[Check Out My P4treon For +30 Extra Chapters On All My Fanfics!! And get chapters before publishing them here for free on my p4treon][https://p4treon.com/talkfictome]
===
Hard work has a way of making time slip through one's fingers.
In the blink of an eye, several days had passed. It was on this morning that Naruto finally met the new companion Kiba had been bragging about for weeks: Akamaru.
At this stage, Akamaru was tiny—a fluffy, moving ball of white fur that looked so delicate Naruto felt he could scoop the pup up with a single hand. However, Naruto didn't reach for him. Instead, he crouched down with clinical curiosity, extending a single finger to let the little guy catch his scent.
Akamaru approached timidly, his wet nose twitching as it brushed Naruto's fingertip.
Kiba beamed, holding Akamaru aloft like a prized treasure. He puffed out his chest and declared, "Listen, Naruto! Akamaru's food allowance has to be higher than mine. He needs the best meat and the highest nutrition to grow into a beast!"
Despite Kiba's serious face, Naruto didn't agree to the price hike. He simply smiled, rubbing the pup's head and shaking his own. He didn't bring meals for Shikamaru, Choji, Kiba, and Shino to turn a profit. He did it because he wanted to.
For Naruto, the warmth passed between these lunchboxes was far more precious than ryo. It was only when he was gathered with his circle of friends—laughing, sharing food, and arguing over chips—that he truly felt the vibrant reality of this world. In these moments, the cold detachment of his "Underworld" persona and the deliberate acting of the "Little Sun" mask would quietly melt away.
He wasn't a phantom from a past life's screen; he was alive, breathing the air of Konoha and feeling the sun on his skin. He possessed the extraordinary power of Chakra, and through his own calculated efforts, he had touched the essence of Wood Release. His mastery was still immature—better for landscaping than for the Deep Forest Emergence—but the growth was tangible. This reality, combined with the loyalty of his friends, formed the bedrock of his resolve.
"By the way, Naruto," Kiba said, hoisting Akamaru onto his head where the pup nestled into his messy hair. He looked at Naruto with expectant, hungry eyes. "Can you secretly teach us a couple of those moves?"
He gestured wildly with his hands. "Those two moves you used against Sasuke in practice? The 'swish—bang!' ones? They were legendary!"
His voice wasn't exactly a whisper. Sasuke, sitting in the center of the front row, heard the words "against Sasuke" with grating clarity. He snapped his head around, directed a lethal, cold glare toward the back of the room.
Instead of backing down, Kiba's smugness reached a fever pitch. He threw an arm around Naruto's shoulder and flashed Sasuke a provocative, punchable grin that practically screamed, Yeah, I said it. What are you going to do?
Naruto, caught in the middle, felt a wave of mild helplessness. "Those are Guy-sensei's techniques, Kiba. It's called the Leaf Whirlwind. Since he's our teacher now, he'll probably teach the basics to everyone eventually."
Naruto could see Sasuke's knuckles whitening, the boy looking as if he were about to launch himself across the desks. Yet, Naruto didn't push Kiba away. He allowed the interaction to play out, observing the shifting social dynamics with the eye of a strategist.
Kiba, oblivious to—or perhaps fueled by—Sasuke's murderous aura, continued to gesture. "Not just the kick! I mean the move after that! Where you went 'Bang!' and pinned him to the dirt with one hand! That one was the real deal!"
Slam!
Sasuke could no longer restrain the Uchiha temper. He slammed his hands onto his desk and stood up abruptly, his gaze like a whetted kunai fixed on Kiba. The air in the classroom seemed to drop several degrees. A surge of volcanic anger burned in his chest: I admit I can't beat that monster Uzumaki Naruto right now, but do you really think I can't dismantle you, Inuzuka?!
"Alright, Kiba. Give it a rest," Shikamaru sighed from nearby, finding the provocation utterly troublesome. At the same time, several girls who idolized Sasuke cast vitriolic glances at Kiba, a chorus of dissatisfied whispers rising in the room.
Kiba didn't care. He knew that four out of their group of five were heirs to major clans; their family ties were too intertwined for a schoolyard spat to cause a real diplomatic incident. As for the civilian students, they'd likely go their separate ways after graduation. And Sasuke? Kiba had long been annoyed by that sullen "everyone-owes-me-money" expression. Normally, he wouldn't provoke the Uchiha because he liked his teeth where they were, but today he felt emboldened by Naruto's presence.
"Enough, Kiba," Naruto said, finally intervening. He patted Kiba's shoulder, signaling a ceasefire. Naruto knew that despite Kiba's bravado, he stood no chance against an Uchiha who had already awakened the Sharingan. If a fight broke out, Kiba would be the one leaving on a stretcher.
"Sasuke, I apologize on Kiba's behalf," Naruto said, his tone level and sincere. Since Kiba had ignited the fuse, a diplomatic apology was the most efficient way to maintain the classroom's equilibrium.
"Hmph!"
Seeing Naruto step in, Sasuke realized the confrontation was over. With a heart full of unvented frustration, he let out a cold snort and sat back down. His spine remained rigid, a clear indicator of his simmering rage.
Naruto gave Kiba a warning glance. Kiba caught the signal and sheepishly withdrew his arm, scratching his head.
"If you really want to spar in the future, you can come to me," Naruto said to Kiba, his voice dropping to a serious register. "But you really can't beat Sasuke right now. Don't go looking for a fight you can't finish."
"Hehe, I know, I know!" Kiba bumped Naruto's shoulder, his grin returning. "It's only because you're standing right here! If you weren't, I definitely wouldn't have been that loud."
He said it with a mock righteousness that was purely childish. Naruto shook his head. He knows his limits, he just enjoys testing Sasuke's, Naruto thought. It was a simple, juvenile temper, but it was another thread of the "reality" he was learning to appreciate.
===
Note: So far this story is published up to chapter 45 on my patreon, go check it out
exclusive 18+ character images, and early chapters, please visit my Patreon. Thanks for your support!
p4treon.com/talkfictome
if you want more updates == supports with power stones
Every 10 Power Stones == Bonus Chapter
every three 5-star reviews == Bonus Chapter