Chapter no.43 At the Uchiha Compound

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"Oi, teme... people are staring at you," Naruto said, trailing behind Sasuke with his hands resting on the back of his head.

"That's what happens when a dobe rips off a portion of your shirt and you have to walk back to your home shirtless."

"Hey - I did offer you my jacket-ttebayo."

Sasuke's eyes flickered to the orange monstrosity.

"No."

"Teuchi-jiji offered you one of his oversized shirts -"

"No."

"And Ayame-nee offered you an apron too -"

"NO."

Honestly, all of those options were far worse than walking the way he was right now.

He knew that lunch time was almost over, and the journey back home would take a while, but it was worth it rather than going back to the Academy the way he was.

"Gah your clan compound is way too far! It's almost like no one wanted you temes close to the village or something."

Sasuke grit his teeth.

"Why are you even following me?"

"Uh... cause I feel kind of bad about ripping your shirt and stuff?"

He grunted.

"I don't need your apology. Just leave me alone."

"Oh come on teme! I'm just trying to help you out -"

Sasuke rounded on him.

"I don't need any help. Especially not help from you."

The dobe was absolutely infuriating. Sasuke stared at him, with those wide-eyed blue eyes, those eyes that looked upon the world as though it was made of butterflies and roses, as though rainbows were rivers and it rained happiness and goodness.

The dobe's eyes were as bright and as clear as the sky, always looking free - limitless, open -

Sasuke hated those eyes.

It was one of the reasons he avoided the boy, avoided the dobe.

His was a disease, an infection of obfuscating stupidity and gullibility—a naïve, open-hearted moron who would ultimately end up dying within his first five minutes of being a shinobi, even if he was stronger than the rest of the trash of his generation.

Yet, Sasuke was sure, that even if the dobe were to be cut down by an enemy shinobi, he would be smiling in his final moments, as though he was happy, as though he was peaceful - as though he was satisfied -

"Oi teme - you're shaking - are you okay? It's not that cold-"

The dobe had moved his hands towards him, to touch him, and Sasuke smacked it down with vehemence, the clap echoing loudly and the attention of everyone on the street to the both of them.

"Don't touch me."

Hefty silence resonated.

"What the hell teme!"

Sasuke did not care for the attention, and he found himself gritting his teeth as he angrily stalked down the abandoned route to his clan compound.

He paid no heed to the sun striking against his exposed back due to the tear, he paid no heed to the stares and hushed whispers, as he instead made way back to his house, back to the reminder -

The reminder -

That was all it was to him.

A reminder.

His very home was a reaffirmation of the fact that the dobe was a fool.

A very reassertion as to the fact that you shouldn't, you couldn't trust anyone, trust anything - that the world was place that was a place of comedic-sick cruelty and unjustly-hilarious jokes.

"Oi teme! Wait up!"

Sasuke mashed his teeth the hardest he could.

The dobe was still following him?

"Leave me the fuck alone dobe!"

He broke into a fast paced dash, his top speed, becoming a bit of a blur to anyone not at least Mid-Genin level. His torn shirt made wild, air-slapping ripples against the wind. His feet left the ground in a succession so rapid, it was as though they were levitating.

There, he thought.

There was no way the dobe will catch up to me now.

"Teme!"

He was blindsided, a blur, so rapid and so fast that Sasuke barely even had time to register the fact that it was coming in his direction.

The next thing he knew, he was tackled. Instinct worked immediately, as he thrust his feet out in an offensive-defensive maneuver, kicking away his attacker and gaining some distance from him.

Ultimately, both boys stood across from each other, and Sasuke grit his teeth as he found himself slightly panting, yet, across from him, the dobe barely even looked winded.

"Oi teme - what the hell is up with you?"

Sasuke stared at him, stared at his eyes, those same eyes, showing him compassion, showing him care -

Earlier, when he had not known the boy as well, Sasuke had assumed that it was all faked. He had assumed that the laughs were a façade, that the smiles were forced, that the happiness and cheer was all an act -

"Why...?"

Except it wasn't.

"Why -"

It wasn't.

Those eyes, those sentiments - all of it - all of it -

"Why are you so happy?"

The declaration had sprung forth in a manner that made his own voice unrecognizable to his own ears.

Naruto had also flinched back, clearly not expecting, not anticipating, the wild question.

Sasuke found himself in the same shoes. He didn't understand it, didn't understand what had spurn forth that basic inner rage and anger inside him, didn't understand why it mattered - all that mattered was killing that man - nothing else mattered. Nothing else was supposed to matter.

Except, they did.

He had always thought of the dobe as someone who could understand him, or someone who could at least, relate with him - they both had similar, if slightly alternate circumstances. They both knew this, and though they had never mentioned it out loud, there was this understanding, this inherent conflict that had started as the very basics of their rivalry -

Except, despite how much both of them truly understood the concept of loneliness, truly experienced the meaning of emptiness -

Naruto smiled his way through everything.

Why? Why? Why?

"Because..." the boy said, still smiling, still grinning "It beats the alternative."

There was a relative amount of silence between the both of them.

"I get it, teme. I get you - even though you try to be all cool-and-aloof and stuff - Not that I think you're cool or anything! - I mean, you're still a teme... though you can be cool sometimes I guess -" Naruto ranted, leaving Sasuke just staring at him.

"Forget it."

The Last Uchiha put his hands into his pockets, as he moved to turn around.

"Not having family sucks you know."

[ System Alert: The Player's words have resonated significantly with Sasuke Uchiha. ]

The six words had made him freeze.

"When you get something right, you don't have anyone to celebrate with you. When you fail at something or fall, there's no one there to tell you that you'll get it next time or help you up. When you fall sick, you have to stagger your way out of bed and treat yourself 'cause there's no one there to nurse you. When you feel hungry no one will help feed you. And when you have dreams, there's no one there to give you the confidence that you can achieve it."

Sasuke's breath hitched slightly in his throat.

He turned around, his eyes turning to the boy, as he noted, now, with a difference, those bright blue eyes had morphed, transformed even, to a shade a tad darker, a shade with far much more depth, a shade that seemed to analyze everything and anything, a shade that seemed to withhold no secrets, to disregard privacy and to break down walls in the name of sentiment -

These eyes, they were so happy - so happy -

"...it beats the alternative."

And all at once, they weren't.

"Yeah," Sasuke said, his voice a bitter whisper. "It sucks."

There as a rush of movement, and then, Sasuke blinked, as in a blur, the dobe was in front of him, hand out, and big, large smile.

"So teme," Naruto said, grinning "Let's be family!"

[ Path Quest Alert: Brotherhood Alliance ]

[ Description: The player has offered a brotherhood alliance to the elusive Sasuke Uchiha. The completion of this quest hinges on Sasuke Uchiha's decision. ]

[ Objectives: ]

- [ Await Sasuke Uchiha's response to the brotherhood alliance offer ]

[ Potential Rewards Upon Completion: ]

- [ +500 Reputation Points with the Uchiha Clan ]

- [ Access to Sasuke Uchiha's Skills ]

- [ Opportunities for Future Collaborations with the Uchiha Clan ]

[ Potential Consequences of Failure: ]

- [ -200 Reputation Points with the Uchiha Clan ]

- [ Loss of Potential Benefits and Collaborations with the Uchiha Clan ]

- [ Risk of Rivalries or Enmity with Sasuke and his Allies ]

[ Player Action Required: ]

- [ Patiently wait for Sasuke Uchiha's decision and be prepared for any outcome. ]

Silence.

"No."

[ Quest Update: Brotherhood Alliance ]

[ Status: Failed ]

[ Unfortunately, Sasuke Uchiha has declined The Gamer's offer of a Brotherhood Alliance. Despite The Gamer's best efforts to persuade him, Sasuke remains steadfast in his decision not to join forces. ]

[ Consequences of Failure: ]

- [ -200 Reputation Points with the Uchiha Clan ]

- [ Loss of Potential Benefits and Collaborations with the Uchiha Clan ]

- [ Risk of Rivalries or Enmity with Sasuke Uchiha and his Allies ]

"Aw, come on teme! We were having a moment here!"

"Moment's over."

"Let's be family!"

"Not a chance in hell."

"We could be brothers!"

"I'd rather die."

As the conversation trailed off into absurdity, Sasuke turned to leave, finding himself unexpectedly at the entrance of the Uchiha clan compound.

The memories of that day were as clear in his mind as if they had happened just moments ago, but a sudden voice halted his departure.

"Let's fight."

....

[ Alert: World Quest ]

[ Quest Title: Round 2, Bitch ]

[ Description: Engage in a rematch with Sasuke Uchiha. Prove your skills and resolve in this intense one-on-one battle. ]

[ Objective: Defeat Sasuke Uchiha in combat. ]

[ Rewards: Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu, +200 Reputation with Sasuke Uchiha, 1000 Experience Points. ]

[ Failure: None. ]

Naruto's eyes gleamed with excitement as he eyed the reward—a Fireball Jutsu.

"This is gonna be awesome," he thought.

A grin spread across his face as he imagined the possibilities.

"Just for beating this teme, I'll get to throw fireballs at everything. Fireballs at the trash to take it out, fireballs at my landlord when rent's due, and even fireballs at my taxes. Looks like I've found the solution to all my problems—fireball!"

"Why does every blonde I meet today want to fight?" Sasuke muttered, more to himself than to Naruto, who simply shrugged, clueless about what Sasuke was referring to.

"But unlike that girl, you might actually give me a challenge," Sasuke added, a hint of respect tinting his voice as his eyes shifted from black to the vivid crimson of his Sharingan. "Don't regret this, dobe," he warned, his tone serious.

In an instant, Sasuke's arm flicked forward, releasing a dozen shurikens that spun viciously through the air towards Naruto. Unfazed, Naruto reached into his pouch and drew a single shuriken. With a precise, fluid motion, he threw it with a practiced flick of his wrist.

The shuriken spun rapidly, its path meticulously calculated. As it flew, it clipped each of Sasuke's shurikens in turn. The impact altered their trajectories just enough, causing them to veer off course. Each shuriken from Sasuke's barrage missed Naruto by margins that seemed calculated down to the millimeter.

"That Shuriken Bukijutsu," Sasuke growled, his frustration evident.

The ease and effortlessness with which Naruto had deflected his attack reminded him of Itachi's own prowess with shurikens.

Sasuke's eyes ignited with the crimson glow of the Sharingan as he surged forward, his movements a blur that would leave even a seasoned Chunin envious.

Yet Naruto's gaze remained sharp, his eyes tracking every swift motion with ease.

As Sasuke closed in, Naruto took a calculated jab at him.

Just inches from impact, Sasuke executed a swirling kata, spinning clockwise with a fluid, spiraling movement that was both defensive and gracefully offensive.

As he completed his spin, he aimed a precise kick at Naruto's liver, his body coiled tight like a spring.

But Naruto was quicker.

His hand snapped down, blocking Sasuke's kick with an effortless parry.

"You did it wrong, dumbass," Naruto chided, a smirk playing on his lips as he expelled a burst of chakra from his palm.

The force of the chakra was like a cannon blast, hitting Sasuke squarely and sending him hurtling backward. Sasuke's body flew through the air, his limbs flailing helplessly as he crashed into the walls of the Uchiha compound. The impact echoed through the courtyard, dust billowing around his crumpled form like a cloud. As the dust settled, Sasuke lay among the debris, momentarily stunned by the powerful blow, his once poised and lethal form now limp and disheveled like a discarded rag doll.

Sasuke leaped to his feet, swiftly forming a series of hand signs as he drew a deep breath.

He filled his lungs with air and concentrated his chakra, mixing it with the breath he held. Focusing fire chakra between his pointer finger and thumb, he formed a small circle in front of his mouth.

As he expelled the chakra-laden air through the circle, like blowing a bubble, it transformed into a blazing fireball that shot towards Naruto at high speed.

The fireball hit with a resounding Boom!, erupting upon impact where Naruto had just been standing.

Flames engulfed the area, charring the grass and scorching the earth, leaving a blackened circle in the aftermath of the explosion.

From a safe distance to the right, Naruto's voice rang out, "I don't think I can use this fireball on my taxes."

He watched the smoldering ground where the fireball had struck, a wry smile on his face.

"Substitution Jutsu," Sasuke muttered under his breath, clicking his tongue in annoyance.

"I really want to try that next, so I'm going to have to finish this fight," Naruto declared, clapping his fist into his palm with determination.

"You think you're faster than my eyes?" Sasuke retorted skeptically.

"The Senju Taijutsu was designed to beat the Uchiha because of its speed," Naruto replied, his voice firm as he crouched slightly.

A wave of confusion swept over Sasuke as he noticed Naruto's ankles glow with an intense light—a sign of chakra concentration. Before he could process it further, Naruto vanished from his sight. Sasuke's eyes widened, his Sharingan spinning as he tried to track the sudden movement.

In an instant, Naruto reappeared directly in front of him. Sasuke only had a moment to see Naruto's determined blue eyes before he felt an immense force strike his face. The world spun around him, and he felt a surreal disorientation as his body was propelled upward.

"Why is everything upside down?" Sasuke wondered dimly as he twisted in mid-air, his body flailing helplessly. It felt like he was a toy being tossed by an unseen giant, his control over his movements completely lost.

The force of Naruto's Flash Fist, combined with his explosive chakra control, had sent Sasuke soaring through the air like a leaf caught in a hurricane. Sasuke's mind struggled to keep up with the rapid change in his surroundings, the sky and ground swapping places in rapid succession.

[ Quest: Round 2, Bitch ]

[ Status: Successfully Completed ]

[ Rewards Granted: Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu, +200 Reputation with Sasuke Uchiha, 1000 Experience Points. ]

"Yatta!" Naruto cheered as he looked at the system window, clicking on the reward.

[ System Notification: Skill Unlock Error ]

[ Issue: Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu cannot be unlocked in the Uzumaki Clan Skill Table. ]

[ Reason: Fireball Jutsu is not a technique of the Uzumaki Clan. ]

[ System Quest Alert ]

[ Quest: Learn Fireball Jutsu ]

[ Objective: Unlock Fire Chakra Affinity. Practice the basic hand signs of the Fireball Jutsu ×10. Attempt to perform the Fireball Jutsu ×1. ]

[ Reward: Skill - Fireball Jutsu. ]

[ Failure: None. ]

[ Action Required: Confirm acceptance or declination of quest. ]

Naruto groaned in frustration.

"Of course, what did I expect?" he muttered to himself as his eyes scanned the objectives.

He turned back to Sasuke, about to ask a question.

"Yo, teme, how do you unlock the fire—"

His voice trailed off when he noticed Sasuke knocked out, face first on the asphalt, his limbs awkwardly bent beneath him.

"That's gotta hurt," Naruto thought, grimacing slightly.

With a cautious motion, Naruto nudged Sasuke with his foot.

"You alive, teme?" he asked. Hearing a faint breath, Naruto sighed in relief.

"Good, I'm just gonna place this here," he said, setting a cup of ramen beside Sasuke's unconscious form before darting away from the Uchiha compound.

....

Meanwhile...

"Um... Ino... the sun's been down for a while now... I don't think Sasuke is going to show..."

"Any minute now, Choji... any minute now."

_______________________________________

[ An Hour Later ]

"Tenten, do you know how to unlock fire affinity?"

Naruto said as he wandered into the training ground.

"I don't think you can unlock fire affinity; it's something you are born with."

Naruto didn't argue back as he looked at the objectives.

Since it said to unlock fire affinity, there must be a way. Whatever, Naruto thought as he finally noticed the chaos of the training ground.

Tenten was panting as if she had just finished running a marathon, clutching a shield riddled with holes.

Nearby, Hinata lay sprawled on the ground, unconscious, with a pair of orange Neko Te still fitted on her hands.

The sight was so bizarre, Naruto couldn't help but blurt out, "What happened?"

"It's a girl's thing," Tenten replied, her breath still coming in heavy pants.

Without missing a beat, Naruto transformed into a female version of himself, hoping to bypass the 'girl's thing' barrier. Tenten gave him a look that was half amusement, half exasperation.

"It's a friend thing," she corrected herself, seeing through Naruto's ruse.

"Hey, I am your friend," Naruto protested in a mock offended tone, still in his transformed state.

"Shut up and let's get going to the water walking exercise," Tenten dismissed him, her focus shifting to the task at hand.

She led the way to the pond where she first mastered the skill, with Naruto trotting behind her.

Tenten began explaining the nuances of the Water Walking exercise with the patience of a teacher outlining the fundamentals to a novice student.

"It's called the Water Walking exercise. It works under similar properties as Surface Walking; except instead of trying to stick to a surface, you're trying to repel away very slightly. This next control exercise took me a few days to truly get it, so I expect this to take up most of the next few weeks for you. Now-"

Her explanation was interrupted by the impatient Naruto.

"Why do you expect it to take so long for me?"

"You shouldn't interrupt someone like that, Naruto. You should wait for a break in speech before asking a question," Tenten admonished lightly. "As for why I expect it to take you much longer; I have two reasons, both equally as important. To start with I have been walking up walls since I first learned to walk, so I had much more experience than you will have when you start. Practice makes perfect and you won't get better at something if you don't practice."

Naruto nodded in understanding.

"The other reason is that I have much, much smaller chakra reserves than you. It's easier to control a small amount of something than it is to control a larger amount. Your reserves are, to put it bluntly, massive."

Naruto nodded, absorbing the information before cheekily adding, "I know it's are over 9000."

"What?" Tenten's confusion was palpable. The idea of quantifying chakra in such terms was foreign to her.

"It's a boy's thing," Naruto quipped, a smirk playing on his lips.

Tenten, momentarily caught off guard, almost instinctively started to perform the transformation jutsu on herself before halting.

"What am I doing?" she questioned herself, staring at Naruto's proud, yet undeniably silly, expression.

"Your stupidity is contagious," she declared, though the corners of her mouth betrayed her with a reluctant smile.

"Hey!"