Naruto: I Am Uzumaki Naruto!?

On the training ground, the glint of steel flickered between Naruto's fingers.

The kunai danced effortlessly, weaving through his hand with such precision that even the blade's edge couldn't leave a scratch. Each movement was smooth, controlled, mesmerizing—like a perfectly choreographed performance.

The watching students gasped in awe.

"That's so cool!"

"How is Naruto even doing that?!"

"Can kunai even be used like this?"

"His ninjutsu sucks, but damn, his taijutsu is insane!"

Even kids from the major clans—Shikamaru, Chōji, and Ino—watched with rapt attention.

Among the girls, quite a few were blushing.

"He's kinda... hot," one muttered.

Sakura bit her lip, suddenly filled with regret.

If I had known Naruto would become this impressive… maybe I wouldn't have mocked him so much before.

Does he… still like me?

—

For a casual observer, it was a spectacle.

For an expert, it was terrifying.

Uchiha Itachi's expression darkened. He had spent years honing his kunai skills, yet even he could tell—what Naruto was doing wasn't normal.

This kid… is a monster.

No wonder he accepted my challenge so easily.

—

Itachi exhaled, steadying himself. His scarlet Sharingan spun into focus.

Fine, let's see how good you really are.

With a flick of his wrists, he sent out eight kunai in a blur of motion.

Shing! Shing! Shing!

The kunai shot through the air, embedding themselves precisely onto the training targets.

Naruto smirked and responded in kind, hurling eight kunai of his own.

Shing! Shing! Shing!

When the dust settled, the results were clear—both had landed their kunai with equal precision.

The watching students erupted into cheers.

"That was insane!"

"Eight kunai at once—who even does that?!"

"This is what geniuses look like!"

Even Itachi had to admit—Naruto's skill was no joke.

But he wasn't going to lose.

—

"Alright, Naruto," Itachi said, keeping his voice calm. "We're evenly matched like this. Instead of going round after round, why don't we settle it in a single match?"

Naruto's usual grin didn't waver. "Sure."

Itachi gestured toward a distant target. "We each get eight kunai. Whoever lands the most wins."

On the surface, it was fair.

In reality, it was a trap.

Kunai could collide in midair, meaning Itachi could use his Sharingan's superior tracking ability to knock Naruto's kunai away while keeping his own on target.

A foolproof plan.

Naruto's smile didn't change.

"Sounds good."

—

Itachi moved first.

His kunai sliced through the air, weaving around each other in perfect arcs. The metal clashed mid-flight, redirecting Naruto's kunai off-course.

The final count:

Itachi—one kunai on the target.

Naruto—two kunai on the target.

—

Silence.

Itachi stared, completely still.

"I… lost?"

Not only had he failed to remove all of Naruto's kunai, but he had also landed less than Naruto.

Then a realization struck him.

The bet amount…

81.92 million ryo.

And since he lost…

That number doubled.

163.84 million ryo.

His breath hitched.

163.84 million.

He could feel himself growing lightheaded. That was more than a dozen times his bounty. He could sell every bone in his body and still not make that much.

Naruto turned to him with a pleasant smile.

"Itachi-nii, that brings your total to 163.84 million ryo. Wanna go again?"

—

Itachi's fists clenched.

He had to win it back.

"One more round," he said, forcing himself to remain calm. "This time, moving targets."

Same rules. Same bet.

He would turn this around.

—

Thirty seconds later.

Itachi turned on his heel.

"Sasuke. We're going home."

Sasuke, who had been holding onto hope, paled.

"Nii-san… why?"

Itachi didn't look back, his face blank.

"Because we need to sell the house."