(T/N: I'm going to regret posting this chapter, aren't I!?)
BOOM!!
Kaze and Shisui clashed with everything they had—Each punch, each move, was thrown with complete and utter force. The airwaves they stirred up…The deafening sounds their blows created…
Completely shattered the understanding of the Root ninja secretly observing them.
'You're calling Kaze and Shisui "ninjas"?
You're calling this madness "ninjutsu"?
Hell no—these are two full-blown monsters going at it!'
Under the force of the devastating impact, Even Kaze and Shisui couldn't come out unscathed—Both were blasted backward, retreating over ten steps each.
"Damn… what brutal taijutsu…"
Standing inside Susanoo, Shisui focused on regulating his breathing. Even as the Uchiha clan's prodigy, His Mangekyō Sharingan was still just an ordinary one.
And its side effects…Weren't something he could just shrug off.
Fighting with Susanoo for this long had taken a toll—A thin stream of blood began to trail down from the corner of his eye.
Originally, his plan was simple:
If Kaze was just like the rest of the Uchiha—Someone obsessed with power…
Then he'd crush Kaze's taijutsu using Susanoo, And show him that only by embracing the Will of Fire Could one truly transform and evolve.
But after several minutes of brutal combat, Even with Susanoo's power, he couldn't gain the upper hand.
On the contrary…His own confidence had taken a hit.
Feeling the sticky warmth at his eye, Shisui instinctively touched his face.
"…The side effects of Susanoo… are worse than I thought…"
He sighed inwardly.
"I need to end this quickly."
Meanwhile, Kaze showed no visible chakra fluctuations. His condition? Still looking completely fine.
If this kept dragging on, things would only get worse.
But then—Just as Shisui pushed off the ground, ready to chase after Kaze—
That guy suddenly pivoted and sprinted in a completely different direction?!
"Hm?"
Shisui frowned, confused by the sudden move.
What the hell is Kaze up to now?
But after glancing down at his Susanoo, He reminded himself:
I've got Susanoo protecting me. What kind of trap could he possibly have that I can't break through?
So, steeling himself, he gave chase without hesitation.
In reality though—The whole "Jōnin Exam duel" had been totally spur-of-the-moment.
Kaze hadn't had any time to prepare traps.
The reason he suddenly changed direction and left Shisui behind—
Was simple.
Thanks to the Thunder Fruit, he could now sense electromagnetic waves.
From the moment Shisui suggested the jōnin-level exam,Kaze had already noticed—There were other ninja hiding in the forest, observing them.
Most likely members of the Root,But Kaze didn't care.Even if he accidentally injured them?He wouldn't lose a wink of sleep.Frankly, he would've been happier if they all just died.
But right at that moment—Kaze's electromagnetic senses picked something up.
Someone else had entered the blast radius of the shockwaves.
And based on the signature of their electric field...
Not only was it a child—They'd also been caught in the blast and were now hurtling through the air.
'At least seven or eight meters in the air…'
'If they land flat on their back like that and don't know how to protect themselves…''They'll definitely get hurt.'
(T/N: Don't panic, it might feel off for many of you guys, but I have to say that you can use "they" in cases where the person's gender is unknown.)
Kaze quickly ran the scenario in his head.
And this was the reason why he suddenly stopped fighting Shisui.
What's the point of defeating a strong enemy… if it comes at the cost of an innocent child?
That's not justice.
Kaze held his breath and broke into a sprint.
In just two to three breaths,He saw the child—A small "girl" flailing in the air, desperately trying to right herself.
She was now only three or four meters from the ground.
If she hit like that…There'd be nothing funny about it.
"Whew…"
Kaze exhaled deeply and deactivated his lightning.His body returned from its elemental state back to solid form.
In the next instant—Kaze launched himself forward,Like a black panther diving for its prey.
Fast. Precise. Controlled.
But instead of going for a vital point…
He swept in, arms out—And caught the child in a princess carry,Supporting her back and legs midair.
His feet hit the ground with force.Knees bent.Momentum carried them forward in a graceful seven- to eight-meter slide.
Once he confirmed the child was uninjured,Kaze finally let out a breath of relief.
At the same time—Shisui finally arrived, still cloaked in his Susanoo,Prepared to deal with whatever "trap" Kaze had set.
But the scene that greeted him—
Wasn't an ambush…
It was Kaze cradling a young Uchiha child in his arms.
And the most shocking part?
Seeing that the child was safe…
Kaze smiled.Not with pride or ego,But with genuine relief.His eyes no longer burned with the fierce drive to win—
They now shimmered with gentle warmth.
This sight struck Shisui like a thunderbolt.He froze.
His massive Susanoo armor?Crumbled away.
All his life,Shisui had believed—The Uchiha were a clan that worshipped strength above all.They looked down on the weak,Even if those weaklings were fellow clansmen.
Fathers suppress their sons.Brothers steal each other's Sharingan.In the Uchiha clan,That kind of thing… was just part of daily life.
But what Kaze had just done—Didn't feel like a performance.There was no pretense, no calculation.
Why?
Why would someone like Kaze,A guy who clearly worshipped strength,Pause a high-stakes battle… just to protect a child?
Especially in that exact moment—When Shisui's Mangekyō Sharingan had flared up,And the backlash made his eye start to bleed.
That kind of vulnerability,Any real fighter would've pounced on it.They'd never throw away a winning opportunity like that.
But Kaze?
He didn't hesitate to go the other way.
Shisui stared, unsure how to process it anymore.
Meanwhile, Kaze totally ignored Shisui.Didn't even glance at him.
His Sharingan eyes were instead focused—On the "little girl" in his arms.
"You okay?"
Kaze's tone was gentle,Even concerned.
"Y-Yeah, I'm fine…"The "little girl" quickly shook their head.
But their eyes kept flicking up to look at Kaze.A mixture of relief at being safe,And a spark of awestruck admiration for Kaze's dramatic rescue.
"Hmm?"
Kaze's eyebrow twitched.
Something felt… off.
This "girl" had short, neat hair.A small, pointed chin under clean-cut eyebrows.Big, watery eyes.Fair skin,Rosy cheeks flushed red from embarrassment,And a perfectly parted fringe.
Too cute, honestly.Even Hyūga Hinata at five, or Hanabi at three,Couldn't quite match this level of adorable.
But still—
Kaze felt a powerful discomfort in his gut.
'Why do I feel like I've seen this face before…?And more importantly… why does it give me the urge to punch it?!'
"U-Um… could you put me down now…?"
The "girl" squirmed shyly, eyes looking away,Voice soft and uncertain—almost bashful.There was even a slight tsundere vibe to it.
"Uh…"
Kaze blinked, finally realizing—Yeah, he'd been holding this kid a bit too long.
Awkwardly, he set them down.
On the side, Shisui finally caught a good look at the child's profile.His eyes widened in recognition.
"Wait… You're… Sasuke?!"
"Mm."Sasuke nodded politely in response,Turning to face Shisui.
And right then—The name hit Kaze like a bolt of lightning.
"Huh?!"
"Sasuke?!"
He froze, mouth slightly open.
As a transmigrator, of course he recognized that name.
"This is Sasuke?! The little girl I just held like a princess is Uchiha Sasuke?!"
The words slipped out of his mouth uncontrollably.
Sasuke's face turned bright red.
"U-Uh… I-I'm a boy…"
He muttered, eyes glued to the ground in humiliation.
(T/N: Sike!! Y'all really thought he was a little girl huh?? Well, gotcha. It was a trap. Anyway, hope you enjoyed this chapter, At least Kaze surely didn't.)