The Academy bell rang with an echo that felt too loud for a normal day. Kids spilled out into the courtyard, some yelling, some laughing, all of them buzzing from a quiz Iruka had sprung at the last minute.
But three boys didn't move with the crowd.
One marched straight toward the trees, fists pumping like a tiny general rallying troops.
One followed in deliberate silence, hands in pockets, head bowed but eyes alert.
And one walked behind them both, steady, calm, balanced from heel to toe as if every step flowed into the next.
Naruto. Sasuke. Ethan.
Together.
Something about that combination made even the older students stare.
---
THE CLEARING—AND A NEW TENSION
The forest clearing had become the spot now. Naruto practically crashed into it, breathing hard, eyes alive.
"ETHAAAN! I'M READY—WAIT. SASUKE, WHY ARE YOU HERE ALREADY?!"
"I walk faster than you," Sasuke said flatly.
"You're just early!"
"You're late."
"I'M NEVER LATE—!"
Ethan raised a hand. "Both of you breathe."
Naruto inhaled like he was about to blow out birthday candles.
Sasuke exhaled with exaggerated patience.
Ethan pinched the bridge of his nose.
Better.
---
PANEL: SOCIAL DYNAMICS FORECAST
Group Identified: Team In Training
Members: Naruto, Sasuke, Ethan
Risk Level: Low–Moderate
Projected Outcome:
• Increased rivalry = increased growth rate
• Increased growth rate = early stability for timeline
• High compatibility for dual mentorship
Note: Keep training balanced.
Naruto responds to encouragement; Sasuke responds to challenge.
Ethan closed the alert with a blink.
---
STEP ONE: PHYSICAL BASELINE
They began with warm-ups.
Naruto immediately tripped over a root and blamed the root.
Sasuke did everything perfectly and judged Naruto silently.
Ethan adjusted both of their stances.
Then came push-ups.
Naruto made heroic noises the whole time.
Sasuke remained silent but sped up when Naruto accused him of being tired.
Then laps around the clearing.
Naruto yelled the entire run.
Sasuke pushed ahead just to prove a point.
Ethan stayed behind them, letting the rivalry fuel itself.
By the end, both boys were red-faced and panting, sweat dripping down their temples.
Ethan? Barely winded.
Naruto pointed dramatically. "STOP looking so NORMAL while we're DYING."
"It's endurance training," Ethan said calmly. "You'll get here."
Sasuke muttered, "I'll get here first."
"Wanna bet?!" Naruto snapped.
"No."
"WHY NOT?!"
"Because you'll lose."
Naruto's scream echoed into the treetops.
---
STEP TWO: CHAKRA CONTROL—DUAL LESSON
Ethan sat cross-legged in the grass and motioned for them to join him.
"Leaf rotation," he said. "You both practice. I'll observe."
Naruto plopped down with theatrical exhaustion.
Sasuke lowered himself with careful discipline.
Each took a leaf.
Naruto squinted and blasted too much chakra.
His leaf spun like a sawblade.
Ethan ducked before it sliced his eyebrow off.
Sasuke finessed his chakra perfectly…
But his leaf didn't rotate.
It floated, but the movement was too stiff.
Both boys glared at their leaves.
Ethan pointed at Sasuke. "Your chakra flow is efficient, but rigid. Loosen it."
Sasuke's eyebrow twitched. "Loosen?"
"Like water," Ethan said.
"…I'll try."
He pointed at Naruto next. "You're using too much power again."
"I'm NOT!"
"You almost cut down a tree."
"I WAS CLOSE?!"
"That's not a compliment."
Naruto wilted.
Sasuke smirked.
Naruto noticed. "OH YEAH? BET YOU CAN'T ROTATE YOURS EITHER!"
Sasuke held up his leaf.
It rotated.
Perfectly.
Naruto screamed internally.
Ethan quietly covered his smile.
---
STEP THREE: ADVANCED CONTROL—ROOTS AND BRANCHES
Ethan made them stand.
"Today," he said, "we try multi-point chakra release."
Naruto blinked. "Multi what?"
"Finger tips. Toes. Palms. Chest. Tiny amounts. Very controlled."
Naruto groaned like he'd been asked to do taxes.
Sasuke's eyes sharpened—this he liked.
Ethan demonstrated first.
He extended one hand, and from every fingertip a soft pulse of chakra shimmered like faint steam. Any more and the clearing would've quivered.
Naruto stared.
Sasuke stared.
Even the trees stared.
Naruto whispered, "That's… AWESOME."
"Your turn," Ethan said.
Sasuke went first—right hand steady, chakra pulsing evenly, maybe too evenly. It came out in small, sharp bursts.
"Good," Ethan said. "But you're forcing it too much."
Sasuke nodded.
Naruto puffed his chest out. "MY TURN!"
He extended his hand.
Tensed every muscle.
Grunted dramatically.
A single finger lit up.
One.
Just one.
Naruto beamed. "LOOK LOOK LOOK—!"
Then it backfired and he flew ten feet backward like someone had punched him with air.
Ethan sighed. "That's… progress."
Sasuke muttered, "Barely."
"HEY!"
Ethan stepped between them. "Naruto, you have raw volume. Sasuke, you have control. Both of you need the other half. That's why we're training together."
Naruto puffed up.
Sasuke looked away but didn't argue.
Small victories.
---
STEP FOUR: PAIRED DRILLS
Ethan clapped once.
"Partner drills."
Naruto and Sasuke both reacted like he'd asked them to share a room.
"NO."
"…No."
"Yes."
Ethan positioned them back-to-back.
"Feel each other's chakra signatures. Just sensing. No fighting."
Naruto squirmed. "But his is all spiky and cold!"
Sasuke scowled. "Yours is loud."
"THANK YOU!"
"That wasn't a compliment."
"It TOTALLY was."
Ethan tapped Naruto's shoulder. "Focus. You're training, not arguing."
Naruto settled.
Sasuke inhaled.
For a moment, both boys' chakra patterns aligned—rough and smooth, loud and quiet, pushing and pulling—
Balanced.
Ethan watched, impressed.
This was progress neither boy would admit to.
---
BREAK TIME — TREE BRANCHES AND SUNLIGHT
Naruto collapsed into a patch of grass like a corpse.
"I'm dying. Write that on my ninja grave."
"You're dramatic," Sasuke said.
"I'LL BE DRAMATIC AND DEAD."
"You aren't dying," Ethan said.
Naruto held up a finger. "Not yet."
Sasuke actually snorted. Quietly. Then pretended he didn't.
Ethan tossed Naruto a water gourde.
Then another toward Sasuke.
Sasuke caught his without looking.
Naruto missed his and it bonked him on the forehead.
"OW—WHY?!"
"Because you didn't catch it," Sasuke said.
"I WASN'T READY!"
"You were staring at it."
"SILENCE, ANGST PRINCE."
Ethan almost choked laughing.
Naruto blinked. "What's so funny?"
"Nothing," Ethan said. "Drink your water."
---
STEP FIVE: REAL APPLICATION — DEFENSIVE MANEUVERS
Once they recovered, Ethan stood and motioned them forward.
"Last drill of the day: reaction practice."
Naruto brightened. "Are we fighting you?!"
Sasuke perked up too.
"No," Ethan said. "You're fighting each other."
Both boys froze.
"…Huh?"
"I want your chakra to react to someone else's movement. Only tapping hits—no fists, no kicks. Move, dodge, read each other."
Sasuke smirked. "I'll finish this fast."
Naruto snarled. "OH YEAH?! BRING IT ON—"
Ethan raised a hand.
"Start."
Naruto lunged like a cannonball.
Sasuke sidestepped like a calm river.
Naruto crashed into a tree.
Sasuke flicked Naruto's forehead.
Naruto shrieked.
They circled each other again—this time Naruto watched Sasuke's feet like Ethan taught him.
Sasuke watched Naruto's shoulders.
Both improved in real time.
Ethan's eyes narrowed appreciatively.
Then Naruto managed something miraculous:
He feinted.
Sasuke fell for it.
Just a little.
Naruto tagged him on the sleeve.
"HA! GOT YOU! GOT YOU SASUKE! IN YOUR FACE!"
Sasuke scowled but his eyes burned with new intensity.
"…Again."
Naruto froze. "…Huh?"
"Again," Sasuke repeated. "We're doing that again."
Ethan smiled.
They weren't rivals now.
They were competitors.
And that was exactly what the timeline needed.
---
THE WALK BACK — THREE BOYS AND A SHIFTING FUTURE
The sun dipped low by the time training ended. The walk back to the village was quieter than usual.
Naruto dragged his feet but wore a proud grin.
Sasuke walked straighter, jaw tight, eyes thoughtful.
Ethan kept pace between them, hands in his pockets, feeling something settle in his chest.
This—
These afternoons—
This rivalry—
This was what the Naruto world needed.
Naruto suddenly piped up:
"Hey, Ethan?"
"Yeah?"
"Do you think I'm actually getting stronger?"
Ethan looked at him.
Naruto's face was open, hopeful, a little scared.
Sasuke didn't turn his head, but his ears angled toward them.
Ethan said:
"You both are."
Naruto glowed.
Sasuke's expression softened half a millimeter.
And they kept walking.
Two boys destined for greatness.
And one outsider determined to keep the world balanced around them.
Tomorrow would be harder.
Better.
Louder.
And Ethan wouldn't trade it for anything.