Konoha Notes

Chapter 275: Beat it up
"Running doesn't mean abandoning the mission, but rather a regrouping strategy."

"This is the most direct and effective way to escape the enemy's deadly attack range."

"In escort missions, prioritizing getting the client out of an absolutely dangerous environment is sometimes a wiser and more responsible choice than staying behind to carry out what may seem like a brave escort operation."

As he spoke, he did not immediately cease his earth-wave technique. His gaze swept over each figure struggling on the undulating ground.

Struggling, panicking, and clumsy efforts to find a balance.

He then turned his gaze to the ninja school teachers who had come with the class; they, too, appeared disheveled from the initial shock.

As Xiu Si's thoughts raced, the ground waves, which had been like a raging tsunami, began to slow down, becoming more like the ebb and flow of the tide.

The teachers were the first to react. Ebisu immediately regained his balance, and then the other teachers gradually found their center of gravity as well.

Following that, some of the older students also began to demonstrate their adaptability.

When the ground rose up, Izumi Uchiha did not resist forcefully. Instead, she cleverly used the recoil force generated by the instantaneous burst of chakra under her feet to leap up lightly.

At the same time, she pulled a kunai with a thin steel wire attached to it from her ninja tool bag. With a flick of her wrist, the kunai, along with the steel wire, was driven into the trunk of a large tree not far away.

Using the steel wire as a guide, she swung to a relatively stable branch. Although the tree itself was transmitting the vibrations from the ground, it was a much more secure foothold compared to the constantly shifting and deforming ground.

Shuji nodded in satisfaction and looked at the lower-grade students.

“Sasuke.” The black-haired boy, covered in dust, had already pulled out a kunai and planted it in the ground. “He made the right decision by jumping at the first moment.”

The young master of the Uchiha clan showed no joy at the praise; his disheveled state, where his body was out of control, only made him feel intensely humiliated.

“Shikamaru,” Shuuji’s gaze shifted in another direction, “a smart response. Use a curled-up posture to reduce the area of ​​impact, protect vital points, and at the same time observe the pattern of ground fluctuations, try to find a rolling angle, and actively move away from the core influence range of the ninjutsu.”

"One more point to note. In most cases, maintaining a ninjutsu of this scale will often weaken the user's mobility and ability to deal with unexpected situations."

"The central area of ​​this type of ninjutsu, where the user is located, is precisely the point where the fluctuations are the least and the safest, because it is necessary to maintain the stability of the technique."

"Of course, this is a secondary tactical option when escaping has become a difficult choice."

At this moment, Naruto, who was no longer so embarrassed in the earth and waves, raised his head. His blue eyes lit up instantly and locked onto Shuji in the center of the field.

Almost without hesitation, his body began to wriggle and roll toward the center point with difficulty, bit by bit.

Shuji saw it, but he could only watch as the distance between them gradually shortened in an extremely awkward manner.

At the same time, he also noticed that Karin on the other side, who was also trying to maintain her balance, seemed to have been touched by something and began to make similar movements, moving closer to the center area.

Amidst the chaos, Naruto seemed to block out all distractions, his eyes fixed solely on his target.

He drew closer and closer, until he could even make out the pattern on Xiu Si's shoes through the cracks in the undulating earth and rocks. An indescribable excitement surged within him.

Just as Shuji seemed completely unaware, he deliberately turned to the other side, exposing his bare back.

"I will absolutely not run away, Brother Shuji!"

Naruto mustered all his strength, and with a shout, leaped up from behind a tumble of earth, spreading his arms to pounce on the figure!

However, almost at the same instant, another figure pounced out from the side like a cheetah!

It's arginine!
Naruto's smile instantly became even brighter.

As expected of Karin, who has no interest in the arrogant Sasuke, she must have understood the true meaning behind Shuuji's words! She chose to directly attack the caster's main body!
The thought had barely crossed Naruto's mind when he suddenly realized that Karin's leaping angle... seemed a little off.

"Wait……"

In Naruto's blue pupils, the wildly dancing red hair drew ever closer.

Why... is it aimed at me?! Just as Karin's fist was about to hit Naruto, another hand arrived first and grabbed Karin's wrist.

Naruto, who had leaped into the air, was also grabbed by the back of his collar and shaken in Shuji's hand.

The ground, which had been undulating and churning, seemed to have been paused and returned to calm.

"You missed, Karin."

The red-haired girl, who had been furious, immediately lowered her head, her voice becoming weak and submissive: "Yes, I'm very sorry, Captain."

Shuji released his grip.

Karin stood silently to one side, her head bowed.

Shuji looked at Naruto, who was still dangling from his hand.

"Although it was a reckless choice, it was still somewhat useful in terms of results, Naruto."

He placed Naruto on the ground, which had now been restored to solidity.

"get out of class is over."
-
"It's all your fault, Naruto."

On the way back, Shikamaru grumbled irritably as he brushed the dried, hardened mud off his clothes. There seemed to be quite a bit of sand still stuck in his hair.

"If you hadn't jumped out at the end and said those unnecessary things, we wouldn't have had to roll around on the ground a few more times before it was over."

"Yes, the clothes are completely dirty!"

Ino and Sakura glared angrily at Naruto.

"But, but, everyone actually wants to see Shuuji-nii's real technique, right?" Naruto waved his arms, trying his best to defend himself, "It's that technique! It's super powerful!"

Based on the few remaining impressions in his mind, he made random hand gestures, trying to form the hand seal.

"That Earth Release technique! A technique that can make the entire earth move!"

"The powerful thing isn't the ninjutsu itself," Shikamaru interrupted him impatiently, rubbing his still slightly dizzy head. "Besides, that level of technique probably wouldn't even qualify as 'powerful' to that person."

Naruto, however, was lost in thought: "I really want to learn that too... This kind of ninjutsu is much better than what Iruka-sensei taught me."

"Idiot, learning ninjutsu requires considering your own chakra nature." Shikamaru didn't hold back at all. "Besides, how could you possibly master Earth Release if you can't even release a clone technique properly?"

Naruto looked completely bewildered: "Chakra nature? What's that?"

Shikamaru, seeing his expression, was utterly speechless: "You... you should just give up, Naruto."

"How come Shikamaru knows all this even though he didn't listen to the lessons?!" Naruto shouted angrily.

Shikamaru remained silent; he wasn't one to boast.

There was something I wanted to say, but I swallowed it back down.

He didn't listen because he already knew everything, not because he didn't understand.

"I'm going to find Iruka-sensei and ask him!" Naruto ran off before Shikamaru could speak.

Shikamaru watched his retreating figure and sighed again.

Life at the ninja academy is so troublesome, having such a troublesome guy around is just too much.

(End of this chapter)