Believing he had finally found the answer, Sasuke felt a sudden sense of clarity surge through his chest.
But immediately afterward came something far more overwhelming—seething resentment and anger.
Why?
Why was it that this utterly useless dead last could, by sheer luck, earn the favor and personal guidance of a legendary shinobi?
And he—Sasuke Uchiha, a prodigy of the Uchiha clan, burdened with a sea of blood and hatred, willing to sacrifice everything for power—had no one to guide him? No one to teach him?
The immense psychological disparity was unbearable.
Sasuke clenched his fists tightly, his fingernails digging deep into his palms until sharp pain flared.
Staring at Naruto's smug expression—like an idiot who thought he had already reached the peak of life—an evil fire surged straight to Sasuke's head.
"Hmph."
He let out an extremely disdainful snort through his nose, forcibly suppressing the storm churning inside him. Casting Naruto a glance filled with contempt, he coldly threw out a single line:
"Just a dead last who got lucky."
With that, he ignored Naruto entirely, walked back to his seat, and dropped into it heavily, turning his head toward the window.
Yet the tension in his profile and the faint trembling of his shoulders betrayed how far from calm he truly was.
The Hokage's Office
Hiruzen Sarutobi set down the document in his hands and looked toward Jiraiya, who was sprawled casually on the sofa across from him.
"Jiraiya," he asked, concern evident in his tone, "what do you think of that child, Naruto?"
Standing nearby with her arms crossed, Tsunade also shifted her gaze over. Though her face still wore an indifferent expression, there was a trace of inquiry in her eyes.
"Hahaha!"
Jiraiya burst into his trademark hearty laugh, his face brimming with undisguised praise. "Old man, Tsunade, let me tell you—that brat… he's really something."
He straightened up, shedding some of his usual flippancy.
"Don't get me wrong—his current strength is terrible, and his fundamentals are a complete mess. But right here—"
Jiraiya tapped his chest, his expression unusually solemn.
"He has an astonishing level of conviction and resilience. That stubborn refusal to give up, that habit of saying what he means and doing what he says—it shines like the sun. I believe that with proper guidance, he'll grow into an incredible shinobi."
It was extraordinarily high praise.
Tsunade smacked her lips and muttered under her breath, "As if you needed to say that. In the sky screen, he was already 'incredible' enough to nearly destroy the world…"
Jiraiya choked on the words, the momentum of his passionate speech collapsing instantly. He rubbed his nose awkwardly.
"Ahem… that's… that's a different matter entirely."
Hiruzen ignored their minor exchange. Drawing slowly on his pipe, he exhaled a cloud of smoke and spoke in a low, thoughtful voice.
"Conviction is indeed the foundation of a great shinobi. That being the case, Jiraiya, your focus in teaching him shouldn't be advanced ninjutsu."
He looked at Jiraiya, his gaze deep and steady.
"Teach him how to be a person. What responsibility is. What it means to protect others. What bonds between comrades truly are. Understanding why one uses power is far more important than simply possessing it. As for techniques—there's no rush. Polish his fundamentals and his mindset first."
This was exactly what Hiruzen hoped for.
He feared Naruto might lose himself because of the Nine-Tails sealed within him and the circumstances of his birth. More than anything, Naruto needed someone to instill the right values.
Jiraiya nodded firmly, the awkwardness fading from his face, replaced by the seriousness of a mentor.
"I understand, old man. Don't worry."
Indeed, Naruto wasn't ready for advanced techniques yet. His chakra control was a disaster, and his taijutsu lacked any structure. Jiraiya would have to rebuild his foundation from the ground up.
Just as Hiruzen, Jiraiya, and Tsunade were discussing Naruto's training plan, a strange light suddenly illuminated the window of the Hokage's office.
Not just the office—all of Konoha, and even the entire shinobi world.
Everyone who looked up at the sky saw that familiar, heart-stopping sight once more.
The Sky Screen had opened again.
"Again?!"
Hiruzen stood abruptly and walked to the window, his expression grave.
Jiraiya and Tsunade hurried over as well, raising their heads to the sky.
Across the shinobi world—farmers working the fields, ninja on border patrol, Kage plotting in secret chambers, merchants rushing through busy streets—everyone stopped what they were doing and held their breath, eyes fixed on the massive screen above.
After witnessing the shocking and despair-inducing "future preview" the first time, curiosity and anxiety now reached an unprecedented level.
They desperately wanted to know—
How did the Fourth Great Ninja War initiated by Naruto Uzumaki finally end?
Was the Shinobi Alliance able to prevent the destruction of the world?
What became of Sasuke Uchiha?
However, when the image stabilized and a line of clear text appeared, the entire world froze—then erupted into uproar.
[Year 60 of Konoha]
Year 60 of the Konoha Calendar?!
That wasn't the future!
It was… the past?
No—more precisely, it was six years earlier than the first Sky Screen, which showed Year 66 of Konoha.
"What's going on? Why did time go backward?"
"Is the Sky Screen random? Not even chronological?"
"Why six years ago… did something important happen back then?"
Questions echoed throughout the shinobi world.
This leapfrogging, non-linear playback left everyone confused and unprepared.
But the Sky Screen offered no time for further speculation—the scene was already unfolding.
A moonlit night.
The streets of Konoha were silent and empty.
A black-haired boy walked alone down the road. He wore a dark-blue short-sleeved shirt, the Uchiha clan's fan crest emblazoned on his back. His expression was cold and distant.
It was Sasuke Uchiha, younger—about twelve years old.
At that moment, a pink-haired girl stood up from a bench by the roadside, as though she had been waiting there all along.
"Wah—!! That's me!!"
Inside a Konoha Academy classroom, Sakura Haruno screamed excitedly when she saw the older version of herself on the Sky Screen, instantly drawing the attention of the entire class.
She clasped her hands to her cheeks, her face flushing bright red, her heart pounding wildly as her imagination ran completely out of control.
'Oh my god! It's me and Sasuke-kun! And it's nighttime!'
'Th-this… could it be a date?!'
'A lone boy and a lone girl, late at night… how embarrassing!'
'But—future me did great! That's how you do it! Take the initiative!'
'Alright! It's decided! Future me is absolutely going to win Sasuke-kun over!'
'This is clearly a revelation from the future!'
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