Naruto: One Eye Tenseigan

After a week of grueling effort, Mai finally achieved what had eluded her for so long: she could now control her chakra with enough precision to walk up a tree. Her triumph, though delayed, was sweet—like victory dumplings after a battle.

At the dinner table, her voice rang out like a war horn.

"I finally did it!" Mai exclaimed, her chopsticks clattering onto the table as she shot upright. "I walked all the way up and down the tree today. No falling, not even once!"

The room froze for half a second, startled by her sudden outburst. Then, a ripple of reactions followed.

"That's awesome, Mai!" Naruto cheered automatically, though his grin faltered as he spoke. His chopsticks hung limply in his left hand as if even holding them had drained his energy.

Mina glanced at her calmly, mid-bite. "Took you long enough."

"Hey! Not everyone's born a chakra control genius like you and Sakura," Mai shot back, pointing her chopsticks at Mina accusingly. "Some of us have to suffer for our victories."

Sakura, who had been quietly focused on her food, looked up with a frown. "It's not about being a genius. You just have to keep practicing the basics, over and over. You'll get it eventually."

Mai groaned, dragging her hands down her face dramatically. "That's exactly what a genius would say, I have been practicing. Every day, all day, until my feet are sore and my brain's fried. And what do I get? Tiny progress. Meanwhile, you and Mina are up there defying gravity like it's no big deal."

"About time," Tomaru deadpanned, not looking up as he continued eating. "I was starting to worry for the tree's structural integrity."

"Hey!" Mai spun toward him, jabbing her chopsticks in his direction. "That tree and I bonded during my training. It probably misses me already."

"Or it's relieved," Mina added softly, not bothering to hide her smirk this time.

Mai planted her fists on her hips, sitting up taller. "Laugh all you want, but I'm the Tree-Walking Queen now. None of you are allowed to challenge me—official rule!"

Tomaru raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. "Is that self-proclaimed?"

"Obviously. Who else would crown me? You?"

"Certainly not."

The table burst into laughter, even Naruto chuckling under his breath as Mai puffed up like a victorious rooster. For a moment, her energy was infectious, and the group's mood lightened as if someone had opened a window to let fresh air into the room.

Then, Naruto's smile faltered again as he glanced down at his plate. The half-eaten food stared back at him, and his hand twitched awkwardly, the chopsticks slipping between his fingers. It wasn't fair—how could anyone celebrate when even eating felt like an uphill climb?

Sakura noticed right away. Without a word, she picked up her own chopsticks and quietly slid Naruto's bowl closer to herself. "Here, Naruto. Don't fight it."

"I can do it," Naruto muttered automatically, though his heart wasn't in it.

"I know you can," Sakura said gently, as if stating a fact rather than offering pity. "But you don't have to, not tonight." She picked up a piece of fish and placed it into his bowl for him. "Let me help."

Naruto sighed, a mix of frustration and gratitude in his expression as he relented. "Thanks, Sakura."

Mai, still riding her victory high, hadn't noticed the quieter exchange yet. "Look, I don't care how long it took me. I did it, and that's what counts! You don't see me moping about being slow, do you?"

"Only because you're loud enough to cover it up," Tomaru muttered, earning another round of laughter.

"Loud and proud, baby," Mai shot back, grinning wide. "That's my style."

Naruto, to his credit, cracked a genuine smile this time. "Yeah, well, maybe you can be proud enough for both of us."

Mai blinked, suddenly noticing the way Naruto held his chopsticks awkwardly. The words were lighthearted, but there was something heavier underneath them that made her pause.

"Hey, don't sell yourself short," she said, pointing her chopsticks at him like a teacher scolding a student. "It's not like you've got it easy right now. One-handed seals? That's, like, Jonin-level stuff, right? You'll probably figure that out before I can land a punch on Tomaru."

Tomaru glanced up, chewing slowly. "Probably."

"Oh, shut up," Mai snapped, though she was grinning again.

Naruto scratched his cheek sheepishly. "Heh. One-handed seals do kinda suck, though."

"See? I knew it!" Mai leaned back dramatically. "And here I thought I was the only one who had it rough."

"You are the only one making victory speeches," Mina chimed in dryly.

"That's because someone's gotta remind you geniuses to celebrate the little things," Mai replied, her voice uncharacteristically sincere for a moment.

The table quieted slightly, as if everyone had absorbed her words without realizing it. Naruto looked up, his gaze thoughtful. "Yeah… Maybe you're right."

Sakura, her smile faint but sincere, added, "You have a point, Mai. Every step forward counts, no matter how small."

Mai's eyes lit up as she pointed dramatically at Sakura, as though formally appointing her as a partner in crime. "Exactly! Small wins accumulate into big ones."

For the first time that evening, Naruto's grin didn't look forced. "Okay, fine. I'll celebrate when I get one seal right. Just one."

Tomaru tilted his head, his tone completely serious. "I'll bring a cake."

Naruto snorted so hard he nearly dropped his bowl. "What—? A cake for one seal?"

"Progress is progress," Tomaru replied, so deadpan that even Mina choked on her tea.

The laughter that followed lingered longer this time, warm and easy. Naruto still felt behind—he wouldn't lie to himself about that—but somehow, surrounded by Mai's unrelenting enthusiasm, Tomaru's sarcasm, and Sakura's quiet support, the weight on his shoulders felt just a little lighter.

The air around the dinner table hummed with residual warmth and laughter as Naruto launched into a dramatic retelling of his struggle with one-handed seals, accompanied by Mai's exaggerated gasps and Mina's occasional amused smirk. The mood was light, but at the far end of the table, Sasuke sat quietly, absorbed in his own thoughts.

His gaze settled on Tomaru, who ate with his usual unshakable calm. There was no arrogance in the way Tomaru carried himself—just an understated composure that seemed to separate him from the rest of the room. There was no denying the strength Tomaru had demonstrated during their training—strength Sasuke couldn't ignore.

Tomaru's exceptional chakra control became apparent from the very first day. While Sasuke struggled for two days to grasp the basic exercise of tree climbing, Tomaru had already advanced to seamlessly integrating chakra flow with earth nature techniques. His movements were marked by flawless precision, devoid of wasted effort or hesitation.

It gnawed at Sasuke. How strong is he? The thought wouldn't leave him. He wanted to know.

Finally, he broke the moment.

Naruto's voice faded into the background as Sasuke's resolve solidified. Setting down his chopsticks, he spoke with deliberate calm. "Hey, Tomaru. Fight me."

The room fell into a stunned silence. Every head turned toward Sasuke, his unexpected challenge hanging heavily in the air. Team 2 and Team 7 exchanged uncertain glances, their earlier lightheartedness replaced by tension.

Tomaru remained unperturbed. He continued eating, his expression unmoved. Picking up a piece of fish with his chopsticks, he finally replied, "Why?" His tone carried the same indifference as one might use to ask about the weather.

Sasuke's stare did not waver. "I want to measure the gap between us."

Tomaru's response was equally nonchalant. "Okay." He spoke as though agreeing to a trivial matter and reached for another piece of fish. This time, his chopsticks were intercepted mid-motion.

Looking up, Tomaru met Sasuke's piercing stare. The crimson glow of the single-tomoe Sharingan reflected in the firelight, an unmistakable sign of the younger Uchiha's determination.

"I hope you'll take this seriously," Sasuke said quietly, his voice edged with determination.

Tomaru studied Sasuke for a moment. There was no anger in Sasuke's tone, but his seriousness was unmistakable. With a subtle nod, Tomaru set his chopsticks down. He turned toward Tsunami, offering a polite "Thank you for the meal," before rising from his seat. Without a word, he headed toward the door, his movements deliberate and composed. Sasuke stood immediately and followed him, his resolve clear.

The remaining diners watched in muted astonishment. Sakura's expression betrayed concern as she hesitated before rising. Mai and Mina exchanged knowing glances before joining the procession.

Naruto gawked at the unfolding scene. "Wait, what? You're serious? Right now? Sasuke, you can't just—"

"Let it be," Sakura interrupted, standing. "He's made up his mind."

Mai smirked, nudging Mina. "This is getting interesting."

Mina sighed but couldn't hide the flicker of curiosity in her eyes. "You live for chaos, don't you?"

The group followed Sasuke and Tomaru outside into the clearing. The moon cast a soft light over the yard, and a cool breeze rustled the nearby trees. Tomaru stood calmly in the center, his hands at his sides. Sasuke faced him, already sliding into a stance.

Naruto stood on the sidelines, his arms crossed. "This is insane. Tomaru's strong, but Sasuke's got his Sharingan. Who do you think's going to win?" he whispered to Sakura.

Sakura shook her head. "I don't know. But I doubt either of them will go easy."