r18novel Chapter 325 Naruto in a Dream: Sasuke, please begin your performance.
Chapter 325 Naruto in a Dream: Sasuke, please begin your performance.
Chapter 325 Naruto in a Dream: Sasuke, please begin your performance.
The atmosphere in the audience tonight was subtly different from yesterday.
As soon as Xiang saw Naruto appear, her eyes lit up, and she darted from her original spot to the empty seat next to Naruto, her red ponytail swaying with her movements.
Xiang pushed up her red-rimmed glasses, her face revealing undisguised concern and curiosity, and leaned closer to Naruto to ask, "Naruto, did you arrive at Mount Myōboku yesterday? How was it? Is it really full of toads? Was the training tough?"
A barrage of questions came crashing down on her; clearly, she was very interested in Naruto's experiences over the past two days.
Upon hearing the words "Mount Myōboku," Jiraiya glanced sideways at Naruto, clearly recalling some amusing scene.
The moment Naruto heard the words "Mount Myoboku," his expression immediately fell. His previously energetic look vanished, and his face contorted in pain, like a steamed bun.
His stomach churned with nausea as if by reflex, and the terrifying memory of various high-protein snacks seemed to creep back onto his taste buds.
[Ding! Naruto's emotional fluctuations have been detected! Emotional value +500!]
"vomit----"
Naruto quickly waved his hands, "Don't, don't mention that place to me—"
He felt a churning in his stomach. Naruto turned his head resentfully and glared at Jiraiya with an accusing look.
Jiraiya understood Naruto's resentful gaze perfectly, but instead of feeling guilty, he just chuckled.
Naruto, feeling helpless, could only give up on this unreliable teacher.
He turned around and looked at Xiang, who was staring at him with curiosity. His eyes immediately filled with a sincere and ardent longing.
"It smells delicious." He blinked, his eyes filled with anticipation. "What I miss most right now is your cooking! I really, really, really want to eat it!"
When this was mentioned, Naruto stared at Xiang with shining eyes, as if he had found a lifeline.
Recalling Kana's simple yet absolutely delicious dishes, Naruto felt that it was simply a heavenly experience!
"?!" Xiang was completely taken aback by Naruto's sudden move and exclaimed in surprise, frozen in place.
She looked down blankly and saw Naruto holding her tightly.
The warm touch on her arm and the boy's expectant eyes made Xiang feel dizzy.
Her fair cheeks flushed bright red instantly, and her heart began to pound uncontrollably.
With great difficulty, Xiang stammered, "R-really? I—my cooking is actually very ordinary—but if Naruto likes it, I—I can—I can cook more for you in the future—"
Her voice grew softer and softer, but the barely suppressed joy in her eyes and brows betrayed her inner happiness.
[Ding! Xiang's emotional fluctuations have been detected! Emotional value +300!]
Just as the atmosphere became somewhat awkward, the huge screen in front of them suddenly lit up, attracting everyone's attention.
On the screen, Sasuke is emerging from the tent. In the morning light, he strides toward Naruto, who is tidying up the camp, and stands face to face with him.
Immediately afterward, Sasuke raised his hand, coldly opening his palm towards Naruto, and said without any politeness, "Scroll—give it to me!"
The audience members were caught off guard by this scene and couldn't help but show surprise.
Naruto temporarily put aside his lingering thoughts about food and looked up at the screen with a puzzled expression.
"What is Sasuke trying to do?" He scratched his head, looking completely bewildered.
"Sigh—" Kakashi, who was standing next to him, sighed meaningfully and said, "Well, it's probably because your dream yesterday upset him."
"My dream yesterday?" Naruto was stunned for a moment, not quite understanding.
He thought back and realized that he hadn't done anything particularly special in his dream yesterday.
Could this really provoke Sasuke?
"It's about his interactions with Sasuke, isn't it?"
Sakura leaned closer, her expression complex as she looked at the two facing off on the screen. She then glanced discreetly at the now empty seat where Sasuke had sat yesterday before lowering her voice to say to Naruto, "Yesterday, you were with that Sasuke from the dream—he was holding you, and then there was the invincible duo and all that—"
She paused, as if carefully choosing her words.
"Sasuke-kun seems to mind seeing those things."
Sasuke always appears cold and indifferent on the surface, but as one of the people who pay the most attention to him, Sakura keenly noticed the subtle changes in Sasuke's emotions.
Last night while watching the movie, Sasuke's face grew increasingly gloomy, and he even occasionally showed signs of irritability and impatience, none of which escaped Sakura's notice.
"—?!" Naruto's eyes widened in disbelief upon hearing Sakura's words, his mouth agape. "Sasuke minds? Minds that I'm close to the Sasuke in my dream? How is that possible—"
Sasuke, who always speaks coldly to him and looks disdainful, actually cares about this kind of thing?
He scratched his messy blond hair, feeling a slight burning sensation on his cheeks.
[Ding! Naruto's emotional fluctuations have been detected! Emotional value +400!]
Naruto has always been chasing after Sasuke, longing for his approval, and regarding Sasuke as his most important ally and rival.
But he never imagined that he held the same important place in Sasuke's heart.
Madara Uchiha, who was sitting not far away, had his eyes half-closed, seemingly resting, or perhaps just casually watching the developments on the screen.
However, as Naruto finished speaking, his voice brimming with barely concealed joy, the legendary man who once dominated the ninja world slightly opened his eyes, his gaze sweeping over the direction of the blond-haired boy with a half-smile, staring at him for a moment.
Immediately, Ban quickly returned to his previous nonchalant demeanor, subtly refocusing his attention on the screen.
At this moment, Sasuke in the dream on the screen is confronting Naruto with a cold and stubborn gaze.
In the scene, Naruto in the dream did not show the slightest displeasure or annoyance in the face of Sasuke's direct, even somewhat coercive, request.
He merely tilted his head slightly, his azure eyes revealing more confusion and bewilderment than anything else.
"Why?" Naruto asked calmly, sounding genuinely curious as to why Sasuke had suddenly made this request.
Sasuke hadn't expected Naruto to react this way. His anger was stifled by Naruto's calm demeanor, and instead burned even more fiercely.
He slightly tensed his jaw, looked directly into Naruto's eyes, and repeated, word by word, "I'll be the captain."
"So, let me keep the scroll."
Upon hearing this, Naruto calmly asked again, "Why?"
Sasuke opened his mouth, but found that he couldn't answer at all.
He himself couldn't explain why he was so obsessed with a captain's title in a dream and a mission scroll at this moment.
Perhaps it was the scene of Naruto being surrounded by everyone and entrusted with important tasks by Kakashi when he was a spectator last night that overlapped with and suddenly tore apart the image of Naruto as a loser who always chased after him and needed his protection, making him feel inexplicably irritable.
Or perhaps, it was simply because of his deep-seated obsession with not being outdone by anyone, especially Naruto.
At this moment, Sasuke desperately needs to prove something.
[Ding! Emotional fluctuations from Uchiha Sasuke have been detected! Emotional value +200!]
Naruto took in Sasuke's sullen expression and finally stopped packing up the tent.
He calmly folded the last piece of tent fabric and placed it aside before slowly straightening up.
When Naruto stood up straight and faced Sasuke, a calm and powerful aura naturally emanated from him.
Naruto calmly looked back at Sasuke, who glared back defiantly.
Sasuke could clearly sense a confident and composed aura emanating from Naruto.
Yes, this Naruto is very strong, perhaps even stronger than he originally imagined, but so what?
He never fears any strong person, especially not Naruto Uzumaki!
The two locked eyes in a silent battle of wits. In the midst of this electrifying standoff, a slightly hesitant and worried female voice broke the tension: "Sasuke-kun? Naruto-kun? What's wrong?"
It turned out that Sakura had peeked out from the tent next to her.
As soon as she came out, she saw the two men locked in a tense standoff in the center of the camp. Her heart skipped a beat, and she immediately ran over.
Sakura's gaze darted anxiously back and forth between Sasuke and Naruto, trying to figure out what had happened.
"Ah, Sakura." Naruto heard Sakura's voice and was the first to look away from Sasuke.
When he turned to Sakura, that reassuring, gentle smile had returned to his face.
The tense atmosphere between the two dissipated with Naruto's smile.
He reached out and gently patted Sakura's shoulder, the gesture natural and reassuring.
"Don't worry, it's nothing," Naruto said easily, then explained with a smile, "Sasuke just suddenly said he wanted to try being a captain for once."
"?" Upon hearing this, Sakura's eyes widened, her pretty face filled with disbelief.
She practically blurted out, "Sasuke-kun, you want to be the captain? But didn't you say before that you hate the hassle of taking care of your teammates?"
While Sasuke in the dream world is more cheerful and straightforward than in reality, he shares a subtle similarity with the real Sasuke in his aversion to trouble and his reluctance to meddle in other people's business, only the way he expresses it is slightly different.
Sasuke's expression darkened upon hearing Sakura's words, but he did not offer any explanation. He simply pursed his lips and remained silent.
Just then, Naruto suddenly chuckled softly.
There was no mockery or dissatisfaction in that laughter; instead, it revealed a hint of helplessness and indulgence.
He shrugged and deftly pulled the mission scroll from his ninja tool pouch at his waist.
Then, under Sasuke's slightly surprised gaze, Naruto casually tossed the scroll towards Sasuke.
The scroll drew a short arc in the air and landed steadily towards Sasuke.
Sasuke was stunned for a moment, then subconsciously reached out and caught the scroll in his arms.
"Alright," Naruto said casually. Then, he gave Sasuke, who was still somewhat dazed, a bright smile: "From now on, Sakura and I will follow your orders—Captain."
The morning light shone on Naruto's short golden hair and his calm, smiling face, as if bathing him in a warm glow.
There were no questions, no complaints, and none of the confrontations or tests that Sasuke had anticipated.
Naruto so easily handed over the scroll that Kakashi had solemnly entrusted to him, and relinquished his duties as captain.
Sasuke looked down at the scroll in his hand that symbolized the core of the mission and the transfer of command, then suddenly looked up at Naruto opposite him, who had a carefree smile on his face, and was momentarily lost in thought.
He had anticipated Naruto's rejection, doubts, and even possible probing, but he never expected that Naruto would be so decisive—letting go so easily.
It seems that what he had to fight with all his might to obtain was utterly insignificant in Naruto's eyes.
Or perhaps, Naruto trusted him so much that he could entrust everything to him without reservation.
Regardless of the possibility, it only fueled the burning anger in Sasuke's heart, yet it burned in a chaotic and aimless manner.
[Ding! Emotional fluctuations from Uchiha Sasuke have been detected! Emotional value +400!]
For a moment, Sasuke was at a loss.
He kept a straight face, subconsciously pursed his lips, and gripped the reel in his hand even tighter.
He then abruptly stopped looking at Naruto and bluntly ordered, "Get ready to leave quickly!"
As soon as he finished speaking, he resolutely turned around, no longer looking at Naruto and Sakura, and walked straight to the tent where he had rested the night before, where he quickly began to disassemble and pack it up.
These small tasks of wilderness survival were a piece of cake for him, and this busyness was a good way to calm his restless mind.
On the other hand, Sakura's doubts did not disappear because of Naruto's relaxed attitude; instead, they became even stronger.
She glanced at Sasuke's back, which was noticeably stiffer than usual, and then looked at Naruto beside her, who seemed to be smiling nonchalantly but was subtly different from before. Her eyes were filled with lingering worry.
Sakura instinctively reached out and took Naruto's arm, a small, intimate gesture that carried a hint of dependence and unease.
She leaned closer to Naruto and asked in a low voice, "Naruto, what's wrong with Sasuke? I have this feeling—"
He's acting strange today.
Naruto sensed the unease in Sakura's words and gave her a reassuring smile.
"Don't worry, Sakura, I'm here."
"Hurry up and get ready, don't keep our new captain waiting."
Naruto deliberately used a lighthearted, joking tone when he said this, trying to ease Sakura's tension.
"Hmm... okay." Sakura stared blankly at Naruto's calm and confident eyes, her tense mood gradually relaxing, but she still glanced at Sasuke's direction as if she was worried, before slowly letting go of Naruto's arm and nodding in agreement.
After saying that, she turned and walked towards her tent to continue packing the rest of her luggage.
However, her movements still carried a hint of absent-minded hesitation, clearly indicating that she was still thinking about Sasuke's situation.
However, neither Sasuke nor Sakura noticed that the instant Sakura turned to leave, while Sasuke was packing his things with his back to them, Naruto's azure eyes in the dream narrowed slightly, a barely perceptible arc, and he quietly locked onto Sasuke's back.
The confusion that had been in his eyes had faded, replaced by a scrutinizing gaze and a profound light that seemed to hold a deeper understanding.
[Ding! Naruto's emotional fluctuations have been detected! Emotional value +200!]
Immediately afterwards, Naruto naturally looked away and began to check his already packed luggage as if nothing had happened.