The Reason He'd Rather Die Than Lose! Please Vote!!!

Hinata said, "I-I think... the meaning of liking someone is..."

"...to help us become better versions of ourselves."

Ino couldn't help but pause again.

"Become a better version of ourselves?"

"It means hoping the person you like is happy, while also becoming a better person yourself..."

Hinata nodded and said softly, "Mm. That's what I think..."

Ino sighed and patted her on the head.

"You really are so mature, Hinata..."

Hinata blushed, but she was deeply moved to have someone she could share her feelings with.

"Thank you, Ino..."

"Thank me? What for?"

"N-nothing..."

"You're just too bad at being honest. Otherwise..."

"Naruto's the kind of guy who only sees things one way. If you don't tell him, he'll probably never understand how you feel."

Hinata shook her head, blushing. "No, I'm happy with things the way they are..."

"What a silly girl..."

Ino sighed helplessly.

"But..."

"Maybe we're both silly in the same way..."

Sasuke and Sakura's faces appeared in her mind...

The two of them had barely ever spoken before, but on their walk home at dusk, they'd talked like this for the first time—and somehow, it felt as though they understood each other completely.

Neither of them noticed that, behind the trunk of a tree beside the path they'd walked, Sakura Haruno was peeking out, staring blankly at the scene...

Meanwhile.

Naruto was doing weighted frog jumps while trying to refine chakra at the same time through "Dual-Tasking."

It was anything but easy.

It was even harder than refining chakra while listening in class.

After all, he was essentially training in both Taijutsu and ninjutsu at once.

Probably no one had ever tried to do this before.

But Naruto could feel himself improving, and he was more eager to give it a try than ever.

He didn't slack off for a moment along the way. Without any system prompts or warnings, he kept going until the very end.

Though most of the time, he still failed.

But he wasn't discouraged in the slightest.

Just as he was about to reach home, Naruto finally completed a dual-core training session for the first time.

He managed to keep the Chakra Refinement Technique going for an instant while doing weighted frog jumps.

Just an instant.

But that was enough!

It proved that this path was possible!

What did Naruto need most if he wanted to make it into the top ten in his class within a month?

Time.

Or rather, efficiency.

Given how hard he worked, he was certain he could surpass everyone.

The problem was that there just wasn't enough time...

If he could master Dual-Tasking, it would be as if he had twice as much time and energy as everyone else!

It was practically his only way to succeed!

Just as he was cheering over his momentary success,

a long shadow fell over him beneath the setting sun.

"Hm?"

Naruto looked up and saw a familiar figure approaching, silhouetted against the sunset.

He was backlit, his face hidden in shadow, too dark to make out his features or expression.

But Naruto could guess who it was.

"Sasuke."

"What are you doing here?!"

Naruto's front door was just a short distance away. Sasuke wouldn't have come all the way here unless he'd meant to.

The figure, hands in his pockets, drew closer and closer, until his shadow swallowed Naruto whole.

"Hey, dead last."

That nickname was enough to make Naruto see red.

"Damn you, Sasuke! What did you—"

"Fight me."

Naruto's eyes widened, and his angry words cut off mid-sentence.

"W-what did you say?"

Sasuke Uchiha looked down at Naruto with his usual cold, arrogant expression.

"Don't make me say it twice."

A tempest erupted in Naruto's heart.

Those simple words hit him like the world had turned upside down.

Even Naruto himself might not have realized that the recognition he wanted most was actually Sasuke Uchiha's...

He worked so hard and pushed himself so relentlessly not only to become Hokage and earn everyone's recognition, but also because he had one clear goal: to surpass Sasuke and beat him!

He wanted to stand opposite Sasuke as an equal, fight him fairly, and make him acknowledge his strength once and for all!

But even Naruto hadn't expected it to happen so soon.

He stood up, clenched his fists, and his eyes blazed with fire.

"Heh. Why go out of your way to pick a fight with me?"

"Is it because of what happened this morning?"

"You dodged back then, didn't you?!"

At those words, Sasuke flinched as if stung, his expression changing in an instant!

"Damn it..."

"Dead last, what did you say?!"

Naruto folded his arms and flashed a confident, knowing smile.

"Maybe nobody else noticed, but I saw it..."

"When I attacked, you instinctively took a step back. That's why Sakura stood between us and accidentally got punched by me!"

"So..."

"You were scared then too, weren't you?!"

Naruto's words struck right to the heart, a direct hit!

Sasuke had come to wait outside Naruto's home on a whim because he hated himself for dodging in that moment and couldn't overcome that weakness. If he couldn't beat Naruto decisively, he felt he would never grow stronger!

It wasn't so much Naruto he hated as himself.

He...

could never tolerate his own cowardice!

"Damn it, why would I be scared of a dead last like you?"

"Don't make me laugh!"

Sasuke roared hysterically.

But Naruto only made a face, completely unfazed.

"You can say whatever you want, but your body tells the truth!"

Sasuke gritted his teeth, his handsome features twisting slightly.

"NARUTO!"

"I'll show you the unbridgeable gulf between a dead last and a genius!"

"Bring it on!"

The dusky sunlight fell on the two boys, bathing them in a muted golden glow. A breeze swept by, lifting Naruto and Sasuke's hair.

Right outside Naruto's home, on a quiet street...

The fight was about to begin.

This was...

a fated battle that had spanned a thousand years.

Chapter 32: The Reason He'd Rather Die Than Lose! Please Vote!!!

Dusk, an evening breeze, sunlight that had lost its heat, and a street where only a few people passed by.

Naruto and Sasuke stood facing each other, gazing across the distance between them.

A few passersby looked at them curiously, but their companions soon tugged them away.

"Isn't that the demon..."

"Hm? That kid's from the Uchiha Clan..."

"Shh, let's go. Don't get involved."

"Come on, let's go."

Whether they were shinobi or villagers of Konoha, they might not know the whole truth, but everyone knew that Naruto and Sasuke had sensitive, unusual identities.

Seeing them face off, most people chose to quietly steer clear.

But they weren't alone.

Because...

Anbu Ninja were always watching from the shadows.

"Th-that's..."

"Is that Sasuke Uchiha, the last survivor of the Uchiha Clan?"

"What's he planning?"

"Those two don't look right. Hurry and inform Lord Hokage."

"Yes!"