On a street in Konoha.
Naruto was looking for the remaining nine lucky people.
It was already dusk.
The golden rays of the setting sun shone on his handsome face.
"At this hour, they've probably all gone home to eat."
"I've already gotten the reward, and there's no time limit."
"It wouldn't hurt to give it away tomorrow instead."
"Hey... isn't that the Uchiha Clan Compound? How did I end up here?"
Naruto looked bewildered.
After Itachi Uchiha and Obito had slaughtered all their clansmen,
they fled and joined Akatsuki.
They took on the role of
Konoha's informants on Akatsuki,
with the main purpose of protecting the young Sasuke.
As for the Uchiha's affairs,
Naruto couldn't meddle, and didn't want to.
What he was curious about now was that the gate to the Uchiha streets was open.
The seal on it had clearly been torn off by someone.
It was probably Sasuke's doing.
He was the only one still living here.
"Ah, fellow wanderers in this world—when fate brings us together, why ask if we've met before?"
"What a hard life."
"Sasuke, let your big bro bring you a little warmth."
Naruto sighed.
He touched the still-wrapped book in his hand.
"Ding-dong..."
"Bonus option unlocked!"
"Option: Give one of Jiraiya's books to Sasuke (Indra)."
"Feedback: Whenever Sasuke (Indra) grows stronger through training,"
"his current strength and soul power will determine how much strength is fed back to the host!"
Naruto paused.
This bonus task was a little underwhelming,
but who could turn down the chance to get stronger for free?
And the great thing about this skill was that someone else got stronger, and he got stronger along with them.
His own strength wouldn't be affected at all.
A cherry on top—
Plain and simple,
but it looked good.
It suited what Naruto wanted right now.
It seemed Jiraiya's book was fated to end up with Sasuke.
He'd just have to graciously give it to him.
A book that normally cost ten coins, given away for free.
Sasuke was having a rough time, too.
He could help a little... where he could.
Ahem, ahem...
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
A blazing ball of fire
burst from Sasuke's mouth.
The scorching fireball disturbed the lake's once-calm surface!
Bubbles rose from the bottom of the lake, one after another.
The air grew searing and hot.
"Hah..."
The One-Tomoe Sharingan in Sasuke's eyes gradually faded.
It felt as if all his strength had been drained.
Exhausted, he dropped onto the wooden bridge.
He gasped for breath.
Beads of sweat rolled down his forehead.
Using the Great Fireball Technique three times in a row
was already his limit.
Compared to the others his age,
Sasuke could be called a genius.
There was no harm without comparison.
His older brother, Itachi Uchiha, had been
far more impressive than him at the same age.
The more Sasuke compared himself to his brother,
the more he felt he would never be able to keep up with him!
"Damn it! I'll rest a bit, then try again!"
Sasuke gritted his teeth and snarled, refusing to give up.
A loving brother and a devoted younger brother.
He would kill Itachi Uchiha with his own hands!
He would avenge his father's murder, his mother's murder, and the destruction of his clan!
He couldn't let a small setback like this defeat him!
"Sasuke, do you want to seize the future?"
Naruto's calm voice rang out.
To catch a kid off guard,
you had to strike unexpectedly!
That was the way to win!
"Who?!"
Sasuke whipped around in alarm.
When he saw it was Naruto,
his tense nerves eased a little.
But then he realized how terrifying it was!
When had Naruto appeared behind him?
Why hadn't he sensed him at all?
Sasuke figured that no matter how exhausted he was,
he should still have been able to spot a dead last like Naruto with ease.
But things hadn't gone the way he expected.
It proved one thing:
Naruto had gotten stronger.
Strong enough to surpass him.
Still, Sasuke would rather believe the other explanation—
that he was simply too tired from training
to notice Naruto's presence for a moment.
"What are you doing here? Get out. Now."
This was the Uchiha Clan's territory.
Even though everything here had changed,
that didn't mean just anyone could come in.
Along with his unwavering desire for revenge,
the ridiculous glory of the Uchiha's past was what kept Sasuke going.
"I'm here to help you seize the future."
Naruto grinned.
Sasuke was a cocky little brat,
but he was all right.
A good source of feedback.
Sasuke paused.
"Seize the future? What future?"
Naruto got to the point.
"You said you wanted revenge."
"What's it to you? Can you make me stronger?"
"Actually..." Under Sasuke's astonished and expectant gaze,
Naruto changed tack. "No."
Sasuke's face shifted.
From blue to red, then to green.
A free color-changing show.
Naruto couldn't help but call him a pro!
What a waste that he wasn't training in the Nine Provinces. He'd be better off doing that than being a ninja.
Ninja, ninja—endure until the end, and you're still useless.
Like a turtle: all you can do when you're hit is endure it, unless you're strong enough to beat the one hitting you to a pulp.
And Naruto had that kind of strength right now.
Veins bulged on Sasuke's forehead.
"If you can't, then what are you even saying? Get out, right now! Otherwise, don't blame me for what I do to you!"
He was desperate to get stronger.
Not only had Naruto failed to give him what he wanted,
he'd even made a fool of him.
He was Sasuke Uchiha, the village's Sasuke.
His life's ultimate goal was to grow stronger and take revenge.
Everyone in the village, from the eighty-year-old man at the entrance to the three-year-old children,
knew why he hadn't followed his parents in dying.
Naruto, if you can't give me what I want,
then why come here and mess with me?
Do you think this is fun?
Naruto shrugged helplessly.
"Making you stronger is definitely out of the question. Only you can choose to get stronger. You have to keep training if you want to improve."
"I'm not your mom or dad, and I'm not your guardian. I have no reason to supervise your training."
"But I do know a way to get stronger. It just depends on whether you're willing to learn."
At Naruto's words,
Sasuke's whole body shuddered.
Naruto looked so confident
as he spoke, as if he meant every word.
And after seeing how Naruto had acted today,
could he really know a way to get stronger?
But nothing came for free. Why would he tell Sasuke?!
Even if there was a way to get stronger,
fighting was still about using your fists. What kind of normal ninja fought with their fists?!
Sasuke thought Naruto was going to teach him taijutsu or some other kind of technique.
His little face darkened further.
"Naruto, I don't want you to teach me. Now, get out of here—"
Sasuke hadn't finished speaking yet.
A tall tree was pierced straight through.
He watched helplessly as it toppled right in front of him.
It had taken less than a minute.
Since Naruto had used that strange ninjutsu.
At that moment, Sasuke was stunned.
Naruto hadn't been bluffing—there really was a way to get stronger!!!!
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