The screen flickered, and names began flashing in rapid succession. The first matchup appeared—Ino Yamanaka Vs. Sakura Haruno. Chihara barely paid attention to the fight, his mind still turning over the events from the forest and the unsettling encounter with that rogue shinobi. He kept glancing at Sasuke, who was currently focused on something else with his eyes closed. There was a palpable intensity in the air, a sense of unease that didn't fade even as time passed.
As more fights played out, Chihara remained quiet, standing alongside his teammates. Misumi was his usual stoic self, while Kabuto had already excused himself from the exam.
The screen continued flashing names, and the tension in the room grew as each match concluded. Then, the screen flickered again, and Chihara's name finally appeared.
Chihara vs. Sasuke Uchiha.
Chihara's eyes narrowed slightly as he turned toward Sasuke. Across the room, Sasuke glanced up at the board and then directly at him. Their gazes locked, and for a moment, the world around them seemed to fade away. There was no hesitation in Sasuke's eyes—only an unwavering determination, as if he was silently telling Chihara, I'm not losing.
Chihara's expression remained neutral, but inwardly, he welcomed the challenge. He could sense that something had changed in Sasuke after the encounter with the rogue shinobi. The cursed mark on Sasuke's neck was faintly visible, he couldn't shake the memory of the power of the shinobi who had given Sasuke the mark in the forest.
Without a word, Chihara strode forward, his hand brushing against the hilt of his Kubikiribōchō. The massive blade gleamed under the lights of the arena as he walked into the center of the room. Sasuke followed suit, stepping forward with the same confidence, his Sharingan already active.
The tension in the room was palpable. Everyone's attention was focused on the two as they stood opposite one another, both poised for battle. Chihara's Ketsuryūgan flared, his blood beginning to stir with the rising excitement of the impending fight. Sasuke's Sharingan spun slowly, analyzing every movement, every flicker of emotion.
"You two, ready?" Hayate's voice cut through the silence.
Chihara gave a single nod, never taking his eyes off Sasuke. The Uchiha, in turn, narrowed his gaze, the weight of his resolve clear in every fiber of his being.
"Begin!" Hayate declared, stepping back to allow the match to commence.
Chihara wasted no time. He surged forward, swinging the massive Kubikiribōchō in a wide arc, the blade whistling through the air with deadly intent. Sasuke reacted immediately, his Sharingan tracking the movement as he dodged to the side, moving with precision. In an instant, he retaliated, drawing a kunai and aiming for Chihara's blind spot.
But Chihara was already one step ahead. His Ketsuryūgan allowed him to sense the rhythm of Sasuke's blood, predicting his movements. He twisted his body, bringing the Kubikiribōchō around to deflect Sasuke's attack, sending sparks flying as metal clashed against metal.
The two separated, each eyeing the other carefully. Chihara could feel the rush of battle rising within him, his blood pumping with excitement. Sasuke, however, remained calm, his eyes sharp and focused.
The clash between Chihara and Sasuke echoed through the room as they continued trading blows. Each strike came faster, more aggressive, but with every move Sasuke made, it became increasingly clear that Chihara had the upper hand. His strength, precision, and relentless offensive pressure forced Sasuke on the defensive, his kunai barely managing to block the massive Kubikiribōchō.
Sasuke darted to the side, his Sharingan spinning, trying to predict Chihara's next move. But every time he thought he had an opening, Chihara's Ketsuryūgan flared, reading Sasuke's blood flow and reacting in perfect time. It was as if Chihara could see Sasuke's intent before he even acted.
Chihara shifted his grip on the Kubikiribōchō, swinging it downward with brutal force. Sasuke barely managed to evade, the blade slamming into the ground with a loud crash, sending shards of rock flying. Sasuke flipped backward, his expression tightening as he landed a few meters away.
"You're quick, I'll give you that," Sasuke muttered, his eyes narrowing as he tried to find a strategy. But the slight tension in his voice hinted at something deeper—he was feeling the pressure. Chihara wasn't just keeping up with him, he was overwhelming him.
Chihara straightened, the massive sword resting casually against his shoulder. He glanced at Sasuke with an unreadable expression.
Sasuke's jaw tightened. Ever since the fight began He's been trying to fight off the burning sensation the curse mark was spreading throughout his body.
With a growl of frustration, Sasuke lunged forward, moving faster than before. His kunai came at Chihara in a blur, aiming for vital points with deadly precision. But once again, Chihara was a step ahead. His Ketsuryūgan flared crimson, predicting the flow of Sasuke's chakra and blood, guiding his movements.
Chihara sidestepped the kunai with ease, bringing his blade around in a sweeping motion. Sasuke ducked just in time, the massive sword passing over his head with a gust of wind. Chihara didn't let up. In a single, fluid motion, he spun around, delivering a powerful kick to Sasuke's side.
*WHAM*
The impact sent Sasuke skidding across the arena floor, his body slamming into the wall. He gasped for air, clutching his side as pain shot through his ribs. His Sharingan spun frantically, but it was clear—Chihara had the advantage in both strength and technique.
Sasuke slowly rose to his feet, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth. His eyes locked onto Chihara, who stood calmly, his blade resting at his side. Chihara hadn't even broken a sweat.
'Damn it', Sasuke thought, frustration boiling inside him. 'I can't keep up with him like this...'
Sasuke knew he needed to change tactics. He couldn't beat Chihara in a straight-up fight—not without tapping into the cursed mark's power. But the last time he had used it, he'd lost control. He couldn't afford to let that happen again, not here, not now. Yet, without it, Chihara was dominating him, and the gap between their strength was only widening.
Across the arena, Chihara watched Sasuke intently. He could see the struggle in the Uchiha's eyes—the internal conflict. But Chihara wasn't about to let up. If Sasuke couldn't match him in skill, then this fight would end quickly.
Without a word, Chihara rushed forward, closing the distance between them in an instant. He brought his Kubikiribōchō down with a devastating swing, aiming to end the fight in one blow. Sasuke's eyes widened in shock—there was no time to dodge.
At the last second, Sasuke twisted his body, his kunai barely managing to deflect the blow. But the force behind Chihara's attack was too much. The impact sent shockwaves through Sasuke's arm, and he stumbled backward, his feet struggling to find purchase on the ground.
Chihara didn't give him a moment to recover. He pressed forward, his blade coming at Sasuke again and again, each strike heavier than the last. Sasuke was forced to retreat, parrying and dodging desperately, but it was clear he was being pushed to his limit.
"You're done, Uchiha," Chihara said, his voice calm but carrying an edge of finality. He could feel the fight tipping in his favor.
Sasuke's breath was ragged, his body battered from the relentless assault. His Sharingan flickered, struggling to keep up with the speed and ferocity of Chihara's attacks. The crowd watched in stunned silence as Chihara continued to dominate the battle.
'I need more power...' Sasuke thought desperately. His hand unconsciously reached for the cursed mark on his neck, his fingers brushing against the faint outline of it. The dark energy within stirred, tempting him, whispering promises of strength.
But even as Sasuke's thoughts drifted to the cursed mark, Chihara was already moving to end the fight. With a sudden burst of speed, he closed the gap, swinging his blade with deadly precision.
Sasuke's eyes widened. 'Too fast!'
In a desperate attempt, Sasuke leaped backward, but Chihara's blade caught him just before he could fully escape. The edge of the Kubikiribōchō sliced through his shirt, grazing his chest and drawing blood.
Sasuke staggered, clutching the wound as he fell to one knee. His breath came in short, shallow gasps as he stared up at Chihara. He stood tall, his expression cold and unwavering.
"This fight's over," Chihara said.
Chihara stood poised, Kubikiribōchō raised for the final strike, confident that Sasuke was on the verge of defeat. The battle had been one-sided, with Sasuke barely able to keep up. But as he brought his sword down, something shifted.
Sasuke's eyes flared red, and Chihara froze mid-strike, his senses immediately going on high alert. The familiar pattern of the Sharingan flickered before Chihara's gaze, but this time it was different. Sasuke's eyes, once two-tomoe, had transformed. The third tomoe spun into place, locking into the full power of the Sharingan.
Chihara's brows furrowed. 'So he's finally awakened it.'
In an instant, Sasuke was back on his feet, his movements now sharper, faster, and more precise. Chihara swung his sword again, aiming for Sasuke's midsection, but this time, Sasuke's Sharingan saw through it. He sidestepped with ease, his eyes predicting the arc of the blade with perfect clarity.
Chihara's eyes narrowed as Sasuke moved faster than he had before. He watched as Sasuke weaved in and out of his range, the Uchiha now moving with newfound confidence.
Sasuke darted forward, faster than before, weaving through Chihara's guard with precision. The Uchiha's newfound awareness allowed him to anticipate each of Chihara's moves. Sasuke launched a series of swift punches and kicks, his strikes now calculated, almost mechanical in their precision.
Chihara smirked, blocking and deflecting Sasuke's attacks with his blade. 'So, this is the full power of the Sharingan...' Chihara thought, his own Ketsuryūgan flaring as he tried to read Sasuke's chakra flow. But the Uchiha's movements were now harder to read.
Before Chihara could counter, Sasuke leaped back, creating distance between them. The look in Sasuke's eyes had changed—gone was the frustration, replaced by cold determination. He was no longer fighting just to survive; he was fighting to win.
Sasuke didn't waste a second. Without warning, he hurled a barrage of shuriken at Chihara, his eyes tracking every movement. Chihara swung his sword, deflecting the projectiles with ease, but Sasuke was already in motion again.
This time, Sasuke moved in close, aiming for Chihara's blind spots with rapid taijutsu. Chihara barely managed to block, his body reacting on instinct, but Sasuke's relentless assault was proving difficult to fend off.
Chihara jumped back, his eyes narrowing as he realized it was time to stop let loose a little.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!" Chihara responded, his hands weaving through a series of signs. He exhaled a massive sphere of flame, colliding with Sasuke's attack in a fiery explosion. The two techniques met in the center of the arena, creating a wall of fire that separated the two combatants.
Through the haze of flames, Chihara could see Sasuke charging once more, his Sharingan still locked onto every movement. Chihara raised his hand, forming another set of signs. This time, he planned to overwhelm Sasuke with sheer firepower.
"Fire Release: Dragon Flame Jutsu!" Chihara roared, sending a massive, serpentine stream of fire toward Sasuke, its roar filling the room. The fire twisted and coiled, homing in on Sasuke with a ferocity that mirrored Chihara's growing intensity.
But Sasuke was ready.
He moved swiftly, his Sharingan spinning as he read the flow of Chihara's chakra. In an instant, he performed the Fire Release: Dragon Flame Jutsu as well, meeting Chihara's attack head-on. The two dragon-like torrents of fire clashed, spiraling around one another in a fiery dance that engulfed the arena in heat and light.
Chihara pushed more chakra into his attack, feeling the intensity of the battle heightening. Sasuke matched him, his Uchiha heritage fueling the flames as both genin poured everything they had into their techniques.
But Chihara was far from finished.
He suddenly halted his jutsu and moved with incredible speed, disappearing from his position and reappearing directly behind Sasuke. His Kubikiribōchō came down with lethal precision, aiming to end the fight in one decisive strike.
Sasuke's Sharingan flared, catching the movement at the last second. He ducked low, rolling away as the massive blade cleaved into the ground where he had been standing moments before. Dust and debris flew into the air, but Sasuke was already on the move again.
With a flick of his wrist, Sasuke hurled several shuriken, each one aimed with deadly accuracy. Chihara dodged them effortlessly, but he quickly realized that they weren't ordinary shuriken. Attached to them were thin wires—Sasuke's trap.
In a swift motion, Sasuke pulled the wires taut, surrounding Chihara in a net of razor-sharp steel. Chihara's eyes widened slightly as the wires tightened around him, but he didn't panic. Instead, his Ketsuryūgan glowed with power, reading the flow of Sasuke's chakra through the wires.
With a quick burst of strength, Chihara swung his Kubikiribōchō in a wide arc, severing the wires and freeing himself from the trap. But Sasuke was already moving again.
He appeared in front of Chihara, his Sharingan locked onto his target. "Fire Release: Great Fireball Jutsu!" Sasuke unleashed another massive fireball at point-blank range.
Chihara's eyes narrowed as he formed his own hand signs with blinding speed. "Fire Release: Flame Bullet!"
A stream of liquid fire shot from Chihara's mouth, meeting Sasuke's fireball head-on. The two fire-based attacks collided, exploding in a burst of flames that engulfed the entire arena. The heat was overwhelming, forcing the other genin watching to step back.
When the smoke cleared, both Chihara and Sasuke stood their ground, their eyes locked onto each other. The tension between them was palpable.
Chihara's blade swung with deadly precision, each strike forcing Sasuke further into retreat. The weight of the Kubikiribōchō, combined with the raw strength behind Chihara's attacks, left Sasuke no room to breathe. Each slash came faster, more ferocious, and despite his fully awakened Sharingan, Sasuke struggled to keep pace over time as the drain to his already low chakra reserves from his eyes wasn't small.
Chihara's Ketsuryūgan gleamed as he read the flow of Sasuke's chakra, sensing his desperation. 'He's getting tired', Chihara thought as he pressed forward, landing a sharp kick to Sasuke's ribs that sent him skidding back across the stone floor.
Sasuke grit his teeth, his body aching from the relentless onslaught. His breaths were ragged, his chest heaving as he struggled to stay upright. The Sharingan, his ultimate weapon, wasn't enough. He couldn't match Chihara's sheer power. Every time Sasuke thought he had an opening, Chihara would counter with even more force, his relentless aggression leaving no room for error.
'Why can't I beat him?' Sasuke's mind raced. His fists clenched, frustration boiling inside him. 'If I can't even defeat Chihara… how am I ever going to kill that man?'
That man—Itachi—the thought of his older brother brought a wave of fury crashing through Sasuke. 'I need more power! I have to surpass him!'
As if in response to his thoughts, a sharp, searing pain flared at the base of Sasuke's neck. He gasped, reaching instinctively for the mark, but it was too late. The cursed seal burned to life, black flame-like markings spreading rapidly across his skin, spiraling out from the bite mark Orochimaru had left. His chakra surged, a massive influx of power coursing through his body, causing the air around him to vibrate with intensity.
Chihara stopped in his tracks, his eyes narrowing as he felt the sudden shift in Sasuke's chakra. The oppressive energy washed over him, far darker than before. 'Another power-up? Really?' Chihara thought, a mixture of annoyance and intrigue flashing across his face. He watched as the black marks twisted up Sasuke's skin, his aura swelling with newfound strength.
Sasuke stood straighter, his eyes glowing with a malevolent red under the influence of the curse. His body trembled, not from exhaustion, but from the overwhelming power now coursing through him. The pain was immense, but the strength that came with it... it was intoxicating.
Chihara gripped his sword tighter. 'This is getting old.' he thought.
Without warning, Sasuke vanished, his speed now blinding. Chihara barely had time to react as Sasuke appeared directly in front of him, his fist glowing with chakra-enhanced power. The punch connected with Chihara's gut, sending him flying backward, skidding across the ground before slamming into the arena wall. The impact cracked the stone behind him, dust billowing into the air.
Chihara grunted, wiping blood from the corner of his mouth as he stood, still holding his sword. His expression remained calm, though his mind was racing. 'He got faster… much faster.'
Sasuke's cursed seal writhed on his body, the black marks now fully spread across his skin. He stood tall, breathing heavily but clearly energized by the curse's influence. His Sharingan spun rapidly, his gaze locked on Chihara with a new intensity, like a predator finally unleashed.
"You're not the only one with power," Sasuke muttered, his voice low, dark. The curse mark's influence had shifted his entire demeanor. His desperation had turned into something far more dangerous.
Chihara clicked his tongue, his usual stoic demeanor cracking for a moment. "Great. That's just what I needed," he muttered sarcastically. His eyes narrowed, but instead of meeting Sasuke's increased power with brute strength, he decided it was time to reveal something new.
With a swift motion, Chihara bit his thumb, letting the blood flow freely. He guided the crimson liquid over the edge of the Kubikiribōchō, his Ketsuryūgan glowing faintly as he manipulated the blood with precise control. The blood seeped into the blade's edge, and slowly, Chihara began chipping away at the sword, shrinking it little by little. The heavy, massive weapon began to change form, slimming down with each slice of blood-chakra manipulation until it resembled a sleek, deadly katana. The blade retained its long handle, but its new, refined form shimmered with sharp efficiency.
The weight difference was immediate. Chihara spun the blade in his hand, feeling the speed and agility now at his disposal. He smirked, relishing the newfound freedom of movement.
Without warning, Sasuke charged at him again, his curse-marked body glowing with dark chakra, but this time, Chihara moved faster. Much faster. He vanished from sight, reappearing in a blur just as Sasuke's fist met nothing but air. Sasuke's eyes widened in shock, his Sharingan barely tracking the blur of Chihara's new movements.
Chihara swung his transformed katana with terrifying speed, aiming for Sasuke's exposed side. Sasuke managed to twist away at the last second, but Chihara was already on him again, his blade whistling through the air with lethal intent. Sasuke tried blocking with his kunai, but the force of the blade sliced straight through it.