"Since Sasuke said 'whatever,' that means it's fine!"
Kiba immediately turned to Naruto with a grin.
"In that case, I want in too—let's see how you teach that punk a lesson!"
Seeing Kiba's trouble-making excitement, Naruto put on a fake stern face and set a condition: "Anyone else is fine, but for you… you have to lend Akamaru to me for the whole morning."
Kiba didn't even think about it; he simply reached across Hinata and carefully handed the still-dozing Akamaru over the table to Naruto.
He knew Naruto too well—the guy just loved dogs and wanted an excuse to cuddle the adorable pup.
Akamaru was still tiny—small enough for even a child to lift with two hands.
The little ball of fluff curled in Naruto's arms, fast asleep, irresistibly cute.
Kiba, a huge dog-lover himself, felt nothing but delight seeing his best friend enjoy Akamaru.
Shino, quietly watching, adjusted his sunglasses and stated simply:
"I'm coming too."
Choji swallowed his chips and chimed in, supportive: "If it's Naruto's match, Shikamaru and I are definitely showing up."
Still sprawled on the desk, Shikamaru answered without lifting his head, mock-serious: "Hey, Naruto, you'd better go all-out. Win and we'll treat you to Ichiraku Ramen."
He paused deliberately, then added unhurriedly:
"If you lose… tonight you're cooking us a full spread!"
Of course, that last bit was a bluff.
Shikamaru thought to himself.
Even if he lost, they'd still drag him off for ramen.
Victory called for celebration; defeat deserved consolation.
That's what friends were for.
Right then Hinata gathered her courage and whispered, loud enough for Naruto alone: "Naruto-kun… c-can Hanabi and I come watch?"
She'd noticed her father treating her far more kindly lately—thanks, she suspected, to Naruto.
She wanted a chance to thank him, up close.
Naruto grinned. "Of course you can."
Yet the courteous "Naruto-kun" and the request to bring her sister made several sharp minds in the room twitch.
Unlike carefree Kiba and chip-focused Choji, Shikamaru slowly straightened, half-turning to meet Shino's shaded gaze in silent question.
Both saw curiosity in the other's eyes.
Naruto-kun?
When had Hinata and Naruto become so… familiar and polite?
Back at their desks, Ino and Sakura had caught every word.
Sakura was merely curious; Ino's eyes instantly sharpened.
She studied the blushing, shy Hinata with unmistakable wariness.
Hinata… bringing her little sister along?
Since when were the three of them so chummy with Naruto?
When had that happened?
A vague sense of crisis flickered through Ino's heart.
At lunch Sasuke climbed alone to the rooftop, found Naruto eating with Kiba's group, curtly told him the exact spot for their afternoon match, then left without another word.
The moment the three-o'clock bell rang, Naruto and Sasuke rose in perfect sync, shot out opposite classroom doors, and vanished in different directions.
Watching them disappear, Shikamaru laced his fingers behind his head and yawned.
"Well, the stars have left the stage. Let's move. Tell home we're skipping dinner so no one worries."
East of Konoha Village lay a remote, rarely used training ground.
Thanks to superior stamina, Naruto arrived first; he steadied his breathing and surveyed the terrain.
Moments later Sasuke appeared at the edge, breathing hard but eyes sharp.
The instant he stepped into the clearing—no small talk—the two locked eyes and, as one, raised right hands, forming the Seal of Confrontation!
Battle began the moment the seal was complete!
"Fire Release · Great Fireball Technique!"
Sasuke's eyes spun into Twin-Tomoe Sharingan; his hands flashed through seals, chest expanding as he blasted a roaring orb of flame straight at Naruto.
Even as the fireball flew, he chased it, Kunai in hand, ready to strike under cover of the blaze.
Naruto reacted instantly, side-stepping the fireball a hair before impact, searing heat brushing his sleeve.
In the same breath he drew a Kunai from his pouch and parried upward with a clang, catching Sasuke's weapon behind the fiery veil.
Blades locked, their gazes clashed mid-air.
Seeing the perfectly symmetrical Twin-Tomoe Sharingan, Naruto felt mild surprise.
Days ago in class it had been one single and one double tomoe; now both eyes matched.
Impressive growth—but until the Mangekyo, the dojutsu mainly boosted perception and genjutsu; the real leap lay beyond.
Sasuke pushed the Sharingan to its limit, tracking every micro-movement Naruto made.
The heightened sight let him react faster than days before.
Yet when their Kunai collided again, his arm still numbed under the force.
What strength!
He had no idea Naruto's physique now far outclassed their peers'.
Daily workouts under Might Guy's brutal regimen had forged a rock-solid foundation.
Regular medicinal soaks healed fatigue and tempered body and meridians.
After Sandaime's birthday yesterday, Naruto had quietly added fresh weights to wrists and ankles, honing himself every waking moment.
Thanks to this relentless forging, his power, stamina, and explosive force left ordinary Academy students in the dust.