Sasuke's Haki at the Training Ground!

School days always seemed to fly by.

Now, the ones twitching in class had gone from Sasuke and Naruto at first

to... Sasuke, Naruto, Neji, and Lee.

After school.

"Isn't that Neji Hyuga, the senpai who's a year ahead of us?"

"He's so handsome. That cold expression, those unique Byakugan... and... ah, I'm going to faint."

"He's still not quite as good-looking as Sasuke from our class."

"Uchiha Sasuke, Hyuga Neji... This is impossible! How am I supposed to choose?"

A group of lovestruck girls were chattering away in the corridor.

And the person they were talking about was none other than Neji Hyuga.

He was usually so aloof, yet he'd come to wait for someone in a lower grade. That had all the lovestruck girls imagining things.

"Neji-nii-san."

"Are you... waiting for me?"

Hinata stepped out of the classroom and met Neji's gaze as he watched the classroom door.

Their relationship wasn't very good, but Hinata had always looked up to Neji.

She admired both his talent and his determination to train, as well as his strength.

Whenever they fought within the clan, Neji never held back. He always showed her his full strength.

His goal was to spur her on to grow stronger.

Hinata really admired Neji for that.

"Mm."

"There are others, too. We'll wait and go together."

Neji had originally wanted to ignore her, but a voice and an image surfaced in his mind.

[Hinata is my friend, too!]

That cheerful voice, that sunny smile...

"Neji-nii-san, do you know someone in our class?"

Hinata asked, puzzled.

As far as she knew, Neji-nii-san wouldn't talk to anyone weaker than him.

Could it be...

"Yo, Neji!"

"Going to train with us again today?"

Naruto waved at Neji and asked cheerfully.

In just a few short months, Naruto had already made several friends.

It was something he'd never dared to imagine.

So now, he treasured their friendship.

"Mm."

"Where's Sasuke?"

"I asked Lee to go ahead and save us a spot."

"So I'm waiting here for you guys."

Neji nodded and answered honestly.

"That's a good idea. You guys get out of class before we do. If we wait until school's out, there won't be any spots left."

Naruto said happily.

"Let's go. We'll bring Hinata along today, too. Then you two can head home together afterward."

Sasuke came out just then and made the suggestion.

"C-can I come, too?"

Hinata looked at Sasuke shyly.

Just being invited by such an outstanding boy was enough to make her blush.

"Let's go."

"The practical exercise is coming up in a few days."

"We might even have to spar with some of the older students."

"We need to get stronger as soon as possible!"

Sasuke reached out and patted Hinata on the head, then greeted Neji and led them out of the school.

Thump!

Hinata's face turned bright red in an instant, and steam practically poured from her head.

"Mm."

"I will."

Hinata steeled herself, then hurried after them.

At the public training ground.

"Lee?"

Seeing Lee badly injured all over, Neji rushed over with a worried look and helped him up.

"Sorry. I lost."

"I couldn't hold the spot."

Rock Lee lifted his head. He didn't care about his injuries at all; he was filled with remorse.

He thought that a genius like Neji had been willing to be his friend and had entrusted him with such an important task.

And he'd messed it up.

"Well, if it isn't Neji Hyuga, the genius of the Hyuga Clan."

"You're just a branch-family member. Don't pretend you're the Hyuga heir."

"The Hyuga Clan's strongest discarded son, right... Hahaha..."

Several grating voices reached their ears.

Looking up, they saw a group of boys who looked around eight or nine years old.

Every one of them wore a smug, mocking expression.

Neji's pupils trembled slightly as he heard their words.

"Tch. What a bunch of trash."

"Neji, are these guys all really weak?"

"Only the weak look for ways to feel superior when they don't have the strength to back themselves up."

Sasuke's voice wasn't loud, but everyone heard him.

Just a few words were enough to silence the boys' arrogant laughter.

Neji glanced at him, too.

"Weak?"

"You're Uchiha Sasuke, right?"

"Got the guts to fight me..."

Thud!

Before the boy could finish, Sasuke had already appeared behind him.

He grabbed the boy's head and slammed it hard into the ground.

One strike was all it took to knock him unconscious.

"A fight?"

"Is this what you're so proud of?"

Sasuke glanced at the others, the disdain at the corner of his mouth growing even stronger.

His words were just as blunt.

"That was a sneak attack! If..."

Thud!

Thud!

Thud!

In just a few breaths, the boys who'd been standing there were all planted headfirst in the ground.

"Lee, sorry to trouble you."

"You need treatment, too. Take them to the Medical Department."

Sasuke walked calmly into the training ground, leaving them with those words.

"Okay."

Lee was injured, but his wounds were only superficial.

They didn't hinder his movement at all.

So he headed straight for the Medical Department.

As a taijutsu ninja, he was no stranger to the Medical Department.

A dozen minutes later, several medical ninja arrived and carried away the ninja on the ground.

They'd wanted to demand an explanation, but when they saw who was there, they immediately thought better of it.

The Nine-Tails Jinchuriki—Uzumaki Naruto! [Fox Demon Boy]

The Hyuga Main Family heir—Hinata Hyuga!

The Hyuga Clan's strongest young shinobi—Neji Hyuga!

The Uchiha Clan Head's second son, the Uchiha prodigy—Uchiha Sasuke!

With a group like that, there was no way a mere medical ninja would dare interfere.

[After all, he wasn't Roy.]

"Sasuke, thanks."

After the first stage of training ended, Neji spoke with a hint of bashfulness.

"No need to thank me."

"If I'd been insulted like that, you'd have stepped in, too, wouldn't you?"

"We're friends, after all!"

Sasuke held out his fist, his expression bright and sunny.

Thump!

"Mm!"

Neji had never been good at expressing his feelings.

He bumped his fist against Sasuke's and nodded firmly.

"All right. Next comes our secret training."

Sasuke didn't dwell on what had just happened and changed the subject.

Once the seed of friendship had been planted, there was no need to interfere.

"Uh... What about Hinata...?"

Neji looked at Hinata, unsure what to do.

In his eyes, Hinata was a sheltered young lady.

Talent—average!

Constitution—average!

Strength—average!

If she joined this special training, would she...

That's right, he was worried.

But to someone as tsundere as him, it looked like he was "looking down on her"!