The square in front of the Hokage building was alive with celebration. Gongs and drums thundered, fireworks exploded in brilliant reds and golds, and flags waved proudly in the wind. The crowd swelled like a tide, shouting and cheering, their voices echoing across Konoha Village.
Countless children pressed forward, their eyes shining with admiration, calling out Naruto's name. Many girls wiped away tears of excitement, reaching desperately for a glimpse of their hero. Standing beside him were Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi, Teacher Might Guy, Iruka, Teacher Mizuki, and numerous other prominent figures of Konoha, both familiar and unknown. Their eyes shone with approval and respect.
Naruto raised his hat high and shouted, his voice full of pride:
"From today on, I am the Fifth Hokage of Konoha Village!"
The crowd erupted into a deafening roar, a wave of sound that felt like mountains crashing into the ocean.
Even in his sleep, Naruto grinned stupidly, caught up in the joy of the moment. But at that instant, a sudden bolt of lightning struck—directly at "Fifth Hokage-sama" on the roof of the Hokage building!
"Ahhh!" Naruto screamed instinctively, his body twitching, cold sweat soaking his clothes.
Even worse, he hadn't woken up yet.
"What's happening? Why am I being baptized by Lightning Release… in my dream?!"
The system's mechanical voice chimed in:
[Owner is sleeping, but dreams should not be wasted. Sleep is the best time to 'roll' others!]
[Host, please start your dream workout now!]
Naruto's heart nearly stopped.
"W-what?! I… I have to train in my dreams too?!" he yelled. "Tong Zi Ge, this is too much! Give me a break!"
[Opportunities must be seized. If you don't take every chance to catch up, how can you surpass that genius ninja?!]
"True," Naruto muttered, "but training while sleeping? Isn't that… a bit extreme? I'm still a kid!"
[Rest assured. Dream training will not affect your growth. Safety is guaranteed.]
Naruto rolled his eyes. "I almost believed you…"
---
Dream Training Begins
The dream shifted abruptly. The scene transformed into the Ninja Academy training grounds. Under the summer sun, shadows of the trees dappled the ground. Cicadas chirped, and a gentle breeze rustled the leaves. Naruto could even hear the distant laughter of students, the playful shouts and footsteps blending perfectly with the familiar atmosphere.
"Let's start the Ninja competition now!" a voice echoed.
"The first couple to fight…"
"Naruto…"
"Sasuke!"
All eyes turned toward him. Naruto's initial confusion melted away.
"So… this is dream training. A Ninja fight… and my rival is Sasuke?"
His expression, once hopeless, now burned with excitement. The sight of Uchiha Sasuke's arrogant, cool expression fueled his determination. Naruto felt a surge of energy and a desire to retaliate.
"Tong Zi Ge, why didn't you tell me earlier?" he shouted in his mind. "If I knew I was facing Sasuke, I'd have started training sooner!"
Teacher Iruka frowned in his dream.
"Naruto, why are you wandering? First, create the Seal of Confrontation, then the Seal of Reconciliation after the fight."
"I understand, Iruka!" Naruto replied.
Sasuke walked forward, hands in his pockets, eyes narrowed, filled with disdain. Naruto's small frustration boiled over.
"Even in a dream, seeing Sasuke annoys me this much?!" he thought angrily.
Nearby, the little girls screamed in excitement. Sakura Haruno and others shouted adoringly:
"Ahhh, Sasuke-kun is so handsome!"
"Naruto… you have to beat him!"
Only Hinata quietly played with her fingers, softly cheering and praying for him.
Naruto clenched his fists. "I don't care if it's a dream or reality. If I don't hit Sasuke today, I'm not Uzumaki Naruto!"
---
Clash of Rivals
"Heh, Sasuke… today, I'll show you my true power! If you underestimate me, you'll regret it!"
Sasuke's eyes narrowed.
"Huh… braggart," he muttered.
Both formed the 'Seal of Confrontation' simultaneously. Thumbs clasped over ring and pinky fingers, index and middle fingers extended like swords.
Iruka's voice rang out:
"Sparring, begin!"
Naruto's anger, suppressed for years, and the results of his lightning-fast, grueling training finally erupted.
Pat—his foot slammed into the ground, propelling his body like a sharp arrow toward Sasuke.
"Very fast…" Sasuke muttered, his eyes widening. Even the watching teachers and students were shocked by Naruto's explosive speed.
Naruto leapt in front of Sasuke in an instant, delivering a powerful kick. The result of countless private training sessions, combined with lessons learned from Rock Lee, was evident. The force of his attack sent shockwaves even through Sasuke's defense.
Sasuke reacted quickly, bending his elbow to block and forming a hook fist. But… bang! Naruto's explosive strength surpassed his expectations. The block, while successful, caused Sasuke to lose balance, almost toppling over.
"No…" Sasuke's frown deepened as he slammed his left hand on the ground to stabilize himself, swinging his leg in a counterattack aimed at Naruto's foot. Naruto pivoted, using momentum to evade.
The students around gasped in astonishment.
"What's going on? Did Sasuke almost fall?!"
"No… it's Naruto?!"
"How can Diao Che Wei suppress Sasuke-kun like this?!"
Hinata's eyes shimmered, hands trembling in delight at Naruto's performance. Iruka's expression mirrored shock and pride.
"How did Naruto suddenly become this strong?" he muttered.
---
The Kunai Clash
Sasuke's face hardened. From his sleeve, a kunai appeared, spinning expertly between his fingers. Naruto mirrored him, holding his own kunai horizontally, the blade gleaming.
RING! The clash of metal rang out as the kunai collided, sparks flying in all directions.
"Damn… this Diao Che Wei's strength exceeds mine!" Sasuke thought. "But technically… he's still behind me!"
Sasuke attacked with precise, rapid swings. Naruto, though less refined in movement, dodged with all his might. One swing grazed his arm, drawing blood.
"Damn… that bastard Sasuke is tough," Naruto muttered through gritted teeth. Yet each challenge only fueled his determination.
Every strike, every parry, pushed him to the limits of his body and skill. The dream-training system, with its relentless rigor, had forced him to combine speed, power, and strategy in a way he had never done before.
Even in a dream, Naruto was learning, growing stronger with every passing second.
The crowd in his dream—students, teachers, and villagers—watched in awe. Each cheer and gasp served as fuel for his spirit. Naruto had become a whirlwind of energy, ready to surpass even his own limits.
---
The battle had only just begun. The sparks of rivalry, discipline, and determination ignited an unstoppable force within Naruto. This dream was more than practice—it was a crucible forging the strongest form of Uzumaki Naruto, one that could confront any challenge, dream or reality.
Even as he dodged, struck, and countered, Naruto's heart blazed with an unyielding spirit. For him, there was no limit. There was only the path of a ninja—struggling, improving, and becoming the strongest he could be.
And at that moment, the seeds of the greatest version of Naruto were taking root, preparing to bloom into a force that would one day shake the entire ninja world.
patreon (Obito_uchiha)