The second round wrapped fast.
Kitazawa didn't play favorites—not even for Uchiha Sasuke or Uzumaki Naruto. He didn't need to. This wasn't a one-and-done Chūnin-style bracket; the kids with the highest scores moved on. If you were strong enough, win or lose, you were going to round three. And that's exactly how it shook out.
Round three's lineup was basically last month's midterm all over again: Uchiha Sasuke, Uzumaki Naruto, Aburame Shino, Kurama Yakumo, Hyuga Hinata, Nara Shikamaru, Yamanaka Ino, and Inuzuka Kiba.
The only new faces were Ino and Kiba. A month of special training hadn't given them new jutsu, but their overall level jumped, so their scores did too.
Only Haruno Sakura and Akimichi Choji missed the cut—Sakura because med-nin aren't built for straight-up brawling, Choji because he still hadn't gotten his clan technique down.
"Round three, step up and draw lots," Kitazawa said, bringing out the box once the break ended.
"This time there's no way I pull Sasuke," Kiba said, clenching his fists. No shot his luck was that bad twice.
"Then who do you want?" Shino asked, cool as ever.
"I want to draw…" Kiba stalled. Of the eight, he was the weakest. His best shot was Nara Shikamaru or Yamanaka Ino. Everyone else? No chance.
"You know what? Just getting here is a win," he decided. "Who I draw doesn't matter."
"It's fine. Maybe you'll get me," Shikamaru said, trying to be kind. Truth was, he also hoped to pull Kiba. Aside from Kiba and Ino, none of these people felt normal. It was like fighting modded characters.
Sasuke ignored the chatter and stepped up. He wanted Naruto. He'd lost last time and couldn't accept it. In his mind, if Naruto hadn't broken his genjutsu out of nowhere, the win was his.
"Number One?" Sasuke glanced at the slip. Promising. Naruto had been number one in rounds one and two—maybe again in round three. Perfect for a rematch. He wanted to see if Naruto could break his genjutsu twice.
"Sasuke, what'd you get?" Naruto asked as he reached into the box.
"One."
"Ah? I'm Two," Naruto said, deflated.
"…," Sasuke's interest dipped.
"I'm One," Kurama Yakumo said.
Sasuke looked up. Naruto was his main rival, but Yakumo was just as bad—maybe worse. He couldn't bully her with genjutsu.
He tightened his grip on the slip. Lose again? No. If Naruto could beat Yakumo, then so could he. She had genjutsu. He had genjutsu, taijutsu, and Fire Style.
"Hahaha! I'm Three!" Kiba whooped. In one go he'd dodged the three monsters—Sasuke, Yakumo, Naruto. Worth celebrating.
"So who's the other Three?" he asked, still buzzing.
"M-me," Hinata said softly.
"Right." Kiba's smile twitched. Guess that laugh was premature. So much for the luck swing.
"I'm fighting Naruto? For real?" Shikamaru stared at the number two on his slip.
"Then I'm up against Shino?" Ino said, decisive. "I surrender."
Even if her Mind Body Switch landed, Shino had a swarm of kikaichū. It'd be pointless.
"Drawing's over," Kitazawa said, tucking the box away. "Number One, both of you—on the field."
Sasuke and Yakumo walked out.
"A head-to-head between two genjutsu bloodlines," Shino said, eyes lighting. "Should be a show."
"A good one, sure, but genjutsu fights aren't spectator-friendly," Kiba shook his head.
"Facts," Ino nodded. Genjutsu works on your senses—your eyes. Spectators don't get pulled in, so they can't see the chaos inside.
"Will Sasuke win?" Sakura asked, worried. She believed in him, but Yakumo's last midterm fight with Naruto had been terrifying.
"He's got a shot," Shikamaru said after thinking it through. "Sasuke's the only one who can crack Yakumo's illusions like Naruto did."
"Hey, Naruto," Kiba asked, "how'd you break her genjutsu?"
"I… don't know," Naruto scratched his head. He knew a tail had smacked him awake, but what tail? No clue. He'd been waiting a month for Sarutobi Hiruzen to explain, but the Third still hadn't shown.
"Your luck's insane," Kiba sighed. Naruto didn't lie; if he said he didn't know, he didn't. So, lucky.
"Begin!" Kitazawa called, snapping everyone's focus to the arena.
"You're strong," Yakumo said seriously. "So I'm going all out."
After nearly two terms together, she knew Sasuke's toolkit: solid genjutsu, Fire Style, taijutsu—more complete than Naruto or Hinata.
Her fight with Naruto had exposed her weak spot: her body. Genjutsu: True Illusion Creation was great, but throwing the painting took time. With the Sharingan, Sasuke could read her movements. Best move: start at max power.
"As you should," Sasuke said, face calm even as his heart kicked.
His next move gave him away.
"Genjutsu: Bubble." His Sharingan spun open; his hands blurred through signs. Against Naruto or Hinata he'd wait for an opening. Against Yakumo there was no need—her taijutsu was weak and she wasn't fast. Dodging would be tough.
Yakumo froze; her vision swam. Sasuke burst into a storm of crows, then those crows rippled into a curtain of shuriken that rained down. She tried to dodge, but too late. Two blades traced lines across her legs and she toppled.
"I win! Hahaha!" Sasuke walked up, shuriken leveled, grin breaking loose.
"Sasuke, what are you laughing at?" Sakura called. From the sideline, the two had stood stock-still since stepping in—and then Sasuke just started laughing.
"Because he's the one trapped in genjutsu," Shikamaru sighed. "Yakumo's illusions are nasty."
"No way. When did he get caught? I didn't see it," Sakura said, eyes wide.
"Probably when he answered her the first time," Shino murmured.
"Looks like Naruto's method was right: pop Multi Shadow Clone the second the bell rings," Kiba said, then grimaced. "Not that we can do that." Naruto's clone output was beyond most jōnin already. No one else here could copy it.
"If we draw Yakumo, we just surrender," Shikamaru declared. "Saves time and chakra." Her genjutsu came from her bloodline—no hand signs. Impossible to guard against.
"What about Sasuke?" Sakura's breath hitched.
"If he realizes he's inside an illusion, he's still got a path to flip it," Shikamaru said.
On the field—or rather, inside the illusion—
"You win, Sasuke," Yakumo said, a hand pressed to her leg.
"Winner: Uchiha Sasuke," Kitazawa announced from nearby.
"Congrats, Sasuke!" Everyone crowded in. Sasuke soaked in the admiring looks, the corner of his mouth curling. He'd just cackled once already; doing it again would be a bad look. Besides, beating Yakumo once wasn't enough; he wanted a statement win.
"Kitazawa-sensei, I want to challenge Naruto!" he said, no hesitation.
"Naruto, do you accept?" Kitazawa asked.
"I do!" Naruto jogged out, buzzing. "Bring it, Sasuke!"
"I only lost before because I got sloppy. Not this time," Sasuke said, confidence all over his face.
"Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Naruto's answer was simple.
Poof. Poof. Poof. A small army flooded the arena. Sasuke got swarmed and forced back—but he still smiled. Same fight as last time. Naruto really was a battle idiot. No growth at all.
Then a crease formed between Sasuke's brows. Something felt off—like a loose thread he couldn't see. He slipped a whirlwind kick, slid aside, flashed hand signs mid-step, and blasted a Great Fireball. A chunk of clones vanished in the flames. He drew a sharp breath. Two long fights in a row, dragged out this far—his chakra was on fumes.
"One chance left," he told himself, locking on Naruto. Same plan: find the real one, trap him in genjutsu—
Hold up.
That was it. From start to finish, this Naruto hadn't shouted those two words—"youth." For Naruto not to yell "youth," there was only one explanation: he wasn't real. Which meant Sasuke was still stuck in Yakumo's illusion.
Heat rushed to his face. An Uchiha, tangled in genjutsu this long and only now realizing it? If his dad and brother heard, they'd be crushed.
Sasuke broke away from the melee and sprinted at Yakumo.
"Did I slip somewhere?" she asked, standing now. The cuts on her legs were gone.
"…" He opened his mouth, then shut it.
"It's fine if you don't want to say," she smiled. "You should surrender, Sasuke."
"Uchiha don't surrender," he ground out.
"How much chakra do you have left?" she asked, lifting a hand. Thunderheads gathered overhead, like a rain of lightning was a breath away.
Sasuke's face changed and he burst into a sprint.
"Leaf Great Whirlwind!"
From both sides, a green tide of Narutos crashed in.
"No—!"
The wave swallowed him. Yakumo blinked, dropping the genjutsu. Naruto and the clones vanished. Sasuke plopped down and gulped air.
"Sasuke, are you okay?" Sakura ran over.
"A-are you real or fake?" he blurted.
"Huh?" Sakura blinked.
"Our fight's over. She's real," Yakumo said gently.
"…" Sasuke stared, hollowed out. In the illusion, Naruto and his clones had pummeled him into blackout. Here and now, he didn't have a scratch. Only one explanation: he'd snapped out and returned to reality.
Right. It was over. The fight was over. Felt like his life was, too. Two losses in one midterm—how was he supposed to face his father and brother?
I don't get it. I don't understand. He pressed a hand to his forehead as emotion surged, vision edging red.
"Sasuke?" Sakura's breath snagged.
Yakumo's eyes widened. From someone who'd nearly spent all his chakra, Sasuke suddenly flared with Yin Release. Kitazawa arched a brow. Sharingan about to level up? Figures—he was one of the original protagonists.
Kitazawa waited, thoughtful, but the Yin Release spike faded fast. Sasuke stood, shut down his single-tomoe Sharingan, and walked off, face blank.
Still a step short, Kitazawa thought. Either the emotion wasn't deep enough, or Sasuke was just too young—his base wasn't there yet.
"Winner: Kurama Yakumo," he announced after a beat. "Number Two—get ready."
"I surrender," Shikamaru said, hand up, zero shame. His goal had always been to reach round three. Besides, his opponent was Naruto. What was he supposed to do? He'd lose anyway. Might as well skip the beating.
"Ah?" Naruto deflated. "I wanted to fight you, Shikamaru."
Shikamaru's mouth twitched. Fight? More like "get mobbed."
"I surrender too," Kiba said after a second. He was Three, and his opponent was Hyuga Hinata. Everyone knew Gentle Fist ate taijutsu fighters alive. Without his dog, he was just a pure taijutsu guy. Fighting Hinata would be asking for pain.
"Same here!" Ino said quickly.
"That wraps today's practical," Kitazawa said, seeing the wave of forfeits. "Take a breather. Rankings will be out soon."
"Kitazawa-senpai," Iruka said, looking conflicted, "isn't allowing direct forfeits a bit… off?"
"Not at all. Knowing your limits is a skill," Kitazawa smiled.
"How do we score the ones who surrendered?" Iruka asked.
"Use rounds one and two," Kitazawa said, casual.
"Got it." Iruka dropped it, took the roster, and started compiling the overall ranks.
"Sasuke, over here," Kitazawa called to the dazed Uchiha.
"Sasuke, Sensei's calling," Sakura said softly. She'd tried to console him, no luck. Maybe Kitazawa could get through.
Sasuke blinked back to himself, stood, and walked over.
"Congrats, Sasuke," Kitazawa said, clapping his shoulder.
"…Congrats?" Sasuke blinked. What was there to congratulate after two losses?
"You really didn't notice how much stronger you got?" Kitazawa asked.
"Me?" Sasuke clenched his fists. With the prompt, he felt it—especially in his Sharingan. It was at least twenty percent stronger than before. What…?
"Hard fights make you grow. You're not far from two tomoe," Kitazawa said with a small smile.
Two-tomoe Sharingan. Sasuke's eyes lit up. Each extra tomoe is a step change—roughly: one tomoe/genin, two/chūnin, three/jōnin. If one tomoe couldn't beat Naruto and Yakumo, would two still fall short?
"Kitazawa-sensei," Sasuke drew a deep breath, "I want to get stronger. Give me harsher special training." Up to now he'd been working on Fire Style chakra nature transformation. Judging by today, it felt too slow.
[Current Mission: Help Uchiha Sasuke awaken the two-tomoe Sharingan.]
[Reward: Two-tomoe Sharingan.]
[Accept?]
Kitazawa raised a brow. He'd expected Sasuke's quest to be "Beat Kurama Yakumo" or "Defeat Uzumaki Naruto," not "Awaken two tomoe." Still, nice reward. Naturally, he accepted.
~~~
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