39 - Clan Justsu part 2/Complicated Feelings...

Konoha…

Shinobi Academy…

As the twins arrived at the gate of the Academy, they found Kakashi, who wasn't wearing his Anbu mask and uniform, talking with Saito sensei about an important issue.

As the twins approached them, Saito turned to Kirito and nodded, then looked at Naruto with a serious expression and asked, "Did you finish the homework that I assigned to you?"

"Well, you see, sensei, I was..." Naruto began to answer nervously. He knew he hadn't completed the homework due to his laziness and the boring time he had, but admitting it to his sensei was difficult, especially since he might face punishment like last time.

"So you didn't. Fine, we'll discuss your punishment later," Saito said with a serious tone, then turned toward Kirito and said with a smile, "I heard everything from Kakashi, and you did great, kid. I'm proud of you."

"It was a mission, so I tried my best," Kirito said plainly, not showing much emotion. He then added, "Actually, this time we came here to ask you something very important."

"Is that so? Then tell me, what is it?" Saito said with a smile, looking at Kirito.

"You see, sensei, every one of our friends is learning their own clan's secret jutsus, so..." Kirito got straight to the point, avoiding unnecessary details.

"I see," Saito nodded in understanding, then added, "Okay, let's move from here, as he will also join us in the training."

**Training Ground 7...**

As they stood on the training ground, it was time to start their training. Saito set up a training area and approached Kirito, handing him a training cone. At the same time, he went to Naruto and gave him a cone as well.

*Naruto's side...*

"You see, Naruto, even though your name is Uzumaki from your mother's side, if you ask me, you inherited more from your father's clan," Saito explained. He took out a scroll from his pocket and handed it over to Naruto.

"What is this, sensei?" Naruto asked curiously.

"It's the Swift Release jutsu from your father's clan, but you currently only have one of the seven steps of the jutsu. You need to master it over time, and I'll give you the remaining six parts when you're ready," Saito explained with a serious tone.

"Is it as strong as Shikadai's Shadow Possession Jutsu?" Naruto asked excitedly, thinking that he finally had his own clan jutsu.

"It depends on the person using the jutsu, but I believe that if you master it, that Nara kid won't stand a chance against you," Saito said with a laugh, encouraging Naruto.

"Alright!" Naruto exclaimed, punching his fist into the air. "Well then, start teaching me, sensei!"

With that, Naruto began learning the Swift Release jutsu.

*At the other side of the training ground...*

Saito stood before Kirito and said with a sigh, "I don't think you need to learn the Swift Release jutsu, as I thought you already knew it. However, if you want, you can learn it later. What I want you to focus on is the Uzumaki sealing jutsus, given that you have inherited more from your mother's side."

"But I thought I had learned a lot, and last time you said we were going to move on to the tailed beast sealing techniques," Kirito asked, confused.

"Yes, but I want you to learn even more before we move on. So from now on, you'll spar with Kakashi here," Saito said with a serious tone.

"That's why you brought Senpai with us this time," Kirito said with a nod as he and Kakashi began their sparring session, focusing on hand-to-hand combat and taijutsu without using ninjutsu.

**Next day afternoon...**

Naruto and Kirito went to the park together to play with their friends. As they entered the park, they found only Shikamaru and Choji present.

After playing for a while, boredom started to set in. Naruto asked, "Where did Ino go?"

"She's probably playing with her friends," Choji replied between bites of chips.

"Then let's go find her. After all, I haven't seen her in a while," Kirito suggested, standing up.

"Yeah, let's embark on an 'Ino Search Mission'," Naruto added excitedly, turning their quest into a playful game.

After a bit of walking, hunger struck Choji, and they stopped by a shop to get some chips for everyone. Despite their efforts, they couldn't find Ino and decided to head back home, as evening was approaching.

As they reached a turning point in the shopping district, Choji pointed in a direction and exclaimed, "Hey, look!"

They saw Ino attempting to offer a flower to a black-haired boy who appeared to be an Uchiha (Sasuke). As she extended the flower, she missed her mark, and the boy walked away, leaving her behind.

"What's going on here?" Naruto commented, observing the scene.

"What a drag," Shikamaru added with a bored expression, watching the scene unfold.

"Nope... Nope... Nope..." Naruto chimed in.

"Nope... Nope... Nope..." Choji followed suit.

"Nope... Nope... Nope..." Shikamaru joined in, teasing Ino's failed attempt to give the flower.

When Ino noticed their reactions, they shouted with a teasing tone, "No girls for me!"

Turning their playful taunts into a game, they began running away from Ino, who pursued them. Just as Ino was about to catch up, Kirito stepped in and caught her, saying, "Are you not going to make fun of me like them?" with a comforting smile.

Ino, her expression reflecting a mix of surprise and disappointment, managed to stammer, "I... I..."

"It's alright, you don't need to say anything. I understand," Kirito said with a forced smile.

"What?" Ino asked, puzzled by his response.

"As your friend, I'll help you with that boy situation," Kirito continued, his smile genuine.

"Oh..." Ino replied, her tone less than enthusiastic.

"Anyway, I brought this hairpin for you," Kirito offered, handing her a golden hairpin he had obtained in Tanzaku City.

"Thank you," Ino said, a smile gracing her face as she accepted the gift.

"Take care. I'll be heading back now. Feel free to ask for help if you need it with that boy," Kirito said, starting to walk away in the direction Naruto and the others had gone.

"Kirito!" Ino called out, but before she could stop him, he was already gone. She let out a sigh, her gaze fixed on Kirito's retreating figure, feeling a mix of emotions she couldn't quite comprehend.

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