"Ino, Ino! Isn't that Naruto?"
Sakura suddenly nudged Ino. "Why is he walking with a strange woman?"
The two of them were currently serving as medical-nin.
Although the major Konoha clans had already returned to the village, they still sent some of their younger members to train within the Umbrella Organization. Compared to the outside world, it was far safer—and far more advanced.
Startled, Ino turned her head.
At a glance, she saw Naruto.
He was dressed in a white-and-gold imperial robe, his blond hair dazzling under the light, a gentle smile resting on his lips. For a brief moment, Ino completely lost herself.
"Ino… Ino!"
Sakura looked at her helplessly. Their relationship had improved greatly compared to the past.
"Huh? W-What is it, Sakura?" Ino finally reacted, flustered.
"Ino, didn't you see the woman beside Naruto?" Sakura whispered urgently. "He's walking with another woman. Does Hinata know about this? And she's really beautiful."
Konan's presence naturally carried an overwhelming impact on girls their age.
Her calm, cool demeanor—tempered by years of hardship—was like a ripe peach, mature and alluring.
Ino subconsciously shifted her gaze to Konan.
That aura made her mind go blank for a moment.
Then she glanced down at herself.
She couldn't even see her feet.
Compared to the woman beside Naruto… she felt completely outmatched.
Ino couldn't help but pout.
When she looked back up, Naruto and Konan were already walking farther away. A faint sadness welled up in her chest.
In the ninja world, aside from nobles, most shinobi practiced monogamy.
Naruto's figure soon disappeared from their sight.
"This is one of our schools," Naruto said, pointing toward a tall, imposing gate ahead.
"The cradle where we cultivate talent."
Konan looked inside. At a glance, the campus was vast and beautifully designed, radiating order and vitality.
Naruto continued, "Our education system isn't the traditional six-year model used by the ninja villages. It's divided into elementary, middle school, high school, and university."
"By the time they reach university level, they're already reserve warriors. Learning no longer happens mainly in classrooms—it shifts to mission participation and practical work, emphasizing real-world experience."
He explained it simply and clearly.
"It's better if you see it for yourself."
Naruto stepped onto the campus grounds. Before entering, he casually cast a simple genjutsu over both of them.
Every time he came here, he would otherwise be mobbed by students.
Within these schools, Naruto's presence carried even more weight than the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, ever did in Konoha.
His achievements were simply too overwhelming.
Moreover, Shisui had carefully shaped Naruto's image in the minds of the children.
That wasn't unusual.
Naruto's story was recorded in textbooks:
Founding the Umbrella Organization.
Growing from the "Demon Fox" into a hero.
Bringing peace and stability to the ninja world.
Establishing the Seven Colors Trading Company.
Promoting scientific development and reform.
Overthrowing noble rule.
Abolishing slavery.
His accomplishments were countless.
As a result, Naruto had been almost deified within Umbrella.
The two arrived at an open area of the campus. Because of the genjutsu, no one noticed them.
Nearby, several children—around ten years old—were gathered together, excitedly discussing ninjutsu and martial arts.
"Haha! I've already learned Wind Release: Wind Cutter, Fire Release: Blazing Palm, and Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique! Isn't that amazing? I want to become as strong as Principal Naruto!"
"Ryūga, stop dreaming," another child laughed. "You want to reach Naruto's level? I'm not discouraging you, but even with wind–fire dual chakra natures, this is already impressive. Still, it's nowhere near enough to compete with the Rocket Class."
"Exactly! Chūzō from the Rocket Class has insanely fast swordsmanship—his talent is ridiculous. Even a chūnin wouldn't be his match!"
"And Chiba Rin, the Bloodline Limit user—he crushes chūnin easily too. But even they aren't in the top ten!"
"There's also someone named Senmu. That guy's terrifying. His chakra capacity reaches fifty units—that's elite jōnin–level chakra!"
"I heard about Hyūga Hanabi too! She's Lord Hyūga Neji's sister. Her strength only ranks fifteenth, but no one dares provoke her. She's the recognized big sister!"
"And don't forget Hanyu Yuzuru! I heard he's from the Land of Iron and related to the legendary Mifune. He uses swordsmanship and taijutsu—and can even release sword qi!"
"Hiss—so terrifying! Shuri, how do you know so much?"
The group of youngsters continued their lively discussion.
"I heard the Rocket Class is extremely mysterious. To enter it, you need exceptional talent. Everyone there is a future powerhouse! Every single one of them is at least chūnin-level!"
"Heh, of course you'd say that," someone replied smugly. "I've got a cousin in the Rocket Class!"
Ueno Shuri laughed proudly.
"My cousin's name is Ueno Muraki. He's ranked thirty-seventh! There are fifty people in the Rocket Class, so that's already considered pretty impressive. That place is known as a concentration camp for geniuses. Everything I know comes from him."
He paused, enjoying the attention, before continuing.
"Very little information about the Rocket Class gets shared outside. Their internal rankings aren't even disclosed to us."
As expected, his words drew another wave of envious looks. Having a relative in the Rocket Class was no small bragging right.
Naruto and Konan had clearly heard the conversation.
Konan was genuinely surprised. These children were only around ten years old. Setting the Rocket Class aside, even Ryūga alone could already be called a genius.
"Don't be too surprised," Naruto said calmly. "These kids were selected from all across the ninja world. Their numbers are small, so it's natural that each of them has outstanding talent."
"They've also received the best training since childhood. As for ninjutsu and techniques, as long as they earn enough points, they can exchange for them and cultivate freely. Here, there's no such thing as hoarding knowledge."
Naruto continued, his tone steady.
"We also start cultivating teamwork from a very young age. The school regularly holds team-based competitions—you can take a look sometime."
"Unlike the traditional three-man squads used by the ninja villages, we use a five-person system: offense, defense, control, medical, and command. Each role is distinct. Compared to three-man teams, five-person units are more comprehensive, and their combat styles are entirely different."
Konan listened quietly, committing his words to memory.
Over the next few days, Naruto brought Konan to visit many parts of the Umbrella Organization.
She witnessed aircraft roaring through the skies, cannons forged with terrifying power, and the wonders of biological science. She saw civilian districts flourishing under Umbrella's rule, manufacturing industries operating at full capacity, and common people living stable, prosperous lives.
All of it deeply moved her.
The civilians here lived better—far better—than anyone she had seen elsewhere in the ninja world.
"Naruto," Konan said softly, stopping in her tracks. "In a dark world… you are like a beacon of hope."
"Nagato's actions were not always right," she continued, her gaze steady, "but I supported him because he was the only light I could see in this world."
She looked directly at Naruto, her eyes clear and sincere.
"Now, I believe you can bring light—to us, and to the entire world."
"In a world shrouded in darkness, even flowers can only wither."
Naruto smiled faintly.
"Thank you for the compliment," he said. "Take this book. It might give you some inspiration."
He handed her a book.
It was the revolutionary edition of Umbrella's ideological manifesto.
(End of Chapter)
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