What Right Did I Have to Back Down?

The images on the Sky Screen continued to play slowly.

As time passed, Sasuke Uchiha's external injuries gradually improved. His wounds stopped bleeding, and much of his strength returned.

Yet his spirits remained low.

The shadow of his missing arm weighed heavily on his heart, leaving him to spend every day mired in inferiority, anger, and despair.

Naruto and Sakura visited his hospital room every day to keep him company. Seeing Sasuke so silent and lifeless filled them both with worry.

That day, the two sat beside his bed as usual.

Seeing how despondent Sasuke was, Naruto felt awful and couldn't help trying to comfort him.

"Sasuke, you can't keep going on like this!"

"We won't give up on you! You'll always be our teammate in Team 7!"

"Once you're better, we'll take the Chunin Ninja Exams together next time. We'll wait for you!"

The moment those words left his mouth, Sakura's expression changed drastically!

Panicking, she hurriedly clamped a hand over Naruto's mouth, sweat beading on her forehead. "Shut up! Don't just blurt things out!"

Utterly bewildered, Naruto pulled her hand away and stared at her in confusion.

"Sakura, what are you doing? Did I say something wrong? I just wanted to encourage Sasuke!"

Sakura looked at the simpleminded Naruto, who had no idea what was going on, then turned toward Sasuke on the bed. His eyes had instantly lit up, burning with intensity.

She opened her mouth, but in the end, she could only fall silent helplessly.

It's over.

She knew it.

Now there was no stopping Sasuke.

Sure enough!

Sasuke's lifeless eyes suddenly sharpened. He jerked his gaze up and fixed them both with an unyielding stare, his voice hoarse, cold, and intensely oppressive.

"What did you just say... about the Chunin Ninja Exams?"

Completely oblivious to the shift in the atmosphere, Naruto answered honestly, "The joint Chunin Ninja Exams coming up in a few days! It's a joint exam with other villages, and we have to register together to enter!"

Then Naruto added casually, trying to reassure him, "It's okay, Sasuke. It doesn't matter that you're hurt. We can wait for you. Taking them next time will be just as good!"

But to Sasuke, those words cut deeper than a knife.

His gaze grew colder as he pressed in a low voice, "Is everyone else entering?"

Sakura panicked and hurriedly tried to smooth things over. "No, Sasuke, don't overthink it. Not everyone has to enter..."

"I asked you who's entering!" Sasuke gave a cold laugh, his gaze piercing.

He knew the other ninja in his graduating class all too well.

He thought nothing of any of them. Every last one was inferior to him.

Then why should I, Sasuke Uchiha, be the only one left out?!

Do they look down on me?

Sakura hesitated, not daring to answer.

Naruto finally realized something was wrong too. Seeing Sasuke's dark, frightening expression, his heart lurched. He swallowed and didn't dare speak.

"Tell me!"

Sasuke abruptly raised his voice, his roar silencing the hospital room.

Naruto flinched in fright and hurriedly answered in a small voice, "S-several teams from our graduating class are entering..."

The instant Sasuke heard the answer...

He drew a deep breath, an obsessive, frenzied resolve igniting in his eyes.

"Then Team 7 is entering too."

Sakura immediately grew frantic and tried to stop him. "But Sasuke! Your injuries haven't healed yet. It's too dangerous!"

Naruto quickly agreed. "Yeah, Sasuke! Let's wait until you're fully recovered. There's really no rush!"

But all their concern and reassurance became nothing but blatant pity and sympathy in Sasuke's ears!

The more they urged him to rest, the more they told him to wait until next time, the angrier he became!

He suddenly raised his head, his eyes bloodshot, and roared through gritted teeth, "I am Sasuke Uchiha!"

"Since when did I need other people to hold themselves back for me?"

"Since when did I become a burden everyone has to wait for?"

"That's not it, Sasuke! We've never thought of you as a burden!" Naruto hurriedly waved his hands in explanation.

But Sasuke wouldn't listen. His chest heaved, every word ringing with unshakable pride.

"The Uchiha Clan's honor must never be ruined by my hands!"

"I still haven't taken revenge on that man. I still haven't restored the Uchiha Clan..."

"Why should I back down?"

"What right do I have to back down?"

Naruto and Sakura were left speechless, falling utterly silent.

They lowered their heads, their faces filled with worry they couldn't possibly hide.

And that worry pierced Sasuke's proud self-esteem.

He stared hard at them, his eyes growing colder and angrier. "Are you pitying me now?"

"No! We're not, we swear!" they hastily explained.

But Sasuke could no longer take in anything they said.

Losing his arm, suffering his injuries, and meeting such a hopeless fate had pushed his sensitivity, obsession, and pride to their extremes.

He would never allow anyone to pity him!

Because that was an insult to the Uchiha.

Sasuke kept his gaze fixed on them, his voice cold and resolute, carrying a trace of determination that was ready to face death.

"If you still consider me your teammate in Team 7..."

"Then go register for the Chunin Ninja Exams."

"If you back down because of my injuries and refuse to let me enter..."

"Then from this day on, I will never forgive you."

"I mean every word."

Seeing that stubborn, solitary pride in Sasuke's eyes, that almost crazed refusal to admit defeat...

Naruto and Sakura exchanged a glance. Faced with his absolute determination, they finally nodded helplessly.

"All right... we promise."

"We'll go find Kakashi-sensei right now and ask to enter the Chunin Ninja Exams!"

Naruto and Sakura soon found Kakashi.

Standing before him, they braced themselves and told him about Sasuke's insistence on entering the Chunin Ninja Exams.

After hearing them out, Kakashi immediately shook his head and refused.

"No."

"Sasuke hasn't recovered from his injuries, and he's lost an arm. He absolutely cannot enter the Chunin Ninja Exams. It's too dangerous."

Sakura grew frantic at his response and hurriedly spoke up. "Kakashi-sensei, I know it's dangerous, but Sasuke is serious!"

"If we don't let him enter these Chunin Ninja Exams, he'll hate us for the rest of his life!"

Kakashi's brows knitted tightly, his tone firm. "That's still better than losing his life! Ninja from other villages will be taking part. The exams are extremely dangerous, and in his current condition, he won't be able to endure them."

Beside her, Naruto immediately raised his head, his eyes filled with determination.

"Kakashi-sensei!"

"This is Sasuke's own decision!"

"If he's determined to go, then I'll protect him and help him finish the exams, even if I have to risk my life!"

Then Naruto turned to Sakura. "Sakura, you feel the same way, right?"

Sakura was torn, afraid something would happen to Sasuke, yet equally afraid of completely shattering the last of his pride.

After struggling for a few seconds, she finally gritted her teeth and gave a small nod.