Dropping The Act

Naruto and Sasuke faced each other in the backyard of the Ninja School as they prepared for their practice duel, with their classmates watching closely.

Iruka, explained the importance of the opposition seal. It was a ninja gesture used before sparring, where they would cross their index and middle fingers to signify their intent to engage in combat. It was a way of showing respect and readiness for the upcoming practice session. The students learned the seal and were then taught how to perform the reconciliation seal, which signified the end of the practice duel.

Iruka shouted, "The battle begins!" as Naruto and Sasuke faced each other. They both rushed forward, ready to start their practice duel.

Sasuke raised his fist and attempted to strike Naruto in the face. However, Naruto, being nimble and agile, easily evaded the attack. In a swift move, Naruto grabbed Sasuke's arm while simultaneously moving behind him. With a quick and skillful maneuver, he pushed Sasuke to the ground and pressed his hand against Sasuke's neck.

The sudden turn of events left everyone in shock. Even Iruka was taken aback, forgetting to call for the end of the match. No one had expected this outcome.

Naruto, the boy who was often seen sleeping in class, had just defeated Sasuke, the supposed genius. The onlookers had believed Naruto to be the "useless," while Sasuke was presumed to be the prodigy. It was a surprise to witness such an unexpected result.

Naruto maintained his hold on Sasuke's arm while kneeling beside him, and Sasuke, though initially attempting to resist, soon realized he was in a difficult position and gave up his struggle. It felt as if he wasn't being restrained by a peer but rather by a powerful force he couldn't overcome.

The soreness in his shoulder made it impossible for Sasuke to free himself. Iruka finally snapped out of his surprise and declared, "The battle is over. Naruto, release Sasuke."

The girls who had been cheering for Sasuke were now disgruntled. They shouted at Naruto, "Naruto, let Sasuke go immediately!"

"This is too much!"

"You've already hurt him!"

The unexpected turn of events had left everyone bewildered and questioning the roles they had assigned to Naruto and Sasuke in their minds.

"Damn it, don't hold Sasuke's hand all the time, we haven't held hands yet," an unfamiliar voice suddenly rang out, catching Naruto off guard. He quickly released Sasuke's hand as if shocked, rubbing his hand on his pants with a disgusted expression.

The remark had insinuated something completely different, leaving Naruto bewildered. Why did someone think there was something romantic going on? How could such a misconception exist among children their age? He had no interest in that sort of thing; he wasn't gay.

Sasuke managed to stand up, his lips tightly pressed together. He turned to look at Naruto with a gloomy expression. Naruto, however, paid little attention and provocatively asked, "Why? Not satisfied? Want to continue?"

"Fine, that's what I meant. I was careless earlier," Sasuke replied, clearly not one to back down from a challenge. The rivalry between the two seemed far from over.

Iruka quickly intervened, "I already said the battle is over. That's enough for today. Naruto and Sasuke, you can complete the reconciliation seal."

The reconciliation seal required the two to join their hand seals, symbolizing that they were still partners despite their conflicts.

However, both Naruto and Sasuke avoided eye contact and chose to ignore each other. They turned their heads away, refusing to complete the seal.

The onlookers were quick to pass judgment, chastising Naruto for his actions. "Naruto, how dare you disrespect Sasuke?"

It seemed that Naruto could do no right, and he couldn't escape the shadow of the Nine-Tails within him. He was regarded as a pariah, and everything he did was met with criticism.

Finally, Naruto couldn't take it anymore. His frustration and anger reached a boiling point, and he shouted, "Enough, all of you, shut up!"

The sudden outburst silenced the crowd. Everyone stared at Naruto in astonishment as he seethed with anger.

Naruto continued, his voice laced with frustration and exhaustion, "I know you all hate me, and I didn't come here to make friends or earn your approval. I don't care about any of you. I never wanted to be friends. Why do you keep gossiping like a bunch of ducks? Why do I have to be the target of your nonsense? Why should I bend over backward to please Sasuke?"

Naruto's glare swept the room, his eyes full of intensity. The onlookers found it hard to meet his gaze and averted their eyes. It was fear, not shame, that kept their heads down.

In that moment, Naruto's eyes appeared cold and terrifying, and everyone in the room felt a shiver run down their spine.

"Naruto," Iruka began, attempting to intervene.

Naruto cut him off, "Don't pretend to be a saint, Iruka. Are you trying to make me feel humiliated? After all, I can't compete with the Uchiha clan's prodigy, right?"

"But it doesn't matter. If I didn't make myself clear before, it's my problem. From today on, let's be clear. I promise to ace all your exams. With that guarantee, I'll continue my training outside the academy. I won't need to be part of this academy any longer."

He had made up his mind. There was no reason for him to stay in school, and he no longer cared about attracting attention or exposing his true abilities. He was done with the ninja school experience.

"I'm truly disappointed in all of you," Naruto concluded, his frustration evident in his voice.

.....

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