"Is it really that simple?"

Before Hikaru Akimichi could react, he heard Uzumaki Naruto's voice right beside him.

Tsk, all I can say is that these two have the most intense dynamic in the world of Naruto: one finishes, and the other takes the stage.

The point is, Naruto doesn't even realize how valuable that move was—he genuinely thinks he can pull it off too!

As expected, not far away, Uchiha Sasuke's subtle smile disappeared as he heard Naruto. His gaze immediately zeroed in on this "insolent" blond kid.

He wasn't sure why, but just seeing Naruto made him feel irked, not to mention hearing his reckless remarks.

"Hey, Hikaru, I'm up next."

Naruto, oblivious to Sasuke's annoyed glare, took two steps forward with enthusiasm, struck a stance in front of the target, and called out, "Uzumaki Naruto, here I come! Watch closely!"

Aside from the exaggerated pose at the start, Naruto's movements were actually quite standard. In anything hands-on, his learning skills were quite decent.

Whoosh!

The wind gusted as he threw the practice kunai, which missed the target, landing instead in the ground beside it. His confident words still hung in the air as the scene fell silent, with Naruto's 'heroic' posture frozen in place.

"Uh… why did it go so far off? That was just a slip-up! Next time, I'll nail it!"

With a flushed face, Naruto turned away and scratched his head in embarrassment.

"Naruto, you idiot. Don't flick your wrist at the last second just to look cool."

It was Kiba's way of joking with Naruto while pointing out his mistake. The others nodded silently, without laughing. To be fair, Naruto wasn't doing badly for his first try. In fact, his aim was better than theirs had been when they'd first started; the mistakes he made were normal for a beginner.

Just then, a soft chuckle echoed nearby. It was quiet, almost lost in the empty space, but unmistakable in the silence.

It was Uchiha Sasuke. His expression stayed neutral, but there was a smirk in his eyes. His gaze held such sharp disdain that even those around could sense it, although it was directed only at Naruto.

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"Hey, Uchiha Sasuke—"

Shikamaru, sensing trouble, quickly clamped a hand over Naruto's mouth. The knucklehead didn't realize that his outburst was dangerously close to provoking the Uchiha clan's infamous pride. Considering past interactions, Sasuke was already showing considerable restraint.

Sasuke glanced at Naruto before picking up another kunai. He took aim, threw slowly and purposefully, and thunk—the kunai hit dead center on the target. He dusted off his hands, slid his remaining kunai into his pocket, and gave Naruto a brief, scornful glance.

"If you're not good at it, just practice. We're all just beginners—it's normal to miss."

Aki Michimitsu gently pried Shikamaru's hand from Naruto, patted Naruto on the shoulder, and walked over to his own target.

Naruto's first throw had been better than Aki Michimitsu had expected, and now he felt motivated to focus even more. Naruto opened his mouth to retort, but as he looked at Sasuke's kunai neatly sticking in the bullseye, he stopped. Quietly, he thought back to Aki Michimitsu's words and took his stance again, mimicking the moves he'd just seen from the others.

Hikaru Akimichi grabbed a kunai, took aim, and released it. It hit, though only barely—on the very edge of the target.

Naruto took his second throw, also landing a shot on the target's edge, roughly at the same spot as Hikaru Akimichi's.

"At the final moment of your throw, try to keep your wrist steady," Iruka instructed as he approached. He added, "And Naruto—keep your wrist straight. Don't twist inward."

Iruka, though frustrated by Naruto's antics, still couldn't help but be fair in his guidance.

Encouraged, Naruto tried again, throwing rapidly but missing wildly. Disheartened, he squatted down and held his head, too embarrassed to face Iruka.

Beside him, Hikaru Akimichi let out a quiet chuckle. Naruto was too easily distracted by his ego. In the same moment, another kunai flew past him—Naruto had thrown the rest carelessly, and the outcome was inevitable.

Iruka, however, bit back his annoyance, saving his reaction for after Aki Michimitsu finished his throws. He didn't want his mood to affect his students' performance, especially on the first day.

"Take your time," Iruka said with a tight smile, looking at Aki Michimitsu.

Ignoring Naruto's grumbling, Aki Michimitsu took a calming breath, re-evaluated his stance, and threw the next kunai with greater precision, hitting closer to the center.

Before making his final throw, he studied Sasuke's earlier moves, getting familiar with the feel of the kunai in his hand. He sensed his weakness without needing further instruction—it was his grip.

This time, instead of copying Sasuke, he made his own adjustment. He changed his grip to the more natural feeling of holding a kitchen knife, gave a small flourish, and threw the kunai. It hit dead center.

"Choji, Shikamaru—lend me your kunai!"

Excitement flashed across Hikaru Akimichi's face. Without a thought, he accepted their extra kunai, tossing each one at the target with growing precision.

The repeated sound of "whoosh, whoosh, whoosh" captured everyone's attention. All eyes turned, watching in silent amazement as every kunai thrown by Hikaru Akimichi struck the target perfectly.

"Just one more," Hikaru Akimichi murmured, realizing he held his last kunai. He felt the rush ease but stayed focused.

He took aim, infused a small surge of chakra, and released. Thunk. The kunai struck the target's center with a decisive force, splintering it as pieces flew in all directions, scattering across the ground.