Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

"Kya! Sasuke-kun!" - another scream from some girl at his school and a bigger headache. Sasuke is already twelve years old, which means he will graduate from the ninja academy this year and become one of them, just like his brother Itachi.

"Stay away from him! Can’t you see he doesn’t want to be around you?!" - yelled another girl, who, along with other beautiful half-humans, was fighting for a place next to him. Sasuke didn’t care much about this. Soon, the lesson would start, and the teacher would deal with them. After class, he’d train techniques with his brother. The other person who perfectly ignored the noise at that moment was the sleeping Naruto Uzumaki. Overall, an idiot. He didn’t pay attention in class, always drawing something in his notebook. One of the most notable people in the whole village. The only half-human with fox genes. The boy had wheat-colored hair, and fox ears and a tail with white fur at the tip. Despite supposedly being a boy, his appearance completely contradicted that. The boy had a very feminine figure, and no doubt many girls envied his looks. He also had huge, ocean-blue eyes that perfectly revealed every one of his emotions. However, the black-haired boy wasn’t very interested in that. But Naruto stood out not only for his looks but also for his blood. The scent of his blood always stood out from others, and Sasuke was very curious about how it tasted ever since he first encountered its wonderful smell. After all, he’s a vampire, and blood is his primary food source. Even now, the smell of the blonde’s blood was incredibly clear. His thoughts were interrupted by the bell signaling the start of the last lesson.

No vampire meal could be without blood. In the village, there’s a special section in the hospital where half-humans donate blood specifically for vampires. For Sasuke, this blood wasn’t bad or good. It was practically tasteless, just like all the others. It didn’t have any particularly special scent either. However, recently, for Sasuke, it started to feel bland. He wanted to try something different. Something better.

"Sasuke, is something wrong?" asked his older brother, interrupting his meal.

"Hm? Ah, no. Everything’s fine." Sasuke mumbled, not particularly eager to talk. For instance, Itachi, who was preparing to become the head of the clan, had apparently tried blood directly from half-humans. It was definitely less bland and fresher.

"Are you sure? You don’t look well," his mother Mikoto spoke up.

"I'm fine, just a little tired," Sasuke answered, forcing a smile. He didn’t want to worry his mother. The woman sighed.

"Itachi, have you seen Fugaku?" she asked. "He should have been here a few minutes ago," she added, looking at the clock.

The next day, Sasuke had to deal again with his psycho fangirls. He knew he was quite handsome, after all, he was not only an Uchiha but also a vampire, but what these girls were doing bordered on harassment and stalking. Still, somehow, Sasuke made it to his desk, where Naruto Uzumaki was already sitting. The blonde, as always, lived in his own world. He probably didn’t even know he was in class, but today his scent was more intense. It was... more noticeable. As if he had some scratch or other kind of wound. Sasuke scanned the blonde, trying to find the source of the scent, and after a moment, he noticed a cut on the lower lip of the blue-eyed boy.

A few lessons passed, and finally, it was time for second breakfast. Sasuke somehow managed to escape from the girls at his school and hide in a safe place. The black-haired boy pulled out his food box from his backpack and opened it. Inside were sandwiches with tomatoes and a snack of cake baked by his mother.

"Where are they?" Sasuke muttered, noticing that there were no blood capsules in the box.

Several more lessons passed, and Sasuke had had enough. And it wasn’t just the girls harassing him in class. He had forgotten his blood capsules, meaning he hadn’t drunk blood since breakfast, and he was slowly losing his sanity. Especially since Naruto’s blood, sitting next to him, always smelled so delicious. Feeling he wouldn’t be able to hold back much longer, Sasuke raised his hand.

"Yes, Sasuke?" asked Iruka-sensei.

"Can I go to the bathroom?" he immediately asked.

"Yes, just come back soon," the teacher replied, and Sasuke left the class as quickly as possible, trying not to raise suspicion, and then ran to the bathroom.

Iruka looked at the black-haired boy. "Yes, just come back soon," he said, and Sasuke quickly left the class. Sasuke didn’t look well, and it wasn’t just him who noticed. Soon, one of his students raised her hand.

"Iruka-sensei, Sasuke-kun doesn’t look well. Can I go check if he’s okay?" asked Sakura. Before the teacher could answer, all the girls started arguing about who would go check on Sasuke. Umino looked around the class, one of his students seemed to have little care about the situation.

"Calm down!" he yelled, then said, "She’ll go."

Sasuke sat in a bathroom stall, trying to calm down. "If I don’t eat something soon, I think I’ll go crazy," he said to himself, noticing his Sharingan activating. Suddenly, he heard someone enter the bathroom.

"Hello? Sasuke, are you in here?" a voice called out, and after a moment, the entire room was filled with the wonderful scent of blood. Sasuke opened the stall door, and before his eyes stood the blue-eyed blonde.

"Here you are. Iruka-sensei asked me to make sure you’re okay," the boy said, but Sasuke wasn’t listening. He was staring at his lips, specifically the wound on his lower lip, which was dark red with blood.

"Hey, are you listening to me?" asked Uzumaki, walking closer to the black-haired boy. At that moment, Sasuke’s vampire instincts took over. Without hesitation, he grabbed Uzumaki’s wrist and pulled him toward him, pressing their lips together before sinking his fangs into the smaller boy’s lower lip.

Just a few seconds later, Sasuke could taste the blonde’s blood. For the first time in his life, he drank such amazing blood. The taste was indescribable. Unfortunately, the joy didn’t last long, as the half-fox punched him in the stomach, causing Sasuke to pull away in pain. He looked at the boy. His tail was fully bristled, and his ears were drooping. His eyes showed fear. A few tears gathered in his big eyes, and there were slight blushes on his cheeks.

"Wh-what the hell are you doing?!" the boy screamed, slowly backing away. Sasuke didn’t answer. He was still hungry, so without a word, he quickly rushed to the blonde, knocking him to the ground.

"Get off me!" Uzumaki yelled angrily, trying to push him away with his hands. Sasuke just grimaced, then grabbed the boy’s wrists, placing them above Naruto’s head. The blonde screamed something else, but Sasuke wasn’t listening, only sinking his fangs into his neck, once again tasting his wonderful blood.

Chapter Text

Sasuke only came to when a teacher entered the bathroom and heard the screams. The man pushed Sasuke away from the blonde and then ran over to get the paper with which he tried to stop the bleeding. Sasuke, on the other hand, sat motionless, unsure of what exactly was going on. across from him, Naruto was half lying, half sitting. blood was pouring from his mouth, as well as from his neck on the left side. tears were pouring from his eyes, and he had slight bruises on his wrists. Sasuke wasn't sure what had happened. The video cut off when the blond boy entered the bathroom and now he was sitting in front of a crying, bloodied Uzumaki. Sasuke himself felt the heavenly sameness of someone's blood in his mouth and it wasn't hard to guess what had happened.

Only a few minutes later, they were both sitting in the teacher's room, waiting for their teacher who still had to finish two lessons with their class. The bite wounds had been bandaged, but Naruto's clothes were still soaked in blood. Sasuke was no better, as his shirt was stained with the blood of half a fox, both lost in their own thoughts. Sasuke didn't know what the blond boy was thinking about, but he still wondered how the boy could have such great blood. Sasuke still had the taste of it in his mouth and even though he knew he was in trouble, he was deeply grateful in his heart that he had forgotten the capsules today and that Iruka Sensei had just sent Naruto to him.
Along with Umino, Sasuke's mom and Hogake came to the teacher's room. Sasuke and Naruto told them their versions of the story. fortunately, both of them were really lucky this time. however, that didn't mean that Sasuke wouldn't flop at home. however, his mom looked more worried than angry. “eh.... if I heard you correctly, you said that the smell of Naruto's blood has always stood out from other smells? “the woman asked, then pulled out one ampoule of blood ‘mhm. since I first met him. ’replied Sasuke, not knowing what his parent was getting at. she merely handed him the ampoule of blood ‘drink some. ’she ordered. Sasuke obeyed the order without talking, and took a small sip, but after a moment he spit out the blood he had drunk. “ew! what is it? ‘asked the black-haired man, looking at his parent. ’it tastes like rotten milk”-he shouted, handing the ampoule back to his mother.” this is what I feared... “she said to herself, however, the black-haired man heard her exactly. the woman drank the rest of the blood, then said ”this is the same blood you drank at breakfast today.” after these words, she squatted in front of Sasuke and grabbed his shoulders.Listen to me Sasuke, because what I am going to say now is very important.She said seriously. “it turns out that Naruto is your destiny ‘she stated. ’em.... what please? “asked Sasuke, not understanding what exactly his mother meant. Naruto, the freak that everyone avoids his.... destined? what does that even mean? “since you bit Naruto's neck, you unwillingly put a seal on him, through which he became your partner. once you tasted his blood, no other blood will taste good to you anymore, because Naruto is your soulmate ”explained the woman, completely serious.

evening came and Itachi, along with Fugaku, managed to find out about the situation.Be that as it may, it's better that it's Naruto than any of Sasuke's psycho fans,“ Itachi stated.”... tomorrow morning I'll go talk to Hogake. Sasuke, can you hold out until morning without blood?” asked the black-haired father. Sasuke only nodded his head. “do you know where Naruto lives? ‘asked another question ’no ‘replied the boy. ’I know where he lives ‘spoke up Mikoto. ’great. you will approach there in the morning with Sasuke to come to an understanding with him somehow, until we clear the whole matter. ”said Fugaku.

Naruto stepped into the bathtub filled with warm water, then pulled his legs up to his chest-Mr. Fox, are you asleep?"-he asked after a moment into space.-no.-a furious voice answered him, and just a moment later a small red fox with nine tails appeared on the blond's head. What are you upset about this time?"-asked Uzumaki.-this cursed clan of cursed vampires.-he hissed the fox, then looked at Naruto's arm, on which there were two identical round wounds.-this.... hurt.... very much...- murmured Naruto, then plunged deeper.Unfortunately, when the warm water came into contact with the wound, it began to burn, causing Naruto to emerge part of himself from the warm water with a hiss.I told you not to go near the vampires. stated the fox roughly.I know. but Iruka sensei told me to go, and I did not want to get in trouble.The blond replied, but his friend apparently did not listen to him.Mr. fox silently stared at the neck of the half fox.I.... is something wrong?- finally asked Naruto.-I'll fucking kill the bastard!-shouted the fox, then startled Naruto on the shoulder.-can.... may I know what happened?"- asked Naruto, slightly frightened by his friend's shouting.-this fucking Uchiha from your class happened!-shouted the fox, but calmed down when the boy through his shouting slightly scowled-forgive me kid.I shouldn't raise my voice like that, but this shithead seriously raised my blood pressure. said already a little calmer fox.-and can you tell me what happened?“-requested Naruto's question-it's about that dumbass vampire tagged you,-said the fox, again returning to Naruto's quite comfortable blond hair.-what does that mean?”- asked Naruto. it means that you have kind of become his property. that is, not completely, but from now on you are dependent on each other. and before you ask, it consists in the fact that this vampire who tagged you is only able to swallow your blood because the others smell and taste like old socks to him, and you, on the other hand, when you are not aware for a long time that he is around you will start to panic, and you will start to think that literally everything wants to kill you and your mood will deteriorate significantly. so in other words, you are making this shithead for food and a personal plushie, and in the future for the mother of his children, and you can't even have a moment of privacy, because without him by your side you will start to fall into a kind of depression and anxiety- said the Fox. and I found out because there's now the mark of his clan around your neck,- he added before Naruto had time to open his mouth.In other words, I got myself into a lot of shit,- stated the blonde, then sighed-is it possible to undo it?-he asked after a while.-how do you know how to go back in time, murmured the Fox, after which there was silence again.-but.... they won't find out about you? asked Naruto.The fox was silent for a moment, then replied-they won't find out, he assured the boy, and Naruto sighed in relief.He first met Mr. Fox about six years ago. when some drunken man was taking it out on little Naruto.When the blond boy was unable to move, the man smiled, then began to unbuckle his trouser belt. ..it was some super loud holiday at the time, so no one heard some vampire abusing some child in some alley. this caused the boy a lifelong trauma, and the day after, the little boy decided to end his life. that's when he first met Mr. Fox, whom he recognized as Mrs. Rabbit at the time. Mr. Fox mostly slept, and did not meddle in the blond boy's life, but sometimes he talked to him and lifted his spirits, and warned him about the Uchiha clan and other vampires. after so many years, Naruto got used to calling him a friend in his mind. because all in all. I guess that's what friends do, they lift your spirits and support you when you're sad and when something happens to you they are angry and malign the whole world while making you laugh. However, Mr. Fox had one rule. no one can find out about their friendship.

Chapter Text

The next morning, bright and early, Sasuke set out with his mother toward Naruto’s house.
“He’ll still be asleep. I’m sure of it,” Sasuke muttered to himself, making sure his mother didn’t hear him. He didn’t want to irritate her any further.
The woman knocked on the door, but no one answered.
“Maybe he’s sleeping?” Sasuke suggested, secretly hoping the blond would still answer. He hadn’t eaten anything since their incident yesterday, and his growing hunger was becoming more and more irritating.
“If he’s asleep, we’ll wake him,” Mikoto said, knocking again—this time louder.
After a moment, the door creaked open, and there stood Naruto. The boy was wearing a slightly short nightshirt that reached his thighs, and his hair was even more of a mess than usual.
“Hm?” the blond mumbled, half-asleep, staring at Sasuke’s mother.
“Good morning, Naruto. Sorry to wake you, but we need to talk,” she said with a gentle smile.
Naruto didn’t reply right away, but after a moment, he stepped aside, letting Sasuke and Mikoto in.
“Mhm,” the blond muttered as Sasuke’s mother explained what it meant to be someone’s partner.
“I know this is new for both of you, but I’d like you to try to keep it a secret for now—at least until we’ve cleared things up with the Hokage,” she added.
Sasuke understood perfectly, though he wondered if Naruto was even listening. The boy was lying face-down on the table, practically asleep.
“At school it shouldn’t be a problem—we already sit together. It’ll be harder before and after classes,” Naruto said with a yawn.
“Did you even sleep at all?” Sasuke asked, noticing the dark circles under the half-fox’s eyes.
“Not really. My neck hurt like hell,” he muttered.
“Can I take a look?” Mikoto asked.
Naruto nodded, and she got up, walking over to him.
“Oh…” she murmured when she saw something on his neck.
“What is it?” Sasuke asked, moving closer to look. His eyes widened.
Near the spot where Sasuke had bitten him, there was a mark—the symbol of his clan.
“I didn’t think the marking would appear so quickly,” Mikoto said.
“Hm? What marking?” Naruto mumbled, still half out of it.
“What does it mean?” Sasuke asked, turning to his mother.
“A marking is like a sign—it happens when a vampire’s destined partner is a half-human. It means that particular half-human is already claimed,” the black-haired woman explained.
“Mhm,” Naruto muttered, still not paying much attention. Mikoto glanced at the clock—it was six in the morning.
“Ah… I have to go. Sasuke, stay with Naruto and then head to school together, okay?” she instructed.
“Okay,” Sasuke replied, walking her to the door. Once she left, he locked it and returned to the blond.
They sat in silence for a while, but Sasuke’s hunger grew with each passing minute.
“Uh… Naruto?” he began, but got no response.
“Naruto,” he said a little louder. Still nothing.
“Naruto!” he finally shouted. The blond opened his blue eyes, looking sleepily at the Uchiha.
“What?” he mumbled.
“I need some of your blood,” Sasuke said plainly.
“Ah… go ahead,” Naruto replied, closing his eyes again.
Sasuke stared at him for a moment, then got up, lifted him into his arms, and carried him toward the bedroom.

“Hm… what are you doing?” the boy mumbled as Sasuke sat him on the bed.
“I’ll take some blood, then you can sleep—you’re practically unconscious,” Sasuke said.Standing between Naruto’s legs, he tilted the blond’s head slightly to expose his neck. He felt the weight of those blue eyes on him, but ignored it and sank his fangs in. Naruto yelped, suddenly fully awake, and began struggling. Sasuke didn’t care—he focused entirely on the heavenly taste of the boy’s blood.
After a while, he decided it was enough and pulled away. Naruto’s fox tail stood on end, bristled, his eyes teared up, and a faint blush colored his cheeks.
“Wh-what the hell are you doing?!” he growled, scooting back.
“You said I could drink,” Sasuke reminded him, stepping closer.
“D-don’t come near me!” Naruto barked, glaring at him—but unfortunately, it didn’t scare the vampire.
In seconds, Sasuke was right next to him. Before Naruto could react, Sasuke pushed him down onto the bed.
“You’re going to sleep. But first, tell me where your first aid kit is,” Sasuke ordered.
Naruto blinked in confusion, then muttered, “Under the bathroom sink, I think.”
Sasuke climbed off the bed and headed to the bathroom.
When he came back, Naruto was already asleep—sprawled sideways across the bed, completely relaxed. He looked… peaceful. Sasuke sighed and began tending to the wound on his neck. Then he sat down, placing Naruto’s head on his lap.
The boy’s nightshirt had ridden up, revealing the half-fox’s stomach. Sasuke glanced at the exposed skin and, without thinking, rested his hand there—it was surprisingly soft. Naruto murmured something in his sleep and turned his back toward him. Sasuke sighed again, running his fingers through the golden strands of his hair. They still had half an hour before he’d have to wake him.

Naruto now sat curled up among the giant red-orange fur.
“You know he’s going to wake you soon,” the massive nine-tailed fox rumbled.
“I’m not going,” the blond mumbled, snuggling deeper into one of his friend’s tails.
The fox sighed, then lifted the tail—Naruto clinging stubbornly to it.
“Listen, gaki, you’ll be fine. I know it doesn’t look good right now, but we’ll find a way out of this, okay?” the fox said, lowering his front paw to keep Naruto from landing on the cold, wet ground.
The boy let go of the tail and landed softly on the fox’s paw.
“Do I have to go?” Naruto asked as the fox helped him to the ground.
“Running away won’t solve anything. You’ll come back to me tonight, and we’ll start looking for a way out of this mess,” the fox reassured him.
“Hmh,” the boy muttered, stepping down onto the ground.

Chapter Text

Three days had passed since Naruto and Sasuke had been forced together, and although it was strange at first, Sasuke was slowly starting to warm up to the idea. His father still hadn’t come to an agreement with the Hokage and the council, but the dark-haired boy didn’t care. Even though Naruto sometimes—read: all the time—acted weird, his company was far better than anyone else from their class. The blond still didn’t like it when Sasuke bit him, but he’d have to get used to it sooner or later. After all, he was stuck with it. Naruto sometimes—read: almost always—completely spaced out, as if he were in another world, but that was nothing new.

It was lunchtime, and the blue-eyed boy was reluctantly being led by Sasuke to some secluded place. Once the raven-haired boy finally found a quiet spot, he immediately unzipped Naruto’s jacket, pushed his shirt aside, and sank his fangs into the younger boy’s neck. Within seconds, the heavenly taste of the half-fox’s blood spread through his mouth. Unfortunately, it didn’t last long, because Naruto quickly pushed him away and, covering the wound, hurried back toward the classroom. Sasuke just muttered something in annoyance before heading there as well.

Naruto sighed as he sat back down at his desk. He immediately slipped into his own mind to snuggle against his fluffy friend.
“When will this end…?” he asked quietly, already knowing the answer.
“Never,” came the reply, perfectly in sync with the Nine-Tails. The fox wrapped one of his tails around the boy, trying to lift his spirits. They couldn’t really talk now—if they did, the teacher would feel Naruto’s chakra mixing with his, a clear sign of tampering with the seal. Still, he wanted to show the kid he wasn’t alone. The fox thought the boy had already suffered enough at the hands of the villagers, and now he’d been stuck with a vampire from that cursed clan. He had never wanted so badly to slaughter everyone nearby, and he would have—if it meant keeping the boy safe.
"Ne, Mister Fox?" the blond’s voice pulled him from his thoughts.
Hm? the fox rumbled, resting his head on his forepaws. For a moment, there was silence, and then the boy murmured,
"Never mind…" before leaving his mindscape.

Naruto tried to distance himself from Sasuke as much as possible, but when, a week later, the Hokage officially recognized their “bond,” rumors began to spread, and the hatred toward him multiplied many times over. Naruto was forced to move into Sasuke’s house, and even to share a room with him. The worst was at night or when they were alone—then the young vampire would start touching him in strange, intimate places, biting him all over and leaving deep wounds, constantly invading his personal space. He had lost count of how many times he had begged the old man to let him return to his own apartment—or how many times the Fox had stopped him at the last second from ending his life.

Thus, the first year at the Academy passed, and the final exams came. Naruto did everything he could to fail—even admitting he couldn’t control his chakra (not that the teachers ever taught him anything; even when he did something right, they failed him anyway). Yet somehow, he passed and was placed on Team 7 alongside Sasuke and Sakura under the watch of jōnin Kakashi. During that time, his relationship with the Fox had reached a new level. Kurama—as he’d once learned his name—had become his only true friend, even something of a parental figure.

Once, they went on a mission outside the village that turned into a fight to the death with Zabuza and Haku. Naruto had personally grown to like them both, and he truly… grieved? their deaths. He wasn’t entirely sure. Yes, forced into becoming both a shinobi and Sasuke’s plaything, the time came for the chūnin exams. The first part was really tricky, but somehow they made it through, even though Naruto didn’t even touch the test—just doodled all over it.

The second part… was interesting. That was the first time he met a boy named Gaara. Kurama told him Gaara was also a jinchūriki, but that wasn’t what fascinated him. What fascinated him was the way Gaara killed a vampire-ninja who had tried to get at his blood—the screams of that ninja stayed lodged in Naruto’s mind for a long time. It was also during the second part that he met Orochimaru. The sannin’s overwhelming power was incredible to witness, and he didn’t kill for fun but for some higher goal of knowledge—something Naruto couldn’t quite grasp yet, but deep down felt was something amazing that could change the world.

Right after the second exam, which he somehow passed, Naruto immediately decided to seek out the red-haired boy. Watching him fight, Naruto wanted to be like him. It didn’t take long to find the Suna ninja. Kurama once told him he had a natural talent for sensing chakra—whatever that meant.
"Hey!" he called happily to the boy. There were two other ninja with him, but Naruto didn’t notice them. When Gaara stopped and looked at him, Naruto smiled.
"You’re Gaara, right?" he asked, and when he got a nod, his smile grew wider.
"I saw you fight Lee. That was amazing!" he announced. "Could you teach me how to do that?!" he asked immediately, ignoring the surprised faces of the Suna trio.
"Wasn’t that one of the ninja from your village?" asked the older blonde girl with four pigtails.
"Yeah. So?" he replied, shifting his gaze to her. Before she could answer, Gaara raised his hand, signaling her to be quiet.
"Shouldn’t you be learning from your supervising jōnin?" Gaara asked. Naruto only shrugged.
"I guess, but he only focuses on the Bastard, and the Pink One gets trained at the medical post. Besides, he probably hates me—just like everyone else."
"Hates you?" Gaara asked.
"Yeah. Is it different for you?" Naruto replied with a question of his own.
"Wait… you’re a jinchūriki?" the boy in the hat with purple face paint asked.
"Yup," Naruto answered like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Anyway, we’re getting off topic!" he added quickly, stepping closer to the redhead, eyes sparkling.
"How did you do that awesome thing with the sand?! Do you control it yourself, or does Shukaku help you?! Does the sand always protect you?! Is there any chance I could learn that?! I saw you crush that vampire too! That was amazing! Could you teach me to kick vampire butt too?!" he launched into his waterfall of questions.

Chapter Text

Meeting Gaara turned out to be one of the best things that had happened to Naruto. The red‑haired boy had taught him how to use chakra and fight, becoming a close friend to the blond. At first, it had been difficult, but now they were close enough to spend nights talking or sharing the traumas they had been bottling up for years.
During the day, however, Naruto was forced to endure his pompous teacher, who wouldn’t stop bragging about how great he was and how much he was supposedly teaching him. The blond couldn’t even count how many times the thought of cutting out the half‑man’s tongue or crushing his throat crossed his mind—just to have a moment of peace. Still, he stayed silent, wondering instead what he would do with Gaara that evening.
Naruto had also met Gaara’s older siblings—Temari and Kankurō. Gaara didn’t get along with them very well, since they blamed him for their mother’s death and only stuck around to make sure he didn’t run away. When the redhead told him this, they spent the rest of the night sitting quietly, leaning against each other and gazing at the stars.
Luckily for Naruto, Sasuke and their teacher had disappeared somewhere, and the blond only had to provide his blood in capsules through one of the ANBU. Sasuke, in turn, was satisfied with something that merely carried Naruto’s scent (and Naruto honestly hated the mess he had gotten himself into—screw vampires and the Uchiha). So the blue‑eyed boy could honestly say that the month he spent with the siblings from Suna had been the best time he’d ever had.
He also met a man named Jiraiya, who introduced himself as one of Konoha’s three legendary Sannin. Naruto simply ignored him, focusing on spending time with Gaara and his siblings. With his help, the three from Suna slowly began to form a bond with each other.
That month passed quickly, and the finals arrived. Naruto was set to fight second‑to‑last against a vampire named Neji Hyūga. After him, Sasuke was supposed to fight Gaara—but the black‑haired vampire still hadn’t shown up.

“Second‑to‑last match! Hyūga Neji!” announced one of the jōnin, but cheers interrupted him. “Versus Uzumaki Naruto!” he finished. While people from other villages cheered, Konoha’s citizens only looked at Naruto with disgust as he stepped into the ring.
Glancing to the side, he spotted Gaara and his siblings, along with Hinata, all smiling at him and quietly cheering him on. Naruto smiled back before turning his gaze to the older Hyūga—who had treated his cousin terribly during a previous test. Gaara had trained him tirelessly for a month, even though he didn’t have to, and today Naruto would show the results of that training. He even heard Kurama’s encouraging growl in the back of his mind.
“Ready…!” the instructor began.
“Start!” he shouted, stepping back. Naruto immediately took a fighting stance.
Neji didn’t move, instead turning his head toward the instructor. “Is this really necessary? It’s obvious who’s going to wi—” He didn’t finish, because Naruto’s fist smashed into his face.
“Your opponent is right here,” Naruto stated, jumping back to avoid Neji’s counterattack. The older boy hurled a kunai at him, irritation plain on his face—which only fueled Naruto’s desire to fight and win.
They squared off again, keeping a medium distance between them. For a moment, they just stared each other down before Neji lunged at full speed, attacking from above. Naruto blocked instantly and countered with a strike toward Neji’s stomach, but the older boy jumped back to safety. They exchanged another flurry of blows, several times over, until Neji activated his Byakugan—this time aiming for the half‑fox’s chakra points.
Seeing what he was up to, Naruto widened the distance and quickly formed seals for a wind‑style jutsu, sending a barrage of miniature wind needles straight at the older ninja.

To say Sasuke was irritated would be an understatement. He had spent the entire month stuck in some desolate wasteland training with Kakashi‑sensei—learning a few new techniques and refining old ones. That wouldn’t have been so bad, if not for the fact that Naruto couldn’t come with him. Sure, he received the blond’s blood in capsules, but it wasn’t the same as having that adorable, defenseless little fox at his side.
So when he and Kakashi finally arrived at the arena, and he heard the cry—“Hyūga Neji wins!”—he knew something was wrong. He rushed to the ring and saw a battered Neji, along with Naruto restrained by several ninja. The blond had far more injuries than the older vampire, but he didn’t look too badly off. Sasuke was about to ask what had happened when the people of Konoha began hurling insults—calling Naruto a demon, a monster, a murderer—and throwing objects and food at him.
Naruto quickly broke free from the ANBU holding him. Giving the crowd a cold, piercing look and muttering something to the ANBU, he calmly walked back to where the other contestants were, patting the red‑haired half‑tanuki on the shoulder before sitting beside the two Suna ninja.

Naruto had been certain he was going to win. Neji’s chakra was running low, and he was tiring fast, while Naruto still had plenty of energy. Sparring with the Suna siblings had really paid off. Wanting to deliver the final blow, he drew on a bit of Kurama’s chakra—without realizing that his eyes had shifted from blue to crimson.
Unfortunately, others noticed. Before he could react, Neji struck him hard in the stomach, launching him into the air. The older boy then kicked him down from above, slamming him into the ground with enough force to break several bones in his arm. Two ANBU immediately restrained him.
“Hyūga Neji wins!” the jōnin announced, and Konoha’s citizens began screaming insults and throwing things at him again.
Naruto wrenched himself free from their grip. “I can control myself,” he hissed, giving the crowd the most terrifying glare he could muster before calmly walking back to the contestants’ area.
“You okay?” Gaara asked.
Naruto gave him a small smile, placing a hand on his shoulder. “Don’t worry about me. Go kick that idiot’s ass,” he said before sitting down next to Temari and Hinata.