The Cunning Fox

Watching the Rasengan in Sasuke's hand, Asuma and Kurenai Yuhi looked surprised, but mostly confused. Hadn't the Rasengan already reached the pinnacle of Shape Transformation? What was going on now? Could it still be changed further?

"Taiji Rasengan! I think that's what it's called!" Kakashi said, sounding a little surprised as he answered Asuma and Kurenai's questions.

He'd only caught a quick glimpse during the mission just now. Looking at it again, Sasuke still hadn't added Nature Transformation to the Rasengan! Even so, it seemed Sasuke really had carried his teacher's Rasengan to new heights!

"Taiji Rasengan?"

Hearing the name, Asuma and Kurenai looked bewildered. Could it be a fusion of two opposing Rasengan?

"What is this...?"

Unlike the three instructors, who quickly composed themselves, the new students were completely dumbfounded. Just looking at the Rasengan in Sasuke's hand, they could feel how powerful the jutsu was.

As everyone stared in astonishment, Sasuke casually slammed the Taiji Rasengan into the tree beside him.

The next second, the tree vanished, leaving only a round crater behind.

"This is much more powerful than the Rasengan before!"

Watching the damage Sasuke had caused, Kakashi recalled the scene of his fight with the bear and slowly gave his assessment.

"This is already S-rank, isn't it?" Asuma said gravely, looking from the crater in front of Sasuke to Sasuke, who seemed somewhat dissatisfied.

"Yes. This is Sasuke's first S-rank jutsu, the Taiji Rasengan. With that boy's talent, it probably won't be long before he develops another new jutsu. After all, Nature Transformation can still be added to the Rasengan!"

Kakashi calmly nodded in response to Asuma's question.

"That's a terrifying level of talent! If he awakens the Sharingan, who knows how strong he'll become!"

Seeing that Kakashi didn't disagree, Kurenai spoke in astonishment. Given Sasuke's talent, it seemed unlikely that Kiba would ever get his revenge.

After the demonstration, Sasuke looked back at Kakashi, wondering what else he wanted to teach him. After all, Kakashi had used this very method to trick him into coming here. Still, the outcome wasn't bad: he'd gotten a Genjutsu for free, along with a jutsu belonging to the Uchiha Clan.

"I was thinking that if you added Nature Transformation to your Taiji Rasengan, it might become even more terrifying!"

When Sasuke looked his way, Kakashi shared what he really thought. He was looking forward to seeing a Rasengan with Nature Transformation, too.

"Nature Transformation? I'll think it over when I get back." Sasuke calmly nodded at Kakashi's suggestion. For now, it's better to keep a low profile and develop at my own pace. The Land of Waves mission hasn't even come yet.

"You've got to be kidding!"

Once Sasuke and Kakashi finished talking, the others, still stunned, finally came back to their senses. Inuzuka Kiba was the one who blurted out that heartfelt question.

After Sasuke defeated him, Kiba had been wondering how he could get even. But now it seemed there'd be no chance. The difference in their strength was simply too great.

Is that all he's got? No, that's just all he can do right now. By the next time we meet, everyone will have improved. He'll be no exception, of course. Is this what it means to be a genius?

As Kiba wrestled with his thoughts, Shikamaru stared at the marks of the battle in front of Sasuke, lost in contemplation. It was all too terrifying.

The others said nothing, but their eyes were still filled with shock. Sasuke's strength had left them in a completely different league from him.

"I don't think we'll get any training done today. We should just let them go home and relax. This has been a bit of a shock."

Looking at the completely stunned students, Asuma suggested that he, Kurenai, and Kakashi call it a day.

"This is all someone's fault for insisting that Sasuke put on a demonstration!" Kurenai couldn't resist teasing Kakashi in response to Asuma's suggestion, then headed toward Team 8.

"Uhh..." Kakashi could only fall silent at Kurenai's jab. After all, Icha Icha Paradise said you shouldn't upset women.

"Team 8, dismissed!"

"Team 10, dismissed!"

While Kakashi was still wondering how to talk the three students into leaving, Asuma and Kurenai announced that their teams were dismissed.

"Kakashi-sensei, what about us?"

Seeing the other two teams dismissed, Naruto ran over to ask.

"Team 7 is dismissed. Meet at the usual place tomorrow!"

When Naruto came over to ask, Kakashi took the opportunity to give them a way out.

As soon as Kakashi dismissed them, Sasuke headed straight home. He was eager to find out what was inside the scroll Sarutobi Hiruzen had given him.

After Sasuke left, the others dispersed as well. When they got home, almost everyone told their parents what had happened that day—which meant Sasuke's talent had been fully exposed.

Beneath the Uchiha Clan's former shrine, Danzo hadn't been very pleased with Sarutobi Hiruzen's arrangements at first. But when he discovered that this place was completely connected to the entire Uchiha Clan compound, he readily agreed. After all, it would greatly benefit the development of Root.

Danzo was now sitting in a chair. He already knew about Sasuke's abilities. Gazing into the distance with a faraway look in his eyes, he began to consider how he could recruit Sasuke into Root.

At home, Sasuke looked at the scroll in front of him with a strange expression. Sarutobi Hiruzen had given him two Genjutsu.

The first was an ordinary Genjutsu: Hell Viewing Technique, a D-rank Genjutsu that let the opponent see a scene they didn't want to see. The second was an ability from the Uchiha Clan that could only be learned by someone with the Sharingan: Demonic Illusion: Mirror Heaven and Earth Change, which could reflect basic Genjutsu.

"Old fox!" Sasuke looked at what Sarutobi Hiruzen had given him and pursed his lips in resignation. It was obvious Sarutobi Hiruzen wanted to win him over, but didn't want him to become too strong. So he'd given him two jutsu: one of too low a rank, and the other practically useless.

Of course, that was assuming Sasuke didn't have the Sharingan. Sarutobi Hiruzen probably couldn't imagine that Sasuke not only had the Sharingan, but already had three Tomoe!

"I hope I don't scare you in the future!"

The stunned crowd was amazed; the cunning fox was Sarutobi.

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