The matches were drawing to a close.
Shino had just defeated Kiba, while Choji had defeated Sakura.
This left only Naruto and his rival, Sasuke. "The last match will be between Sasuke and Naruto. Please step onto the field," Iruka announced, prompting Naruto to groan inwardly.
Great, I'm up against the strongest in this class and I can't even use explosive seals, he muttered to himself, casting a glare at Sasuke's indifferent expression.
Naruto wondered how that cool facade of his rival might crack if faced with his explosive seals. He paused for a moment, stretching his tongue against his teeth in annoyance, then reluctantly made his way to the dirt field.
The afternoon sun was blazing, and he could feel his palms starting to sweat.
[ World Quest Alert ]
[ Quest: Overcoming a Mountain ]
[ Objective: Defeat Sasuke Uchiha in a spar ]
[ Rewards: ? ]
[ Failure: 20 Exp ]
[ Action Required: Acceptance or Declination of Quest ]
Why am I so nervous just because Sasuke is stronger? So what? I've faced opponents like the Rat Spearman and the Rat King, who were stronger than me, and I beat them. I'll beat Sasuke too.
With a burst of resolve, Naruto formed a half-ram hand sign, his pointer and middle fingers pointing up while his thumb held down the other two fingers, sasuke mirrored his gesture.
"Hajime!"
Naruto watched as Sasuke assumed the famous Uchiha stance: leaning forward on his right foot, his left foot stepping back, and his right hand poised forward. Naruto knew this stance well from watching countless mock battles. It was crafted to counter an opponent's moves, a technique he hadn't fully figured out yet. He suspected it involved the Sharingan, but honestly, he didn't care.
Naruto adopted the Swirling Kata stance—his body was relaxed yet alert, palms open and facing outward as he stepped lightly.
A flicker of surprise appeared in the eyes of the spectators, but it was quickly dismissed by most—probably thinking Naruto was just joking around.
Naruto focused on Sasuke, whose indifferent gaze was fixed on him, calculating. It was an interesting matchup: Sasuke's style was all about countering, while Naruto's was about evasion.
Minutes ticked by as the blonde-haired boy maintained his swirling movements.
Clearly growing impatient, Sasuke charged forward abruptly. He feigned a jab towards Naruto's head, but quickly pulled back his fist, aiming an elbow strike at the side of the boy's guard instead. Reacting instantly, Naruto dipped his torso and shifted his weight to his back leg, narrowly avoiding the blow.
Seizing the moment, Sasuke attempted a shoulder-check, aiming to knock his opponent out of his circular path. However, his move wasn't as effective as he had hoped; Naruto barely budged, staying firmly within the circle.
A bead of sweat trailed down Sasuke's face, marking his surprise. He hadn't expected such resilience and skill from someone who was considered the class's dead-last. His interest piqued, Sasuke now took the spar more seriously and adopted a more aggressive stance.
Despite his preference for the classic Uchiha style—a style known for its counterattacks and precision—the last uchiha was well-versed in other techniques. He knew he might need to tap into these alternative styles until he could awaken his Sharingan, giving him the edge he desired.
As Sasuke launched into a flying knee kick, Naruto smoothly transitioned into the anticlockwise spiral of the Swirling Kata. This form was all about movement: a defensive clockwise spiral to evade and an offensive anticlockwise spiral to close in.
Dodging Sasuke's flying kick by a hair's breadth, he continued his inward spiral, closing the distance between them.
Normally, at this moment, his outstretched hand would carry an explosive seal to mark his opponent—a swift, decisive end to any spar. But today, against Sasuke, such measures were off the table. No seals, no lethal force. Sasuke was a rival, not an enemy.
So, Naruto opted for a simple jab. Shifting his weight forward and twisting his hips to add force, he extended his arm in a smooth, fluid motion. His fist aimed for the emo's side, targeting a spot just under his ribcage. As his fist connected with Sasuke's side, the impact was sharp and quick. Sasuke's body tensed as he absorbed the hit, his breath catching slightly from the unexpected jab. The force of Naruto's punch pushed Sasuke sideways, breaking his momentum and throwing him off balance for just a moment.
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Suddenly, a sharp pain exploded across Naruto's face—a hot flash of agony as his jaws clanked shut from the impact, sending shudders up through his skull.
With blurred vision, Naruto raised his half-open hand between them, partly to defend, partly to prepare for a more aggressive move. He considered grabbing a fistful of Sasuke's shirt just to keep him at bay.
The taste of blood, metallic and thick, filled his mouth. No Academy medic would tend to this self-inflicted wound—just another one of those ridiculous rules that seemed to apply only to him.
He spat a glob of bloody saliva to the side, earning a loud "eww" from the Sasuke fan club. A chuckle escaped him, briefly lightening his mood.
Naruto realized what he had done wrong. The jab—it was solid, but it broke my flow. The offensive aspect of the Swirling Kata was meant to be more of a poke, a setup for the seal that delivered the actual damage. By throwing a full jab instead, Naruto disrupted the continuity of the spiral movement. This break in flow meant I lost the rhythm that the Kata relies on to blend defense seamlessly into attack.
With gritted teeth, he spat again. Sasuke threw a punch aimed at his exposed face, but Naruto was quick to block it with his back hand. He grimaced as he counterattacked, driving a punch into Sasuke's stomach.
Meanwhile, he couldn't help but laugh at himself. In his desire to represent the Uzumaki heritage, he had pushed himself so hard that he ended up reverting to just being a brawler. The Swirling Kata was amazing, no doubt, but he had boxed himself into relying solely on it, simply because it carried the Uzumaki label.
Is this my goal?
Is this how I plan to honor my family? By fighting and limiting himself until he is backed into a corner, forced to revert to just being what he was—Naruto? He paused, a new thought crystallizing in his mind. I am an Uzumaki, yes, but I am also Naruto. Why was I focusing solely on the Uzumaki side of me? Why was I ignoring the person I am? A surge of clarity washed over him. I am Naruto Uzumaki, and I'll honor them by being me.
As Sasuke swung a hook toward Naruto's head, he quickly spiraled clockwise. As he came around to his opponent's side, he saw his chance.
Leaping up, Naruto executed a corkscrew punch—an aerial move where he extended his body horizontally, leading with his fist in a spin and striking Sasuke right in the eye.
The punch made Sasuke stagger.
Naruto paused.
True to his nature, Sasuke came back with a high kick aimed at Naruto's face. The blonde spun on his heel, ducking low and dodging the kick with a fluid motion. He continued his spin and swept Sasuke's supporting leg, sending him crashing to the ground, dust billowing around.
Without wasting a moment, Naruto stood and aimed another kick at Sasuke. Noticing the darkening in Sasuke's eye as he moved to protect his head, he swiftly redirected his kick to Sasuke's stomach.
Sasuke gasped, folding over and clutching his abdomen as he struggled to breathe.
The pain was clear on his face, and for a moment, he couldn't catch his breath.
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Silence fell over the entire classroom, with every student's jaw dropped in disbelief. No one had ever lasted more than a minute against Sasuke in a spar, yet here was Naruto, engaging in such a fierce and intense battle that no one expected.
Iruka watched the scene unfold with intense focus, feeling a strong urge to intervene and stop the fight. However, he hesitated, realizing that Naruto must have been training in secret for weeks, perhaps months, the teacher felt compelled not to disrupt this critical demonstration of Naruto's progress.
"Sasuke-kun! You can win this!" Sakura's voice pierced the silence, spurring a chorus of cheers from Sasuke's fans.
In stark contrast, Hinata watched Naruto with deep admiration. Her heart felt warm as their eyes met briefly, and she offered him a supportive smile and a nod.
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As Sasuke struggled to regain his balance and take control of the center, Naruto didn’t let him. With quick movements, the blonde tackled him back to the ground before he could stabilize himself.
Once Sasuke was down, Naruto unleashed a series of rapid strikes, taking advantage of his superior position. The black-haired boy curled up defensively, trying to shield his head and torso from Naruto’s relentless attacks.
Sensing the repetition, Sasuke waited for his moment.
When Naruto raised his arm for another strike, Sasuke grabbed the wrist and used it to pivot his body sideways, a basic but effective wrestling move to reverse their positions.
Naruto tried to keep his advantage by shifting his weight, using his other hand to pin his opponent's shoulder down.
But Sasuke was quick to react.
He slipped a leg between Naruto’s, pushing against his thigh to create some space. With a forceful push using his legs, Sasuke tried to throw Naruto off.
The blonde managed to hold on, but the space Sasuke created gave him enough room to maneuver into a better defensive position. Sasuke wrapped his arms around Naruto's waist.
Unexpectedly, Naruto spat in Sasuke’s eye.
The sudden act made Sasuke flinch, giving the uzumaki a chance to elbow him in the face. Stunned, Sasuke found himself momentarily disoriented on the ground, seeing visions of his brother Itachi instead of Naruto. The memory of Itachi triggered a deep anger and hatred within him.
Driven by these emotions, Sasuke quickly got up and swung his leg in a wide kick at Naruto.
Naruto jumped back, avoiding the attack.
For a moment, confusion crossed Naruto’s face as Sasuke charged at him, fueled by his bitter past.
But then, clarity struck Sasuke. He predicted Naruto’s typical spiraling movement. As the boy moved clockwise, Sasuke went counterclockwise. Then, with a leap, he turned his movement into a circular kick, slamming his foot into the back of Naruto’s skull. The impact sent Naruto crashing headfirst into the ground.
Sasuke stood, feeling the gaze of the audience.
They looked at him with fear, almost as if he were Itachi. That thought sent a chill through him.
"Congratulations, Sasuke! You have unlocked your Sharingan," Iruka announced, breaking the silence as he rushed to check on Naruto.
Sasuke froze, instinctively pulling out his kunai, his heart pounding. When he looked down, reflected in Naruto’s eyes were two red irises marked with a single comma—the newly awakened one tomoe Sharingan.
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