As a supplementary member of Team 7, Sai had once believed there wasn't much difference between himself and the so-called elites—Sasuke and Shigure.
After all, he was a core operative of the Root organization, trained from childhood and honed to be efficient and lethal.
But now—
Just standing nearby, feeling the surging chakra erupting from Sasuke and Naruto…
Sai finally understood.
The gap between them was terrifying.
An unbridgeable chasm.
The pride he had once held as a Root ninja vanished in an instant.
"Naruto!"
Sasuke sensed the change immediately. The sheer intensity of Naruto's chakra shocked him—he had never expected Naruto to stand on equal footing with him.
That realization ignited fury.
At the same time, Naruto roared back without hesitation.
"Sasuke!"
They had always been like this.
Friends—but also rivals.
Their bond was forged in competition, their growth driven by opposition.
Even the jutsu they wielded felt like natural opposites.
The instant Wind Release: Vacuum Blade collided with Chidori Blade, a violent explosion erupted.
Gales and lightning intertwined, roaring as they tore through the battlefield.
The shockwave alone was enough to make the ground tremble.
This was a contest of raw power.
In the clash, Sasuke was forced back—just slightly.
Wind restrained lightning.
That elemental disadvantage, combined with Naruto's brute force, pushed Sasuke into retreat.
After regaining his footing, Sasuke's expression darkened with frustration. He surged forward again, choosing to clash head-on rather than disengage.
Again.
And again.
More than a dozen exchanges passed, yet Sasuke remained just a fraction weaker each time.
Sakura clenched her fists, eyes shining.
If Naruto won—if he defeated Sasuke here—then maybe… maybe they could finally bring him back to Konoha.
But then—
Sasuke changed.
His stance shifted, his movements flowing with lethal precision as his sword technique unfolded.
In an instant, Naruto found himself unable to block.
At some point, Sasuke had completely absorbed the sword style he learned from Shigure—and reshaped it into something uniquely his own.
This was no longer imitation.
It was mastery.
Naruto, on the other hand, had only learned fragments—individual techniques, not a complete sword art.
Yet even so, Naruto refused to retreat.
He countered sword with sword.
Wind surged.
The raging airflow wrapped around Naruto's blade, violently shattering the lightning chakra coating Sasuke's weapon.
Forced to adapt, Sasuke constantly shifted his sword techniques to avoid being overwhelmed.
One side roared with gales.
The other crackled with lightning.
From a distance, Shigure watched intently.
"Not bad," he muttered. "Both of them have improved tremendously."
Whether it was Sasuke or Naruto, their growth was unmistakable.
Their strength had crossed a threshold.
At this moment, both were clearly operating at the level of elite jōnin.
Suddenly, Sasuke halted.
His Sharingan spun violently, and in the next breath, his speed surged once more.
Naruto was forced back repeatedly.
Left with no choice, he formed hand seals.
Shadow Clones appeared in rapid succession, using numbers to slow Sasuke's assault.
But to Sasuke, Shadow Clones were little more than obstacles.
Annoying—but harmless.
"Chidori: Sharp Spear!"
Lightning surged along the Kusanagi Sword, extending outward like a blazing lance.
In a single sweep, dozens of Shadow Clones were erased.
At that moment, Naruto raised both hands.
"Wind Release: Beast Wave Palm!"
Boom! Boom!
Compressed wind chakra exploded outward, transforming into razor-sharp blades that tore toward Sasuke.
Sasuke swung his sword in a fluid arc, deflecting every single strike.
Naruto didn't stop.
"Wind Release: Shuriken!"
Exhaling wind chakra, he wrapped it tightly around a spinning shuriken and hurled it forward.
Enhanced by Wind Release, the projectile could slice through stone with ease.
But Sasuke's reaction was instantaneous.
He stabbed the tip of his sword directly into the central hole of the shuriken, spun it in a smooth semicircle—and flung it back.
Two Wind Release: Shuriken collided midair, exploding into violent gusts.
Naruto lowered his head, chakra surging.
His right hand lifted.
"Rasengan."
The spiraling sphere of chakra formed instantly—stable, dense, and flawless.
His chakra control had clearly reached a new level.
Shigure nodded in quiet approval.
Across from him, Sasuke didn't bother with hand seals.
Lightning gathered in his palm, wild and violent.
Chidori screamed as it condensed.
In the next instant, Sasuke lunged forward, thrusting the lightning straight toward Naruto.
The collision between Chidori and Rasengan detonated instantly.
A violent shockwave rippled outward as the frozen surface beneath them cracked apart. Spiderweb-like fissures spread rapidly in every direction, the ice groaning under the strain.
Sai's face turned deathly pale.
Is this really a battle between people our age?
It was terrifying—far beyond anything he had imagined.
Kakashi couldn't help but exclaim, "They've both grown stronger… both of them!"
And not just slightly stronger.
Their growth bordered on excessive.
At this point, even if Naruto or Sasuke faced him one-on-one, Kakashi wasn't confident he could win decisively. A draw was entirely possible.
Their rate of progress was frightening.
But that thought led to another question.
If Naruto and Sasuke had reached this level… then what about Shigure?
Kakashi's gaze shifted toward her.
As the Mizukage, Shigure's strength was unquestionable—she had long since stepped into the realm of Kage-level shinobi. But even among Kage, there were vast differences in power.
And Shigure's presence…
It was even more unsettling.
Boom!
The released energy finally shattered the ice completely, reducing the battlefield into countless shards that blasted outward in all directions.
Naruto raised both hands, chakra surging wildly.
"Sasuke! This move—I originally prepared it for her… but now I'll use it on you!"
The terrifying chakra pressure caused Sasuke's expression to sharpen.
So much power…!
Yet he didn't retreat.
Gripping the Kusanagi Sword, Sasuke's eyes burned with excitement.
"…Perfect. I also created a move meant to deal with Shigure."
"Try it out, Naruto!"
Both of them had developed techniques specifically to challenge her.
Watching this, Shigure could only feel helpless.
If they made them for me… then why aren't they using them on me instead?
"Lightning Release—Chidori Slash!"
Crackling lightning surged violently, converging along the blade of the Kusanagi Sword as Sasuke raised it high.
At the same time, Naruto lifted his hands.
"Wind Release—Rasenshuriken!"
Lightning and storm clashed once more.
Naruto hurled the Rasenshuriken forward, its screaming wind chakra tearing through the air.
At the exact same instant, Sasuke brought his sword down.
The collision unleashed a deafening roar that shook the heavens.
Sai stood frozen in shock.
Is this… Konoha's Three Monsters?
They're not geniuses… they're monsters!
Even Hokage-sama might not escape such a jutsu unharmed…
Crack! Bang!
Blinding light exploded outward, swallowing the battlefield.
Then—
A calm, slightly exasperated voice rang out.
"Oh my, my."
"You two really aren't holding back, are you?"
"Are you trying to destroy my Mizukage Building?"
Everyone snapped their heads toward the source.
Before Shigure, a barrier glowing with soft blue light had formed—solid, absolute.
The raging shockwave slammed into it again and again.
Yet it didn't even tremble.
ROOM — Anti-Bacterial Armament Hook!
The barrier endured the bombardment effortlessly, remaining completely intact even after several seconds of sustained impact.
When the light finally faded, Naruto and Sasuke were still standing there, locked in a silent stare.
Seeing the fire in their eyes, Shigure sighed helplessly.
They're completely carried away now.
(End of Chapter)
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