Chapter 54: Encountering a Stat-Monster

Sasuke Uchiha sat on the ground on his butt, pulling a sour face.

In less than two weeks, he had lost first place in physical training.

His goal for entering school had always been only one: to imitate Itachi Uchiha, dominate the Ninja Academy in one year, and then graduate.

But now, before it had even started, it was already over.

"Sasuke, are you okay?"

A hand reached out in front of him, and what came into view was Naruto Uzumaki’s sincere face.

"What do you mean 'okay'?"

Sasuke Uchiha straightened his face and said, "This time it was just your luck; next time, don't even think about winning against me!"

"Sasuke-kun is right!"

Sakura Haruno’s voice rang out.

She stepped forward a few steps and hurriedly reached out, fearing that Sasuke Uchiha would hold Naruto Uzumaki’s hand.

"I won't lose either!"

Naruto Uzumaki said confidently, "I have the running secret Teacher Kitazawa gave me!"

Running secret?

Sasuke Uchiha suddenly felt a stir in his heart, immediately stood up, and walked toward Kitazawa.

Sakura Haruno petrified in place.

She clenched her fists awkwardly, showing a gnashing-of-teeth expression.

Naruto Uzumaki scratched his head.

He didn't understand why Sakura Haruno was so angry.

But he soon threw it to the back of his mind and found Kiba Inuzuka and the others.

"I got first place!"

Naruto Uzumaki said happily.

"Who asked you?"

Kiba Inuzuka glared at him and said.

"Congratulations, Naruto."

Shikamaru Nara smiled and sent his blessings.

"You are better than me."

Choji Akimichi handed over a bag of potato chips and asked, "Do you want to eat?"

"Thank you."

Warmth flowed through Naruto Uzumaki’s heart.

He was finally no longer alone; now he had many friends.

"Teacher Kitazawa."

Sasuke Uchiha took a deep breath and asked, "What is the running secret Naruto mentioned?"

"Why didn't you ask Naruto just now?"

Kitazawa asked a question he already knew the answer to.

"Didn't want to ask him!"

Sasuke Uchiha gave a light hum and said.

"There is no running secret; I just taught Naruto the correct way to run."

Kitazawa said with a smile, "And you have already mastered these running methods."

"I don't believe it!"

Sasuke Uchiha subconsciously denied it.

"If you don't believe it, you can go ask Naruto."

Kitazawa was not surprised by his reaction at all.

Sasuke Uchiha fell into silence.

If the running method was the same, did that mean his stats couldn't compare to Naruto Uzumaki’s?

How could this be? For a moment, he found it hard to accept.

Sasuke Uchiha gritted his teeth, turned around, and came before Naruto Uzumaki.

He said with a cold face, "Come with me; I have a question to ask you."

"What question?"

Naruto Uzumaki followed him to a spot not far away with a puzzled face.

"What is the running secret Teacher Kitazawa taught you?"

Sasuke Uchiha asked directly.

"You want to learn this?"

Naruto Uzumaki immediately became excited.

"Long-winded!"

Sasuke Uchiha turned his head away from him, just urging, "Hurry up and tell me!"

"Hehe, no problem."

Naruto Uzumaki wasn't angry; instead, he was very happy to explain it once.

In his view, Sasuke Uchiha, as the most outstanding student in the class, running over to ask him, was simply a huge face-saver.

Besides this, there was another reason.

That was that Sasuke Uchiha didn't have a strange attitude toward him because of the so-called "monster" talk.

"That's it?"

Sasuke Uchiha widened his eyes after hearing it.

"Yeah."

Naruto Uzumaki asked uncomprehendingly, "Is this not enough?"

"..."

Sasuke Uchiha confirmed that Kitazawa hadn't lied.

Precisely because of this, he felt even more uncomfortable.

Why was Naruto Uzumaki’s physical fitness stronger than his?

He was the invincible Uchiha!

Sasuke Uchiha thought for a long time, finally lowered his face, and found Kitazawa again.

"The answer to this question is very simple."

Kitazawa raised an eyebrow and said, "Because your Uchiha clan excels in the Sharingan and Fire Style ninjutsu."

"But..."