Fireballs the size of human heads shot forth, their scorching heat creating visible ripples in the air as they streaked toward Naruto.
"So he's already mastered ninjutsu," Iruka thought to himself.
It was common for students from prominent ninja families, like Sasuke, Shikamaru, and Ino, to receive specialized training beyond the Academy curriculum. Most of these students had already mastered basic ninjutsu techniques unique to their families before graduation.
The spectating students gasped in astonishment. This was the first time Sasuke had demonstrated ninjutsu publicly. He was clearly leagues ahead of his peers.
Though the initial fireball moved with impressive speed, Naruto managed to evade it. But Sasuke didn't relent.
Whoosh!
In rapid succession, Sasuke exhaled additional fireballs, strategically blocking all of Naruto's potential escape routes.
"Naruto-kun!" Hinata's fair face filled with concern as flames surrounded her classmate.
"Don't worry, Hinata," Chiharu reassured her. "My brother is capable of far more than this."
Just as the flames threatened to engulf him completely, Naruto formed hand seals with practiced efficiency.
"Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
Four shadow clones materialized around him, forming a protective barrier.
Poof! Poof!
The clones absorbed the fiery assault, dissipating on impact but leaving Naruto himself unharmed. Seizing the opportunity, he rushed toward Sasuke while forming hand seals once more.
Poof! Poof! Poof!
Dozens of shadow clones suddenly appeared beside him, all charging toward Sasuke in unison.
"These are all solid clones?!" Sasuke's eyes widened in shock.
Unlike the standard Clone Technique, which created mere illusions, these were physical entities—the same that had shielded Naruto from the Phoenix Flower Jutsu.
This was a high-level B-rank technique. Even among accomplished clan ninjas, most could only create a handful of shadow clones at once.
Naruto's chakra reserves were truly remarkable.
"I've heard Lady Kushina can create hundreds of shadow clones effortlessly. It seems those rumors are well-founded," Iruka observed with raised eyebrows.
Though the Shadow Clone Technique wasn't the most advanced ninjutsu, producing more than ten simultaneously—especially for an Academy student—was extraordinary. Naruto was certainly proving worthy of his parentage.
"Amazing!"
More than a dozen Narutos swarmed toward Sasuke in an impressive formation. Concern flashed across the faces of Sasuke's supporters. Naruto alone had matched Sasuke evenly; with this many clones, was Sasuke destined to lose?
"What an unconventional attack strategy," Shikamaru remarked from the crowd, shaking his head with a slight smile.
Ordinary ninjas lacked the chakra reserves to create so many shadow clones. The technique inherently weakened the user by dividing their chakra, affecting strength, speed, and reaction time.
Sasuke recognized this limitation immediately. He reached for his shuriken pouch, extracting all the throwing stars he carried—a few genuine metal shuriken, the rest wooden training tools used at the Academy.
His eyes swept over the dozen Narutos approaching from different angles, and his expression shifted with sudden determination.
Swish! Swish! Swish!
With a rapid flurry of movement, he launched all his shuriken simultaneously, executing a complex maneuver.
Though released as a single volley, the projectiles separated into two distinct groups. The second batch of wooden shuriken collided with the first batch of metal shuriken in mid-air.
The wooden stars shattered upon impact, but the collision dramatically altered the trajectory and accelerated the metal shuriken. They struck vital points on Naruto's shadow clones before they could react.
Poof! Poof! Poof!
Nearly half the shadow clones vanished instantly, defeated by Sasuke's precision attack.
This maneuver stunned the onlookers anew. Sasuke's shuriken skills had reached such sophistication that even among the Uchiha clan's elite, few had mastered such techniques.
This must have been taught by his brother, Uchiha Itachi—the prodigy whose talent had once astonished the entire Academy.
Swish!
Naruto's remaining shadow clones and his real body surrounded Sasuke, launching a coordinated assault. Fists, kicks, and sweeping strikes converged on Sasuke from all directions.
Yet Sasuke remained composed, having noticed that each individual Naruto's movements lacked the speed and power displayed when Naruto fought alone.
Undaunted, he engaged the multiple attackers, meeting their combined assault head-on.
Thud!
The training ground echoed with the sounds of combat as everyone watched intently. This hardly resembled a match between Academy students.
Though Sasuke's speed and individual striking power exceeded Naruto's, two fists inevitably proved inadequate against eight or more. With each exchange, he might defeat a shadow clone, but not before sustaining hits himself.
Poof!
As Sasuke dispatched the last shadow clone, Naruto's real body suddenly lunged forward with a powerful punch.
Sasuke reacted instantly, throwing a counterpunch of his own.
Thud!
Their fists connected simultaneously with each other's faces. Both boys staggered backward from the impact, falling to the ground in perfect synchronization.
"Huff... huff..."
Lying on the ground, both gasped for breath, their physical strength and chakra reserves nearly depleted.
The spectators' expressions reflected nothing short of awe.
Iruka quickly declared the match a draw.
Students immediately rushed onto the field to assist both combatants. Sasuke found himself surrounded by admiring girls, while Naruto was helped up by a male classmate, with Chiharu standing protectively at his side.
The rivals' eyes met across the field, and gradually, smiles formed on both their faces.
"You've made considerable progress," Sasuke acknowledged, the fighting spirit in his eyes undiminished.
"You're not bad either," Naruto replied with a shrug.
Despite his own rapid improvement, Sasuke hadn't fallen behind. The ninjutsu and shuriken techniques he'd displayed were entirely new to Naruto.
"Make the Seal of Reconciliation," Iruka instructed.
Supported by their classmates, the two approached each other, extended their hands, and formed the traditional seal that signified respect between opponents.
That evening, at Konoha's main gate, several village ninjas appeared to be awaiting someone's arrival. Gradually, multiple figures became visible in the distance, approaching the village.
Kakashi, who was overseeing the reception, blinked in surprise when he recognized the slender figure leading the procession.
"That's our visitor from Kirigakure?"
Kakashi's eyes widened slightly, and beside him, a Konoha ninja exclaimed in disbelief:
"That's the Fifth Mizukage?!"