Kirigakure's Team Three and Konohagakure's Team Seven stood facing each other, the air between them taut with tension. A clash born of fate was moments away from erupting, and with the sharp exchanges between Uchiha Sasuke and Uzumaki Naruto, conflict had already become inevitable.
Although Sai was largely ignorant of human relationships and emotions, he had been trained since childhood within the Root organization, making him exceptionally proficient when it came to missions and combat itself. His expression remained indifferent as he calmly observed the three ninjas from Kirigakure. "The most efficient approach," he said flatly, "would be for both sides to show our scrolls first, and then decide whether a battle is necessary."
However, before his words could settle, Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke spoke almost in unison.
"Then let's fight!"
In the next instant, both of them lunged forward at the same time, charging straight toward one another.
Watching this unfold, Chiba couldn't help but curve his lips into a faint smile. In his ears, echoes of painfully familiar voices seemed to resurface, as if he were once again hearing those long-ago shouts,
"Sasuke!!!"
"Naruto!!!"
Back then, the two had been bound by a love-hate rivalry, intertwined by fate. Now, however, it was nothing more than pure mutual disdain.
"Kage-Bunshin no Jutsu (Shadow Clone Jutsu)!!!"
Uzumaki Naruto immediately unleashed his technique. With a series of explosive sounds, dozens,no, hundreds,of shadow clones burst forth in an instant, flooding the area and surrounding Uchiha Sasuke and his teammates from every direction.
Yet Naruto's clones did not attack the other two members of Kirigakure's team. All of them surged toward Uchiha Sasuke alone, making his intent unmistakably clear,among the three, it was this cold, aloof young man he found most unbearable.
Uchiha Sasuke frowned slightly. He had not expected this so-called dead-last to possess such an enormous chakra reserve, enough to create such an overwhelming number of shadow clones.
The spectators, too, were taken aback by the sight.
Ōnoki of the Two Weights narrowed his eyes thoughtfully. "That Uzumaki Naruto… could he be,"
Hiruzen Sarutobi shot him a sharp glance, and Ōnoki did not continue. After all, Jinchūriki were a sensitive subject in any ninja village.
Among Konoha's civilians and shinobi, this was also the first time many of them had truly witnessed Uzumaki Naruto in battle.
"That's the Kyuubi (Nine-Tails) brat?!" Kyuubi
"Hmph… he's more capable than I expected."
"Still an annoying kid, though!"
Although surprised, Uchiha Sasuke showed no sign of panic. In an instant, he forcefully released his chakra, his presence surging outward like a tide.
Buzz,!
A blood-red light bloomed in his eyes as the Sharingan fully manifested.
The entire viewing stand erupted in an uproar.
Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression darkened dramatically. "T-That is…"
"The three-tomoe Sharingan?!"
That's right. Uchiha Sasuke had already awakened the three-tomoe Sharingan.
In the original timeline, even after learning the truth of his clan's massacre, Sasuke had only awakened a single tomoe. During the Land of Waves mission, while fighting Momochi Zabuza and Haku, his Sharingan evolved unevenly,one tomoe in the left eye, two in the right. It wasn't until the Chūnin Exams, during his battle with Rock Lee, that he truly stabilized the two-tomoe state. As for the complete three-tomoe form, that had only been achieved much later, during his decisive battle with Uzumaki Naruto at the Valley of the End.
In other words, the current Uchiha Sasuke had grown far more terrifying than his original counterpart.
Because of Chiba's interference, Sasuke had witnessed the slaughter of his clansmen with his own eyes, including the death of his father, Uchiha Fugaku, right before him. This was fundamentally different from the illusion induced by Uchiha Itachi's Tsukuyomi.
That very night, Chiba had seen the unconscious Sasuke awaken the two-tomoe Sharingan purely on instinct. Later, Chiba deduced Orochimaru's research on the Sharingan and passed that knowledge to the surviving members of the Uchiha clan,most crucially, the methods for evolving the Sharingan.
Through relentless, painful training that pushed him to his limits time and again, Uchiha Sasuke finally advanced his eyes to the three-tomoe state.
What did that signify?
For most members of the Uchiha clan,even jōnin and elite jōnin,the three-tomoe Sharingan was already the pinnacle. Those capable of awakening the Mangekyō Sharingan were geniuses beyond measure, one in ten thousand. Throughout the clan's history, only Uchiha Madara, Uchiha Izuna, Uchiha Shisui, and Uchiha Itachi were known to have achieved it,along with Uchiha Fugaku, shortly before his death, in this world.
Once the Mangekyō Sharingan was awakened, one would immediately reach at least Kage-level strength, if not surpass it.
That meant Uchiha Sasuke already possessed the potential to become a jōnin, or even an elite jōnin. Potential, however, was not the same as realization,his chakra reserves, stamina, mental fortitude, and real combat experience still had a long way to go.
Even so, the moment Sasuke activated his three-tomoe Sharingan, the entire arena was shaken. Facing Uzumaki Naruto's swarm of shadow clones, a sharp kunai appeared in his hand.
Then,
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Uchiha Sasuke erupted into motion, unleashing ferocious taijutsu like a perfectly calibrated killing machine. He weaved through the mass of clones with ruthless precision, striking again and again, as unstoppable as a tiger charging into a flock of sheep.
His taijutsu might not have been as refined or specialized as Might Guy's or Rock Lee's, but it was backed by unparalleled perception and brutally efficient combat instincts.
In mere moments, Uzumaki Naruto's shadow clones failed to land even a single hit. Instead, they were cut down one after another, dispersed in rapid succession until only a dozen or so remained.
Naruto stared in shock, unable to believe how powerful this aloof, cool-headed boy truly was. Beside him, Sai and Haruno Sakura were equally stunned.
Meanwhile, Chōjūrō and Hōzuki Shigure of Kirigakure's Team Three broke into smiles.
"Underestimating Sasuke," Shigure said with a sweet smile, "is a mistake you'll regret."
Haruno Sakura flared with anger at once. "Sai, let's go! We'll teach them a lesson!"
Seeing that there was no longer any room for avoidance, Sai nodded calmly.
Without hesitation, Sakura hurled a kunai forward, sending it flying straight toward Hōzuki Shigure,clearly targeting the female ninja of the opposing team.
Among Kirigakure's four teams, aside from the all-female squad led by Ringo Ameyuri, the other three followed the standard two-men-one-woman formation, just like Konoha's teams.
Hōzuki Shigure smiled gently and flicked her hand upward, activating her secret technique.
One of the three great secret arts Chiba had seized from Sunagakure,
Jiton (Magnet Release)!
In an instant,
Bang!
The kunai Sakura had thrown was seized midair by Shigure's Jiton (Magnet Release). It didn't merely stop; it abruptly reversed direction and shot back toward Sakura with vicious speed.
Bang!
Sakura's eyes widened in horror. Before she could even dodge, the kunai flashed past her face, grazing her cheek and slicing cleanly through her most cherished long hair.
She froze for a split second, then let out a startled cry followed by a piercing scream.
At this stage, aside from excelling in theoretical knowledge, Haruno Sakura had little else to rely on. Among Konoha's genin, she was effectively at the very bottom. Compared to Hōzuki Shigure, she was immediately overwhelmed.
Ironically, in the original Chūnin Exams, Sakura had cut her own hair as a symbol of resolve. Here, it was Shigure who severed it for her.
And, just like then, cutting her hair was about the most she could manage.
Beyond that, she contributed nothing more to Team Seven. At best, she merely forced Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke to step in and cover for her, offering no real tactical value of her own in battle.
On the other side of the field, Sai had already shifted his focus to Chōjūrō, moving with decisive calm as he launched his attack.
"Hijutsu: Chōjū Giga , Kusama no Hebi(Secret Technique: Super Beast Imitating Drawing , Serpent of the Meadow)!"
With a sharp flick of his wrist, the brush in Sai's hand danced across the scroll. Two ink-black serpents took shape in an instant, their bodies fluid yet heavy with killing intent. As chakra surged through the drawings, the serpents leapt off the parchment and solidified, water-like forms gaining mass and presence. Their jaws split wide, fangs gleaming as they lunged toward Chōjūrō with terrifying speed.
Though Chōjūrō was still young and naturally timid, at this moment he was one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist,personally trained by Chiba since childhood and entrusted with one of Kirigakure's greatest legacies. Compared to the version of himself in the original timeline, his heart was far steadier, his resolve far stronger.
In his hands was one of the legendary seven blades.
The Exploding Sword,Shibuki.
Its violent nature stood in stark contrast to Chōjūrō's gentle disposition, but now was precisely the moment for that violence to be unleashed.
He shouted loudly, more to steel his own nerves than anything else, and chakra flooded his limbs. In the next instant, Shibuki swung out in a powerful arc, smashing directly into the charging ink serpents.
The impact was explosive.
The serpents were sent flying, their massive bodies torn apart midair, ink splattering violently as they crashed away from him.
Sai's eyes narrowed. Without hesitation, he activated his technique again.
"Hijutsu: Chōjū Giga , Taka Kari(Secret Technique: Super Beast Imitating Drawing , Eagle Hunt)!"
This time, a massive eagle burst forth from the scroll. Its wings spread wide, casting a shadow as it screamed sharply and dove from above, talons extended like blades aimed straight for Chōjūrō's vital points.
Chōjūrō met it head-on.
Shibuki roared through the air as he swung upward, steel colliding against razor-sharp claws. The shockwave rippled outward, scattering debris as man and beast locked in a momentary stalemate.
Then,
Chōjūrō let out a roar and finally unleashed Shibuki's true power.
The blade, wrapped densely in explosive tags, detonated under his precise control.
BOOM,!
BOOM,!
BOOOOOOM!!!
The thunderous explosion swallowed the battlefield. The eagle was obliterated instantly, its form dissolving into scattered ink that rained down like black snow. The blast wave surged outward, catching Sai just as he attempted to advance, hurling him backward and slamming him into the ground. Ink and dust coated his body, leaving him battered and disheveled.
"Chōjūrō's doing pretty well," Chiba remarked with a faint smile.
Behind him stood Kirigakure's elite,Chōjūrō's former instructor Gonbei, Team Three's leader Kisame Hoshigaki, and Mei Terumi at Chiba's side. All of them nodded in quiet approval, clearly satisfied with the performances of Chōjūrō, Hōzuki Shigure, and Uchiha Sasuke.
On Konoha's side, however, tension was evident. From Hiruzen Sarutobi to Shimura Danzō,and even Hatake Kakashi,frowns had begun to form.
Meanwhile, the clash between Uchiha Sasuke and Uzumaki Naruto continued unabated.
At this point, Naruto had not yet undergone training with Jiraiya,he had not even met him. His combat options were crude and straightforward, relying almost entirely on a single technique.
"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu(Shadow Clone Jutsu)!!!"
Naruto's chakra erupted explosively, filling the battlefield with dozens upon dozens of identical figures. Even after Sasuke tore through them, more immediately replaced the fallen, surging forward in endless waves.
The sheer volume made Sasuke grimace.
If this dragged on, it would become a war of attrition,one that did not favor him. Maintaining the three-tomoe Sharingan placed a heavy burden on his body, and he knew he couldn't sustain it indefinitely.
There was only one solution.
Defeat the real body.
Yet even the three-tomoe Sharingan could not distinguish shadow clones from the original. In truth, no dōjutsu could,neither the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, the Rinnegan, nor even Kaguya Ōtsutsuki's Rinne Sharingan. Even Kaguya herself had been fooled repeatedly by Naruto's clones.
Only experience and observation could reveal the truth.
As he fought, Sasuke analyzed carefully. Most shinobi hid their real body among the clones or protected it at the rear. But Uzumaki Naruto was reckless and impulsive,there was no guarantee he would follow such logic.
That left one final method.
Destroy them all.
Sasuke exploded into motion. Kunai flashed, shuriken whistled through the air, and flames erupted.
"Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu(Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique)!"
The battlefield was engulfed in chaos as clone after clone was erased in violent bursts of smoke. One by one, every shadow clone vanished until, finally, only a single Uzumaki Naruto remained standing.
He hadn't hidden himself in the back, but he hadn't rushed forward blindly either.
"Damn it!!!" Naruto shouted, frustration twisting his features. "Why are so many shadow clones still useless?! You,!"
Before he could form another seal, Sasuke moved.
In an instant, he crossed the distance. The kunai in his hand stopped just short of Naruto's throat, cold and lethal, its edge radiating killing intent.
For a heartbeat, death loomed.
Then Sasuke withdrew.
He scoffed softly, lowered the kunai, and turned away.
Naruto stared in disbelief before collapsing onto the ground, fists trembling. "I… I lost…"
Grinding his teeth, he shouted, "Bastard!!! What's your name?!"
"Uchiha Sasuke."
Naruto froze.
Uchiha… that forbidden clan.
Then those eyes,there was no doubt. The legendary Sharingan.
"I'll remember this!" Naruto roared. "Next time, I'll definitely defeat you!"
Sasuke stopped and turned back, his Sharingan locking onto Naruto. Blood-red light flared sharply.
"You can't defeat me," he said calmly. "No one desires power more than I do. No one longs for strength more desperately. Your resolve… still isn't enough."
Though burdened by pain, this Sasuke,shaped by Chiba's intervention and the survival of many clan members, including his mother, Uchiha Mikoto,was not as cold or isolated as in the original timeline.
Naruto hesitated. "Resolve… to become stronger?"
"I have that too!" he shouted. "I'll make everyone in the village acknowledge me! I'll become the Hokage of Konoha,and surpass every Hokage before me!!!"
Sasuke replied evenly, "That is motivation, yes."
"It's just not extreme enough."
"As a genin, you're impressive."
"But the next time we meet… you'll still lose."
With that, Uchiha Sasuke turned away, shifting his attention to the remaining battlefields.
Naruto stared at his back, fists clenched until his knuckles whitened.
"Damn it!!!"
"I'll defeat you someday, just wait, Uchiha Sasuke!!!"