"Sasuke-kun is so handsome!"
Sakura's eyes sparkled like pink hearts, her hands pressed to her chest. That cool posture, that calm precision, that lightning-filled strike—everything about it made her heart pound faster.
"Hmph! Show-off…" Naruto crossed his arms, cheeks puffed, glaring daggers at Sasuke while sneaking jealous glances at Sakura. Seeing her so lovestruck made something hot and bitter stir in his chest.
He clenched his fists. I'll surpass him… just wait, bastard!
Kakashi stepped forward, his visible eye curved slightly. "Well done, Sasuke," he said calmly.
Then his gaze shifted to Naruto, his tone light but teasing. "Naruto, by the way—the Demon Brothers' claws are coated in poison."
Naruto froze mid-grumble. "H-Huh?! Poison?!"
Kakashi tilted his head toward Naruto's hand. Sure enough, a faint cut glimmered near his knuckles—barely noticeable, but enough to make the boy's face drain of color.
"Ahhhhhhh!!!" Naruto screamed, flailing like a man already dead.
Before anyone could stop him, he grabbed a shuriken, grit his teeth, and—
Stab!
He jammed it into the back of his own hand, blood spurting like a fountain.
"GAAAAHHHHHH!!!"
Hinata gasped, Sakura screamed, even Sasuke blinked in mild disbelief.
But Naruto just gritted his teeth, his voice trembling with fierce determination. "I-I won't die to poison! I'll get stronger! I'll protect everyone, even if it hurts!"
Kakashi stared blankly for a moment, then sighed, palm to face. "…Naruto, it's just mild poison. You only needed to make a small cut. Not… whatever that was."
Naruto blinked, pale from blood loss. "S-so… I didn't need to—?"
"No," Kakashi replied flatly.
The forest fell silent. Only the faint sound of Naruto's dramatic sobbing filled the air.
Sasuke looked away, muttering under his breath. "Idiot…"
And yet, deep down, even he couldn't deny it—Naruto's sheer recklessness… was kind of admirable.
--
There was a brief lull in the forest.
Then Naruto screamed again—loud, dramatic, and utterly over the top—clutching his bleeding hand like he was on his deathbed.
Kakashi sighed helplessly. Sakura looked disgusted. Sasuke rolled his eyes.
And from the distance, Hidan just stood there, expression blank.
"…Yeah. He's still as lively as ever."
Watching the chaos, Hidan scratched the back of his head. Naruto was pure Asura energy—loud, emotional, stupidly determined. No amount of blood loss could keep that idiot down.
Sasuke, though… that one had changed.
He's grown, Hidan thought. Doesn't hesitate to kill anymore. That's good.
What amused him most was that he hadn't even taught Sasuke any real battle tactics. All he'd done was hand over a few ninjutsu and shove him face-first into hatred. The rest… the cold precision, the instinct, the control—that was all Sasuke himself.
Heh. As expected of Indra's reincarnation, he mused. First-class talent. Meanwhile, that knucklehead Asura over there bleeds himself out just to make a point.
Kurenai, standing beside him, looked at Sasuke. "That boy… is he really just a fresh graduate? His chakra, his precision… that's beyond most Chūnin."
Her voice held equal parts disbelief and suspicion.
Hinata, Shino, and Kiba watched from behind, their expressions mixed with envy and inspiration. Sasuke was their age—yet he moved with the confidence of a veteran. Even his killing intent had weight.
They couldn't help but feel small in comparison.
Hidan followed their gazes, then exhaled deeply through his nose. 'Tch. These brats don't even realize they're not playing the same game as him and Naruto.'
It was the truth. The gap between ordinary talent and divine bloodlines would only keep widening.
Still… there was one exception.
His eyes slid toward Hinata. The shy girl stood quietly, clutching her hands, her pale eyes reflecting Sasuke's lightning from earlier.
A small smile tugged at Hidan's lips. That one… she's different.
If fate followed the whispers of prophecy, then her Byakugan could one day evolve—beyond even the Hyūga clan's limits.
The Tenseigan.
The ultimate form of the Byakugan—an ocular power said to rival even the Rinnegan itself. A mirror to the divine, capable of bending the world's energy to its will.
But that… was a story still far from unfolding.
For now, all Hidan did was lean back lazily on Konan's shoulders, eyes half-lidded. "Well… this should be entertaining."
--
"Feeling a little jealous, huh?" Hidan asked lazily, glancing at Shino and Kiba. He didn't even bother looking at Hinata—he had plans to raise her into a proper little lady, not a wannabe psycho like these two.
Shino adjusted his glasses. Kiba crossed his arms. Neither dared answer.
Hidan waved a hand. "Relax, relax. You're not expected to zap people in half like Sasuke… yet. But at least try to act cool about it, yeah?"
He stretched his arms behind his head, still lounging on Konan's back like a guy on vacation. "What I do want you to learn is his attitude. See an enemy? Don't overthink it. Don't give speeches. Just handle business and move on. Simple."
He paused, then chuckled. "The enemy's final destination is the grave, anyway. Might as well help 'em get there faster, right?"
The tone was casual, but somehow it still made both boys stiffen.
"Y-yeah! Got it!" Kiba barked, trying to sound tough while Akamaru hid behind him.
Shino simply nodded, pretending his sunglasses were more interesting than Hidan's grin.
Hidan smirked. "Good talk."
He leaned back comfortably, tapping Konan's shoulder. "Alright, chauffeur, onward. Lesson over. We've got sightseeing to do."
Konan sighed. "You're the worst teacher in Konoha."
"Correction," Hidan said, raising a finger. "The most stylish teacher in Konoha."
Shino and Kiba exchanged silent looks that said everything:
…Yeah, this guy's a menace.
--
After disposing of the two assassins, the group pressed onward down the misty road. The air grew heavier, quieter—the kind of silence that felt unnatural.
Then, a faint rustle.
Kakashi's eye flicked toward a patch of bushes. A small white rabbit hopped timidly out into the open.
Sakura let out a tiny breath. "A rabbit? I thought it was an enemy…"
But Kakashi's gaze sharpened. A snow-white coat… this species doesn't shed its fur unless it's winter. Meaning—
His expression darkened. "Get down!"
Whoosh!
A massive blade cleaved through the air, spinning end over end. The Executioner's Blade tore past them with a roar, slicing clean through branches as thick as a man's arm. The wind pressure alone stung their faces like a slap.
The blade embedded deep into a tree trunk with a heavy thunk.
And then, a shadow landed silently on its hilt.
"...!"
The figure stood tall, shirtless, muscles coiled with lethal power, bandaged mouth hidden beneath the headband of Kirigakure—slashed clean through.
Momochi Zabuza. One of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist.
Kakashi's single visible eye narrowed. "Tch… it really is you."
He sighed inwardly. This one's going to be trouble.
Slowly, his hand reached up to the headband covering his left eye.
Flip.
The cloth slid away, revealing the spinning scarlet glow of the Sharingan beneath.
Zabuza tilted his head, smirking. "Konoha's Copy Ninja… Hatake Kakashi. What an honor. Been wanting to test myself against you for a while."
Kakashi's voice dropped calm but firm. "Formation! Protect Tazuna!"
In an instant, the Genin snapped into position, forming a tight perimeter around the old bridge builder.
But even as they moved, Sasuke's Sharingan locked onto Zabuza—and his breath caught.
Three tomoe spun in his own eyes, mirroring Kakashi's… but what he saw made him slightly stunned.
Kakashi's forehead protector lifted—revealing his left eye.
Sasuke's pupils dilated instantly. That eye—three tomoe, identical to his own Sharingan.
What…?
Though Kakashi had his back turned, Sasuke could feel it. The Sharingan could sense chakra flow, and what radiated from his teacher's left eye was unmistakable—it pulsed with the same red energy as his own bloodline.
An Uchiha's eye… in a non-Uchiha body.
His mind spun with questions. How did he get that eye? Did he… take it?
But this wasn't the time to ask. The fog thickened around them, chakra pressure closing in. The enemy's killing intent was rising like a tide.
Sasuke's hand twitched toward his shuriken pouch. He's here.
"Here it comes!" he hissed under his breath.
A flicker of movement—too fast for Sakura or Naruto to register.
Bite!
The wind screamed.
In a heartbeat, Zabuza was inside the formation, his towering figure appearing in front of them like a phantom. The Executioner's Blade came down in a blur, a death sentence in steel.
But before it could land—
Clang!
Sparks burst through the fog.
Zabuza's blade froze mid-swing. His eyes narrowed behind the bandages. What…?
The edge of the massive sword had been stopped—caught between two small shuriken held in a cross shape.
At the other end of them stood Sasuke Uchiha, legs braced, arms trembling under the sheer force of the blow. His teeth were clenched, his muscles straining, but the blade hadn't reached its mark.
For a heartbeat, the forest went silent.
Zabuza's voice rumbled low. "…You blocked that? A brat like you?"
Sasuke's breath came heavy, sweat dripping down his temple. "Heh… barely."
The ground beneath his feet cracked. His arms shook violently. The difference in strength was monstrous—this was a true Jōnin, a killer forged in war.
A kid with this kind of killing intent… and Sharingan eyes? What the hell is Konoha feeding their brats? Zabuza thought surprised.
[Author Note]📢
Hey everyone!
Just a quick update — I've started a new Naruto novel:
Naruto: I'm Atomic
It's a fresh project with cleaner writing and a steadier release pace.
If you enjoyed my previous stories, feel free to check it out!
Thanks for the support 🗣️
— Arthorain