Training Ground 26
"Huff... Huff..."
The air was filled with the sound of heavy breathing as two boys lay sprawled on the grass, completely exhausted.
Naruto and Kiba had been sparring for nearly an hour, exchanging blow after blow in an intense taijutsu match driven purely by grit and determination. But now, their bodies had reached their limits.
Neither had the strength to move. They just stayed there, gazing up at the sky as they tried to catch their breath.
After a long moment, Naruto was the first to stir. He slowly sat up, wincing as pain shot through his limbs. His muscles ached, and cramps throbbed in his arms and legs.
"Man… I overdid it today," he muttered, stretching despite the soreness. Then he glanced at Kiba. "I'm heading out. Got some stuff to do. Later, Kiba."
Kiba, still flat on his back, raised one hand lazily in farewell. He tried to sit up but flopped back down, groaning.
"How is he already walking?" Kiba thought in disbelief. Naruto's stamina was always insane—but this was on another level.
Meanwhile, Naruto limped slowly back home. Every step reminded him of the toll the fight had taken, but the thought of collapsing onto his bed kept him going.
Eventually, he reached his apartment. The moment he stepped inside, he flopped face-first onto his bed and let out a long groan.
"I've still got time before ramen with Kakashi-sensei… and it's his treat today, so that's good," he muttered, grinning to himself even as a cramp hit his side.
"Ow… I'm never pushing myself that hard again…"
After a bit of shifting, he found a comfortable position and summoned the familiar golden panel.
Even if there wasn't a mission today, he liked checking for any kind of progress. It gave him a sense of momentum—like he was truly moving forward.
He mentally reviewed the day: some practice with the Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu, followed by the spar with Kiba.
He didn't even bother counting the Flying Thunder God training—his brain still felt fried from trying to make sense of it.
Still, progress was progress.
A warm golden light shimmered before him, and the panel appeared.
---
[Development Panel]
Progress: 61.90%
Time Remaining: 8 Months, 7 Hours
---
"Huh?" Naruto blinked. "Wait… what?"
Yesterday, the timer had read 8 months and 5 days. Now, it had jumped down by more than four days in a single afternoon.
He sat up straighter, eyes wide. "No way… That's new."
He always assumed missions were the main way to speed up his development—but even high-difficulty missions only ever shaved off a few extra hours.
Today, he hadn't done a single mission… and yet more than four days had disappeared from the countdown?
"Did I misunderstand something…?" he murmured.
Then it clicked.
"That's it… It's not just missions. It's effort. The energy I put in."
Naruto realized that today, more than anything else, he had pushed himself—first with the shadow clones, and then with the all-out taijutsu spar.
On most missions, he didn't get the chance to give everything. But today? He'd given his all, left nothing behind.
"So the panel responds to effort… not just the task."
He grinned as the implications sank in. "If I train every day and push myself like this, I can shorten the time even more…"
Then another thought hit him.
"Wait—what about missions then?"
He paused,
then thought seriously before coming to a conclusion. "Well… missions are important too. Otherwise, how else am I supposed to earn money for ramen?"
But this realization was huge. It meant he had more control than he thought. More chances to push forward.
"Well then… guess I've found a shortcut," he whispered, already planning tomorrow's training in his head.
He wanted to jump up and get started right now… but his sore muscles weren't having any of it.
So, instead, he decided to lie there and rest until it was time to head out.
Time passed quickly.
As the sun began to set, an orange hue settled over the Hidden Leaf Village.
The streets were still bustling with life, shops glowing with warm lanterns and the chatter of customers echoing through the air.
Naruto was already on his way to his favorite place in all of Konoha:
Ichiraku Ramen.
Just thinking about the hot bowls of miso ramen made his stomach growl in anticipation.
"Hehe… Today's bill's on Kakashi-sensei. I'm gonna eat at least ten bowls," Naruto said with a grin, quickening his pace.
Meanwhile, Kakashi stood outside the ramen shop, his usual calm expression hidden behind his mask as he waited for his team to arrive.
That's when he heard a familiar voice from the side.
"Yo, Kakashi! What are you doing here?" asked Asuma Sarutobi, strolling over with a cigarette in hand.
Kakashi gave a casual wave. "Just waiting for my team. Thought I'd treat them to a meal today."
Asuma's eyes lit up. "No kidding? I brought my team here for the same reason. How about we go together?"
Kakashi gave it a moment's thought, then nodded. "Sure, why not?"
The two former classmates began chatting as they waited.
It didn't take long before both Team 7 and Team 10 arrived together, gathering in front of the shop.
Ino and Sakura stuck close to Sasuke, chatting and laughing, while Choji and Shikamaru stood nearby.
Naruto joined them, greeting his friends with a smile.
"Hey, Choji! Shikamaru!"
The two glanced at him. Choji simply waved back, and Shikamaru gave a lazy nod.
Neither commented on Naruto's masked appearance—Choji wasn't the type to question, and Shikamaru couldn't be bothered to care.
With everyone gathered, Kakashi and Asuma ushered them inside.
"Let's eat!" Naruto cheered as they stepped into the cozy little shop.
As they all settled onto stools and benches, Naruto was the first to place an order. He was more than familiar with this place.
"Uncle Teuchi! One big bowl of miso ramen, please!" he called excitedly.
"Coming right up!" Teuchi replied, already preparing the meal with a smile.
Soon, the others placed their own orders and began chatting among themselves.