Evening.
Covered in sweat, Sasuke finished a day of training and left the Ninja Academy beneath the setting sun.
Naruto caught up with him and suggested, "Sasuke, I've got two discount coupons. Want to go get ramen together?"
"Hmph!"
Sasuke gave a quiet snort.
No doubt about it.
He was still brooding over everyone at the Ninja Academy discussing the teams' strength rankings earlier that day.
The thought that everyone had ranked him last among the Academy's Four Prodigies—and that it had taken Naruto to keep their team's position from slipping—filled him with fury.
"Don't worry," Naruto said cheerfully. "You've still got me! If we work hard together, our ranking will definitely go up!"
Sasuke shot Naruto an annoyed glance. "Can you stop bothering me?"
Naruto pouted. "Fine, I'll go by myself!"
After sending Naruto away, Sasuke headed alone to a secluded training ground beside a small lake, not far from his apartment.
Gazing at the still surface of the lake, Sasuke suddenly formed Hand Seals and shouted, "Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
Boom!
In an instant, a massive wave of flames burst from his mouth and surged forward, scorching the lake until its surface churned and steam billowed into the air.
"Hoo..."
A little while later, Sasuke stopped using Fire Release and let out a breath.
For someone his age, being able to perform such powerful Fire Release was already far beyond the level of a Ninja Academy student. Yet he wasn't satisfied.
Because a Fire Release Ninjutsu like this couldn't even shake Yakumo's Wood Release.
How can I counter Wood Release? Maybe I could go to the Land of Cats and contract with a Ninja Cat, like Shinji did?
After mulling it over, he shook his head.
Though he'd long grown used to imitating Shinji, he could judge