031: 【Awakening】: Life is full of ups and downs... downs... downs...

"Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!"

"Ninjutsu: Super Invincible Thunderbolt Fireball!"

Poof~~

Sasuke only managed to puff out a tiny, flickering flame.

While Natsuki, after such a grand declaration, produced... a gentle breeze.

This breeze leisurely drifted towards Sasuke.

And thus, the only flicker of orange-red on the field was extinguished.

Thus...

Silence blanketed the training grounds.

Everyone was speechless.

After all that build-up, all those dramatic expressions and movements, they ended up with two duds.

Especially Natsuki, with such a ridiculously named jutsu, he couldn't even produce a proper flame.

Well, it was normal in a way, kids their age shouldn't be able to use jutsu properly.

Shikamaru started questioning his life choices. His analyses kept failing when it came to anything involving Natsuki.

"I... I've been enlightened!!!"

All eyes turned to Naruto, who had just shouted.

"They are masters of performance! Whether they released a jutsu or not, they've already captured everyone's attention.

"And as for Sasuke, why does he suddenly have such acting talent? Obviously!, he's been unknowingly placed under Natsuki's genjutsu. After all, he's from the Yuhi Clan, and haven't you all said the Yuhi Clan excels in genjutsu?"

Naruto's analysis was surprisingly logical.

"WHOAAAH!" Everyone nodded in agreement. 

But when did this idiot Naruto get so smart?

Natsuki is actually so strong! No one even noticed when he cast the genjutsu.

"You're talking out of your ass!"

Sasuke roared furiously, "I just simply failed to release the jutsu!"

"This time, I swear on the Uchiha's honor..."

Sasuke's eyes were bloodshot, nearing the point of Sharingan awakening.

Repeated failures, even losing face for the Uchiha Clan in front of everyone...

Am I really that far behind my brother?

No! I am Sasuke! I am also an Uchiha!

"HAAAA!!!"

A powerful aura surged from Sasuke, mobilizing all his chakra.

This time, even Natsuki felt the overwhelming pressure.

He finally got serious.

"Very well, my voice wasn't loud enough before, that's why I failed. This time, I'll get serious too."

While verbally harassing Sasuke, Natsuki was thinking about how to defeat him without exposing his Tenseigan or Ultraman powers.

If Sasuke actually managed to release a Fire Style jutsu, he'd use repulsive force in the chaos to send the scattered hidden weapons flying towards him, ending the fight.

He'd stick to this tactic as cover.

If Sasuke failed again, he'd just finish him off with taijutsu.

The decision made.

Natsuki also clapped his hands together and shouted, "Hey~~ Ha!!!"

"Snake, Ram, Monkey, Boar, Horse, Tiger!"

"FIRE STYLE: GREAT FIREBALL JUTSU!!!"

This time, Sasuke poured all his chakra and strength into it, his hand seals flowing smoothly and swiftly.

"Flames of rage, punishing flames of...

"Ninjutsu: Super Thunderbolt Fireball!"

This time, Natsuki's voice boomed like a great bell, resounding throughout the Academy and spreading across the entire village.

Weng!!!

The sky darkened.

[Ding! Evil King's Eye System activated! You have acquired a new ability - Ninjutsu: Super Invincible Thunderbolt Fireball!]

BOOM!!!

A massive fireball shot out, igniting all the wooden training weapons on the ground along its path.

The air itself distorted from the intense heat.

"Oh no! Natsuki's in danger!"

Everyone was shocked by Sasuke's Fire Style jutsu.

Iruka even rushed towards Natsuki, trying to save him.

But the next moment...

An even fiercer flame erupted from in front of Natsuki.

Like an abyssal inferno from another dimension.

Lightning and fire intertwined, instantly devouring Sasuke's fireball.

A terrifying sizzling sound filled the air, making everyone's scalp tingle.

"Damn it! Sasuke's in danger!"

Iruka abruptly stopped, instinctively wanting to rush towards Sasuke instead.

The result?

"Crack!"

"Aaargh!!!"

No one noticed the pitiful cry of a teacher with a twisted back, drowned out by the roaring flames.

At this moment, Natsuki realized that the ridiculously named jutsu he had randomly shouted had actually become reality.

He quickly changed its trajectory, diverting the massive fireball.

It slammed into the the right of Sasuke.

RUMBLE!!!

Several floors of the Academy's laboratory building were blasted open.

Endless flames scorched the walls, and terrifying electrical currents crackled.

If anyone had been there, they would have been paralyzed by the electricity, roasted by the flames, and shocked by the lightning.

A delightful experience of double the pain.

Fortunately, the laboratory building was usually empty.

The Super Invincible Fireball continued its relentless path.

It exploded in mid-air with a deafening roar, illuminating the entire Konoha...

Once again, Silence fell.

Rumble! Rumble! Rumble!

Only the echoes of the explosion remained.

Everyone stood frozen, mouths agape.

Crack, Boom.

The burned-out wall of the laboratory building completely collapsed.

"If…if someone dares to say this is genjutsu, I'll hit them."

The previous assessments were underwhelming.

But this final one had been full of twists and turns, utterly dazzling.

What damn masters of performance? We thought those two were just clowning around.

Turns out we were the monkeys being played. 

They genuinely possessed the kind of power they boasted about.

"I...I...I've been enlightened again!!!"

Naruto said, his voice trembling. Looking at the power of Natsuki's Jutsu, he was also frightened.

All the surrounding students exchanged glances.

They silently surrounded him and raised their fists.

"Huh?! You've been enlightened again?!"

"You idiot, the fuck did you get enlightened on?"

"Let me enlighten you for real this time!!"

Thump! Thump! Thump!

"Ah~~ I was wrong, I won't dare get enlightened anymore..."

Sasuke ignored the chaos that was happening with the crowd, who were trying to alleviate their shock and verify the reality of the situation.

He stared blankly at the sky.

His heart had risen and fallen several times. 

Despondent because of his father's disappointment, angry at his own incompetence, joyful at successfully performing the Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu.

But now, the joy hadn't lasted even a few seconds before being replaced by shock at Natsuki's jutsu.

"Don't worry, your life has just begun; there will be many more ups and downs... downs... downs..." A sigh that sounded like consolation came from Natsuki across from him.

Sasuke didn't lower his head to look at those around him; he continued to stare at the gradually calming sky.

Tears seemed to well up in his eyes. An indescribable feeling surged in his heart – a bit of pain, a bit of bitterness, and a bit of...

"I...lost!"

His entire body went numb as he collapsed to the ground.

In his eyes, the single tomoe of his Sharingan slowly rotated...