Naruto stared at the little girl in front of him.
She wore a simple, neat training outfit—not too fancy, but well-tailored for easy movement. A small ninja pouch was tied around her waist, something no ordinary child would carry.
She didn't look like a pampered rich kid, but she clearly wasn't from a regular villager family either...
After a brief silence, Naruto spoke first.
"Um... who are you?"
His tone was polite. She was just too cute—Naruto instinctively wanted to get closer. But if she gave him one of those disgusted looks like the other villagers... he'd turn and leave immediately.
Though, before going, he'd definitely pinch her cheeks hard to teach her not to look down on people so casually!
The little black-haired loli stood there, unconsciously twisting the hem of her shirt between her fingers. After hesitating for a moment, she finally lifted her chin slightly, trying to look proud.
"...Hmph. That technique just now was pretty decent."
Her voice was deliberately cold, but the tail end carried a hidden childish lilt.
"Still, shouldn't you introduce yourself before asking someone else's name?"
She paused, then added quickly, "Besides, this is the spot where my sister and I usually train. So why are you practicing here?"
...Tsundere?
Naruto almost laughed. She'd clearly been hiding behind the tree yelling "So awesome!"—wasn't that her giving herself away?
Her mention of "my sister and I's training ground" clued him in. This clearing outside the village wasn't a public spot; he'd just stumbled on it. The makeshift targets nailed to the trunks looked well-worn and old.
Oops... he'd accidentally taken over someone else's territory.
Konoha had official training grounds, of course, but Naruto preferred avoiding them. He didn't want to practice shuriken in public while enduring the villagers' disgusted stares.
The little girl's attitude was subtle—not outright alienation or revulsion, but a forced contempt and pride. Her chin was raised high, yet her obsidian-like eyes sparkled brightly. Every so often, she sneaked glances at the kunai embedded perfectly in the bullseyes.
That awkward, proud demeanor, combined with her striking appearance and the location near the Uchiha district...
Uchiha clan.
A vague guess formed in Naruto's mind.
"Huh? Oh... thanks for the compliment." Naruto flashed a friendly smile. "I'm Naruto. Is this really your and your sister's training spot? Sorry for using it without permission."
He spoke slowly, carefully watching her reaction.
"If you don't want me here, I can leave right now."
The little loli frowned almost imperceptibly. She'd expected the blond boy to eagerly explain his throwing trick, not shift the topic to territory rights.
After a few seconds of silence, she couldn't hold back. Her small face flushed slightly as she blurted out, "If you insist on using it... I don't mind!"
The moment the words left her mouth, she regretted them—didn't that make her sound too easygoing? She quickly raised her face again and added,
"But! Your throwing technique... how did you practice it?"
Realizing how direct that sounded, she hurriedly waved her little hands. "D-Don't get the wrong idea! I'm just asking casually! You should know—the Uchiha clan's shuriken skills are the strongest in Konoha! Something like yours... it's nothing special at all!"
By the end, her voice grew quieter and quieter, and the tips of her ears turned bright red.
Watching the girl in front of him—clearly nervous yet stubbornly pretending not to care—Naruto couldn't help but curve his lips into a small smile.
Yep, classic Uchiha tsundere...
He deliberately drew a kunai from his pouch and spun it nimbly between his fingers.
"I have my own training method. It's something I figured out myself—"
Before he finished, he flicked his wrist lightly. The kunai vanished from his fingers like magic. The little loli's eyes widened instantly, her dark pupils filling with surprise.
Before she could react, Naruto's hand moved again—deft and fluid.
Swish!
Three kunai were suddenly pinched between his fingers, glinting coldly in the sunset light.
Amazing! How did he do that?!
The little loli's lips parted slightly; she nearly exclaimed aloud. Her big obsidian eyes locked onto Naruto's hand without blinking, brimming with longing and curiosity. But the next second, she caught herself and quickly looked away.
Seeing her reaction, Naruto figured out how to handle this tsundere.
"Well... it was wrong of me to use your and your sister's spot without asking." He softened his tone deliberately. "But I know the Uchiha clan's throwing skills are top-tier in Konoha."
Noticing her ears perk up quietly, Naruto kept coaxing.
"So... want to train together? Two people always improve faster than one."
He shook the kunai in his hand and gave a sly grin. "I can teach you that trick from earlier—just think of it as rent for borrowing your training ground. How about it?"