Have You Ever Seen Konoha at 4 A.M.?

"If that's the case, then there's only one way to decide this!"

Naruto made up his mind. He dodged Sasuke's relentless attacks, looking for an opening to use that move.

But Sasuke seemed to have seen through him.

He didn't give Naruto a single chance.

"Are you trying to use that Taijutsu move?"

"You won't get the chance, Naruto!"

Naruto was shocked!

How did Sasuke know all about his trump card?!

Sasuke's lips curled into a sneer.

"If you want to beat me, try again in your next life!"

Bam, bam, bam—

Several Shuriken suddenly shot out, whirling toward him from every direction!

It was Sasuke's superb Shurikenjutsu.

Naruto hurriedly retreated, barely dodging them with several consecutive backward rolls.

But the distance between them had already grown.

There was no way he could use his move now.

"Fire Style! Great Fireball Technique!"

Sasuke suddenly formed Hand Seals at lightning speed and unleashed the Uchiha Clan's signature Fire Release Ninjutsu!

In an instant, Iruka-sensei and everyone else turned pale!

"Th-that move is..."

"Sasuke! Stop!"

But it was already too late. Sasuke took a deep breath, and the powerful chakra he'd gathered turned into blazing flames that burst from his mouth!

The enormous fireball swept past, instantly engulfing Naruto's figure...

[You died!]

"Ah—"

Naruto jolted awake in the scene, gasping for breath as if he'd really experienced death!

"Wh-what was that just now?!"

"Was that bastard Sasuke really trying to kill me?!"

[Although the system's simulated scenes perfectly replicate reality, they are still only dreams. That is precisely why you can fight with everything you have and throw yourself into battle without restraint!]

Naruto wasn't stupid. He understood what the system meant.

Since it was all happening in a dream, it didn't matter if he went all out—even if he struck a fatal blow!

"Damn it! You should've told me sooner, big brother System!"

"That bastard Sasuke totally wrecked me!"

[To be precise, your defeat just now had nothing to do with that. It was simply because you were too weak.]

Naruto: "...Could you put that more tactfully?"

[Sorry, that is not covered by the system's services.]

Naruto didn't put himself down.

He immediately thought about why he'd lost.

First, he'd been too careless.

He'd assumed that having a trump card meant he could definitely beat Sasuke.

But in reality, any trump card had to be backed up by other abilities to be effective. Just like what had happened: Sasuke had completely outclassed him in technique and hadn't given him a chance to use that move!

Second, just as the system had said, Naruto wasn't merely inferior to Sasuke in moves and technique. His experience in battle, his understanding of the lessons it taught, and his resolve were all far behind Sasuke's!

Sasuke was clearly fighting with actual combat in mind.

Naruto didn't know who Sasuke's imagined opponent was, but...

He really dared to kill!

Third, Naruto still hadn't grasped the true meaning of training in a dream.

Since it was a dream, he really should give it everything he had!

"Killing intent?"

"I understand..."

"Big brother System, I request another fight!"

[Granted.]

In an instant, the scene was generated anew. It was still incredibly realistic, vivid as the real world.

Summer, sunlight, a breeze, shadows cast by the trees.

The distant clamor.

Iruka-sensei's voice.

The girls' shrieks.

Even...

Hinata softly cheering him on...

Naruto returned to the dream of a ninja sparring match.

"Begin!"

He'd just formed the Seal of Confrontation when Iruka-sensei gave the order. Naruto's eyes widened in fury as he charged at Sasuke!

"Sasuke!"

Sasuke wasn't about to back down, either.

"Naruto!"

Now that he knew it was a dream and he wouldn't really die, Naruto cast everything aside. He poured out all the anger, resentment, frustration, and hurt he'd built up over half his life!

In an instant, it was as if flames had ignited in his eyes!

His pupils even seemed to warp slightly, taking on the vertical-slit appearance of the Nine-Tailed Fox!

Strange, twisted, savage, and violent!

Uchiha Sasuke sensed that something was different about Naruto. In particular, the fighting spirit emanating from those eyes—and even...

Killing intent!

But he didn't back down in the slightest.

"Come on, dead last!"

Naruto's pupils narrowed to slits. The whisker-like marks on his cheeks seemed to tear apart, and his whole face was filled with a wild, vicious fury!

"Damn you, Sasuke..."

"I! Am! Not! The! Dead! Last!"

The strongest form...

Killing Intent Naruto had appeared!

This time, Naruto didn't hesitate for a moment. He unleashed his ultimate move right from the start—a Taijutsu secret technique inherited from the Blue Beast, Might Guy, exploding into action!

"Take this..."

"Leaf Whirlwind!!!"

Chapter 25: Have You Ever Seen Konoha at 4 A.M.?

This time, Naruto held nothing back.

The moment the spar began, he unleashed his trump card.

The form of Killing Intent Naruto!

A full-power attack!

Rumble—

Boom!!!

Even Sasuke couldn't react in time. Only when the frenzied kick came rushing toward him did he instinctively raise both arms to block.

However...

"Leaf Whirlwind!"

Naruto's legs spun rapidly in midair, leaving even Sasuke dazzled. He couldn't see the exact moment Naruto was going to attack.

Thud!

A powerful kick finally struck, and Naruto's full-force blow sent Sasuke flying.

Boom—

He hurtled seven or eight meters before slamming into the trunk of a large tree, producing a terrifying crash that made everyone's bones ache.

"Ah—"

Sasuke squeezed his eyes shut, his face deathly pale. A trickle of blood slipped from the corner of his mouth as he let out an involuntary scream.

The trunk shook, and leaves rained down!

Everyone was utterly stunned by the sight.

Even Iruka-sensei was left dumbfounded.

"Th-that's Naruto?"

Sakura Haruno and the others cried out in shock.

"Sasuke-kun!"

Even Hinata was startled.

"Naruto-kun, he was hiding this kind of strength?"

"He was a little scary just now..."

After landing his blow, Naruto panted heavily. He looked at his hands and legs, then at Sasuke in the distance, who was leaning against the tree trunk and struggling with all his might to get back up. Only then did he finally realize...

"I-I won..."

"I finally beat him!"

"Even Sasuke... the genius Sasuke, was finally defeated by me!"

He grinned, but still couldn't quite believe it.

Uchiha Sasuke gritted his teeth, spat out the blood in his mouth, clenched his fists, and forced himself back to his feet.

"Naruto!"

He was ready to fight on, even if it killed him.

But Iruka-sensei stopped him.

"Sasuke, you've already lost!"

"You can't keep fighting!"

"You two, form the Seal of Reconciliation at once!"

However, neither Sasuke nor Naruto followed Iruka-sensei's order.