darknovel Chapter 67 is no longer able to start.
Chapter 67 is no longer able to start.
The moment the gift was placed in Iruka's hands, Naruto suddenly took a deep breath, his blue eyes unusually serious. He lowered his head slightly, as if organizing his thoughts.
"Iruka-sensei... I'm truly grateful to you this past year."
His voice was lower than usual, carrying an undeniable sincerity. The classroom suddenly fell silent; even the usually noisy Ya fell silent. Akamaru tilted his head, his dark eyes darting back and forth between the two of them.
Iruka was stunned. He saw Naruto raise his head, look directly into his eyes, and ask the question that had always made him feel guilty.
"By the way, teacher, you seem to be blaming yourself for what happened in the past... is that true?"
Iruka felt a tightness in his throat; the self-reproach buried deep within him was suddenly thrust into the light, leaving him nowhere to hide. His fingers trembled slightly, and finally, he slowly nodded.
"...Yes, I'm really sorry...Naruto, I'm a terrible teacher."
The moment those words left his mouth, Iruka felt a sharp pain. He remembered his initial distance from Naruto, the deliberate maintenance of that distance, and his stiff responses each time Naruto greeted him—
Unexpectedly, Naruto clicked his tongue and a look of amusement and exasperation appeared on his face.
"Seriously, teacher, your moral standards are too high!" He scratched his blond hair, his tone tinged with helpless affection.
"But later, didn't you accept me, teacher? There's no need to let the past bother you anymore."
Iruka opened his mouth, but couldn't utter a word. He had never imagined that his past hesitations and mistakes would be forgiven in this way—not ignored, but understood, and then gently told "it's okay."
Naruto looked at his teacher's reddened eyes and unconsciously softened his voice.
"Teacher, everyone has imperfections, but it is precisely these hesitations and subsequent choices that make trust even more precious."
Naruto flashed a big smile. "So, please don't blame yourself for not doing well enough. For me..."
"You've been the best teacher for a long time."
Iruka's body began to tremble uncontrollably. He hurriedly lowered his head, not wanting the students to see his disheveled state. But tears blurred his vision, dripping onto the gift box in his arms, leaving a small, dark stain.
So... I'm just so lucky.
This realization made his heart pound, a mixture of bittersweetness and warmth. It was his duty to accompany Naruto and teach these children, but why… was it he himself who was the one being redeemed and warmed?
So many emotions surged in my chest—astonishment at Naruto's maturity, a touch on the softest part of my heart, a strengthening of my resolve as a teacher, and an almost overflowing warmth…
And an unprecedented sense of pride.
I am proud to be a teacher to these children.
I am proud to have witnessed Naruto grow into such a gentle person.
I am proud to stand here at this moment, surrounded by such pure emotion.
"Alright, alright, hurry up and open the gift." Naruto rarely showed a hint of embarrassment. "Actually, in terms of extravagance, my gift might not be as valuable as others', but I still hope you'll like it, Sensei."
Without the slightest hesitation, Iruka's fingers touched the exquisitely wrapped gift box. He gently untied the ribbon, revealing a soft silk lining the inside, upon which lay two items.
Iruka's breath caught in his throat for a moment as his gaze fell on the first gift.
It was a handmade, painted clay model, about the size of his palm. He picked it up tremblingly, feeling the warm, smooth texture of clay on his fingertips. The model was exquisitely crafted, with every detail meticulously handled.
These are two chibi-style figures, standing together holding hands.
The little figure on the left wears a Konoha headband, has pineapple-shaped hair tied back, and wears a gentle smile; the little figure on the right has a head of golden spiky hair and smiles so wide his eyes disappear. The two figures hold hands tightly, and the base is engraved with the words "The Best Teacher" in childish handwriting.
Iruka's thumb unconsciously stroked the miniature version of himself.
This is...us?
"How about that? Now that you're doing this, teacher won't be alone anymore!" Naruto grinned. "Even after graduation, when you see this model, teacher won't forget me so easily."
On the other side of the classroom, Zuo Yue's gaze fell on the pair of chibi-style figurines, her dark eyes flickering slightly. Unconsciously, the image of the well-preserved gift in her room came to mind.
It was a birthday gift from Naruto to her. The chibi version of Satsuki on the model was crossing her arms and turning her face away with a haughty expression, while the chibi version of Naruto was grinning beside her.
Even though I have one too... why do I still feel a little tightness in my chest when I see the teacher receive the same gift...?
"...Yes! Thank you, Naruto..."
Iruka's voice was so soft it was almost inaudible. He carefully placed the model back into the box, his movements gentle. His fingertips lingered on the words "The Best Teacher" for a moment before reluctantly moving away.
To hide his reddened eyes, Iruka quickly turned to the second gift—the expensive notebook. The words "The Ultimate Teacher's Guide" on the cover gleamed under the light. But a closer look revealed that the lettering wasn't original to the product; it had been hand-stamped on later.
I see......
Suddenly, his memory flashed back to the stationery store a while ago. The things Naruto had been sneakily hiding back then were actually these gift materials… Had this kid been meticulously preparing all along?
He took a deep breath and slowly turned to the first page of the notebook.
Then it froze completely.
The title page features an exaggerated portrait of Naruto, with words written next to it in crooked yet energetic handwriting.
"Record all the students who make you proud—I might not be the first, but I certainly won't be the last!"
These words were like a key, suddenly unlocking a tightly locked gate in Iruka's heart.
An unprecedented emotion surged forth like a tidal wave, instantly shattering all his defenses. It was not merely being moved, nor simply feeling gratified; it was something deeper and warmer.
A tear fell onto the paper, blurring the ink. Then came a second, a third...
"Waaah..."
The long-suppressed sobs finally burst forth. Iruka, his back hunched, cried out like a child. Tears soaked the notebook's cover.
The classroom was completely silent. Shikamaru's yawn froze halfway down his face, Choji's potato chips stopped at his lips, and even his usually boisterous teeth widened in surprise. They had never seen adults show such a vulnerable side before.
Just then, a crisp notification sound rang in Naruto's mind.
【Ding! 】
[Congratulations, host! You have established a level 7 bond with the original character "Iruka Umino" (maximum)!]
Just as Naruto was about to step forward to comfort her, the system's voice rang out again.
【Ding! 】
[Congratulations, host: You have established a level 8 bond with the original character "Iruka Umino" (The relationship has undergone a qualitative change! It has become familial).]