Bang, bang, bang...!
The flaming shuriken hurled out of the Flame Rotation wiped out all twenty targets around him!
Utter devastation...!
Sasuke knew his defeat was sealed!
But Itachi was watching, and he didn't want to lose too badly!
He had no choice but to use that move!!
Sasuke said, "Iruka, get me some targets. The more, the better!"
Iruka could only oblige, thinking, Go ahead and do whatever you like, as long as nobody dies!
A few minutes later.
Iruka said, "These are all the targets we can still use..."
Sasuke stood among the targets and pulled up his left sleeve, revealing a portable Summoning Scroll!
Tenten said, "Huh? That's for summoning shuriken. Sasuke can do that too??"
Neji said, "That's because your technique is so commonplace."
Tenten puffed out her cheeks. "You really don't know how to talk to people!! It's called being accessible, okay~!!"
Sasuke's little face was solemn.
I've been practicing the Rapid Summoning Shuriken Technique in secret, without my brother knowing. I wanted to show it off to him once I'd mastered it, but I never thought I'd have to use it here before I was ready. Whatever. This is the only way I can salvage some of the Uchiha's pride!
Bang, bang, bang...!
Sasuke rapidly summoned shuriken and flung them all around him in a dazzling flurry, moving faster and faster until his movements were almost impossible to follow...!!
"Huff, huff, huff..."
A minute later, Sasuke collapsed to the ground, panting heavily. Shuriken dotted every target, but they littered the ground as well. Nearly half of them had missed.
Sasuke mocked himself. "Damn it. Is this what they mean when they say an empty vessel makes the most noise?"
But Itachi murmured, "Sasuke, you've already worked hard enough. I'm proud of you..."
Thud!
Sasuke lay back. "So this is what utter defeat feels like. It's so frustrating..."
Iruka walked over to Sasuke. "Looks like we have a winner..."
Sasuke accepted it calmly. "Yeah, I lost."
Ever the teacher, Iruka said, "Sasuke, as someone who's been through this, I want to tell you something. Life has all kinds of experiences, and defeat is commonplace. What matters is how you handle failure. Although you narrowly lost, the tenacity you showed in this match will help you gain much more..."
Sasuke said, "Hmph. You really have a knack for lectures."
"I'm a teacher, after all." Iruka smiled, then grew serious. "At the start of the match, you formed the Seal of Confrontation. Now that it's over, form the Seal of Reconciliation!"
Yu came over, and Sasuke sat up. "I'll let you have the top spot in our class for now. But let me make this clear: it's temporary, not permanent!"
The two formed the Seal of Reconciliation.
Yu grinned. "Hehe, time to honor our agreement from before the match, right?"
"Yeah, I won't go back on my word. But before that..."
Sasuke stood up, glanced at Sakura in the crowd, and walked over to her!
Ba-dump!
Sakura's heart raced. Huh? Sasuke-kun is walking toward me. Did he see me helping him earlier? Is he coming to praise me??
Her heart fluttered wildly. N-no... I didn't actually manage to help. I should apologize to him instead.
Sasuke stopped in front of Sakura.
Sakura said warmly, "Sasuke-kun, I'm sorry. I wasn't able to help just now..."
Sasuke cut her off coldly. "You're really annoying. All you do is meddle!"
"Huh?" Sakura's expression instantly froze. "I-I was trying to help you, Sasuke-kun...!"
"I don't need that kind of help! You just got in the way! There's a limit to how much you can look down on someone!"
Leaving those icy words behind, Sasuke turned away!
Whoosh... A gust of wind blew Sakura's hat off, exposing her conspicuous bald head!
Her scalp felt chilly, but her heart felt even colder!
It's over. Sasuke-kun... hates me!
Sakura broke down and ran out of the grounds in tears!
"Hey, Sakura..." Naruto instinctively started after her, but something suddenly occurred to him, and he forced himself to stop midstep!
It's about time I stopped doing this... Sakura has her own thoughts and her own way of doing things. Unless her life is at stake, I have no right to interfere!
Besides... she really did go too far this time!
Outside the Training Ground's wire fence, Mizuki, looking haggard with pronounced dark circles under his eyes, watched Sakura run past the exit, then glanced at Naruto on the grounds. A sinister smile curled his lips.
He turned and left, plotting who knew what!
Iruka happened to see this. Hm? Didn't Mizuki take sick leave? What's he doing here?
In fact, Iruka had been dreaming lately too. In his dreams, Mizuki incited Naruto to steal the Scroll of Seals, intending to defect from Konoha!
He had no idea why he was having such absurd dreams, since Mizuki normally behaved quite well.
Still, Iruka kept his guard up. It isn't right to suspect my own friend, but Mizuki's behavior lately, and that smile just now, really are strange. Fine. For his sake, and to fulfill my responsibility to my students, I'll keep an eye on him later...
Sasuke returned to the grounds. "Tell me what you want me to do. As long as it's within my power, I'll agree!"
"Hehe."
Yu took a piece of candy from his pocket and handed it to Sasuke.
Sasuke asked, "What's this supposed to mean??"
Yu said, "Eating this candy is what I want you to do."
That's all? Is he messing with me??
Sasuke hesitantly reached out...
Remembering how Yu usually behaved, Sasuke suddenly grew wary. This candy isn't made of shit, is it??
His outstretched hand paused, then took the candy!
Fine... A bet is a bet. Even if it's shit, I'll eat it!
Sasuke peeled off the wrapper, steeled himself, and ate it!
It was actually his favorite flavor, tomato!!
"Delicious!!"
Not only did it taste good, Sasuke could feel his depleted stamina rapidly recovering!
What's... in this candy??
I want more!
But I can't bring myself to ask. What do I do!!
Yu smiled. "Hehe, now that you've eaten my candy, be my friend!"
Sasuke was surprised. "Your friend??"
Yu clasped his hands behind his head. "Yeah. Want to be friends with me?"
As for friendship...
It wasn't that Sasuke had never thought about it, but unlike Naruto, he was extremely popular, which made him care less about such things!
Some died of drought while others drowned!
Those who were favored never gave a shit!
If he really were to make friends, they would at least have to rival him in talent. Otherwise, he wouldn't acknowledge them!
It was precisely because Yu understood the mindset of a top student like Sasuke that he'd proposed this shuriken contest!
"Friends, huh..."
Sasuke scratched his little cheek, his gaze wavering.
He wanted to say yes at once, but ultimately couldn't shed his aloof young-master persona!
The reason Yu hadn't demanded "be my friend" from the outset was that it would have seemed a little too desperate and cheapened him. Besides... Yu valued friendship and believed friends should come together freely, without coercion!
So he'd taken a roundabout approach.
"Hmph... I already ate your candy like you asked, so I'm under no obligation to agree to be your friend!"
After that show of arrogance, Sasuke said with a faint blush, "A-although I can't be your friend... being r-rivals would be fine."
Yu said, "Huh? Okay, then. I was planning to give you candy every day! But giving it to a rival doesn't seem worth it..."
Sasuke said, "Y-you really leave me no choice. Fine... Since you're so sincere, I'll reluctantly agree! But let's get one thing straight: I'm not doing this for your candy!!"
"That guy is such an arrogant jerk...!!"
Naruto felt a surge of irritation, but then thought, Still, so he can look like an ordinary kid too...
Whatever.
Naruto stepped forward. "If you're making friends, I'm available too~"
Sasuke said coldly, "Go away, dead last~!"
Naruto rolled up his sleeves. "Hey, are you asking for a beating!!!"
And so, after Naruto, Sasuke became Yu's friend too!
School let out that evening.
With Itachi beside him, Sasuke headed back toward the clan compound.
It was clear that despite losing the contest, gaining a friend had put Sasuke in a good mood.
Itachi looked preoccupied. After all... he had no idea where to begin searching for clues about the mysterious expert!
When they reached their front door, a group of young Uchiha suddenly surrounded Itachi!
Itachi frowned. "What is this about?"
The long-haired young man leading them asked with cold derision, "Itachi, at a critical time like this, you went to watch some brats put on a shuriken show. Tell me, do you understand where you stand?"
"Sorry... I have something to do. Please move aside."
Itachi took Sasuke toward the entrance!
But the men refused to let it go and continued blocking their way!
The man shouted, "You're not getting past us until you explain yourself!!!"
"Big brother..." Sasuke had no idea what was happening, and his little face was full of panic.
"Sasuke, go inside first..."
"But..."
"Do as I say."
Sasuke obediently went inside and watched from the entryway.
Zzt!
Three tomoe appeared in Itachi's eyes...
"Hah? You want to fight?" Seeing this, the men activated their Sharingan as well.
Thud, thud, thud...!!
Ten seconds later, the men lay sprawled on the ground, yapping, "Itachi, this isn't like you at all!!"
"Does this clan even mean anything to you anymore!!!"
Itachi slowly straightened up. "You'd do well not to judge someone solely by appearances and impressions. You have only yourselves to blame. You decided I was levelheaded and jumped to the conclusion that I wouldn't readily hit anyone. That's why you're lying on the ground now!"
"You keep going on and on about the clan because you've misjudged my capacity. You have no idea how deep it truly runs!"
"Your fixation on the organization, your fixation on the clan, your obsession with reputation-all of it limits your potential and hinders the growth of your capacity. And it makes you fear and hate things you've never seen. It's utterly foolish!"
The young man leading them shouted, "What the hell are you talking about!!!"
Thunk...!!!
A kunai struck the Uchiha Clan crest on the wall!
"My abilities have left me utterly disillusioned with this mediocre clan. Only small-minded people cling so fiercely to it, and that's why they overlook what truly matters. True change cannot be constrained by rules, or limited by premonitions and imagination!"
The young man leading them said, "Enough! We'll report everything to your father, both what you did today and all this incomprehensible nonsense!!!"
The three scrambled to their feet and left in disgrace!
"Be my guests..."
Itachi clenched his fists. Overwhelmed by his current predicament, negative emotions surged within him, and the pattern of the Mangekyo Sharingan appeared in his eyes without him realizing it!
Sasuke wondered, "Huh? What's my brother looking at..."
He followed Itachi's gaze, but all he saw were the three men's backs as they slunk away!
But Itachi saw tiny black bubbles of unknown origin bubbling up from the backs of their heads!
Itachi couldn't hide his astonishment. "What... is that??"
Before you continue