Chapter 92: Sasuke-san, I'm Done For
"Is that for real?"
"Sasuke, you… you wouldn't, right?"
After hearing Naruto's words, the others all stood up one by one, staring at Sasuke in shock.
As Sasuke's teammate, Naruto definitely understood him better than they did. If Naruto said something like this, it wouldn't be completely baseless.
"Dead last, is your brain broken? What crime have I committed that I'd actually defect?"
Sasuke felt strange inside, 'Naruto shouldn't have this level of insight', but his face remained perfectly calm.
What Sasuke said was logically sound, and the others immediately relaxed and sat back down.
"Yeah, Sasuke didn't steal the Scroll of Seals. Why would he defect for no reason?"
"Naruto, what kind of nonsense is going on in that head of yours?"
"..."
This time, Naruto didn't blurt out something carefree like he usually did. Instead, he looked straight at Sasuke with serious eyes, clenched a fist, and thumped it against his own chest.
"Sasuke, I, I can feel how you're feeling. When you're in pain, my heart hurts too."
Good grief. Did the heartfelt confession from the Valley of the End leak out early?
Hearing Naruto say this, Sasuke let out a relieved smile. But just as the corner of his mouth lifted, he immediately forced it back down.
"You've got it wrong, dead last. I have no reason to defect. I just want to go out and improve my strength, and help you out while I'm at it."
"Really? But the way you're saying it… it still feels like you're defecting."
Naruto sounded doubtful.
"Idiot."
Sasuke pointed at Hinata. "Then does her sister count as a defector? And what about Jiraiya at the door, and the current Hokage? They weren't in the village either for a long time, wandering around outside, right?"
"Whoa, that actually makes a lot of sense. Hehe. Guess I really was overthinking it."
Naruto scratched his head and laughed.
"Idiot."
"Then I'll leave it to you, Sasuke. How about we act tonight?"
"That works. But you listen to my orders."
"No problem!"
The two reached an agreement.
Watching this scene, everyone else, except Choji, froze, chopsticks suspended in midair.
Above the barbecue restaurant, Ino was eavesdropping, holding a small notebook and jotting down information. When she heard the exchange between Naruto and Sasuke, she froze as well.
Wasn't the tone and content of their conversation a bit… too outrageous?
It felt like the kind of scene that only showed up in romance novels.
"Wait."
Thinking of romance novels, Ino suddenly realized something terrifying.
There were classic tropes in romance novels, like the heroine accidentally tripping, falling on top of the hero, and kissing him.
And Naruto and Sasuke… the two of them had once, under the gaze of the entire class.
Ino grabbed her head with both hands and muttered to herself, "No wonder they didn't invite Sakura. So that's how it is…"
Her worldview shattered, Ino stumbled back to the medical department in a daze.
"Ino, you're back! How did it go?"
Seeing Ino return, Sakura hurried over.
"Mm."
Ino nodded, her expression blank.
"What happened? Why do you look like that?"
Sakura immediately grew worried.
"There are two pieces of good news and one piece of bad news."
Ino slowly walked over and sat down. "First, you don't need to worry, nothing happened over there. Second, you don't need to agonize over whether Naruto likes you anymore."
"Huh? Why? And what's the bad news?"
Sakura was confused. If nothing had happened, why was there bad news?
"Naruto is going to be your love rival."
"Oh."
"..."
"WHAT?!"
Sakura snapped back to her senses and dug a finger into her ear. "Ino-pig, what are you talking about?!"
"It's true. You need to accept this cruel reality."
Ino recounted everything she had seen and heard at the barbecue restaurant.
"What are you even saying? And is that really the important part?! We need to tell Tsunade-sama about this immediately!"
After listening, Sakura's focus was entirely on the fact that Sasuke was about to leave the village.
"Wait! Do you want Sasuke to hate you?"
Ino grabbed Sakura's hand. "Sasuke wants to get stronger. Naruto supports him. But if you report him and ruin his plan to leave the village, do you really think you'll still have a chance against Naruto?"
"..."
Sakura was speechless.
Why did it sound like she was genuinely competing with Naruto over Sasuke now?
Still, Ino's words did make some sense. They really couldn't report it.
Meanwhile, the barbecue gathering came to an end.
According to the plan Sasuke had laid out, he would leave the village that very night. Naruto would look for him around the village the next morning, then leave the village to chase him.
After Naruto left, Jiraiya would then leave the village to chase Naruto.
However, before leaving the village, Sasuke went to the Hokage Building. He opened a window and tossed a letter onto the Hokage's desk.
He didn't want to actually be caught.
The best method was, expose Naruto.
After dropping off the letter, Sasuke leapt across the rooftops and left the village, disappearing into the night.
"That guy Sasuke really does have issues."
Not long after Sasuke left, Naruto's head popped up by the window of the Hokage's office. Moving with practiced ease, he flipped inside and took the letter.
Walking through the empty streets of Konoha, Naruto opened the letter.
Reading Sasuke's cold, merciless exposure of his plan to take the opportunity to leave the village, Naruto ground his teeth.
"Sasuke, this is… dis-dis… dis what again?"
"Good thing the great Uzumaki Naruto is smart. I'd better hurry back and wake up the pervy sage and set off right away…"
Naruto clenched the letter and turned to go find Jiraiya.
"Huh? What's that sound?"
Naruto looked around in confusion. He seemed to hear someone shouting?
"Ahhhhh!"
The shouting grew closer and closer.
"Huh?"
Naruto finally traced the sound to its source and looked up, only to see a pitch-black butt.
Thud.
Someone landed squarely on his face. Naruto felt dizzy and disoriented, even wondering if he was hallucinating. Why did it smell like Sasuke?
"Ugh, who dares attack the great Uzumaki Naruto?!"
Thud.
Just as Naruto tried to move, something else fell onto him.
This time it seemed to "land headfirst," crashing straight into his lower body.
"OWWWW!"
Naruto let out a shrill scream and passed out on the spot.
"It's over, Sasuke-san, I'm done for!"
"It's fine. Calm down. Keep your voice down, don't let the night patrol ninja notice us…"
"I can't calm down, Sasuke-san! It's bleeding! Hurry and use your invincible Sharingan to think of something!"
"..."
Crackle.
A flash of lightning appeared.
The unconscious Naruto twitched twice. His wound was scorched by Lightning Release, successfully stopping the bleeding.
"...Sasuke-san, I feel like I'm really done for this time."
"Don't worry. He has the Uzumaki physique and the power of the tailed beast. He'll recover quickly. Send him home for now. We'll make contact again tomorrow…"
(End of this chapter)