Chapter 55: The End of the Duel
The clearing in the forest behind Konoha was a scene of devastation. Trees were shattered and uprooted, the ground was scarred with craters and deep gashes, and the air was thick with the smell of ozone and churned earth. In the center of the destruction, two young men stood facing each other, both bearing the marks of their fierce battle.
Hatake Sakumo was in a sorry state. His flak jacket was torn in several places, and numerous small cuts and bruises covered his arms and face. His breathing was heavy, his body trembling slightly from exhaustion.
Tenchi, having activated his Nine-Tails Mode, was in a slightly better position, but not by much. Three clean, precise stab wounds on his shoulder, leg, and side were clear proof that facing Sakumo's blade had been no simple task. The golden chakra cloak around him flickered, stabilizing his injuries but not erasing them completely.
Sakumo slowly slid his short sword back into its scabbard on his back. He looked at Tenchi, his expression serious. "Uchiha Tenchi, the fight has reached this point. Will you admit defeat?"
"Sakumo Hatake, stop joking," Tenchi replied, his voice firm. "I'm the one with the slight advantage here. Why would I admit defeat? I can tell you want to end this with one final move. Don't hold back. Show me your strongest technique." His pride as a warrior wouldn't allow him to back down now.
A faint, respectful smile touched Sakumo's lips. "Well said. As an opponent, I respect you, regardless of who wins or loses." With that, he closed his eyes, focusing his entire being. He sank into a low crouch, his feet planted firmly. His right hand rested on the hilt of his sword, his body so still he seemed to become part of the landscape, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
"Being able to fight you and earn your respect... it makes every cell in my body excited," Tenchi said, a fierce grin spreading across his face. "Come on, Sakumo Hatake!" As he spoke, he raised one hand. Chakra swirled violently in his palm, howling like a tempest. A Sphere of chakra formed, but it was different from his usual technique. He poured the unique energy of a Tailed Beast Bomb into the mix, merging it with the Wind Release's cutting power. The result was a black and white sphere of swirling, screeching energy—the Tailed Beast Spiral Shuriken. The air around it wailed from the sheer power it contained.
*'This sound...!'* Sakumo's eyes snapped open at the ear-splitting screech. "This is..." The sight before him was staggering. The massive shuriken of pure, solidified chakra was a testament to a level of power he had never witnessed up close. Now he truly understood why Uchiha Tenchi's reputation was so immense.
But it was too late to retreat. He took a deep, calming breath, pushing all doubt from his mind. He focused everything on his own ultimate attack.
Sakumo, who had been holding the hilt with one hand, now gripped it firmly with both. A brilliant, white chakra flared to life around him, so dense it was visible to the naked eye.
"Here I come!" he declared. As he spoke, the white chakra began to coalesce and take shape behind him. It formed the massive, snarling head of a white wolf. The image was so vivid and real it seemed to be alive. In that moment, Sakumo and his sword became one; his killing intent and spirit were perfectly embodied by the spectral wolf.
*'Such astonishing power... This is the true strength of Konoha's White Fang.'* Even Tenchi had to admit he was impressed.
The two geniuses in the ruined clearing had finished gathering their power. They stared each other down, the air crackling with tension, waiting for their respective techniques to reach their absolute peak.
Suddenly, as if by unspoken agreement, they moved at the same instant. Their ninjutsu was complete.
"Take this, Sakumo Hatake! Tailed Beast Spiral Shuriken!" Tenchi roared, hurling the monstrous shuriken forward. It was the single most powerful ninjutsu attack he could use without resorting to his Mangekyo Sharingan. *'This should be enough to decide this,'* he thought, trying to reassure himself.
"Here I go! Let's see which of us is stronger!" Sakumo yelled in response.
**"Hatake Secret Sword: Heaven Severer!"**
In one blindingly fast motion, he drew his short sword and slashed. The giant white wolf head of chakra behind him roared silently and launched forward, a pure manifestation of his will and sword technique, meeting the incoming shuriken head-on.
**BOOOOM!!!**
The collision was catastrophic. The two ultimate techniques exploded upon impact, creating a dome of expanding energy that vaporized the earth beneath them and shattered every remaining tree in a wide radius. The force of the blast threw both Tenchi and Sakumo backward like rag dolls. A huge cloud of dust and debris mushroomed into the sky, and the thunderous sound of the explosion echoed across the entire village of Konoha.
**"BOOM!"**
Down in the village, panic instantly erupted.
"What was that? An explosion?"
"Is there an enemy attack?"
"By the gods! Who would dare?"
The villagers ran through the streets, confused and frightened.
In the Hokage's office, Hiruzen Sarutobi stood up so quickly his chair scraped back. His face was a mask of anger and concern. "What is happening? Who dares to attack Konoha? Send out teams immediately! I want to know what caused that! And reassure the villagers!"
Back in the destroyed clearing, Tenchi pushed himself up from the ground, coughing out dust. *'What incredible power, Sakumo Hatake. You broke through my strongest conventional attack. You are truly worthy of your future title. If this isn't your peak, your strength might even surpass Hiruzen Sarutobi's.'*
Then a terrible thought struck him. *'Wait, where is he? Oh no, did I go too far?'*
"Sakumo! Sakumo Hatake! Where are you?" he yelled, his voice laced with sudden worry as he scrambled to his feet. "You can't just disappear! I'll never forgive myself!"
A weak, grumbling voice came from under a pile of dirt and rubble. "Why are you shouting... I'm right here... You think you can get rid of me that easily? Dream on... Now get over here and pull me out, you bastard."
Tenchi rushed to the source of the voice and started digging with his hands. He soon unearthed a very battered and bruised Sakumo Hatake. The jonin was covered in dirt, and apart from his mouth, he seemed unable to move a muscle. "I thought you were a goner! You scared me to death," Tenchi said, a wave of relief washing over him.
"You can rest easy. I'm not that easy to kill," Sakumo muttered, though his body told a different story. His face then fell, a look of deep disappointment crossing his features. "But this time... you won. I admit defeat." Since his days as a genin, he had never felt so completely outmatched. To lose so decisively was a bitter pill to swallow.
"It's just one win and one loss. It doesn't mean anything in the grand scheme," Tenchi said, his tone encouraging. "As long as you keep training and pushing yourself, who knows what will happen next time? In my eyes, your strength is already greater than many who hold the title of Kage." He meant it. Sakumo's power was already at the Kage-level, even if his rank didn't show it.
"I know you're trying to make me feel better," Sakumo said, managing a weak smile. "I'm fifteen years old now, and you're sixteen. I will work hard to get stronger. But you won't be standing still either. Still... thank you. I'm glad I met you, Uchiha Tenchi." The disappointment in his eyes had been replaced by a new, determined fire.
"Alright, enough of this sentimental talk," Tenchi said, shaking his head with a grin. "We're in big trouble. The whole village must have heard that. We need to get out of here before the Anbu show up." He bent down and carefully hoisted Sakumo onto his back.
"What are you so afraid of?" Sakumo asked, puzzled, as he was carried. "We were just sparring. It's not like we were fighting inside the village. Why run?"
"That would normally be true," Tenchi explained as he started moving quickly through the damaged forest. "But the village is already wary of my power. Now that they've seen someone like you can fight me to a standstill, they might see you as a threat, too, or try to use you against me. It's better to avoid the whole mess."
"The village... it wouldn't be like that," Sakumo said, but his voice lacked its usual conviction.
"Take my advice, Sakumo," Tenchi said, his voice turning serious. "Being too strong in this village isn't always a good thing. If you're too strong, they fear you. If you're too weak, they despise you. Sometimes, it's smarter to hide your true power. Unless, of course, you don't plan on living in Konoha anymore."
He thought about his own past actions and sighed. "I learned that the hard way... Just trust me on this one."
Although he didn't fully understand, Sakumo nodded against Tenchi's back. He respected Tenchi, and that was enough for him to consider the advice.
Satisfied, Tenchi stopped talking and focused on getting them back to the village safely. As they reached the edge of the forest, he asked, "So, Sakumo, where do you want to go to recover? Your place or mine?"