Somewhere by a river in the Land of Rivers.
Aoi Rokusho was quietly eating breakfast.
Just then, he suddenly put down his rice ball and picked up the ninja weapon umbrella lying beside him.
"Come out!" Aoi Rokusho stood up and said coldly, "I've already found you!"
Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique! A massive fireball roared toward him from not far away.
Aoi leaped aside, dodging the attack, and spun the ninja umbrella in his hand. A barrage of senbon shot out like a storm of rain.
Sasuke immediately jumped down from the tree.
The senbon embedded themselves in the trunk, and in an instant, the wood took on a terrifying, withered appearance.
Aoi froze for a moment. What was going on?
A six or seven-year-old boy actually dared to attack him, a Jonin? Was he tired of living?
He narrowed his eyes after a brief inspection. "Little friend, are you from the Uchiha clan?"
Aoi stopped moving, scanning his surroundings.
Although Sasuke wasn't wearing a Konoha forehead protector, his clothing bore the Uchiha clan's crest.
Under normal circumstances, no shinobi would impersonate a Uchiha—because the Sharingan couldn't be faked.
And at his age, Sasuke couldn't possibly be acting alone. He must have a Jonin Team leader and teammates nearby.
Aoi didn't rush to attack. He was wary of possible traps along the way.
Sasuke gave no answer. Instead of retreating, he advanced—taking a swift step forward, drawing his ninja blade, and lunging at Aoi.
Aoi was enraged. He swung his umbrella to deflect Sasuke's blade and countered with a powerful kick.
Sasuke was sent flying. But mid-air, his body dispersed into smoke.
"Shadow Clone?" Aoi was startled. At such a young age, he could already use the Shadow Clone Technique?
Was it because he was short? No… the childish look on his face clearly showed he was still a child.
Aoi frowned in confusion. After a brief pause, he decided to pursue. To be toyed with by a six-year-old was nothing short of humiliating.
As soon as Aoi stepped into a small grove, his expression changed drastically. He immediately retreated at top speed.
With a loud boom, the paper bombs hidden nearby detonated. Flames spread in an instant, turning the grove into a sea of fire.
But Aoi had reacted in time and emerged unscathed. Suddenly, the sharp whistle of wind echoed from across the river.
Aoi turned instinctively—and saw a violent storm sweeping toward him. Such a powerful Wind Release… could it be the Jonin leader of that little brat from earlier?
Aoi quickly opened his ninja umbrella, pouring chakra into it to reinforce its frame. The storm surged over him, but he stood firm.
"It seems this squad leader is just an elite Chunin," Aoi judged with a hint of relief.
Though the windstorm looked fearsome, its strength wasn't at the Jonin level. The sound of air being sliced came from behind.
Sasuke appeared suddenly, holding his blade with both hands, slashing upward.
"Hmph!" Now that Aoi had gauged his opponent's level, he no longer held back.
Lightning flashed.
He drew the Sword of the Thunder God, and as chakra surged into it, a pale yellow blade of light extended from the hilt.
Unlike ordinary swords, the Sword of the Thunder God had no physical blade—its edge was formed entirely from chakra, a so-called "light sword."
In the original record, it was known as one of the sharpest ninja tools, its strength determined by the user's chakra.
But Aoi's chakra was clearly lacking.
In fact, the very same sword he wielded here would later be destroyed by Sasuke and Naruto.
"Get lost!" Aoi slashed downward.
Sasuke felt a tremendous force surge toward him, forcing him to stumble back several steps in disarray.
"No matter how much of a genius you are, you're still just a little brat. Die in fear!"
Aoi pressed his advantage, raising the Sword of the Thunder God and swinging it toward Sasuke's neck.
Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm! An invisible force blasted from a distance, striking Aoi head-on.
But Aoi reacted instantly.
The lightning around the Sword of the Thunder God flared as he redirected the blade, slicing through the invisible palm.
"You think hiding in the shadows means—what the hell?!" Aoi's words were cut off as his pupils shrank.
"Konoha Great Whirlwind!"
"Dynamic Entry!"
"Konoha Double Whirlwind!"
Dozens of Naruto clones charged toward him from every direction, filling the field.
Aoi's worldview nearly collapsed. He had never seen so many Shadow Clones in his life.
The most absurd part was that they all looked six or seven years old.
Aoi felt today's encounter was growing stranger by the second. But he had no time to think—he immediately spun his ninja umbrella open.
A torrent of senbon shot out, filling the air.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Amid the smoke, Naruto's Shadow Clones vanished one after another.
Aoi let out a faint sigh of relief. These clones looked intimidating, but their strength was shallow.
He turned—only to find Sasuke had disappeared.
A frown creased his brow. Undoubtedly, three enemies were attacking him.
The Chunin who used Wind Release—likely their squad leader.
The Uchiha brat who had launched the Fireball and wielded Leaf-style swordsmanship.
And the blond kid who used Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu and taijutsu.
As for the Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm—he mistakenly assumed it was Naruto's doing.
His thoughts raced.
Aoi charged forward, slashing wildly with the Sword of the Thunder God, cutting through the clones surrounding him.
Before long, more than half of them were gone.
"Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Naruto shouted again.
In an instant, another hundred Shadow Clones appeared around him, completely surrounding Aoi.
"So you're the original!"
Although Aoi was surprised by Naruto's chakra reserves, the Sword of the Thunder God in his hand showed no mercy. Chakra erupted from his feet as he thrust his sword forward.
Just then, a Shadow Clone attacked him from the left. Without even glancing that way, Aoi opened his Ninja Umbrella to block. As long as he killed the original, the clones would vanish on their own.
But this Shadow Clone wasn't Naruto.
Gentle Fist: Eight Trigrams Thirty-Two Palms!
Hyuga Neji, disguised as Naruto's Shadow Clone, crouched low and slipped under the umbrella's edge. His palms struck rapidly, targeting Aoi's thigh.
Aoi immediately sensed something was wrong. The chakra in his struck leg stagnated, his body slowing down. Abandoning Naruto for the moment, he turned and thrust the Sword of the Thunder God toward Neji.
Seeing this, Neji could only retreat.
"Violent: Leaf Adamantine Strength Whirlwind!"
Naruto seized the opening and launched a fierce kick.
Aoi steadied himself, swinging the umbrella open to block the spinning strike. At the same time, the Sword of the Thunder God twisted and stabbed toward Naruto.
"Samehada!" Naruto shouted.
From the ground, the Samehada burst forth, its jagged mouth snapping toward Aoi's arm.
"What is that!?" Aoi was startled and immediately leaped back.
But in an instant, he was surrounded again by Naruto's Shadow Clones. He spun his umbrella, unleashing a storm of senbon that shredded the clones and bought him distance.
He glared at Naruto and Neji, his face darkening.
For a Jonin to be toyed with and forced into a disadvantage by three children—how humiliating!
"Very good!" Aoi said with a cold laugh. "You're really asking for death!"
He raised the Sword of the Thunder God high.
"Konoha Whirlwind!" Naruto's Shadow Clones ignored his taunt and charged forward.
Aoi's eyes glinted coldly. The next moment, the blade of the Sword of the Thunder God erupted with blinding lightning, discharging bolts in every direction.
Screams echoed as Naruto's Shadow Clones were struck and vanished into smoke.
But just as the lightning surged toward Naruto and Neji, the Samehada shot forward, blocking the current. It opened its mouth and inhaled, swallowing all the lightning in an instant.
"This is…?" Aoi's heart trembled.
The sword looked strangely familiar—but he quickly dismissed the thought. There was no way a brat could possess that weapon.
"Use the final plan!" Neji shouted.
"Hyuga clan brat!" At once, Aoi's gaze locked onto him.
Neji released his Transformation Technique, revealing his true self. Aoi now understood—the strikes to his thigh earlier had been Gentle Fist.
"Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
Without hesitation, Naruto created another wave of Shadow Clones. As soon as they appeared, every clone hurled kunai and shuriken.
Aoi narrowed his eyes and spun his Umbrella wildly, deflecting all projectiles.
Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique! A burst of heat filled the air.
Aoi turned and cleaved the oncoming fireball with the Sword of the Thunder God. The flames split apart, revealing Sasuke's ninja sword following closely behind.
"How dare you flaunt Konoha Style Swordsmanship before a true expert?"
Aoi blocked the strike and immediately countered, thrusting straight toward Sasuke's heart. A sinister grin curled on his lips.
Now! Sasuke met his eyes. His Sharingan flared—two tomoe spinning to life.
"Sharingan!?" Aoi froze.
He hadn't guarded against it—firstly because Sasuke was too young, and secondly because he hadn't used the Sharingan until now. With both reasons combined, Aoi had assumed he didn't possess it.
The sudden activation of the Two-Tomoe Sharingan caught him completely off guard, and his consciousness fell briefly under genjutsu.
But as a Jonin, he broke free in an instant.
"You dare trick me!?" Realizing what happened, Aoi roared in fury and swung his sword down at Sasuke.
"Rasengan!" Naruto's voice thundered.
Aoi instinctively turned—and saw a dense sphere of spinning chakra racing toward him. His heart lurched. Even without contact, the Rasengan's power was unmistakable.
He tried to open his umbrella—
Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm!
Neji's palm strike hit the umbrella, forcing it back with violent tremors. That split-second delay was all Naruto needed.
The Rasengan slammed into Aoi's waist.
"AAAHHH!" Blood and pain exploded through his body as he screamed.
Instinctively, Aoi swung his sword toward Naruto—
But in midair, his arm flew off.
Sasuke had reacted faster, slicing through Aoi's arm and the Sword of the Thunder God in one motion.
Naruto grabbed the Samehada and hurled it like a club. He wasn't trained in swordsmanship, so he chose the most straightforward method.
Fortunately, Samehada cooperated.
Aoi screamed again as its barbs tore into his flesh, devouring his chakra until he was completely drained.
Konoha Style: Willow! Sasuke's sword flashed like a storm of light.
Aoi's body froze, trapped amid countless afterimages—he could no longer tell where the real blade was.
Gentle Fist: Eight Trigrams Thirty-Two Palms! Neji appeared in front of him, unleashing a flurry of thirty-two rapid strikes in a single breath.
Aoi had originally intended to break free from the genjutsu of Konoha Style: Willow, but after enduring Neji's Thirty-Two Palms, more than half of his chakra points were sealed.
Coupled with the Samehada's absorption, he felt an overwhelming weakness wash over him—his vision blurred, his senses dulled, and dizziness overtook him.
Sasuke appeared before him and drove his sword straight through Aoi's chest.
Aoi looked down at the blade piercing his heart, blood spilling from his lips. He fell backward, disbelief etched across his face. He never imagined he would die at the hands of three children.
Sasuke glanced at the fallen Jonin, then quickly turned away, feeling his stomach churn.
By contrast, though Neji and Naruto were pale, they handled it better. After all, they had only assisted—the one who truly struck the killing blow was Sasuke.
"As a ninja, killing is a necessity."
Kitazawa stepped forward, calmly draping a white cloth over Aoi's body. He looked at the three and said with quiet approval, "You did very well."
These weren't hollow words—they were genuine praise. Even he hadn't expected the three to execute such a flawlessly coordinated battle.
The first wave of their assault had lured Aoi into the exploding tag trap.
The second wave used Naruto's Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu as a diversion, allowing Hyuga Neji—disguised as one of the clones—to launch a surprise Gentle Fist attack.
And the third wave was Sasuke's sudden reveal of his Sharingan, casting a genjutsu to confuse Aoi, followed by Naruto's Rasengan.
Finally, the three had combined their strength to finish him.
Aoi's death, Kitazawa thought, was not unjust.
Firstly, Aoi had been an average Jonin—at best, he would've been a Special Jonin in Konoha. Secondly, he lacked intelligence on his opponents.
Techniques like Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu, Rasengan, Samehada, and Eight Trigrams Thirty-Two Palms were far beyond what one would expect from children. Even a Jonin caught off guard by them would have little chance of survival.
Most importantly, Neji and the others had gathered all available intelligence on Aoi beforehand and planned their strategy and ambush meticulously.
Once again, it proved the old truth—ninja battles are battles of intelligence.
This fight had been far easier than the one in the original timeline, when Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura fought Aoi.
"Your students are geniuses beyond words," Kurenai said with heartfelt admiration.
At their age, she hadn't even mastered the basic three E-rank Techniques, let alone the Shadow Clone Jutsu.
Yet Sasuke and his teammates had just defeated a Jonin. The difference was staggering.
"Sasuke, how are you?" Kitazawa asked, picking up the Sword of the Thunder God and walking toward him.
Having lost Aoi's chakra, the sword had reverted to a simple hilt.
"I… I'm fine," Sasuke replied, shaking his head. He wasn't injured—just shaken by the sight of blood.
Despite being from the Uchiha Clan, he had grown up protected.
In truth, his mental resilience was weaker than Naruto's or Neji's—one had endured years of loneliness and scorn, the other a lifetime of resentment toward the Hyuga Main Family.
"Your reward." Kitazawa handed him the Sword of the Thunder God.
"For me?" Sasuke asked in surprise.
This was once the personal weapon of the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama.
"You're a Lightning Release user. This sword suits you," Kitazawa said with a smile. "Don't feel burdened—it's your spoils of war."
"Thank you, Teacher Kitazawa." Sasuke took the hilt reverently.
He had just witnessed Aoi wield the sword in battle, and he knew how perfectly it complemented Lightning Release.
Until now, he'd been envious of Naruto's Samehada—but with the Sword of the Thunder God in hand, that feeling disappeared.
"We actually defeated a Jonin?" Naruto asked, eyes wide with disbelief.
"There are differences between Jonin," Neji replied, calming himself. "He's nowhere near the level of Teacher Kitazawa."
He remembered how powerless he'd felt during Kitazawa's training sessions—no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't even touch him. But Aoi had been different. Though strong, he lacked that oppressive power.
Still, the victory filled Neji with quiet satisfaction—he just wasn't the type to show it.
"You've all worked hard," Kitazawa said. "Rest for half an hour, then we'll return to Konoha."
He stepped forward to retrieve Aoi's body.
Though his most valuable possession—the Sword of the Thunder God—was gone, Aoi was still a rogue ninja from Konoha, and bringing him back would complete their mission and earn a bounty reward.
Sasuke sat down and began examining his new weapon.
"Kitazawa-sensei gave you that sword?" Neji asked, his tone carrying a trace of envy—but not bitterness. He had no use for such a weapon anyway.
"Mm." Sasuke nodded, channeling chakra into the hilt.
With a soft hum, a glowing blade of light appeared.
"Wow! That's so cool!" Naruto exclaimed, eyes sparkling as he stared at the shining sword.
The Samehada, hearing his excitement, quickly rubbed against his leg—as if afraid it would be replaced.
"Once the Genius Class graduates, I'd like to take three students of my own," Kurenai said with a smile.
"You can," Kitazawa replied easily. "I'll even help you pick them."
In the original story, Kurenai had led Hyuga Hinata, Aburame Shino, and Inuzuka Kiba—but Kitazawa was already considering a few changes.
After all, their roles were too similar. Each leaned heavily toward sensory-type ninjutsu, and the team lacked balance.