During the day, out in the courtyard, Shinji was guiding Sasuke in his training.
Though guiding was perhaps too gentle a word — it was more like a complete, one‑sided beatdown.
"Are those limp, weak punches supposed to do something? Make your enemies pity you?"
Shinji caught Sasuke's powerful strike effortlessly with one hand, then couldn't help but yawn.
Sasuke gritted his teeth, immediately flipped backward and launched a kick — only for Shinji to block it without even trying.
"Your strength is lacking, your speed is terrible, and now you've stopped using your brain too. It seems your talent in taijutsu is only that of an average genius. Ah well… that path isn't where your true potential lies anyway. Let me see how much you've improved lately."
After throwing Sasuke to the ground for what felt like the hundredth time, Shinji decisively brought the taijutsu portion of the training to an end.
No matter how hard Sasuke trained, he would never reach the absolute peak in physical combat. He was miles away from super‑powered figures like the Raikage or Might Guy — even someone like Killer Bee or Rock Lee could defeat him easily.
So there was no point forcing it; being decent at it was enough.
Sasuke himself seemed to realize by now that he wasn't a "jack of all trades." He didn't possess the terrifying, all‑round talent that Itachi had.
If he kept splitting his focus and energy across every single skill, he would end up being mediocre at everything.
He quickly forced himself to calm down, took several deep breaths, and then drew the Kusanagi Sword.
He didn't draw it to prove how skilled he was with a blade, but simply to unleash the sword's true power — and its ability to amplify Lightning‑Release techniques!
"Lightning Edge!"
Sasuke channeled lightning‑natured chakra directly into the blade. Instantly, the entire length of the sword blazed with crackling lightning.
This electrical energy enhanced the weapon's cutting power drastically. Anyone struck or pierced by it would be instantly paralyzed and unable to move.
And on top of that, the Kusanagi Sword itself doubled the power of any Lightning technique channeled through it!
If Deidara had been there to see it, he would surely have called it "art" and praised it endlessly.
But… there was still that same old problem. You could wield a lightsaber all you wanted, but it meant nothing if you couldn't actually hit your opponent.
Even without activating Crimson Scale Surge or its enhanced form, Shinji's speed completely outclassed Sasuke's.
"That all you've got?"
Shinji dodged every strike with effortless ease.
"Not yet!"
Sasuke swung the blade horizontally — and suddenly, the lightning‑wreathed blade extended outward for several meters in an instant!
Until now, Shinji had been moving with perfect timing, dodging every attack just inches away.
But with the blade suddenly lengthening, Shinji was pulled right back within striking range.
However, Shinji was the one who had modified the Kusanagi Sword into a Cursed Tool and given it to Sasuke in the first place. How could he possibly be unprepared for this trick?
He simply tapped his toes lightly against the ground and leaped gracefully high into the air.
Sasuke missed again, but at least he had successfully lured Shinji into the sky.
"Lightning Needles!"
Sasuke had already gathered a mass of crackling lightning in his free hand. It wasn't the original Chidori, but a new, evolved form of the technique he had developed based on it.
In the next moment, countless sharp needles of lightning shot out, covering every possible space around Shinji, leaving him nowhere to escape.
Just earlier, Shinji had scolded Sasuke for "not using his brain" — yet now, drawing upon all his recent training, Sasuke was showing exactly what he was capable of in actual combat.
Taijutsu really wasn't his strong suit, so instead, he had used it as a mere distraction and lure to set up his true attack.
Shinji truly hadn't expected Sasuke to improve this fast. Not only had he mastered channeling lightning chakra into his sword, but he had also created his own unique ninjutsu.
But because he was improving so well… Shinji decided he needed to teach the kid a lesson.
Hanging suspended in mid‑air, Shinji suddenly grinned mischievously and started clapping slowly.
Clap.
In the blink of an eye, Shinji — who had been floating high above — eerily reappeared standing calmly on the ground.
Meanwhile, Sasuke appeared high in the sky, looking utterly confused and bewildered.
And waiting for him… was the dense, deadly rain of his own Lightning Needles!
"AHHH!"
Sasuke screamed as dozens of slender, electrified needles pierced his back and rear end completely.
First came the pain… then came the numb paralysis spreading through his whole body.
He fell heavily to the ground.
"Keep it up! At this pace, give it another hundred years and you might actually stand a chance against me!"
Shinji laughed heartily as he "comforted" the groaning Sasuke.
Sasuke gritted his teeth in pure rage, his face flushed red. But his entire back was paralyzed; he couldn't even push himself up.
It took him a very long time to recover — long enough for Shinji to finish eating one and a half whole watermelons while waiting.
"What kind of jutsu was that just now?! How did you make it so I ended up getting hit by my own attack?!"
Shinji handed him the remaining half‑melon, chewing loudly and speaking with his mouth full.
"Oh… that move? It's called Unjust Game. Its effect is swapping the positions of two things in space. Like this…"
Still talking indistinctly, Shinji high‑fived Sasuke — and instantly, the two of them swapped places.
Sasuke's eyes widened in shock. His whole face screamed: Sensei! I want to learn that one!
Shinji laughed aloud, about to say: Kid, there's no way you could ever learn this!
But then he froze.
Because he suddenly remembered… later on in the original story, this very same brat did end up developing a technique almost exactly like it — Amenotejikara.
As long as his target was within his line of sight, he could instantly swap places with them — or with any object — whether it was an enemy, a rock, or a sword.
There were differences of course. Unjust Game only allowed swapping with people or objects that contained chakra or cursed energy.
But Unjust Game had its own advantages too: it could swap multiple targets at once, and the user didn't have to switch places themselves.
For example, Shinji could just as easily swap Sasuke's position with Tamamo Hotaru's.
That kind of flexibility made it far more versatile.
"What's wrong, Shinji‑san?"
Sasuke was confused seeing Shinji suddenly staring into space, his expression shifting rapidly between thoughts.
"Nothing… just… I received some… enlightenment from the Lord of Evil a moment ago."
Shinji was now perfectly capable of telling lies like this without hesitation.
"Enlightenment?"
Shinji smiled mysteriously.
"No need to be jealous. One day, you will also be able to wield a similar kind of power. But only if you keep evolving those eyes of yours to their absolute limit."
"Really?"
Sasuke grew visibly excited.
After all… who wouldn't want a technique that powerful?
"Alright then. Next… show me how well you have mastered your Mangekyō Sharingan."
Shinji casually threw away the watermelon rind in his hand, then promptly took the half‑melon Sasuke was holding for himself.
Hey! I hadn't even taken a single bite of that yet!
Sasuke looked torn and distressed, but under Shinji's insistent urging, he activated his Mangekyō Sharingan.
He focused his gaze upon a large boulder in the courtyard, over two meters tall, and unleashed the Dōjutsu contained within his left eye!
Whoosh!
Instantly, pitch‑black flames that seemed capable of burning everything to ash erupted and completely engulfed the stone.
Through his training over these past months, he had successfully mastered the technique of his left eye: Amaterasu.
His right eye's power was still waiting to be developed.
But there was no rush. With Shinji's help, Sasuke had awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan two or three years earlier than he was supposed to.
As long as he didn't go blind from overuse, growing stronger was only a matter of time.
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