This matter had become the deepest sore spot in Sasuke Uchiha's heart—he could barely tolerate being inferior to anyone else. Yet Shiki Uzumaki kept rejecting him with the words, "You're not my opponent."
Only now that his innate talent was gone and he could no longer perform ninjutsu was he finally getting a chance to fight.
Was this really it? Was Uchiha Sasuke destined only to battle a useless person like this?
At this thought, Sasuke tightened his grip even harder.
"Don't talk like I can't become a strong ninja anymore," Shiki panted before launching a reverse punch.
Like a cannonball!
Even without the Eight Gates, Shiki's taijutsu still amazed others his age!
Yet this wasn't the same Sasuke from back then either. He had spent nearly three years walking in Shiki's footsteps—if he couldn't dodge a punch like this, then he was better off dead.
After all, there was a man he absolutely had to kill.
Sasuke twisted the kunai they were struggling against and kicked the ground, sending his body flying backward to create distance, dodging Shiki's powerful strike.
"What a joke! If that's all you are now, defeating you means nothing!"
Sasuke wasn't satisfied at all with Shiki's response. The one he wanted to defeat wasn't the current Shiki, unable to perform ninjutsu, but the once supremely gifted Uzumaki Shiki!
"That child's competitiveness is truly too strong," Kurenai Yuhi murmured slightly disapprovingly. She felt that Sasuke had already gone too far—his words seemed like a personal attack against Shiki.
It almost felt like he was denying Shiki's current abilities, and even his future.
Asuma Sarutobi flicked open his lighter again and lit another cigarette. As smoke curled from the tip of his cigarette, his expression turned grave.
"I actually understand how Sasuke Uchiha feels. That feeling when you've poured everything into something only to find out the thing you sought no longer exists. It will forever be etched in his mind—that Shiki has become an irreplaceable prodigy he can never surpass."
Kurenai seemed to grasp something then. No matter how hard Sasuke tried, he could only defeat this weakened version of Shiki now. It couldn't prove that the once peerless genius who outran him so badly would ultimately be inferior.
People always end up with lasting regrets they never intended to leave behind.
As Kurenai pondered this, she unconsciously edged closer to Asuma Sarutobi.
However, the children surrounding them still hadn't stopped gasping in awe, and the battle on the field continued without pause.
[Leaf Whirlwind]!
Some kids already recognized the move, having seen Shiki use [Leaf Whirlwind] often. Gradually, they'd memorized this spectacular technique.
But—
this isn't even Shiki using it right now!
The children stared in shock at the whirlwind erupting across the battlefield. The same [Leaf Whirlwind] surged toward the red-haired kid.
How was this possible?
A jonin clad in a white kimono watched in disbelief and shouted out, "Could he have copied it with the Sharingan?"
He had only seen it once before, when Shiki Uzumaki used the [Leaf Whirlwind] yesterday.
Without the Sharingan, techniques like this could generally not be learned at all without direct instruction.
After all, using the Leaf Whirlwind required special chakra control methods to channel chakra into the legs, along with precise technical execution.
Hayate Gekko weakly glanced at the battlefield.
"No! That kid didn't use the Sharingan."
In truth, Sasuke hadn't fully awakened his eyes yet.
"Not the Sharingan?" The Jonin who made the earlier judgment looked puzzled.
Hayate explained, "That kid must have learned this technique through sheer hard work and determination alone."
As he spoke, Hayate could almost visualize Sasuke endlessly imitating Shiki's movements and training relentlessly on his own,
Learning the technique completely on his own, without any guidance whatsoever!
Shiki stared at the whirlwind attack rushing toward him, a strange expression flickering across his face.
Now this was what people called getting exactly what you deserved. Right now, Sasuke's strength had far surpassed the version from the original story.
"It seems during these past few years, he's constantly been chasing after my footsteps,"
Shiki said, his voice tinged with emotion.
But then,
Shiki smiled and began channeling the same chakra into his right leg.
After all, I mastered this move four whole years before you!
Another whirlwind roared toward him. This time, Shiki chose not to dodge.
Instead, he met the attack head-on with equal force, showing no hesitation!
Chapter 73: The Lost Thing
Bang!!
Their legs crashed violently into each other, halting both fighters instantly.
The sudden collision also allowed the watching children, who couldn't follow the high-speed battle before, to finally see the fight clearly.
The ground beneath them seemed unable to withstand their power struggle, cracking apart.
But this wasn't over!
Sasuke's face already showed indescribable anger.
"You're no longer the person I needed to defeat!"
The one he wanted to beat was still that incredibly talented Shiki from back then.
Shiki felt surprised. Even in this contest of strength, he was actually gaining the upper hand. His physical abilities were still superior to Sasuke Uchiha's.
Yet why did he feel something extremely unsettling when Sasuke spoke those words?
But in the next moment, Shiki understood.
Sasuke suddenly leapt upward, then forcefully slammed his right leg down, pinning Shiki's leg beneath it.
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