đ€ŁInsert Some Funny Memes or GIFđ€Ł
Bonus
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In an instant, a flash of silver-white blade light sliced across the shadow clone's body.
For a brief moment, Hinata, Sasuke, and Shino all lit up with joy.
"Finally..."
"We did it! We actuallyâ"
"As expected of you, HayateâŠ"
Only Hayate, who was half-kneeling on the ground, wore a bitter expression as he recalled the moment of impact.
Something's off. When cutting through a shadow clone, the blade should feel like it's slicing through empty air. But just now, there had been a slight pause before the blade passed through.
The next moment, the shadow clone the three of them thought they had defeated suddenly flipped backward, somersaulted, and landed smoothly on the ground again.
A few steel wires glinted in the air, reflecting silver in the sunlight.
"Phew~ That was close," the shadow clone said with a relaxed grin. "If it weren't for Sasuke's wire technique, I wouldn't have been able to hang a few lines up top in time."
"Maybe Hayate would've landed that hit."
Hayate slowly stood up, the realization dawning on him.
So that subtle resistance just nowâhe finally understood. The shadow clone had bit down on a steel wire and used his left hand to straighten it, while a clone in the air above had blocked the sunlight, concealing the wire's presence. Then, using an unbelievably narrow angle, he'd redirected Hayate's sword stroke just enough to deflect it.
Hinata, Sasuke, and Shino couldn't help but feel a mix of awe and discouragement.
So this... is the level of the Hokage's personal assistant? We've seriously underestimated him.
Hayate gripped the hilt of his sword tighter and voiced the question forming in his heart.
"Even so... how did you know my real body was in the center, instead of blocking one of the other two clones?"
"Did you just guess?"
The shadow clone lifted his index finger and wagged it.
"That kind of thing isn't guesswork."
"This is what comes from years of real combat experience."
"Only your real body gives off a killing intent that's different from your clones."
Hayate's eyes widened.
He recalled something nowâfrom over a year ago, during a B-rank mission with a Jonin squad. The team leader, a Jonin named Baiun, had said something similar during a morning briefing. But when Hayate had asked, he'd simply waved it off, calling it "an old ninja's danger sense."
Uchiha Hikaru's explanation finally cleared that lingering mystery.
As for the others... Hinata, Sasuke, and Shino were completely lost. They weren't even Genin yet. What would they know about killing intent?
"Damn it! I'm not giving up!"
"Hinata! Shino! Hayate!"
"Let's go again!"
"I refuse to believe that after four whole hours, we still can't land a hit on a shadow clone that won't even fight back!"
Sasuke rolled up his sleeves and charged forward before anyone else could react.
His microcosm ignited, his pride flaring, Sasuke launched himself straight at the shadow clone.
Uchiha Hikaru, lying lazily on his lounge chair, suddenly curled his lips into a wicked smile.
The same grin appeared on the face of the shadow clone.
It ducked beneath Sasuke's straight punch, spun low to the ground with two fluid twirls, then pressed its hands togetherâindex fingers and thumbs forming the unmistakable Tiger Seal.
Hayate's eyes widened in horror.
"Sasuke! Move!"
But Sasuke had already committed to his charge. He turned just in time to see the clone crouching behind him, fingers locked in the Tiger Seal.
His heart dropped.
No... he wouldn'tâŠ
Tiger Seal. He'd been practicing the Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu nonstop recentlyâof course he knew that seal.
Brother Hikaru, you traitor! You said no ninjutsu! I'm gonna end up in the hospital again!
But instead of a fireball, the clone's expression twisted into one of unhinged mischief.
"Secret Leaf Taijutsu of the Hatake ClanâThousand Years of Death!"
With that, the clone launched its handsâtogether, straight into Sasuke's backside.
â
Hinata squealed and shyly covered her faceâbut still peeked through the gap between her fingers.
Shino silently clasped his hands together in front of his chest, offering up a solemn prayer for Sasuke's soul.
Hayate's jaw dropped so far he nearly unhinged it.
So... the Hatake clan has such a terrifying secret technique? No wonder Hatake Sakumo was feared across the shinobi world...
"Aaaaaagh!"
Sasuke was launched into the air by the sheer force of the strike, crashing to the ground with a resounding thud. Face planted in the dirt, butt high in the airâhe looked like a defeated, broken child.
"Damn you... stupid Brother Hikaru..."
Tears welled in the corners of his eyes. In just two days, his poor butt had been assaulted by both his beloved older brother and now the man he admired most.
The Sharingan in his eyes even flickeredâalmost transforming into two tomoeâbut the evolution still failed.
From his lounge chair, Uchiha Hikaru narrowed his eyes, carefully observing Sasuke's reaction.
Yesterday, Itachi gave me an idea... I figured I'd give it a try too.
He had hoped the back-to-back stimulationâItachi yesterday, and him todayâmight push Sasuke's Sharingan to its next stage.
But... unfortunately, his own emotional weight in Sasuke's heart was clearly nowhere near Itachi's.
I'll leave that kind of emotional trauma to Itachi in the future. I definitely didn't do this just because I wanted to poke Sasuke for fun.
Everything I do is for Sasuke's bright future~
Sasuke dragged himself upright, tears of frustration welling up as he stared at Uchiha Hikaru with his blood-red eyes.
The shadow clone scratched its cheek, unsure what to do, then awkwardly gave a thumbs-up to the real body. With a wink, it formed a hand seal.
Poof!
It disappeared in a puff of white smoke.
Uchiha Hikaru stepped toward the still-sulking Sasuke and reached out to ruffle his hair.
Sasuke turned away in anger, trying to dodgeâbut Hikaru wasn't having it.
He pressed down firmly on Sasuke's spiky head, forcing the younger boy to bend slightly under the weight of his hand.
There was no mockery in his expressionâonly seriousness, with a touch of pity.
"Sasuke, I wanted to use the method Itachi used yesterday... to help stimulate the evolution of your Sharingan."
"But I guess... it didn't work."
Sasuke's face fell even further.
Damn it! I got hit again, and I still didn't evolve!
But Hikaru wasn't finished.
He casually removed the forehead protector wrapped around his right arm and angled it so Sasuke could see his reflection.
"But it's not like there was no progress. The Sharingan didn't evolve, but... your pupil strength did increase."
"Look carefullyâdon't your eyes seem a little redder?"
Sasuke stared intently at the reflection in the polished metal, and slowly... a smile crept onto his face.
It did seem just a little redder.
Maybeâjust maybeâhe really was getting stronger.
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Bonus Chapter at 150 Power Stone
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