____________
Seeing Sasuke admit that he doesn't care about the Chunin Exam as much as he wants to fight strong opponents and learn his true level gave readers a new understanding of how obsessed Sasuke is with revenge.
This came after Sakura tried to persuade him to withdraw, crying out of fear that his condition would worsen because of the Cursed Seal, something Naruto still knew nothing about.
The Third Hokage and those around him noticed Sasuke's deteriorating state, as he clutched his shoulder in intense pain. This confirmed the Hokage's suspicion that Orochimaru was targeting Sasuke.
After much deliberation about whether to remove him from the exam, the Hokage decided to allow Sasuke to continue, on the condition that they would intervene only if the Cursed Seal fully erupted.
Readers felt relieved to see this. They wanted Sasuke to continue in the competition, especially after seeing him acknowledge Naruto as well.
…
Naruto… I also want to fight you…
This was Sasuke acknowledging Naruto's worth, something clearly reflected on Naruto's face as he simply stared in silence… Kushina noticed these details with great interest.
"It seems Sasuke recognizes Naruto as a rival…" she said, looking at Minato.
"Of course, that's obvious. Naruto has shown himself to be a strong and persistent competitor. Sasuke could sense that, especially in the final moment before Orochimaru caused Naruto to faint."
"At that time, Naruto showed extraordinary courage when he stepped in, even while Orochimaru was terrifying both Sasuke and Sakura with his overwhelming presence," Minato explained with a smile.
Although the story was progressing slowly, the moments where Naruto displayed his courage and potential were not few. Since they were on the same team, Sasuke witnessed most of those moments firsthand.
"I want Naruto to shock everyone… especially those who look down on him and treat him coldly like Shikamaru and his team, and even Sakura, who prefers Sasuke over him…"
Minato smiled slightly before saying, "That will surely happen sooner or later…"
"Now let's see how these preliminary matches unfold…"
...
[— Manga Scene —]
"And the object that controls your destiny is…"
"Open it."
"Is this… This electric scoreboard will show the match-ups for each battle," said the referee Hayate calmly after unveiling the latest technology, an electric scoreboard capable of randomly selecting competitors.
"Now, this is sudden, but let's announce the two names of the first fight."
Hearing this, all the participants looked toward the scoreboard as it began to glow.
Uchiha Sasuke VS. Akado Yoroi
These were the names of the first match.
'Right now…' Sasuke smiled when he saw his name appear first.
'Heh… I didn't even have to beg…' As for his opponent, he seemed as though he had been hoping to fight him.
'No way…!! Why does Sasuke have to…?!!' Sakura's anxiety about the situation intensified.
"Now, these two entrants come to the front…" announced Hayate.
"The two participants in the first fight are Akado Yoroi and Uchiha Sasuke. Are you ready?"
"Yes…" said Akado Yoroi.
"Yeah…" replied Sasuke.
[— End Scene —]
Heartbeats quickened in the art store as the names Uchiha Sasuke and Akado Yoroi appeared on the screen.
The tension was palpable, not just within the manga pages, but among the readers witnessing the first official preliminary battle.
"Akado Yoroi… he's one of Kabuto's teammates!" said Shikaku Nara, pointing at the page.
"That means he's another spy for Orochimaru. Sasuke is already in terrible condition because of the seal, and facing a skilled spy in the first match is the worst-case scenario," said his father, Hiketsu Nara, who was sitting alongside the other clan leaders.
Meanwhile, Houzhou Akimichi observed in unusual silence, "Look at Sasuke's eyes… he's clearly in pain, yet that smile hasn't left his face. Is revenge really worth all this?" He was Choza's father and the current head of the Akimichi clan.
"Someone killed his entire family and wiped out his clan… and if that person is his own brother, it only makes the desire for revenge even stronger… Sasuke truly seems like a tragic character," replied Inwi Yamanaka, father of Inoichi and head of the Yamanaka clan.
The other clan leaders, from the Inuzuka, Aburame, Fuma, Kurama, and smaller clans, nodded in agreement.
After all, the Yamanaka leader's words made perfect sense.
…
Meanwhile, Hiruzen felt worry creeping into his heart. His older counterpart's decision to let Sasuke fight seemed like a huge risk.
"Danzo, don't you think allowing Sasuke to continue is gambling with his life? Orochimaru wants his body, and this seal is the key."
"Power requires sacrifice, Hiruzen," Danzo replied coldly as he flipped the page.
"If Sasuke cannot control this seal now, he will be of no use to Konoha in the future. This fight is the true test of his worth."
"He needs to fight and win without using chakra… that's difficult…" said Uzumaki Mito, ignoring Danzo's remark.
"No, I think he'll win… he can use taijutsu, right?" Hiruzen smiled when he saw a particular scene in the manga.
…
[— Manga Scene —]
"Hehehe… You experimental mouse… You still have power left?" Akado Yoroi mocked as he prepared to drain the last of Sasuke's chakra.
Sasuke was in terrible shape, on the verge of defeat. 'That was close… but if he touches me one more time, I'm finished… He'll probably try to force close combat… This is it, what do I do?'
Under immense pressure from both his opponent and the Cursed Seal, Sasuke thought rapidly.
"Uchiha Sasuke… Is this it…?" Gaara watched coldly.
'Sasuke-kun…' thought Rock Lee as he observed the frustrating battle.
Sakura shut her eyes and looked away. Naruto noticed and shouted: "Sasuke!!! Are you really Uchiha Sasuke?!! Is that the best you can do?!"
Sasuke looked up. Beside Naruto stood Rock Lee… and upon seeing him, he remembered something. 'I know!!'
"Heh… You don't have time for sightseeing!!" Akado Yoroi charged forward, his hand covered in strange chakra-absorbing energy.
'I'll drain all his chakra!! It's over!!'
Orochimaru, disguised, watched eagerly, hoping to see Sasuke use the Cursed Seal.
But in the next moment, something shocking happened.
Sasuke repeated the same move Rock Lee had once used against him, a powerful horizontal kick that sent Akado Yoroi flying.
'That's my…!!' Rock Lee was stunned.
'What?!!' Even his teacher, Gai-sensei, was shocked, along with everyone present.
"Though from here, I'll go original…" Sasuke appeared behind his opponent as he said that.
[— End Scene —]
"Sasuke did it!"
In the area where the Uchiha clan members were seated, Mikoto Uchiha shouted as she jumped to her feet, tears shining in her eyes from excitement, especially after the tense moments earlier, since Sasuke was fighting without chakra and seemed weak.
"Look, Fugaku! Sasuke didn't give up, he turned the tables at the hardest moment!"
Fugaku, who usually maintained his composure, couldn't stop the corners of his mouth from lifting slightly into a rare smile. He nodded calmly, watching the page with intense focus.
"The Sharingan… it is the pride of our clan. Sasuke has proven he is a true heir to the Uchiha's power. He only saw that move for a few seconds before the exam, yet he replicated it with astonishing precision under immense pressure."
Before he could finish, his father, Uchiha Hugaku, added,
"But more importantly… Sasuke didn't just copy it; he added his own touch to make it original. That is the combat intelligence that defines geniuses."
"I think the next chapter will be amazing… at this pace."
…
In another corner of the art store, a six-year-old Maito Gai stared at the page, his eyes nearly popping out from shock, while his father Dai sat beside him, smiling broadly with pride.
"Dad! What do you think, even Sasuke had to use taijutsu!" Gai shouted excitedly.
"Sasuke… he stole Lee's move! How can he do that just by looking? That's not fair! Lee trained for years to reach that level, and this kid did it in a second!"
Dai laughed heartily, patting his son's shoulder.
"Listen carefully, Gai! Don't call it stealing, call it the inspiration of youth! The Sharingan may give him the image, but his body executes the movement. Look at his muscles in the drawing; they're under immense strain. Sasuke is risking tearing his muscle fibers to perform this move in such a terrible condition."
Dai continued, looking deeply into his son's eyes:
"Gai, this is the beauty of youthful power! Even when a natural talent like the Sharingan steals the spotlight, physical effort remains the foundation. Sasuke is now exhausting what remains of his life, not just his chakra. He's fighting with his heart instead of chakra…"
It was as if Dai was speaking directly to Rock Lee in the manga:
"Remember this scene well, Lee. A rival who copies your moves is actually acknowledging that you've reached a level worth imitating! You should be proud that our taijutsu forces even geniuses to recognize it!"
Gai wiped his small tears, and flames of determination ignited in his eyes.
"I understand, Dad! I'll train even harder so no one can copy my moves unless they're ready to break their body! I'll make the power of youth shine brighter than any red eye!"
Seeing this emotional, tear-filled moment, Kakashi and his father, Sakumo, sighed silently
____________
Upcoming chapter titles (spoilers):
____________
Chapter 161: The Uchiha Blood!
Chapter 162: Orochimaru's Ambition and the Terrifying Insect Clan.
Chapter 163: The Remarkable Potential of an Aburame Clan Member.
Chapter 164: Protected by the Man Who Exposed Him…!?
____________
Support the journey and unlock advanced chapters!
If you're enjoying Rob's story, his journey of publishing the Naruto manga inside the Shinobi world, and the impact it has on the world, and you want to know what happens before everyone else… there's always a way to stay ahead.
I work on this novel every day, developing its world and chapters, and every bit of support helps me keep delivering higher-quality content at a faster pace.
By supporting me on Patreon, you'll get exclusive access to advanced chapters before they're released to the public. You can move ahead in the story and read up to 30 chapters in advance!
📚 Support Tiers:
$5 → Read 5 advanced chapters
$10 → Read 10 advanced chapters
$15 → Read 15 advanced chapters
$20 → Read 20 advanced chapters
$30 → Read 30 advanced chapters
Every bit of support, even a small one, makes a real difference and helps me continue writing this journey that we're experiencing together.
Join now and start reading the stacked chapters before everyone else:
Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/BlackStar_BH
You can also get the same benefits on Ko-fi:
https://www.ko-fi.com/blackstar_bh
Thank you to everyone who supports the story and believes in this world. You are the reason it continues. ❤️
____________