"Yo. Good morning, everyone."
The familiar lazy voice came from behind them.
All three kids froze.
What?!
They turned their heads in unison, eyes wide in disbelief.
The sun… rose from the west today?
Kakashi-sensei… had arrived on time?!
No—early?!
For a second, even Naruto forgot he was mad at Sakura. The shock was too great.
In truth, Kakashi had left home early that morning for one reason—he was concerned about Sasuke.
He hadn't missed the dark circles under the boy's eyes, or the strained energy in his body yesterday. And though he tried not to show it, Kakashi had been quietly observing.
When he arrived at the training ground and saw Sasuke already there, standing tall despite the fatigue in his face, he let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding.
"Sasuke," he said as he approached, "are you alright?"
He examined the boy carefully, his one visible eye focused.
Sasuke turned his head to the side, replying quietly, "I'm fine."
Kakashi nodded, satisfied. He didn't press further.
"Good. Since everyone's here… let's begin today's mission."
…
That morning, Team 7 dashed through every corner of the village, running errands and completing low-level assignments together.
Helping lonely old folks buy groceries.
Walking a fat, spoiled dog for a rich merchant.
Basically—boring chores.
The kind of low-level D-rank missions that Team 7 had gotten way too used to.
Normally, Naruto would've complained non-stop, throwing his hands up and yelling at Kakashi to please give them something exciting for once.
But today?
He was strangely quiet.
No shouting. No whining.
Because his thoughts were elsewhere.
How do I master the final step of the Rasengan… and fast?
That question kept spinning in his mind all morning, louder than any of the missions they were given.
Sasuke, too, was unusually silent.
After forcing himself to stay awake all night just to avoid falling into that strange dream world again, his body was running on fumes. His legs moved on autopilot, and his head throbbed from lack of rest.
Still, he kept it hidden.
He didn't slow down. He didn't stumble. He didn't say a word.
By the time noon rolled around, Team 7 had finally wrapped up several errands.
"Alright, break time," Kakashi said, stretching his arms behind his head. "Let's get lunch."
To the students' surprise, their eternally laid-back teacher led them to a familiar spot—
Ichiraku Ramen.
"Hey, why are the four of you all here together today?"
Uncle Teuchi leaned over the counter with a warm grin as Team 7 stepped into Ichiraku Ramen. He waved them inside and gestured toward the seats.
Kakashi gave a casual eye-smile and replied, "Thought we'd treat the kids after a productive morning."
Naruto didn't bounce in excitedly like he usually did.
Instead, he slumped into his seat with a pout, arms folded across his chest and cheeks puffed like a sulky balloon.
Kakashi and Sakura exchanged a knowing glance. They didn't need words—anyone could see Naruto was clearly miffed at Sasuke again.
Sasuke didn't even blink. He walked past Naruto and sat down beside him like nothing had happened, as aloof as ever.
"Soy sauce ramen," he said to Teuchi, flat and direct. "One bowl."
"Tch…" Naruto's eyes twitched.
Not wanting to be outdone, he shot up with a defiant yell: "Then I want miso ramen! Double chashu!"
"Coming right up," Teuchi chuckled.
A few minutes later, four steaming bowls of ramen were placed in front of them.
Nobody spoke much.
The only sound was the quiet slurping of noodles and the occasional clink of chopsticks.
Each person sat with their own thoughts—Naruto still stewing, Sakura glancing at Sasuke every so often, Kakashi watching all three over the rim of his book, and Sasuke… cold and unreadable as always.
But beneath the silence, tension was quietly brewing.
Naruto wiped his mouth, slamming down his tenth empty bowl on the counter.
"Phew! That hit the spot!"
But even after devouring ten bowls in a row, the frustration in his chest only seemed to grow. He turned to glare at Sasuke, his eyebrows twitching.
Seriously, what was up with him today?
That sour expression had been stuck on his face since morning, and every word out of his mouth was sharp enough to cut.
Naruto couldn't take it anymore. He slammed his chopsticks on the table.
"Sasuke! Just you wait! Once I finish mastering that jutsu, I'm gonna beat you for sure!"
Sasuke didn't even blink. He shot Naruto a cold look and replied in that same flat, mocking tone, "Idiot. As long as you keep playing around in your dreams like that, you'll never be able to surpass me."
Naruto's hair practically stood on end. "What did you say?!"
Sakura groaned and held her forehead with one hand. "Here we go again. These two…"
Kakashi lazily closed his book and let out a long sigh. "Alright, now that you're all full and fired up, let's get back to work."
As the team stood up and began heading out, a young man in a white apron quietly stepped out from the kitchen.
Aren leaned against the wall, watching their figures disappear down the street.
He chuckled under his breath. "Erzhuzi, don't get too full of yourself."
…
What followed was another afternoon of dull and exhausting errands—feeding pets, pulling weeds, running deliveries.
The missions were the same as always.
But what no one knew was that tonight, everything would change.
By the time the sun dipped below the horizon, Team 7 had finally completed every task for the day.
"Phew—it's finally over!" Naruto stretched his arms to the sky, his back arching with relief. Sweat clung to his brow, but his mood had clearly lifted. After a long day of hauling supplies, trimming hedges, and walking oversized dogs, there was only one thing on his mind now.
Sleep.
Not just any sleep—he couldn't wait to dream again.
Kakashi observed the trio, pleased to see them so thoroughly worn out. He gave a nod of approval. "Nice work today, everyone. That's it for now—dismissed."
Before he even finished the sentence, Naruto was already halfway down the road.
"Later, Kakashi-sensei! Bye, Sakura! Sasuke, just wait—next time, I'll crush you!"
He waved both arms high as he sprinted off, the orange of his jacket vanishing quickly into the twilight.
Sakura watched him disappear and couldn't help but chuckle. "Why's he so eager all of a sudden?"
"Hmph." Sasuke narrowed his eyes at Naruto's fading figure. He didn't say anything, but his gaze lingered longer than expected.
Kakashi shifted his focus to Sasuke. "Heading back to the clan compound tonight?"
Sasuke nodded without hesitation. "Of course."
"You sure you don't want to rest for a change?" Kakashi offered gently. "Even just one night without training might do you good."
But Sasuke's eyes sharpened instantly. "No need."
His tone was cold and final.
There was no room for persuasion.
Kakashi sighed inwardly. He had seen that expression before—the look of someone burning from the inside, clinging to purpose like it was the only thing keeping them standing.
Sasuke turned without another word and walked away, disappearing into the deepening dusk.
The night was coming.
And with it, the next dream.
After giving his sharp reply, Sasuke didn't wait for Kakashi's reaction. He turned and walked off in the opposite direction, his steps firm, his back straight. His silhouette quickly melted into the deepening shadows of the village.
…
Nightfall.
The ruins of the Uchiha compound lay quiet under a shroud of darkness. Cracked stone walls and broken tiles whispered memories of a life that no longer existed. The streets, once filled with voices, now stood still—haunted only by silence and wind.
Starlight spilled gently through holes in the rooftops and scattered across the moss-covered stones.
Sasuke stood alone in the middle of the courtyard that once belonged to his family, his eyes fixed on the faded structure before him.
Around his feet lay seven or eight discarded cans, all drained of the concentrated energy drinks he had bought earlier that day. He had hoped they would help him push through the night.
But even after chugging every last drop, the wave of fatigue pressing against him refused to fade.
His limbs felt heavy. His head drooped slightly.
"Hmph… damn it…"
With a grimace, Sasuke clenched his teeth and dug his nails into his thigh, the sudden pain jolting him back from the edge of sleep.
He refused to dream.
He couldn't.
Not again.
His gaze slowly lifted, locking onto the tall rock wall that stood at the heart of the compound. The Uchiha crest—now weathered and cracked—was still etched into its surface, staring back at him like an accusing eye.
That was where it happened.
The turning point of everything.
Sasuke's fists clenched tightly at his sides as the memory surged up—blood, silence, and a cold voice that still echoed in his bones.
"I won't fall for it," he muttered through gritted teeth. "Not tonight. I won't let myself be dragged into another lie."
The wind blew past him, rustling the ivy growing along the broken walls.
But the night was long, and Sasuke's body, even with all his resistance, was beginning to betray him.
His vision blurred slightly. The stars above seemed to shimmer and twist.
He shook his head violently to stay alert.
But somewhere in the darkness… the Dream Theater was already preparing to open its doors again.
This rock wall was covered in old burn marks and scratches, remnants of countless training sessions from his early years. It had once been the place where he and that man practiced ninjutsu side by side.
Now, all of that was gone. Only Sasuke remained.
The memory ignited a wave of hatred in his chest. Just hearing that name in his mind twisted his insides, filling him with fire and ice all at once.
Gritting his teeth, Sasuke charged at the wall. His feet struck the rough stone surface as he began to scale it with sharp, determined steps, as if trying to force himself to grow wings from sheer desperation.
"Ha... ha..."
He didn't know how much time had passed. Breath ragged, arms trembling, Sasuke finally lost his grip. His muscles gave out.
Thud!
He fell hard, landing in a heap at the foot of the rock wall.
"...Tch."
Pain jolted through his back and shoulders. Cold sweat soaked his forehead as the impact made his entire body ache. Every joint felt like it was cracking apart. His arms twitched, and his legs wouldn't obey.
Forcing himself up on trembling hands, Sasuke gasped for air, his jaw clenched tight. Just as he tried to rise, his vision suddenly went fuzzy.
A wave of dizziness swept over him like a crashing tide.
"Damn it... No..."
He shook his head violently, trying to drive away the fog creeping into his thoughts.
But his body had already reached its limit and refused to move any longer.
After forcing himself to stay awake through the night and working nonstop throughout the day, Sasuke finally succumbed to exhaustion. Sleep overwhelmed him, dragging him into unconsciousness.
…
Meanwhile, back in Konoha Village, Naruto's home was filled with an entirely different energy.
After a hot shower, Naruto lay on his bed feeling refreshed. He pulled the blanket over himself, unable to hide the grin spreading across his face.
His blue eyes sparkled with excitement as he stared up at the ceiling and whispered to himself with determination.
"In tonight's dream, if I can master the third stage of Rasengan, then I'll have the whole technique down! When that happens, that bastard Sasuke will finally have to take me seriously!"
Just picturing the proud look on his own face made Naruto laugh out loud.
He rolled over, hugged his pillow tightly, and muttered to himself, "Come on, hurry up and fall asleep... I've got work to do in my dreams!"
The excitement lingered in his heart, but sleepiness crept in before long. His eyelids grew heavier and heavier.
Naruto slowly closed his eyes, letting himself drift into slumber.
Then, somewhere in the distance of his consciousness, he vaguely heard a voice calling out to him…
"Naruto?"
Huh? Who's calling me?
…Mom?
Naruto stirred, his eyes fluttering open as he murmured drowsily, "Mom?"
But the moment his vision cleared, he realized something was wrong.
This wasn't his cozy dream bedroom. The warm futon, the familiar scent of home—gone.
In their place was a strange and unfamiliar world.
It was dark. Silent. The air was chilly, almost heavy, as if he had stepped into an enormous indoor space with no windows.
In front of him stood a towering, shadowy screen. It stretched into the gloom, but it was completely blank.
Behind him, rows of empty seats disappeared into the darkness like a ghostly audience.
Naruto's heart skipped a beat.
Where… where is this place?
He shot upright from the cold floor, his senses suddenly on high alert.
This wasn't the dream he was expecting. There was no training field, no Rasengan practice. Just this eerie theater drenched in shadows.
His body tensed as he slowly scanned his surroundings.
"Why did everything change all of a sudden? Wasn't I supposed to be in my room?" he whispered, his voice barely audible in the oppressive silence.
Something was very wrong.
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