"Form the Seal of Confrontation!"
Iruka's voice rang out across the Training Ground.
A breeze lifted the hair of a boy with long golden locks. Sunshine shone on his blue eyes, which reflected the figure with long, spiky black hair opposite him.
Slender fingers met, and their eyes locked.
A smile curved Naruto's lips. He was eager, very eager to see just how much Sasuke had improved after three years of secret training.
Although everyone trained together at school, Sasuke trained at home every morning.
That was why Sasuke's hair was wet every day, merely wiped down with a cloth.
Karin: Sasuke-kun's shampoo smells so nice.
"Hey, Sasuke, how many times has it been?"
Hearing Blondie in front of him speak, Sasuke's lips also rose slightly.
This day had finally come.
The school's sparring matches for their year.
He woke up at six every morning and practiced swordsmanship and ninjutsu with his dad until seven before going to school. He came home at six in the evening for physical training, sat down at his desk at eight to study ninjutsu theory, and also studied the Sharingan's abilities with Izuna-sensei at night.
Besides, his eyes now were not what they had been three years ago.
"I don't know, and I don't care."
That was a lie. This was the forty-third time.
His last challenge, the forty-second, had been three years ago, the day after their hot spring bath.
After practicing with a sword for a few days, Sasuke had thought he was ready, called up his teacher Izuna, and gone to challenge Naruto.
Then, with his Two-Tomoe, he had successfully forced Naruto to use ninjutsu.
Only to be strung up by Naruto's Wood Release.
Izuna: Wait, what? Does the Senju Clan have hair that blond? And isn't this kid's surname Uzumaki?