The moment shattered like dropped glass.
"Seriously, Sasuke?" Naruto stared at his roommate, who was now sitting on the boulder rubbing his feet vigorously. "Can you even do this? You just killed all your momentum."
"Just wait a minute!" Sasuke worked his calves frantically, trying to restore circulation. His internal monologue was bitter. Should've thought this through. Standing dramatically for six hours wasn't my smartest move. This whole cool entrance is completely ruined.
Naruto watched with barely concealed amusement. He wasn't in any rush. Beating Sasuke now versus five minutes from now made no practical difference. Either way, his roommate would end up with a swollen face.
After three full minutes of vigorous leg massage, Sasuke finally stood, testing his weight carefully. He cleared his throat and straightened, attempting to salvage his dignity. "Actually, Naruto, that was a psychological tactic. I was testing your patience." His expression turned mysterious, knowing. "And it worked. Only three minutes and you already can't maintain your composure."
Naruto's grin widened. "Sasuke, I'm going to hit you extra hard for that. Try not to cry too much, okay?"
Sasuke snorted, waving one hand dismissively. "Let's begin. Naruto, honestly? I can't wait to beat you senseless."
"Flying Thunder God."
The words barely left Sasuke's mouth before he vanished from the boulder in a distortion of space. He reappeared directly above Naruto, chakra already spiraling in his palm. The Rasengan formed instantly, perfect and complete, crackling with compressed power.
Lightning-fast. Precise. The attack descended like judgment.
BANG!
Wood exploded into splinters. Sasuke's eyes widened as chunks of a training dummy scattered across the water's surface.
A Substitution Jutsu. The most basic Academy technique. Naruto had avoided his father's legendary A-rank jutsu with something a six-year-old could perform.
Sasuke's jaw tightened. No. The Rasengan isn't useless. The problem is Naruto's speed. Even if someone knows Substitution is coming, they need the reflexes to execute it in time. How is he that fast?
The realization came just as Naruto's foot slammed into his back.
Sasuke's face went through several expressions in rapid succession—shock, betrayal, resignation—before he plunged into the river. Water filled his mouth and nose. He swallowed several gulps before fighting his way back to the surface, sputtering.
When his head broke the waterline, Naruto stood on Sasuke's former boulder, arms crossed, wearing an expression of profound amusement.
"So." Naruto cracked his knuckles slowly. The sound echoed across the water. "Who exactly gave you the courage to think you could beat me up?"
Sasuke treaded water, mind racing. Crisis mode activated instantly. He stiffened his neck, forcing his expression into something appropriately stubborn. "Naruto, I acknowledge you're faster than me. You're the Yellow Flash's son, after all. That's expected." He paused, gathering his courage. "But I'm not weak either."
Another pause. This was the critical moment.
"That said, there's one very important thing I need to mention." Sasuke's voice carried the weight of someone facing execution with dignity. "When you hit my face... could you please go easy?"
The request emerged with such deadly seriousness that it somehow made the surrender even more pathetic.
Sasuke in a nutshell, Naruto thought. Says the most humiliating things in the most heroic tone possible.
Naruto didn't bother responding with words. Ten sentences wouldn't accomplish what his fists could.
Sasuke seemed to realize he still had a chance to escape. He tried to flee, activating Flying Thunder God in a desperate burst of chakra.
He materialized fifteen meters away.
Naruto appeared in front of him instantly, using Heavenly Steps' Instantaneous Movement. His fist was already raised, positioned perfectly so Sasuke's momentum would carry his face directly into it.
CRACK. THUD. SMACK.
Accompanied by Sasuke's increasingly anguished screams.
Five minutes later, Naruto stood and rolled his shoulders, working out the soreness in his arms. He had to admit, Sasuke's face had gotten noticeably tougher. Two years of getting beaten, combined with medicinal treatments and physical conditioning, had done wonders for his bone density.
On the ground, Sasuke sat up gingerly. His face felt like it was on fire. He pulled a small mirror from his pocket—force of habit at this point—and examined the damage.
His reflection showed a face swollen beyond recognition. He looked like he'd lost a fight with a beehive.
"Naruto," Sasuke said, voice muffled by his swollen lips. He sounded genuinely wounded. "Didn't you just say you'd go easy?"
Naruto didn't even glance back. You brought this on yourself. Who else is there to blame?
"Naruto! Sasuke! Dinner!"
Nine-Tails' voice carried across the training ground.
Both turned to see the miniature fox riding toward them on the philosophical goat. Nine-Tails wore a cooking apron, spatula in his left paw, kitchen knife in his right. The goat trembled with every step, moving as slowly as possible while still technically obeying.
"Coming!" Naruto called back.
Sasuke limped to his feet and followed. Nine-Tails barely glanced at his swollen face—this was practically a weekly occurrence. Every three days like clockwork, Sasuke would convince himself he was strong enough now, challenge Naruto, and end up looking like a battered eggplant.
The cycle never ended.
The next morning, dawn had barely begun to lighten the sky when Naruto woke to the sound of careful footsteps outside his room.
He knew immediately what was happening.
Moving silently, he eased his door open just a crack. Sure enough, Nine-Tails crept through the hallway, a cloth bag clutched in his paws. The lace dresses Hinata had gifted weeks ago.
The fox's head swiveled constantly, checking for observers, as he approached the spare room they'd converted into a closet.
Across the hall, Sasuke's door also opened a sliver. One dark eye appeared in the gap, locking onto Naruto's gaze.
They exchanged glances. Matching grins spread across their faces.
Moving in perfect synchronization, both doors opened wider. Naruto and Sasuke crept into the hallway on silent feet, padding toward the closet. They positioned themselves on either side of the door, peering through the crack.
Inside, Nine-Tails held up a white lace dress, studying it in the dim light. His ears twitched uncertainly. "Is this really beautiful?" he muttered to himself. "They all said so, but..." He held it against his small frame, turning to examine his reflection in the full-length mirror. "Maybe if I just try it on..."
The dress slipped over his head. He adjusted the fit, smoothing the fabric, then turned slowly in front of the mirror.
"Wow!" Naruto shoved the door open. "Nine-Tails, that looks amazing on you!"
"Yeah, seriously beautiful!" Sasuke added, pushing in beside Naruto.
Nine-Tails spun around, fur standing on end. "You—! How long have you been—!"
"That dress is perfect," Naruto continued, ignoring the outburst. "The color really brings out your fur. And the cut? Flawless."
"Absolutely stunning," Sasuke agreed solemnly. "You should wear it out today."
Nine-Tails' ears slowly lowered from their alarmed position. "Really?" His voice carried cautious hope. "You're not just saying that?"
"If you don't believe us," Naruto said, shooting Sasuke a meaningful look, "we'll go get some other opinions right now."
Sasuke nodded once, then vanished in a flicker of space-time displacement.
Naruto followed a heartbeat later using Instantaneous Movement.
Naruto materialized outside the Hyūga compound gates just as the first rays of sunlight touched the horizon. Someone noticed him immediately.
"Ah! Naruto-niisan!"
Two-year-old Hanabi sat just outside the gates, playing in a small patch of dirt. The moment she spotted him, her face lit up like a sunrise. She abandoned her sand pile and ran forward, arms outstretched. "Naruto-niisan! Pick me up! Pick me up high!"
"Of course, princess." Naruto scooped her up effortlessly, lifting her overhead. He spun in a slow circle, making whooshing sounds. "Flying, flying..."
Hanabi's delighted giggles filled the morning air.
Naruto felt genuine warmth in his chest. He'd grown incredibly fond of Hinata's little sister. Every time he visited, he brought small gifts—interesting stones, pretty flowers, sometimes sweets from the market. And Hanabi had latched onto him with the fierce affection only toddlers could manage, declaring him her favorite "big brother" who wasn't actually related to her.
After several spins, Naruto gently lowered Hanabi back to eye level. "Hey, I need to talk to your sister. Can you go get Hinata for me?"
Technically, he could just walk inside. But every single time Naruto entered the Hyūga compound, Hiashi would stare at him with those pale eyes, expression inscrutable but somehow deeply threatening. Like Naruto was a thief who'd come to steal the clan's most precious treasure.
It made his spine prickle with cold sweat.
Better to have Hinata come outside.
"But Naruto-niisan..." Hanabi's lower lip pushed out in an impressive pout. "You didn't fly me enough yet."
"Tell you what," Naruto negotiated. "Go get your sister first, and then I'll fly you as much as you want. Really high this time."
Hanabi's eyes went wide. "Really really high?"
"Really really high," Naruto confirmed.
"Promise?" She held out her tiny pinky finger, face solemn.