[Video Footage] Naruto surged forward again, and Sasuke lanced at him. Naruto evaded, then leaped backwards, ducking Sasuke's fist and rising into the air for a counterattack.
Their bodies clashed midair, exchanging blows as Sasuke taunted, "Show me your real strength, you most unpredictable prankster ninja!"
Naruto twisted and dodged each strike, weaving through Sasuke's assault. But Sasuke vaulted in, landing a brutal kick that sent Naruto crashing into the water below.
As Naruto sank, murmured words echoed in his mind, steeling his resolve. He burst upward, water streaming off him, and blinked back blood at the sight of Sasuke preparing another attack.
"Am I... no longer your comrade?" Naruto asked, voice trembling with hope and pain.
A question pinged in every shinobi's mind:
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×1; 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 question; two answers allowed. Two wrong answers and the entire shinobi world suffers the penalty.
In the chat:
Ohnoki: ??? I'm forced to answer? And the whole shinobi world will be punished if I don't? No way! Fourth Raikage Darui: Well if it isn't Old Rock... er, Ohnoki? Free to wander already? Mizukage Mei Terumi: One-in-four chance who's scared? Wait, that last option's a bit spicy... you Konoha support guys into same-gender love? Fourth Raikage Darui: ??? Same-gender love? Ohnoki: ... Tsunade: Get out!!!
The chat erupted again. Who would dare answer this time?
Meanwhile, Kakashi Hatake stared at his newly acquired Uzumaki bloodline card, eyes wide. Even a basic bloodline grants chakra beyond most ninja's reach. For Kakashi constantly chewing chakra to power his Sharingan and nowhere near rich in chakra this was an opportunity.
System: Hatake Kakashi success first responder! Tsunade: ! Kakashi?! Impressive! You read my mind? Salary increase for you! Hatake Kakashi: …??? Uh.
Kakashi froze salary? More books? Do I even have a salary beyond mission rewards?
Tsunade: Since one from Konoha has jumped in, don't you others want to show off? Mizukage Mei Terumi: Aoi, your turn! Ao: ??? Me again??? Not another 48-hour no-poop punishment? Mizukage Mei Terumi: ...Enough nonsense answer! Ao: Σ(°△°|||) Fine... I'll go! System: Ao success second responder! System: All participants ready. Begin answering!
Kakashi eyed the four choices, heart pounding. A and B seemed obvious, and D was absurd... but C
He shook his head, steeling himself to choose B, when a memory flickered: weren't they like this reckless, playful just like we were? You too, Obito?
Hatake Kakashi: I choose C! Ao: Then I'll choose B Sasuke never saw Naruto as a comrade, let alone a friend. Hatake Kakashi: You just don't understand.
System: Judging Kakashi's answer: Sasuke's response is C! System: Hatake Kakashi correct! Reward: Uzumaki Clan's Basic Bloodline! Ao: ??? What?! You guys' Konoha's sick. Real friends can fight like this? System: Judging Ao... nope! System: Ao wrong! Penalty: No bathroom privileges for 48 hours! Ao: ???
Ao glared at Mei Terumi, tears in his eyes.
Mizukage Mei Terumi: Ahem, urgent matter excuse me. Aburame Shino: Well... no bathroom is fine; I'm not sure I ever used it! Ao: ??? Teach me how to survive without poop... Aburame Shino: Just... don't? What else? Ao: ??? You're not normal, are you? Aburame Shino: Hey! How did you know? Smart kid! Ao: Heh... I'll figure it out myself.
Meanwhile, Kakashi held his new card, tears threatening. Uzumaki chakra warmth spread through him without pain. Healing chakra indeed lacked no power.
[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 etched across his face:
"Best friend? Then why...?"
Naruto clenched his fists, voice trembling:
"Precisely because of that... You have value worth defeating!"
Sasuke's words confused Naruto but clarity dawned:
"A bit confounding... but I see now: you truly mean to fight me to the death! Sasuke!!"
Both stood unyielding:
"Now that Kakashi and Sakura are gone, nobody will stop us as before!"
Sasuke turned and stole a kunai from Naruto.
"You!" Naruto realized too late.
Sasuke sprang away:
"This is the real duel! I will defeat you!"
He channeled chakra into his left hand, lightning crackling the Chidori he had yet to use on that rooftop.
From above, he watched Naruto:
"Fool! I will thrash you like I said! Even if it means dragging you back by force!"
"Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
Sasuke leapt across the water's surface, closing the distance. Meanwhile, Naruto's clones swiftly formed chakra spheres. A kunai and shuriken met midair, splashing water. Both were thrown back by the clash and skimmed across the lake before sinking.
"Impossible!"
Sasuke surfaced first, shouting"Impossible!" The Chidori had been barely parried. Kakashi had warned him: only two uses to avoid overtaxing.
Naruto breached the surface next. Sasuke glared at him, unsatisfied, and the Cursed Seal covered his body.
"You know, Naruto, Just one clash lets you see through one another completely. Even without words... You're too naive!"
"So? Do you really understand my heart? My innermost thoughts?"
His words stabbed Naruto's heart but as Naruto relaxed, Sasuke unleashed:
"Fire Release: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!"
Naruto reacted instantly, vaulting out of the blast's path. But Sasuke was already beside him and kicked him aside.
Naruto's mind raced:
Sasuke, I know you've always been alone... I felt relieved finding someone like me. I was so happy! But we were so different... That's why I saw you as my equal. Naruto tasted each blow, recalling Sasuke's words: 'I wanted to spar with you.' That was your first sign of respect. But neither of us wanted this fight... Still, without speaking, we became friends Best friends. But you... you truly want to kill me... Thinking me your friend might have been my wishful illusion.