"Isn't this method a bit too simple? Are you sure this will work?"
The little Uchiha girl who called herself "Yue" frowned as she took her position according to Naruto's instructions. Her small face was full of doubt.
The training method Naruto had taught her was far too simple. It was nothing more than adjusting her stance, making subtle changes to the strength in her wrist, and calculating a few throwing angles. It was nothing like the "secret technique" she'd imagined—something that could turn a person into a throwing master overnight. In fact, it didn't even seem as impressive as the occasional tips her sister gave her on a whim.
Her sister…
The moment she thought of the black-haired girl who always wore the high-collared clan uniform, Yue's eyes dimmed slightly. Her sister had clearly promised to teach her shuriken techniques, but every time, she would just gently poke her forehead and say in that soft yet distant tone, "Next time."
Then she'd leave with that annoying Shisui, leaving Yue alone to practice against the wooden targets.
"What's wrong?" Naruto deliberately dragged out his tone. "I've heard that the Uchiha clan are all geniuses. Could it be… you don't have the courage to back up that talent and give it a try?"
"What?!"
Yue suddenly looked up, her dark eyes instantly igniting with fighting spirit. "Of course that's not it! Fine, let's do it. I'll show you just how amazing the Uchiha are!"
She puffed up her cheeks and assumed her stance, looking as though she were facing a formidable enemy.
So easy to coax…
Naruto suppressed a smile as he watched the little Uchiha bristle. The way she pressed her lips together in total concentration strangely reminded him of a proud black cat at a cat café in his previous life—one that clearly wanted the dried fish treats but insisted on waiting until someone placed the food on the ground before walking over with feigned dignity.
After silently teasing her in his mind, he bent down and casually picked up a few smooth pebbles from the ground, weighing them lightly in his palm to feel their shape and balance.
"Ready?" Naruto confirmed with a glance, then flicked his wrist.
Whoosh!
The pebble cut through the air in a sharp arc, shooting straight toward Uchiha Yue.
Yue's eyes narrowed like a young kitten locking onto its prey. Her slender fingers had already gripped a shuriken, and she flung it out almost the instant the pebble arrived.
Clang!
Metal and stone collided precisely in midair, producing a crisp impact. The pebble split in half and fell to the ground.
"Hmph!"
Yue puffed out her small chest proudly, the corners of her mouth lifting into a faintly smug expression.
"Not done yet—take this!"
Naruto didn't stop. This time, three pebbles flew out in a triangular formation. Yue quickly pulled fresh shuriken from her pouch, her arm moving in rapid succession.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Three crisp sounds rang out almost simultaneously, small sparks bursting in the air.
As the practice continued, their rhythm grew faster and faster. The sound of pebbles and shuriken colliding echoed through the forest, and the occasional sparks looked especially bright in the fading light.
Naruto began to change his strategy. He no longer threw in straight lines. Instead, the pebbles flew out at tricky angles—some arcing high in parabolas, some skimming low along the ground, and others even colliding mid-flight to change direction.
At first, Yue grew a little flustered, missing several throws in a row. But she quickly steadied her breathing and began predicting Naruto's trajectories. Her small body shifted positions nimbly, and the angles of her shuriken became increasingly precise.
Just as I thought…
Naruto marveled inwardly. Though the girl before him was still very young, her sharp perception and rapid learning ability truly lived up to the Uchiha reputation for genius.
In truth, this method was rather clumsy. At its core, it was just brute memorization. But that kind of heavy, repetitive method was perfect for training a genius.
And if an ordinary person were the one throwing pebbles, the girl in front of him would probably get bored immediately—there'd be almost no challenge. But since Naruto himself was also a genius, their rhythms matched perfectly, forming a natural, tacit tempo.
——————
As time passed, the glow of the sunset gradually dyed the sky red. The light in the forest grew soft and hazy. Their shadows overlapped on the ground.
Naruto wiped the sweat from his forehead, feeling a slight soreness in his arms. Today's practice had become far more intense than he'd expected. He'd only planned to casually practice his shuriken, but trading throws with Yue had made the time fly by. Still, the gains were real. Stimulated by her presence, he'd tried plenty of new angles and methods of exerting force. His feel for the throws was sharper than when he trained alone.
As expected, training with someone else really is different…
He bent down, grabbed two leather water pouches from beside his pack, and casually tossed one to Yue.
Yue instinctively caught it. A few hours ago, she would've awkwardly refused, or at least said something stubborn. But now, she simply unscrewed the cap and tilted her head back to drink.
The cool water soothed her dry throat, and only then did she realize how much she'd been sweating. A few strands of her black hair clung to her neck, and the back of her clothes was slightly damp.
Well, it was a hot-blooded shōnen world. Even after such long, intense training, her body didn't feel especially tired. Instead, there was a refreshing sense of fulfillment.
"Alright,"
Naruto put down his water pouch and let out a long breath. "Thanks for practicing with me today. The sun's almost down. Are you heading home now?"
Yue nodded lightly and screwed the cap back on. "…Yeah. Mom should be finishing dinner soon. What about you?"
"…I don't have parents, so I made a lunchbox myself." Naruto scratched his cheek. "I'm getting hungry too. I'll probably eat by the river."
Hearing that, Yue froze for a moment. She hadn't expected that the blond boy her age was an orphan. Even though they'd only just met, his words made a faint ache spread through her chest.
Eating alone… must be really lonely.
The dusk deepened, and the evening breeze rustled through the treetops with a soft whisper. Yue suddenly spoke again, her voice gentler than before.
"I see…" She paused. "If I go back now, dinner probably isn't ready yet. I… I can stay with you a little longer."
As if that sounded too direct, she quickly turned her face away and added, "Of course! That's just because I'm free right now!"
Naruto blinked, a trace of surprise flashing through his eyes before turning into a warm smile. "Then I'll take you up on that." He pointed toward the distance. "The river looks really nice in the evening."