Sasuke woke up a full hour before Naruto. Wasting no time, he set off on his own. Along the way, several classmates approached him, hoping to form an alliance. Given his reputation at the academy and his strong chances of competing for the top spot, it was no surprise that others sought to team up with him.
However, Sasuke turned them all down without hesitation, opting to move alone in a specific direction. In his mind, only a handful of people were worth keeping an eye on, Gaara, Jugo, and… that idiot. He often called Naruto an idiot, but deep down, Sasuke knew better. Naruto wasn't someone to be underestimated.
As he pressed forward, he encountered and swiftly defeated several challengers who tried to block his path. None of them could slow him down. However, by this point, fatigue had begun to creep in.
Just then, another announcement echoed through the exam grounds: "Student from the Sand Village—XXX has been eliminated!"
Sasuke twitched ever so slightly as the masked ninja emerged from the ground. He watched as the eliminated student was carried away, and no matter how many times he witnessed it, Sasuke still found the whole thing unsettling.
These guys… They must be White Zetsu, right? Sasuke thought, his gaze narrowing. The masked ninja with the spiral face also struck him as oddly familiar, but Sasuke quickly pushed the thought aside. After all, he was here for the exam, so it didn't matter.
A hint of exhaustion crept onto his face as he scanned his surroundings. While none of these people posed a threat, the constant battles had begun to take their toll on him.
His eyes then landed on the massive rock ahead, his target. He planned to find a cave to rest for a while. With it already being noon, he figured it was the perfect time to grab something to eat.
However, just before he left, he noticed something that made him pause… He still had a little tail trailing behind him.
Sasuke's Sharingan gleamed as he locked onto the figure lurking nearby. "You can stop hiding now. I know you're there."
Almost instantly, a familiar voice rang out. "Alright, alright! I'm coming out!" Naruto stepped into view, his signature grin plastered across his face. His messy blond hair and carefree expression made Sasuke's lips twitch in irritation. Of all people…
"Didn't expect to run into you so soon, Sasuke!" Naruto said, rubbing the back of his head. "I heard some commotion and thought there was a fight going on."
Sasuke exhaled sharply, letting his Sharingan fade as he tucked his kunai away. His expression was laced with mild contempt. "Tch. What a nuisance."
Naruto's grin faltered. "Hah?! What's that supposed to mean?" He scowled. "You're the real pain in the ass with that smug face of yours!"
"Idiot," Sasuke scoffed.
Naruto bristled immediately. "Who are you calling an idiot, you arrogant bastard?!"
But Sasuke didn't seem interested in arguing. Instead, he stretched lazily before fixing Naruto with a flat look. "Do you even realize what we're doing right now?"
"The exam, obviously!" Naruto answered without hesitation.
Sasuke arched a brow. "And?"
Naruto blinked, then suddenly stiffened. Right… this was still the exam. Which meant they weren't just friends here, they were competitors. Both of them were aiming for the top.
"Heh…" Naruto let out a nervous chuckle, rubbing the back of his head as he eyed Sasuke warily. After a brief pause, he asked, "So… are we fighting?"
"Not yet," Sasuke replied after a moment of thought.
"R-Right! No need to fight just yet!" Naruto quickly nodded in agreement, relief washing over his face.
"You idiot, at least you get it. Fighting now would only benefit the others. What if you end up failing because of it?" Sasuke snorted with satisfaction. "I'll be the one to top this exam. You'll fail first!"
"So, no fight now?" Naruto asked, confirming.
"No, we're not fighting now," Sasuke replied, shaking his head.
"Then you go first." "No, you go first!" The two of them continued to argue, neither willing to move first.
After a brief silence, they both spoke at once, "Let's turn around and go at the same time!"
"You go that way!" Both of them pointed in opposite directions, then turned without hesitation.
They walked for a few paces, but once they were out of sight of each other, their eyes narrowed. One step... two steps... three steps… Without warning, they both spun around at the same time, their faces contorting into mischievous grins.
"Rasengan!" "Chidori!" They yelled in perfect unison, charging straight at each other. "Arrogant Sasuke!" "Idiot!"
But when they saw the other mirror their move, both of their faces fell into stunned disbelief. This guy really just did the same thing?
…
Seeing this unfold, Mikoto and Kushina exchanged an amused glance before both turning toward Akihiko. No surprise there… It was clear now, they really did have the same teacher. Who would've thought their kids would turn out so devious?
Meanwhile, Akihiko stayed quiet, his gaze fixed on the screen. Sasuke's tactics didn't surprise him at all, but Naruto… That bright, optimistic Naruto, trying to ambush someone?
Who taught him that? Wasn't he the type to charge headfirst into things, shouting, and then, just when it seemed like he'd gotten himself into trouble, pull off a completely unexpected move to turn the tables? This didn't feel like Naruto at all. And... wait, did he just insult someone?
…
At that moment, Naruto and Sasuke were still exchanging blows and insults. But they soon realized their fight wasn't going to get them anywhere fast. The exam had only just begun, and if they kept this up, they'd only make themselves easy targets for the others. Almost simultaneously, they stopped.
Both turned and stared at the massive crater they'd created. Inwardly, they each cursed the other: Sneaky bastard. Trying to ambush me like that.
If they hadn't been on guard, they might have actually fallen for it. They silently turned back to face each other, their expressions blank. Then…
"Hahaha~" They both let out an awkward laugh.
"Didn't expect you, of all people, to actually get stronger," Sasuke remarked flatly. "At least now I don't have to worry about you getting eliminated too soon."
"Same here!" Naruto said, though his tone betrayed his true feelings. Yeah, right. Next time, I'm definitely getting rid of you.
Without saying another word, Sasuke turned to walk away. "I'm going."
"I'm going too!" Naruto responded with a quick nod, ready to move.
However, They had barely taken a few steps when... Whoosh! A kunai whizzed past Naruto's face, barely missing him.
"Oi, oi! What the hell?!" Naruto shouted, waving his arms in frustration. "We agreed not to fight yet, and now you're trying to ambush me again?!"
But Sasuke wasn't listening. His gaze had turned serious as he focused on something in the distance.
"Who's there? Show yourself," Sasuke demanded, his voice steady.
Naruto tensed, sensing the same presence. "Yeah, come out! You think you can sneak up on me? Ridiculous! I'm gonna be the top student!" As he spoke, he quickly began forming hand seals.
"Wait, wait, wait! It's me!" a voice called out. A shadowy figure emerged from the cover, and both Naruto and Sasuke froze in recognition.
"Huh? Black Zetsu?!" they exclaimed in unison, thoughts racing. Why this guy again?
Black Zetsu glared at Naruto briefly before grinning. "Naruto, Sasuke!"
Before he could elaborate, Sasuke, already on alert, began preparing for an attack. "Wait!" Black Zetsu interjected, raising his hands. "I'm here to offer a deal!"
"No thanks." Sasuke didn't even hesitate. He charged straight at him, his movements swift and precise.
Black Zetsu cursed internally. Tch, Uchiha are still so damn arrogant, even after all these years, they haven't changed.
Realizing he had no choice but to continue, he quickly spoke up. "I know this place like the back of my hand. Seriously. I practically grew up here. Trust me, I can lead you anywhere. And…"
His eyes narrowed, a sly smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "You and Naruto both want to fight Gaara, right? But I'm sure you don't want anyone else interfering. So, why not work with me first? We eliminate everyone else, then you can take on Gaara without distractions. Don't worry, I'm not after the top spot. I just want to pass the exam with a decent score."
Sasuke paused, his expression still unreadable. He frowned, glancing at Naruto, then back at Zetsu. He was thinking it over.
"What's your plan?" Sasuke finally asked, his voice laced with suspicion.
Zetsu's grin widened. "You're in?" He let out a relieved sigh before continuing. "Simple... we go fishing."
…
Meanwhile, outside, Akihiko observed the trio huddling together, a faint look of surprise crossing his face. His eyes narrowed slightly as he murmured to himself, "This... is becoming more and more interesting."