In an instant... Sharingan Sasuke and Nine-Tailed Naruto, both roared at the same time, charging madly towards each other!
This strike... you die.
I live.
There is no other way.
All Anbu immediately prepared to act, only to realize that it was probably too late—
The moment cold sweat rolled down—
A figure suddenly appeared between Naruto and Sasuke.
He merely extended his arm and easily intercepted both Naruto and Sasuke, then violently flung them away!
Bang—
Bang!
Both of them instantly fell heavily, collapsing onto the ground.
Both Naruto and Sasuke felt the fear of having survived a catastrophe!
"What... was I doing just now..."
"This isn't a dream, it's reality..."
"Did I really want to kill Sasuke?!"
Naruto was filled with lingering fear, as if he didn't recognize himself, and gasped for breath.
But Sasuke was the same.
"What was I doing..."
"Just because of the irritation and anxiety in my heart, did I actually want to kill Naruto?"
"How could this be..."
"Have I also degenerated into a beast like Uchiha Itachi?!"
The ANBU Ninja, however, all breathed a sigh of relief.
"Hokage-sama!"
"Thank goodness..."
Naruto and Sasuke both struggled to get up, only then seeing that familiar yet unfamiliar aged face.
It was Konoha Village's... Lord Third Hokage.
Hiruzen Sarutobi!
At this moment, his expression was also extremely grim.
His brows were tightly furrowed, and the wrinkles on his face seemed much deeper than usual.
"Naruto, Sasuke, what are you two trying to do?!"
Naruto and Sasuke exchanged glances from a distance, then both lowered their heads, still panting.
The regret and lingering fear in their hearts now spread throughout their bodies, giving them a feeling of exhaustion...
"As comrades in the Village, you actually attacked each other fiercely, and even..."
"Wanted to kill each other?!"
Naruto's face was pale, and he looked down at his trembling hands.
"Lord Third Hokage, I..."
"I don't know what came over me just now..."
Sasuke also remained silent.
His Sharingan disappeared, returning to its usual state.
Hiruzen Sarutobi closed his eyes and sighed deeply.
"I'm not saying I can't understand your thoughts."
"However, always remember, whether you want to become stronger or achieve your dreams, power is not meant to be used against your comrades!"
"If you two want to determine a victor, then do so in Ninja training, in a fair and open battle!"
"Not like this, privately fighting to the death!"
Naruto hung his head, his eyes vacant, and nodded dejectedly.
"I, I understand..."
Although Sasuke was also filled with regret and lingering fear, he was never as straightforward as Naruto.
"Hmph—"
He merely snorted, turned, and walked away. Only when out of sight of Hiruzen Sarutobi and Naruto did he reveal an expression of pain and regret...
The body that had been struck by Naruto's Leaf Whirlwind was still throbbing with pain.
But he was even more terrified of his actions just now.
He wanted to turn back and say something to Naruto.
However, he merely clenched his teeth and fists, his body involuntarily moving further and further away...
Looking at Sasuke's retreating figure, Hiruzen Sarutobi shook his head and sighed.
He lit his pipe, took a deep puff, and exhaled slowly.
At this moment, several ANBU Ninja appeared, quickly cleaning up the aftermath.
A Water Release Ninjutsu extinguished the trees set ablaze by Sasuke's Great Fireball.
In the gradually darkening night, only the glow of Hiruzen Sarutobi's pipe occasionally flickered.
"Let's go home, Naruto."
"...Yes."
...Hiruzen Sarutobi followed the limping Naruto back to his home.
He pulled out the kunai that had pierced Naruto's right leg, then used a hemostatic jutsu to stop the bleeding and bandage the wound.
However, the terrifying wound that had been pierced was already rapidly healing.
Hiruzen Sarutobi's heart stirred.
"Is it the power of the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox?"
"Or..."
"Naruto's own physique?"
Although Naruto was grimacing in pain, he had completely recovered his vitality.
Soon, he stood up again and tried to walk. Although it still hurt, he could move around perfectly.
"Ah ha, that's great..."
"I was afraid this leg injury would affect my studies and training!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi almost dropped his pipe.
Could these words really come from Naruto's mouth...? Naruto, however, had recovered his energy.
"Thank you, Lord Third Hokage!"
"You haven't eaten yet, have you? I'll make you dinner!"
With a rare guest, and none other than the Hokage of Konoha Village, Naruto quickly busied himself voluntarily.
His cooking skills were, of course, still a mess.
But the mere fact that he could cook for himself astonished Hiruzen Sarutobi.
This was completely different from the Naruto in his memory...
However, while cooking, Naruto would occasionally pause, as if someone had pressed a button.
Hiruzen Sarutobi, puffing on his pipe, couldn't help but frown and ask,
"Naruto, what are you doing?"
Naruto was startled, then chuckled, "Oh, I'm practicing multitasking, cooking while training my Chakra Refining Technique!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi was greatly surprised.
"You can do such a thing?"
Naruto scratched his head awkwardly and let out two dry laughs.
"Haha, I can't master it yet. I can only do it for a while, then stop and restart my training..."
"It's definitely nothing compared to Lord Third Hokage..."
Hiruzen Sarutobi almost choked on a puff of smoke.
In reality, how could he do such a thing... Not to mention him, even the most talented Ninja, he had never heard of anyone who could do it...
But to admit it in front of Naruto would be somewhat embarrassing.
Could Naruto be the true genius?!
"Naruto, why have you suddenly become so desperate in your training?"
Naruto said, "Because I want to become stronger and make everyone acknowledge me!"
"Is that so?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi exhaled a smoke ring.
"Especially Sasuke?"
Naruto brought out the finished dinner, handed a portion to Hiruzen Sarutobi, and upon hearing Sasuke's name, his arm involuntarily trembled slightly.
"Mm..."
"Sasuke... is the target I most want to defeat! Perhaps, he's also the person whose acknowledgment I most want to gain..."
Hiruzen Sarutobi took a bite of the ramen Naruto had made himself, and his brows furrowed slightly.
"So, that's why you wanted to kill him just now?"
Naruto's expression darkened.
"I didn't want to kill him!"
"It's just..."
"I seem to... lose control of myself..."
"Lord Third Hokage, what... what should I do?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi took another bite of the ramen Naruto had personally made and shook his head.
"Naruto, this is what's called obsession..."
"Your obsession is to become Hokage and gain everyone's acknowledgment."
"Sasuke's obsession is revenge, to defeat that man..."
"For this, neither of you will ever back down, and you both see each other as rivals."
"In a sense, obsession and rivalry are not bad things; on the contrary, they can become the driving force for us to become stronger, but..."