The dream battle resumed instantly. Naruto and Sasuke clashed once again, their strikes echoing like thunder across the training ground. Yet, just as Naruto was about to land a decisive blow, the scene froze.
"Huh?!" Naruto blinked, caught off guard as he returned to the chaotic dream world.
[Congratulations, Host, on defeating your opponent for the first time. But do not be complacent. Dream enemies evolve and adapt based on your battles. One victory proves nothing. Continue to persevere and work hard!]
Naruto understood what the system meant but couldn't help cheering aloud.
"Ha… haha! I actually beat Sasuke! Even if it's just a dream, the feeling of fighting was completely real!"
[Yes.]
"Then let's keep going!" Naruto's eyes blazed, his fighting spirit soaring. The rush of his first success ignited a fire within him, something far stronger than the fear or frustration he had felt before.
It wasn't failure that fueled him now—it was success. That first taste of victory, even against a simulated Sasuke, had given him unprecedented confidence. For the first time, Naruto realized he had a real chance of defeating his long-time rival.
Uchiha Sasuke—the untouchable genius he had once seen as unreachable—was no longer invincible. Naruto acknowledged, deep down, that although he often teased or even disliked Sasuke outwardly, he had always admired him. Sasuke's talents, his genius, and the respect he commanded were something Naruto had longed to match.
And now, the only way to truly earn recognition from someone like Sasuke was to defeat him outright. Last night's dream had given Naruto the first glimpse of that possibility.
Throughout the night, he engaged in repeated simulated Ninja competitions. As the system explained, Sasuke would evolve with each battle, countering Naruto's previous tactics. A single strike or surprise attack would no longer guarantee victory.
Naruto quickly realized he was at a disadvantage in comprehensive skill: speed, tactics, and technical finesse were all areas where Sasuke excelled. Yet, with each sparring session, Naruto's experience accumulated, his instincts sharpened, and his combat sense matured.
Had anyone else seen him, they might have assumed he was insane. But Naruto had witnessed the dawn before the sun rose over Konoha, training relentlessly at two in the morning, pushing his young body to its limits. His skin glistened with sweat under the first rays of sunlight, bruises and scrapes decorating his face from repeated blows.
He remembered the words of Teacher Might Guy: Youth must burn! Naruto understood now. True strength demanded passion, pain, and sacrifice.
Hours passed in the dream training, and just as his energy began to wane, the system's alarm rang sharply in his ears.
[It's six in the morning. Host, please awaken and prepare for a new day of training.]
Naruto rubbed his eyes, dazed, staring at the soft morning light. For a moment, he wondered if he was still trapped in a dream. The illusions of the night had been so vivid that reality felt distant, almost intangible.
[If full consciousness is not regained, the system can grant a free baptism of Lightning Release.]
"…I'm awake!" Naruto exclaimed, stretching and throwing off the covers. He opened the window, letting the summer morning sun wash over him. The world felt real again—yet part of him still remembered the battles, the shouts, the adrenaline of a life-and-death fight.
"Oh, right… I think I beat Sasuke in my dream!" Naruto's lips curled into a grin, and a surge of satisfaction filled him.
[Actually, Host, you fought Sasuke thirty-seven times last night and only won three. Rather than saying you beat him, it's more accurate to say you were mostly defeated.]
Naruto choked on a gulp of water, sputtering. "Thirty-seven times?!" He laughed, accepting the truth. This was only the beginning. Real victory would come with perseverance and growth.
He picked up a pen and wrote four messy, bold characters on a piece of paper: Defeat Sasuke. He stuck it prominently below another note: Become Hokage. Naruto clapped his hands in satisfaction.
"Today is a day full of fighting spirit! Work hard, succeed! Hokage write, Sasuke 'give me!'"
But the system had no intention of letting him rest.
[Host's parameters have improved. Your body can withstand far more pressure. Ordinary handstand walking can no longer meet training requirements. Please perform weighted one-handed handstand walking and simultaneously complete cultural studies.]
Naruto froze.
"Wait… I have to do all that at once?!"
Just then, a roar echoed across Konoha Village—a surreal, heartbreaking sound of intensity and struggle.
"This… isn't true!" Naruto groaned. The system's demands escalated immediately. Weighted handstands, mental focus, and physical endurance all at once—it was nearly impossible.
He grabbed two dumbbells, launched into a handstand, and lifted them with one hand, trying to balance while simultaneously reading a Ninja textbook. Mount Tai itself might have felt lighter than the strain on his shoulders.
"Ah… ahhh!" Naruto gasped, cold sweat pouring down his face. Yet, thanks to his recent grueling training, his stamina and durability allowed him to endure.
Still, this was no ordinary challenge. A one-handed weighted handstand demanded not only strength but perfect balance and coordination. Naruto's body shook violently as he struggled to hold the position, the textbook clutched in his other hand.
"Ahhh! This is impossible!" he cried, tumbling forward with a thud. Tears streaked his cheeks as he scrambled to regain control.
[Host, training begins immediately, or Lightning Release will commence in 5… 4…]
"Okay! I'm doing it!" Naruto shouted, determination blazing in his eyes.
Again, he threw the dumbbells, caught them with his feet, and lifted one hand to grab the textbook. He began reading while holding the impossible pose.
"'A quiet place is no place to hide. The most important thing for a Ninja is to seize opportunities…'" Naruto muttered aloud, struggling to coordinate mind and body.
A dumbbell slipped. He fell again, landing hard on the floor, a bump forming on his head. Yet he did not complain. He pushed himself again, repeating the exercise with grit and precision.
Then he remembered something important: the system allowed him to activate special abilities.
[Physical Strength Monster]—Naruto activated it instantly, and his body felt a surge of power, as if every muscle had been reinforced. The weight he had struggled with moments ago now seemed lighter, though maintaining balance remained a formidable challenge.
Next came [Knowledge Absorption]. Naruto focused fully. Words on the page flowed into his mind effortlessly, like a sponge soaking in water. He could feel his understanding deepening with each sentence, each paragraph.
Yet even with these powers, the training remained brutal. Another fall, another thud, reminded him that true mastery required patience, coordination, and endurance—not just strength or speed.
Still, Naruto persevered. Dumbbells in place, textbook in hand, he trained relentlessly, sweat pouring, body trembling, determination unshakable.
Every repetition, every attempt, was a step closer to the Ninja he aspired to be—a Ninja capable of challenging even Sasuke.
This was no ordinary morning. It was a testament to his spirit, his growth, and his unwavering resolve. Through dream battles, brutal physical training, and the guidance of the system, Naruto edged ever closer to greatness.
The journey had just begun, and there was no turning back.
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