12 Chapter 11 The Clash And Hidden Secrets.

Kakashi has no choice but to dodge both it and the needles, and he does it with mid-high difficulty. Sasuke is deadly when it comes to precision for such things. But that's not the whole point. Kakashi realizes that Sasuke has positioned him exactly where he wants him to be, so Kakashi frowns.

Sasuke exclaimed, "Boom!" as he strategically placed a multitude of explosive tags with Sakura's assistance. Prior to their graduation, Sasuke had dedicated himself to instructing his friends in their respective areas of expertise.

Kakashi found himself in a tight spot, his thoughts racing. He adjusted his headband and muttered, "Water Style: Water Wave," creating a powerful surge of water that collided with the impending danger. But Kakashi knew he needed more. In swift succession, he summoned a defensive earth jutsu to shield himself.

With determination in his voice, he chanted, "Earth Style: Earth Wall." The protective barrier successfully thwarted the threat. However, his respite was short-lived as he suddenly noticed Sasuke's lightning-fast approach, now on the offensive. In response, Kakashi unleashed a more advanced version of his renowned lightning jutsu.

Before confronting Sasuke head-on, Kakashi initiated his "Shadow Clone Jutsu" and executed a skill that left his allies in awe, "Lightning Transmission." He rocketed towards Sasuke at an unimaginable speed, effortlessly intercepting the Thunder Beam attack.

A voice echoed in the background, expressing concern for Sasuke's safety. It was Naruto who felt a surge of determination. "NOOO! Just what is Kakashi Sensei thinking? At this rate, Sasuke might be in grave danger. Naruto, let's go and help him."

"Alright, Sakura-chan, but I'm slightly battered. W-wait, huh? I don't feel any pain at all. It's like I wasn't injured in the first place," Naruto marveled, examining his body and finding no traces of wounds. "No, it must be because of my incredible Medical Ninjutsu. Hehe! Come on, let's hurry up," Sakura said with a grin after swiftly healing Naruto.

Unbeknownst to the others, a presence within Naruto had awakened, and it held a deep fascination, primarily because the focus of its interest was none other than Uchiha Sasuke. "Uchiha Sasuke, huh? How intriguing," it mused.

With both shadow clone and Kakashi releasing their jutsu, they advanced into a taijutsu clash. In response, Sasuke swiftly created a shadow clone and closed the distance between himself and Kakashi. However, an unexpected twist occurred as a kunai infused with a potent blend of fire and lightning chakra soared towards Kakashi's shadow clone, catching his attention and forcing him to evade.

Seizing this diversion, the original Sasuke seized the moment and slashed his kunai at the vulnerable clone. Simultaneously, the real Kakashi dispatched Sasuke's shadow clone, which had been intentionally endowed with Genin-level chakra, rendering it far less powerful.

As the skirmish intensified, Sasuke knew it was time to unveil a formidable technique. His Mangekyo Sharingan briefly flared to life, a detail unnoticed by Kakashi, who was perplexed by the intricate hand signs Sasuke was performing. An enigmatic jutsu was being conjured, shrouding the battlefield in uncertainty.

The thoughts within Sasuke's mind raced as he prepared to execute his planned jutsu. 'It's about time I reveal it,' he pondered. 'This jutsu is known as Torrential Blast. It begins with the unleashing of fierce water, followed by a surge of shocking thunder, and culminating with a blazing torrent of fire. As the water collides with its target, the lightning follows, annihilating everything in its path, and lastly, the fiery explosion engulfs the area, resulting in the culmination of the Three Elemental Style: Torrential Blast.'

With a sense of determination, Sasuke unleashed his massive-scale jutsu, akin to Madara's Majestic Fire Jutsu, albeit in a more compact form, casting a powerful and destructive display across the battlefield.

"This jutsu is undeniably an S-rank technique. Combining three elements simultaneously?" Kakashi muttered, preparing his defensive strategy. He swiftly performed a series of hand signs and exclaimed, "Earth Style: Earth Defensive Wall," creating a protective barrier, all the while readying something else in his arsenal.

But the unexpected unfolded as Sasuke once again unveiled his Mangekyo Sharingan, this time catching Kakashi's keen attention.

Sasuke's chakra-infused hand, which had been charged since the inception of his jutsu, extended forward. He infused lightning chakra into it, connecting it with the lightning nature of the Torrential Blast jutsu. Kakashi, wearing a fierce expression, voiced his perplexity, "Just what is he planning?"

Sasuke responded in an emotionless tone, "What am I planning? It's quite simple. I'm altering the trajectory of this jutsu according to my will. Did you not copy it before, or are you simply powerless, just as you are now, Kakashi-sensei?" He revealed his true eyes, the Demon of the fourth generation.

Kakashi found himself rendered speechless by Sasuke's assertion.

The jutsu's course was redirected, soaring into the sky and descending directly upon Kakashi's position. Naruto, in shock yet somewhat comical, exclaimed, "Aaaargh! This heartless guy really got Kakashi-sensei. Sakura-chan!"

Meanwhile, Sakura's spirit exhibited a newfound resolve, akin to another Kei Karuizawa.

In Kakashi's direction, as the jutsu landed, he swiftly formed a lightning blade, attempting to replicate Sasuke's manipulation of the Torrential Blast using his Sharingan's copying ability. As the jutsu made contact, Kakashi, with his Raikiri charged in hand, caught it. The immediate aftermath resulted in the obliteration of the surrounding area, forming a crater almost five meters deep, which extended for about fourteen meters in all directions.

"As expected of you, Kakashi-sensei. You're still standing after taking the strongest attack in my arsenal, and you even caught it," Sasuke stated with an indifferent tone.

'For now, my first tool in this world will be none other than you, Hatake Kakashi. But there's no way a simple Raikiri could stop my jutsu. I think he might have used Kamui. After all, I can see it in his eyes now,' Sasuke thought.

"Maa maa! Altering the trajectory of a jutsu, huh? Tell me, who taught you this unique technique, Sasuke?" Kakashi inquired, while the very person he was asking about was shrouded in mystery.

'Just what are you planning, Hatake Kakashi?'

"In this world, some peculiar things happen, don't they? As for your answer, I taught it to myself," Sasuke replied as he readied himself for unforeseen developments.

Soon, both Shinobi charged at each other, taking out kunai and clashing them before stepping back. Kakashi attempted to punch Sasuke, who promptly activated his Mangekyo Sharingan to block the blow. Sasuke dodged Kakashi's attempted stab.

Then, Sasuke was about to prepare another jutsu, but he slapped away Kakashi's hand, realizing that Kakashi intended to pin him down. With both now equipped with Mangekyo Sharingan, they stood on equal footing.

Sasuke then pushed Kakashi away, breaking a sweat for the first time in the battle. Kakashi's Lightning Shadow Clone Jutsu released lightning, but it missed Sasuke.

Sasuke realized, 'It's finally time to end this.'

"Naruto! Sakura!" he shouted.

"Yes?" they both responded, having watched the entire spectacle, feeling a bit like bystanders.

"Come here quickly," Sasuke ordered.

They complied. "Naruto, create a shadow clone and surround us from all sides," Sasuke instructed.

"Alright, Sasuke. You have a plan, right?" Naruto inquired, intrigued by Sasuke's smirk.

"Yeah, a very simple one," Sasuke assured.

Naruto pondered, 'I see. He has a plan that will help all of us succeed. But I wonder what it might be?'

"Naruto, quick," Sasuke urged.

"Alright. Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu."

As Naruto molded an immense amount of chakra and executed his jutsu, hundreds of his identical clones appeared, circling Sasuke and the two of them. Sasuke then whispered a plan to them, a strategy to secure the bells.

Meanwhile, hidden in a corner, Kakashi contemplated, 'As expected, he won't let me hear his plans, huh.'

As the clock continued to tick, Sasuke wracked his brain to devise a plan to draw Kakashi out. It was in that moment that a memory from his past life in this world resurfaced. He recalled an anime called "Kenja no Mago" where a similar situation had unfolded, and the protagonist used an extraordinary magic called "Search Magic."

This magic allowed one to extend their mana throughout an area, enabling them to sense the presence of every being with mana. Inspired by this idea, Sasuke decided to implement a similar concept in his world. Without hesitation, he began molding chakra in his eyes, causing them to transform into the bloody red Mangekyo Sharingan.

Harnessing the immense ocular power, Sasuke honed the Search technique, a high-level sensory jutsu akin to "The Eye Of Kagura." After performing the necessary hand signs, he activated the jutsu, releasing a small fraction of his chakra into the surroundings. When this chakra touched Kakashi's, Sasuke sensed his presence.

"Found you," Sasuke declared with a triumphant grin. 'You are already in my trap, Kakashi,' he thought.

With quick precision, Sasuke coated a kunai with a blend of lightning, fire, and wind elemental chakra and hurled it towards Kakashi at astonishing speed and power. Kakashi, though he had observed Sasuke's moves from the start, couldn't conceal his position. "Maa. I'll ask you later how you found me, but, unfortunately, Sasuke, I can't see much hope for you guys," Kakashi remarked.

'I bet he's plotting something significant now,' Kakashi pondered, his focus heightened to tackle the unforeseen circumstances.

Meanwhile, Sasuke was planning a twist of simplicity. "Naruto, follow the plan," Sasuke commanded.

Naruto's clones rushed toward Kakashi, whom he efficiently defeated, ensuring he didn't underestimate his Sensei's son once more. As a Naruto clone punched Kakashi, he deflected it with a palm strike. The clone dodged, weaving hand signs for a jutsu.

"Fire Release: Grand Fireball Jutsu."

Kakashi, nearly depleted of chakra, expertly dodged the attack without utilizing chakra, a testament to his skills. Suddenly, shurikens and kunais came flying from various directions. Kakashi adeptly dodged and even caught one, using it to deflect the other projectiles.

Sasuke then dissolved his transformation jutsu and, wielding a kunai, charged toward Kakashi with determination in his eyes.

As both of them dashed, their kunais clashed before they simultaneously backed off.

'I win,' Sasuke thought.

But then, Kakashi suddenly stopped. Confusion etched across his face. He had realized he was cornered, a predicament he found himself in due to a straightforward tactic. Now it was too late. The kunai in Kakashi's hands transformed into Sasuke, who now had activated the 7th inner gates.

Kakashi attempted to catch Sasuke and throw him aside, but Sasuke swiftly slapped away his hands. With an immense boost in speed and strength, taking away the bells became a simple task for him.

Kakashi couldn't help but wonder, 'This guy? Just how far has he come, this kid named Sasuke?'

"Well, I suppose we've won, Kakashi-sensei," Sasuke declared. However, the other two were left utterly perplexed.

"But Sasuke, how did we win? There are only two bells," Sakura questioned, oblivious to Kakashi's scheme.

Kakashi, wearing a grim expression, responded, "Choose now, Sasuke. Will it be Naruto or her?"

"It will be Sakura," Sasuke decided.

Naruto experienced a whirlwind of emotions, but Sasuke's next words came quickly, leaving Sakura feeling a mix of happiness and inadequacy.

"And Naruto," Sasuke continued.

"Huh? Wait, Sasuke-kun, you're the one who got the bells. How can you return to the academy?" Sakura inquired.

Sasuke replied with a nonchalant tone, "Who knows?"

"Cut the act, you knew about this, didn't you?" Kakashi probed.

"Hmm?" Sasuke feigned confusion.

"That you three passed just now," Kakashi affirmed.

...

"W-wait, what? We passed. Yay! All of us passed," Naruto exclaimed joyously, leaping around in celebration of their exam success.

"No," Sasuke corrected.

"I didn't just know we would pass now. I realized it the moment you finished explaining, Sensei," Sasuke clarified.

"Intriguing. Let's hear your theory," Kakashi encouraged.

"Okay, but I need one favor. I want to talk to you about something later," Sasuke requested.

"I'm all ears, go on," Kakashi agreed. Sasuke contemplated what to say next, wondering how he would react if he hadn't known about this beforehand.

He continued, "First of all, you made a critical error. Are there any teams with a Jonin and two freshly graduated Genin who passed this secret graduation exam for three Genin? Not to mention that I and Naruto are exceptional cases. Under normal circumstances, someone like Sakura could never have gotten the bells. So I considered other factors and concluded that you were attempting to separate us using the bell trick because there were only two bells. So, the answer is that we must stay together," Sasuke concluded.

"Yeah, you're absolutely right," Kakashi said. "The real essence of this test is teamwork. Remember this: those who break the rules are considered scoundrels, but those who abandon their comrades are even worse."

"Wow, Kakashi-sensei, I had no idea you arranged such a test for us," Naruto exclaimed. "And I think you're even cooler than Sasuke!"

"Baka-Naruto, there's no way this guy is cooler than Sasuke," Sakura retorted.

"Maa, I suppose with Sasuke, everything might just be all right. But I wonder what he wants to talk about," Kakashi thought.

"I don't know whether he's cool or not, but one thing's certain. He's currently one of the few guys in this village who's my equal and might defeat me, Sakura, if we both don't use Mangekyo Sharingan," Sasuke said, surprising everyone.

"So, Kakashi-sensei, my request is that we do combat training every single day with our team until we become Chunin and help each other grow stronger," Sasuke continued.

"Yes, definitely, and we want to learn cool flashy Jutsus too, Sensei," Naruto added.

"Yes, definitely, Naruto," Kakashi said with a smile in his eyes.

'After all, you are my sensei's son,' he secretly thought.

After a few moments, everyone departed to their homes while Kakashi went to the Hokage's Office to report. As he reached the office, everyone was already there.

"As always, can't do something about it, huh?" Hiruzen sighed.

"Well, I apologize, Lord Hokage. After all, 74% of my chakra is already exhausted, so I had to take a short break," Kakashi quickly explained, mixing truth with his excuse.

"Very well, let's begin the reporting then."

After that, all the Jonin reported about their teams. This time, four teams had managed to pass the secret Genin examinations: Team 8 led by Kurenai Yuhi, Team 10 led by Sarutobi Asuma, Team 7 led by Hatake Kakashi, and Team 15 led by Ibiki Morino.

"Okay, now everyone except the passed teams' Jonin instructors may leave," Hiruzen instructed, and the others proceeded to exit.

"Alright, now let's hear about your team, Ibiki. How did those three orphans, Ranpo Nara, Osamu Dazai, and Amasawa Ichika, perform?" Hiruzen asked with great interest.

Now, everyone was confused. Hiruzen was actually interested in hearing about some unknown individuals first, completely ignoring the recent famous Uchiha clan head, the last Uchiha, who had managed to annihilate 20 Anbu-level Shinobi without sustaining any injuries.

"Hmm? I see," Kakashi thought.

"They were quite troublesome," Ibiki began. "One of them had suicidal tendencies, another was a Nara who excelled in laziness, and the girl was like she came straight from hell, almost like a devil."

"Okay, continue. How well did they do?" Hiruzen inquired, clearly intrigued.

Ibiki then recalled the recent events, and his temper flared to the highest levels. "Well, they made a complete mess of things, Lord Hokage. All three of them seemed to know about the test even before I explained the details. From my experience, I can guarantee it. Instead of passing the exams, they pranked me too much. The Jinchuriki might be put to shame in front of them. Those troublemakers put me through devilish traps and tortured me in unimaginable ways. It's enough to put someone like me to shame."

"Ability-wise, the girl is the strongest. She has a solid foundation. Osamu Dazai is the smartest, specializing in manipulation tactics. And as for the Nara, his deductive skills are unparalleled, even among Shinobi I've heard of, not known," Ibiki concluded.

"Wow! Looks like Sasuke wasn't the only hotshot, huh. I wonder just who those kids are," Asuma remarked in wonder.

"Yeah, considering Ibiki-san's praise, that Ranpo kid must be incredibly capable," Kurenai added, clearly impressed.

"Alright, now let's hear your case, Kakashi," Hiruzen requested.

"Well, all I can say is that those guys completely outmatched me. Even Naruto managed to land a hit on me. Sasuke, he's a true demon, the demon of the Uchiha. He combined three elements in one jutsu, and when I managed to release an earth Jutsu for defense, he somehow changed its trajectory and almost hit me with it. If I hadn't used the Mangekyo Sharingan, it could have been fatal," Kakashi explained.

"What? Does that guy even have emotions? I heard that since that tragedy, he does as he pleases and even managed to fool the whole Konoha management with his tricks," Kurenai shared some troubling information she had heard about Sasuke.

Hiruzen was taken aback.

'That Danzo, he's at it again, huh. First Minato's son and now even Sasuke too. I must do something about him,' Hiruzen thought.

"Kurenai, let me clear up the misunderstanding. Orochimaru had wanted to kidnap Naruto, the Jinchuriki of Konoha, and without Sasuke's tricks, we would have lost him. Just imagine the consequences of the Hidden Cloud Village getting their hands on us due to absence of Naruto. I must declare that those who spread such rumors about Sasuke or speak ill of him will be severely punished, and you are no exception, Kurenai," Hiruzen sternly stated, releasing a bit of his chakra, sending shivers down Kurenai's spine.

"Y-yes, Lord Hokage," Kurenai stammered, realizing her mistake.

Meanwhile, in a distant location...

"Hmm, I see. It seems he was a reincarnate just like us," Dazai commented, holding a homemade device while listening to the conversation.

"Dazai, you can guess it now, can't you?" Ranpo asked.

"Yeah, the old hawk is going to die, and there's no way to stop it, so we won't be able to use him for our future plans. It's for the best, though. He's just another good-for-nothing fellow," Dazai said.

"So, what are the chances of him being Senpai, Dazai-san?" Amasawa inquired.

"Hmm. Ichika-chan, let's see, about 70-80%, I guess. From our observations, all the traits match except one thing you mentioned. He has emotions, unlike how you described him," Dazai explained.

"Oh, come on, you know I don't know everything. So can you cut the crap and tell me?" She retorted with a not-so-friendly smile.

"Haha, as always, you White Roomers never fail to amaze me," Dazai chuckled.

"So?" She pressed on.

"Well, there was a guy, you see. Actually, you know him quite well. Odasaku. He might have changed Ayanokouji Kiyotaka. I heard they were very close," Dazai revealed, feeling nostalgic about his friend.

"Who?" Amasawa asked.

"Odasaku," Dazai replied. "He might have had an impact on Ayanokouji Kiyotaka's emotions."