The Uchiha Massacre was the single event that most weakened the Hidden Leaf Village.
It's no exaggeration to say that the Uchiha clan's destruction slashed the village's strength by a third.
Izumi Uchiha's warning to Naruto Uzumaki likely stemmed from whispers she'd heard within the clan recently.
As the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, Naruto was critical to the Hidden Leaf.
For the Uchiha, if they ever rebelled, capturing him would surely be a priority.
…
Soon, the last day of the holiday arrived.
Naruto Uzumaki was, as usual, in the library, engrossed in a biography of notable Hidden Leaf figures.
It chronicled the deeds of prominent individuals since the village's founding.
The library lacked books on ninjutsu training, offering mostly foundational knowledge and introductions to the Hidden Leaf and the ninja world.
But for Naruto, this was enough.
Tap, tap, tap.
Footsteps behind him made Naruto pause his reading and turn around.
The visitor caught him off guard—he hadn't expected to see him here.
"Sasuke?"
Naruto closed the book, a puzzled look on his face.
"Naruto, let's spar."
"This time, I won't lose."
Sasuke Uchiha's lips curved into a confident smirk. He'd heard Naruto spent every morning in the library.
His intense training over the holiday had boosted his skills significantly.
He was certain he could defeat Naruto now.
He could have waited for school to resume tomorrow, but Sasuke was impatient—and he didn't want to show off in front of everyone.
"If you lose, don't cry about it."
Naruto grinned, shutting the book without a trace of fear.
He hadn't spent the month-long holiday idle.
He'd frequently trained with Mizuki, and both were brimming with confidence.
Each trusted the mentor who'd guided their progress.
As they left the library, planning to spar in the hills, they ran into Mizuki just outside.
"What are you two up to?"
Mizuki looked surprised to see them together.
In his mind, Naruto was almost always alone.
"We're going to spar, Mizuki-sensei."
Sasuke glanced at Naruto, speaking up directly.
"Perfect, Mizuki-sensei can be our referee."
Naruto nodded, eager for the match and confident in his progress.
He wanted to show Mizuki the fruits of his training.
"Private duels are forbidden—you're not ninjas yet."
"Fine, come with me."
Mizuki's brow furrowed, but seeing their determination, he knew he couldn't dissuade them.
He wasn't worried about Naruto out of affection—he simply didn't want his "tool" damaged.
The three headed to the Ninja Academy's training field.
With school still on break, the grounds were empty, and Mizuki could intervene if needed.
"Naruto, just taijutsu is too boring."
"Let's fight like real ninjas."
Sasuke flashed a confident smile, addressing Naruto.
"Exactly what I was thinking!"
The challenge suited Naruto's personality. Beating Sasuke with only taijutsu felt incomplete.
A ninja's strength wasn't just one skill—it was everything.
Both reached for their pouches, their figures vanishing from the spot.
Clang!
The metallic clash of kunai rang out, sparks flying.
Enhanced by chakra, their speed turned them into blurs, their positions marked only by the bursts of sparks.
Whoosh!
As he retreated, Sasuke flung several shuriken.
They arced from multiple angles, targeting Naruto with precision.
"So fast…"
Naruto's pupils contracted, gripping two kunai to deflect the incoming shuriken.
Clang!
The clashing sounds echoed as Naruto struggled to keep up.
Blocking so many shuriken was taxing—his speed and reflexes were still too green.
Sasuke's shuriken techniques, taught by Itachi Uchiha, rivaled a Chunin's in speed and skill.
Against Naruto, who wasn't even a Genin, blocking them was no easy feat.
"Damn it, I can't keep blocking!"
Spotting an opening, Naruto stumbled back, escaping the shuriken barrage.
Sasuke's figure had vanished, and Naruto's heart sank with realization.
While he was focused on dodging, Sasuke had used the Body Flicker Technique to appear behind him.
Thud!
A merciless kick struck Naruto's back.
His body lurched forward, rolling across the ground several times before he scrambled to his feet.
But as he stood, he saw Sasuke rapidly forming hand signs.
The final Tiger seal was completed, and not only Naruto but even Mizuki's expression shifted.
Mizuki stepped forward to intervene, but it was too late.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
Sasuke inhaled deeply, unleashing a massive fireball from his mouth.
The fireball, the size of a small cabin, hurtled toward Naruto at blinding speed, leaving him no time to react.
Instinctively, he ran backward, hoping to evade the Fire Release attack.
But his speed wasn't enough.
Boom!
A massive explosion rocked the Ninja Academy, and the blast hurled Naruto's body through the air.
Burns of varying severity covered him—Sasuke's inexperience had weakened the technique.
Had Itachi performed it, Naruto wouldn't have escaped at all.
Even so, though Sasuke's execution was imperfect, Naruto had only dodged part of the impact.
The explosion's shockwave and flames still injured him.
Naruto lay on the ground, staring at Sasuke through the fire's glow.
His eyes held shock, frustration, and a fierce refusal to accept defeat.
But the loss was undeniable—he had been thoroughly defeated by Sasuke.
The gap in their skills was painfully clear.
(End of the Chapter)