The days following the sparring match are... different.
Kazuki's name spreads like wildfire through the Academy. Not everyone knows the details, but they know he's strong—scary strong. He becomes the subject of whispers, admiration, and suspicion. Some students start idolizing him. Others, fearing him. And at the center of it all is one boy who cannot stand it:
Sasuke Uchiha.
Before Kazuki, Sasuke was the strongest in their class. The top scorer. The prodigy. The one everyone measured themselves against. But now, there's someone else—someone who didn't grow up with a famous name or Kekkei Genkai, and yet somehow emits pressure.
Sasuke watches Kazuki spar one morning, quietly observing how he moves—how he barely tries, yet still dominates. Kazuki's style is unlike any shinobi he's seen. Calm. Predictive. Instinctive. It gnaws at Sasuke's pride.
Later that day, the tension boils over.
During weapons practice, Kazuki steps in to block a kunai flying toward a distracted Hinata. It's the second time he's shielded her in front of the class. And Sasuke, already frustrated by being overshadowed, snaps.
"If she's too weak to defend herself, she doesn't belong here."
The words sting Hinata, but Kazuki's eyes narrow—not in rage, but in icy calculation.
"You're mistaking kindness for weakness. You'd be surprised how often those two aren't the same."
Sasuke challenges him to a duel—not official, but the kind that happens when pride is on the line. Word spreads fast. By lunch, half the class gathers in the Academy courtyard to watch.
Ino, arms crossed, stands near Sakura, who's fawning over Sasuke as usual.
"This is so dumb," Ino says. "Why do boys always have to fight to prove something?"
But her eyes are locked on Kazuki.
Hinata, meanwhile, watches with silent worry, her fingers clutched together. She remembers the last time he used that storm power—how it shook the air around him. She wonders… what happens if he loses control again?
The Duel: Kazuki vs. Sasuke
The two boys face off under gray skies. Rain threatens.
Sasuke moves fast—sharper than most kids his age. Kazuki sees it all: the angle of approach, the subtle twitch of a shoulder before a strike. He dodges gracefully, not counterattacking. Not yet.
"He's good. Better than I expected. But still learning."
Sasuke's frustration grows. His Sharingan hasn't awakened yet, but his precision is undeniable. He throws a flurry of shuriken—one of them coated in faint lightning chakra.
Kazuki finally responds.
A wave of water bursts from his palm, condensing from the humid air, and redirects the projectiles harmlessly into the ground. The spectators gasp. Rain begins to fall.
"Enough," Kazuki says. "You're angry at yourself, not me."
Sasuke lunges again—but this time, Kazuki doesn't just defend. He raises his hand, and lightning coils around his fingers. The energy crackles dangerously close to Sasuke's chest before Kazuki pulls back and lets it fizzle out.
He whispers:
"If I wanted to hurt you… I would have already."
The match ends.
Sasuke storms off, pride bruised, while the crowd is left buzzing. But not everyone is impressed.
Later that evening, Ino corners Kazuki near the school gates.
"What is your deal, anyway? All the girls are going crazy over you like you're some kind of brooding prince."
Kazuki glances at her. "Are you one of them?"
She scoffs. "As if. I don't fall for moody weirdos with lightning hands."
But her cheeks are pink.
They argue—playfully. She accuses him of being arrogant. He tells her she talks too much. Their banter continues until she leaves in a huff... but pauses at the gate to throw one last line over her shoulder:
"For the record... you were kind of cool out there."
Quiet Interlude: A Moment with Hinata
Later that night, Kazuki walks the training grounds again, alone—until he finds Hinata practicing the Gentle Fist in the rain, her strikes slow, shaky. She doesn't notice him at first, but when she does, she stiffens.
"You were watching…?"
"I was passing by."
He sees her hands—raw, bruised. She's been at it for hours. He kneels beside her and wraps a cloth around her knuckles.
"You don't have to push this hard."
"I do… If I can't be strong like you, I'll just hold you back."
Kazuki pauses, then speaks softly.
"You don't need to be like me. You just need to be you. And I'll be there… if you fall."
Hinata's heart skips a beat. For the first time, she smiles without hesitation.
And nearby, Ino watches them from behind a tree, brows furrowed and arms crossed.
Final Scene: A New Threat
The next morning, Hiruzen Sarutobi meets with Anko in a sealed chamber. A scroll lies on the table, recently recovered from a failed ANBU mission.
It shows the same storm triskelion symbol Kazuki has seen in his dreams—etched into a temple wall in the Land of Rivers. But below it, a name is written in red ink:
"Project Raijin – Bloodline Revival Site"
The Third Hokage frowns. "He's not the only one."