Bang!
Kakashi casually grabbed a rogue ninja with half-red, half-gray hair and slammed his head into the ground with practiced efficiency.
This rogue ninja, who had attempted to ambush him, didn't even have time to cry out before losing consciousness completely.
But after dealing with this threat, Kakashi took no further action.
He simply stood there quietly as before, observing how his student was effortlessly dismantling this entire group of rogue ninjas.
Sasuke held a kunai in reverse grip, quickly deflecting several shuriken shot at him, then slashed across his opponent's throat under their horrified gaze.
Blood splattered as another life ended in his hands.
Sasuke's eyelids barely twitched, his movements never hesitating for even an instant.
This was a mixed group of rogue ninjas and common bandits.
Although their strongest leader was merely a chunin, they possessed extensive combat experience and would employ any underhanded tactics necessary for survival.
As opponents for Sasuke to practice against, they were barely adequate for his current skill level.
"Earth Release: Headhunter Jutsu."
Taking advantage of Sasuke defeating another genin, two remaining ninjas secretly burrowed underground.
This kid is frighteningly strong with impossibly fast reflexes.
Usually, before our jutsu can even connect, this boy dodges as if he can predict the future.
But it doesn't matter. As long as we can restrain him, with so many brothers fighting together, we can overwhelm this kid through sheer numbers.
Under the influence of earth-attribute chakra, the two moved underground like oversized rats.
Then they suddenly burst through the surface, reaching out to grab one of Sasuke's legs each.
"Now!"
"Haha! Die, kid!"
Kakashi watched this entire sequence from his position nearby but had no intention of warning Sasuke about the incoming attack.
"Hmph."
As if he had long anticipated these two emerging from the ground, Sasuke's expression showed no trace of panic whatsoever.
Bang! Bang!
Two more devastating punches knocked down the charging enemies, then Sasuke freed his hands and suddenly exerted tremendous force with both legs, literally "pulling" these two adult-sized opponents out of the earth.
As he rotated his entire body, the two were flung away by tremendous centrifugal force and crashed hard into nearby tree trunks.
An opening!
A bandit hiding within the crowd quietly drew a firearm, using the obstruction of his comrades and Sasuke's blind spot to aim directly at the boy's vital points.
Hmph, this is quality merchandise we acquired from the black market. Even if you're a ninja, you'll die here if you're careless!
This reasoning wasn't entirely wrong. Without using chakra for active defense, ordinary ninjas, especially genin, possessed little greater physical resilience than regular people.
Being stabbed would draw blood; being shot would cause serious injury or death.
Witnessing this scene, Kakashi finally couldn't restrain himself. He had already drawn several shuriken, prepared to intervene at any moment.
But his Sharingan's enhanced perception clearly observed Sasuke suddenly tensing his entire body, every muscle fiber exerting coordinated force.
In areas concealed by his clothing, his skin surface was immediately covered with a faint gray aura.
Kakashi could sense instinctively that this energy wasn't chakra.
Clang!
The bullet struck Sasuke's back but produced the distinctive sound of metal colliding with metal.
"Is this kid wearing hidden armor?" The gunman muttered, his mouth falling open slightly. It was already too late to reload another round.
The next moment, Sasuke had charged directly in front of them, easily knocking this entire group of bandits to the ground.
Anyone grazed or contacted by his enhanced fists ended up with broken bones and torn muscles.
After everything was resolved, Kakashi and Sasuke unhurriedly began their journey back to the village.
One walked while pulling out a book to "study diligently"; the other remained silent, lost in contemplation.
"Sasuke, why didn't you use ninjutsu during that fight?" Kakashi finally broke their companionable silence.
"There was no need to waste ninjutsu against those weaklings."
Not only had he refrained from using the Lightning Release techniques Kakashi had specifically taught him, but Sasuke hadn't even employed basic Academy Three techniques.
He had relied entirely on enhanced taijutsu throughout the encounter.
Even so, he had easily dealt with that entire group of bandits without sustaining a single injury.
His clothes bore a hole where the bullet had struck his back, but there was no sign of any "armor" beneath the fabric.
Obviously, Sasuke had absorbed the impact with his body alone.
"That technique you used just now... did Naruto teach it to you?"
Hearing this question, Sasuke was momentarily stunned. Considering the close relationship between Kakashi and Naruto, plus Naruto's specific instructions before departing, he nodded affirmatively.
"That's called 'Haki,' a completely different power system from chakra."
In the comprehensive notebook Naruto had left for him, there were detailed records of advanced training methods for both "Armament Haki" and "Observation Haki."
It had been over a month since Naruto departed the village, and Sasuke had gradually grasped the fundamental threshold of Haki manipulation.
Perhaps due to the Uchiha clan's naturally powerful mental strength, he could already skillfully employ Observation Haki during active combat.
Even when attacks originated from blind spots he couldn't visually track, he could still perfectly dodge them with supernatural awareness.
With this ability, at least he didn't need to fear surprise attacks from conventional opponents.
In contrast, Armament Haki proved far more difficult for him to utilize consistently, often working unpredictably.
That defensive state against the bullet earlier had actually been a partially failed attempt. Though he hadn't sustained injury, the projectile's impact had still solidly connected with his back.
Fortunately, after this extended period of high-intensity physical conditioning, such pain couldn't even make Sasuke flinch anymore.
Hearing this explanation, Kakashi simply nodded with understanding. From the stories Naruto had shared with him, he had also learned about this extraordinary power system.
A power that doesn't consume chakra... The Copy Ninja, who had always struggled with his limited "mana" reserves, began seriously considering whether he should learn these techniques as well.
They might prove invaluable someday.
"Speaking of which, you really learned it remarkably fast. Mastering it in such a short timeframe is impressive."
Kakashi felt that after Naruto's departure, this child Sasuke had become even more withdrawn than before, so he actively sought topics for conversation.
But unexpectedly, this compliment caused Sasuke to stop walking entirely, his lips pressed tightly together, seemingly very opposed to these words of praise.
"...I'm still far behind where I need to be."
Not just compared to Naruto, who had casually repelled Uchiha Itachi and his companions that decisive day.
Within Konoha Village itself, there was another individual whose progress in mastering "Haki" was steadily surpassing his own development.
Right, exactly as you're thinking.
In a secluded forest training ground on the edge of Konoha Village, everything appeared exactly the same as before Naruto's departure.
The crucial difference was that Konohamaru no longer required Naruto's direct supervision.
He wore a specially designed training vest with stones taller than himself strapped to his shoulders, systematically building his physical conditioning.
If hatred served as the driving force behind Sasuke's grueling training to become stronger, then pure admiration for his idol was what sustained Konohamaru through that inhuman training regimen.
Not far from Konohamaru's position, Ebisu, who had purchased new sunglasses, watched with undisguised concern and worry etched across his features.
Young Master Konohamaru now trained for extended periods every single day.
This was certainly a positive development.
In just this brief timespan, Young Master Konohamaru had begun growing rapidly in height and physical maturity.
Of course, it couldn't compare to Naruto's "completely different appearance every day" transformation rate.
But in merely these few dozen days, Young Master Konohamaru already resembled a proper young man rather than a child.
It seemed the daily rigorous training had also considerably tempered his originally restless, hyperactive personality.
Simply observing Konohamaru's current appearance, claiming he had already graduated from the ninja academy wouldn't feel out of place whatsoever.
"Young Master Konohamaru, please take a rest!" Ebisu shouted from his distant position, but Konohamaru merely waved dismissively without pausing.
Beneath his training vest, among the back muscle definition that was beginning to take distinctive shape, there was a black aura even darker and more refined than Sasuke's manifestation.
Ah! Damn Naruto, Young Master Konohamaru becoming like this is definitely your fault!
Like a resentful housewife, Ebisu could only crouch in the distance, drawing circles in the dirt over and over to curse a certain absent someone.