"Tch, you?"
Little Sasuke climbed off the swing and gave little Naruto a careful once-over.
"With those whiskers you secretly drew on your face with a black pen?"
"Let me tell you, no disguise can hide from the eyes of the great Uchiha Clan!"
Little Sasuke struck a show-off pose everyone in his clan liked to use, covering his eyes with his left hand before suddenly fixing little Naruto with a stare.
The resemblance was uncanny. Even that cocky tone and show-off pose were almost exactly like Izuna's back then!
Hashirama couldn't help being drawn to little Sasuke's cool pose. At that moment, he had an idea.
As everyone knew, Kurama knew that someone named Uchiha Madara had controlled him during the Night of the Nine-Tails, and that person had possessed a Mangekyō Sharingan just like Madara's.
He had even controlled Kurama, the strongest Tailed Beast, with nothing more than a glance.
But! Hashirama looked back through the memories Kurama had sent him. That eye pattern absolutely could not have belonged to Madara!
Poor Obito had never imagined someone would have memorized Madara's Mangekyō pattern. Ah, but for now, let's call him Fake Madara.
Fake Madara had a Mangekyō, which essentially confirmed that he belonged to the Uchiha Clan.
Add in his deliberate imitation of Madara's voice, and that meant he had to be connected to Madara!
The Madara from back then absolutely couldn't have survived, so there was only one possibility!
Madara had returned to the world in the same state as himself, which was why this Fake Madara had appeared.
In that case, he would have his beloved disciple Naruto build a good relationship with this Uchiha child, then surprise Madara when the time came.
Hehehe, just thinking about it is exciting.
Unfortunately, the Nine-Tails didn't know what Izuna looked like, so he couldn't understand what Hashirama was enjoying right now. He simply assumed Hashirama was having another episode.
Yep, late-stage senile dementia.
That was the assessment of Hashirama, who was in his prime, from Kurama, a little Tailed Beast who had only lived for a thousand-odd years.
But little Naruto couldn't concern himself with all the drama in the Sealing Space right now. The boy in front of him was such a show-off!
Yet it felt strangely good. Was it because he hadn't treated him as the Nine-Tailed Fox?
No, no, the issue right now is ownership of this swing!
"Hmph, a mere Uchiha brat. I could destroy you with a flick of my fingers."
Naruto pretended to glance disdainfully at Sasuke, who was still striking his cool pose, and spoke.
(Tobirama gave you a like and threw a Flying Thunder God Kunai at Izuna, who was sleeping next door.)
"Damn you! How dare you slander the Uchiha Clan! I, Uchiha Sasuke, challenge you to a duel!"
A crafty gleam flashed through little Naruto's eyes. Hehe, he took the bait.
"Fine! I, Uzumaki Naruto, accept your challenge!"
Little Naruto answered loudly, then his eyes darted around.
"But if you lose, you have to become my underling."
Little Sasuke hesitated. If I lose, I have to become his underling? Normally, shouldn't I just have to give up the swing?
No! This is about defending the Uchiha Clan's dignity!
The uncles in the clan have always told me to fight for the Uchiha Clan's dignity.
"You're not scared, are you? Uchiha Sasu-dummy, you coward."
Seeing little Sasuke hesitate, little Naruto began fanning the flames.
"How could I possibly be scared! The Uchiha's dignity cannot be trampled! You're on!"
"But if you lose, you have to become my underling and apologize to the Uchiha!"
Little Sasuke was successfully provoked by Naruto's taunts, and this battle between Naruto and Sasuke officially began.
As everyone could see, standing on the left side of the park was the Uchiha Clan's second young master, Indra's reincarnation, and one of the future saviors of the Shinobi World, Uchiha... Sasuke!
And standing on the right side of the park was an orphan of the Uzumaki Clan, the Fourth Hokage's son, the First Hokage's beloved disciple, the future Seventh Hokage, and one of the saviors of the Shinobi World, Uzumaki... Naruto!!!
Judging by their titles alone, little Naruto was already in an unbeatable position. After all, how could a mere little Sasuke dare challenge Emperor Naruto's authority?
The duel began!
Little Sasuke charged at little Naruto first, his little fist clenched tight as he used his momentum to swing at little Naruto's face.
Weak, weak!
In little Naruto's eyes, Sasuke's movements were far too slow, and where he intended to strike couldn't have been more obvious.
Little Naruto turned sideways, dodged the punch, then exerted his strength.
With chakra reinforcing him, he immediately locked Sasuke in a firm hold.
"Hehehe, give up yet? My number-one underling."
Little Naruto flashed a triumphant smile.
"Let go! I was careless just now and didn't dodge! That doesn't count!"
Little Sasuke's face flushed bright red with anger. Clearly, he was overheating.
"Fine, fine, fine."
Little Naruto generously released little Sasuke. He decided to make his underling accept defeat wholeheartedly.
Little Sasuke put some distance between them, then lunged at little Naruto again, shouting something about an Uchiha Slam.
"Give up?"
Little Naruto gently caught little Sasuke, who had charged into the wrong spot again, and whispered in his ear.
"No!"
Little Sasuke's face grew even redder!
This scene repeated itself three times...
By now, Hashirama was doubled over with laughter in the Sealing Space. He had cast Sasuke as Madara and Naruto as himself.
Ah, that's my disciple. Beating a little Izuna... pfft, I mean, beating a little Sasuke is no problem at all.
At last, little Sasuke got serious. He put some distance between them again and brought his little hands together.
Muttering the sequence of hand seals under his breath, he began forming them at a rate of one per second.
Finally, after little Naruto had waited a full ten-odd seconds, little Sasuke succeeded.
"Fire Style! Great Fireball Technique!!!"
Even if he couldn't necessarily pull it off, he had to sound impressive. Maybe he could scare his opponent to death.
That was what little Sasuke thought. After all, never mind ninjutsu-children this age might not even be able to extract chakra.
This jerk might be a little strong, but my ninjutsu can definitely take him down!
Now, let my flames cleanse you and your sins!
"Cough, cough, cough."
However, the fireball Sasuke spat out flew less than a meter before falling to the ground.
His own throat had choked up too.
Seeing this, little Naruto hurried over and patted little Sasuke's back while handing him the water he carried with him to drink.
"Gulp, gulp."
Naruto's timely water greatly eased Sasuke's embarrassment, though it did taste a little strange.
Yes, that was Naruto's taste.
"A bet's a bet. From now on, you're my underling."
Little Naruto looked at little Sasuke, who was sitting crouched on the ground, and held out his hand.
Little Sasuke took a moment to recover. Many things flashed through his eyes in an instant, but he still took Naruto's hand.
"I'll let you be the boss for now. If I beat you later, then I'll be the boss."
That was what little Sasuke said.
Little Naruto smiled. In the Sunshine, his blue eyes reflected the proud boy before him.
"Sure, if you can beat me. But right now, you have to call me boss."
Little Sasuke was momentarily dazzled by Naruto's smile, but he quickly recovered.
"Fine... b... boss."
"Louder! I can't hear you!"
Little Naruto shouted.
"Boss!"
Little Sasuke's face flushed red, but he still shouted it out.
"Come on, your boss is taking you fishing."
Little Naruto cheerfully took his newly acquired underling to wander around the mountain behind the village.
Before you continue