Sasuke was genuinely disappointed.
When he first entered the Ninja Academy—or, more accurately, before that—he had harbored great expectations for his sparring sessions with Naruto.
In the original story, despite Naruto's seemingly clumsy and reckless nature, he wasn't simply an idiot.
In battle, he often displayed flashes of brilliance with his unorthodox tactics and cunning strategies.
Examples included the Naruto-Sasuke teamwork against Zabuza, the Transformation Technique ploy against Inuzuka Kiba, the Shadow Clone surprise against Gaara, and the clone feint to lure Kakuzu into a trap—each instance showcasing his ability to outmaneuver stronger opponents through tactical ingenuity.
Kakashi had even hailed him as the "Number One Unpredictable Ninja"!
Sasuke hadn't merely wanted to use Naruto as a human punching bag.
Instead, he had hoped that Naruto would demonstrate the same astonishing combat intelligence he had shown in the original story.
However, Sasuke's hopes were dashed.
Over the past month of sparring, Naruto had shown no improvement whatsoever.
He hadn't displayed a shred of the combat intelligence he'd exhibited in the original story, nor had he put in any extra training on his own time.
Each time they sparred, Naruto charged in recklessly, only to be instantly defeated by Sasuke.
Failure itself wasn't terrifying, but failing without learning from the experience, drawing lessons, and doubling down on effort—instead, stubbornly refusing to learn, resorting to childish pranks and foolish antics—truly disgusted Sasuke.
Sasuke wasn't predisposed to admire Naruto based on the original story or their complicated history.
Compared to the current Naruto, Sasuke held far greater respect for Rock Lee, the Rock Lee he'd observed back in the Ninja Academy.
Rock Lee, similarly ostracized, isolated, and ridiculed, showed far greater determination and self-improvement than Naruto ever could.
Lee's natural talent was mediocre at best, even bordering on nonexistent.
He couldn't use any Ninjutsu or Genjutsu, and his Chakra affinity was nonexistent.
As the saying goes, "When God closes a door, He opens a window."
Just as Might Duy and his son, despite lacking talent in Ninjutsu and Genjutsu, possessed exceptional aptitude for Taijutsu, Rock Lee was the type whose door had been slammed shut, with his head getting caught in the window for good measure.
Many believed Rock Lee had innate talent for Taijutsu, but that wasn't entirely true—at least not before he met Guy.
When Rock Lee first entered the Ninja Academy, his Taijutsu grades lagged behind his peers. He consistently ranked at the bottom of every subject.
Rock Lee possessed no aptitude for Ninjutsu or Genjutsu, and his natural talent for Taijutsu paled in comparison to others.
All he possessed was a burning passion to become a great ninja and an unwavering determination to strive, strive, and strive again.
For ordinary individuals, effort doesn't always guarantee rewards, but without effort, there's absolutely no chance of success.
Three years later, Rock Lee's Taijutsu surpassed ordinary levels, making him the first student in Ninja Academy history to graduate solely on Taijutsu prowess.
Sasuke deeply admired and even revered such individuals.
He now fervently wished that Naruto, that idiot, would develop the same resolve and willpower as Rock Lee.
First, association shapes character: "One who consorts with vermilion becomes red; one who consorts with ink becomes black."
If Sasuke surrounded himself with driven, inspiring individuals, he would feel the pressure to improve, fostering self-discipline and mutual growth.
Second, he desperately needed a rival!
Sasuke had grown exceptionally strong. He had calmly observed upperclassmen and even some low-ranking ninjas in the village.
He realized that none of them posed a challenge to him, even without activating his Sharingan.
Thus, the Ninja Academy's practical assessments felt like children playing ninja games—mere make-believe. They contributed nothing to his real combat experience!
Environment has a profound impact on people. Over time, Sasuke feared he might grow complacent, a situation he absolutely couldn't allow at this stage.
If the Third Hokage and the others weren't watching him so closely, he would have considered graduating early after mastering some of the ninjutsu from the scrolls.
Since early graduation was impossible, he needed a rival—a hardworking rival, one who could put him under pressure.
Naruto, with Rock Lee's determination and fiery spirit, was undoubtedly the perfect candidate.
Otherwise, Sasuke wouldn't have repeatedly accepted Naruto's challenges and mocked him relentlessly throughout the past month.
Did they really think he was just bored and playing make-believe ninja games with Naruto?
Admittedly, a sliver of inexplicable satisfaction and pleasure surged through him when he beat Naruto.
But this fleeting gratification was quickly overshadowed by disappointment and frustration.
No matter how many times he pummeled Naruto or mocked him, the boy remained stubbornly resistant to reason, like a dead pig impervious to boiling water.
He continued to slack off in class, goof around during breaks, and pull pranks as always.
Sasuke was disappointed but understood the reason.
Naruto wouldn't truly begin to grow until after the Mizuki Incident and facing life-or-death crises in the Land of Waves.
Only then would he gradually become the Uzumaki Naruto everyone knew: the one who gave his all, spoke his mind directly, and always followed through on his words.
The Naruto before him now was still too immature.
With a sigh, Sasuke glanced sideways at Sakura, who was trying to maintain a calm facade but whose eyes betrayed her infatuation. He sighed inwardly again.
Despite Sakura's recent initiative to ask him for training advice, seemingly driven by a desire to grow stronger, Sasuke knew this wasn't the case at all.
The girl was simply using this as an excuse to get closer to him.
At this stage, Sakura's mind was entirely consumed by Sasuke, leaving no room for genuine resolve to improve herself.
Her so-called inquiries about Chakra training were just like her assumption that the original owner of this body had grown his hair long to appeal to girls who liked long hair.
Now, she had added another misconception: that the original Sasuke preferred intelligent, studious girls.
In the original story, Sakura wouldn't develop the true mindset of a ninja until the Land of Waves mission. It wasn't until she cut off her long hair during the Chunin Exams, vowing to protect her comrades with her life, that she finally shed her naivety and became a proper ninja.
It wasn't until Sakura saw Naruto critically injured after her original self defected to Orochimaru that she truly became independent and self-reliant, transforming into the familiar Independent Sakura!
___
Time flew by, and evening twilight had arrived.
At this hour, Ninja Academy classes had already ended, and students streamed out of the school gates in groups.
Accompanied by their parents, families walked home hand-in-hand, chatting happily and bathed in the warm glow of the setting sun.
In the distance, Naruto sat alone and listlessly on a swing, gazing absently at the scene before him.
A shadow of melancholy flickered in his eyes, and in the fading sunlight, only his own shadow seemed to keep him company.
As a father and daughter approached, Naruto instinctively lowered his head.
The little girl, perched on her father's shoulders, glanced curiously at the downcast boy.
'Why is that strange older brother still here so late?' she wondered.
"Daddy, that boy looks so sad," she murmured.
The middle-aged man followed his daughter's gaze, his expression instantly darkening with disgust. Naruto bowed his head even further.
"Don't pay him any attention. He's a..."
The man didn't finish his sentence, but he quickened his pace, his voice carrying back to Naruto.
"Just stay away from him in the future."
'I'll definitely become Hokage and make you all acknowledge me!'
Naruto bit his lip, his grip tightening on the swing ropes. Tears welled in his eyes as he raised a hand to wipe them away.
"Hey, dead last!"