Sasuke: I Suddenly Have a Bad Feeling... Please Vote for the Monthly Tickets!!!

"This isn't childishness. It's a dream that will eventually become reality!"

Naruto roared, his power surging as he dragged his exhausted body forward and launched another fierce assault on Sasuke!

Thud—

Thud, thud, thud!

His lightning-fast punches and kicks poured down like a violent storm!

For a moment, Sasuke couldn't keep up. His brows drew together in a tight frown.

"The dead-last wants to beat a genius?"

"Naruto, you think all that effort is enough?"

"It's not..."

"Not nearly enough!"

Sasuke quickly adapted to Naruto's taijutsu. After blocking the frenzied assault, he seized the chance to put some distance between them and unleashed another ninjutsu.

"Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!"

In an instant, a massive blaze became a rolling ball of fire. Naruto had no choice but to dodge.

But then, two shuriken seemed to slip around the fireball's obstruction, spinning in from both sides to attack. Naruto was startled and hurriedly rolled away again.

Sasuke's figure had already appeared in front of him.

Clearly, the Great Fireball Technique and the two shuriken were all part of a strategy Sasuke had planned in advance.

Thud—

A brutal knee slammed into Naruto's chin.

Crack—

Naruto's jaw broke instantly. Several teeth fell out, and blood filled his mouth as the blow sent him hurtling away.

He hit the ground with a thump and collapsed.

Sasuke landed with his hands in his pockets.

"Hmph. You're still just as pathetic."

"Come challenge me again after another ten years of hard work."

Sasuke turned to leave.

But Naruto struggled to his feet once more.

"What..."

Sasuke's expression changed despite himself.

"That guy can still..."

Naruto spat out the blood in his mouth, clenched his fists, and gasped for breath.

"Sasuke, as long as I can still stand..."

"The fight isn't over!"

He roared and charged forward again.

Sasuke frowned but didn't panic. He drew two kunai, twirled them deftly in his hands, then counterattacked Naruto.

"Na-ru-to!"

"Sa-su-ke!"

The two launched everything they had into a head-on clash!

Naruto's Leaf Whirlwind burst forth once more!

Boom!

A deafening crash sent the kunai in one of Sasuke's hands flying. But the other kunai was already thrusting toward Naruto's throat!

Even in a dream, Sasuke wouldn't hold back!

Naruto was about to lose again.

Swish—

Suddenly, he thrust out his palm and let the kunai pierce straight through it!

Blood gushed out at once!

It splattered across both Naruto's and Sasuke's faces.

Sasuke's heart lurched, and he instinctively squeezed his eyes shut.

Naruto gasped heavily, enduring the exhaustion and pain, then gave a low chuckle.

"Can the dead-last never catch up to a genius?"

"Am I not..."

"Right here in front of you?!"

With the kunai still piercing his palm, Naruto clenched Sasuke's hand in his grip. His other hand balled into an iron fist and slammed into Sasuke's cheek!

BOOM!!!

One Friendship Face-Breaking Fist sent Sasuke flying. He crashed heavily to the ground, unable to move or struggle back to his feet!

[Host victorious.]

[Congratulations, host! Your win rate in battles against Sasuke Uchiha has risen to 50%. You have earned the Fifty-Fifty with Sasuke achievement!]

[From now on, whenever you fight Sasuke Uchiha, whether in a dream or in the real world, your fighting spirit will be heightened, and your physical strength will receive a boost!]

Naruto froze, then was overcome with joy.

What was this?

An Anti-Sasuke Noble Phantasm?!

Chapter 42: Sasuke: I Suddenly Have a Bad Feeling... Please Vote for the Monthly Tickets!!!

Naruto heard the system's notification, and the corners of his mouth kept rising.

His fighting spirit and strength would increase when fighting Sasuke!

This ability was practically made for him...

That guy, Sasuke...

He definitely had no idea Naruto had already acquired such a powerful Anti-Sasuke Noble Phantasm!

Naruto was so excited he could barely contain himself. He wanted to wake up at once and have a real fight with Sasuke in the real world!

Unfortunately, the system had no intention of granting his wish. Before long, the next round of dream combat began.

But maybe that was for the best...

"Just a 50% win rate against Sasuke gets me a reward like this."

"If my win rate against Sasuke reaches 100%, heh, heh..."

Naruto was already letting his imagination run wild.

Meanwhile.

It was already the dead of night at the Uchiha Clan compound, but Sasuke still hadn't gone to bed.

The training ground lay silent beneath the night sky. Only the occasional chirp of insects and birds broke the stillness.

Whirrr—

Suddenly, the faint sound of a taut wire slicing through the air rang out. Sasuke's figure flashed into view, darting between the branches of a tree.

Then...

Thud, thud, thud!

Several shuriken shot out at high speed, hitting every target dead center!

But Sasuke wasn't satisfied. He yanked the thin, sturdy wires in his hands, and several more shuriken abruptly changed direction in midair, all shooting toward another straw dummy.

Swish, swish, swish!

Guided by the wires, the shuriken struck the straw dummy with equal precision, piercing its heart, throat, and other vital points!

Only then did Sasuke land lightly on the ground.

He was drenched in sweat, breathing heavily, his face quite pale.

He had clearly pushed himself too far.

Still, when he glanced back at his successful training, he nodded faintly, looking somewhat satisfied.

"Shuriken Manipulation Technique..."

"Even though it's only a D-rank technique, it can still catch an enemy off guard and take them out if used well."

A faint smile of satisfaction had just appeared on his face.

He quickly forced it away.

"No. It's not enough..."

"Not nearly enough!"

Sasuke slammed his fist into the tree trunk. The bark fell away, and splinters flew.

The blood-soaked night of that night once again surfaced in his mind...

The agony was so intense that he felt sick and nearly vomited on the spot.

"Itachi Uchiha!"

"I'll kill you with my own hands!"

Sometimes he didn't dare think about it, didn't want to think about it. But if he didn't, he would hate himself for forgetting his blood feud, and so he forced himself to think about it again.

Every day, Sasuke lived in this nightmare and torment.

"Naruto..."

Just then, his battle with Naruto came to mind.

Aside from his hatred for Itachi Uchiha, it was the only other thing Sasuke cared about, even a little.

Of course, he would never admit that, not even to himself.

He hadn't even realized it.

"Damn it..."

"If the Third hadn't stepped in, who would have come out on top?!"

At the time, Sasuke had been ready to make a desperate attack with his Sharingan.

But Naruto's condition had been strange and terrifying, too...

Naruto's killing intent had been completely abnormal. It was as if that wasn't really him, but some terrifying monster hidden deep within him!

"That guy Naruto is hiding plenty of secrets, too..."

Sasuke wasn't stupid. Of course he could tell that the people around Naruto treated him strangely.

It was different from the way they kept their distance from Sasuke.

They treated Naruto with strange hatred and loathing.

Of course, Sasuke didn't need anyone's approval or understanding.

Naruto, on the other hand, was the exact opposite.

He was so lonely that he yearned for even a single person to accept and understand him.