Chapter 215 – The Real Performance
"Well then, the enemies have been dealt with. It's time to return—no point in lingering here," Yusuke said casually.
"Asuma-sensei, we've avenged you," Shikamaru said quietly, with Ino and Choji beside him.
Even so, their faces were still shadowed by grief, weighed down by the loss of their teacher.
Yusuke's gaze lingered on the three of them, and slowly, the corner of his lips curved into an odd, almost mischievous smile.
No one noticed it—except for one man.
Hatake Kakashi.
He knew his brother far too well.
His instincts told him something interesting was about to happen, and the faint glimmer of anticipation shone in his eye.
"Nii-san, you'd better just send us home directly. You know how slow we are on foot," Kakashi said flatly.
"Oh, right," Yusuke murmured, nodding thoughtfully.
If they took too long getting back, their mood might settle—and then his little "performance" wouldn't be nearly as fun.
He stroked his chin, as though calculating timing for an event only he knew about.
"Alright, everyone, stand up. We're heading back. Distance: two million and thirty kilometers. Estimated travel time: 0.01 seconds," Yusuke said, clapping his hands together.
In an instant, the group vanished without a trace—leaving only Kakashi and Yusuke behind.
"Nii-san, your space-time ninjutsu keeps getting sharper. You don't even need to open a dimensional gate anymore," Kakashi remarked.
"Ah, that's just a side ability from another spatial layer I rarely use," Yusuke replied nonchalantly.
It was, in truth, an extension of his Limitless Space Manipulation—a technique so advanced it blurred the line between teleportation and reality distortion.
"Then let's head back too," Kakashi said.
"Oh, not we—just me," Yusuke said, his tone playful. "I'll go first. Take your time, little brother."
"Wait, Nii-san!" Kakashi called out, alarmed.
"What is it now?" Yusuke asked, tilting his head innocently.
"Can't you just teleport me too?"
"Of course not," Yusuke said, feigning surprise. "You think I don't know what you're planning? You're up to something, aren't you? Anyway—good luck, my dear foolish brother. I'm leaving now."
And with that, Yusuke vanished, leaving only a swirl of wind in his wake.
"…You're such a bastard, Nii-san," Kakashi groaned, shoulders slumping.
This won't do. I'll have to become Hokage and master the Flying Thunder God myself. Relying on others is nothing compared to relying on yourself, he thought with burning resolve.
He knew the jutsu wasn't easy. For years, only Tobirama Senju and Minato Namikaze had ever truly mastered it.
But as Hatake Yusuke's younger brother, Kakashi believed he could at least reach that height. He didn't need to surpass his brother's mastery of space-time—but the Flying Thunder God should be within his grasp.
With renewed determination, Kakashi began his long walk back to Konoha.
He'd have to miss the "show," but he was used to his brother's frustrating antics by now.
— — —
Meanwhile, the group Yusuke had teleported appeared right in front of Konoha's massive gates.
They were startled for a moment—but not surprised.
They were used to Yusuke's unbelievable command over spatial techniques.
What did shock them was the fact that he hadn't even used his Door-Door Fruit ability.
He'd warped them directly across vast distances with raw spatial manipulation alone.
That meant Yusuke's power far exceeded what he'd ever revealed before.
Without wasting time, they made their way to the Hokage's office to report their mission.
"Lord Hokage, the mission is complete," Shikamaru said gravely. "But… Asuma-sensei fell in battle."
"Oh… Asuma," Tsunade said softly. "Yes, I already know. You don't have to grieve too deeply."
She was about to deliver the message Yusuke had told her beforehand—but seeing the sorrow in their faces, she hesitated.
And before she could continue, another voice cut in.
"You know," Yusuke said sharply, stepping forward, "you're all far too weak."
The room went silent.
"Throughout that entire mission, you were practically useless," Yusuke continued coldly. "Back in our day, we had a saying: 'If you don't want to cry on the battlefield, then cry harder during training.'"
"I wonder," he said, crossing his arms, "if Asuma can even rest easy in the afterlife with students like you. Honestly… I'm disappointed."
Shikamaru's eyes darkened, but he remained silent.
"Tell you what, Shikamaru of the Nara Clan," Yusuke went on. "If you don't want to be a shinobi, I can arrange that. Don't worry—while I'm around, no one will stop you. Not even your father. Actually… not even any of your fathers."
Shikamaru said nothing.
Once, he might've accepted such an offer—but not anymore.
He had found his purpose.
He no longer drifted aimlessly, unsure of his future.
Perhaps he had never truly hated being a ninja—he'd just never known why he was one.
"And what about you two?" Yusuke turned toward Ino and Choji. "If you don't want to carry the guilt of Asuma's death, then just say so. Everyone's free to choose their own path. Asuma wouldn't have blamed you for it."
The two glanced down, speechless.
"You really think you're strong?" Yusuke scoffed. "Don't kid yourselves. Ino–Shika–Cho? Out of your entire class, your team was the weakest. Not one of you has a clear goal. Do you think your current attitude is better than Naruto's burning drive? Stop reflecting on empty shadows and start facing yourselves."
"Enough," he said coldly. "You're dismissed. Remove your headbands."
Shikamaru clenched his fists. "Yusuke-sensei… I already have a purpose. I want to continue being a shinobi—and I'll carry on Asuma-sensei's will."
Yusuke glanced at him briefly and gave a small nod.
"And the two of you?" His tone hardened again. "To be honest, you're the least suited to be ninja."
He looked straight at Choji. "You're too kind-hearted. The ninja world is brutal—even in peace. Killing your enemy with full intent isn't cruelty—it's survival. If you don't kill him, he'll kill you. And maybe one day, he'll kill someone you love—Shikamaru, Ino… even your father."
"N-no way…" Choji stammered, face pale.
"No way? Really?" Yusuke's voice cut like steel. "Then tell me—why did Asuma die? If you hadn't managed to kill Hidan and Kakuzu, do you think they'd have stopped? They'd still be hunting Naruto right now—the Jinchūriki of the Nine-Tails."
"And you, Ino," Yusuke said mercilessly, "you're not even suited for combat. If marriage is your goal, just ask your father to find you a husband."
His tone was calm, but his words struck with brutal precision, dissecting each of their weaknesses without restraint.
Asuma, who was secretly observing through Yusuke's dimensional space, wanted to step in—to defend his students.
But he couldn't.
Because everything Yusuke said… was true.
Every flaw, every shortcoming—Yusuke had exposed them all.
"What's wrong? Can't accept it?" Yusuke smirked. "Fine then. I'll give you a chance. Pick any opponent from your generation. If you win, I'll take back every word I said. Deal?"
No one answered.
"Silent, huh? Then it's decided," Yusuke declared. "We'll head to the training grounds."
He clapped his hands once more, and in the blink of an eye, the office dissolved around them—everyone now standing in the wide open training field.
— — —
And so began the matches between Yusuke's students and Asuma's former team.
First Match: Hyuga Hinata vs. Yamanaka Ino
Ino was utterly overwhelmed.
Even without using chakra—Yusuke's restriction for fairness—Hinata's superior combat sense and refined taijutsu dominated the fight.
When Ino finally managed to land her Mind Transfer Technique, Hinata broke free almost instantly, her sheer willpower and Byakugan focus shattering the mental hold.
Second Match: Akimichi Choji vs. Inuzuka Kiba
Two close-combat specialists clashed in a storm of fists, claws, and chakra-enhanced strikes.
But even without using his ultimate technique, Kiba's speed, instincts, and coordination with Akamaru gave him the clear advantage.
Choji fell, panting heavily.
Third Match: Nara Shikamaru vs. Aburame Shino
The battle was a draw.
Both were tacticians—neither built for direct combat.
They circled each other in silence, their every move a calculation, their every trap layered within another.
When Shikamaru's chakra finally ran out, Shino still had insects to spare.
But the Nara genius had anticipated it—his last trap triggered perfectly, ensnaring Shino just as both collapsed from exhaustion.
It was a stalemate… but one that left everyone watching breathless.
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