"Whoosh-"

The shuriken was speeding in the air, the sharp front line was whining and rubbing, and the strength of the control made it draw a slight circle, and after a graceful arc, the black shuriken hit the bull's-eye accurately.

"Wow!"

"Sasuke is so powerful......"

"You're so handsome—"

Standing in the middle of a group of children of the same age, Sasuke looked at the results of the hit from a hundred meters away, and his body relaxed slightly, but the annoying noise of the girls around him made him frown, and walked to the corner of the team without a word.

The teacher who taught the secret weapon throwing couldn't help nodding, wrote down the results on the roster, and secretly said in his heart: "It is worthy of the genius of the Uchiha." ”

However, seeing Sasuke's arrogance and coldness, he didn't care about the classmates around him at all, and sighed, "It's a pity, it's not a good life." Although Sasuke didn't mingle with his classmates when he first entered school, he talked and laughed a lot, but after the extermination that shocked the whole village that night, the only surviving boy had only a cold face.

"Next." The instructor shouted, and the name on the roster came into view, and he couldn't help but pause, "Naruto Uzumaki, it's your turn." ”

"Yo Xi!" The boy with golden hair like his father jumped out, and in the sun, the hidden weapon throwing teacher was distracted for a moment, Naruto took a deep breath and picked up the shuriken used for teaching on the side, the female classmate screamed that the aftermath was not settled, Naruto glanced at Sasuke who was pretending to be behind him unconvinced, looking at the target that had become a small dot a hundred meters away, took a deep breath, took a pose, and threw it hard.

"Whoosh-" The hidden weapon throwing teacher came out of his recollection, and the sound of the shuriken in the air was erratic, and the strength was very problematic...... Sure enough, the shuriken didn't even touch the target in the end, and plunged straight into the ground.

"Off target." The teacher said helplessly, he is old, he is old, his déjà vu in a few seconds is in vain, this child still has a long way to go.

"Next...... Hinata Hinata. ”

Naruto shook his fist in frustration, damn it, how could he not even shoot the target, obviously it felt good at first, as if it could penetrate the bull's-eye...... Many children laughed and booed, and it was really not nice to miss the target, and Naruto lowered his head and walked to the end of the line. The boy, who was completely disturbed by the small frustration, did not notice the quiet gaze of the white-pupiled girl behind him.

"Hinata? It's your turn. ”

"Yes, yes!"

The sun is slanting in the west, the quiz is over, and the class at the ninja school is over for the day, and Naruto, who has the worst grades, is unlucky to have to clean up the scattered teaching tools.

It wasn't the first time, Naruto kept picking up one heavy shuriken after another, quickly panting, and when it was almost finished, he wiped his sweat, looked up just in time to see a touch of Uchiha's family crest, and left the school alone, carrying his bag.

Naruto was a little strange about how Sasuke came home alone and saw someone pick him up not long ago.

"Naruto, are you done cleaning up!" A familiar voice called from the other side of the classroom, a man with a scar between his nose and eyes, his hands on his hips, his eyes unkind.

"Iruka-sensei, it'll be fine right away!" The child's innocent mind immediately forgot about the stinky fart Sasuke, and Naruto shouted the same, but it seemed that Iruka-sensei's face was not right.

"You're the last one in the shuriken throw?"

"It's just a mistake, and next time it will definitely be the first." Naruto pursed his lips and whispered unconvinced.

"You said that last time, too." Iruka approached and slapped Naruto on the head, "Usually less playful!" Aunt Mishima on West Street complained to me again, how do you always make trouble, and if you don't work hard, you will always be the tail of the crane. ”

Naruto covered his head in pain, "Who said I didn't work hard......"

Iruka looked down at the golden child's muttering, looked up and smiled silently, "Teacher, I'm off work too, let's go home together." ”

"Oh!" Naruto seemed to hear some good news, and his spirits perked up, completely forgetting his worries, "Iruka-sensei, please eat ramen!" ”

A black line crossed Iruka's forehead, "Here you go again." ”

Another unceremonious slap on the head.

And then, the two of them still went to Ichiraku Ramen in a noisy way.

……

The evening sun shone on the river, crossing the Konoha and the crooked water flowing slowly, Sasuke sat on the small pier, staring at the water without speaking.

A piece of rope that held the boat was half-submerged in the water, and with the undulation of the waves, the boat could be seen rocking in the setting sun.

Stopping occasionally, the mansion on the other side of the way home was empty, and it was the same when I went back sooner or later.

There is also one in such a small dock family, which is on the edge of a small lake, and the first fire escape ninjutsu he learned seems to be there.

"Fire escape, Hao Fireball Technique!"

"Father, how's it going?"

"Averagely, compared to your brother, it's still far behind."

“……”

The fingers pressing against the plank were so hard that they turned white, and Sasuke thought of the man, "Not enough, not enough at all." ”

The unprecedented weakness and lack of resistance that night struck again, he was still too weak to be taught enough in ninja school. Ranked first among a group of children of the same age, physical arts, ninjutsu, illusions, the eight-year-old immature mind has just given birth to natural joy, and it will soon be washed away by heavy shadows.

He can complete the homework assigned every day immediately, and he keeps increasing the amount of training for that goal. But beyond his classmates, the teacher praised, and there was no sense of achievement. The insurmountable chasm is still standing in front of us.

"I have to get stronger." Sasuke clenched his fists and looked at him with determination.

He had seen the training of powerful ninjas in his clan before, but he didn't understand it at the time, and now he regretted it after a quick glance. It's not a good way to fumble around and flip through the scrolls on your own.

Sasuke thought of something, stretched out his right hand, and pulled out a note from his pocket.

The shinobi who can instantaneously......

"Poof." The sound of a stone falling into the water.

Sasuke glanced at the splash a few meters away.

There was footsteps on the slope behind him, and Sasuke looked at it faintly, orange clothes, goggles, and blonde hair...... Is it the tail of the crane in the class? I forgot what it was called.

Naruto casually threw a small stone in his hand, and for a moment, a figure that had been facing him turned his head.

The family emblem printed on his clothes made him suddenly, and he was very impressed by this, and he was in the limelight every time.

"Cut", subconsciously straightening his back, holding the back of his head with both hands, Naruto walked coolly.

The warm light of dusk is still there, reflecting the earthslopes and piers.

Walking away, Naruto turned around and was surprised to see that the fan-like clan crest was still sitting there.

Sasuke looked at the river, the blurry reflection, and the blonde boy swayed down the road.

At this time, they didn't realize that deep in their hearts, the loneliness that they desperately hid from letting people know was similar.