Dream Maker of the Hokage!

In the spectator stands—

Everyone who witnessed the scene was utterly stunned.

Naruto, sitting among them, broke out in goosebumps all over. He instinctively hugged himself tight.

"T-This is way too weird! Is this really how I am in Sasuke's dream?!"

His eyes were wide open, a mix of disbelief and pure disdain etched across his face as he squirmed uncomfortably, as if ants were crawling all over him.

"Ki-machine warui!"

The sheer creepiness sent shivers down his spine.

Ding! Emotional fluctuation detected from Uzumaki Naruto! +300 Emotion Points!

Even Sakura was dumbfounded, rendered completely speechless.

The Naruto in the dream… His handsome features were lit up by a bright, warm smile. Every word and gesture exuded a kind and refined aura. The atmosphere around him was like the sun on a winter morning—gentle and comforting.

This dream-version Naruto gave her a feeling she'd never experienced before.

He was the embodiment of a sunny, charming young man!

Sakura rubbed her eyes, thinking she must be seeing things.

Yet on the screen, that gentle and caring expression Naruto wore as he asked after Sasuke's condition was entirely genuine.

She shivered, a bizarre thought flashing through her mind.

Based on her previous theory—you dream of what's in your heart…

Could it be that Sasuke actually liked boys? And not just any boy—but Naruto?

There was simply no other explanation for why Naruto would appear this way in Sasuke's dream.

Warm, gentle, outstanding to the point that even she, as a girl, felt a flutter in her chest!

Ding! Emotional fluctuation detected from Haruno Sakura! +500 Emotion Points!

Only Kakashi among the audience remained calm. He stared at the screen, gaze growing more focused.

So his deduction had been right.

This dream world wasn't simply shaped by Sasuke or Naruto's individual will. It was operating with its own internal logic.

The Naruto in the dream… was completely different from the real one. Not just a little off—but miles apart.

Yet oddly enough, Kakashi didn't find this dream Naruto unfamiliar.

On the contrary, the more he watched, the more familiar he felt.

That speech and mannerism… everything about him reminded Kakashi of his former teacher—the Fourth Hokage, Namikaze Minato.

This was like a miniature clone of Minato-sensei himself.

— — —

Inside the dream—

Sasuke was still frozen in place, his mind a chaotic mess.

After a long while, he finally snapped out of it.

Looking at the concerned expression on Naruto's face, so close to his own, Sasuke took a deep breath, trying his best to adjust to this bizarre version of Naruto.

"I…"

He opened his mouth, meaning to say I'm fine, but the words wouldn't come out properly.

He was not used to Naruto treating him with such tenderness. It left him at a complete loss, unable to meet those sincere, caring eyes.

He turned his head, looking away, and forced himself to remain composed. "Ahem. It's nothing serious. I've already recovered."

"Really? If you're still feeling unwell, please don't hesitate to tell me," Naruto replied with a soft smile, not pushing further after Sasuke insisted he was fine.

"I was worried that if you weren't feeling well, we might have to postpone today's mission."

That line sparked another strange feeling in Sasuke's chest.

It was genuine concern, yet it made his skin crawl. He couldn't decide whether to feel moved—or horrified.

"Ahem, I said I'm—" Sasuke hurriedly shut down his jumbled thoughts, trying to sound calm.

But faced with this warm, considerate Naruto, he couldn't even find the will to get mad. The words just stuck in his throat awkwardly.

Ding! Emotional fluctuation detected from Uchiha Sasuke! +200 Emotion Points!

Turning away stiffly, Sasuke tried to shake off the awkward atmosphere. He cleared his throat and attempted to change the subject. "Ahem… Where's Kakashi-sensei? Didn't he say we'd leave at sunrise? What time is it now, and why isn't he here yet?"

Sakura immediately puffed up her cheeks in annoyance, arms crossed. "Exactly! Kakashi-sensei's late again! We were supposed to leave the village together, but look at this—he's nowhere in sight!"

She huffed indignantly, clearly fed up. "Seriously! He's always late. It's ridiculous!"

"Maybe… something urgent came up," Naruto said, still speaking gently, defending their absent teacher. "Maybe he got held up on the way. Let's wait a little longer, okay?"

"Ugh, Naruto, you always defend him!" Sakura rolled her eyes. "Only you would believe those dumb excuses! Getting lost on the way to the cemetery? Helping an old lady find her cat? C'mon, those stories are insane!"

Even Sasuke couldn't help but let out a dismissive snort, arms crossed. "Tch. Can't that guy fix his bad habits?"

Why is he still late, even in a dream?

Is this guy really cut out to be a teacher?

— — —

In the stands—

Kakashi's face flushed with embarrassment as he scratched his head awkwardly. "Ahaha… Is it really that bad?"

Watching his students complain about his lateness even inside a dream, Kakashi didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

Ding! Emotional fluctuation detected from Hatake Kakashi! +300 Emotion Points!

Both Sakura and Naruto turned to glare at him and nodded vigorously.

"Kakashi-sensei, you're seriously always late!" Sakura said flatly.

"Totally!" Naruto chimed in.

Put on the spot like that, Kakashi could only laugh dryly, dodging the topic.

— — —

Inside the dream again—

Kakashi still hadn't shown up, so the three continued waiting at the village gate.

Time ticked by, and the morning sunlight spilled gently over them, casting a warm glow.

After a while, Sasuke grew restless and looked around.

And then, he froze again.

He spotted Naruto leaning against a large tree nearby, quietly reading a book.

Sasuke stared in disbelief at the sight of Naruto engrossed in a book.

Now this is absurd beyond words.

In the real world, Naruto couldn't sit still for even three seconds in class. The moment a book opened, his head would drop into a nap.

Yet here, in this dream, he was peacefully reading, even enjoying it. Fully immersed.

This could only be explained as a dream, plain and simple.

Ding! Emotional fluctuation detected from Uchiha Sasuke! +200 Emotion Points!

Still struggling to believe what he was seeing, Sasuke stepped closer to peek at the book.

Noticing Sasuke's gaze, Naruto closed the book and looked up with a faint, apologetic smile. "You didn't seem in the mood to talk earlier, so I figured I'd pass the time reading."

He held up the book and explained, "It's Gritty Shinobi Tales, written by Jiraiya-senpai. My dad recommended it to me, and I really like it."

"Tch. Not interested in that kind of stuff," Sasuke replied, seeing the scrawled title on the cover and waving his hand dismissively.

He had no interest in novels. To him, they were pointless fluff.

Naruto, however, didn't seem to mind in the slightest. Still smiling, he carefully tucked the book back into his gear pouch. "That's okay. Everyone has their own tastes. But if you ever change your mind, you can borrow it from me anytime."

Sasuke didn't respond.

He just watched Naruto put the book away, once again left speechless by this version of Naruto.

Suddenly, a thought crossed his mind.

The real Naruto must be watching this dream from the stands right now.

That image made Sasuke smirk with a hint of mischief.

I wonder how that idiot is reacting, seeing himself like this…

The more he imagined it, the more amused he became. Even the earlier awkwardness began to fade.

This dream, bizarre as it was, wasn't entirely without its perks.