"That is,"
"To be friends with me, we must have a friendly spar."
"Because only then can I see whether you are sincerely trying to be friends with me. Only after a friendly spar, and once you have strength I acknowledge, can you become my, Naruto Uzumaki's, friend."
Naruto spoke slowly.
"What? Spar?"
As soon as Naruto finished speaking, the crowd erupted.
They had witnessed Naruto's strength firsthand. Even Orochimaru, one of the Legendary Sannin of Konoha, had died at Naruto's hands. Sparring with Naruto—wasn't that just asking for a beating?
Their strengths were completely unequal!
What meaning could such a spar possibly have?!
"Is Naruto joking? He's so strong, how are we supposed to spar with him..." The crowd began discussing among themselves.
"Yeah, but Naruto doesn't look like he's joking. It seems getting a strong person's acknowledgment really isn't that easy!" A string of sighs followed.
"I thought Naruto might have some requirement regarding strength. I used to think that failing to become friends with a strong person like Naruto would be a regret. But now, I think it's better to let him be the one with regrets."
"After all, I don't want to get beaten up."
"Sigh, what do we do? Looking at Naruto, I feel like this beating is unavoidable. If I'd known, I wouldn't have come to Konoha for the exam. Running into a monster like this, it's too late for regrets."
Among them, the Sound Ninja Trio looked especially miserable, as though they had swallowed flies.
Dosu was filled with regret. "If I'd known, I would've become friends with Naruto back in the Forest of Death. I even got beaten up then."
"Sigh, that beating was for nothing. Now we have to get beaten up again."
Zaku and Kin exchanged looks, both full of