Chapter 38: First Meeting with the Nine-Tails, Mocking the Nine-Tails  

Afterward, all the ninjas were seated in shuffled order, preparing for the exam. The invigilators sat at the front, closely monitoring each candidate. Morino Ibiki stood in front of the blackboard, his expression serious.

"For the first exam, there are a few particularly important rules. Pay attention. Once the exam begins, I will not answer any of your questions, so listen carefully..."

After thoroughly explaining the rules, the exam officially began. Sasuke glanced at the nine questions on his test paper and couldn't help but feel a little speechless. These questions were tough—likely only someone with extensive knowledge like Sakura could answer them with ease.

Fortunately, with Sasuke's abilities, answering them was no problem. He picked up his pen and began answering the questions calmly and effortlessly. After completing a few questions, Sasuke looked up at his teammates. Sakura was fully focused on her paper, answering at a steady pace. Clearly, these questions were within her grasp. However, Naruto looked as if he were sitting on a hot stove—anxious and panicked. He was holding his head with both hands, seemingly debating whether to cheat off the person next to him.

Seeing this, Sasuke sighed inwardly. *Naruto's mental fortitude really needs work. Didn't we all tell him he'd pass?*

Deciding to help Naruto, Sasuke activated his Sharingan and cast an illusion. He reached into Naruto's mind.

"Naruto," Sasuke's voice echoed, calm but firm, "Didn't I tell you that you'd pass the exam? Forget it. I'll take control of your body from here. Don't resist."

Naruto was initially surprised. He had thought Sasuke was merely trying to comfort him, but now it seemed that Sasuke truly had a way to help him.

"Sasuke!" Naruto exclaimed, feeling touched and relieved. Despite their constant rivalry, Sasuke's words warmed his heart. "Wow, Sasuke, I'll never call you arrogant again! You're my savior!"

But Sasuke didn't have time for Naruto's excitement.

"Shut up and stop talking!" Sasuke scolded in a low voice. *Did I owe him something in my past life? Why does it feel like I'm babysitting a child?* he grumbled inwardly as he concentrated on controlling Naruto's body.

Under Sasuke's control, Naruto's body moved smoothly, answering the exam questions quickly. But just as Sasuke was about to leave Naruto's mind, the scene around him suddenly changed.

In an instant, Sasuke found himself in a dark, foul-smelling sewer. Ahead of him stood a massive, ominous cage. Through the bars, Sasuke could see a huge, fiery-red beast—a creature of legend.

It was the Nine-Tails, the strongest of the tailed beasts.

Sasuke's eyes widened as he gazed upon the enormous creature. Even sealed, he could feel the immense chakra radiating from the Nine-Tails, like an unending ocean of energy. The dark red chakra leaking from the cage hung like a thick fog, swirling around Sasuke. Just the amount of chakra escaping the seal surpassed Kakashi's total reserves!

*The Nine-Tails truly is the strongest tailed beast,* Sasuke thought, awe-struck. *In a world without Uchiha Madara or Senju Hashirama, its destructive power is unrivaled. Unfortunately, it lacks intelligence and is easily manipulated, never able to fully unleash its power.*

The Nine-Tails let out a deafening roar that echoed through the sewer, shaking Sasuke to his core.

"Little brat," the Nine-Tails growled, its voice dripping with malice, "Break the seal! I can sense the hatred in your heart. Release me, and I'll help you destroy all your enemies!"

The Nine-Tails' voice was seductive, filled with a dark temptation.

But Sasuke remained unfazed. In fact, he found the situation amusing.

"Nine-Tails," Sasuke said with a smirk, "are you really that stupid?"

The Nine-Tails snarled, enraged by Sasuke's words. "What did you say, brat?!"

Sasuke's expression remained calm as he continued. "If you were so powerful, how did you end up sealed by the Fourth Hokage? And do you really think you can break this seal that was left by him so easily? Stop wasting your energy."

The Nine-Tails was momentarily stunned by Sasuke's words, as if struck by the harsh reality of the situation. It began to rethink its position.

*Indeed... how could I break a seal created by the Fourth Hokage so easily?*

Sasuke chuckled lightly. "You know, I used to think only humans in the ninja world had low intelligence, but it seems the tailed beasts are no different. You've existed for hundreds—thousands—of years, yet you still lack common sense. Try using your brain for once. What's the point of having such a big head if you never use it? Is it just for decoration?"

Standing safely outside the cage, Sasuke felt bold enough to mock the Nine-Tails without fear of retaliation. He ridiculed the great beast relentlessly, knowing it couldn't hurt him.

Enraged, the Nine-Tails roared again. "You insolent brat! Do you want to die?!"

Despite its anger, the Nine-Tails remained bound by the seal. It couldn't touch Sasuke, and this helplessness only fueled its fury.

Trapped within its prison, the Nine-Tails could do nothing but rage in frustration as Sasuke continued to taunt it.

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