Hearing Sasuke mock him, Naruto felt as though all the effort he'd put in over the past three days had been dismissed. He immediately grew angry.
"Easy, easy!" Shikamaru patted Naruto on the shoulder as he looked ready to get up. Sasuke was telling the truth. What was Naruto getting so worked up for?
After dinner, Sasuke returned home and continued working on Naruto's future signature technique: Wind Release: Rasenshuriken—or, more accurately, Wind Release: Taiji Rasen Shuriken.
"Know yourself and your enemy, and you'll win every battle. If you insist on making trouble for yourself, I don't mind collecting the Nine-Tails first!"
As he patiently developed a new jutsu, Sasuke muttered to himself in the basement. He would have to collect the Tailed Beasts eventually, after all.
The next morning, Sasuke made his way to the meeting place at an unhurried pace. Under normal circumstances, he wouldn't have bothered showing up in person, but this time, a new dungeon was opening!
The famed Kubikiribōchō and the dazzling Ice Release would both make excellent stepping stones on the road to greater power!
"You're early, Sasuke."
When Kakashi saw Sasuke arrive, surprise crossed his face. Sasuke usually showed up just in the nick of time.
"I had a feeling something good was going to happen, so I came a little early." Sasuke gave Kakashi a brief answer, then stood off to the side to wait.
At Sasuke's words, Kakashi furrowed his brow. Was his intuition really that accurate? Kakashi himself had only been summoned by the Hokage last night!
"Sorry I'm late!"
After a long while, Sakura came running over, her face flushed. She'd clearly overslept and had sprinted all the way there.
"No problem. Someone else still hasn't arrived." Kakashi checked the time and assured her there was nothing to worry