"Kabuto, you're incredibly strong now!"
Izumi wiped the sweat from her brow, addressing Kabuto in the vast Uchiha training grounds.
Itachi nodded in agreement, "Your strength surpasses ours; you're the strongest of the three of us!"
About fifteen minutes earlier, Kabuto had shared the good news with Itachi and Izumi: he'd successfully fused the Senjutsu of Ryūchi Cave, Mount Myōboku, and Shikkotsu Forest.
Excited, Izumi immediately suggested a sparring match to see the power of the combined legendary Senjutsu.
They sparred using taijutsu and small-scale ninjutsu, and Izumi was completely outmatched.
Senjutsu's natural energy provides incredibly keen perception. Even with his eyes closed, Kabuto, having fused the three Senjutsu, was acutely aware of his surroundings.
He could sense Izumi's every movement, significantly diminishing the threat of her Heart Flash technique.
Kabuto, already possessing exceptional physical attributes and vitality, experienced a further enhancement to his physical capabilities after the fusion of the three Senjutsu.
With his formidable taijutsu coupled with the potent Senjutsu, Izumi was practically overwhelmed throughout the sparring match.
After Izumi's defeat, Itachi also sparred with Kabuto.
Facing Itachi, Kabuto kept his eyes closed to avoid Itachi's dōjutsu and genjutsu.
While Senjutsu enhanced his genjutsu resistance, it didn't grant immunity. Falling victim to Itachi's genjutsu would have severe consequences.
Since Itachi couldn't use his strongest dōjutsu to control Kabuto, and ordinary genjutsu proved largely ineffective, after a brief exchange, Itachi also fell to Kabuto.
This was just sparring, of course. In a life-or-death battle, their chances would be even.
Kabuto's Senjutsu was powerful enough to break through Itachi's Susanoo and kill him.
However, Itachi's Susanoo wielded the Sword of Totsuka, a divine weapon capable of sealing Kabuto within the drunken dream realm using the Shiki Fūjin sealing technique.
While other ninjas might struggle to achieve a one-hit kill against Kabuto, Itachi possessed the capability to do so.
"Let's challenge my brother! Let's teach him a lesson! With the three of us, even my brother shouldn't be a match for us, right? Probably…"
Izumi's eyes lit up, suggesting this to Kabuto and Itachi.
Kabuto was taken aback. He'd never considered challenging his teacher.
But Izumi's suggestion stirred a sense of excitement within him.
He yearned to showcase the fruits of his years of rigorous training to his teacher, Yusuke, allowing him to witness his growth and progress.
However, Kabuto detected a hint of resentment underlying Izumi's words, prompting him to turn his gaze towards Itachi with a questioning look.
Itachi was thoroughly familiar with Izumi's situation, and his account of events would be far more reliable and accurate.
Izumi and Itachi were now in a subtly romantic phase, a fact that was readily apparent to everyone in Konoha, signifying their inevitable progression into a romantic relationship, although the official announcement was yet to be made.
Itachi, displaying a rare expression of helplessness, proceeded to recount an incident that had transpired two days prior.
Two days earlier, Itachi had formally proposed a romantic relationship to Izumi.
While Izumi reciprocated his feelings, she expressed a desire to discuss the matter with her family before making a decision. She subsequently brought Itachi to her home.
Izumi's mother, Hazuki Uchiha, readily consented, expressing her profound satisfaction with Itachi, whom she found to be an exceptionally handsome young man.
Yusuke, however, in his capacity as Izumi's elder brother, posed a question to Itachi that left the usually resourceful and quick-witted Itachi completely speechless.
"If Izumi and Sasuke were to fall into a river, which one would you rescue first?"
Due to Itachi's inability to provide a satisfactory response to this question, Yusuke promptly rejected Itachi's proposal to pursue a romantic relationship with Izumi, leaving all three individuals present in a state of stunned silence.
In truth, the question itself possessed no inherent practical significance. Yusuke himself understood that it was inappropriate to attempt to weigh the value of a family member's life against that of a loved one.
Yusuke's purpose in posing this question was merely to impress upon Itachi the paramount importance that Izumi should hold in his heart as his future partner.
Yusuke was confident that even if he were to reject Itachi's proposal at this juncture, Itachi and Izumi would not cease their romantic involvement. However, the presence of this obstacle would serve to reinforce the value of their relationship in Itachi's eyes, compelling him to cherish their bond even more deeply.
However, upon hearing Yusuke's question, Izumi, overcome with anger, promptly dragged Itachi away, while Hazuki Uchiha, Izumi's mother, expressed her bewilderment at Yusuke's unusual line of questioning.
After Yusuke provided a detailed explanation, Hazuki Uchiha nodded in agreement, deeming Yusuke's approach to be quite effective.
Itachi remained unaware of Yusuke's underlying intentions and the subsequent conversation between Hazuki Uchiha and Yusuke. He merely recounted the sequence of events to Kabuto.
"So, you two were showering me with your romantic displays, only to be thwarted by the teacher!" Kabuto chuckled inwardly upon hearing Itachi's account.
After Itachi's explanation, Izumi's anger resurfaced. "That annoying brother! We'll show him what we're capable of now! We're not children anymore!"
Itachi shook his head, "Izumi, that sounds like something a child would say."
Izumi glared at Itachi, "Whose side are you on?! Enough talk! Let's go find my brother right now! At this hour, he's surely at the Bin-shun Tea House, sipping tea!"
As Izumi had predicted, Yusuke was indeed at the Bin-shun Tea House, engaged in a leisurely conversation with the tea house's owner, Shinko Inari.
Shinko Inari was the former senior of Itachi who had chosen to abandon the path of a ninja, having previously worked as a waitress at the tea house. However, her father had recently entrusted her with the complete ownership of the tea house, enabling her to transition from her previous role as a waitress to that of the establishment's owner.
As the two were engaged in lighthearted banter, Izumi, accompanied by Itachi and Kabuto, stormed into the tea house.
Since Yusuke had rejected Itachi's proposal two days prior, Izumi had remained silent and withdrawn at home.
Upon witnessing Izumi's unexpected arrival, Yusuke initially assumed that she had come to reconcile with him.
Taking a delicate sip of tea, Yusuke addressed Izumi with a gentle smile, "Izumi, do you now understand where you erred?"
Izumi's eyebrows shot up in anger, "My mistake was that I'm not strong enough to defeat you!"
Yusuke nodded in satisfaction, "Ah, yes, acknowledging your mistake is… wait, what did you just say?"
Having initially believed that Izumi had come to offer an apology, Yusuke's perception shifted upon hearing her unexpected declaration.
Izumi, her chin slightly raised, stated with unwavering determination, "Brother, I challenge you to a match! And of course, the three of us will be participating!"
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