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"Seal of reconciliation!"
The two of them performed the seal of reconciliation. Although Sasuke's hands were still trembling slightly, he couldn't hide the excitement on his face.
Anyone with a discerning eye could see that both of them were strong. If this continued, the top student of the year would surely be one of them.
The afternoon passed quickly, and once school ended, Uchiha Sasuke couldn't wait to pack his bag. Without even sparing Naruto a glance, he sprinted home.
As for Naruto, he didn't head to his training ground as usual. Instead, he made his way to the academy library to read some professional books.
He had learned from Iruka that the school library would finally open today.
...
Uchiha Sasuke ran all the way home. As he passed by a telephone pole, a familiar voice called out: "Sasuke!"
Looking up, Sasuke's expression instantly lit up with joy.
"Brother! Why are you here?"
Seeing Sasuke's happy face, Itachi leapt down from the pole. He had planned to wait at home, but the longing to see Sasuke had drawn him here. Standing atop the pole allowed him to see Sasuke sooner and more clearly.
"I finished my mission. I just arrived and wanted to meet you here," Itachi said with a rare smile. In front of his little brother, his face was softer than usual.
I will always protect you, Sasuke!
"Brother! I got first place in the practical class today! Isn't that awesome?"
Sasuke spoke excitedly. "I met someone strong today. If he hadn't run out of stamina, I would've lost!"
"Our Sasuke is amazing!"
Itachi smiled as he pinched Sasuke's nose and ruffled his hair. "Hop on! I'll carry you."
Squatting down, Itachi lifted Sasuke onto his back. As he adjusted him, his hand brushed against Sasuke's arm, and Sasuke gasped slightly.
Alarmed, Itachi gently put him down and lifted his sleeve, revealing bruising and redness along Sasuke's arm.
This was caused by heavy impact.
Only the practical sparring could have done this. And someone who could cause this much damage definitely wasn't holding back.
"Seems like your classmate isn't simple," Itachi murmured.
He knelt, pulled out an anti-swelling spray and bandage from his ninja tool pouch—basic items all shinobi carried for emergencies.
"Brother, I'm fine! Dad will be mad if he sees me like this!"
Sasuke pouted. He believed resting overnight would be enough and didn't see the need to worry.
Then, curious, Sasuke asked, "Brother, how do you know my classmate is strong?"
"Sasuke, look at your arm. With injuries like this, it means his strength exceeded yours. You probably took a direct hit and still won—that means your opponent held back."
Itachi spoke lightly but was clearly thinking hard about who could overpower Sasuke like that.
"Hmph! That bastard!"
Sasuke clenched his fists, fuming.
No wonder he felt something was off about the fight.
So Uzumaki Naruto had been faking fatigue.
His brother was right.
Physical strength matched one's build. Strong people didn't run out of stamina so quickly. That guy had a sturdy frame and clearly trained his body, meaning he shouldn't have been worn out.
Damn it! That guy let me win on purpose!
"I'll beat him next time for real! Brother, you have to train me!"
Sasuke's voice was firm.
"Alright."
Itachi smiled and hoisted Sasuke onto his back again. The two brothers walked off together, their laughter echoing in the quiet dusk as the evening sun cast long shadows behind them.
Meanwhile, Naruto had taken the books he borrowed from the library home. He planned to return them in a week. While the librarian disliked him, being in the academy meant Naruto was at least allowed to borrow them.
He had borrowed three books: one was a detailed guide on genjutsu, explaining illusions and their basic principles.
It also included hand seals used in casting illusions and how to break free when caught in one.
Of course, it didn't contain any actual training methods. The core of genjutsu was manipulating chakra to deceive the enemy's senses through precise hand seals.
Those with strong mental power and natural affinity for genjutsu usually pursued that path—like Yuhi Kurenai.
Her genjutsu was said to rival even the Uchiha's Sharingan, at least before Mangekyō-level illusions. However, Uchiha weren't just illusionists. In a real fight, especially with equally matched genjutsu, the Uchiha still held the advantage.
The second book was a taijutsu manual, covering basic physical training and techniques.
Naruto found it incredibly helpful. Inside his mind, system prompts chimed:
"Illusion Principles +5! Illusion Principles +6! Basic Taijutsu Understanding +3! Basic Taijutsu Understanding +2!"
Even flipping through the pages, Naruto's learning ability activated.
His understanding of genjutsu quickly deepened.
As for the smaller taijutsu gains, Naruto guessed it was because he already practiced those techniques regularly.
The third book was about basic trap-making.
Most of the library's books were introductory level. Likely, the truly valuable ones were kept in private family archives or Konoha's classified collections.
Still, Naruto was satisfied. Sometimes, a strong foundation was the most important.
He'd also seen another excellent book but couldn't borrow it due to the three-book limit.
Its title was Chakra Properties and Detailed Seal Analysis.
Naruto couldn't wait to dive into his reading. With his nearly photographic memory and the God's Reward for Hard Work, he absorbed information like a sponge.
He was fully immersed in the text, and by the time he looked up, it was already midnight. His neck ached from staying still for so long.
Though Naruto read extremely fast, it still took until midnight to finish all three.
By the end, he felt as if he'd been immersed in those subjects for years. His knowledge of genjutsu, taijutsu, and trap-making had vastly expanded.
He even began imagining new trap designs and how to refine older ones.
He chose the trap-making book specifically because he wanted to optimize his practice time. Smarter traps meant easier hunting.
Closing the final book, Naruto stood up, already feeling like he had outgrown the material.
He decided not to return them just yet. After all, no one would believe he could memorize three books in one night.
Most people couldn't even dream of photographic memory.
But Naruto wasn't like most people—he had near-perfect memory and a cheat-like ability that turned effort into exponential gains.
End of the Chapter.
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