Ring, ring, ring.
The school bell echoed through the classroom.
"That's all for today." Iruka gathered his papers from the desk, smiling at his students. "You're dismissed until this afternoon."
"Finally!"
"I'm starving. Let's get lunch!"
"Food, food, food—is that all you ever think about? I know a spot where there are beetle burrows everywhere. We should check it out!"
The moment Iruka stepped out of the classroom, the students erupted into chaotic chatter.
"Sasuke!" Sakura bounced up to his desk, her face bright with hope. "Want to walk home together?"
"No." Sasuke didn't even look up as he packed his bag.
Sakura's expression crumbled. Her eye twitched as she glared at his back.
Ignoring her entirely, Sasuke stood, slinging his bag over his shoulder. His gaze flicked toward the back row—toward Naruto—before he turned and walked out of the classroom.
Naruto caught that look as he stuffed books into his pink backpack. There was no mistaking what he saw in Sasuke's eyes: pure, burning determination. An unmistakable challenge.
Today's the day, Naruto realized, excitement building in his chest. This fight is happening.
Already, his mind conjured the image: Sasuke on the ground, bruised and defeated but smiling. "Naruto, will you be my friend?"
Lost in the fantasy, Naruto turned toward the aisle—and collided with something soft.
He looked up to find a girl staring at him with wide, pale eyes.
"I'm so sorry!" Naruto blurted out, genuinely startled.
Hinata Hyūga clutched the edge of a desk for support, her mouth opening and closing silently. She wanted to say it's okay—she really did—but her throat wouldn't cooperate. Her limbs felt frozen. All she could do was stare at him, pulse hammering in her ears.
Naruto shifted uncomfortably under her unblinking gaze. "Um... sorry again," he mumbled, then quickly fled the classroom.
The moment he disappeared through the door, Hinata finally exhaled. Her face flushed crimson, hot enough to cook an egg on. "He... he talked to me," she whispered, clutching her hands to her chest.
Then reality crashed down. She hadn't even managed to say it's fine. Her shoulders slumped, and she stood there like a wilting flower, head bowed in defeat.
Outside, Naruto let out a breath he hadn't known he was holding.
That was weird, he thought, still unnerved. I bumped into her, I apologized—why did she just keep staring like that?
At the school gates, he spotted Sasuke's distinctive blue shirt up ahead. The Uchiha was walking slowly, almost leisurely, as if waiting for someone.
Naruto quickened his pace until they fell into step side by side. Neither looked at the other. They simply matched each other's stride, tension crackling in the space between them like a gathering storm.
For three days, Sasuke had endured his brother's brutal training regimen. His speed had improved dramatically, his reflexes sharpened. This time would be different. This time, he would reclaim his pride and erase the humiliation of his previous losses.
Determination burned in his chest, steady and fierce.
Naruto felt it—that razor-sharp focus radiating from Sasuke. His own fighting spirit rose to meet it, an answering fire that matched the Uchiha's intensity perfectly.
An observer might have seen them walking in synchronized steps, occasionally shooting each other challenging glances, circling like wolves testing each other's resolve.
They moved toward their usual spot without needing to discuss it.
Halfway there, Sasuke's posture shifted almost imperceptibly. "The grove," he said quietly, barely moving his lips.
Naruto nodded once. He'd sensed them too—two figures trailing behind at a careful distance.
This fight was theirs alone. No spectators. No interruptions.
They veered off the path and slipped between the trees. Within moments, they'd vanished into the shadows of the forest.
Behind them, their pursuers stopped short, exchanging confused glances.
"Where'd they go?" Sakura whispered, scanning the treeline.
"I don't know." Ino frowned, equally puzzled. "When did those two get so close? Since when do they leave school together?"
"Naruto's always been weird. He never talks to anyone, keeps to himself..." Sakura bit her lip. "But now he's sneaking off into the woods with Sasuke?"
"You don't think..." Ino's eyes widened. "What if Naruto's teaching him bad habits? His grades are terrible. What if he's corrupting Sasuke?"
The same horrifying thought struck them both simultaneously. They locked eyes, an unspoken agreement passing between them.
Their rivalry could wait. Right now, they had to save Sasuke from making a terrible mistake.
Deep in the grove, Naruto and Sasuke walked in silence until they reached a small clearing. They stopped and turned to face each other.
"Naruto Uzumaki," Sasuke said, his voice steady and serious. "This time, I will defeat you."
Naruto met his gaze without flinching. "Uchiha Sasuke, you're the first step on my path to making friends. I won't lose. I can't lose. Because dreams are something you never give up on."
The air between them thrummed with intensity.
"Sasuke," Naruto said, his voice softer now. "Will you be my friend?"
"Defeat me first." Sasuke's mouth curved into a slight smirk. "Then we'll talk."
He'd learned from his previous losses. Three days of training with Itachi had transformed his speed and reflexes. More importantly, his brother had helped him devise a strategy specifically tailored to counter Naruto's overwhelming physical strength.
If I lose again, Sasuke thought, then maybe... maybe I will become his friend. But I'm not going down easy.
He leaped backward, landing gracefully on a thick tree branch several feet off the ground. "Come on, Naruto. Show me your real abilities—not just sneak attacks."
"All right." Naruto's grin was fierce. "I'll show you what I can really do."
He rolled his shoulders. Loud pops echoed through the clearing as his joints cracked. Then came the sound of tearing fabric.
Sasuke's eyes widened.
Before his eyes, Naruto's muscles swelled, expanding rapidly beneath his skin. His shirt strained, seams splitting. With a final ripping sound, the fabric tore apart completely and fell away in shreds.
Sasuke's pupils contracted. What—
Naruto stood bare-chested in the clearing, wearing only his pants. Every muscle in his torso was defined and taut, his body radiating raw power. He licked his lips, a predator's smile spreading across his face.
"Let's start our friendly discussion."
He stomped down with his right foot.
The earth exploded. Rocks and dirt sprayed into the air as his foot punched through the ground, leaving a crater. Using that momentum, Naruto launched himself forward like a missile.
"Mountain Embrace!"
The shout echoed through the grove.
Naruto's arms wrapped around the trunk of Sasuke's tree. Sasuke felt the branch beneath his feet shudder violently. The entire tree groaned—
CRACK.
The massive oak splintered at its base. Naruto's muscles flexed, and the tree toppled sideways with a thunderous crash.
Sasuke leaped away just in time, landing on another tree. His heart pounded. That strength... it's inhuman.
But his training with Itachi hadn't been for nothing.
Naruto dropped the fallen tree and looked up, grinning. Without hesitation, he charged the second tree.
"Mountain Embrace!"
CRACK. Another tree crashed to the forest floor.
Sasuke jumped again, his movements fluid and controlled. A cold smile played at the corners of his mouth.
Keep going, you brute, he thought. Wear yourself out chasing me. Let's see how long that raw power lasts.
Another tree fell. Then another.
Naruto's breathing remained steady, his smile unwavering. "You're fast, Sasuke! But I'll catch you eventually!"
"Then catch me," Sasuke called back, already moving to the next tree. "If you can."