Would Any Adult Go All Out Against Kids?

When the Purple Giant, dozens of meters tall, slowly took shape at the center of the field, the entire Fourth Training Ground fell deathly silent.

For an instant, the wind seemed to stop, and dust hung suspended in the air.

The eager excitement on Jiraiya's face froze. His hands, poised to form Hand Seals, hung in midair as his pupils contracted sharply.

He had seen plenty of powerful Ninjutsu and attacks from Jonin that could split mountains and tear open the earth. Their teacher, Hiruzen Sarutobi, was himself a formidable ninja skilled in all five elements.

But he had never seen anything like this monster formed of Chakra. A chill crept up his spine. Faced with that mountain-like pressure, his refusal to admit defeat nearly vanished for a moment.

Orochimaru's narrow eyes tightened. For the first time, his usual composure wavered.

He had studied countless secret arts and bloodline inheritances, believing he understood the limits of Ninjutsu. But the Susanoo before him lay beyond everything he knew.

Was this the Uchiha Clan's supreme power?

The Sharingan...

An instinctive tremor passed through him. His will to fight faltered for an instant, leaving only pure curiosity and wariness.

Tsunade clenched her fists. Her pride refused to let her back down, but the sight of the towering giant made her heart thud.

The fearless drive she had felt moments ago was smothered by the pressure bearing down on her. Shock flashed in her eyes. For the first time, she truly understood that Big Brother Kagami stood at a height they could not yet hope to reach.

Hatake Sakumo's fingers tightened around his sword hilt, and the Lightning Release Chakra on the blade quivered.

After five years together, he had seen Kagami Uchiha fight countless times. He had thought he had some idea of his teacher's strength.

Was this his teacher's true power?

Only now did he realize he had seen no more than the tip of the iceberg. Helplessness surged through him, nearly crushing his will to fight.

Each of the four had their own thoughts, but all were stunned by that overwhelming pressure.

Across from them, Kagami Uchiha suddenly smiled.

"Oh? Lost your will to fight already? Is this your Will of Fire? Are you ready to give up the moment you face an enemy you can't beat?"

"Are you ready to stand by and watch your comrades die in front of you?"

"Answer me! Sakumo, Tsunade, Orochimaru, Jiraiya!"

Kagami Uchiha's voice rose into a sharp command.

The four snapped out of their daze. Defiance and stubborn resolve flared up inside them again.

That's right! Were they giving up already?

I'll never show that kind of weakness again!

I'm sorry, teacher. I won't disappoint you again!

"..."

Before long, Sakumo drew a deep breath. Lightning Release surged down his arm and into his short sword once more, the lightning wrapped around the White Light Chakra Sabre brighter than ever;

Tsunade straightened, Chakra boiling around her fists again;

Jiraiya gritted his teeth and clenched his fists once more;

Orochimaru's lips curved ever so slightly, a hunger for power kindling in his eyes.

"Here we go, Gamabunta!" Jiraiya shouted to Gamabunta beneath his feet.

"Yeah! I've been itching to move." Gamabunta drew his blade, leaped up, and hurtled toward Kagami Uchiha's head.

"Hmph. What kind of monster is this? Let me test what he can do." Manda spoke with open disdain, then immediately burrowed underground and charged straight toward Kagami Uchiha's feet.

"Lady Tsunade! I won't hold you back either."

Katsuyu tilted her head slightly and spat a great mass of gleaming white mucus—Tongue Tooth Sticky Acid. The powerful acid sprayed straight toward Kagami Uchiha.

Where the acid struck the ground, gravel hissed and dissolved at once, sending up wisps of corrosive white vapor.

Seeing the four regain their resolve, Kagami Uchiha's expression softened. He smiled faintly, then called out:

"Good. Feeling fear for an instant doesn't mean you've surrendered. It means you've seen the gap between us and found the resolve to climb higher anyway."

"I've seen your resolve and your convictions."

"Now it's time to face defeat. Remember this feeling!"

With that, the Chakra giant raised an arm. Its long blade of dark-purple Chakra tore through the air with a deep roar and came crashing down!

BOOM—

The blade's light swept across all three Summoning Beasts.

"Damn it, Jiraiya! What kind of monster did you pick a fight with?"

"Orochimaru, you damned brat! My sacrifices!"

"Lady Tsunade, I can't hold on..."

Gamabunta, Manda, and Katsuyu had no time to mount a proper counterattack. The Chakra slash disrupted and severed their Summoning Contracts. Thick white smoke erupted around their massive bodies, and they vanished back to their respective Sacred Grounds.

The force left in the swing swept toward the four ahead.

Tsunade, Jiraiya, Orochimaru, and Hatake Sakumo hastily raised their defenses, but against Susanoo's slash, their resistance was pitifully thin.

The shockwave hurled all four away and slammed them into the training ground. Dust billowed. Scraped and bruised, their clothes torn, they lay battered among the rubble, barely able to prop themselves up.

Then Susanoo's purple glow slowly faded, and the Chakra giant dissolved bit by bit.

Kagami Uchiha stepped out of the fading light and looked at the four young people gasping on the ground. There was no victor's arrogance in his gaze, only quiet expectation.

Kagami Uchiha walked through the drifting dust and stopped before them.

Wreckage from the enormous impact covered the training ground, with rubble scattered everywhere.

The four struggled to rise, but every movement sent pain through their wounds.

Jiraiya braced himself on one arm, blood at the corner of his mouth as he panted;

Half of Orochimaru's robe was torn. His expression remained calm, though he frowned slightly as he checked his injuries;

Hatake Sakumo pressed one hand to a scrape on his shoulder and kept the other on the short sword at his waist, gritting his teeth to steady himself.

Tsunade stood out most. Her blond hair fell messily around her cheeks, her once-neat ninja clothes were torn in several places, and shallow bloody scratches marked her fair skin.

She bit her lower lip and stubbornly refused to show weakness, but she could not hide the hurt in her eyes. Looking up at Kagami Uchiha, she seemed heartbreakingly vulnerable.

Kagami Uchiha looked down at the four injured young people. His voice was gentle, especially when he looked at Tsunade, without a trace of the pressure he had exerted during their spar.

"All right. That's enough for today's test."

"Go get your wounds treated first. Don't let any hidden injuries linger. Once you're done, meet me at the Barbecue Restaurant by the village entrance. It's been too long since we shared a meal."

Jiraiya's eyes lit up at once, as if his injuries hurt a little less. Orochimaru gave a slight nod, and Sakumo bowed in acknowledgment.

Tsunade looked at him and murmured, "Mm." A touch of warmth quietly eased the disappointment of her defeat.

The setting sun painted Konoha's streets warm gold.

Dressed in casual clothes, Kagami Uchiha strolled toward the Barbecue Restaurant by the village entrance.

Villagers and patrolling ninja stopped to bow and greet him as he passed. He carried none of the Hokage's airs, nodding calmly and occasionally answering with a smile. His gentle manner put many passersby at ease.

Before long, the well-known Barbecue Restaurant came into view.

Its wooden sign had yellowed slightly. Warmth and smoke rose from inside, and the scent of meat mingled with charcoal heat drifted into the street. Customers came and went without pause.

The owner hurried over when he saw Kagami Uchiha. After exchanging a few friendly words, Kagami reserved a quiet private room in the rear courtyard, away from the bustle of the main dining hall.

The other four arrived one after another before long.

Their wounds had been given basic treatment, and they had exchanged their damaged Shinobi Flak Jackets for comfortable everyday clothes.

Jiraiya relaxed as soon as he entered. He dropped into a seat and casually rubbed the bandage on his arm;

Orochimaru quietly took a seat by the wall. His gaze swept over the tableware, his expression composed;

Hatake Sakumo sat straight and silent to one side, occasionally running his fingers over the Chakra Metal short sword at his waist;

Tsunade had tidied her blond hair, and a bandage was wrapped lightly around her forearm. Less haughty than usual, she sat quietly beside Kagami Uchiha.

Charcoal crackled beneath the grill. Thick slices of meat sizzled on the rack, soon releasing oil that dripped from their edges and sent up an enticing aroma. The owner kept bringing in sliced beef, pork belly, and vegetables, along with several pots of Sake and Barley Tea.

With the pressure and confrontation of the training ground behind them, the atmosphere in the private room relaxed.

As they turned the meat on the grill, they chatted about what they had gained and lost in the spar. Jiraiya could not resist complaining about the crushing pressure of Susanoo's strike, while Orochimaru calmly reviewed the openings in everyone's techniques. Tsunade said little, silently drinking as she stole occasional glances at Kagami Uchiha beside her.

Hatake Sakumo listened in silence.

The charcoal glowed warm, and the smell of meat filled the room. Beyond the window, lights shone throughout Konoha as they shared drinks. After a fierce, exhilarating spar, this relaxed and comforting time together was rare.

Then Hatake Sakumo, who had been silent until now, suddenly asked Kagami Uchiha:

"Teacher, did you use your full strength today?"

At that, the other three young people turned to Kagami Uchiha too, their eyes full of questions.

Seeing how seriously they took it, Kagami Uchiha could not help smiling. He tapped a finger lightly on the table.

"Of course not," he said gently. "You're the village's future. As Hokage, would I really try to kill you?"

"Besides, what adult would go all out against kids?"

The four pupils contracted sharply. Disbelief and shock filled their faces.

That still wasn't his full strength?

Each of them was firmly at Jonin level, and Jonin were the backbone of every ninja village.

Sakumo was even stronger, already a step beyond the others.

Was this the power of the Five Kage, those who stood at the pinnacle of the Shinobi World?

For a moment, they stared at the sizzling meat in front of them without the slightest appetite. The purple-gold flash of that descending blade replayed in their minds.

Kagami Uchiha took in their reactions. He picked up a piece of grilled meat with his chopsticks and said slowly:

"Don't let the gap frighten you. Today's spar wasn't meant to make you despair. It was meant to show you how long the road ahead of you still is."

"Confidence is good, but never lose your sense of caution."

He had barely finished speaking when hurried footsteps sounded outside the private room. An Anbu Ninja pushed the door open, bowed with a grave expression, and reported:

"Lord Hokage, an urgent report from the border. A ninja squad from Iwagakure has crossed the Land of Grass border."

The relaxed warmth in the room vanished at once. Kagami Uchiha's gentle expression and easy manner fell away.

The warmth left his smile, leaving only cold resolve and solemnity in his eyes.

Without another word, he stood, the hem of his clothes lifting with the movement.

"I'm returning to the Hokage Building immediately."

"Anbu, notify Hiruzen Sarutobi and Shimura Danzō at once."

With that, Kagami Uchiha strode out of the private room. His steps were steady but swift as he raced toward the Hokage Building towering over central Konoha.