The Uchiha clan training ground was silent, save for the faint rustle of wind.
Yamato stood across from Sasuke, her massive kanabo resting casually against her shoulder. Her relaxed stance contrasted sharply with Sasuke's tense posture, his crimson Sharingan spinning restlessly.
"I'm coming," Sasuke growled, bloodshot eyes glaring.
Yamato smiled faintly, lowering her club. "Come on then."
The instant the words left her lips, Sasuke blurred forward with the Body Flicker Technique. But speed alone meant little against someone like Yamato. Before Sasuke could even strike, her hand swung out.
Slap!
The sound cracked like thunder.
Sasuke's body was swatted through the air like an insect, smashing into the stone wall of the training ground. Dust rained down, and fragments of rock scattered across the ground.
And that was with Yamato holding back. If she had used her full strength, Sasuke might have ended up as nothing more than a crimson smear.
Groaning, Sasuke clawed his way free of the crater, his body trembling from the impact. His breath was ragged, his pride bruised even more than his flesh.
Just then, Naruto and Black Zetsu rushed into the training grounds.
"Sasuke!" Naruto shouted, panic flashing across his face as he ran forward.
Sasuke ignored him, his mind still reeling. Yamato's speed and strength were absurd, far beyond anything he had prepared for. For a moment, he even wondered if she had learned Tsunade's monstrous strength. But even Tsunade wouldn't have been able to slap him aside so effortlessly.
He clenched his teeth. Taijutsu wasn't going to work. Forming hand seals, Sasuke inhaled deeply, his chest swelling.
"Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!"
A massive sphere of flame roared forward, the heat distorting the air.
Yamato tilted her head curiously, then took a light breath and blew.
The fireball guttered out like a candle flame, vanishing into wisps of smoke.
Sasuke froze, staring in disbelief. "You… you monster."
Yamato's brows furrowed, her voice sharp. "Hey! That's rude. How can you say that to someone?"
Both Sasuke and Naruto swallowed hard. The gap between Yamato and them was terrifying. Naruto whispered, half to himself, "She's too strong… If she's this powerful with just Taijutsu, what would her Ninjutsu even look like?"
On the sidelines, Black Zetsu smirked with smug pride. "Of course she's strong. Did I not tell you? She's Uchiha Chiga's disciple. If you don't watch carefully, Sasuke might end up dead before the fight's over."
Naruto stiffened. He had no doubt in his mind—Yamato could crush even him in Tailed Beast Mode.
On the field, Sasuke's eyes narrowed. He activated a Genjutsu, the crimson glow of his Sharingan intensifying.
For a brief moment, Yamato faltered, her gaze unfocused. But almost instantly, she shrugged it off, unaffected.
Sasuke blinked in confusion. Why wasn't his Genjutsu working?
The answer was simple—Yamato had no chakra system in her body. Even Uchiha Itachi himself would find his illusions useless against her.
Frustration twisted Sasuke's features. Desperate, he tore open the front of his shirt, revealing the mark etched into his skin. Black patterns spread like wildfire as the Curse Mark activated.
With a sickening sound, gray wings sprouted from his back, his skin turning darker as power surged through him.
Yamato raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Eh? What's this? A Devil Fruit power? Looks like some kind of strange Zoan."
With his newfound strength, Sasuke's confidence surged. He flapped his wings and darted forward, Chidori crackling in his hand. The shrill cry of lightning echoed through the training grounds.
"Chidori!"
Yamato wrinkled her nose. "That sound is really annoying."
Sasuke thrust the Chidori straight at her abdomen, sparks flying wildly. But Yamato simply reached out and caught his wrist mid-strike.
His eyes widened in shock. "What—!?"
The Chidori screeched uselessly in her grasp. With a flick of her wrist, Yamato hurled Sasuke away like a ragdoll.
Naruto darted forward, catching his teammate. The impact drove him back several meters, his heels digging trenches into the dirt. Even with Naruto cushioning the blow, Sasuke's body ached from the force.
Panting, Sasuke pulled himself free from Naruto's arms, glaring stubbornly. With a defiant flap of his wings, he returned to the battlefield.
Naruto muttered in irritation. "Tch… what was that look? I just saved you."
Yamato yawned, her expression bored. She hefted her club onto her shoulder and turned away. "Our fight ends here. I'm tired. Zetsu, let's go."
Her words stabbed deeper than any wound. To Sasuke, it wasn't just dismissal—it was humiliation. He had been the one to demand this fight, and yet he hadn't even managed to scratch her.
Rage boiled inside him. "Don't you dare walk away! This fight isn't over!"
Yamato paused, looking back at him with genuine confusion. "Huh? Do you really think there's any point in continuing?"
Her voice wasn't mocking. It was plain truth. Yamato was honest to a fault, speaking her mind without sugarcoating. Against Sasuke, her strength was simply overwhelming.
To her, continuing this battle was nothing but a waste of time. One wrong move, and Sasuke's small frame could be reduced to dust beneath her fist.
From the very first exchange, Yamato hadn't even considered using her weapon. A single punch was all it would take.
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