Practical Combat Class (3)

Sasuke vs. Shikamaru Nara

Shikamaru Nara felt about the same as Kiba Inuzuka did right now: utterly hopeless.

Practical combat was enough of a drag already, and now he had to fight Sasuke. It would have been fine if they were just going to spar casually, but that look on Sasuke's face... he wasn't looking at a person. He was looking at... prey!

Shikamaru Nara and Sasuke stepped out of the crowd. Unlike Naruto's match against Kiba Inuzuka, this was a wildly popular matchup. Sasuke accounted for ninety-nine percent of that popularity, while the remaining one percent came from Naruto cheering for both of them.

"You've got this!"

Naruto shouted, and both Sasuke and Shikamaru Nara thought he was cheering specifically for them.

Shikamaru Nara: Naruto... thank you...

Sasuke: No need to cheer for me. I'm even stronger than you!

The two stared at each other, ready to act the instant Iruka gave the signal.

Incidentally, Chinatsu had already arrived nearby during Naruto's match. She was secretly watching their practical combat class.

"Mmm~ mmm~ mmm~ not bad at all~ all that effort I put into teaching you really paid off~" Chinatsu munched on sunflower seeds she had bought at a little shop on the way over as she watched in secret. Seeing Naruto win filled her with a sense of accomplishment.

Sasuke: Uh... Sis... I mean... I was the one who taught Naruto the Shadow Clone Technique...

Back then, Sasuke had had no idea how soul-crushing it would be to teach Naruto while he still couldn't properly control his nine-tails chakra. An entire night had passed with zero progress. Sasuke had lain on the ground, watched the sun slowly rise, and closed his eyes in tearful despair.

On the Ninja Academy's training field, Shikamaru Nara looked at Sasuke opposite him and swallowed hard.

He was ready. The moment Iruka said to begin, he would go all out with his clan's secret technique.

"Match... begin!"

[Shadow Possession Jutsu]!

Shikamaru Nara immediately raised both hands and formed a special hand sign.

The Shadow Technique.

This was the Nara Clan's secret technique, from which moves such as the Shadow Imitation Technique, Shadow Possession Jutsu, Shadow Imitation Shuriken, and Shadow Summoning Technique could be derived.

Although it wasn't a kekkei genkai, a secret technique of this caliber was hardly inferior to an ordinary one.

As Shikamaru Nara formed the hand sign, the shadow beneath his feet seemed to come alive, racing toward Sasuke's feet. If Shikamaru Nara's shadow touched Sasuke's, Sasuke would be bound, unable to move.

Although Sasuke had never seen this kind of ninjutsu before, he immediately recognized the rapidly spreading black shadow on the ground as a serious threat.

His single-tomoe Sharingan activated, greatly enhancing his dynamic vision. He moved swiftly, outpacing the shadow spreading across the ground.

Beads of cold sweat appeared on Shikamaru Nara's face. This was the Shadow Technique's weakness. Its binding effect was excellent, but it was also very easy to evade if someone deliberately tried.

Of course, the Nara Clan had developed other supplementary moves to make up for this weakness, but the problem was that Shikamaru Nara... didn't know them!

Sasuke streaked forward like lightning, putting distance between himself and the spreading shadow as he charged straight at Shikamaru Nara.

Shikamaru Nara immediately released his Shadow Possession Jutsu, hoping to hold out a little longer with his taijutsu. But just as the thought crossed his mind, Sasuke appeared directly in front of him. Holding his hand as though he were gripping a kunai, Sasuke stopped it beside Shikamaru Nara's neck.

The match... was decided!

Shikamaru Nara swallowed hard. If Sasuke had been holding a kunai, his head would have been saying goodbye to his body.

That was terrifying. Was this really someone from his own class? Surely Sasuke could graduate on the spot without any trouble?

Shikamaru Nara sighed helplessly. Although he had predicted this outcome before the match, experiencing it firsthand still didn't feel good.

After winning, Sasuke didn't turn and leave. Instead, he politely raised his hand, taking the initiative to form the Seal of Reconciliation.

"Your technique is interesting. If you get stronger in the future, you can challenge me again. Though I'll still win, of course."

The words sounded arrogant, but they were actually the gentlest way the prickly Sasuke could express himself.

Shikamaru Nara paused, then chuckled softly. He extended his own hand to form the Seal of Reconciliation and touched it to Sasuke's.

The matches continued, but after Sasuke and Naruto's crushing victories, the other students' bouts seemed so... plain and unremarkable?

Iruka, however, preferred plain and unremarkable. Watching Naruto and Sasuke fight had left cold sweat dripping down his face.

No worries, I'll step in?

The awkward part was that, with Naruto and Sasuke, Iruka wasn't completely confident he could intervene with precision if something was about to go wrong.

He was only a chunin-an ordinary chunin who might not even rank as average among his peers. The next generation really was overtaking the old, leaving its predecessors washed up on the shore.

Fortunately, today's class was almost over. Although he hadn't managed to give every student two rounds of practical combat as originally planned, this would have to do.

Iruka couldn't take much more. Still, with about five minutes left before class ended, there was time for one more match.

Every student had already fought once. Iruka scanned the class, trying to pick any two students to fill those last five minutes. But the sharp-eyed Naruto and Sasuke instantly realized he was looking for volunteers, and both shot their arms up in unison.

Naruto: "Iruka-sensei! Pick me! Pick me!"

Sasuke: "I haven't had enough yet. Let me go another round."

They were clearly implying that they wanted to fight each other. At the sight, Iruka couldn't help raising a hand to cover his face.

Just one of you was already almost more than I could handle, and now you both want to fight? If something really goes wrong, I'm not at all sure I can stop you!

Meanwhile, Chinatsu perked right up in her hiding spot, munching her sunflower seeds with even greater enthusiasm.

A match between those two was a rare sight. At least, as far as she remembered, they almost never fought each other. Chinatsu had assumed they were so close that neither had the heart to attack the other.

Neither had the heart to attack the other?

Naruto and Sasuke would tell her that wasn't the reason at all.

They simply both thought they were too weak. Neither boy wanted Chinatsu to see two amateurs flailing at each other, afraid she would mock them mercilessly.

They were young, but their pride was already remarkably strong.

Under Sasuke and Naruto's burning gazes, Iruka finally agreed to let them fight. However, he imposed a time limit: once the five minutes were up and class ended, they had to stop immediately, regardless of the outcome.

Both nodded and readily agreed to the condition, then stepped out of the crowd, faced each other, and took their fighting stances.

Naruto: "I'm going to win!"

Sasuke: "I won't lose!"

The showdown between the leading man and the second male lead was about to erupt!