Naruto scrutinized the little girl before him.
She wore a simple, practical short outfit; the fabric wasn't luxurious, but it was well-tailored, clearly designed for ease of movement. A small ninja tool pouch was tied at her waist, something not typically carried by ordinary children.
She didn't look like a young lady from a wealthy family, but neither did she resemble a common villager's child…
After a brief silence, Naruto took the initiative to speak.
"Um… may I ask who you are?"
His tone was polite; after all, the girl was so cute, and Naruto instinctively wanted to be friendly. But if she showed that look of disgust, like other villagers… Naruto would turn and leave immediately.
However, before leaving, he would definitely pinch her cheek hard to let her know not to look down on people so casually!
The black-haired loli stood still, her small hands unconsciously fiddling with the corner of her clothes. After a moment of hesitation, she finally raised her chin slightly, trying her best to put on an arrogant expression.
"…Hmph, that move just now was pretty good."
Her voice was deliberately kept cool, but a hint of unhidden childishness lingered in her tone.
"However, before asking who someone is, shouldn't you introduce yourself first?"
After saying this, she added, "Besides, this is where my sister and I usually train. But you… why are you practicing here?"
…A tsundere?
Naruto felt like laughing; she certainly wasn't like this when she was hiding behind the tree, exclaiming 'so amazing'!
The loli's remark, "This is my sister's and my training ground," made Naruto understand why she was there.
This patch of woods on the outskirts of Konoha Village wasn't a public training ground; it was just an open space he had stumbled upon. The simple targets nailed to the tree trunks looked quite old.
Oh no, he had casually occupied someone else's territory…
Although there were dedicated training grounds in Konoha Village, Naruto preferred to run a bit farther. After all, he really didn't want to practice shuriken throwing under the watchful, disgusted eyes of the villagers.
The little girl's attitude was subtle; it wasn't aloofness or disgust, but a deliberate disdain and pride. Her small chin was held high, but her obsidian-like eyes sparkled, occasionally peeking at the kunai stuck in the bullseye.
This awkward yet proud demeanor, combined with her outstanding appearance and the nearby geographical location…
The Uchiha Clan.
Naruto had a vague guess in his heart.
"Ah? Oh… thank you for the compliment." Naruto flashed a friendly smile. "My name is Naruto. Is this your and your sister's training ground? I apologize for using it without permission."
He deliberately slowed his speech, observing her reaction.
"If you don't want me to use it, I can leave right now."
The loli's brow furrowed almost imperceptibly. She had expected the blond boy to proactively explain his throwing technique, but he had unexpectedly steered the conversation toward the training ground's usage rights.
After a few seconds of silence, she finally couldn't hold it in. Her small face flushed slightly, and she blurted out stiffly, "If you absolutely have to use it… I don't have any objections!"
As soon as the words left her mouth, she regretted it—wouldn't that make her seem too agreeable? So she quickly straightened her face and added,
"However! Your throwing technique… how did you practice it, exactly?"
Seeming to find this too direct, she frantically waved her small hands. "Don't misunderstand! I was just asking casually! You should know! The Uchiha Clan's throwing technique is the strongest! Your level… is nothing at all!"
By the end, her voice grew softer and softer, and the tips of her ears began to turn red.
Watching the little girl, who clearly cared immensely but stubbornly pretended not to, Naruto couldn't help but let his lips curl into a slight smile.
She really was a classic Uchiha tsundere…
He deliberately slowly drew a kunai from his ninja tool pouch and skillfully twirled it around his fingertips.
"I have my own training method, you know—one I developed myself."
Before he finished speaking, with a slight flick of his wrist, the kunai suddenly vanished from his fingers as if by magic. The loli's eyes instantly widened, her dark pupils filled with surprise. Before she could react, Naruto's hand deftly flipped again.
Swish!
Three kunai were somehow already wedged between his fingers, glinting with a cold metallic sheen in the setting sun.
So amazing! How did he do that?!
The loli's lips parted slightly; she almost gasped aloud. Her large, obsidian-like eyes stared unblinkingly at Naruto's fingers, filled with longing and curiosity. But the next second, as if realizing her lapse, she quickly turned her face away.
Naruto looked at her expression; he probably understood how to deal with this kind of tsundere.
"Hmm… it was wrong of me to use your and your sister's training ground without permission." He deliberately softened his tone. "But I also know that the Uchiha Clan's throwing technique is absolutely top-notch in Konoha Village."
Noticing the loli's ears subtly perk up, Naruto continued to coax her.
"How about this, do you want to practice with me? Two people always make faster progress than one."
He jingled the kunai in his hand, a cunning smile on his face. "I can teach you how to do that move from just now, consider it payment for borrowing your training ground, what do you say?"