Tsundere Protagonist · Sasuke

Bang, bang, bang--

As the shadow clones all disappeared once more.

With Sakura's taunting.

And Sasuke's one-step fall.

Naruto's confidence soared.

He slowly placed his foot on the tree trunk.

One step, two steps...

Bang--

Sasuke's pupils contracted sharply.

Disbelief flickered across his face.

"How is this possible... that idiot dead last!"

In that instant, Sasuke could no longer stay calm.

He had seen it clearly.

Previously, even when Naruto climbed five meters, it felt like he was using brute force.

This time, Sasuke saw clearly, Naruto's feet were sticking to the tree trunk.

He fell because his chakra control wasn't proficient enough, and a sudden disturbance caused him to lose his grip on the trunk.

"Impossible!"

Sasuke's breathing quickened.

He quickly copied Naruto, stepping onto the tree trunk.

Suddenly, he felt a different sensation.

Under pressure, there was indeed a breakthrough.

Bang--

However, Sasuke still fell after one step.

But this one-step fall allowed him to find the direction he needed to work towards.

Ignoring Naruto's mocking laughter from the side.

'Idiot dead last, you're just one step ahead of me, just you wait, I'll surpass you in no time!'

After his mocking, Naruto didn't waste any more time. He immediately created shadow clones and continued to train his chakra control.

Sakura sat on a thick branch, swinging her legs, watching the two below training diligently, a slight smile playing on her lips.

She was happy because she was the first to complete it.

At the same time, she felt a bit overwhelmed.

The chakra consumption was simply too great.

Of course, this amount of chakra consumption was significant for her.

"Feeling like your chakra is being depleted?"

Cangwu's voice sounded from behind Sakura.

Sakura's pretty face lit up, and she quickly replied, "Yes, Teacher Cangwu... I feel like my chakra reserves... are a bit low."

"Naruto can still create so many shadow clones... Sasuke is also training hard... I need to rest for a bit."

Hearing this, Cangwu nodded and said, "You should be able to complete your training today."

"Tomorrow, I will take you to train the second part."

"However, after you complete the training, I won't immediately teach you new ninjutsu."

Disappointment appeared on Sakura's pretty face.

"Don't worry, I can take you to a teacher who can give you special training to increase your chakra reserves."

"Really?!" Sakura asked excitedly.

"Of course." Cangwu thought for a moment before nodding in agreement.

'It's for your own good, Master. Don't blame me,' Cangwu added silently in his heart.

"Then you two continue your training."

With that, Cangwu went back to lying down.

He appeared to be lying down, but in reality, he was secretly cultivating the abilities of the Glint-Glint Fruit.

Not long after Cangwu left.

Naruto shyly walked up to Sakura.

After all, he had boasted so much, and thinking about what he had to do made him feel quite embarrassed.

Sakura was a bit surprised. Naruto, that idiot... was he blushing?

The corners of her lips turned up slightly, as she had already guessed Naruto's purpose for coming.

"What's wrong, Naruto?"

Looking at Sakura's cute face, Naruto turned his head away slightly, feeling so embarrassed.

He absolutely couldn't casually spout big talk anymore!

"It's... it's just that..."

Seeing Naruto stammering, Sakura chuckled inwardly, but pretended to be impatient, saying, "Just say what you need to say."

Naruto then said, "I wanted to ask, why is your chakra control so good?"

Hearing this, Sakura secretly thought, Just as I suspected.

Then, with her peripheral vision, she noticed Sasuke, who had suddenly stopped training and was sitting on the ground, seemingly indifferent to them.

"Oh, I see~"

"It's very simple."

Huh?!

Very simple?!

Damn it... just...

Suddenly, Sasuke's ears twitched. Why had the talking stopped?

He couldn't help but glance over.

He saw Naruto, as if he had learned something from Sakura, walking over with confident strides.

"Sasuke-kun, do you need to hear my advice?"

Sakura's voice drifted over.

Sasuke suppressed the urge to punch Naruto, whose face was practically begging for it.

With his hands in his pockets, he walked over to the tree.

He said dismissively, "I don't need it, and I'm not interested."

Sakura wasn't surprised by this response.

She looked at Naruto, who was once again full of energy, and wondered if he would improve after receiving her advice.

"Look closely, arrogant Sasuke, I'll make you give up on catching up to me soon!"

"Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

Bang, bang, bang--!!!

Sasuke watched as Naruto once again created dozens of shadow clones, his eye twitching slightly.

He took a deep breath. "Hmph, it's just that he has more chakra."

"Dead last is still dead last."

Naruto ignored him.

Together with his shadow clones, he ran under the tree to discuss.

They began training while discussing.

"Hey, hey, hey, you're using too much chakra!"

Bang--

"Huh! Why did you suddenly increase your chakra output?!"

Bang--

"Hmm... why is my chakra decreasing on its own... it's so hard to control~!"

Bang--

One shadow clone after another exploded after falling from the tree.

However, the position where the kunai left was visibly rising.

Naruto's footing on the tree trunk also became more stable.

Like a toddler taking its first steps, he walked on the tree trunk, one step at a time.

Sasuke was completely stunned.

This rate of progress filled him with a sense of frustration.

However, he also noticed a problem.

"Does this guy... have an endless supply of chakra?"

"The effect of the shadow clones... I see now."

Sasuke looked at Naruto's main body and realized that every time a shadow clone exploded, he would gather them together to explain his experiences to the clones who hadn't received the memories yet.

"It's a memory, right?"

"I didn't expect shadow clones to have this kind of effect… Cangwu… Teacher is really amazing."

"Is this what he said before, teaching according to aptitude?"

Sasuke stroked his chin, lost in thought.

Suddenly, Sasuke sensed a gaze fixed on him.

He looked up and saw the pink-haired girl had, at some point, returned to the thick tree branch.

Her feet were firmly attached to the trunk.

After a moment of eye contact, Sasuke looked away.

Sakura sat on the thick branch, looking somewhat disappointed.

"Forget it… Focus on training… I don't want to be a burden~!"

Sakura cheered herself on.

Her gaze shifted, and she noticed that she could see Cangwu from this spot.

So, gritting her teeth, she climbed a bit higher and could clearly see Cangwu's face.

"Teacher Cangwu… are you training?"

"He doesn't look like he's sleeping… So handsome~"

"Ah~!"

Distracted, her chakra control faltered, and Sakura fell straight down.

Meanwhile.

Naruto was arguing with his shadow clones.

"Hey, dead last."

Huh?!

Naruto and his shadow clones turned their heads simultaneously.

They saw Sasuke with his hands in his pockets, turning his head away, and stammering as he asked:

"That… that annoying guy… did he say any techniques?"

Hearing this.

Naruto and his many shadow clones had various expressions.

But they all shared one thing: their exaggerated reactions.

Seeing this.

Sasuke regretted it.

As expected.

The next second.

Dozens of Narutos burst into laughter simultaneously.

"Damn it!"

"Idiot dead last!"