn't help but raise the corners of his mouth into a big smile, and followed Iruka briskly towards Ichiraku Ramen. "Okay, Iruka-sensei, Ichiraku-san's miso ramen, I want double the chashu!"

"You guy."

Iruka was amused by his energetic appearance and shook his head helplessly, "Alright, alright, then double the char siu, since I'm your teacher."

(Challenge to update four times today)

Chapter 62 Planning a Birthday

A few days later at noon, the ninja classroom was filled with noise, and Naruto was squatting on the open ground of the classroom, teasing the "special member" who had recently joined the class.

"Come, Akamaru, sit down!"

Naruto gave the command, looking at the little dog in front of him, Akamaru, who was all white except for the black back of his ears.

This is Kiba's recently acquired partner. The ninja dog, which will grow to the size of a person in the future, is currently just a tiny puppy the size of a palm.

“Woof!”

Akamaru immediately sat down obediently, tilting its little head back and staring intently at Naruto with its bright black eyes.

"Good boy/girl, now shake hands!"

Naruto extended his palm, and Akamaru immediately raised his right front paw, smoothly placing his soft paw pad on Naruto's palm and shaking hands with him.

"As expected of a ninja dog, it's incredibly intelligent."

Naruto couldn't help but exclaim in admiration, reaching out his other hand to stroke Akamaru's little head. The puppy's fur was even more comfortable than he had imagined. Feeling praised, Akamaru immediately narrowed his eyes, letting out a satisfied "woof" from his throat, his tail wagging rapidly like a little motor, patting the floor in a cheerful rhythm.

A while ago, when Ya walked into the classroom carrying a furry white creature, he generously announced his new partner.

"This is Akamaru, my new partner!" Kiba held the tiny white dog, no bigger than his palm, in his hands. The little guy seemed a bit shy, sniffing the air incessantly with his wet black nose.

Naruto's eyes lit up instantly. He obediently raised his hand and asked if he could touch Akamaru.

At the same time, he thought to himself, "No wonder it's a ninja academy; students can even bring their pets to school."

You see, Naruto has been eyeing the big fox inside him for a long time, but he's never had the chance to pet it. Petting the dog now seems like a good way to satisfy his craving.

Kiba's reaction was even more enthusiastic than expected. "Of course!" He practically jumped for joy as he handed Akamaru over.

In Kiba's life plan, his dream is to become Hokage, and his first order after becoming Hokage is "everyone in the village must keep a dog". Now, by developing one more dog lover, he is one step closer to his dream.

On the other side of the classroom, Satsuki watched this scene tenderly, her chin resting on her hand. In her view, Naruto was working hard to build connections—after all, the Inuzuka clan was a prestigious family in Konoha.

Thinking of this, a pang of heartache flashed in her eyes. Naruto had really gone to great lengths for the future development of the family.

The boys in the class quickly noticed this rare scene. The second young lady of the Uchiha family, who was usually as cold as ice to everyone, was now showing such a gentle expression.

Several bolder boys exchanged glances furtively, but none dared to approach him. After all, since the start of the semester, apart from Naruto, every boy who tried to get close to Satsuki had been coldly rejected.

"Hey Naruto, are you really going tonight? I've prepared an amazing present!"

While munching on potato chips, Choji leaned closer to Naruto, who was playing with the dog, to reconfirm the plan they had recently made.

That's right, tonight's operation is to give Iruka-sensei a surprise.

You want to ask why?

Because today is a special day—May 26th, Konoha Year 55, is Iruka-sensei's birthday!

Although Naruto already knew that Iruka would eventually accept him, for some reason, he had a strange fondness for his teacher from their very first meeting. The last time he felt this way was when he first met Sasuke.

When school started, Iruka's gaze towards Naruto still carried a hint of aloofness stemming from the Nine-Tails. But Naruto didn't back down—he diligently performed his duties as a good student, paying close attention in class, helping classmates who weren't distant from him, and even greeting Iruka whenever they met in the hallway.

At first, Iruka would just give a curt "hmm" and quickly look away. But as time went on, Naruto's persistence seemed to slowly melt away the barrier—Iruka began to respond to his greetings, and later, he would even take the initiative to chat with him for a few minutes.

However, Naruto noticed that Iruka's eyes had changed.

From initial complexity and estrangement, it has now turned into...guilt?

It seems Iruka is blaming himself for distancing himself from Naruto at the beginning.

Regarding Naruto's plan to organize a birthday celebration for their teacher, Naruto also invited the other Konoha 1s. As they were already close friends, they all accepted in various distinctive ways.

Satsuki: "Since you've begged me so much, I'll reluctantly help you..."

Shikamaru: "This is troublesome... but take me with you. Have you figured out how to lure Iruka-sensei to the scene?"

Choji: "Oh! Then let me join in too. I'll bring lots of snacks."

Shino: "Well, since you want to give Iruka-sensei a birthday surprise, I'll join you too. And if you're wondering why, I also want to express my gratitude..."

------

After a while, the classroom door was gently pushed open, and Iruka walked in carrying the attendance list. After a quick roll call to confirm the number of people, he announced that there would still be physical training class in the afternoon, and everyone should gather on the playground.

The students arrived at the playground in somewhat disorganized lines. The afternoon sun was a bit dazzling, carrying the languid feeling unique to late summer.

The sparring pairings for the physical training class were announced quickly. When they heard "Naruto Uzumaki vs. Sasuke Uchiha," the students around them instinctively took a step back.

It was inevitable that the two would be grouped together again, since their skill level was far inferior to the others. If they were to spar with other students, the match would usually end in one round, which would not achieve the desired training effect.

Iruka walked up to the two and instructed them, "Listen carefully, this sparring session only allows taijutsu, no ninjutsu or ninja tools, and it must be stopped short of victory. Understand?"

He still remembers the first time the two of them clashed with fire-style techniques. If they were allowed to fight using ninjutsu, not only would the two of them be injured, but even the students watching from the sidelines would suffer. Iruka felt that if they didn't do anything, the two of them might end up tearing down the ninja academy.

"Yes……"

Naruto and Satsuki responded in drawn-out tones, their voices betraying a hint of reluctance. Satsuki, in particular, pouted slightly, her disappointment almost written all over her face.

"Cheer up! Do you know how dangerous that ninjutsu is for you right now? What if it hurts someone? Now start forming the opposing hand seals!"

Chapter 63 Planning

Soon, Naruto and Satsuki engaged in a taijutsu exchange that could be described as ninja-level. The two figures moved swiftly across the open ground, the muffled thuds of fists and feet colliding echoing from time to time. Their movements were so fast that it was dazzling, yet they always maintained a delicate balance, exchanging blows back and forth with equal force.

The exciting competition drew gasps and cheers from the students watching.

Of course, most of the cheers from the sidelines were directed at Satsuki. The boys in the class blushed and shouted "Go Satsuki-san!" at the top of their lungs, trying to attract her attention in this direct way, although Satsuki completely ignored them.

In reality, this seemingly evenly matched taijutsu battle revealed signs of Naruto's deliberate manipulation from the very beginning. With the taijutsu enhancements provided by the system, his character was positioned more like a "hard-working genius."

It's more like "a hard-working person hanging on the wall".

Although Naruto obtained his Flying Thunder God Technique through a system lottery, he gradually realized that he seemed to have inherited some of his father Minato Namikaze's reflexes. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to overpower the Raikage back then.

During their first sparring session, when Zuo Yue used the Substitution Jutsu, he clearly had the opportunity to interrupt her directly and disable her technique, but he deliberately slowed down his movements and chose to hold back.

Why deliberately control the pace and make this practice match a back-and-forth affair? The answer is actually quite simple—to take care of Satsuki's feelings.

Although the Uchiha clan is warlike and possesses an inherently proud and unyielding spirit, they dislike battles where they are overwhelmingly suppressed. If the gap in strength becomes too large, creating an insurmountable chasm for her, her proud nature might severely damage her.

What if? What if Satsuki starts to doubt himself because of this huge gap, feels that there is no room for improvement in Konoha, and Orochimaru takes advantage of the situation and runs away with him?

However, reason tells Naruto that this situation is highly unlikely to occur. Sasuke is sentimental and has a strong attachment to those around him. Moreover, he has already made up his mind to prevent the tragedy of the Uchiha clan's annihilation—as long as that event doesn't happen, Sasuke has no reason to defect.

Even so, Naruto still wanted to do things thoroughly. Why? He couldn't quite explain it himself. Perhaps subconsciously he didn't want any accidents to happen, and he just wanted to secure Sasuke's presence by his side with one insurance policy after another, ensuring that nothing went wrong.