Konoha's streets.
Sasuke kept his hands in his pockets, looking thoroughly impatient. "Why are you following me? I told you, I want to be alone!"
Naruto clasped his hands behind his head. "I'm not following you!"
"You've been following me this whole time!" Sasuke scoffed and pursed his lips. "Don't forget, I have the Sharingan!"
Naruto complained, "Sharingan, Sharingan. I'm getting sick of hearing about it! Shinji never talks about his Sharingan!"
"That's because he doesn't have one!"
"So what if you do? You still got beaten up and sent to the hospital!"
Naruto muttered under his breath.
Sasuke's expression darkened. "What did you say?"
"You heard me just fine." Naruto pouted, then continued, "Sasuke, everyone wanted to get together for a meal to celebrate you getting out of the hospital. Why aren't you coming?"
"Not interested!"
Sasuke ignored Naruto and headed toward his apartment alone.
Naruto hurried after him. "Everyone cares about you!"
"I don't need that kind of thing!"
Sasuke spoke flatly, his eyes growing colder.
After Itachi had beaten him so badly last time, he'd realized that friendship would only make him weak. So he'd deliberately distanced himself from his classmates.
Of course,
there was another reason he didn't want to admit.
He was afraid that one day he might lose control and, in his pursuit of power—in his pursuit of the Mangekyō Sharingan, which surpassed the Three-Tomoe Sharingan—turn his blade against his friends.
So, to prevent that from happening, he'd decided he didn't want any friends!
Before long, the two of them had left the bustling street.
As they walked along a tree-lined path, Naruto kept trying to persuade him, while Sasuke responded only with the occasional contemptuous snort.
Clang, clang!
Just then, the sound of metal clashing suddenly came from nearby!
Immediately afterward, several dull