Naruto: Sasuke, little brother, you should hurry up and train more!

At dusk, as the Ninja Academy let out, students returned to their respective homes.

After checking the furniture one by one to ensure everything was in order, Uchiha Ruri stepped out of her home with peace of mind, heading off to pick up Sasuke.

Upon arriving at the Ninja Academy, Uchiha Ruri saw a crowd of students with school bags slung over their shoulders, heading home.

Uchiha Ruri stood outside the gates of the Ninja Academy, waiting quietly for Sasuke to finish his day. The afterglow of the setting sun spilled over her, casting a golden halo around her silhouette.

Outside the school gate, Ruri saw Sasuke and Naruto walking out together, their shadows stretched long by the setting sun.

Naruto was a lively and cheerful boy, his face always wearing a smile brighter than the sun itself.

He had a mess of yellow hair and bright, piercing blue eyes that shimmered with endless curiosity and enthusiasm.

Sasuke and Naruto were good friends; despite their vastly different backgrounds and personalities, the two had forged a deep bond during their days at the Ninja Academy.

At this moment, Sasuke seemed uninterested in Naruto's enthusiastic chatter. He turned his face away, gazing into the distance as if pondering something of great importance.

Noticing Sasuke's unusual behavior, Naruto frowned slightly, trying to find a topic to break the slightly awkward silence.

"Hey, what's wrong with you today? Why aren't you saying anything? You haven't talked to anyone since the combat class! Hey!"

Standing beside Sasuke, Naruto couldn't help but ask out of curiosity. His voice was filled with concern and worry, as if he wanted to shatter the indescribable silence and indifference clinging to Sasuke.

Sasuke remained silent for a moment before speaking faintly: "It's nothing, just a bit tired."

His voice revealed an imperceptible weariness and loneliness, as if some heavy burden weighed on his heart, preventing him from feeling at ease.

Hearing this, Naruto couldn't help but feel a little dejected.

He looked at Sasuke's expressionless face and realized that something was indeed wrong with him today.

But Naruto didn't want to give up just like that; he tried to infect Sasuke with his usual optimism and enthusiasm, hoping to cheer him up.

"Tired of what? Look at how much energy I have!" Naruto laughed and patted his own chest, looking full of vigor. "You didn't even get mad when you hit my stomach today—you aren't scared of my strength now, are you?"

Sasuke turned his head slightly, looking at Naruto's sunny, beaming face, and felt a stir in his heart.

He knew Naruto genuinely cared about him, but he didn't know how to respond to that concern.

He shook his head gently, a faint, helpless, and indulgent smile tugging at the corner of his mouth as he said, "Forget it, you dead-last. I can't be bothered to argue with you."

Though Sasuke's voice was calm, it revealed a unique gentleness.

There was no real reproach in his words; instead, it felt more like an act of tolerance and leniency.

"Huh?" Naruto was stunned by this.

Is this really Sasuke?

He hadn't expected Sasuke to let him off so easily, nor had he expected Sasuke to speak to him in such a tone.

Naruto blinked, looking at Sasuke in disbelief. He had always been accustomed to Sasuke's coldness and detachment, rarely seeing this gentle side of him. A warm current surged through his heart, as if touched by Sasuke's softness.

"Hehe, I knew you wouldn't hold it against me!" Naruto laughed and patted Sasuke on the shoulder, looking quite pleased with himself.

He didn't feel discouraged or dejected by Sasuke's words; instead, he felt even happier and more satisfied by Sasuke's tolerance.

Watching Naruto's smug expression, Sasuke couldn't help but smile helplessly.

He knew Naruto was always like this—no matter what difficulties or setbacks he encountered, he could maintain an optimistic and positive mindset.

Naruto said proudly, "This great one is no dead-last! I'm going to be the Naruto in the future. You're my friend, so don't be so down in the dumps."

Hearing this, Sasuke couldn't help but burst into laughter. He draped one arm over Naruto's shoulder while clutching his stomach with the other, as if he had heard something incredibly funny.

Sasuke shook his head speechlessly and said faintly: "Naruto, you really are shameless! The Naruto? That's not something you can just become by talking about it."

Hearing Sasuke's jab, Naruto immediately got agitated. He widened his eyes, hands on his hips, looking defiant. He retorted, "Hmph, stop looking down on people! I, Naruto, keep my word—I will definitely become the Naruto!"

Seeing Naruto's serious expression, Sasuke felt even more speechless. He sighed helplessly, shook his head, and thought, This guy really never grows up.

He curled his lip and continued, "Naruto, it's not that I'm picking on you, but while your dream is certainly grand, you have to look at reality. Being the Naruto isn't that easy; you need to possess many conditions and strength—it's not something you can achieve just by talking."

Hearing this, Naruto became even more defiant. He puffed out his chest and said proudly, "Hmph, of course I know being the Naruto isn't easy. But I also know I have the ability! As long as I keep training hard, one day I will become the Naruto!"

Watching Naruto's brimming confidence, Sasuke couldn't help but feel speechless again. He thought, This guy is really overconfident, but perhaps it's this very confidence that allows him to keep going.

He smiled helplessly and said, "Fine, since you're so confident, I'll just wait and see."

Hearing this, Naruto laughed triumphantly. He patted Sasuke on the shoulder and said provocatively, "Hmph, then you'd better train hard! Don't get left so far behind that you can't even see my back!"

Hearing this, Sasuke raised an eyebrow. He glared at Naruto and said coldly, "Who got taken out by one of my punches this morning?"

Naruto immediately grew anxious. He widened his eyes, looking at Sasuke with a stubborn expression. He argued, "That was a mistake! I hadn't unleashed my full strength yet."

Seeing Naruto's earnest yet stubborn look, Sasuke couldn't help but find it amusing.

He shook his head, not believing Naruto could ever become the Naruto, and continued walking forward, searching for his sister's figure.

"Hey! Say something!" Naruto followed after him.

Ruri watched them from afar, feeling a bit curious.

She knew Sasuke and Naruto had a good relationship, but she was also curious about what they were talking about.

Ruri could tell that their conversation seemed quite pleasant, as they would burst into happy laughter from time to time.

"What are these two little ones up to?" Ruri activated her Two-Tomoe Sharingan to peer into the distance.