An Enemy Appears-Crushed in an Instant? / Sasuke Understands Everything!

"The enemy's in the lake?" Sasuke Uchiha and Sakura Haruno stared at the vast lake ahead. Was the enemy really in there?

Something about that felt strange.

Sasuke Uchiha snorted. "Idiot. The enemy can't predict our route. How could they just happen to be hiding in the lake?"

"Hey! What did you call me?" Naruto Uzumaki protested.

"An enemy? I suppose so. An exam is your greatest enemy, after all." Aogetsu Hyuga clapped his hands and smiled. "You've been training hard lately. Time for your final test."

Sakura Haruno tilted her head. "A test? Walking on water?"

"Exactly." Aogetsu Hyuga nodded.

Everyone on Team 7 was puzzled. Why had Aogetsu-sensei suddenly decided to test their Chakra control?

And in the middle of a mission, no less!

"Hey, you've got to be—" Naruto Uzumaki began.

"Enough talk. Take the test." Aogetsu Hyuga picked Naruto Uzumaki up and hurled him into the lake.

"Aaah!" Naruto Uzumaki sailed through the air and crashed into the lake, throwing up a huge splash.

"You bastard! One day... One day, I'm going to teach you a lesson!" Naruto Uzumaki surfaced and settled into a steady one-kneed crouch on the water, looking like a drowned rat.

"Full marks." Aogetsu Hyuga looked pleased.

"Aogetsu-sensei, we're still on a mission. Couldn't the test wait until we get back—" Sakura Haruno began.

Aogetsu Hyuga picked Sakura Haruno up and flung her hard into the lake.

"Aaah!" Sakura Haruno flew a long way through the air. She squeezed her eyes shut and shrieked before hitting the water with a heavy splash.

Three seconds later, Sakura Haruno climbed out of the lake and stood steadily on the water. The cold made her shiver.

"Brr, it's freezing. Aogetsu-sensei is awful."

"Very good." Aogetsu Hyuga looked pleased.

With his hands in his pockets, Sasuke Uchiha looked at Naruto and Sakura, both soaked to the skin. His mouth twitched. "I'll jump in myself," he said quickly.

Something felt strange to him.

Why had Aogetsu-sensei suddenly called for a Chakra-control test?

Aogetsu-sensei was a Jonin. If he was holding a test during a mission, he had to have a reason.

Wait...

Team 7 hadn't encountered a single enemy along the way. Perhaps they had been too alert, leaving the enemy no chance to strike.

Is Aogetsu-sensei using the test as a pretext to expose an opening and lure the enemy out?

Heh. So that's what this is.

Sasuke Uchiha walked to the lakeshore and glanced coolly back at Aogetsu. He said nothing, but his look plainly meant, I understand everything.

Then Sasuke Uchiha walked steadily across the water.

[Team 7 passed the final test. This Master-Disciple Mission is complete.]

[Mission reward obtained: the powers of the Rumble-Rumble Fruit (no side effects).]

[New Master-Disciple Mission: Teach Naruto Uzumaki the Rasengan, Sasuke Uchiha the Chidori, and Sakura Haruno the Strength of a Hundred Power.]

[Reward: The powers of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit from the Pirate World (no side effects), eternal youth, and doubled lifespan.]

[Time limit: one year.]

The Enemy Appeared—Crushed with One Hand?

"So this is the power of the Rumble-Rumble Fruit? It really is much stronger than Lightning Release." Aogetsu Hyuga raised a finger, and pale blue electricity sparked at its tip. He could clearly sense that this lightning far surpassed Lightning Release.

And now he could wield it whenever he wanted!

Excellent!

He could hold lightning in his hand and look cool doing it!

Aogetsu Hyuga stroked his chin as he read the Attribute Panel.

[Master-Disciple Mission: Teach Naruto Uzumaki the Rasengan, Sasuke Uchiha the Chidori, and Sakura Haruno the Strength of a Hundred Power.]

[Mission reward: The powers of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit (no side effects), eternal youth, and doubled lifespan.]

[Time limit: one year.]

Aogetsu Hyuga considered it.

The Tremor-Tremor Fruit's powers were impressive. They held enough destructive force to shake the atmosphere, and with enough power, they could even shake space itself.

Like the Rumble-Rumble Fruit, it was a power that would make showing off effortless.

The second reward was good too. He could stay his current age forever, and his lifespan would double.

In other words, he could stay handsome forever!

But the problem was the Strength of a Hundred Power.

Teaching Naruto the Rasengan was no problem. He knew it.

Teaching Sasuke the Chidori was no problem either. He knew that too.

But he had never learned the Strength of a Hundred Power. His Chakra reserves were enormous, and he could use advanced techniques freely.

He had never needed to store Chakra little by little with the Strength of a Hundred Power.

At present, Tsunade was the only person in the Entire Shinobi World who knew how to use it—that big-breasted Crazy Bitch.

He had once gotten drunk and forced himself on Tsunade. Asking her for help was out of the question. The moment she saw him, she would attack with everything she had.

What was he going to do?

What a pain.

Tazuna took a drink and said grimly, "I'm the client. With an attitude that careless, can you really escort me home safely?"

He thought Aogetsu was far too casual and wasn't taking the mission seriously at all.

Testing his students' training in the middle of a mission?

Frankly, it was ridiculous.

In all his years, Tazuna had never met a Ninja like Aogetsu Hyuga, someone so unconcerned about safety!

If enemies appeared, Aogetsu's careless, laid-back attitude could get him killed in an instant!

"It'll be fine. Think of it as a vacation on the mission's budget." Aogetsu Hyuga waved a hand dismissively.

There was no helping it.

He would have to find that big-breasted Crazy Bitch.

After all, Tsunade was currently the only person in the entire Ninja World who could use the Strength of a Hundred Power.

Tazuna, thoroughly irritated by Aogetsu, took another drink and snorted. "I just hope we all make it back alive when the enemy shows up."

"Achoo!" Sakura Haruno wrung out her pink hair and sneezed from the cold. "Aogetsu-sensei, did we pass?" she demanded.

A test was one thing, but why throw people around?

What kind of teacher did that?

Aogetsu-sensei is awful!

Aogetsu Hyuga gave them a thumbs-up. "Yes. Well done. You passed."

Naruto Uzumaki wrung out his soaked clothes and grumbled, "Seriously, what was that? Who holds a test in the middle of a mission?"

"Exactly," Sakura Haruno said, agreeing with Naruto for once.

Naruto Uzumaki looked at Sasuke, who hadn't been dunked, and pouted. "Why didn't Sasuke get thrown?"

"Two idiots." Sasuke Uchiha walked back onto land with his hands in his pockets. He wasn't as naive as Naruto and Sakura. He knew what Aogetsu-sensei was planning.

Suddenly—

Splash! Broad ripples spread across the lake as three black-clad men burst from the water, sharp Ninja Tools in hand, and slashed viciously at Aogetsu Hyuga!

The sudden attack froze Team 7 and Tazuna in place. Sasuke alone did not look surprised.

Bang! The three men struck Aogetsu squarely with their blades. Dust billowed up from the ground and rolled into a thick cloud.

"Foolish man. He let his guard down! Now that the stupid Jonin is dead, the rest of these weaklings will be easy!" one of the three black-clad men sneered.

They were certain Aogetsu was dead. Even a Jonin was still made of flesh and blood.

How could flesh and blood stop a blade?

And from the feel of their blows, they were sure the person standing there had not been one of Aogetsu Hyuga's clones!

"Aogetsu-sensei!"

All of Team 7 cried out.

Tazuna's face went pale. He collapsed to the ground and stared at the thick cloud of dust. "It's... it's over."

He thought Aogetsu's carelessness had let the three men catch him off guard.

"This might be awkward for you, but I'm fine. Sorry to ruin the moment." Aogetsu Hyuga kept his hands in his pockets and blew softly. Wind Release swept away the dust around him, and he looked calmly at the three Black-Clad Ninjas.

He was completely unharmed. Even his clothes were intact!

"H-how is that possible?"

The three Black-Clad Ninjas froze. They had felt their Ninja Tools strike Aogetsu. Why didn't he have a scratch on him?

How could a human body withstand Ninja Tools?

It was impossible!

"Don't look so shocked. You're embarrassing yourselves." Aogetsu Hyuga took a hand out of his pocket and beckoned with one finger. Mockery tinged his faint smile. "Attack again. Explaining would be a bother, so I'll make an exception and let you feel it one more time."

"You arrogant bastard!" The three black-clad men sneered. Aogetsu seemed utterly unguarded, with no intention of striking first.

They had never met a Ninja who let his enemies attack at will.

In that case...

"Pay for your arrogance!" One Black-Clad Ninja gripped his weapon, leaped forward, and slashed at Aogetsu.

Whoosh! A cold gleam flashed as the man swung a sharp Scythe at Aogetsu Hyuga's neck.

Aogetsu Hyuga raised one finger and stopped the Black-Clad Ninja's sharp Scythe.

"Impossible... Is this Chakra?" The Black-Clad Ninja gripped his Scythe and strained with all his might, but he couldn't sever Aogetsu's finger. Then he saw a layer of pale blue Chakra covering it.

"See? That's all there is to it." Aogetsu Hyuga flicked his finger. Crack! Fractures spread through the sharp Scythe, and it shattered into pieces that fell to the ground.

"Honestly, I'm a little sorry. My strength is beyond anything you can comprehend." Aogetsu Hyuga's smile turned cool as he looked down on the Black-Clad Ninja.

Ah, damn.

I forgot to test whether attacks pass through me.

He had originally meant to test the Rumble-Rumble Fruit's ability to turn his body into lightning. But the enemy's attack had looked so weak that he had casually stopped it with a finger instead.

"You... you're a monster!" The Black-Clad Ninja started to retreat, trying to put distance between himself and Aogetsu Hyuga.

"Don't go so far. I'd have to walk over there." Aogetsu Hyuga seized the Black-Clad Ninja by the neck.

"You..." Terror filled the Black-Clad Ninja's face, but he never finished speaking.

Aogetsu Hyuga tightened his fingers slightly.

Crack. The Black-Clad Ninja's neck broke. He spat a mouthful of blood, his head lolled to one side, and he died.

"What..." Tazuna stared at the Black-Clad Ninja Aogetsu had crushed so casually, utterly dumbfounded.

He wasn't the only one. Everyone there was stunned.

Aogetsu Hyuga was that strong?

Sasuke Understood Everything!

The two remaining Black-Clad Ninjas exchanged grim looks. Each read the other's intentions, and they wheeled around and charged at Tazuna.

If they couldn't kill Aogetsu, they would attack the mission target first. Once the job was done, they could find a way to retreat and collect their generous payment!