Naruto chuckled, not denying it. "A little. But both Brother Itachi and Brother Shisui were holding back more than I. Both of them would've ended it in one move if I broke the rules."
Sasuke exhaled through his nose. "Tch… even without that, you still kept up. You covered for my openings. Especially when I lost track of Shisui's movement."
Naruto looked forward, then stopped walking. Sasuke stopped beside him.
"Your timing and speed…" Naruto started, turning toward him. His face was serious. "They've improved a lot. I saw how you moved with Chidori, how you tried to keep up with Shisui. You're getting faster, no doubt."
Sasuke felt a flicker of pride stir inside him.
"…But," Naruto added, narrowing his eyes, "Your taijutsu is still too stiff. You've got the instinct, but your footwork's off when you're cornered. And your reaction time in close combat is just a hair too slow."
Sasuke frowned. "I can handle it."
"I know you can," Naruto said quickly. "But there's a difference between handling it and mastering it."
He stepped closer, his voice lowering into something more intense.
"I know someone… someone who's our age, still a genin like us, but whose taijutsu is sharper than mine. His speed, his reflexes, his focus... it's almost scary."
Sasuke blinked. "Stronger than you in speed and reflexes?"
He couldn't believe it. "And still a genin?"
Naruto's smile returned, but this time, it was laced with admiration. "Yeah. He's not flashy like us. He doesn't have any cool elemental jutsu. He can't use ninjutsu or genjutsu. But in a straight-up hand-to-hand fight…?"
Naruto gave a small whistle.
"He'll make you feel like your feet are glued to the floor. He's that fast."
'A boy like that?'
Sasuke's eyes narrowed. His curiosity was immediately ignited. Someone who couldn't use ninjutsu, yet could push Naruto, of all people, back with nothing but raw speed and martial skill?
"Who is he?" Sasuke asked, genuinely curious, the competitive heat rising in his chest. "What's his name?"
Naruto's eyes shone, as if remembering something both wild and inspiring.
"His name… is Rock Lee."
Sasuke frowned, hearing a name he didn't recognize.
"Lee?" He repeated, uncertain. "Who's that?"
Naruto looked at him, blinking in surprise. "You've never heard of Rock Lee?"
Sasuke shook his head. "Should I have?"
Naruto exhaled, folding his arms. "He's one of Gai-sensei's students. Wears a green jumpsuit, bowl-cut hair, thick eyebrows... kind of hard to miss."
Sasuke's brow twitched, unimpressed. "Doesn't ring a bell."
But Naruto's expression didn't shift to amusement. If anything, he grew serious.
"Anyway, he is my training partner," Naruto said, voice dropping a notch. "And Sasuke... he's fast. Like, scary fast. And his reflexes, you can say, he matches Brother Itachi."
Sasuke's eyes narrowed. That was hard to ignore. To match his brother in just Taijutsu alone was not an easy feat.
Naruto continued, looking upward. "He works harder than anyone I've ever met. Push-ups on one finger, sprinting with weights on his legs. Every single day. That guy… he's serious."
Sasuke remained quiet, processing. Someone like that, hidden in plain sight?
A sense of challenge rose in Sasuke's heart as he was getting excited.
"And he's aiming to prove that hard work can beat natural talent," Naruto added. "He said it straight to my face."
Sasuke's eyes flashed with a sudden sharpness. That kind of mindset—that kind of threat—wasn't something he could ignore.
"I want to fight him," Sasuke said at last, his voice quiet but firm.
Naruto grinned. "Knew you'd say that."
He leaned in a little, voice lower, more personal.
"Oh, and one more thing."
Sasuke tilted his head. "What?"
"Don't underestimate him."
Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "You really think someone like that could beat me?"
Naruto gave a short chuckle. "If you walk in thinking he's just some weirdo in green tights? He won't just beat you. He'll humiliate you."
Sasuke clenched his fists, not in anger, but in that hungry anticipation that only real warriors understand.
"I'll make sure that doesn't happen."
Naruto gave him a thumbs-up. "Good. Because once you face Lee... you'll never look at taijutsu the same way again."
------
The next morning
The morning sun peeked through the clouds, casting a golden shimmer across the quiet stream flowing under the old wooden bridge.
The village was beginning to stir to life, but Team 7 had already been waiting for quite some time.
Naruto leaned on the wooden railing, arms crossed tightly as his foot tapped impatiently against the floorboards. His brows were furrowed in displeasure.
"He's late again!" He grumbled, squinting down at the lazy stream. "Why is it always like this?! It's like he lives in a different time zone!"
Sakura sighed heavily beside him, arms crossed and brows twitching in annoyance.
"If anything, it's always those lame excuses." Her voice dripped with sarcasm and weariness. "Last time it was a grandma who needed help crossing the road! And before that, he claimed he got lost on the path of life…"
"Say! Say! Say!" She suddenly turned, exasperated. "Why is it that he's the one who calls us out, then makes us wait like this?! Shouldn't the sensei be the punctual one?!"
"Well…" Naruto folded his arms and looked off thoughtfully. "We are his subordinates, Sakura… so I guess he doesn't feel any pressure to impress us…"
Sasuke, who had been leaning coolly against the bridge post in silence, opened his eyes and added with a shrug, "Naruto's right. He doesn't care about appearances. He's… just like that."
Sakura clenched her fists dramatically, a slight pout forming on her lips. "But still! What about the feelings of a maiden who woke up late, skipped breakfast, and didn't get to blow-dry her hair properly because she rushed out the door like a maniac?!"
Just then, a distinct, familiar voice floated from above.
"Yo!" Kakashi's calm and lazy greeting came just as he dropped down from a tree onto the bridge railing.
All three genin immediately turned toward him.
Kakashi scratched the back of his head, his eye smiling. "Good morning, guys. You won't believe it... I was on my way here when I came across a white cat. Naturally, I stopped to play with it. But then, a black cat appeared and crossed my path, so I had to take the long way around to avoid bad luck."
There was a dead silence.
Naruto and Sakura both leaned forward, saying in unison, "Yeah, right! That's a total lie!!"
Sasuke didn't say a word, but his unimpressed glare said it all.
Kakashi let out a faint cough. "Ahem, well…"
He landed gracefully on the bridge and reached into his flak jacket. "Anyway, let's get to the real reason I called you all out here today."
The trio's attention sharpened immediately.
"This might feel sudden," Kakashi said, pulling out three neatly folded papers from his pocket. "But I've recommended all three of you… for the Chuunin Exam."
There was a beat of stunned silence.
Kakashi held the three applications out, one for each of them.
"Here. These are your official application forms," He said calmly.
Sakura looked down at the paper, mouth slightly agape. "Already…?"
Sasuke took the paper in silence, his eyes narrowing in focus.
Kakashi's voice grew more serious, almost reflective. "I know it seems fast. And maybe it is fast. But I've seen your growth. You've all shown considerable improvement, not just in skills, but in teamwork, awareness, and determination."
He looked at them, one by one. "But… whether you take the exam or not is entirely up to you. The recommendation is not compulsory."
Sakura held her form tightly, eyes wide with uncertainty. "So… it's our choice?"
Kakashi nodded. "Yes. Only those who are confident and willing to step forward should take this path. If you decide to participate, sign the form and bring it with you to Room 301 of the Academy, five days from now, at exactly 3:00 PM."
Naruto held the paper. "So if we pass the exam…"
"You advance to the rank of Chuunin," Kakashi confirmed. "It's a chance to prove you're more than just genin... it's a chance to show that you're ready to take on real responsibility."
Naruto's face slowly broke into a wide, fiery grin. "Heh… Chuunin Exam, huh…?"
The real game begins now...
--- ✦ ✦ ✦ ---
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