Naruto sat across from Hinata with a smile and said to her, "Hinata, why are you looking at me secretly? If you like looking at me, you can just look directly. I'm not that stingy."
"Uh... uh..." Hinata lowered her head, fidgeting with her fingers, unable to say a word.
"Alright, alright." Naruto didn't know how to ease her, so he sighed and decided to leave to focus on other things.
He returned to Sasuke and said, "What do you think about what I told you earlier? Since we'll be on the same team, why don't we start working together to get stronger from today?"
Sasuke thought for a moment with his usual cold expression, then looked at Naruto and said, "We have to fight one more time! This time doesn't count!"
Naruto chuckled and said, "It seems you're still not convinced that I beat you earlier! Let's go to the training grounds this time!"
Soon, they reached the school's training grounds. Since the school had already closed, no one was there except the graduating students.
When Naruto and Sasuke arrived, little Sakura noticed Sasuke wasn't in class and came over, standing by the training field and calling out to Sasuke, "Come on, Sasuke-kun! Knock Naruto down and show him how strong you are!"
Naruto heard this and turned to Sasuke, saying sarcastically, "Sasuke, we have an audience this time, so you better show your skills!"
After saying that, he clasped his hands together, summoning a large number of Shadow Clones that rushed toward Sasuke.
"Hmph! This trick again? I won't let my guard down this time!" Sasuke said coldly, forming hand seals and taking a deep breath: "Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!"
Suddenly, a huge fireball shot toward Naruto.
"Ha, are you insulting me, Sasuke? Using that kind of jutsu that can't hurt anyone."
As he spoke, Naruto used his Shadow Clones as steps, jumping high in the air and diving down toward Sasuke.
Sasuke snorted coldly, raising his head as his fireball continued to ascend, covering the "Naruto" in midair.
Unfortunately, that was just one of Naruto's Shadow Clones.
Meanwhile, several more Shadow Clones approached Sasuke from the sides and back.
"Sasuke, watch out!" Little Sakura shouted from a distance.
Naruto scoffed quietly: "How annoying."
Sasuke was focusing on his fire jutsu, not paying attention to the sides or behind, and Naruto's tactic was about to succeed—until Sakura's interference.
"Bang, bang, bang."
Sasuke burned the clones on both sides with the Great Fireball, then turned and kicked the other clone behind him.
"Sasuke-kun! Watch your back!" Little Sakura's voice came again.
Sasuke was irritated, but he decided to look back just in case, despite his frustration with Sakura's constant warnings.
But Sasuke found himself fooled, as there was nothing behind him! That last warning from Sakura was part of Naruto's trick!
Too late to react, several Shadow Clones jumped on Sasuke, holding him tightly.
Naruto dispelled his Shadow Clones and said with a grin, "You lost! This is the second time, Sasuke."
"Hmph!"
Losing twice to someone he had always looked down on was hard for Sasuke to accept, especially with Sakura watching.
Sasuke turned and left, glaring coldly at Sakura as he passed her, making her eyes water.
Then Naruto received a notification in his mind: "Ding-dong! Long-term mission: [Seven Defeats of Sasuke] has been released. Reward: mysterious and unknown!"
"Seven Defeats of Sasuke? Isn't that like [The Seven Captures of Meng Huo]?" Naruto muttered with excitement: "Mysterious rewards? I love mysteries, haha!"
As Naruto left the training ground, he passed by the crying Sakura and tried to console her, "Sakura, I..."
"I hate you, you fool!" Sakura shouted angrily at Naruto, "You used my voice to trick Sasuke! Now he definitely hates me! You can only beat him with tricks! Fool! Loser!"
Then Sakura turned and left, likely heading after Sasuke.
"Ugh, shut up!" Naruto muttered angrily, "Why are you following him anyway? Pathetic!"
Naruto left the training grounds feeling down. He had been in a good mood after defeating Sasuke and receiving a mission, but Sakura ruined it.
---
The students returned to class after lunch.
Naruto ran to his seat, panting from his workout on the training field. He sat down beside Sasuke and said, "Sasuke, what do you think about working together to get stronger? I'll help you get your revenge someday!"
Sasuke said nothing, but Naruto added, "Maybe you'll agree after I beat you next time."
Sasuke scowled in response, his face clearly displeased.
Soon, the Jonin leaders of each team entered to collect their groups.
Hinata got up to leave as her teacher, Kurenai, came to call the teams, and as she passed Naruto, she murmured shyly, "Naruto-kun, keep it up!"
Naruto smiled, took her hand gently, and said, "But I heard you! Work hard too, so you can catch up with me!"
"Yes." Hinata blushed and quickly pulled her hand away, running out with a flushed face.
Kurenai watched this scene with an amused smile, reminiscing about her own younger days with Asuma.
But little Sakura, who overheard, couldn't resist commenting: "Hinata, trying to keep up with that loser?"
Naruto turned and replied sarcastically, "Did anyone ever tell you how annoying you are, big forehead?"
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