The Unusual Recovery

"Have you heard? The Nine Tails Jinchūriki nearly died in the Barriers!"

"No way! I heard he even tried to commit suicide."

"In the end, it took the Third Generation and hundreds of ninjas to stop him."

"Why can't the Nine Tails Jinchūriki just think things through?"

As Naruto walked out of the ward, he overheard nurses gossiping in the corridor. They were discussing outrageous rumors about his recent incident. He felt a flush of embarrassment and frustration.

It was all Hatake Kakashi's fault! Naruto blamed Kakashi for not stopping him sooner, which might have prevented the whole debacle.

People in the hospital hallway kept glancing at him and chuckling. Naruto, feeling their stares, wanted to vanish from sight. He had always tried to keep a low profile, but now he was famous for all the wrong reasons.

To escape the unwanted attention, Naruto found a secluded spot and jumped from the fifth floor of the hospital. Despite just recovering, he felt stronger than before. Normally, a fall like that would've sprained his feet, but he landed without a scratch.

"I seem to be venturing further down the path of insanity…" Naruto sighed as he walked aimlessly through the streets of Konoha.

The Third Generation Hokage had heard of Naruto's discharge and was slightly relieved. However, the news of Naruto jumping from the fifth floor of the hospital right after waking up did not help his stress levels.

"Is there anyone who can properly take care of this child?" The Third Generation muttered, feeling his blood pressure rise again. He had little hope that Kakashi would be of any help.

The Hokage's only remaining hope was to find Jiraiya, who was traveling abroad. Jiraiya, Minato's teacher, would likely be a better mentor for Naruto.

"I'll wait until Naruto graduates," the Third Generation resolved, hoping that in five years, Jiraiya could help guide Naruto properly.

"Naruto-kun… are you okay?"

In the classroom, Hinata turned around to see Naruto had arrived. She felt a surge of joy, though she stammered with embarrassment.

"Hinata-chan, thanks for the card. And the fruit," Naruto said, his grin wide.

"Oh… it was nothing," Hinata replied, her cheeks flushing.

Naruto felt guilty for leaving Hinata waiting while he was hospitalized. He recalled his previous life where his ex-girlfriend would get upset if he was late for a date, and now he saw Hinata's patience as exceptional.

"Hinata, I'll pick you up after school. We can practice together as we planned…"

Hinata's face turned bright red, and she fainted, collapsing onto her desk.

"Why did she faint from embarrassment?" Naruto wondered aloud. He was more concerned about her comfort and gently placed a bear pillow under her head.

The rest of the class, used to Naruto's antics, watched with mild interest. Iruka, meanwhile, struggled with the situation. How was he supposed to manage Naruto, the daughter of the Hyuga clan, and the rest of the class?

Iruka decided to ignore the situation and focus on the lesson.

After lunch, Naruto returned home briefly before heading to the small woods east of the village. The place, once a small wooden house surrounded by trees, was now a mess after Naruto's destructive incident.

"It's in pretty bad shape…" Naruto assessed, considering relocating. But realizing how disastrous his reputation was, he decided it was better to clean up.

He took out a diamond ax from the system and examined its properties:

[Diamond Ax: Attack power 42. Enchanting effect: Cutting speed 70%. Durability: 100000/100000.]

Naruto, contemplating the ax's power, wondered why it had so many features for a simple tool.

"Kid, it's training time. What are you doing with an axe?" Kurama grumbled, observing Naruto's actions.

"I'm going to tidy up this place. Besides, I won't be hammering trees today, right?" Naruto said, eyeing the small saplings nearby.

Kurama pointed out the fallen trees on the ground. "You can carry three of those trees at once."

Naruto, considering the weight of the trees, thought it was a bit excessive for him to handle all at once.

"Big Fox, can we negotiate this?" he asked, but Kurama didn't respond.

Resigned, Naruto used a bundle of ropes to tie himself and the three trees together. As he tried to take a step, he realized the trees barely budged, and the ax was still far from any broken trees.

The Third Generation, watching through the crystal ball, saw Naruto struggling with the trees and felt his stress levels rise.

What was this kid doing? Was this some sort of weight training? Why couldn't Naruto just use proper weight equipment?

The Hokage, unable to bear the sight, took his antihypertensive medication, feeling a deep sense of despair. He decided not to watch Naruto's antics any longer, fearing it might lead to a stroke.