"Actual combat class, huh? Tch. The most annoying part of school," Naruto muttered, watching two classmates trade slow, clumsy punches.
After a month of training, he'd gotten stronger—still no monster like the legends in his comics, but strong enough to mop the floor with kids who could barely throw a kunai. The only one worth fighting now was Sasuke Uchiha.
Born in the Uchiha clan, trained by elite instructors since childhood, Sasuke wasn't someone to underestimate. For Naruto, who'd been training for barely a month under the Rikudō Shingon's divine trolling, Sasuke was a proper rival.
"Alright, you two did well. I'll give you both a B rank. Keep it up," Iruka said, smiling at the panting students.
"Thank you, Iruka-sensei!" one of them shouted, skipping off to brag to friends.
Naruto just shook his head. "Kids…"
He'd seen real battles—world-ending duels in stories, gods clashing in the void. Compared to that, these little sparring matches were playground scuffles. His strength was still small, but his eyes were set high.
"Next match: Sasuke Uchiha versus Naruto Uzumaki!" Iruka called out.
Naruto froze mid-thought. "Wait—me? Against Sasuke?"
He squinted suspiciously at Iruka. No way this isn't revenge for all my late arrivals.
Still, he stepped into the arena. Sasuke was already there, standing tall and confident. They formed the Seal of Reconciliation—that ridiculous "peace" gesture before every fight.
Naruto sighed. "What's the point? We're literally about to punch each other."
He didn't dare say it out loud, though. Iruka's punishments were worse than any fireball.
The seal broke. In a flash, fists met with a crack! The force sent Naruto skidding backward across the dirt.
Strong.That was his first impression.
Sasuke's punch carried real weight. Not overwhelming—but enough to remind Naruto he wasn't dealing with some Academy pushover. Their speeds matched. Strength, too. But experience... that was Sasuke's edge.
If this were the old Naruto, he'd lose. But the current Naruto had something else entirely—his Rikudō Shingon, the divine-trolling system, and its mysterious Six Powers.
Sasuke, too, was shocked. The "dead-last" of the class had actually blocked his first blow. His eyes narrowed. This wasn't the same idiot who used to fall asleep in class.
"Not bad, dobe," Sasuke muttered.
Naruto grinned. "Same to you, teme."
They charged. Fists, kicks, kunai strikes—all blurring into motion. Each impact sent dust swirling around them.
From the sidelines, Kiba whistled. "Damn, they're really going at it!"
Shikamaru groaned. "Troublesome... this is gonna reach my dad somehow. Then I'll get another lecture about 'friendship' and 'competition.'"
Chōji, meanwhile, kept eating. Priorities.
Hinata's hands clenched on her desk. "N-Naruto-kun…"
Ino and Sakura watched, eyes darting between the two. Sasuke had that dark cool aura—but Naruto's energy, his grin... it was getting harder to ignore.
Back in the ring, Sasuke moved first. His kunai flashed.
Naruto drew his own, and sparks flew as metal clashed.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The final strike separated them again. Both stood breathing hard, eyes locked.
"You're strong," Sasuke said.
Naruto smirked. "You're not weak either."
"But," Sasuke said, forming quick seals, "you're about to lose."
"Wait—seriously? Ninjutsu already?!"
Sasuke inhaled, chest swelling with chakra. "Fire Style—Great Fireball Jutsu!"
A blazing orb burst from his mouth, roaring toward Naruto.
[Rikudō Shingon]: Host, left side. Unless you wish to explore the afterlife prematurely.
Naruto's eyes flared. "Ten'on—activate!"
He could hear Sasuke's chakra flow, every flicker, every breath. His world sharpened.
Then, "Ten'gan—open!"
Time slowed. Naruto stepped left just as the fireball struck the ground, exploding into heat and smoke. The dirt charred black.
[Rikudō Shingon]: Marvelous. Truly, Host, you've mastered the ancient art of "not dying."
Naruto grinned, brushing soot from his jacket. Sasuke looked exhausted—his chakra nearly drained.
"Looks like you're out of chakra, Uchiha," Naruto said. "Guess I win."
Sasuke glared, jaw tight. He hated losing, but he couldn't deny it.
Naruto walked past him, tapping Sasuke's shoulder. "You'll catch up someday. Maybe."
[Rikudō Shingon]: Such mercy. Truly saintlike, Host. Shall I record this act for your future scriptures?
"Shut up," Naruto muttered, heading off the field.
Iruka sighed in relief. "Alright, that's enough! Great job, both of you!"
Sasuke turned away with a cold snort. "Tch… next time."
Naruto grinned. "Sure. Just don't burn the forest down."
He didn't stay for the rest of class. He had other things to test—like how much further he could push the Rikudō Shingon before collapsing into Kyōmetsu again.
Behind him, Sasuke clenched his fists, silently fuming. For the first time, the so-called "genius" had been outmatched by the class clown.
[Rikudō Shingon]: And so begins the holy rivalry of idiots and prodigies. Rejoice, Host, for destiny just got entertaining.