[Video Footage]
Naruto surged forward again. Sasuke lunged at him. Naruto evaded, then leapt backward, ducking Sasuke's fist and springing into the air for a counterattack.
Their bodies clashed midair, exchanging fierce blows.
"Show me your real strength, you most unpredictable prankster ninja!" Sasuke taunted.
Naruto twisted and dodged, weaving through Sasuke's assault. But Sasuke vaulted in and landed a brutal kick that sent Naruto crashing into the water below.
As Naruto sank, murmured words echoed in his mind, strengthening his resolve. He burst upward, water streaming off him, blood in his eyes. Sasuke was already preparing another attack.
"Am I... no longer your comrade?" Naruto asked, voice trembling with hope and pain.
System: Initiating question!System: What was Sasuke's answer?System: This answer is spoken by Sasuke himself. Time will freeze within a 100-meter radius around Naruto and Sasuke.System: Correct answer reward: Uzumaki Clan's Basic Bloodline x1.System: Wrong answer penalty: Unknown.
A. "You are no longer my comrade!"B. "I was never your comrade!"C. "No, you are my best friend!"D. "No, you are the one I love most!"
System: This is a forced multiple choice question. Two answers allowed. Two wrong answers and the entire shinobi world suffers the penalty.
Group Chat:
Ohnoki: ??? I'm forced to answer? And if I don't, the whole world suffers? Are you serious?Fourth Raikage Darui: Well if it isn't Old Rock... free to wander around again, huh?Mizukage Mei Terumi: One-in-four chance. Who's scared? Wait, that last option is kinda spicy... Does Konoha support guys into same-gender love?Darui: ??? Same-gender love?Ohnoki: ...Tsunade: Get out!!!
The chat exploded again. No one dared to answer.
Meanwhile, Kakashi Hatake stared at his newly acquired Uzumaki Bloodline Card, stunned. Even a basic bloodline provided chakra far beyond most shinobi. For someone like him, always burning chakra to power his Sharingan, it was priceless.
System: Hatake Kakashi is the first to respond.Tsunade: ! Kakashi?! Impressive! You read my mind? Salary increase for you!Kakashi: …??? Uh...
Kakashi blinked. Salary? More books? Did he even have a salary beyond mission rewards?
Tsunade: Since someone from Konoha has answered, don't you others want to step up too?Mei Terumi: Ao, your turn.Ao: ??? Again??? Not another 48-hour no-poop punishment!Mei Terumi: Enough nonsense. Answer!Ao: Σ(°△°|||) Fine...
System: Ao is the second to respond.System: All participants ready. Begin answering.
Kakashi's heart raced. A and B were cold and believable. D was absurd... but C...
He shook his head. Then, a memory flickered to life. They were reckless and playful, just like he and Obito.
Kakashi: I choose C.Ao: Then I choose B. Sasuke never saw Naruto as a comrade, let alone a friend.Kakashi: You just don't understand.
System: Judging Kakashi's answer.System: Sasuke's response is C.System: Hatake Kakashi is correct. Reward: Uzumaki Clan's Basic Bloodline.
Ao: ??? What?! You Konoha people are crazy. Real friends fight like this?System: Judging Ao's answer. Incorrect!System: Penalty: No bathroom privileges for 48 hours!Ao: ???
Ao glared at Mei Terumi, tears in his eyes.
Mei Terumi: Ahem... urgent matters. Excuse me.Shino Aburame: Well... no bathroom is fine. I'm not sure I ever used it.Ao: ??? Teach me how to survive without pooping...Shino: Just... don't. What else?Ao: ??? You're not normal, are you?Shino: Hey! How did you know? Smart kid.Ao: Heh... I'll figure it out myself.
Meanwhile, Kakashi held his new card, emotion swelling in his chest. Uzumaki chakra flooded him with warmth. No pain, only healing energy. It was real.
[Video Footage]
Sasuke closed his eyes and spoke softly.
"No... it's not meaningless to me. You are... my best friend."
Naruto rose slowly, disbelief written on his face.
"Best friend? Then why...?"
His fists clenched.
"Precisely because of that... you have value worth defeating."
Naruto was confused at first. But then his expression shifted.
"A bit twisted... but I get it now. You really want to fight me to the death, huh? Sasuke!!"
They stood face to face. No one would intervene this time.
"Now that Kakashi and Sakura are gone, no one will stop us!"
Sasuke turned and snatched a kunai from Naruto's pouch.
"You!" Naruto shouted too late.
Sasuke leaped away.
"This is the real duel. I will defeat you!"
Lightning surged in Sasuke's left hand. It was the Chidori. The one he didn't use on the rooftop.
From above, Sasuke watched him.
"Fool! I'll beat you down, even if I have to drag you back!"
"Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
Sasuke raced across the water. Naruto's clones formed chakra spheres. A kunai and shuriken met midair. The shockwave splashed water sky-high.
Both boys were thrown back across the lake.
"Impossible!"
Sasuke surfaced first.
"Impossible!" he growled. That Chidori had been parried. Barely.
He surfaced, enraged. The Cursed Seal began to spread across his body.
"You know, Naruto... one true clash lets you see someone completely. No words needed. You're just too naive."
He stepped forward.
"So? Do you really understand me? My innermost thoughts?"
His voice pierced Naruto's heart.
Naruto hesitated.
Sasuke shouted, "Fire Release: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!"
Naruto dodged, vaulting out of the flames. But Sasuke was already at his side and kicked him hard.
Naruto flew through the air, body aching.
His mind spun.
Sasuke... I always knew you were lonely. When I met you, I finally felt less alone too. I was happy. But we were so different. Still, I saw you as my equal.
He took the blows.
You once told me you wanted to spar. That was respect. Neither of us wanted this fight, but still, without words... we became friends.
Best friends.
But now you... you really want to kill me?
Was thinking you saw me as a friend... just my illusion?