Hey! What you thought was late was actually early...

Hearing the shout, Naruto walked to the window and saw Yu and the others downstairs!

Naruto looked surprised. "Huh? What are you guys..."

Neji said coolly, "We heard you were sick. Lady Hinata specifically wanted to come see you."

Naruto said, "Huh? Sick? I..."

Just then, Yu raised a hand to his mouth and made a shushing gesture!

Naruto understood what Yu meant. Since I didn't go to school today, Hinata and the others were worried. Yu hid what happened last night and told them I was sick as an excuse? He's really thoughtful.

Still, I never expected even Sasuke to come. That guy acts so full of himself, but he's actually pretty decent...

"Give me a second..."

Naruto closed the window and opened his front door. "Come on in... My place is pretty messy, though."

Hinata held out the Bento Box. "N-Naruto-kun, h-have some lunch!"

Naruto looked surprised. "Huh? You brought this just for me? Thanks, Hinata! You're such a nice person!!"

Hinata said, "I-it's nothing..."

Taking the Bento Box, Naruto asked, "Have you eaten?"

Hinata said, "N-not yet..."

Naruto hefted the heavy lunch in his hands. "There's so much here! I might not be able to finish it all by myself!"

"Huh? S-sorry, Naruto-kun, I-I..." Hinata grew flustered.

This had been her own lunch. When she heard Naruto was sick, she had left it untouched and brought it over especially for him. And since she ate far more than most people, her portions were larger too. How could she possibly admit that...?

Naruto said, "What are you apologizing for? You're such a weirdo."

Hinata said, "Because I've caused you trouble, Naruto-kun..."

Naruto scratched his head. "Not at all! I just meant, if you haven't eaten, we can eat it together!"

"Huh?" Hinata was both startled and embarrassed.

Naruto blushed. "W-would that be okay...?"

"Yes." Hinata shyly lowered her head.

Good grief... They hadn't even gone inside yet, and everyone else was already being subjected to this lovey-dovey display!

Before entering, Sasuke made a point of saying, "Just so we're clear, I didn't come here specifically to see you. I was just tagging along. That's all..."

Naruto said, "Got it, guy who lost to Yu..."

Sasuke said, "Still better than a dead last like you..."

Well, well. They were evenly matched!

They went inside.

Naruto and Hinata ate lunch together.

Meanwhile, Yu, Neji, and Sasuke wandered around the living room!

Sasuke frowned at the mess inside.

This guy has no parents and lives alone, yet he has no self-discipline at all...

Used Instant Noodles cups and milk cartons sat on the table!

"You could at least clean up your trash, couldn't you?"

Sasuke picked up the Instant Noodles cups and milk cartons, then suddenly noticed something!

"Expired???"

"Wait, this is what he eats at home? Expired food??"

Putting an Instant Noodles cup into the trash, Sasuke fell into thought. I've heard the village has some sort of support system for children who've lost both parents. Why is he still living like this? Could his parents have been criminals who committed some terrible offense while they were alive?

No, you're wrong, Sasuke. Naruto's parents weren't criminals at all. They were heroes who saved the village!

A voice suddenly rang out in his mind!

Sasuke startled. "Who was that? Who's talking??"

Yu thought, I couldn't resist commenting on someone's thoughts again...

Still, come to think of it...

The child of heroes had not only been denied the treatment he deserved, but had also endured scorn and discrimination for years.

What baffled him most was how the Konoha High Command, led by the Third Hokage, had maintained a wait-and-see attitude throughout.

As an elder, Hiruzen had admittedly shown a humane side in his private dealings with Naruto.

But that... could not excuse his negligence and incompetence in this matter!

After looking around, Neji felt tremendous sympathy for Naruto. "This guy is way too pitiful. I can't stand watching this. I'll take out my pocket money and help him out later!"

Yu's voice rang out in his mind. Your intentions are good, but that's charity, not genuine care...

Neji suddenly understood. That's right! So true! I almost did something that would hurt my friend. Just what I'd expect from my subconscious self, always guiding me at the right moment!

As it turned out, he had long since grown accustomed to the voice that suddenly appeared in his mind. At first, he had indeed been startled and a little frightened, but over time he had gotten used to it. He believed the voice came from deep thinking within his subconscious, correcting many of his immature actions and ideas!

Lunch was finished.

Neji approached and rather stiffly patted Naruto on the shoulder. "You've got a pretty good appetite, kid. You don't look sick to me. You're not faking it just to make us worry, are you...?"

Naruto wasn't quite used to Neji's sudden warmth. "No, I just..."

Neji said, "Forget it. Let's go play..."

Naruto's eyes lit up, then dimmed again. "But I..."

Yu stepped forward, patted Naruto on the back, and said quietly, "It's okay. Don't let last night bother you. I know all about it. Since everyone's here, let's just have fun together and stop thinking so much..."

Naruto let go of the weight on his heart. "Okay. I'll listen to you, Yu..."

They left Naruto's home.

It was already late!

Once again, it was a dark and windy night.

Yu ran ahead, leading the way.

Neji asked, "Little brother, what are we playing tonight? We're not going to blow up poop again, are we?"

Sasuke said, "Blow up poop...!?"

Yu laughed. "Nah, let's spare the poop this time..."

Otherwise... you adorable little brats would be calling him Tobi reincarnated or the Hyuga fecal terrorist in the comments again...!

When they stopped, they were at the cliff beneath Hokage Rock.

Sasuke said, "Hey, don't tell me the exciting, fun thing you mentioned was sightseeing at Hokage Rock!"

Yu said, "Of course it wouldn't be that boring. Let's get up there first, then we'll talk."

Sasuke hesitated. "It's so high. How are we supposed to get up?"

Yu smiled. "Run up!"

Whoosh!!

He leaped up and planted his feet on the cliff. Chakra held his soles against the stone, and he ran straight upward!

Whoosh!

Neji easily did the same.

Sasuke said, "That's a ninja's rock-climbing technique!!"

Naruto said, "Is this what Hinata mentioned before?"

Neji stopped halfway up and looked back. "Lady Hinata, what are you waiting for? Come on up..."

Naruto was astonished. "Huh? Hinata, y-you can do it too??"

Hinata said apologetically, "Sorry, Naruto-kun... L-last time, when we climbed over the wall, I hid this from you."

Naruto understood. "Oh, so that's it. You were looking out for my feelings..."

Hinata said, "I'm sorry, Naruto-kun..."

Naruto said, "It's fine! Hurry on up, Hinata. This time, I'll figure something out myself, believe it!"

And so Hinata went up too.

That left Naruto and Sasuke staring helplessly below.

Sasuke felt a pang of jealousy. "Even that girl who barely stands out can do it..."

After all, the Hyuga Clan's talent for releasing chakra was undeniable.

Naruto said, "Sasuke, aren't your grades really good? You can't do this either?"

Sasuke said, "What do you know? This is an advanced chakra control technique!"

Damn it... When I get home, I'm definitely getting my brother to teach me this!!

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Sasuke threw several Kunai into the cliff, creating footholds!

"Dead last, I'm not waiting for you. Figure something out yourself..."

With that, Sasuke clenched the handle of a Kunai between his teeth, took a running start, and jumped. He stepped on a lower Kunai to leap higher, caught the uppermost one with one hand, then took the Kunai from his mouth and drove it into the cliff. Pulling out the previous one, he climbed upward by alternating between them!

Watching from the cliff, Neji glanced over with some interest. "Oh? That younger kid came up with a method like that. He's got some skill..."

"I've got a way too..."

Naruto formed hand seals.

-Ninja Art: Multiple Shadow Clone Technique!!

Poof, poof, poof...!

White smoke billowed as a multitude of Naruto's shadow clones appeared, hoisting the original up and forming a human tower in midair!

Neji said, "Hey, isn't that idiot drawing way too much attention?!"

Yu thought, Just as I suspected, Kurama is no longer maliciously interfering with Naruto's own chakra. He can finally stand on the same starting line as Sasuke...

Sasuke stared at the spectacle Naruto had created in shock. "What?? That guy used that flash-in-the-pan technique again!!!"

Gurgle, gurgle, gurgle...!

But at that very moment, a sharp cramp struck Naruto's stomach!!

"Urgh... Oh no, the expired milk's kicking in!!"

Poof...!

The stacked shadow clones began disappearing, and Naruto fell from midair!!

Hinata cried, "Naruto-kun...!!"

In desperation, Naruto instinctively grabbed a protruding rock... It slowed him briefly, but he kept falling. This time, he caught Sasuke by the waistband!

Sasuke shouted in alarm, "Idiot, what are you doing...!!!!"

Trying to protect his pants left him unable to keep climbing, and both of them fell!

Fortunately, some shadow clones below had yet to disappear and cushioned their fall!

Poof, poof, poof...!!

The white smoke cleared... At the top of the cliff, three pairs of Byakugan eyes opened wide!

"Mmph..." At the foot of the cliff, Naruto and Sasuke lay one atop the other, their lips pressed together!!