A Contest of Pure Taijutsu

This mission issued by the system left Chiye Jun scratching his head in frustration.

[Ding! Please form a friendship with Sasuke and go to Itachi's room at the Uchiha clan compound to check in. Time limit: one week.]

Form a friendship?

And go to Sasuke's house?

This mission was anything but easy...

Chiye Jun froze on the spot.

He had just defeated the guy at the training ground. How could he have the nerve to visit his home now?

Besides, Sasuke was so cold and aloof. How could he possibly become friends with him so easily...

But the harder the mission, the richer the reward, right?

That night, after Teacher Ozawa's Transformation Technique wore off and he lay in bed, Chiye Jun began to think.

"The plot begins in three months. It's necessary to build a relationship with Sasuke early, but how can I become friends with him within a week?"

As he pondered, he gradually fell asleep.

Early the next morning.

Morning training.

When he heard rustling in the forest, Chiye Jun initially thought it was Lee.

But when he turned around, he saw Sasuke instead—wearing blue clothes with the Uchiha fan crest on the back, his face as expressionless as a playing card.

"Why is he here..."

Sasuke noticed him as well, and the two stared at each other.

For some reason, both of them felt a complicated, inexplicable sense of familiarity and closeness.

Perhaps it was because they had both experienced the pain of losing loved ones at such a young age, as well as the warmth and coldness of Konoha Village.

Chiye Jun smiled openly. "Sasuke, are you here for morning training too?"

Sasuke merely nodded, without the slightest emotion on his face.

Then he got straight to the point.

"Let's fight again!"

"Fight again?" Chiye Jun scratched his head in confusion.

Sure enough, this guy really couldn't accept defeat...

"I admit that I lost fair and square to your Great Fireball Technique last time, but I won't concede when it comes to taijutsu. I was careless and underestimated you, so I want to spar with you today."

Sure enough, he was a hot-blooded guy.

Fine!

Perhaps he could use this opportunity to officially build a relationship with him.

Chiye Jun readily agreed.

Many friends only got to know each other after a fight...

They agreed not to use ninjutsu, shuriken, or kunai—only pure taijutsu.

Chiye Jun naturally knew Sasuke's strength before the plot began.

Though he was known as a genius at the academy, he had yet to awaken the Sharingan and had not learned Shadow of the Dancing Leaf or Lion Combo.

His physical abilities and chakra reserves were on a completely different level from Chiye Jun's.

But Chiye Jun had no intention of deliberately holding back.

For a hot-blooded youth like Sasuke, he had to make him concede wholeheartedly. Only then could they possibly become true friends!

The battle began.

Chiye Jun used the Body Flicker Technique.

Before Sasuke could react at all, Chiye Jun flashed right in front of him.

Following the fine tradition of sparring without hitting the face, he threw a punch at Sasuke's shoulder.

Sasuke hurriedly raised his arms to block, but the blow still sent him staggering back several steps.

Chiye Jun had naturally held back. Otherwise, Sasuke's arm would have shattered on the spot.

But he gave Sasuke no chance to catch his breath!

Stepping forward, he launched a front kick that sent Sasuke flying straight into a tree trunk opposite him.

As Sasuke slowly slid down, he finally understood what it felt like to have absolutely no ability to fight back.

Chiye Jun walked over with a smile and pulled him to his feet.

"Continue!"

Sasuke's refusal to admit defeat flared up too!

Clenching his fists, he used the Body Flicker Technique and charged at Chiye Jun.

Chiye Jun suppressed his own speed and explosive power, engaging Sasuke in a spar of pure strength.

The more they fought, the fiercer it became!

Like a slut meeting a hooligan, they were completely out of control...

Still, with his powerful stamina, Chiye Jun quickly gained the upper hand, while Sasuke's condition gradually began to decline.

Chiye Jun threw a side kick!

It landed squarely on Sasuke's back, making him crouch down and retch.

But he soon stood back up, fiercely wiping the corner of his mouth, still unwilling to accept it!

He was, after all, a young genius of the Uchiha clan. How could he lose twice to a child from an ordinary family?

After resting briefly, he challenged Chiye Jun again.

Chiye Jun flicked a pebble up with his foot, then kicked it away with force!

Powered by an explosive burst of chakra, the pebble shot forth like lightning.

Of course, it was precisely controlled, passing almost right alongside Sasuke's cheek.

He could even hear the sharp whistle of it tearing through the air.

The pebble struck the tree trunk behind him, blasting a hole into it!

Sasuke turned around to look.

He was so shocked by the sight that his eyes went wide.

"Boom!"

Before he could recover, Chiye Jun used the Super Strength Technique and smashed a huge crater into the ground!

For a moment!

The earth trembled, dust billowed, and shattered stones flew everywhere.

This time, Sasuke was completely dumbfounded. He held his breath in utter shock.

"You can't beat me," Chiye Jun reminded him kindly.

The words were casual and calm, delivered with absolute composure.

Yet they revealed a steadiness and dominance that did not match his age.

But Sasuke was not someone who gave up easily.

He launched several more rounds of challenges.

Only when the rising sun climbed into the sky did he finally stop completely...

"I concede."

He said it quietly. Though turmoil raged within him, his expression remained calm.

Still, he asked, "Did you gain that strength from working as a blacksmith?"

Chiye Jun could only nod.

He couldn't exactly reveal the system. That would bring heavenly punishment down on him...

Though he had suffered a crushing defeat in this taijutsu contest, Sasuke's fighting spirit only grew stronger.

"Chiye Jun, I've decided. Starting today, I'll train hard. One day, I'll surpass you!"

Hearing that, Chiye Jun laughed happily instead.

"Now that's the Sasuke I know! You'll definitely succeed!"

With that, he affectionately draped an arm around Sasuke's shoulders.

But Sasuke broke free, gave a disdainful snort, and tilted his face upward at a forty-five-degree angle...

A signature pose that looked very cool.

Golden sunlight shone into the forest, and the mist slowly dispersed.

Both of their stomachs growled.

Neither spoke again. In tacit understanding, they headed toward the village.

Each of them had his own thoughts.

Chiye Jun was considering how to further develop their bromance and complete the mission.

Meanwhile, Sasuke was hesitating over how to ask him for guidance in taijutsu...

Until Chiye Jun broke the silence.

"Um... can I mooch some breakfast at your place? Hehe."

Sasuke paused.

Then he said, "Whatever."

Only when they reached the entrance did Sasuke stop and say, "This is my house."

Chiye Jun deliberately asked, "Where's your family?"

Sasuke's expression dimmed slightly. "It's just me... Come in and have something to eat."

They entered the house.

The furnishings were simple but clean.

A low table stood in the center, surrounded by tatami mats.

There was also a refrigerator and a television.

Chiye Jun seemed to see scenes from the past:

A family of four sitting around the table, eating, chatting, happy and content...

Chiye Jun's gaze fell on a photograph in the corner.

In it, Itachi held Sasuke tightly, while Sasuke enjoyed his older brother's care.

Unfortunately, fate had played a cruel trick.

In early July four years ago, the Uchiha clan had been exterminated.

From then on, young Sasuke had sworn to kill that man and restore his clan!

"I'll make breakfast. Make yourself at home." Sasuke disappeared into the kitchen after saying that.

Chiye Jun also rose and headed into the hallway.

One of the rooms was more than half filled with scrolls and books.

Yet the bed inside was completely empty.

"This should be Uchiha Itachi's room!"

He summoned the system with his thoughts, intending to complete the check-in.

But could it be completed?

Did their friendship count as having been established?

Just as he was thinking that, the system actually popped up!

[Ding! Location check-in mission completed. Reward: Invincible Cooking Skill. The subsequent reward will be issued once friendship is established. Six days remain.]

Damn!

So the mission was split into two parts.

Invincible Cooking Skill?

What kind of nonsense was that...

After receiving the reward, Chiye Jun felt a deep sense of sorrow in his balls.

"Looks like we still haven't become friends..."

Before long, Sasuke called him to eat.

That fast?

Chiye Jun went to the living room and sat cross-legged like Sasuke.

But when he looked at the table, the food before him truly did not inspire any appetite.

Because there were only two dishes:

Bonito rice balls and tomato eggs.

No wonder it was so fast...

"This... isn't this a little too simple?"

Chiye Jun missed beef in a wooden bucket, twice-cooked pork, and braised pork ribs.

But Sasuke ate with great relish.

"Fine, as long as it fills my stomach."

He casually picked up a rice ball and put it into his mouth.

"Um..."

Sasuke seemed to want to say something, but hesitated.

"If you want to say something, just say it. We're friends already. Besides, I'm honored to eat food made by Sasuke himself."

Naturally outgoing and quick to get familiar with others, Chiye Jun smiled brightly at him.

Sasuke froze.

Friends...

Since he had begun living alone, this was the first time he had felt even a trace of warmth.

He had originally wanted Chiye Jun to teach him taijutsu.

But in the end, he never opened his mouth...

"Forget it, it's nothing!"

After saying that, Sasuke took a bite of his rice ball, his cheeks puffed out.

As Chiye Jun looked at the handsome boy, his heart churned once more.

The path this boy would choose in the future was filled with loneliness and darkness.

"You must have struggled for a long time before choosing to side with that disgusting snake..." Chiye Jun muttered.

Sasuke looked up and asked, "What snake?"

"Ahem... it's nothing. Eat up, hehe."

Lost in thought, he took big bites of his rice ball.

"Huh? Why does it taste better the more I eat?"

Before he knew it, Chiye Jun had finished three rice balls.

Watching his exaggerated eating, Sasuke finally smiled.

After finishing the meal, Chiye Jun inadvertently glanced at the calendar on the wall.

Konoha Year 59, summer.

July 21.

A flash of inspiration suddenly struck Chiye Jun!

He remembered a way to bring them closer together...

The day after tomorrow, July 23, was Sasuke's birthday!