Hinata said, "I, I think… the meaning of liking someone is…"
"To make us better versions of ourselves."
Ino was startled again.
"To become a better version of oneself?"
"It means hoping the person you like does well, and also becoming better yourself…"
Hinata nodded, and said softly, "Hmm, that's what I think…"
Ino sighed and patted her little head.
"You're really so mature, Hinata, you…"
Hinata's face was red, but having someone to share and confide in made her very touched.
"Thank you, Ino…"
"Thank me? What's there to thank?"
"N-nothing…"
"You're just too indirect, otherwise…"
"Naruto is so straightforward; if you don't tell him, he'll probably never understand your feelings."
Hinata shook her head, blushing, "No, for now, this is enough for me…"
"What a silly girl…"
Ino sighed helplessly.
"But…"
"Perhaps we're all equally silly…"
The faces of Sasuke and Sakura appeared in her mind… The two of them had almost never truly spoken before, yet on the way home from school at dusk, their first conversation felt like they were kindred spirits.
But neither of them noticed that behind the trunk of a large tree by the path they had walked, Sakura Haruno was peeking out, staring blankly at the scene… At the same time.
Naruto was doing weighted frog jumps while trying to use Divided Attention to continue refining Chakra.
This kind of effort was by no means simple.
It was even much harder than refining Chakra while listening to a lecture.
After all, this was equivalent to simultaneously training Taijutsu and Ninjutsu.
Probably no one had ever done this before.
But Naruto felt his progress, and instead became more eager than ever.
Throughout the journey, he did not slack off at all, and without any system prompts or warnings, he persevered until the end.
Although, most of the time it ended in failure.
But he was not disheartened in the slightest.
Finally, just as he was about to reach home, Naruto completed dual-core training for the first time.
While doing weighted frog jumps, he maintained the Chakra Refining Technique for a moment.
Only for a moment.
But it was enough!
It proved that this path was feasible!
For Naruto, what was most needed to rise to the top ten in the class within a month?
It was time.
Or rather, efficiency.
With his level of effort, he believed he could surpass everyone.
But the problem was, there was too little time… If he could succeed with Divided Attention, he would have double the time and energy compared to others!
This was almost his only path to success!
Just as he was cheering for his momentary success.
In the sunset ahead, a long shadow enveloped him.
"Hmm?"
Naruto looked up and saw that familiar figure approaching him against the backdrop of the sunset.
Although he was backlit, his face was in darkness, completely black, making it impossible to see his features or expression.
But Naruto could guess the scene.
"Sasuke."
"What are you doing here?!"
Not far in front of Naruto was his home, and unless it was intentional, Sasuke would never come here.
The shadow of the hands in pockets grew closer, and the darkness swallowed Naruto's entire body.
"Hey, Diao Che Wei."
Naruto bristled at that address.
"Damn Sasuke, what are you…"
"Fight me."
Naruto's eyes instantly widened, and his cursing words abruptly stopped.
"You, what did you say?"
Uchiha Sasuke's arrogant and cold expression looked down at Naruto, who was squatting on the ground.
"Don't make me say it a second time."
A storm instantly raged in Naruto's heart.
This simple sentence was no less than an earth-shshattering event for Naruto.
Even he himself might not have been aware that the recognition he most desired actually came from Uchiha Sasuke… He worked so hard, so desperately, besides achieving his goal of becoming Hokage and gaining everyone's recognition, a more direct goal was to surpass Sasuke, to defeat Sasuke!
What he wanted was to stand squarely opposite Sasuke, to fight him as an equal, and to make him fully acknowledge his strength!
But even Naruto hadn't expected it to come so quickly.
He stood up, clenched his fists, and his eyes burned with a fierce flame.
"Hey, why did you specifically come to fight me?"
"Is it because of what happened this morning?"
"At that time, you dodged, didn't you?!"
When Sasuke heard this, he seemed to have been stung, and his expression instantly changed!
"Damn it…"
"Diao Che Wei, what did you say?!"
Naruto crossed his arms, revealing a confident, knowing smile.
"Others might not have noticed, but I saw it…"
"Faced with my attack, you subconsciously took a step back, which is why Sakura stood between us and got accidentally punched by me!"
"So…"
"You were scared back then, weren't you?!"
Naruto's words were incisive and a precise critical hit!
It was precisely because Sasuke resented his momentary dodge and couldn't overcome this inner demon that he inexplicably came to Naruto's doorstep to wait for him.
If he couldn't completely defeat Naruto, he probably wouldn't be able to become stronger!
Rather than hating Naruto, he hated himself.
He… absolutely could not tolerate his own cowardice!
"Damn it, me, scared of you, a Diao Che Wei?"
"Don't joke around!"
Sasuke roared hysterically.
Naruto, however, made a face, completely unfazed.
"No matter how tough you talk, your body is still very honest!"
Sasuke gritted his teeth, his handsome features slightly distorted.
"Naruto!"
"I'll show you the unbridgeable chasm between a Diao Che Wei and a genius!"
"Come on!"
The dim slanting sun shone on the two young men, casting a somewhat faint golden glow, and a gentle evening breeze blew, causing Naruto's and Sasuke's hair to flutter lightly.
Right at Naruto's doorstep, on the sparsely populated street… a battle was about to erupt.
It was… a fated duel, spanning a thousand years.
Chapter 32: The Reason Why I'd Rather Die Than Lose! Please vote for me!
Dusk, evening breeze, the slanting sun having shed its heat, a sparsely populated street.
Naruto and Sasuke stood facing each other, looking at each other from a distance.
Occasionally, passersby would look at the two with some curiosity, but were quickly pulled away by their companions.
"It's that demon…"
"Hmm? That child is from the Uchiha Clan…"
"Shh, let's go, don't cause trouble."
"Go, go, go."
Whether it was the Ninja of Konoha Village or the villagers, although they might not know the whole truth, the sensitive and special identities of Naruto and Sasuke were widely known.
Seeing the two confront each other, most people chose to quietly avoid them.
However, they were not alone.
Because… ANBU Ninja were always secretly observing the scene.
"Th-that's…"
"Is that Uchiha Sasuke, the orphan of the Uchiha Clan?"
"What does he want to do?"
"These two look a bit off, quickly inform Hokage-sama."
"Yes!"