Early Sunday morning.
A series of thuds rang out.
Uchiha Mikoto opened her eyes.
She looked at the empty space beside her and could not help sighing.
It was a little lonely.
She did not know when it had started, but Uchiha Fugaku had been coming home less and less often.
He spent most of his time at the Konoha Military Police Force.
Although Uchiha Mikoto did not involve herself in such affairs, she had still noticed the growing rift between the Uchiha Clan and Konoha.
She got up, changed her clothes, then tied back her long black hair, letting it fall over her shoulders.
"Sasuke, you're practicing again. Why don't you take a break?"
Uchiha Mikoto opened the door and said with a helpless smile, "Children need enough sleep."
Although Sasuke Uchiha had always been diligent, he had never gone so far as to practice ninjutsu at five or six in the morning.
It had all started after school on Friday.
Uchiha Mikoto did not know what had happened, but knowing her son, she was certain he had suffered a setback.
She could not help wondering who had brought about this change in him.
Sasuke Uchiha stood in the courtyard with his arms crossed, each hand clutching a transparent thread.
Two kunai tied to the ends of the threads were embedded deep in a wooden post.
After his loss to Shihui Aburame, Uchiha Itachi had taught him a ninjutsu called the Shuriken Manipulation Technique.
"I've got it, Mom!"
Sasuke Uchiha raised his head and looked at Uchiha Mikoto, his face full of excitement.
"Honestly."
Uchiha Mikoto walked over.
With a pained expression, she reached out and wiped the sweat from his face.
"You're just like Itachi. Neither of you listens."
Uchiha Mikoto flicked his forehead.
It was very light, with no force behind it.
Sasuke Uchiha scratched his head.
Seeing how adorable he looked, Uchiha Mikoto could not stay angry.
"Mom, I'm going out this afternoon."
Sasuke Uchiha remembered the fishing competition Shihui Aburame, Naruto Uzumaki, and the others had planned.
Of course, he had no interest whatsoever in fishing.
Having just learned the Shuriken Manipulation Technique, he was brimming with confidence and intended to challenge Shihui Aburame again.
He had always believed he had only lost last time because he had been careless and failed to dodge that punch.
There had also been a lack of information.
"What are you going out for?"
Uchiha Mikoto asked curiously.
Sasuke Uchiha's little face immediately grew conflicted. He did not want to tell her about his embarrassment.
"Sasuke!"
Uchiha Mikoto gave a little huff and asked unhappily, "Are you keeping secrets even from your mother?"
"I'm going fishing with my classmates."
Sasuke Uchiha blurted it out.
Fishing?
Uchiha Mikoto was a little surprised.
Had this child finally made friends?
"I'll get things ready for you."
Uchiha Mikoto rubbed his cheeks as she spoke.
That afternoon.
Sasuke Uchiha looked at the fishing tackle box and lunch box in his hands and sank into thought.
"Good luck!"
Uchiha Mikoto clenched her fists as she spoke.
"I know, Mom."
Unable to refuse, Sasuke Uchiha turned and left the house.
After walking for a while, he suddenly realized there was a problem.
Where were they fishing?
Sasuke Uchiha was dumbfounded.
Just then, he spotted a familiar blond boy.
He was standing in front of a fishing tackle shop.
"I'm not selling it! Get lost!"
The shopkeeper spoke with an impatient expression.
"How much? I'll pay for the fishing rod."
Sasuke Uchiha walked over, his expression impassive.
"Sasuke!"
Naruto Uzumaki cried out in delighted surprise.
"This rod isn't for sale. I said I'm not selling it, and I mean it!"
The shopkeeper made no attempt to hide his disgust for Naruto Uzumaki.
"Are you looking down on us Uchiha?"
Sasuke Uchiha raised his head and asked.
The shopkeeper suddenly shuddered.
Only then did he notice the Uchiha Clan emblem on his clothes.
"I'll sell it!" The shopkeeper hastily changed his tune.
The Konoha Military Police Force, controlled by the Uchiha Clan, was responsible for maintaining order in the village.
In plainer terms, they were urban enforcement officers.
They were also notoriously uncompromising and would not overlook even the smallest mistake. They really were not people he dared offend.
Even after receiving the fishing rod, Naruto Uzumaki was still a little dazed.
Coming to his senses, he offered sincere praise. "You Uchiha are amazing!"
At those words, the corner of Sasuke Uchiha's mouth lifted. He simply could not help letting a slightly smug smile show.
As long as you praised the Uchiha, you were practically brothers.
Naruto Uzumaki had inadvertently mastered the art of dealing with the Uchiha Clan.
"Let's go fishing."
Sasuke Uchiha suddenly realized that Naruto Uzumaki did have his uses.
He could use him as an excuse to join the fishing competition and ultimately get close to Shihui Aburame.
"Let's go!"
Simple-minded as he was, Naruto Uzumaki did not remember at all that Sasuke had already turned down the invitation to go fishing.
Sasuke Uchiha felt a little more at ease.
If anyone pointed it out, he would be so embarrassed he could dig out an entire three-bedroom apartment with his toes.
"Sasuke, let me pay you back."
Naruto Uzumaki took out his wallet.
"No need. It's pocket change."
Sasuke Uchiha spoke coolly.
Konoha Forest.
When Shihui Aburame arrived at their destination, he found that everyone was already there.
Hinata Hyuga, Ino Yamanaka, Sakura Haruno, Shikamaru Nara, Choji Akimichi, and Kiba Inuzuka.
Shihui Aburame walked over, and two lines of text suddenly appeared before his eyes.
[Achievement unlocked for Naruto Uzumaki: "Bro, you smell so good." Reward obtained: Hidden Stone Gu.] [Hidden Stone Gu: A rank-one Gu worm that grants invisibility, but cannot conceal clothing.]
How had this achievement been triggered?
Shihui Aburame did not quite understand.
The Hidden Stone Gu had a flaw.
But it could serve as a material for combined refinement to obtain a true invisibility Gu, the Hidden Scale Gu.
"Shiki-kun."
Ino Yamanaka came skipping toward him.
Hinata Hyuga drew back the foot she had stepped forward with.
"Choji brought a barbecue grill."
Ino Yamanaka smiled and said, "We can have a cookout after we're done fishing."
Shihui Aburame nodded.
"Shiki!"
Naruto Uzumaki's voice came from a distance. "I'm here!"
Shihui Aburame turned his head and saw a somewhat awkward-looking Sasuke Uchiha.
He immediately understood how Naruto Uzumaki's passive achievement had been triggered.
Was this the mutual attraction between Stand users?
Asura and Indra were destined to become entangled through all sorts of connections.
Shihui Aburame looked thoughtful.
So achievements could be triggered indirectly, too.
"Sasuke-kun?!"
Sakura Haruno jumped for joy on the spot.
She hurried over to greet him.
"Sasuke-kun, didn't you say you weren't coming?"
Sakura Haruno asked, a little puzzled.
Sasuke Uchiha's expression stiffened.
Shihui Aburame hadn't even asked, so why were you asking?
"What matters is that he's here."
Shihui Aburame smoothed things over for him just in time. "Let's start fishing."
Apart from Neji Hyuga, Tenten, and Rock Lee, all of the Konoha Twelve were present.
As a Naruto fan, he felt a little sentimental.
This was a rare sight indeed.
"First place is definitely mine!"
Naruto Uzumaki raised his fishing rod and loudly proclaimed.
"It's mine."
Sasuke Uchiha spoke in an even tone.
As a member of the Uchiha Clan, he had to strive for first place in everything.
Even fishing.
"Um... can someone teach me how to use a fishing rod?"
Naruto Uzumaki suddenly scratched his head.
He had always caught fish with his bare hands before, since he could not buy a fishing rod.
"..."
Sasuke Uchiha was instantly speechless.
You didn't even know how to use a fishing rod. Where did you get that confidence?
(End of chapter)