Naruto, What's the point of being Hokage without you!

The two Anbu darted away rapidly, leaving the remaining observers to watch the situation with vigilance.

Naruto gazed at Sasuke, his heart swelling not only with the desire to fight but also with pride, and a confidence that had been steadily building.

At this moment, an enraged Sasuke launched himself instantly, stomping hard against the ground as his body shot forward with incredible speed!

He delivered a fierce kick, aiming squarely at Naruto!

Naruto took a deep breath, suppressing his surging emotions, and threw himself entirely into the battle with absolute focus.

For him, this fight against Sasuke was equally vital!

This was a battle of validation for both of them!

The power, speed, angle, and trajectory of Sasuke's kick were all impeccable, flawless.

If this were back at the Ninja Academy, everyone would have gasped in astonishment.

However, this was not the first time Naruto had seen this kick.

In his dreams, he had already fought Sasuke dozens of times!

In an instant...

Even before Naruto himself was consciously aware of it, his body had reacted instinctively.

Bang—

He did not dodge, nor did he defend; he launched a direct counterattack!

Hard against hard!

He lashed out with a kick of his own!

As their forces collided, Sasuke's expression changed instantly!

"So fast!"

"And his strength, how could it be this great?"

"Is this really that dead-last Naruto?!"

Naruto did not hesitate in the slightest. Having gained the upper hand with that kick, he twisted his waist, vaulted into the air, and unleashed another kick!

Sasuke was caught off guard and crossed his arms to block, but he was still sent skidding back by the force of Naruto's blow.

His feet carved two deep furrows into the ground!

"Damn it, when did his taijutsu become this powerful?!"

Before Sasuke's eyes, the image of Naruto training himself to death at the practice field appeared once more...

Deep down, he understood that this was the result of Naruto's desperate efforts.

But he still could not accept it!

Naruto had actually suppressed Sasuke in taijutsu, completely seizing the upper hand!

Under normal circumstances, he would have been cheering and getting carried away.

However, after dozens of life-and-death struggles in his dreams, Naruto had gained more than just experience and lessons; more importantly, he had gained the mindset and will of a warrior!

His face remained calm, and he immediately launched a pursuit!

Consumed by rage, Sasuke crossed his arms, hunched his body, and flung his hands upward!

Bang, bang, bang—

Seven or eight shuriken shot out instantly!

This was the fruit of the training he had received from Itachi Uchiha since he was a child; his Shurikenjutsu was nothing short of masterful!

Naruto did not dare to be careless. He leaped into the air, dodging most of the shuriken, and drew his own Kunai in mid-air, parrying left and right to deflect the remaining projectiles.

But this brief respite allowed Sasuke to regain his stance.

A Kunai appeared in his hand as well. Facing Naruto, who was descending from the sky in pursuit, he slashed upward against the wind, turning into an arc that cut through the sky, his cold blade bared!

The two Kunai clashed violently, sending a spray of sparks flying in all directions!

"Damn it..."

"Why has this dead-last suddenly become so formidable?!"

Sasuke gritted his teeth, but his Kunai showed no mercy as he pushed the results of his own desperate training to the limit.

In terms of technique, he was still far superior to Naruto.

Rip—

With a soft sound, Naruto's sleeve was sliced open.

But he didn't care at all. With a roar, he thrust his shuriken forward as well.

The two men's Kunai collided once more, and with a sharp, piercing ring, both weapons were sent flying out of their hands.

Before the two Kunai could even hit the ground...

Naruto, without a moment's hesitation, unleashed his finishing move!

In the thirty-seven battles within his dreams, the three times he had managed to secure a victory were all thanks to this move!

Leaf Whirlwind!

Naruto leaped into the air, his legs spinning in a rapid, continuous blur that left the eyes struggling to track him, making it impossible to discern where his attack would land. Caught off guard, the fierce kicking technique erupted with a thunderous impact!

Sasuke was startled.

But he had already seen this move of Naruto's many times before.

For this very duel, he had done his homework and come fully prepared!

"Hmph—"

A Kunai appeared in his hand once more. He had seen through Naruto's attack and positioned the blade directly in the path of the landing strike!

If Naruto didn't want his right leg to be pierced through, he would have no choice but to force himself to stop!

However...

"Don't underestimate me..."

"Sasuke!"

Naruto didn't hesitate in the slightest. Even while facing the cold, sharp edge of the Kunai, he kicked out with full force!

BOOM—

With a deafening crash, Sasuke let out a miserable cry as his entire body was sent flying!

Thud!

He slammed heavily into a tree by the roadside, causing the trunk to shake and leaves to scatter and fall in a flurry!

He groaned, feeling as if he were about to cough up blood!

Yet, at the same time...

Naruto's right leg had been pierced through by Sasuke's Kunai, blood gushing out in a steady stream!

He bared his teeth, enduring the bone-deep agony, yet a triumphant smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth.

"How about that, Sasuke..."

"That kick didn't feel too good, did it?!"

Sasuke was shocked beyond measure.

It was one thing for this dead-last Naruto to have made such rapid progress in strength, but why was his mindset and willpower in battle so terrifyingly intense?!

Was he truly willing to sacrifice a leg just to defeat him?!

Of course, he couldn't possibly know.

In his dreams, Naruto had even wagered his own life to defeat him.

What was a mere leg compared to that!

Looking at the crazed-looking Naruto, that sliver of fear and desire to retreat rose in Sasuke's heart once again.

It was the deep-seated...

Inner demon and nightmare left behind by Itachi Uchiha!

"Damn it!"

Sasuke roared, slamming his fist into the tree trunk. Bark flew and wood chips scattered, but his own fist was left bloodied by the impact!

"Before I kill that man, I will not lose to anyone!"

"And I will certainly never lose to a dead-last like you..."

"Naruto!"

He immediately formed hand seals with lightning speed, unleashing his ninjutsu.

"Fire Style! Great Fireball Technique!"

In an instant, raging flames transformed into a fireball, erupting and rolling rapidly toward Naruto!

At the level of the Ninja Academy, such a technique was truly a lethal weapon!

If it were the original Naruto, he would have found it impossible to withstand.

But he had already seen it too many times...

With a sudden lateral shift, he dodged the strike.

The Great Fireball Technique instantly engulfed and consumed the tree behind Naruto...

Under the twilight of the setting sun, framed by the flickering light of the burning tree behind them...

Naruto and Sasuke were blinded by bloodlust, unable to stop, charging toward one another!

In this split second of life and death...

The pupils of Sasuke's eyes suddenly bloomed with a crimson glow. His ordinary eyes instantly transformed into the rotating tomoe form—it was none other than...

Sharingan!

The moment Naruto erupted with killing intent, his pupils transformed into vertical slits, and the six whisker-like marks on his cheeks seemed to tear open. His expression twisted into a savage, distorted mask—he was being influenced by the Nine-Tailed Fox's tailed beast chakra...

Berserk Mode!

Every Anbu ninja present was instantly struck with terror, cold sweat drenching their bodies!

"Th-that is..."

"This is bad!"

Naruto and Sasuke.

At this moment, both had eyes bloodshot with the frenzy of battle.

Sasuke, burdened by a sea of blood-feuds that he had kept deeply suppressed within his heart, found it all unleashed and vented under Naruto's provocation. He had even activated his Sharingan, swearing to defeat Naruto at the cost of his own life!

Naruto was no different.

The criticism, indifference, cold glares, and hatred he had endured all poured out at once. Combined with his desperate desire to defeat Sasuke and earn his recognition, as well as the obsession—born from his dreams—that he would never win unless he fought with the intent to kill, his body was driven by a sudden, overwhelming surge of malice!

Even though Kurama, the Nine-Tailed Fox, no longer interfered with Naruto's daily training.

But this moment was different...

Sensing the violence within Naruto's heart, Kurama immediately conceived the idea of assimilation.

This had always been his long-term plan!

To use these repeated outbursts to completely strip away Naruto's will, seize his body, and be reborn from the flames!

Naturally, Kurama would not let this opportunity slip by.

Although Naruto's current so-called Berserk Mode was merely leaking a tiny sliver of Nine-Tailed Fox chakra and malice.

Still, it was more than enough.