A cold, chilling light flashed in Sasuke Uchiha's Sharingan. Gritting his teeth, he said flatly:
"A loser will always be a loser. Don't get carried away, you talentless idiot."
"Hahahahaha..."
Naruto Uzumaki actually burst out laughing at that. Through his laughter, he said:
"So even someone as calm as you can lose his temper out of embarrassment. That's not like you!
You picked this fight, but now you're the one getting scared? Sasuke?"
A smile appeared on Sasuke Uchiha's face as well.
Naruto Uzumaki had said he was lashing out from embarrassment. And yes, that was exactly what he was doing.
But his stubborn pride would never let him admit it.
Naruto Uzumaki had defeated Neji Hyuga in the Chunin Ninja Exams, beaten Gaara in the forest with the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique, and used the Summoning Technique to summon the toad boss, Gamabunta, and defeat Shukaku.
Then Sasuke's older brother, Itachi Uchiha, had come to Konoha for Naruto Uzumaki.
Naruto Uzumaki had become Jiraiya's apprentice, a student of one of the Sannin.
Each of these events had grated on him, as though constantly reminding him:
You're inferior to Naruto Uzumaki. You're no longer a match for that loser!
But Sasuke Uchiha's pride would not allow him to bow his head to Naruto Uzumaki!
He sneered:
"Enough nonsense. Today, I'll show you that a loser will always be a loser!"
With that, he assumed an attacking stance.
Naruto Uzumaki looked at Sasuke Uchiha's forehead and said:
"Put on your forehead protector first. I'll wait!"
Sasuke Uchiha was no longer thinking clearly. He said disdainfully:
"You think you can hurt my forehead? Worry about yourself first!"
Naruto Uzumaki pointed to his own forehead protector and smiled.
"That's not what I meant. Put it on. It proves that we're fighting as equals,