Chapter 14: Sasuke After School"The man who will become Hokage…?"
Sasuke Uchiha paused slightly. Around him, some classmates awkwardly covered their faces, while others burst into laughter.
The container of the Nine-Tails becoming Hokage?
To them, it sounded absurd.
"Is that so? I believe you'll succeed."
After a brief silence, Sasuke spoke calmly.
The laughter in the classroom stopped instantly.
Everyone stared at him in shock.
Among them, Shikamaru Nara, one of the few who didn't harbor obvious prejudice toward Naruto Uzumaki, showed a rare flicker of surprise in his usually lazy eyes.
"…Sasuke has changed."
Naruto himself stood frozen.
If his feelings could be measured, Sasuke's "score" had just skyrocketed.
From someone barely familiar—
To someone he genuinely liked.
After snapping out of it, Naruto broke into a wide grin and suddenly grabbed Sasuke's hands.
"Sasuke! I misjudged you! You're actually a really good guy!"
Sasuke froze, clearly caught off guard. He quickly pulled his hands back, frowning.
"What are you doing all of a sudden? Are you an idiot?"
"Hehe, I'm just happy!"
Naruto scratched the back of his head, still grinning, with no intention of leaving.
Around them, several girls watched with mixed emotions—envy, frustration, and hesitation.
Especially two of them—
Sakura Haruno and Ino Yamanaka.
Sakura clenched her fists internally.
I want to talk to Sasuke-kun too…!
Ino narrowed her eyes confidently.
Then go. What are you hesitating for?
Why don't you go first? You like him too!
I'm waiting for the perfect opportunity. You wouldn't understand.
Though neither spoke aloud, sparks seemed to flash between them.
An unspoken rivalry had already begun.
The strange atmosphere only dissipated when the classroom door slid open.
Iruka Umino walked in.
"Alright, settle down. Class is starting."
He tapped the desk, and the room gradually quieted.
Iruka glanced at Naruto, who was still smiling for no clear reason, then at Sasuke, whose expression had returned to indifference.
For some reason—
He felt a headache coming.
"Today, we'll be covering ninja history. Turn to page 30."
The lesson proceeded normally.
But to Sasuke—
It was unnecessary.
Everything being taught had already been covered by his sister.
In some cases, she had gone even deeper.
Sasuke closed his eyes.
On the surface, he appeared to be listening.
In reality—
He was refining his chakra control.
At an age where most students were still struggling with basic theory, Sasuke had already mastered techniques like the Great Fireball Technique.
His chakra reserves had also grown significantly.
From barely a fraction of his sister's—
To nearly a quarter.
A remarkable improvement.
And yet—
During their training, he still couldn't snatch the bell from her.
Why does she keep getting stronger…?
Time passed quickly.
Before long—
School ended.
As Iruka left the classroom, Sasuke was the only one who immediately began packing his things.
"Sasuke! Let's go eat at Ichiraku Ramen! I… I'll treat!"
Naruto hurried over again, determination written all over his face.
After thinking it through, he had decided—
He would treat his new friend to ramen.
Even if it meant using what little money he had left.
Around them, the girls showed expressions of regret, as if someone had beaten them to it.
Even though—
They probably wouldn't have acted anyway.
For some reason, they subconsciously viewed Naruto as a "rival."
A ridiculous situation.
"Sorry. I'm going home."
Sasuke rejected him without hesitation.
He stood up, slung his bag over his shoulder, and walked out.
Naruto blinked—
Then immediately chased after him.
"Going home already? It's still early!"
"It's late enough. There's nothing interesting outside."
"Nothing interesting? It's way better than being alone at home!"
"Home is more interesting."
Their conversation continued as they walked.
An odd pairing—
One sharp and reserved.
The other loud and straightforward.
When they reached the entrance of the Ninja Academy, Sasuke suddenly stopped.
His gaze sharpened.
Even activating his one-tomoe Sharingan, he scanned the surroundings.
Looking for one person.
"Hey. Over here."
A familiar voice called out.
Leaning casually against the wall—
Was Chinatsu.
"Sister!"
Sasuke's entire demeanor changed instantly as he ran over.
"Sister, why are you waiting here?"
"It's more comfortable than standing around."
Chika smiled.
If this world had motorcycles, I'd definitely be sitting on one right now…
That thought crossed her mind briefly.
Then—
Her gaze shifted to Naruto.
"Oh? Naruto? We meet again."
She spoke with a hint of surprise.
Sending Sasuke to the Academy had two purposes—
To reduce attention on him.
And to let him naturally reconnect with Naruto.
After all, as the reincarnations of Indra Otsutsuki and Asura Otsutsuki, their fates were destined to intertwine.
Naruto instantly lowered his head, flustered.
He could speak freely with Sasuke—
But in front of Chika, his confidence dropped dramatically.
Chika chuckled softly.
"Last time, you said 'next time,' right? How about coming over today?"
Naruto's eyes lit up.
"Yes! Yes!!!"
Last time, after being turned away, he had regretted it endlessly.
This time—
He wouldn't miss the chance.
"Alright then. Let's head home."
Chika stepped forward, placing a hand on both Sasuke and Naruto's shoulders.