Shock…
That was the reaction of the class when Sukuna won. Most expected Sasuke to win, especially after his amazing showing in the shuriken test. But it turns out that Sukuna defeated him rather easily.
However, this Sasuke didn't have a reputation for being a genius. He had long been second in the academic tests, once again behind Sukuna, and only had his clan na and good looks to stand out.
So, while the shock was there, it wasn't much. It was just unexpected seeing how a civilian kid won against a clan kid, especially against a clan like the Uchiha.
Even both Choji and Shikamaru were not expecting this result. They knew Sukuna was strong, but to beat Sasuke this easily?
"Ah, now I have to buy him ran. Well, at least I got to see that bastard Sasuke getting punched," Naruto grinned. He didn't know how strong Sasuke was, but he believed in Sukuna. He had firsthand experience getting his ass kicked by the pink-haired boy.
As Sukuna leisurely ca back to his place and sat beside Shikamaru, Choji, and Naruto, the three boys were looking at him like they had seen a new side of him.
"Don't et my mom. I won't hear the end of her complaining, comparing both of us," Shikamaru grunted, already planning to avoid any accidental or intentional eting between his old woman and his boy.
As the spars kept on moving, Sukuna saw where everyone in the Konoha 9 was.
However, if there were two fights he was more looking forward to than anyone else, it was Naruto and Sakura.
Naruto for obvious reasons, since in a way he was training Naruto—though calling it training wasn't exactly right. Still, he wished to see how much Naruto had improved while training with him.
And he wasn't disappointed. Soon Naruto was called and fought against Kiba. This match reminded him of the Chunin Exams.
The fight itself was boring, but the result was just as he expected. Naruto won. And he won quite well.
His fighting form was better. Due to the right diet, his physical condition was on par with other kids, and when on top of that his ridiculous stamina was stacked, Sukuna doubted anyone besides himself and Sasuke could beat Naruto.
Did he ntion that they had another very youthful sparring partner who also happened to like Taijutsu very much?
Like he single-handedly ended the Warring States Period, Naruto ca from his victorious match with pride, his chest almost popping into a third dinsion.
"That grin though." Sukuna couldn't help but look away. He felt like beating the shit out of that boy when he saw Naruto's Ultra Pro Max smile.
He blad the exposure he had to Sukuna's life and mind, but seeing the boy this happy, he had a hard ti resisting making so trouble. Anything.
The next match was Sakura's—and arguably the most anticipated match he was waiting for.
Paired up against a civilian girl, the match started and…
Thud…
The civilian girl was already on the floor. Sakura tossed her like it was nothing. There wasn't even much technique behind it. The girl was just that weak.
Sukuna already seed to know the result, if his expressionless face was any indication. Sakura, for so reason, was strong.
How? Was the biggest question. Because he sure didn't see her training. Yeah, in the ani she'd beco one of the strongest kunoichi. However, that wasn't now.
"This version of Sakura should be only book smart… and yet she only performs just decently in academics while being this strong. How?"
Sukuna found himself asking this ever since the day he noticed her unusual strength.
Chakra control was an option. Even in the canon, Sakura showed so degree of enhanced strength—especially her punch, if Naruto getting punched was any indication.
However, this Sakura, while being significantly younger, being this strong didn't make sense.
Unlike most siblings, they never fought. Sukuna hardly wanted a quarrel with a little girl less than one-third of his ntal age. However, ever since he had seen her strength, he had been getting into petty quarrels with her to gauge her power.
And after this long, he had started to form ideas.
Sakura, once she defeated her opponent, looked back—right at Sukuna—with a mock glare and smile on her face.
Like saying… "I can do it too."
It's cute the little girl was slowly developing a competitive side. Sukuna had no idea why just having a sibling could bring this much change in her, but if she stopped her fangirling, then he couldn't be happier.
And while this all took place, Sasuke was taken to the infirmary since he had passed out. Only later would the boy learn that he lost the fight.
Later that day, Sukuna once again t up with Naruto in their usual training area. Another familiar face was beside them.
"Gosh, Sukuna-san. I heard all about your excellent performance in the academy from Naruto here," a boy with big round eyes and big eyebrows called out.
"I'm sure he was exaggerating. It wasn't anything close to the spars we do," Sukuna chuckled as he started stretching, ready to get their daily spars going.
This was none other than Rock Lee—one year senior to Naruto and him.
Lee was a special case just like Sukuna himself. While no transfiguration—at least he didn't have any reason to believe so—Lee too, couldn't use normal Ninjutsu.
Sukuna hadn't faced the trouble of not being capable of using Ninjutsu until now, partly because the first year of the academy completely focused on academic studies, especially when it was peace ti in the shinobi world.
However, he would soon have to go through the problem that Lee was facing right now.
While Lee possessed chakra, his dical condition didn't allow him to use chakra outside his body—aning no Ninjutsu.
This practically broke the poor Lee until he beca determined to be a ninja using nothing but Taijutsu alone.
Sukuna t Lee last year…
Lost and unsure what to do, Lee stumbled upon Sukuna in his training area. Sukuna did the sa as he did for Naruto: made friends with the boy and showed him the path of the grind.
"Set Your Heart Ablaze," he said—and Lee did.
"Go Beyond, Plus Ultra," he said—and Lee did that too.
Any motivational quote he rembered, he used on Lee, making him fired up. And since then, he, Naruto, and Lee had been good friends, training every day.
"Alright, who's coming first?" Sukuna smirked as he finished his stretching, ready to spar now.
Both Lee and Naruto looked at each other. Both knew what lay ahead was pain for them, but neither gave up.
"This ti I'll win."
"Gosh, I'm fired up."
Elsewhere, a dejected Sasuke was finally back in the Uchiha territory, making his way ho.
He didn't want to, sowhat. He had failed to get the first position. And he lost to a civilian of all people. Saying this to his father felt more painful than his hands getting crushed.
His hand was lightly bandaged. Sukuna only later realized that he hadn't held back enough and visited Sasuke, only to see the Uchiha sulking.
Sukuna's apology felt like mocking to Sasuke. He ran out of there—but not before ensuring the pink-haired bastard that he'd win next ti.
"Sasuke dear, you're back," ca a loving voice from inside. Mikoto Uchiha ca out with a gentle smile.
Though that smile stiffened slightly seeing her youngest son's hand bandaged.
"Sasuke, what happened?" she asked with concern in her tone.
"Nothing… I… I lost in a spar," he said with a dejected tone. He didn't feel much problem saying it to his mother.
"Oh, well you've got to be careful, Sasuke. Especially when sparring."
"Is Father ho?" Sasuke asked.
"No, your father's still at the police office."
Sasuke visibly let out a sigh at that. For now, he didn't have to face his father at least.
"What about Brother?" Sasuke eagerly asked.
He had to get stronger to beat that pink-haired bastard. Only his brother could teach him.
"Sorry, Sasuke. But your brother is in Anbu now. He's busy," Mikoto slightly frowned, rembering her eldest.
While she didn't concern herself with the political matters of the village and the clan, she was still the wife of the clan leader.
Not to ntion, she had seen how both her husband and son were getting sandwiched between the higher-ups and clan mbers.
Sasuke, dejected, just nodded his head and went inside.
Mikoto frowned. Neither Itachi nor Fugaku had been giving much ti to Sasuke lately due to the increasing tensions between the clan and the village.
She too couldn't do anything about it. Only sigh and go back to her duties.
xxx
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