The chirping of Chidori abruptly cut off. The lightning gathered in Sasuke's hand burst apart with a bang, and the nature of Lightning Style chakra left his arm intensely numb, even badly burned.
Kakashi let out a soft breath. "All right, Sasuke, don't push yourself too hard. It's already remarkable that you grasped the essence of Chidori in just a few hours. Lightning Style is far too violent. If you force yourself to keep practicing regardless of the strain on your body, you could easily hurt yourself."
Sasuke rose to his feet, panting, his expression resolute. "How can I stop here? It's only an A-rank ninjutsu. I'm a genius of the Uchiha Clan—I'll master it right now and show you!"
As he spoke, his hands formed seals once more. Intense lightning gathered again, and the chirping of Chidori rang out anew. In his blood-red eyes, there was nothing but madness and obsession. His faith in revenge supported him as he pushed beyond his limits.
"...Sigh." Seeing this, Kakashi silently sighed and said nothing. All at once, he felt a trace of uncertainty. Perhaps teaching Sasuke Chidori had been too hasty. Perhaps it had only made the boy even more obsessive.
Night. The moon shone brightly amid sparse stars. Night winds swept across a cliff, carrying a trace of evening chill. Even at the end of June, it was difficult to feel any summer heat on such a high mountain precipice at night.
A figure stood at the edge of the cliff, his black robe patterned with red clouds snapping loudly in the wind. The night breeze scattered his hair, but he paid it no mind.
The sea of clouds shifted continuously in the evening wind, rolling into ever-changing patterns. Yet there was no change in those blood-red eyes. Let the