Naruto and Sasuke ended up facing each other in the very first match of the finals.
Shigure glanced back at the two.
When Naruto and Sasuke heard the announcement, both were stunned for a moment. Then, a wide grin spread across Naruto's face.
"Sasuke! I've been waiting for a long time to fight you fair and square."
"Hmph!" Sasuke scoffed, his voice cold. "You're dead last. Do you really think you can defeat me?"
"Tch! Always so arrogant, Sasuke. You'll find out soon enough!"
Without hesitation, Naruto leapt straight out the window, landing firmly in the arena below.
The sight of him drew complicated expressions from many in Konoha's stands.
Once branded the fox demon, Naruto was now recognized as one of the so-called "Three Monsters of Konoha."
Team 7 of Konoha — branded with this unsettling title.
The first monster, without question, was Shigure — the "One Demon," as Zabuza himself had once called him.
Sasuke and Naruto had since joined this unwanted category as well.
Despite their stellar performances in the Chūnin Exams and their display of remarkable strength, the villagers' perception of them had hardly changed.
Naruto, burdened with the Nine-Tails, was naturally labeled the fox demon.
Sasuke, with the Uchiha bloodline and his crimson Sharingan, was whispered about as the blood demon.
The cursed scarlet eyes of the Uchiha clan — eyes that inspired fear the instant they appeared.
"The fox brat against the blood-eyed brat?"
"A clash of two monsters, huh?"
Among the civilians, curiosity replaced fear.
Mei Terumī's eyes narrowed as she studied the blond boy standing in the arena.
"So that's Konoha's Nine-Tails Jinchūriki?"
The Third Hokage nodded. "Yes. His name is Uzumaki Naruto."
Looking at the boy's small frame, Mei found it hard to imagine he could truly control the Nine-Tails' chakra. The thought brought her a sense of relief.
But Ao, standing behind her, gazed intently at Naruto. His Byakugan caught the immense, terrifying chakra sealed within.
A moment later, Sasuke appeared opposite Naruto. His swift body flicker was even more dazzling than Naruto's leap.
Ao's single visible eye widened. "That speed… Body Flicker Technique?"
To master such movement at his age—truly the son of the Uchiha clan.
"A beautiful Body Flicker," Mei remarked softly. "As expected of the Uchiha. What a pity such an exceptional clan with a precious kekkei genkai was wiped out."
The Hokage only smiled wryly at the subtle barb.
Elsewhere in the stands, Inuzuka Kiba clenched his fists, glaring at Naruto. His pride still stung from the loss.
"I can't believe I lost to that loser…"
"What's wrong? Still can't accept your defeat to Uzumaki Naruto?" asked his teacher, Kurenai.
Kiba scowled. "Hmph! He just got lucky!"
"Lucky?" Kurenai shook her head, smiling faintly. "You didn't see it, did you? After you were carried off for treatment, Naruto displayed two Wind-Style techniques. That level of mastery isn't something luck can explain."
Kiba clicked his tongue, unwilling to admit it. "Wind Style? So what? That doesn't mean—"
But his protest was cut short.
Down in the arena, Gekkō Hayate raised his hand. "Begin!"
In an instant, Naruto and Sasuke charged.
Bang!
Their fists collided, the raw shockwave stunning the crowd.
"So fast!"
Though it was only taijutsu, the sheer speed and force of their clash whipped the air across the arena.
Could these really be just two Genin fighting?
A rapid exchange followed — blow after blow, strike meeting strike — each impact echoing through the stadium.
For a moment, neither could gain an edge.
Lee's eyes lit up, his heart racing. "Their taijutsu… It's incredible. Both of them have reached a formidable level already!"
Even so, his voice carried no bitterness. For Rock Lee, it was proof that even the so-called "dead last" could catch up to geniuses through effort.
Sasuke — the genius.
Naruto — the underdog.
And yet now, the two stood as equals.
Ino gasped. "They're both so strong!"
Sakura's heart pounded. "Naruto… when did he become this powerful?"
Shikamaru groaned. "What a drag. Good thing I'm not the one fighting them."
Shino adjusted his glasses. "And there are even stronger opponents yet to come."
Shikamaru shot him an exasperated look. "Shino, you're as troublesome as ever."
Shino adjusted his glasses, silent as ever.
Naruto suddenly halted and shouted, his voice echoing across the arena.
"Sasuke! I'm going all out!"
Sasuke smirked coldly. "Hmph! Then come at me. I won't hold back against the dead last."
The Genin who hadn't advanced to the finals were dumbfounded.
What? These two weren't even serious yet?
"Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
"Sharingan—open!"
Naruto's chakra erupted, filling the arena with dozens of shadow clones. At the same time, Sasuke's scarlet Sharingan whirled to life.
Though Naruto's clones were a troublesome force, the Sharingan tracked every movement with uncanny precision, turning the tide in Sasuke's favor.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
One after another, the clones burst into smoke as Sasuke struck them down. With the Sharingan guiding his taijutsu, his speed and precision were far sharper than before.
But Naruto fought back fiercely, his shadow clones overwhelming the difference in raw skill. Once again, the two stood evenly matched.
On the sidelines, Kakashi's visible eye curved in satisfaction. Good. They're both growing.
Minutes passed, and Naruto's clones gradually faded. Soon, only the original Naruto remained, panting lightly yet still smiling with defiance.
Sasuke looked at him coldly. "Shadow clones are useless against me."
"I know," Naruto grinned. "I just wanted to test myself against you."
Sasuke gave a faint smirk but said no more.
The next instant, Naruto pulled a kunai from his pouch. Sasuke's eyes narrowed—Naruto wasn't finished yet.
"Wind Style: Vacuum Blade!"
Naruto's hands blurred through seals, and he exhaled a sharp gust of wind, coating the kunai in a razor-thin edge of chakra. The weapon shimmered with deadly force.
Gripping the kunai in both hands, Naruto slashed at Sasuke.
Sasuke drew his chokutō in response, steel flashing. The moment the blades clashed, the wind-forged edge overpowered the sword, forcing Sasuke back several paces.
"Sasuke! Normal blades can't stand against my Vacuum Blade!" Naruto shouted, triumphant.
He had trained this technique with one opponent in mind—Sasuke.
Sasuke studied the fresh notch etched into his sword's edge. A few more clashes like that, and the weapon would shatter. Still, his lips curled into a smile.
"The power of Wind Style is formidable," he admitted.
Naruto smirked. "Heh. Training with Shigure taught me a thing or two about swordsmanship. Otherwise, I wouldn't stand a chance against you."
"Is that so?" Sasuke's Sharingan glinted dangerously.
"Your swordplay might be sharper than mine," Naruto pressed, "but ordinary ninja swords can't withstand my technique!"
But Sasuke's gaze hardened. His chakra surged, crackling with lethal power.
"Chidori Blade!"
Zzzzztttt!
Lightning erupted along the edge of his sword, covering the blade in pure piercing chakra.
The clash of wind and lightning was about to begin.
...
TN:
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