They Who are Called Rivals

Sakura throws herself between Naruto and Sasuke in a desperate bid to stop them, but neither will pull back, so Kakashi seizes the pair and flings them into a pair of facing water towers. He scolds them for treating a friendly bout as a life-or-death fight and takes Sasuke to task for aiming the Chidori at a comrade. Sasuke shrugs it off, pleased that his strike appears to have carved deeper into the tower than Naruto's Rasengan, only to look again and discover the Rasengan actually did more damage. Bitter and envious, he walks away.

Kakashi then turns his criticism on Jiraiya, arguing that Naruto is too young to be trusted with the Rasengan, and Jiraiya fires back that Kakashi had no business handing the Chidori to a boy consumed by revenge. Kakashi presses further, noting that the two students echo what Orochimaru and Jiraiya once were: Naruto aches to be recognized as Sasuke's equal, while Sasuke stews over falling behind. He promises Sakura that he will have a word with Sasuke. Far off, the Sound Four keep their eyes fixed on Sasuke.

The chapter frames the deepening rivalry between Naruto and Sasuke and reveals that Naruto's Rasengan struck harder than Sasuke's Chidori, feeding Sasuke's jealousy. Kakashi and Jiraiya's argument over their teaching choices draws a direct parallel to Orochimaru and Jiraiya's own history, while the watching Sound Four foreshadow Sasuke's coming temptation.

Part of the Sasuke Recovery Mission arc, this installment lingers on the emotional gulf opening between the two teammates. Sasuke's wounded pride at being outdone becomes a key motivator for his later defection, and the Sound Four's surveillance sets that betrayal in motion.