After School

With the final practice match concluded, Iruka announced free time.

The students relaxed, dispersing in twos and threes, preparing for tomorrow's graduation exam.

Sakura and Ino hurried to Sasuke's side, their voices laced with cautious comfort.

"Sasuke-kun, don't mind it, Naruto must have just gotten lucky..."

"Yeah, you'll definitely win next time!"

Upon hearing them, Sasuke's expression grew even darker.

Their words of comfort were like a spark, igniting the humiliated rage simmering in Sasuke's heart.

Sasuke knew very clearly that Naruto hadn't won by luck at all. The Transformation Jutsu earlier, and the incredibly accurate Shuriken just now.

He had easily and gracefully dodged Sasuke's attacks.

And the swift counterattack at the end were all genuine displays of strength.

"Go away," Sasuke said coldly, not even looking at them. "Don't bother me."

Sakura and Ino froze on the spot.

Watching Sasuke walk away without looking back, their faces were filled with helplessness and hurt.

On the other side, Iruka watched Naruto, a sense of confusion filling his mind. He was about to call out to him for a talk when he saw Uchiha Sasuke intercept Naruto first.

Iruka paused, thinking it was fine. He still had to take Naruto to clean the paint off the Hokage Rock this afternoon, so it wouldn't be too late to ask then.

Naruto didn't rush to leave.

He had expected Sasuke to come find him.

Given Sasuke's current proud and sensitive personality, he would never accept such an undisputed defeat, especially from the "dead last" he always looked down on.

After all, Sasuke's current efforts were all for revenge. The moment Naruto defeated Sasuke, it was as if Sasuke's previous efforts had turned to foam.

Thus, Sasuke approached with a complex mix of emotions, wanting to understand what had happened.

This was something that had occurred in many previous Reincarnations.

Sasuke's voice was cold but held a hint of hesitation as he got straight to the point, "Hey, Naruto..."

Naruto stopped, looking at him calmly as if he had been waiting for this moment, and said faintly, "Oh, it's Sasuke. Is something wrong?"

It was precisely Naruto's knowing attitude that made Sasuke even more annoyed.

Of course, he really wanted to ask, Why are you so strong, Naruto? Can you tell me the trick?

But given Sasuke's personality, he was destined not to be able to.

"Stop pretending!" Sasuke demanded. "Those moves you used today... who taught you? Or have you been hiding your strength all this time? What's your goal?"

Naruto knew very well that Sasuke was still trapped in his obsession with revenge and wouldn't be easily convinced.

No matter how much he said now, Sasuke wouldn't listen.

To truly gain Sasuke's recognition, it would require time and the right moment.

For example, after graduation, when they were assigned to the same class, and during the survival exercise.

So, Naruto calmly replied, "I learned it myself. I went through a lot of hardship for it. If you want to become stronger, you naturally have to pay the price."

Sasuke clearly wanted to press further.

But Naruto gave him no more chances.

He casually turned around, leaving behind a single sentence: "If there's nothing else, I'm leaving."

With that, Naruto strode away, leaving Sasuke standing alone, his expression grim.

About a minute later, Naruto stopped in a corner of the training grounds, quietly contemplating what Sasuke should... do?

Naruto was very clear about one thing.

Everything he did would affect whether Sasuke would join Orochimaru and defect from Konoha in a hurry.

Or whether he would stay in Konoha to study diligently, wait until he had mastered sufficient strength, and then seek revenge on Itachi with his Konoha peers and teachers.

Of course, speaking of which, Naruto's first Reincarnation hadn't been handled well.

After revealing the truth about Itachi to Sasuke, Sasuke had been extremely agitated.

And at the time, Teacher Kakashi, upon learning of this, had sternly instructed him not to reveal it casually.

So, in subsequent Reincarnations, Naruto had tried various methods to keep Sasuke in Konoha, to have him seek revenge alongside his Konoha comrades.

And to achieve this, he needed to make a name for himself at this point.

Then, during the graduation exercise, he successfully gained Sasuke's trust. This period was the easiest time to forge a bond and goodwill with Sasuke.

Otherwise, things would become much more complicated by the Chunin Exams.

Naruto turned and left the training grounds. After a few steps, he noticed Inuzuka Kiba, Shikamaru Nara, and Choji Akimichi looking his way from not too far away.

But Naruto's gaze subconsciously ignored them, looking in another direction.

Towards Hinata Hyuga, who, no matter how many Reincarnations passed, always watched him silently from the corner.

This time, Naruto's mood was completely different from usual.

Having experienced too many reincarnations, the persistent affection he once held for Sakura had long since faded, replaced by a sense of peace with the past.

Meanwhile, Hinata's quiet, persistent, and silent gaze had, in the memories of multiple reincarnations, gradually become clearer.

Naruto saw Hinata lower her head slightly, as if gathering her courage to walk towards him. He took half a step forward, then hesitated and stopped.

In previous reincarnations, Naruto might have been too preoccupied with finding a way to break through the situation to pay attention.

Or he might have simply dismissed it as a minor, passing incident.

But this time, Orochimaru's words still echoed softly in his ears.

Naruto sighed softly. This time, he didn't want to miss out again.

He walked towards her, stopped in front of her, and offered a gentle smile. "Hello, Hinata."

Hinata visibly froze.

Her fair skin rapidly flushed a deep red, a color visible even to the tips of her ears.

Seeing Naruto approach her, Hinata opened her mouth, but couldn't utter a single word.

She merely widened her pure white eyes, like a startled little rabbit.

Naruto found it somewhat amusing, and also a little helpless.

Based on his experience from multiple reincarnations, Naruto knew that if he stayed any longer, Hinata would likely do more than just blush.

She might even start steaming and faint on the spot.

Naruto didn't want Hinata to be embarrassed in front of everyone.

So, Naruto simply nodded at her, didn't say anything else, and turned to leave quickly.

After walking a few steps, Naruto could still feel her dazed gaze fixed on his back.

A subtle, unprecedented feeling bloomed in his heart.

Just as Naruto was lost in thought.

"Hey! Naruto!"

Kiba's boisterous voice called out from the side.

Naruto snapped back to attention and saw Kiba standing before him, staring at him with a curious expression.

Shikamaru and Choji also followed.

Choji, while chewing on potato chips, mumbled, "Naruto, what were you just talking to Hinata about?"

Naruto smiled slightly and replied in his now practiced, dismissive tone, "It's nothing."

Kiba wasn't so easily put off. He directly patted Naruto's left shoulder and eagerly pressed, "Don't try to brush it off! What's gotten into you today?"

"Your Transformation Jutsu is better, your Shuriken are so powerful, you even beat Sasuke, who's first in our grade! Are you still the Naruto I know?"

Kiba's exaggeration grew, and he grabbed Naruto's shoulders, shaking him back and forth.