Sasuke Uchiha, whose speed and strength had increased dramatically, instantly defeated the kunoichi Kin. Then he launched another attack on Sakon, embedding shuriken within [Fire Release: Great Dragon Fire Technique]. The assault came so fast that Sakon couldn't dodge in time and could only counter with Decapitating Airwaves, trying to blow away the flames. But before he could finish countering with Decapitating Airwaves, concealed shuriken struck him directly. Before a terrified Sakon could react, Sasuke was already closing in again. For Sakon, who mainly relied on air waves for attacks, engaging Sasuke in close combat was the worst nightmare imaginable. In an instant, his hands were seized and locked behind his back as he was forced to the ground.
The battle ended faster than anyone anticipated. Filled with the thrill of overwhelming power, Sasuke couldn't help but laugh out loud. His ruthless and merciless attitude was drastically different from his usual self. Meanwhile, without him even realizing it, the cursed seal was awakening the darkness buried deep within his heart.
Dosu, witnessing both teammates being taken down, chose to surrender to the overwhelming power of Sasuke. Eventually, he knelt down and begged for mercy while handing over the scroll. Carrying Sakon, whose arms were injured, and unconscious Kin, Dosu left the scene.
'Uchiha Sasuke, though you're strong, I'm no weakling either. If it comes down to a fight to the death, the outcome remains uncertain. Should we meet again, that will be our moment to settle everything.'
If any one of the Otogakure trio still possessed a shred of residual goodness, it would definitely be Dosu, the team leader. In the canon, Dosu repeatedly stopped his teammates from senseless killings. He risked his life by begging Sasuke for mercy to save them. During the Chunin Exams, he spared Choji Akimichi. Therefore, among the three Otogakure ninjas, Dosu was the one who acted most like an ordinary person—a rare trait among those warped by violence and bloodshed.
What haunted Dosu deeply was that his revered Orochimaru treated him merely as a whetstone for Sasuke. And as a discarded pawn, his final hope was to defeat Uchiha Sasuke honorably during the Chunin Exams and prove his worth decisively.
'Not yet the right time. First, there are some things I need to verify. Then I will return and face off against Sasuke.'
As the Sound ninjas withdrew, Sakura Haruno finally exhaled in relief. However, if someone thought that everything had ended here, then they were celebrating far too early.
The power brought by the cursed seal continuously influenced Sasuke Uchiha. The damage it inflicted upon both body and soul was no joking matter. Completely unlike his usual cautious mindset, Sasuke now longed to vent all the grievances he had ever endured—and this immense strength gave him the confidence to do exactly that.
"You cowards hiding in shadows—show yourselves if you dare!" Without hesitation, Sasuke mocked at the hidden intruder sensed through chakra perception.
Since exposed, Neji, Rock Lee, and Tenten made their presence known without further delay.
"So it's you guys. Perfect." Sasuke, who previously stood no chance against Rock Lee during their last encounter, finally felt empowered enough for revenge.
"We didn't come here to fight you. We just witnessed how Sakura was being mistreated and decided to step in…"
Before Lee could finish speaking, Sasuke suddenly attacked him with a combo of punches and kicks, sending him crashing onto the ground.
"Your moves are much slower than they were before the exams."
Rock Lee was completely unprepared for someone who suddenly became so powerful. It seemed that the opponent wasn't holding back at all, and injured Rock Lee within a few moves.
The one who used to be powerless to resist had now instantly become the victor over his former opponent. Sasuke's overconfidence swelled beyond control, and he immediately appeared behind Neji Hyuga with a flash.
"I've heard you were last year's top student and are known as Konoha's strongest Genin. Let me test your abilities then~"
Just as Sasuke was about to treat Neji in the same way he did Rock Lee, he suddenly found himself unable to move.
"That's why newcomers never know their place," Neji said calmly while turning around, assuming the standard Gentle Fist stance. The chakra radiating from his entire body had already sealed the surrounding space. Unfamiliar with the Hyuga clan and the Gentle Fist, Sasuke recklessly fell into Neji's trap.
[Eight Trigrams Sixty Four Palms]
Although Mizuki mocked the Hyuga clan for misusing the Byakugan, comparing it to using a precision weapon as a blunt tool, in certain situations, its combat effectiveness was indeed astonishing. Its suppressive effect was immense against opponents clearly weaker than oneself. Once caught in the rhythm of the Gentle Fist, it would be very difficult to reverse the situation. Sasuke Uchiha was a fool who lacked basic understanding of the Hyuga and recklessly took action, only to be overwhelmed without being able to display his power. Neji's Gentle Fist landed solidly on Sasuke's body.
"How is this possible?" Helpless and defenseless, Sasuke received a severe beating. The huge gap in strength quickly cooled his hot-headed enthusiasm.
"Foolish boy, do you think winning against Rock Lee through his carelessness means you are invincible? You don't understand the difference between a newcomer and us at all," Neji mercilessly exposed Sasuke's false strength. Then he stepped forward and took the Scroll that the three Otogakure ninja had given to Sasuke earlier.
"This will serve as our trophy. Well then, see you next time. I hope you can interest me more. To be honest, this warm-up just now didn't even match my usual training with Rock Lee."
Confronted with the reality, Sasuke couldn't possibly retort against Neji's cold mockery.
"Oh, and one piece of advice: whether or not I'm the strongest Genin is still debatable. But regardless, even if I am the strongest Genin, I'm still just a Genin," Neji said, then left the scene with Tenten helping Rock Lee up.
"Damn it!" A calmer Sasuke felt a surge of frustration. "Was I too hasty?" As the cursed seal receded, the side effects of chakra overuse quickly took hold. Feeling utterly exhausted, Sasuke staggered slightly. Sakura rushed over to support him.
"How are you feeling, Sasuke-kun?" Sakura asked with concern.
"I'm fine. I just can't use chakra for a short time; my battle power is temporarily gone."
"That's good enough." Sakura replied. As long as he was safe, nothing else mattered to a love-struck girl.
Even though the memory of Orochimaru and the cursed seal still lingered, he could set those concerns aside for now. After the exam, with Kakashi's help, everything would surely be resolved.
Just when things seemed to have settled down, while Sasuke Uchiha and his team were resting, suddenly new visitors arrived.
"What are you guys doing here?" It was none other than the Ino–Shika–Cho squad.
"Looks like you're not doing so great either," Sasuke Uchiha said as he locked eyes with Shikamaru Nara, both instantly gauging each other's condition.
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