ch4

Sasuke looked at Nanaya coldly, exuding a domineering aura.

"Nanaya, where were you last night, and how did you escape that man's killing?"

Sasuke's tone was sharp, carrying the arrogance of a noble identity.

Who was he? The son of the head of the Uchiha clan, a genius of the Uchiha family.

And Nanaya? Merely an ordinary member of the clan.

Although these distinctions were now relics of the past, Sasuke's innate sense of superiority was not so easily erased.

"Are you talking about what happened last night? Oh, that. I just happened to be outside the clan," Nanaya replied flatly.

If he had been in the compound last night, he would have become a victim of Itachi or Obito, just like the rest. Their ruthlessness spared no one, regardless of rank or possession of the Sharingan.

Iruka whistled loudly from the sidelines.

"Alright, that's enough chit-chat. Let's begin the match."

Sakura clasped her hands nervously. "Hey, do we really have an uncle in our class? Sasuke-kun, defeat him quickly!"

Ino looked over at the match data, her eyes sparkling. "Nanaya is from the Uchiha clan too, and wow, he's nearly ten years older than us! My goodness, he's so handsome. The Uchiha really do produce good-looking men, huh?"

Most of the younger spectators were rooting for Sasuke.

Sasuke was not only charismatic but also came from a famous clan. He was the epitome of everything the girls adored—handsome, mysterious, and poised to inherit the legacy of the Uchiha.

Nanaya, while undeniably handsome, was branded as an oddity—a 17-year-old repeating student.

However, not everyone sided with Sasuke.

Naruto pumped his fist. "Big brother Nanaya, you've got to teach that jerk Sasuke a lesson for me! Why does that guy get all the attention from the girls?"

Blushing, Hinata murmured softly, "Nanaya-kun… Sasuke-kun… um, good luck to both of you."

Iruka stepped forward. "The match will last five minutes. Victory is determined by one side either yielding or being unable to continue. Don't forget, you must form the reconciliation seal after the fight ends."

Stepping aside, Iruka gave the signal.

"One minute is all I need," Sasuke declared confidently, his voice cutting through the tense silence.

Nanaya raised an eyebrow, amused. "Does this kid always talk big like this?"

Sasuke dashed forward, his fist aimed directly at Nanaya's face.

The swish of his punch cut through the air, but before Sasuke could connect, Nanaya's larger fist had already landed squarely on Sasuke's forehead.

A collective gasp spread across the training ground. Sasuke crumpled to the ground.

From the Hokage's office, the group observing through the crystal ball was equally stunned.

"Impressive," Asuma muttered. "Even at this age, Sasuke shows remarkable talent for combat."

But Kakashi only chuckled, "This match isn't over yet."

Sure enough, Sasuke's fallen form dispersed in a puff of smoke.

"A Clone Technique," Iruka said, startled. "Has Sasuke already mastered that? He really is a genius."

Suddenly, Nanaya felt the chill of wind above him. Sasuke descended from the air, a kunai gripped tightly in his hand.

Nanaya, however, remained unfazed. With precise timing, he flicked two shuriken upward.

A cry echoed as the kunai fell from Sasuke's hands. Yet, as he hit the ground, his body transformed into a wooden log with a bang.

"A Body Replacement Technique," Kakashi noted.

The observers murmured in approval. Sasuke had already mastered the Three Basic Techniques taught at the academy.

But Sasuke's persistence began to wear thin. His next charge was fueled by sheer pride, the memory of last night burning in his mind.

As Nanaya waved dismissively, Sasuke's eyes shifted.

From black to scarlet.

"This is…" Iruka whispered.

"Sharingan," Asuma confirmed. "He's awakened it."

Despite the pressure mounting in the Hokage's office, Nanaya's expression remained calm.

Sasuke smirked. "This time, I'll see through all your moves. The gap between us is the difference between possessing the Sharingan and not."

Nanaya sighed. "Little brother, are you done showing off? Because I'm about to finish this."

Sasuke lunged, Sharingan blazing. But before he could strike, Nanaya's hand moved in a blur, striking the back of Sasuke's neck.

The younger Uchiha collapsed, unconscious.

The training ground fell silent.

The entire match had taken less than a minute.

In the Hokage's office, Kakashi smirked. "Well, that's that."