Naruto: Drinking Makes You Stronger

Rin stopped, looked into the crimson eyes, and asked seriously,

"May I know why? I don't recall much interaction between you and Leo-kun."

Kurenai stared back at Rin, her expression equally serious.

"Because Leo is the best."

A look of admiration appeared in Rin's eyes.

Even though Leo loved to drink, it couldn't hide his strikingly handsome appearance. More importantly, Leo was regarded as one of the greatest prodigies since the founding of the Konoha Ninja Academy.

Among their peers, even Kakashi Hatake, the son of Konoha's White Fang and another genius student, had been defeated by Leo. At just eight years old, Leo had managed to defeat a Chūnin instructor with a single blow.

Though it was still early for him to graduate, Leo was already acknowledged as the most powerful genius in the academy.

Rin admired strength above all else.

"I see..."

Kurenai's crimson eyes flashed with a complicated emotion but quickly became resolute.

"I won't give Leo-kun up so easily."

Her determination was clear.

"Then why do you like Leo?" Rin tilted her head, puzzled. While she and Kurenai had been classmates for a while, they hadn't interacted much.

Still, Rin could sense that Kurenai's feelings for Leo weren't just because of his dazzling strength.

So why?

"Stop asking so many questions! Anyway, we'll be rivals from now on."

Kurenai's face suddenly turned red. With an embarrassed huff, she turned and ran off as if fleeing the scene.

"What's with her?" Rin muttered as she watched Kurenai's retreating figure.

"Hmph, no matter what, I'm not giving Leo-kun to her."

Clenching her small fists, Rin puffed herself up and headed home.

Meanwhile, Kurenai:

After running a good distance, Kurenai finally stopped, leaning on her knees to catch her breath.

"Leo-kun…" she murmured softly. Her delicate nose twitched slightly, as if still catching the faint scent she was so drawn to. Her crimson eyes grew hazy.

Unlike Rin, Kurenai's feelings for Leo weren't based on admiration. No, hers were closer to infatuation.

But why?

It wasn't just Leo's strength or charisma. What captivated Kurenai was something peculiar—her natural love for the scent of alcohol.

Though she was too young to drink, Kurenai had always found herself enchanted by the aroma of liquor.

Her discovery came when Leo once drank during class. The rich, mellow scent of alcohol that clung to him was intoxicating. It wasn't the nauseating stench of drunkenness that others gave off but something uniquely pleasant.

This strange, alluring aroma made her utterly obsessed.

"With Leo-kun by my side, I'll never lose."

Clenching her small fists, Kurenai muttered with determination in her eyes.

Meanwhile, at the Sarutobi household:

"Is Asuma still refusing to come out?"

Wearing his Hokage robes, Hiruzen Sarutobi—looking far from the elderly figure he would later become—took a puff from his pipe and asked calmly.

"I don't know what's gotten into him. He locked himself in his room as soon as he got home, hasn't touched any food, and refuses to come out," replied Biwako Sarutobi, his wife, with a tone of concern.

"I see. I'll go check on him," Hiruzen said, his face weary. He had just returned from the Hokage office after a long day of handling village affairs.

Inside Asuma's room:

"D-Damn it… How could this happen?"

Asuma was curled up under his quilt, trembling uncontrollably. Fear filled his eyes as he replayed the events in his mind.

He couldn't forget what had happened in class.

When Leo's gaze locked onto him, it was as if he'd been trapped by a demon—utterly powerless, with no way to escape.

Even now, he couldn't remember the exact details of what transpired afterward. But the overwhelming sensation of death…

Just thinking about it made Asuma shudder.

"Knock-knock!"

There was a knock on the door. Asuma's body trembled, and cold sweat broke out on his forehead.

"Who's there?!"

Asuma's voice, sharp and shrill, sounded like that of a frightened rabbit.

"Asuma, it's me."

The voice of the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, came from the other side. Hearing it, Asuma's panic slowly subsided.

"Click—"

The door opened.

"Father…"

Asuma looked up at Hiruzen's face, feeling a wave of relief, but his expression quickly turned to one of shame.

The normally rebellious Asuma found himself unable to meet his father's gaze.

As the son of the Third Hokage, Asuma had always disliked being defined by his lineage.

Yet, he couldn't deny that his prestigious background had once made him feel a certain pride.

But today, that pride had been shattered. Facing Leo, a boy of ordinary birth, Asuma hadn't even found the courage to stand firm.

Before Leo had even drawn his blade, Asuma had been so overwhelmed with fear that his legs gave out.

In front of everyone, he had completely lost face.

For someone like Asuma, who came from a prominent family, this humiliation was unbearable.

"Asuma, why haven't you come out to eat?"

Hiruzen, usually stern with his son, softened his expression when he saw the lingering panic in Asuma's eyes.

"What's wrong?" he asked gently.

"Father… I…"

Asuma stammered, unable to articulate what had happened. The memory of the classroom incident made his fear resurface, and his body trembled again.

"Come, sit down and take your time," Hiruzen said softly. He placed a reassuring hand on Asuma's shoulder, guiding him to sit.

"Okay…"

For once, Asuma, usually defiant, obediently complied. Slowly, he sat down.

Under Hiruzen's calm and patient guidance, Asuma gradually composed himself and recounted what had happened in class earlier that day.

"Hm... So it's Leo," Hiruzen murmured.

He exhaled a puff of smoke, his eyes clouded with nostalgia and memories.

After a brief pause, Hiruzen snapped out of his reverie and turned his focus back to his son.

"Listen, Asuma…"

With his wisdom and the philosophy of the "Will of Fire," Hiruzen managed to lift Asuma's spirits with a few well-chosen words.

However, the fear that had taken root deep in Asuma's heart was not so easily dispelled.

"All right, go and have dinner. Don't let your mother worry."

Hiruzen sighed inwardly, noticing that while Asuma appeared calm on the surface, the fear in his eyes hadn't truly faded.

"Okay."

Thinking of his mother, Asuma nodded and slowly left the room.

Once Asuma had gone, Hiruzen walked to the window and gazed up at the night sky. His expression was filled with a mix of nostalgia, joy, and sadness.

"Yoren… you raised an exceptional son."

Leo's father, Yoren Hatake, had been one of Hiruzen's most capable subordinates.

An elite Jōnin, Yoren was regarded as one of the best in Konoha. Hiruzen had held Yoren in high regard, even giving Leo his name.

But during a classified mission, Yoren had tragically lost his life due to an error in Hiruzen's judgment.

At the time, Leo's mother had been pregnant. The devastating news caused her such grief that she suffered severe complications during childbirth.

Though Leo was born safely, his mother passed away soon after. From that moment, Leo, the son of an elite ninja, became an orphan.

This tragedy left Hiruzen deeply guilt-ridden, and he had taken it upon himself to watch over Leo's growth.

When Hiruzen discovered that Leo had taken up drinking, he even used the Transformation Jutsu to secretly try and dissuade him. Unfortunately, his efforts had no effect.

However, Hiruzen later learned that Leo had a unique constitution—alcohol didn't harm him. On the contrary, it actually enhanced his Chakra.

Realizing this, Hiruzen chose to overlook Leo's drinking habits.

It was also thanks to Hiruzen's intervention that Leo was allowed to enroll in the Ninja Academy. Without it, Leo's drinking alone would have disqualified him from admission.

And it was Hiruzen who had ultimately ensured that the teacher Leo had injured recovered from his serious wounds.