"You take the wrong medicine!?"
Such a simple sentence nearly gave Second Pillar internal injuries from holding it in.
In the past, Uzumaki Naruto had always provoked him, hoping to make Sasuke notice him.
Now, Sasuke had gone to provoke Uzumaki Naruto.
And yet...
This was the evaluation he received.
Second Pillar flew into a rage from embarrassment and said with a dark expression, "What, Uzumaki Naruto? You don't dare?"
Uzumaki Naruto ignored Second Pillar and looked expectantly at Little Hinata.
Come on.
Let me hold you like yesterday.
Little Hinata's face turned bright red. She shyly glanced at Uzumaki Naruto and said softly, "Naruto-kun, Sasuke-kun might have something to discuss with you. I'll go rest over there first."
With her little face flushed, Little Hinata walked unsteadily to the shade beneath a tree and sat down.
Uzumaki Naruto's expression darkened even further. Turning around, he glared at Second Pillar. If it weren't for this bastard, he would already be comfortably holding Little Hinata.
"Second Pillar, you're jealous, aren't you!?"
Uzumaki Naruto looked at Second Pillar "kindly."
He actually dared intrude on his private world with Little Hinata. Second Pillar, if I don't screw you over today, my name isn't Naruto.
Second Pillar's face flushed red from holding it in.
"W-What nonsense!?"
"I'm first in the class. How could I possibly be jealous of a Dead Last like you!?"
Second Pillar stubbornly refused to admit that he was jealous of Uzumaki Naruto.
Uzumaki Naruto snorted, casually waved a hand, and said, "Whatever. I'm not interested in arguing with a brat like you."
"Wouldn't it be stupid to fight over something like this!?"
"I'd rather spend that time reading. At least it could cultivate my character a little."
Second Pillar nearly spat out blood.
His eyes practically spewed fire as he glared at Uzumaki Naruto.
Damn it!!!
Why didn't you say that when you were provoking me!?
Then, hearing the other students' discussions, Second Pillar grew even angrier.
"Isn't Sasuke-kun being a little too petty?"
"Exactly. He's first in the class, so how can he bully Uzumaki Naruto?"
"That's too much. I thought he was a really nice person, but he turned out to be this kind of person..."
"Naruto-kun is so pitiful..."
"..."
The students whispered among themselves, and the way they looked at Second Pillar changed almost imperceptibly.
When they looked at Naruto again, their gazes had changed as well. The initial disgust gradually gained a trace of appreciation and pity.
Akimichi Choji looked at the surrounding students and could not help saying, "That's terrifying. It was clearly just a change in appearance..."
Nara Shikamaru leaned lazily against a large tree with a blade of grass in his mouth. "As long as you become famous once, people will forgive you no matter what you do."
Uzumaki Naruto merely smiled.
He had really only wanted to change his style. Who would have thought he would become famous overnight?
Second Pillar gritted his teeth as he stared at Uzumaki Naruto, clenched his fists, and said word by word:
"Uzumaki Naruto, what will it take for you to compete with me!?"
A subtle curve appeared at the corner of Uzumaki Naruto's mouth.
He took the bait!
"Then how about we gamble some money?"
Upon hearing Uzumaki Naruto's words, Second Pillar smiled smugly.
"Money!?"
"What an ignorant guy. You're gambling against the Uchiha Clan, yet all you can think about is money?"
"Hmph. Go on, how much do you want to bet?"
"But let me make this clear first. I'm wagering the honor of the Uchiha Clan, so I definitely won't go back on my word. But you... do you have the means to pay the wager?"
Second Pillar looked proudly at Uzumaki Naruto.
He was the young clan head of the Uchiha Clan. His monthly allowance was over a hundred thousand, and if he acted cute with his brother, he could easily get several million.
Uzumaki Naruto!?
If he remembered correctly, Naruto was an orphan, wasn't he!?
Uzumaki Naruto put on a troubled expression and said:
"Then... how about ten thousand Ryo?"
Hearing Naruto's words, Second Pillar nearly laughed.
Ten thousand Ryo!?
Heh, such a pathetic amount. He would almost feel embarrassed to win it from Naruto.
With a smug expression, Second Pillar walked toward the target range.
Little Hinata trotted over, her small face rosy red.
"Naruto-kun, should I... should I get you some money?"
Uzumaki Naruto smiled and rubbed Little Hinata's head. "Don't worry. I won't lose. After all, I still have to support Little Hinata."
Little Hinata: Bang!!!
Uzumaki Naruto smiled as he gently set Little Hinata beneath the large tree, then walked straight toward the training ground.
Half an hour later.
Second Pillar knelt listlessly in the target range.
Looking at the hundreds of scattered shuriken and kunai on the ground, Second Pillar wore a dazed expression, as though none of this were real.
"How could this happen!?"
Twelve times!!!
He... had not won even once...
Uzumaki Naruto "kindly" reminded him.
"Second Pillar, so far, you've lost a total of forty million, nine hundred and sixty thousand Ryo to me."
Second Pillar shuddered and stared wide-eyed at Naruto.
"How could it be so much!?"
Forty million, nine hundred and sixty thousand Ryo—his allowance for ten years combined would not even reach that amount.
Uzumaki Naruto sighed "helplessly."
"I warned you. You just wouldn't listen."
Second Pillar turned his gaze toward Iruka with difficulty.
Iruka nodded sympathetically.
Although the initial wager had only been ten thousand, Uzumaki Naruto doubled the bet each round afterward.
Once or twice was not a big deal.
But the further it went, the larger the number became. Especially in the twelfth round, where the wager had reached more than twenty million.
Second Pillar's eyes reddened as he glared at Uzumaki Naruto through gritted teeth.
"One more round!!!"
"Our Uchiha Clan's Kunai Throwing Technique is renowned throughout the Ninja World. How could I lose to a Dead Last like you? I'll win it all back this round."
Naruto silently nodded.
With a wave of his hand, three dark kunai appeared out of thin air in Naruto's palm.
Whoosh!!!
The sound of air being torn apart rang out.
Bang! Bang! Bang...
The three kunai struck the distant target with steady, precise force.
Evening.
Second Pillar stumbled home as though he had lost his soul.
He arrived at the training ground in his home.
Uchiha Itachi, who had been training, froze when he saw Second Pillar. He hurriedly put down the weapon in his hand and ran toward him.
"Sasuke, what happened!?"
Second Pillar looked at his older brother aggrievedly and said in a tearful voice, "Nii-san, I lost a bet with someone."
Uchiha Itachi breathed a sigh of relief.
He had thought something serious had happened.
It turned out Sasuke had merely lost a bet.
"It's all right. If you lost, just win it back. Or was the wager something you cared deeply about?"
Second Pillar bit his lower lip and said tearfully, "I... I gambled away you, Nii-san."
Uchiha Itachi: "..."
Before you continue