章 73: Chapter 73
The afternoon sun was particularly dazzling, and Konoha's parks were lively as ever.
Three little Konoha animals—Konohamaru, Moegi, and Udon—were playing around. Nearby Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke were sparring.
Lying lazily on Sakura's lap and eating cherries was Kazuki from the Gekko Clan, looking utterly bored.
During the battle, Naruto glanced over at Sakura obediently feeding Kazuki cherries, and his heart burned with jealousy, fueling his attacks to become increasingly reckless.
But… his moves were full of flaws!
Naruto, lacking combat experience, fought Sasuke like a child wielding a long sword—clumsy and easy to counter. Whether Naruto used ninjutsu or swordsmanship, Sasuke dodged effortlessly, toying with him as if it were a mere game.
After a while, Sasuke kicked Naruto away and walked up to Kazuki, saying coldly, "He's too weak to train me. Come and fight me!"
Kazuki stayed silent.
Before Kazuki could respond, Naruto sprang up, launching a sneak attack at Sasuke. "Stop looking down on others! You haven't defeated me yet!"
Without even turning around, Sasuke flipped the sword in his hand and placed it against Naruto's neck. A slight exertion, and Naruto would be gravely injured.
The intense scene made both Naruto and the ANBU lurking in the shadows break into a cold sweat.
Sasuke sneered at Naruto's terrified expression, mocking him. "Coward."
Naruto hesitated, wanting to retort but knowing his words were futile without strength to back them up.
Sasuke sheathed his sword and looked back at Kazuki. "Fight me."
"Ah~" Kazuki stretched and slowly stood up. "You don't need me to fight you. There's someone else here who could give you a challenge."
After teaching Naruto a lesson, Kazuki advised Sasuke to guide Naruto further in ninjutsu.
Kazuki had always been fooling Sasuke, claiming that Naruto was a hidden genius who, with the right guidance, could become a formidable training partner. Although skeptical at first, Sasuke started to see Naruto mastering ninjutsu quickly, unburdened by the influence of the Kyuubi. Techniques that were once difficult could now be grasped in mere minutes.
This sparked hope in Sasuke, and he poured his efforts into training Naruto. However, Naruto's talent had its limits. Mastering advanced skills like swordsmanship, illusions, sealing, and barrier ninjutsu proved challenging.
After months of training with Sasuke, Naruto had only scratched the surface of these complex arts. His talent lay in swiftly learning non-attribute ninjutsu and showcasing impressive physical endurance.
Despite Naruto's progress, Sasuke's own growth stagnated. Training someone much weaker was starting to hold him back.
"Who?" Sasuke frowned, doubting the existence of anyone stronger. He thought Kazuki was just avoiding the fight.
Kazuki pointed toward the park's entrance. "Those guys over there should keep you entertained for a while."
Everyone turned to see Konohamaru and his friends being bullied by two ninjas from another village.
"Bad guy, let go of Konohamaru!" Moegi tried to pull Kankuro's hand away, desperate to help Konohamaru.
Udon wanted to step in but felt powerless against the obvious strength difference.
Kankuro sneered at the three kids. "You brats think this is some kind of ninja game?"
"Kankuro, don't overdo it. This isn't Sunagakure," Temari warned her brother, worried he might harm Konohamaru. But her teasing expression made it clear she wasn't that concerned.
"I know. At most, this kid will be down for ten days. I won't kill him," Kankuro snickered, tightening his grip.
Suddenly, a stone struck Kankuro's hand, forcing him to let go. "Who?!"
Kankuro looked around, finally spotting a black-haired boy standing on a tree branch, his cold demeanor catching Temari's eye.
"This boy is pretty handsome," Temari murmured, briefly distracted by his appearance.
"You brat! Are you a Konoha ninja? Come down and face me!" Kankuro challenged Sasuke.
Ignoring him, Sasuke glanced briefly at Kankuro and Temari before his eyes settled on a figure below—a boy with a large gourd on his back.
"Oh? You noticed me so quickly. Impressive," Gaara remarked, slightly surprised by Sasuke's perceptiveness.
Sasuke heard a hint of excitement in Gaara's cold tone, sending a chill down his spine.
"You're Gaara, right?" Before Sasuke could respond, Kazuki's voice cut through the air, startling Gaara.
In an instant, Gaara's absolute defense activated, sending sand rushing out of his gourd to engulf Kazuki.
But Kazuki didn't flinch. Flames erupted around him, repelling the incoming sand.
"Absolute defense, huh? Not bad, but a little slow," Kazuki commented casually, his eyes shifting to Kankuro. "You've got guts, kid."
Kankuro didn't fully understand, but before he could respond, Kazuki vanished without a trace. Even Gaara couldn't track his movements.
Gaara and his teammates stood silently, processing Kazuki's display of speed and power.
"Is this guy one of Konoha's Jounin?" Gaara asked, curious.
Sasuke replied calmly, "He's my teammate and my rival. Right now, he's just a genin."
"A genin?" Kankuro exclaimed in disbelief. "That guy's just a genin? The way he looked at me felt like he could kill me on a whim!"
The stark contrast in strength left Kankuro feeling vulnerable and angry.
Temari also found it hard to believe, but looking at Kazuki, she realized he was no older than them. Konoha's hidden talents were indeed impressive.
"What's his name?" Gaara asked.
"Kazuki from the Gekko Clan," Sasuke answered.
"And yours?"
"I'm Uchiha Sasuke."
Gaara nodded. "I'm Gaara."
With that, Gaara turned into sand and reappeared beside Kankuro and Temari. "Let's go. Don't cause any more trouble."
Though older, Kankuro and Temari instantly obeyed Gaara's command, like dogs submitting to a lion.
"Yes."
"Yes!"
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