51: I need to train more...

Konoha...

Training Ground 7...

Naruto's POV:

Hey there, I'm Naruto Uzumaki. Yeah, I know you've heard of me. I've got big dreams—I'm gonna be the Hokage one day, believe it! But that's not gonna happen overnight. First, I gotta ace the Academy, become a Genin, climb the ranks to Jonin, and then, boom, I'll show everyone just how incredible I am. That's when they'll have no choice but to make me the Hokage. Believe it!

But, you know, it's not just about being the best Hokage ever. It's about being the strongest too, stronger even than the Fourth Hokage. He's the one who took down the legendary Nine-Tailed Fox that wreaked havoc on our village and attacked us all those years ago. He was a hero, no doubt, but he also paid the ultimate price. I don't wanna end up like that—being a hero in the afterlife? No way, dattebayo!

So, what I'm saying is, I wanna be strong, a really strong Shinobi who can protect everyone and stay alive to enjoy life. I want to earn everyone's respect and prove myself as the Hokage. And, well, I'll figure out the rest along the way, but for now, I'm laser-focused on mastering my clan's jutsu.

I dart through the trees, moving at breakneck speed, and send Kunais flying towards my target with precision. It's all part of my daily routine. But what really gets me excited is the jutsu I'm working on right now—my clan's jutsu, and not just any jutsu, the most powerful one of them all.

I gather wind chakra around me, forming an ethereal cloak, and start running so fast that I leave afterimages in my wake. It's exhilarating, the sensation of the wind rushing past me, the thrill of pushing my limits. I come to a stop, turning to admire the ten afterimages I've created.

"Look at that!" I exclaim, grinning ear to ear. "Ten afterimages just from my speed alone!" But my sensei, the ever-annoying Saito Sensei, would probably say I'm not even halfway there yet. I can't help but wonder how fast I'll be when I master it completely.

As I retrieve my Kunais from the targets, my thoughts drift to my twin brother, Kirito. It's been more than a month since he left, and I can't help but wonder how he's doing. I really want to show him how much I've improved. Maybe then, he'll stop calling me lazy. Not that I miss him or anything—it's just that we've grown up together, and he's my little brother, after all.

"Hey, brother, don't you know you aren't allowed to talk in the third person?" a voice suddenly startles me from behind. It's a voice that's almost identical to mine. Could it be who I think it is?

"Kid, stop talking in the third person and focus more on your training, or you'll never become Hokage," chimes in our ever-persistent Saito Sensei. But, you see, I love them both dearly. So, I turn around with a broad smile, for today is the day I'm going to defeat my little brother.

– End of pov –

As Kirito and Saito arrived at the training ground, they spotted Naruto engaging in his peculiar habit of speaking in the third person once again. They couldn't help but feel a surge of frustration; after all, they had repeatedly advised him against doing it, and had even made it clear that it wasn't allowed.

Sharing a knowing glance, Kirito stood behind Naruto and sighed, "Hey, brother, you do realize that speaking in the third person is against the rules, right?"

On the other hand, Saito, who had left Naruto briefly to investigate a sudden chakra surge he felt from the direction of the Hokage Tower (later revealed to be Sadaharu), returned to express his pride in Naruto's progress. However, much to his annoyance, he found Naruto once again engaged in his third-person conversations. He couldn't help but utter the words he detested most, "Kid, stop talking to yourself in the third person and focus on your training if you ever hope to become Hokage."

Naruto, displaying his trademark nonchalance, responded with a dismissive, "Yeah, whatever…" He then turned his attention toward his twin brother, a mischievous smile spreading across his face. "Kirito, you're finally back, and now it's time for our duel."

"Are you sure about this, brother?" Kirito asked with a grin, eager to gauge how much Naruto had improved during his absence.

"Absolutely," Naruto replied confidently. "And you'll see just how fast I've become when I unleash my speed."

"You want to challenge me in a race?" Kirito inquired, amused by Naruto's proposal.

"Yes, let's do it," Naruto declared with a grin.

And with that, the two brothers began their race, opting not to use any special techniques or jutsus. Naruto held a slight advantage due to his naturally strong physique, as Kirito wasn't holding back either.

"I can't believe you managed to pass the entrance exam with this speed, brother," Naruto remarked as he threw a punch at Kirito.

Swiftly evading Naruto's attacks, Kirito executed a graceful backflip and commented, "You've definitely improved since the last time I saw you."

Naruto, not one to be outdone, leaped forward, increasing his speed. "You have no idea," he said, a hint of excitement in his voice.

This time, Kirito pushed himself to 70% of his maximum speed to match Naruto's pace. They exchanged kicks, and Kirito observed, "You've even learned some taijutsu during my absence."

Performing a backflip after receiving Kirito's attack, Naruto grinned and retorted, "I wouldn't expect anything less from you, given your training. But don't think I'm done yet."

Naruto then proceeded to perform a series of hand signs and initiated his jutsu, "Swift Style: Acceleration." He felt that giving his technique a cool-sounding name added to the effect, making him the first in history to do so.

As Naruto's jutsu kicked in, he became significantly faster, forcing Kirito to utilize his full speed just to keep up. Observing Naruto's extraordinary agility, Kirito thought, 'He's channeling chakra into his legs, indicating he's using the first stage of the jutsu. Impressive, but not enough.'

Despite his best efforts, Kirito couldn't gain any advantage over Naruto. Frustrated, Naruto decided to skip directly to the third level of his jutsu, "Acceleration."

With this sudden increase in speed, Naruto caught Kirito off guard, delivering a powerful kick that narrowly missed its mark.

Startled, Kirito exclaimed, "Oh, my...!" He had barely evaded a devastating blow through quick movements, his Flash Steps allowing him to escape harm. He regarded Naruto seriously, realizing, 'He almost got me with that move. I can't believe he jumped straight to the third stage from the first.'

Remaining composed on the outside, Naruto grinned and said, "Almost got you there."

"Consider it a lucky shot," Kirito replied, using his Flash Step to deliver a swift kick toward Naruto.

"Where are you aiming? I'm over here!" Naruto taunted, grinning from a distance as Kirito's kick met only empty air.

Suddenly, Naruto was sent flying as Kirito's kick connected. Naruto was astonished. "How did you...?" he asked, clearly surprised by the outcome.

With a triumphant smile, Kirito said, "Gotcha, brother."

Naruto regained his footing, assumed a fighting stance, took a deep breath, and declared, "You win."

As soon as Naruto finished speaking, Kirito found himself surrounded by ten afterimages, all created by Naruto.

Kirito smirked. "I can do that too, you know."

Sighing, Naruto realized he had more training to do as Kirito moved faster, encircling him from all sides. "I really need to train more..."

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