The two ANBU operatives swiftly disappeared into the shadows, leaving only a faint swirl of dust in their wake. The other hidden watchers stayed behind, their eyes fixed firmly on the battlefield ahead. This wasn't a simple spar anymore—it was a fight that could spiral out of control at any moment.Naruto's gaze locked with Sasuke's. A surge of pride, confidence, and a burning fighting spirit welled up inside him. His fists clenched tightly, and his heart thumped like a war drum. This was not just about rivalry. This was about proving himself—about standing on equal ground with the genius of the Uchiha clan.Sasuke, consumed by frustration and rage, suddenly lunged forward. His foot smashed against the earth, sending cracks racing outward, and his body shot forth like a drawn arrow released from the string. The speed was astonishing—so sharp and direct that it left afterimages behind. His leg lashed out, the strike aimed perfectly at Naruto's chest.The crowd of academy students gasped. "So fast!"But Naruto's expression didn't waver. He inhaled deeply, steadying his nerves. The countless dream battles he had endured—the endless clashes with Sasuke inside that strange world—had carved lessons into his very bones. His body, without conscious thought, moved.Instead of retreating, he threw himself into the counter. His foot swung up, colliding with Sasuke's in midair.Boom!The shockwave of their kicks colliding sent dust flying. Sasuke's eyes widened."What—?!"Naruto's kick carried not just speed but terrifying strength. Before Sasuke could recover, Naruto twisted his waist, arched his back, and launched into another kick, a downward strike that split the air with a whistle."Damn it—!" Sasuke crossed his arms to block, but the impact still forced him back several steps, his feet digging trenches into the ground.Since when… since when did Naruto's Taijutsu become this strong?!He remembered the boy training alone, bruised and battered, striking wooden posts until his fists bled. Sasuke had dismissed him then, but now those desperate efforts stood before him, undeniable and terrifying.Naruto's face, however, remained calm. No wild grin, no excited shouting. The boy who once charged recklessly into fights had vanished. What stood in his place was a fighter tempered by dozens of dream battles, by victory and defeat, by pain and growth.The academy erupted in whispers. "Naruto's actually overpowering Sasuke in Taijutsu?!"Sasuke gritted his teeth. Unacceptable!With a sharp motion, he flicked his wrist. Shuriken! Seven or eight blades spun outward, cutting through the air in deadly arcs.This was the Uchiha's true strength—shurikenjutsu honed since childhood, a skill polished under the shadow of his brother, Uchiha Itachi. Each trajectory, each curve, was flawless.Naruto's eyes sharpened. He leaped high, avoiding most of them, but even in midair his hand drew a kunai, knocking aside the remaining projectiles with desperate precision. Sparks flashed as metal clashed.But Sasuke had already adjusted his stance. Kunai in hand, he dashed forward, meeting Naruto mid-descent. The steel blade cut upward, whistling through the air like a deadly crescent.Clang!Their kunai clashed violently, sparks scattering. The sound rang like a bell through the courtyard. Sasuke's strength pressed forward, his expression fierce.Naruto hissed as a shallow cut split open on his arm, blood trickling down. But instead of faltering, he roared, pushing back with all his might. His kunai stabbed forward, forcing Sasuke to retreat.The clash repeated—steel against steel, sparks raining down. Both were forced backward, sliding across the dirt, their breathing heavy.But Naruto didn't hesitate. He had learned this lesson in his dreams—hesitation meant defeat. He gathered his strength, his body moving almost instinctively into a technique he had only mastered in those dream battles.He spun."Leaf Whirlwind!"His legs became a blur, a chain of whirling kicks striking with unstoppable momentum. The air whistled, the force enough to split stone.Gasps echoed.But Sasuke's eyes narrowed. He had studied this move. He had seen Naruto use it before. His hand gripped another kunai, and he thrust it into Naruto's predicted landing point."Try me!"If Naruto continued the kick, his leg would be pierced clean through.Everyone thought he would stop.But Naruto's eyes burned with fierce determination. His voice thundered:"Don't underestimate me, Sasuke!"His kick didn't slow.Crash!The impact slammed Sasuke into a tree trunk. The massive oak shuddered, leaves falling like rain as Sasuke groaned, blood rising in his throat.But victory came at a cost—Naruto's leg was pierced by Sasuke's kunai. Blood gushed down, staining the earth crimson. The pain was sharp, bone-deep, but Naruto's lips curled into a triumphant grin."Heh… what do you think, Sasuke? Didn't like that kick, did you?"Sasuke's body trembled. He was shaken—not just by the strength, but by Naruto's terrifying will. This guy… he'd sacrifice his own body just to land a hit?!A chill spread in Sasuke's chest, an echo of the fear his brother's presence always inspired. No… I won't lose!Snarling, he weaved hand signs, chakra surging through him."Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"A roaring sphere of flames erupted, surging forward like a blazing sun. The air rippled with heat as the fireball devoured everything in its path.The academy students screamed and scrambled back.But Naruto's eyes didn't waver. He darted aside with a sharp step, barely avoiding the blazing inferno. The fireball slammed into the tree behind him, incinerating it to ashes in seconds.The setting sun dipped below the horizon, and now the battlefield was illuminated by the fire's eerie glow. Naruto and Sasuke stood in the fiery twilight, their eyes wild, their bodies trembling, blood dripping onto the dirt.At that instant, everything snapped.Sasuke's eyes spun, red tomoe emerging, rotating in his pupils."Sharingan!"Naruto's body convulsed. His whisker marks darkened, deepening, splitting across his face. His eyes turned into crimson slits, his expression feral, demonic. The Nine-Tails' chakra leaked out, wrapping him in a sinister aura.The ANBU, watching from the shadows, froze. Cold sweat slid down their backs."This is… dangerous!" one whispered."Sharingan awakened… and the Nine-Tails' chakra emerging…""This could destroy the academy!"The two boys—no, the two forces of destiny—glared at each other with eyes filled with killing intent.Sasuke, burdened with the hatred and grief of his clan, now pushed beyond his limits. Naruto, scarred by loneliness and desperation for recognition, unleashed the beast within.For Sasuke, this was the chance to defeat Naruto at all costs, even if it meant death. For Naruto, it was the desperate fight to be acknowledged, to win against the rival who never looked his way.And for Kurama, the Nine-Tailed Fox sealed within Naruto, it was opportunity.A sinister chuckle echoed deep within Naruto's mind. Yes… give in to it. Let me take over.Though only a faint trickle of chakra had slipped through, it was enough. Enough to taste freedom. Enough to spread malice into Naruto's heart.The ground trembled as the two charged again, firelight reflecting in their murderous eyes.The true battle had just begun.
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)