The summer heat settled heavily over the village, turning the air thick and shimmering.
On the training grounds, Kitazawa stood with his arms folded, quietly watching the students of the Genius Class sweat under the relentless sun.
Their clothes clung to them, their faces glistened, but none of them slowed down.
They were shinobi in training—sweat was a badge of progress.
"Karin."
Kitazawa's calm voice cut through the hum of exertion.
"Kitazawa-sensei!"
Karin immediately jogged over, wiping her forehead with her sleeve.
"You've already mastered the Sealing Barrier," Kitazawa said, his tone approving but even. "So today, I'll teach you a new sealing technique—the Four Limbs Heavy Seal."
"Thank you, Kitazawa-sensei!" Karin said brightly, beaming despite the heat.
"Let's move to the shade," Kitazawa suggested, glancing at the burning sun. "This technique is complex—I'll explain it to you first."
He walked toward a nearby tree, and Karin followed, her heart warming slightly at his thoughtfulness.
"Kitazawa-sensei is so kind," she said softly.
Kitazawa raised a hand and tapped her lightly on the forehead. "Don't think flattery will make me go easy on you," he said with a small smirk.
Suddenly, three glowing lines of text flashed across his mind.
Current Mission: Help Uchiha Sasuke master Chidori.
Mission Reward: Lightning Release: False Darkness.
Mission complete. Reward issued.
Kitazawa blinked.
So, Sasuke had finally learned Chidori.
He had almost forgotten that this mission even existed—Kakashi had been handling Sasuke's training lately.
Still, the reward wasn't bad.
Lightning Release: False Darkness—a high-level Ninjutsu once used by Kakuzu, the man known for mastering all five elements.
Kakuzu's ability came from his forbidden technique, Earth Grudge Fear, which allowed him to steal others' hearts and inherit their chakra nature.
He had five hearts—Earth, Wind, Fire, Lightning, and Water—making him a living elemental arsenal.
Kitazawa rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
He already knew Kakuzu's Fire Release: Scorching Blast, Wind Release: Pressure Damage, and now, Lightning Release: False Darkness.
In theory, these three could be combined into a devastating compound ninjutsu.
Could he recreate it himself?
He smirked faintly at the thought, but dismissed it almost immediately.
He had too much on his plate already—Strength of a Hundred Seal, Five Elements Great Combination, and Wood Release training, to name a few.
After explaining the new technique to Karin for half an hour, Kitazawa sent her off to practice and turned back to his own training.
But he didn't get far before spotting two familiar figures approaching.
Kakashi and Sasuke.
Kitazawa paused and turned. "What's the matter?" he asked, glancing between them.
Kakashi's single visible eye curved in its usual unreadable expression, but he didn't answer—he simply looked toward Sasuke.
Sasuke stepped forward. "Kitazawa-sensei," he said, his voice calm but charged with confidence. "I want to challenge Naruto."
Kitazawa blinked, then glanced up at the cloudless blue sky.
A perfectly clear day. Figures.
"I see," he said lightly. "So it's finally time."
"He's learned Lightning Release: Chidori," Kakashi added helpfully.
"Ah, that explains it," Kitazawa said, pretending to realize it just now. "Perfect. You two haven't sparred in a while anyway. Let's see how much you've both improved."
The Genius Class had switched to mission-based monthly exams recently, so sparring between Naruto and Sasuke had become rare.
"Follow me," Kitazawa said, leading them toward the training ground where the others were gathered.
"Sasuke!"
Naruto was the first to notice, waving energetically.
"Why is Sasuke here?" Ino asked, frowning slightly.
"No clue," Shikamaru muttered, looking half-dead from exhaustion. "I just hope it doesn't mean extra work…"
"Everyone, fifteen-minute break," Kitazawa announced.
If Naruto and Sasuke were going to fight, the explosion of chakra alone would be enough to disrupt training—better to let the others rest and watch.
Shikamaru's eyes lit up. He dropped to the ground immediately, sighing in relief.
"An early break?" Shino adjusted his glasses, suspicious. "Kitazawa-sensei must have something planned."
"Could it be the team list for the next exam?" Tenten guessed, brightening. "I hope I'm teamed with Neji this time!"
Neji shook his head. "Unlikely. He always announces the team assignments two weeks in advance, and it's not time yet."
Before anyone could add more, Sasuke stepped forward, his expression calm and sharp.
"Naruto," he said. "I want to challenge you."
"Alright!" Naruto grinned wide, energy sparking in his blue eyes. "I've been waiting for this!"
"Everyone, clear the field," Kitazawa said, gesturing for the others to move back.
A spar between Naruto and Sasuke could level half the training ground if left unchecked.
"Stay close," he added. "If things go south, I'll step in."
Hinata hurried to Kitazawa's left side, hands clasped nervously.
Ino moved to his right, her eyes bright with curiosity.
The rest of the class quickly gathered beside them, murmuring in anticipation.
A gentle wind swept across the field, carrying the sharp tang of chakra in the air.
The stage was set.
"It's a pity Sakura isn't here," Ino said suddenly, a thought striking her mid-sentence.
Sakura was currently training by the artificial lake, learning Water Release under Kosuke.
"Maybe it's better that she's not," Shikamaru said, stifling a yawn.
"You think Sasuke's going to lose?" Ino asked teasingly, a grin tugging at her lips.
Shikamaru shook his head. "If Sasuke's bold enough to challenge Naruto, he's definitely gotten stronger. But if Sakura were here, she'd be cheering for Sasuke no matter what."
Ino couldn't help but laugh—that was exactly the reason they called Sakura the jinx.
Kiba, Choji, Tenten, and even Yakumo chuckled quietly, clearly in on the joke.
"I heard Sasuke's been focusing on Lightning Release lately," Neji said, his voice serious.
Everyone's laughter faded.
Neji's tone carried weight—a sign that this wasn't just another friendly spar.
If Sasuke had truly made progress in Lightning Release, then defeating him would be far from easy. But only this battle would reveal just how far he'd come.
"Swordsmanship, Genjutsu, Fire Release, and now Lightning Release…" Kiba whistled low. "Sasuke's turning into a total monster."
"You're human, Kiba," Shikamaru said dryly, patting him on the shoulder. "Don't compare yourself to non-humans."
"It's not just Sasuke," Shino added quietly. "Naruto's growth is just as unnatural."
His kikaichu had been mutating rapidly from constant chakra exposure—and even they couldn't keep pace with those two.
Kitazawa stepped forward. "Spar—begin!" he announced clearly.
The chatter stopped instantly. All eyes turned to the two boys at the center of the field.
Sasuke and Naruto pressed their hands together in the Seal of Confrontation.
A breath of silence—then movement exploded.
Sasuke drew the Sword of the Thunder God.
With a sharp hum, blue light flickered along the blade.
He lunged forward, the sword whistling through the air in a series of intricate arcs—each swing tracing afterimages of light.
Leaf-Style Swordsmanship.
Naruto's eyes darted left and right, trying to read the attack. For a moment, it was impossible to tell where the real strike was coming from.
He didn't bother guessing.
Raising the massive Samehada, Naruto braced himself and blocked.
The spiked blade shuddered, its scales bristling outward.
A crisp clang rang out as the thunder god's sword met Samehada's gnashing scales.
The living blade growled—then snapped forward to bite Sasuke's weapon.
Sasuke's expression didn't change. He leapt back, exhaling a powerful stream of fire.
Fire Release: Great Fireball Jutsu!
Flames roared forward—only to vanish as Samehada opened wide and devoured the attack whole.
Before it could act again, Naruto tossed the sword aside.
"Shadow Clone Jutsu!" he shouted.
In a puff of white smoke, hundreds of Narutos appeared, swarming across the field.
Samehada twitched in confusion, unable to tell which Naruto was real, so it simply waited.
Two clones dashed ahead.
"Leaf Great Whirlwind!"
They launched synchronized kicks at Sasuke—but his two-tomoe Sharingan spun to life, reading every motion with cold precision.
Instead of retreating, Sasuke advanced—charging into the swarm.
"Sword of the Thunder God!"
Lightning chakra surged through the blade, and the weapon flared brilliantly, bursting with raw energy.
A wave of blinding light exploded outward.
Naruto's clones had no time to react—they were instantly shredded and dispelled by the expanding surge of lightning.
"Samehada!" Naruto yelled.
The sentient sword responded immediately, leaping back into action. Its jaws opened and swallowed the lightning whole before it could reach Naruto.
"Dynamic Entry!"
The lightning cleared just in time for Naruto to leap high, planting a foot on Samehada's hilt and using it as a springboard.
He kicked downward in midair—a direct strike toward Sasuke's chest.
Boom!
The impact landed, but the body vanished into smoke.
"A Shadow Clone?" Naruto muttered, narrowing his eyes.
The dazzling lightning had blinded him just long enough for Sasuke to swap himself out.
Most of his own clones had been destroyed in the chaos—he hadn't even noticed the substitution.
Then—chirp chirp chirp!
The sharp, piercing cry of a thousand birds filled the field.
Naruto spun around.
Sasuke was charging straight at him, right hand crackling with deadly blue lightning.
"Chidori!"
The killing intent was overwhelming.
"Wind Release: Violent Wind Palm!" Naruto shouted instinctively.
But it wasn't him who used it—his remaining clones launched the jutsu to intercept.
He could only backpedal, heart pounding.
Samehada sprang between them, swinging its massive body at Sasuke in a desperate attempt to block.
But Sasuke's reaction was razor-sharp—he flung a shuriken with his free hand, striking Samehada and knocking it off balance.
In the same motion, his Chidori lunged straight toward Naruto.
"Wind Release: Violent Wind Palm!"
The surviving clones hit Sasuke with a gust of powerful wind—just enough to alter his trajectory.
"Go!" one of the clones yelled, throwing himself in front of Naruto.
Crack!
The Chidori pierced through the clone's chest. The clone screamed, bursting into smoke—but the momentary distraction gave Naruto time to leap back.
He skidded across the ground, breathing hard. His heart was hammering.
That lightning... that speed...
He'd almost forgotten what it felt like—the fear, the thrill.
"As expected of my lifelong rival!" Naruto shouted, grinning wildly despite the sweat dripping down his face. "Now this is what youth is all about!"
Sasuke stared at him wordlessly, expression unreadable. Inside, he was already regretting taking this challenge—but his pride refused to show it.
The students watching were frozen in awe.
"What kind of Lightning Release is that?" Kiba gasped. "It looks way stronger than Rasengan!"
"What terrifying power…" Tenten murmured. "In terms of sheer lethality, Chidori might even surpass Rasengan."
She wasn't wrong—the Rasengan shredded, while the Chidori pierced.
Different in nature, but the result was the same.
A direct hit from either would leave nothing but ruin behind.
"That's Kakashi-sensei's signature Lightning Release," Shikamaru suddenly said, realization dawning on his face. "It's called Lightning Release: Chidori—an A-rank Ninjutsu."
"Another A-rank technique?" Ino groaned, exasperated. "We're the same age, so why are Naruto and Sasuke already pulling off moves like that?"
"Excellent question," Shino murmured approvingly, as if grading a paper.
"..."
Neji stayed silent, his expression unreadable.
There was no doubt—Chidori, like Rasengan, was something he couldn't block head-on.
Even if he used Gentle Fist and Tenketsu to disrupt their chakra flow, actually stopping an attack like that would be nearly impossible.
And it wasn't just those techniques.
Naruto's Wind Release and his overwhelming Shadow Clones, Sasuke's genjutsu and swordsmanship—every one of them was something Neji had to take seriously.
He let out a quiet sigh.
In a straight-up fight, his odds of victory were slim. His only chance of topping them now was through mission-based exams, where tactics mattered more than raw power.
"Sasuke! Let's keep going!" Naruto yelled, brimming with energy.
"You won't be as lucky this time," Sasuke replied coolly, the corner of his mouth twitching upward.
"Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
In a puff of smoke, hundreds of Narutos filled the training ground again.
Sasuke exhaled slowly, focusing his chakra. He leapt high into the air, unleashing a hail of shuriken from both hands.
Naruto could afford to be reckless—his chakra reserves were enormous. Sasuke couldn't.
Chidori consumed massive amounts of chakra; at best, he could use it twice before hitting his limit.
"Wind Release: Violent Wind Palm!"
Several Narutos clapped their hands, and a gust of wind howled across the field, reversing the trajectory of the shuriken.
Sasuke's eyes widened slightly.
In that instant, he infused his sword with chakra—the Sword of the Thunder God flared with blinding light.
Along with the returning shuriken, he swung downward.
"Dodge!" Naruto shouted to his clones before forming another set of seals.
"Wind Release: Shuriken!"
A blade of compressed air shot forward.
Sasuke's instincts screamed danger—he quickly raised his lightning sword to block.
The wind-enhanced shuriken slammed into the blade with a sharp clang!
Sasuke staggered, pain flashing through his arm. He glanced down—a thin gash bled across the back of his hand. The wind chakra had sliced through despite the block.
He twisted midair, landing on one knee just as Naruto hefted Samehada like a giant club.
The monstrous sword came crashing down.
Sasuke rolled hard, dirt flying, barely dodging the strike.
He knew better than to attack Samehada directly—the weapon could absorb chakra on contact.
"Rasengan!"
Naruto didn't give him a moment's rest. The swirling orb of blue chakra bloomed in his palm as he charged forward.
Sasuke reacted instantly—tossing the Sword of the Thunder God aside and forming seals in one fluid motion.
The air filled with a piercing, electric cry.
"Chidori!"
The two jutsu clashed.
Lightning met spiraling chakra with a deafening crack!
Before the explosion could erupt, Kitazawa flashed between them, catching both of their wrists.
The collision dispersed in a burst of wind and sparks.
Naruto winced—his right hand tingled with numbness.
Sasuke's sleeve was torn, a spiral-shaped wound marking his forearm.
Kitazawa released them, stepping back. He had absorbed part of the impact himself to prevent serious injuries.
Sasuke gritted his teeth and lunged with a kunai, but Naruto, quicker to recover, spun and countered.
"Leaf Whirlwind!"
His kick landed squarely, sending Sasuke flying.
Sasuke hit the ground hard, clutching his abdomen. His right arm refused to respond.
Before he could rise, several Shadow Clones surrounded him, ready to strike.
"Naruto, stop." Kitazawa's voice cut through the tension. "The outcome's clear. There's no need to continue."
Naruto froze, then nodded, dismissing his clones.
Kitazawa crouched beside Sasuke, healing his arm. Compared to Naruto's minor scrapes, Sasuke's injuries were far worse—but the real damage wasn't physical.
He had trained relentlessly, mastered Chidori, and challenged Naruto with full confidence… only to lose again.
Even with all this power, I still can't win…?
Frustration twisted in his chest like a blade.
"Do you think Chidori is weaker than Rasengan?" Kitazawa asked, glancing at him.
Sasuke hesitated, then nodded.
"Chidori's meant for assassination," Kitazawa explained calmly. "Rasengan's for overwhelming power—the purest Ninjutsu that doesn't need hand signs."
He paused, looking at Sasuke's confused expression. "The Fourth developed it to mimic the Tailed Beast Ball—pure destructive force. As for stealth, he relied on the Flying Thunder God instead."
Kitazawa smiled faintly. "Don't be discouraged. There's a Chidori variant that can counter Rasengan. I'll teach it to you."
Sasuke's eyes lit up instantly. "Really?"
"Chidori Nagashi."
Kakashi, who had been silently watching from the sidelines, raised an eyebrow.
"A variant?" he murmured. He remembered Kitazawa mentioning long ago that he wanted to modify Chidori—to make it usable even without the Sharingan.
So he'd finally done it.
No wonder people called Kitazawa the next Senju Tobirama—a genius who created new jutsus as easily as breathing.
"Kakashi," Kitazawa turned to him, a sly grin on his face. "You want to learn it too? Teaching one or two doesn't make a difference."
Just then, glowing text appeared before Kitazawa's eyes:
[Current Mission: Teach Kakashi Hatake and Uchiha Sasuke "Lightning Release: Chidori Nagashi."]
[Mission Reward: Lightning Release: Kirin.]
[Accept?]
Kitazawa's lips curled slightly.
"As expected," he thought.
The reward surprised him—but he wasn't complaining.
Even though Kakashi had given him the scroll for Lightning Release: Kirin, he'd never actually learned it.
S-rank Ninjutsu took immense effort—and he'd been too busy mastering others.
Now, with the system mission triggered, he could skip the grind entirely.
In hindsight, it made perfect sense.
Both Sasuke and Kakashi already understood Chidori. Teaching them its evolved form would be easy.
And for Kitazawa—another step closer to the pinnacle.
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