Naruto's Defiant Training

After visiting the examination room, Sakura left Sasuke and Naruto to their training and headed home to review her notes. Unconcerned with the theoretical aspects of their training, Sasuke and Naruto continued their rigorous practice at the training ground.

Later in the evening, Naruto showcased his martial arts skills to Konohamaru, who was thrilled and screamed with excitement. Konohamaru tried to mimic Naruto's techniques with great enthusiasm, walking around and pretending to use the Konoha Gate fluid technique. His attempts were reminiscent of Sasuke's obsession with his decapitating swords.

The excitement of discovering a new taijutsu style had opened a new world for the eight-year-old.

That night, after a long day, the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, returned home, his body tired but his spirits lifted by the thought of Naruto's recent growth. He was reminded of Jiraiya, who had once been a troublesome child but had matured into a reliable ninja. The Third Hokage felt a pang of sadness as he thought of his most promising disciple, who had defected from the village.

As he reached his home, he noticed something alarming. The door to his house was missing. He rubbed his eyes, unable to believe what he saw. "What's going on? Where's my door?!" he exclaimed in disbelief.

He wondered if an outer village ninja might be responsible, given the recent influx of visitors for the Konoha Chūnin Exam. Could Naruto's warnings about spies from Sunagakure be true?

The Third Hokage cautiously drew a kunai and stepped through the door frame. Inside, he discovered that only the door had been removed; nothing else was missing. "What's happening here?" he muttered.

Then he heard laughter and playful noises coming from the training ground. Following the sounds, he was met with a curious sight: Konohamaru, holding a wooden door and waving it around excitedly, with a pile of door panels at his feet.

It quickly became clear that Konohamaru had been responsible for the missing door. "It's this kid again," the Third Hokage sighed, shaking his head.

Konohamaru, spotting his grandfather, grinned widely and rushed towards him with the wooden door, shouting, "Grandfather! Let's duel! I'm going to defeat you today and become the Fifth Hokage!"

However, Konohamaru's excitement led him to trip over the door and fall. "Hateful! Grandpa, you set up an ambush!" he exclaimed, still trying to maintain his brave façade.

Sarutobi Hiruzen was left speechless. He had expected Konohamaru to be more like his usual self, charging forward with kunai and shuriken. But today's antics seemed to be inspired by Naruto. "Who taught you to use door panels as weapons?" he asked, his voice a mix of confusion and frustration.

Konohamaru, still on the ground, eagerly answered, "It's my brother Naruto! I want to be just like him!"

The Third Hokage nearly fainted at the revelation. "Not Naruto," he groaned, clutching his chest and searching for his medicine. This was the last straw for him. The constant surprises were overwhelming.

Konohamaru, noticing his grandfather's distress, rushed over. "Grandpa, are you okay?"

Breathing heavily, Sarutobi Hiruzen reassured him, "I'm fine. Just... take it easy."

"By the way, Grandpa," Konohamaru continued, "What do you think of the Konoha Gate physical technique I performed? Isn't it awesome?"

The Third Hokage almost lost his composure again. "There are so many jutsu you could learn, but you're practicing with a door panel?" he lamented, feeling his stress levels rise. He wondered if he needed stronger medication.

"Where's your Ebisu-sensei?" he asked, trying to regain some semblance of normalcy.

Konohamaru shrugged, "I don't know where Teacher Ebisu is! He wasn't around."

Meanwhile, at Team 7's training ground, Ebisu was tied up on a tree, hanging in an embarrassing manner. He was furious and humiliated as Naruto casually enjoyed his instant noodles, unfazed by Ebisu's predicament.

Naruto had decided to teach Konohamaru himself. After all, if Konohamaru could become strong under his guidance, it would prove a point to everyone in Konoha. "After the exam tomorrow, I'll have a word with Mr. Third Hokage about this," Naruto mused.

The night was filled with chaos, but Naruto remained confident and determined to make a difference.