"Sharpening stones!"
Tōsu's face twisted with fury. He, Zaku, and Kin had served Orochimaru with unwavering loyalty, dedicating themselves to countless missions for the sake of Otogakure. Yet here they were, discarded as tools to fuel Uchiha Sasuke's growth. The realization cut deeper than any blade.
"To think Orochimaru would use us like this…" Tōsu growled, hatred boiling in his chest. "Doesn't he fear that we sharpening stones might grind Uchiha Sasuke's blade dull?"
"You're distracted," came Sasuke's icy voice, interrupting Tōsu's thoughts.
Tōsu snapped back to reality, but it was too late. Sasuke had already closed the gap between them, taking a deliberate step forward. The aura he exuded forced Tōsu to take two steps back, sweat breaking out on his forehead.
"An opening!" Zaku shouted from behind Sasuke, his eyes gleaming with opportunity. Wielding a kunai, he lunged forward, aiming directly for Sasuke's throat.
"Sasuke, don't!" Tōsu shouted, his instincts screaming danger. But Zaku ignored him, his confidence blinding him to the trap he was walking into.
"I've been waiting for this," Sasuke said with a cold sneer. His Sharingan spun, reading Zaku's movements effortlessly. With precise timing, Sasuke leaned back, letting the kunai miss by a hair's breadth. Then, with a quick strike, his hand connected with Zaku's wrist, forcing the weapon from his grasp.
"Argh!" Zaku cried out in pain, stumbling back as he cradled his injured wrist. His face twisted in agony, his dominant hand now useless.
In a matter of moments, Sasuke had completely disarmed and incapacitated Zaku. The air grew thick with tension as Sasuke stood over his opponent, his crimson eyes cold and unrelenting.
From outside the ruined cave, Rock Lee watched intently, his arms crossed. He nodded to himself, impressed.
"The transformation is undeniable," Lee murmured. "The Sasuke of yesterday would never have been able to handle this so efficiently."
Beside him, Haruno Sakura was transfixed, her fear and worry slowly replaced by awe. "Sasuke…" she whispered. Relief washed over her as she saw him holding his own, but there was a flicker of unease in her eyes as well.
Inside the cave, Tōsu's mind raced. His muscles tensed as he analyzed the situation. "He's stronger than I expected," Tōsu admitted silently, his fists clenched. But he wasn't one to retreat from a challenge. He took a step forward, his right arm covered in strange metallic bands that gleamed ominously.
"Let's see how you handle this," Tōsu sneered. Swinging his metallic arm, he aimed a crushing blow at Sasuke, the air around his fist whistling with force.
But Sasuke didn't flinch. His Sharingan read Tōsu's movements like an open book. With a swift push of his feet, Sasuke dodged to the side, evading the attack effortlessly.
"Afraid to face me head-on?" Tōsu taunted, a smirk curling his lips.
"Your moves are strange. I'd be a fool to meet them directly," Sasuke replied coldly, his eyes narrowing. He had seen Tōsu's abilities during the earlier battle with Kabuto. Even attacks that seemed to miss had rendered Kabuto momentarily powerless.
"It's sound…" Sasuke thought, his mind sharp and calculating. "His attacks carry some kind of vibration. I can't let him get too close."
Tōsu lunged again, but this time, Sasuke didn't retreat. Forming hand seals with practiced precision, he called out, "Fire Style! Phoenix Fire Jutsu!"
A barrage of flaming projectiles shot from Sasuke's mouth, filling the cave with heat and light. Tōsu dodged frantically, his smirk replaced with a grimace as he narrowly avoided the flames.
"Thōsu, move aside! Let me handle this!" Zaku's voice rang out, his palms aimed at Sasuke.
Sasuke's Sharingan narrowed as he caught sight of the strange apparatus in Zaku's hands.
"Wind Style! Decapitating Airwaves!" Zaku roared.
A massive gust of wind exploded from his palms, tearing through the cave and sending rocks and debris flying in all directions. The cave walls groaned under the pressure before crumbling entirely, creating a storm of dust and rubble.
From the forest outside, Lee saw the blast tear through the cave. Without hesitation, he scooped Sakura into his arms and leapt to safety, landing gracefully in a clearing away from the chaos.
"Thank you…" Sakura murmured, her cheeks flushing as Lee set her down. She turned back toward the cave, her eyes wide with fear. "Sasuke! Sasuke!"
"Calm yourself," Lee said evenly. "They're both fine."
"How can you be so sure?" Sakura asked, her voice trembling.
Lee's gaze remained fixed on the smoke-filled ruins of the cave. "If you can't sense it, then watch closely. You'll see for yourself."
Inside the wreckage of the cave, Zaku laughed maniacally. "Blasted to bits! No one could survive that!"
"You're wrong."
The chilling voice sent a shiver down Zaku's spine. He turned to see Sasuke standing amidst the debris, completely unscathed. Not far away, Naruto lay unconscious but unharmed.
"How…" Zaku whispered, his confidence shattering.
Sasuke moved like lightning. In the blink of an eye, he was in front of Zaku. With a powerful punch, he sent Zaku sprawling, blood streaming from his nose.
Sasuke didn't stop. Grabbing Zaku's arms, he placed a foot on the ninja's back and yanked mercilessly.
"Crack! Crack!"
Zaku's agonized screams echoed through the forest as both his arms snapped under Sasuke's unrelenting grip. Sasuke tossed the broken enemy aside like a discarded toy, his crimson Sharingan gleaming with cold satisfaction.
Lee, watching from the treeline, nodded solemnly. "It's not just his body that's changed. Even his mind has transformed. This is a different Sasuke than the one we knew."
Sakura stared in shock, her heart twisting in confusion and fear. Was this truly the Sasuke she had admired for so long?
"Sasuke…"
Suddenly, Sasuke turned toward the forest, his gaze locking onto Lee. "Rock Lee," he called out, his voice steady and commanding. "I want to fight you again."
Lee stepped forward, his expression calm but resolute. "Are you sure about that? Your newfound confidence might not hold up when tested."
Sasuke's smirk returned, cold and sharp. "We'll see."