Shikamaru Arrives

"Shikamaru said he had something to discuss with you!" When Sasuke came out, Sakura quickly made way for Shikamaru, who had been walking at the front with Ino.

Of course, it wasn't because Shikamaru was particularly strong. The two girls just didn't want Sasuke to get the wrong idea, even though they'd both been eager to come see him!

"What is it?" Sasuke asked, watching the two girls try to cover up their real intentions. He clicked his tongue helplessly. He had plenty of complaints about Sakura, but he wasn't going to voice them. After all, she was still a useful tool!

As for Ino, Sasuke thought more highly of her. Aside from having a better figure than Sakura, the most important thing was that she knew a secret technique like the Mind Body Switch Technique.

Sasuke definitely wasn't lusting after Ino... He was only lusting after her secret technique.

After tossing the strange thoughts out of his mind, Sasuke calmly looked at Shikamaru Nara, who had suddenly come to visit.

"It's actually nothing much. But if I had to say, I'd like to know how you control Chakra so skillfully!"

In response to Sasuke's question, Shikamaru held up a leaf he'd found that Sasuke had cut in half and asked curiously.

As soon as Shikamaru said that, several people gave him the side-eye.

"Idiot!"

Sakura's second personality was already cursing him out. He'd come to see Sasuke over a leaf—was there something wrong with his brain?

Ino, meanwhile, quietly lowered her head. Why had she agreed to Shikamaru's ridiculous request in the first place? She hoped Sasuke wouldn't get angry about it.

When Choji heard what Shikamaru had said, he stopped eating his chips. That alone showed how serious the situation was.

"A leaf?"

Looking at the leaf in Shikamaru's hand, Sasuke was a little taken aback. This guy had come to see him over a leaf? If it had been anyone else, Sasuke would have thought they were an idiot!

But this was Shikamaru, Konoha's future greatest strategist. The fact that he'd brought a leaf meant he already knew what it was used for.

"Training with a leaf isn't against the rules, is it?" Sasuke asked, blinking innocently.

"Uh..." Shikamaru had come hoping to get some tips on Chakra training from Sasuke, but Sasuke's question left him momentarily speechless.

Shikamaru wasn't very interested in training, but he didn't want Sasuke to leave him too far behind, either. After all, he was a genius himself!

"This is a training method for wind-nature Chakra. If you have wind-nature Chakra, you can train the same way!"

To keep Shikamaru from realizing he was being misled and starting to suspect him, Sasuke simply told him how the leaf was used.

After all, that guy's mind was a real nuisance. He was a genuine strategist.

"Got it. Thanks!"

Shikamaru had expected Sasuke to keep it to himself. Seeing Sasuke be so open with him, he helplessly patted his own head. I really was overthinking it after all.

When Shikamaru had discussed it with his father, Shikaku, he'd thought Sasuke was hiding something. But Shikaku had told him he was reading too much into it, which was how this farcical visit had come about.

"Choji, let's go!" Having decided he'd been overthinking things, Shikamaru patted Choji, who was still bewildered, and headed for the Uchiha Clan Compound's exit.

"Hm?... Oh, okay!"

At Shikamaru's words, Choji's expression shifted from puzzled to silent. He kept eating his chips as he followed behind Shikamaru.

"Idiot!"

Seeing Shikamaru and Choji simply turn around and leave, Sakura felt like she was falling apart. What was this? Who was going to salvage this awkward situation now?

Ino wasn't much better off than Sakura. This was just too embarrassing.

"I'm going to get dinner. Want to come?" Sasuke looked at the two bewildered girls and shook his head helplessly. He invited them to ease the awkwardness, since he was eager to see how the Kurama Clan's Kekkei Genkai would improve his Sharingan.

"Sure!"

Ino eagerly accepted Sasuke's invitation.

"Idiot!"

When Ino agreed, Sakura's second personality howled inwardly. Why didn't I say yes right away?

"Then let's go!"

Sasuke had only made the offer as an excuse to send the two girls on their way, but once Ino accepted, he couldn't very well refuse. So he could only quietly start walking.

Good thing they're not big eaters like Hinata. Otherwise, I'd be in trouble! Sasuke thought with relief as they walked.

After spending an amount of money he could afford, Sasuke finally saw the two girls off.

"Shikamaru really is perceptive!" Back in the basement, Sasuke recalled the suspicious look Shikamaru had given him that afternoon and shook his head.

"Forget it. Time to get down to business!"

Shaking off thoughts of Shikamaru, Sasuke opened the Shenlian panel. Seeing the Kurama Clan's Kekkei Genkai in his inventory, he eagerly activated the fusion.

Mysterious energy surged into Sasuke's body, then rushed straight toward his eyes!

The Three-Tomoe Sharingan appeared involuntarily. The Tomoe spun rapidly, as if something were about to slowly emerge.

Just as the three Tomoe were about to join together, the mysterious energy disappeared!

"Was that a sign of evolution?" Recalling what he'd just felt, Sasuke thought he might have missed his chance. Still, evolving that way would have been a bit of a loss. If it had happened, he figured the ability of his Mangekyō Sharingan would have come from the Kurama Clan's Kekkei Genkai.

Clearly, that would have cost Sasuke one Mangekyō Sharingan ability. But since he hadn't evolved, that meant this hadn't been a loss after all.

Just as Sasuke was thinking this, waves of exhaustion suddenly washed over him. Then a cloud of smoke appeared, and his Shadow Clone Technique dispersed...

"I'm so tired..." As soon as the Shadow Clone disappeared, Sasuke fell asleep, earning himself the achievement of sleeping in the basement.

All Sasuke could say was: "It's so hard being me..."

At the Nara home, Shikaku looked at Shikamaru, who had returned looking dejected, and shook his head helplessly.

"You can't judge what other people are thinking based on your own assumptions. You have to imagine every possibility and eliminate them one by one, until you find the one decisive path!"

After giving his son a lesson, Shikaku slowly walked back into the house.

The Leaf's master strategist makes his prediction; a special fusion brings transformation!

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