Sasuke's strength

Before Sasuke could enter the Shrine, a Root Ninja wearing a dog mask rushed out. Looking at Sasuke and Neji, he said coldly, "Anbu search in progress. Unauthorized personnel are not allowed near here."

Sasuke stared coldly at him. "Anbu? This Shrine is forbidden ground belonging to the Uchiha Clan. Why wasn't I, the Uchiha Clan's Clan Head, notified by the Hokage?"

"Besides, you expect us to believe you're Anbu just because you say so? Where's the Hokage's written search order?" Sasuke took out a kunai. "I suspect you're a spy from an enemy nation who infiltrated the Uchiha Clan to steal our secrets!"

"You in the mask, you'd better show us proof that you're Anbu and a written order from Lord Hokage." Neji smiled with ill intent.

"A Genin and a child who hasn't even graduated from the Ninja Academy. Who gave you such confidence? You aren't worthy of seeing Lord Hokage's written order. As for my Anbu credentials, can't you see what I'm wearing?" the dog-masked Root Ninja said coldly.

"So you have neither Lord Hokage's written order nor anything to prove your identity?" The corners of Sasuke's mouth rose slightly in an icy smile.

"Sasuke, why waste your breath on him? If he won't show it, he's trespassing on the Uchiha Clan's forbidden ground." Neji urged Sasuke to get on with it. "If you won't go, I'll do it for you."

"Hmph!" Sasuke snorted. "He's mine. Just stay on the sidelines and watch."

"Then don't embarrass yourself." Neji shrugged and leaned against one of the torii pillars in front of the Shrine, paying the others no mind.

"You two brats really have a death wish!" Even though the man came from Root, which supposedly extinguished all emotion, their words made his blood boil.

"Heh!" Sasuke sneered, drew his kunai, activated his Sharingan, and charged straight at him.

"So you've awakened the Sharingan. No wonder you're so arrogant. But I'll make you understand that even with the Sharingan, you're nothing before me. You'll learn a lesson you won't forget!" The dog-masked Root Ninja drew the short sword from his back and met the charge.

Metal clanged repeatedly. Sasuke's strength clearly exceeded the Root Ninja's expectations. In his eyes, such polished taijutsu was far beyond what a Ninja Academy student should possess.

Realizing Sasuke was no ordinary opponent, the Root Ninja dared not look him in the eyes. Staring directly into the Sharingan would be practically suicidal.

Clang! The kunai struck the short sword, sending a shower of sparks flying. Sasuke's Sharingan spun, and he suddenly stamped on his opponent's toes.

"Urgh!" The man grunted. Before he could pull away, Sasuke bent his other knee and drove it into the man's lower abdomen.

Rip! A sharp blade tore through the Root Ninja's clothing, leaving a long gash across his body.

"What? Why won't you look up? Don't feel like it? Look me in the eyes!" After sparring with Neji for so long, Sasuke had long since learned to undermine his opponents with trash talk.

"Damn it!" The dog-masked Root Ninja endured the searing pain, keeping his head lowered and refusing to meet Sasuke's gaze.

Hearing the commotion, the two people in the Basement came up as well.

They were shocked by the sight that greeted them. They had never expected Hound, an elite member of Root, to suffer so badly at the hands of a Ninja Academy student who hadn't even graduated.

Holding his blood-dripping kunai, Sasuke coldly regarded the three Root Ninja before him. There was not a trace of fear on his face, only eagerness for a fight.

Fox, the Root Ninja wearing a fox mask, knew things had gone wrong. All three of them had been caught red-handed.

"What? Are you two Anbu as well? Then show me Lord Hokage's written order," Sasuke said coldly.

"Lord Hokage's written mission orders are classified Konoha information. Unauthorized personnel have no right to view them!" Fox said gravely.

"Then there's nothing more to say!" Wisps of electricity began flickering over Sasuke's body.

Fox's heart lurched at the electricity rising from Sasuke. He recognized it as a secret technique that used Lightning Release to stimulate the body and drastically increase its speed.

"Then let me teach you a lesson!" The moment Sasuke finished speaking, he vanished from in front of Fox and Tanuki.

So fast! As a ninja of the Aburame Clan, Fox relied on insects for most of his strength. His proficiency in taijutsu was limited.

Even together, Fox and Tanuki could gain no advantage against Sasuke's lightning-fast movements.

As Fox barely managed to fend off the attacks, masses of insects emerged from his body, trying to latch onto Sasuke.

But Sasuke was too fast. His insects couldn't keep up.

The injured Hound wanted to help, but Neji had him locked in his sights. Despite his casual appearance, Neji was watching every shift in the battle closely.

Seeing Neji's faintly mocking smile and readiness to strike, and feeling the oppressive pressure bearing down on him, Hound could only stand to the side and watch, sweat covering his forehead.

What the hell? Does the Ninja Academy still produce geniuses like this? Beneath her tanuki mask, Tanuki's forehead was already drenched in sweat.

The pressure of the Sharingan was overwhelming. No wonder Sunagakure had a saying that anyone facing the Sharingan alone had to flee. Now Tanuki truly understood that pressure.

Now they understood the suffering Sunagakure had once endured.

Sasuke Uchiha might have been young, but his taijutsu was remarkably polished, as though he had fought hundreds or thousands of battles.

Every time Tanuki tried to circle behind him, Sasuke saw through her true intentions and intercepted her with astonishing speed.

Fox was not a taijutsu specialist and struggled badly in this kind of fight. He was little more than a burden.

With Lightning Release stimulating his body, Sasuke had reached speeds invisible to the naked eye. If Root hadn't prepared contingency plans for facing various types of ninja, they would probably have been on the ground already.

"Wind Release: Vacuum Sphere!"

While moving at high speed, Sasuke seized an opening to form hand seals, then sharply inhaled and exhaled.

He compressed wind-nature chakra into bullet-like projectiles, then fired them continuously from his mouth at Fox and Tanuki like a machine gun.

This was one of the things Sasuke had picked up at Konoha's Training Ground, a B-rank Wind Release ninjutsu.

Several shots struck with loud bangs. Fox, whose taijutsu was poor, dodged a few times before taking several wind bullets in succession and collapsing to the ground.

Seeing this, Tanuki tried to rush out of the Shrine, but Neji used the Body Flicker Technique to appear directly in front of her.

Neji's timing was perfect. He struck just as her previous burst of momentum faded, before she could summon another, reaching out to press his palm into her.

Tanuki's pupils contracted. With no time to react, she could only watch Neji's palm strike her lower abdomen.

"Eight Trigrams: Mountain Crusher!"

Bam! Neji's palm strike made Tanuki cough up a mouthful of blood on the spot and sent her flying backward toward Sasuke.

"How disappointing." Without even looking, Sasuke kicked her from behind, sending her flying in another direction.

Then Sasuke stopped, electricity still flickering all over his body.