Chapter 129

After Sasuke left the venue, he made his way to the Uchiha training grounds.

When he arrived, he didn't start training or do anything else—he simply stood there, as if waiting for something.

After a short while, Kazuki emerged from the shadows behind him.

"Waiting for me?" Kazuki asked.

"Yeah."

Kazuki smiled faintly, found an intact wooden stake, and casually sat down on it. He pulled out a small pack of melon seeds from his pocket, opened it, and began snacking.

"Are you wondering why I hide my strength?" Kazuki asked, cracking a melon seed between his teeth.

"Yeah."

Sasuke had grown accustomed to Kazuki's nonchalant demeanor. No matter the situation, Kazuki always seemed calm and collected.

"You're the strongest in Konoha, right? Even Hokage shouldn't be able to defeat you. So why haven't you sought revenge?"

Kazuki chuckled and waved a finger, "No, no, no... Just because I have Uchiha blood doesn't mean I feel anything for the clan. I wasn't born in the Uchiha household, and I don't have any relatives or friends who died in the Uchiha massacre. Why would I want revenge?"

Sasuke's face remained emotionless.

He had always believed that Kazuki shared his thirst for vengeance, that they were comrades on the same mission. But now, it was clear he had been mistaken all along. The only avenger here was him.

Sasuke's frustration grew, and as it did, his Sharingan evolved. The once-stagnant two-tomoe Sharingan morphed into the three-tomoe version, and at that exact moment, Kazuki's Sharingan also transformed.

Ding! The person you are bound to, Uchiha Sasuke, has activated the Three Tomoe Sharingan. The host receives a hundredfold return...

The host activates the Three Tomoe Sharingan. Attack power increases by a hundredfold!

One hundred times? Kazuki felt a surge of power—he could likely defeat Uchiha Itachi with this newfound strength!

Suppressing his excitement, Kazuki quickly deactivated his Sharingan. He didn't want Sasuke to realize they had unlocked the Three Tomoe Sharingan simultaneously. That could raise suspicions about their connection.

Luckily, Sasuke's back was to Kazuki, so he didn't notice what had happened.

"You once told me you'd reveal the truth about the Uchiha massacre when I reached Hokage-level strength," Sasuke said coldly.

His tone had shifted; the respect he once held for Kazuki was now gone.

Kazuki remained calm. "Yes, that's true."

"I hope you don't go back on your word. If you lie to me, I'll kill you too."

With those chilling words, Sasuke disappeared, leaving Kazuki alone.

Kazuki continued snacking on melon seeds until the sun began to set. Once he finished, he stood up and made his way toward the Chunin Exam venue.

Things had taken a slightly different turn than Kazuki expected, but the result was favorable. This interaction seemed to have reignited Sasuke's determination to grow stronger, and for Kazuki, that was an outcome he could accept.

In a few short minutes, he reached Konoha Village.

The village was no longer bustling with life and prosperity as it had been earlier. It looked like a battlefield—a scene of devastation, with broken buildings and cries of distress echoing through the streets.

Teams of shinobi hurried past, tending to the wounded, chasing enemies, and escorting prisoners. Among the chaos, Kazuki spotted a familiar sight: a massive toad with two figures standing atop it.

Kazuki had no intention of greeting them, but they had already noticed him.

"Hey, isn't that Kazuki? What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be at the Chunin Exam venue?" Jiraiya called out.

"I passed the exam and went for a walk. Just came back to the village and saw... this. What happened?" Kazuki asked, feigning ignorance as he approached.

Jiraiya shook his head. "I'm not entirely sure. I was training Naruto when suddenly a group of Sunagakure ninjas rode into Konoha on several giant snakes, causing destruction everywhere. I suspect Orochimaru is involved."

"Oh? Training?" Kazuki asked with a raised eyebrow, noticing Naruto's peculiar bathrobe.

Naruto, feeling a bit embarrassed, quickly pointed fingers at Jiraiya. "Don't lie, Pervy Sage! You were peeping on women in the bathhouse just now!"

Jiraiya smacked Naruto on the head, fuming. "What did I tell you? It's Toad Sage, not Pervy Sage! Learn the difference!"

Naruto rubbed his head with a pout. "Toad Sage or not, you were still spying on women..."

Before Naruto could finish, Jiraiya booted him off the toad in frustration. Then, turning to Kazuki with a sheepish smile, he said,

"Ahaha, you know, teaching isn't easy…"

Kazuki sighed. He didn't care about their antics—he had just stopped by to check on the situation.

Glancing at Gamabunta beneath Jiraiya, Kazuki nodded politely before leaving.

After Kazuki was out of sight, Gamabunta looked at Jiraiya. "Who is that kid?"

"A genius, more talented than even the Fourth Hokage. I once thought about taking him as a disciple, but he turned me down. What a shame," Jiraiya said regretfully.

"More talented than Minato?" Gamabunta replied in surprise. The Toad Chief had known how gifted Minato was, so to hear such praise for Kazuki left him stunned.

"He's something else," Jiraiya admitted.

Gamabunta narrowed his eyes. "You said you didn't take him as a student?"

Jiraiya nodded. "Yeah, why?"

"I felt something familiar about him, like he's connected to me somehow," Gamabunta said thoughtfully.

Jiraiya burst into laughter. "A toad and a human connected? That's ridiculous!"

Irritated by Jiraiya's teasing, Gamabunta flicked him off his back, sending him flying into the distance. As Jiraiya's figure became a speck in the sky, he shouted,

"I'll be back!"

Naruto, who had just climbed back onto Gamabunta, looked around in confusion.

"Where did Kazuki and Pervy Sage go?"

Gamabunta calmly puffed on his pipe.

"Kazuki had something to do, so he left. As for Jiraiya... well, he flew away."

"Flew? Where?" Naruto asked, bewildered.

Gamabunta pointed his pipe in the direction Jiraiya had flown. "That way... beyond the mountain."

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The fanfic is finished on p@treon/tambeerg