Naruto stared blankly up at Hatake Kusuo, completely stunned.
"Kusuo... you're going to... you're going to fight Asuma-sensei one-on-one?" he asked, his finger trembling as he pointed at Kusuo, his face a mask of disbelief.
Asuma Sarutobi was no ordinary person. As the son of the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, his strength surpassed that of a typical jonin. Even Naruto, in his most arrogant and confident moments, understood that with a normal training pace, it would be difficult to defeat a teacher in a one-on-one fight even after several more years.
"That's right," Kusuo replied without further explanation, then turned and walked away, leaving Naruto and Hinata standing there in a daze.
After a long moment, Naruto finally came to his senses and shouted at his retreating back, "No way! Are you really going to go alone?"
Asuma crouched by a wooden post, leisurely smoking a cigarette. For him, leading newly graduated genin was nothing new. And the tradition of the bell test had been passed down ever since his own father, the Third Hokage, had taught the Sannin. He was very familiar with the routine.
Hearing the approaching footsteps, he removed the cigarette from his mouth. "Finally done discussing? Have you decided how you're going to get... eh? Hatake Kusuo, why are you the only one here?"
Kusuo slowly looked up, his incredibly handsome face meeting Asuma's gaze. He grinned, revealing a set of brilliant white teeth.
"That's right. It's just me."
The moment the words left his mouth, with a sharp SHING, the sound of a sword being drawn echoed, and Kusuo was already rushing forward.
Well, now!
Asuma had never imagined this kid would be so bold as to actually charge him alone. Seeing the faint, constant smile on his face, Asuma felt an unexpected jolt in his heart.
CLANG!!!
A specialized kunai instantly collided with Kusuo's sword, igniting a dazzling shower of sparks between them.
This strength?!
Asuma suddenly realized that the force behind the boy's strike was astonishing. He was actually being overpowered by the sword's pressure, even though he was using a kunai. He knew that the longer the point of leverage, the more force was required. For Asuma, holding a short kunai, to block such a massive blow, the force he had to exert should have been far less than the force Kusuo needed to press down with his long sword. This meant that in the first exchange, Kusuo's strength had won out.
"Sensei, don't get distracted. There's more to come!"
Kusuo, of course, didn't expect to finish a powerful jonin with a single slash. He pulled back his blade and, in a fluid motion, flicked it upwards, aiming to slice across Asuma's face.
"Not bad. Excellent reflexes," Asuma couldn't help but praise, seeing Kusuo's move.
"Wind Style! Wind Blade!"
After backstepping to create distance, Asuma didn't get arrogant. Since he was at a disadvantage in strength and no faster than his opponent, it would be a mistake to continue treating Kusuo like an ordinary child. He immediately unleashed his signature technique.
The Wind Blade! Pale blue chakra enveloped his specialized kunai, which hummed with power. The intense cutting properties of the Wind Style made it clear that anything it touched would be sliced in two.
Just as a smile appeared on Asuma's face, a powerful sense of dread washed over him.
BOOM!
A slash. An incredible slash.
A massive fire dragon came roaring towards him. It was a circular arc of sword energy, carrying a pressure that seemed capable of cutting through anything. The moment the sword energy reached him, the hairs on Asuma's arms stood on end.
This feeling of danger... if he didn't dodge, he would be severely wounded, if not killed.
Asuma dodged just in time, and only then did he see Kusuo standing calmly, holding his sword and watching him. The shock in Asuma's heart could no longer be described with words. He had already thought he had a high estimation of his genius student, but after clashing with him today, he realized he had still severely underestimated him.
"Fire Style! Ash Pile Burning!"
A thick cloud of smoke spewed from Asuma's mouth, instantly expanding and rushing towards Kusuo with scorching heat.
"Sun Breathing, Second Form—Azure Heaven!" Kusuo whispered, calmly watching the massive cloud of ash approach. He met it head-on with a downward slash.
CRACKLE!
A violent collision boomed across the field, stunning the other two who were watching from the sidelines.
"Will Kusuo be in danger?" Hinata asked worriedly, her hand over her chest.
Naruto did a somersault and started running towards the battlefield.
On the other side, after neutralizing Asuma's ash cloud, Kusuo suddenly sensed that something was wrong with his surroundings.
Just then, SWISH!
A pale blue blade of light shot towards him from behind, the chakra around it fluctuating wildly. Having already sensed it, Kusuo could have dodged at any time, but he knew that while he could evade once, he needed to find another way to get the bell. If they just traded blows, he would be the first to run out of stamina.
"Mark! Open!"
With a thought, the black mark on his forehead suddenly glowed red and became scorching hot, then spread across the entire right side of his face.
With his physical abilities drastically amplified, Kusuo smiled and stood his ground, letting Asuma's attack come.
POOF!
Under Asuma's attack, Kusuo's body turned into a log and vanished. The Substitution Jutsu.
"Sun Breathing—Seventh Form! Sunflower Thrust!"
The ground beneath Asuma cracked open, and a circular, flaming sword tip thrust upwards directly at his neck.
"This is—!"
Greatly alarmed, Asuma used all his strength to barely dodge the attack. He crouched low, his eyes narrowed, his entire body poised for the next round of attack and defense. He no longer dared to underestimate this student. Kusuo had proven his strength and talent.
This is a genius on par with Uchiha Itachi! I've hit the jackpot! he thought, both shocked and amazed.
Just as Asuma was bracing himself for Kusuo's next move, the latter sheathed his sword. Kusuo smiled at him, and pinched between his fingers was the very bell they were fighting over.
"Sensei, I've already got the bell!"
"When?!" Asuma was flabbergasted. He quickly searched himself and found that it was indeed gone. Thinking back, he immediately understood. Kusuo had used the Substitution Jutsu and the underground attack as a feint, all while calculating the perfect moment to snatch the bell from his waist.
That level of calculation... just how meticulous is his mind? Asuma was numb. The shock Kusuo had given him left him at a loss for words.
At this point, Hinata and Naruto finally arrived. With a single glance, they saw the devastated state of the field.
Gulp.
The sound of someone swallowing hard could be heard.
Naruto once again pointed a trembling finger at the wrecked landscape. "Kusuo... all this... is from your fight with sensei? That explosion just now was you too?"
Kusuo walked over to Hinata's side, gently stroking her hair, then showed them the bell in his other hand.
"Of course. I've got the bell, so let's just wait for Asuma-sensei to treat us to barbecue!"
Naruto looked at Asuma with disbelief, only to see the latter nod with a look of resignation. This meant that a newly graduated genin had successfully defeated—or at the very least, fought to a draw with—a jonin.
Naruto felt that his entire worldview... had just collapsed
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