But due to the ongoing battle, no one had the time or mind to deal with these things anymore.
"So, you also show a frightened look like this?" Sasuke said, looking at Shiki Uzumaki. Seeing Shiki's serious expression somehow made him feel greatly pleased.
As for himself, he didn't need to be as cautious as Shiki—he had already felt the immense power just now.
It was undeniable—he'd sell his soul to the devil if he had to. That's what vengeance demanded.
In the past, he had been too weak. With such weakness, how could he possibly defeat *the* man?
Yet Shiki didn't change his expression at all in response to Sasuke's words, maintaining his serious and defensive stance.
Sasuke stood still without making any move—it seemed the enemy before him no longer deserved his attention.
"This time, Shiki probably won't be able to create another miracle," Shikamaru muttered, his eyes fixed on Shiki. In his mind, he knew Shiki was strong, though he couldn't fully grasp what that meant.
But now, Sasuke was different—he radiated a kind of strength close to terrifying.
"For some reason… I really hope Shiki wins this time," Ino said quietly. Once an ardent fan of Sasuke, she now stood on Shiki's side.
It was just that the current Sasuke gave her an uncomfortable feeling. It was like a venomous snake mistaking itself for an earthworm finally waking up to its true nature—revealing its fangs.
Yet snakes are cold-blooded creatures—creatures that give people discomfort.
"Whoa, Ino?! You're actually rooting for Shiki now? I can't believe this!" Choji exaggeratedly exclaimed.
He'd never imagined Ino taking sides against Sasuke like this. Back in the day, even bringing up the smallest flaw of his would send her into a furious rant.
Perhaps it wasn't entirely because the current Sasuke was no longer the old Sasuke—but also because Shiki Uzumaki had gained recognition from everyone.
Then furrowing his brows, Choji added, "Sasuke has never treated me to food, but Shiki often does. So I'm choosing to support Shiki."
Shouting loudly, Choji continued, "Shiki! If you take down Sasuke, I'll give you a third of my precious potato chips!"
"Choji, you really are stingy," Shikamaru said helplessly, yet a smile still emerged. When had Shiki Uzumaki become someone capable of earning others' approval like this?
Even Choji was willing to share his snacks—a big deal, considering how hard he'd have to fight just to get a bite from his best friend Shikamaru himself.
"This is ridiculous. All of a sudden, I'm thinking about helping him become Hokage. This is getting complicated."
Shikamaru threw his hands up, doing his best impression of someone utterly helpless.
Ino whispered into Shikamaru's ear, "I think if you don't drop that smug look right now, I might actually punch you."
Under normal circumstances, hearing something like this would surely provoke Shiki into making a few sarcastic remarks. But now, he simply lacked the mood.
"Don't worry. He won't lose."
Ito Seiji approached Yuuma.
His tone was light, yet it carried the chill of a cold breeze—devoid of warmth, yet sounding trustworthy.
Yet no one would believe what he was saying at this moment—not even himself.
Coincidentally, a single leaf drifted slowly down from the sky. But in that moment, it became the unspoken signal for battle to begin.
The leaf landed on the ground without a sound.
But a shockwave erupted like a violent storm at the same moment. Sasuke barely moved, then in a flash, he shot forward—too fast for the human eye to follow.
Shiki was somewhat surprised. Now, Sasuke's speed had become significantly faster than before.
"It must be because his opponent is me," Shiki judged. "His desire for victory has intensified, granting him additional power from the cursed seal."
As he reached this conclusion, Shiki swung the sword in his hand. This time, his sword techniques were no longer chaotic—they flowed with precision, as if he had trained in swordsmanship since childhood.
Sasuke Uchiha, however, seemed to anticipate his moves, adjusting preemptively.
Suddenly, the earth in front of Shiki erupted. Propelled by the recoil, Sasuke launched forward again, seizing the gap exposed by the Sharingan.
"Byakugan!" Neji barely managed to keep up with the trajectory of the battle. He quickly activated his Byakugan, sharpening his vision until the blurred silhouettes came back into clear focus.
"This is the first time I've ever felt such irritation toward the Sharingan," Shiki muttered bitterly.
Propelled by the recoil, Sasuke struck again, exploiting the opening granted by the Sharingan. This blow was beyond what Shiki could dodge anymore.
He took a deep breath and adjusted his posture, deciding to absorb the impact head-on, the proper way.
The air vibrated violently, as though even the residual force from Sasuke's strike could not withstand the pressure.
[Fire Release: Great Fireball Jutsu!]
In truth, the moment Shiki got sent flying, if this were just a sparring match, it should have ended here. As friends, even if they continued fighting afterward, one would first check whether Shiki was still capable of continuing.
But Sasuke gave no room for pause, treating this like a fight against an enemy.
The roaring flames distorted the air itself, making it hard to imagine how such an attack could still be called merely the Great Fireball Technique.
"No!"
Sakura unconsciously shouted, unaware that her clenched fists had driven her fingernails deeply into her flesh. Blood began flowing down her hands.
She thought she had grown stronger, that sometimes, she could protect both Sasuke and Naruto.
Yet now, she remained as helpless as ever, watching helplessly as Sasuke's Great Fireball surged forward like a devouring flame, consuming Shiki Uzumaki just as it would swallow fallen leaves.
However, the fire didn't last long before two dark figures burst forth from within the inferno, riding powerful gusts of wind straight toward Sasuke.
Following their trail, the blazing flames of the Great Fireball spread out like fireworks—stunning yet deadly, resembling a terrifying new Fire Release technique.
"I'm not the same Sasuke I was before… So an attack like this?" Sasuke suddenly dropped his voice—then exploded in a furious roar. "I can catch it!"
As he spoke, Sasuke shot out both hands at once, and two black objects actually landed in his palms.
"No way!" Tenten gasped. She had only caught a blur of black; she thought Sasuke would dodge, never imagining he'd actually reach out and grab them.
"No, it's not that simple!" Neji shouted as if realizing something, though his warning came too late.
The two black objects sent Sasuke flying backward with bone-crushing force.
[Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!]
Trees splintered and crashed down as Sasuke smashed through them.
Finally, Sasuke's figure along with the two black objects disappeared into a cloud of dust.
What just happened?
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