The next day, Naruto wore casual clothes he had never worn before, along with glasses, as he headed to the Ninja Academy. Different from his usual self, he now had more of an everyday, approachable aura. Naruto's entirely new look certainly drew some attention. The villagers were curious as to why Naruto had suddenly changed his style.
Having figured things out, Naruto was no longer fixated on various imitations but wanted to be wholeheartedly himself. Under Aizen's influence and guidance, he shared similar goals and ideals, but he was not Aizen's clone; he was Uzumaki Naruto, a person of flesh and blood.
Arriving at the Ninja Academy, Naruto's attire immediately caught his classmates' attention.
"Naruto, why are you dressed so casually today?" Yamanaka Ino greeted him breezily, pulling Sakura closer. Ever since reconciling with Haruno Sakura, she had been doing her utmost to give Sakura a supportive push.
"Naruto-kun, you look great in this outfit too," Sakura said, her face slightly flushed, as she handed him his orange juice.
"Thanks." Naruto accepted the juice and, noticing the bow in Sakura's hair, immediately complimented her, "This red bow is quite charming; it really suits your pink hair."
With that, he walked towards his seat, completely oblivious to the girl behind him whose face had turned beet red, already celebrating today's successful opening move with her best friend.
Sasuke hadn't come to school; his injuries hadn't healed yet. Naruto retracted his gaze, deciding to visit Sasuke after school.
After what felt like an eternity, school finally ended. Naruto and Rock Lee set off together towards the Konoha Hospital.
"Naruto, I heard you became number one in your year! And you even revealed a brand new Kekkei Genkai, Kyoka Suigetsu!" Lee exclaimed excitedly along the way. "It seems Sasuke's training paid off; he actually forced you to use Kyoka Suigetsu! I heard them say it's a Kekkei Genkai that can create illusions. Is it genjutsu?"
"Yes, you can think of it as a weak genjutsu. It's a bit different from true genjutsu, but its practicality in battle is no less."
"I really want to see it!"
"If it's you, Lee, I think you might be able to break through it," Naruto said with a gentle smile.
"Haha, Naruto, don't try to comfort me. Genjutsu is my Achilles' heel."
Lee, who excelled in taijutsu but had absolutely no resistance to genjutsu, would be a complete pushover against Kyoka Suigetsu; he wouldn't stand a chance.
The two chatted as they walked, soon arriving at the Konoha Hospital. The Uchiha clan truly lived up to their status as a prominent family; even Sasuke's hospital room was a VIP suite. Following a long corridor, Naruto and Lee found Sasuke's room.
They knocked, then pushed the door open to see a gentle-looking young man holding a peeled apple, offering it to Sasuke's lips. Sasuke had a blissful expression and was just about to open his mouth when he saw Naruto and Lee and hurriedly turned his head away.
"Ahem, you're here. Nii-san, these are the Naruto and Rock Lee I often tell you about."
Nii-san? So this man is the Uchiha prodigy, Uchiha Itachi? Naruto narrowed his eyes, trying to use his Reiatsu to map out Itachi's chakra. He was shocked to discover that this Uchiha Itachi, who looked like he was barely a teenager himself, possessed a vast, unfathomable, bottomless reserve of chakra.
Naruto tensed, a sense of apprehension instinctively rising within him. It was an innate perception; his Reiatsu was telling him that this man before him was extremely strong!
"Hello. I'm Sasuke's older brother, Uchiha Itachi." Itachi turned his head, looking kindly at Naruto and Lee. "Sasuke has mentioned you many times. Thank you for always training with him and taking care of him." Itachi's gaze swept over Naruto and Lee, lingering on Naruto for a few seconds. Within his gentle eyes, however, a hint of killing intent suddenly flickered.
Naruto, extremely sensitive to killing intent, felt as if he had been plunged into an icy cavern. Along with the internal shock, there was also a sense of unwillingness. Indeed, he was still far from the level of top-tier powerhouses.
"However," Itachi continued, his words carrying a subtle implication, "combat training isn't a death match. You need to know some restraint."
Sasuke, at the side, quickly interjected, "Nii-san, I already told you, I was the one who asked Naruto to use Kyoka Suigetsu! I wanted to see how big the gap between us was. Besides, I learned a lot from this battle. If we hold back too much in training, there's no point to fighting."
Hearing Sasuke's words, Itachi's tone softened considerably, and he even apologized to Naruto. "My apologies, Naruto. I was just too worried. Sasuke hasn't really been injured much since he was little."
"It's alright. I did go a bit too heavy-handed this time. I haven't completely mastered my ability either," Naruto said, scratching his head, for a moment appearing like a slightly shy boy.
Naruto had heard countless versions of Uchiha Itachi from Sasuke, all invariably portraying him as gentle, kind, and someone who wouldn't hurt others. But as the saying goes, seeing is believing. After truly sensing Uchiha Itachi's killing intent, Naruto understood. Uchiha Itachi was an ANBU ninja; his hands must be stained with blood. How could such ruthless decisiveness, even if he called it kindness to his family, be genuinely directed at insignificant people like them? The only ones he truly cared about must be his own family. If Naruto threatened his family, he would definitely face Itachi's wrath.
Although Uchiha Itachi had already retracted his killing intent, Naruto's wariness towards him was now at its peak; he almost wanted to flee the room immediately. He clearly understood that he was still in his "grinding and leveling up on the sly" phase. Bullying kids like Sasuke was one thing, but facing a true powerhouse would just be suicide.
Still, seeing Sasuke's excited expression, he was probably bored stiff in the hospital and eager to chat with someone. So, Naruto and Rock Lee started conversing casually with Sasuke and Itachi.
During their conversation, Naruto learned that Itachi had rushed over to see Sasuke as soon as he finished his ANBU duties, even personally feeding him. In Itachi's eyes, Sasuke, with his abdominal injury, was practically immobilized and had to lie down and recuperate properly. This made Sasuke feel quite helpless. In reality, his injuries were minor; Naruto had avoided vital spots, and with medical ninjutsu, Sasuke could actually get out of bed already. But under Uchiha Itachi's strong insistence, Sasuke could only remain bedridden and accept Itachi's "loving hand-feeding."
This Uchiha Itachi definitely has a brother complex, Naruto mentally tagged him. Looks like I'll have to go easy on Sasuke in the future, or Itachi might make things difficult for me.
Sasuke's words were filled with adoration for Itachi. In his small world, Itachi was Konoha's number one genius, and he would follow in his brother's footsteps to become the second. As he said this, the two brothers exchanged a smile, their 'brotherly affection' on full display.
A doting younger brother and an overprotective older one… truly terrifying. Naruto had now tagged both of them. He suddenly grew curious: if, in the future, Uchiha Itachi did something Sasuke found unacceptable, wouldn't that completely shatter Sasuke's naive worldview?
But it was just a fleeting thought. Looking at the two 'lovey-dovey' brothers, he was sure they would 'live happily ever after, till their hair turned white.' Naruto chuckled softly, dismissing his impractical musings.
Leaving the Konoha Hospital, Naruto and Rock Lee headed together towards Ichiraku Ramen. That was Naruto's favorite little shop. What one ate there wasn't just delicious food, but also a warmth and human touch not found elsewhere.
Meanwhile, Itachi stood by the window, quietly watching Naruto's departing figure, his eyes deep in thought.
"Nii-san, Naruto's talent is really high. He's very strong, but I'll definitely catch up to him," Sasuke's young voice sounded from behind.
Itachi turned, a gentle smile on his face. "Sasuke, your talent is no less than his. You will definitely surpass Naruto."
"Mhm!" Sasuke nodded vigorously, his face beaming with a confident smile.