In Konoha Village, the moonlight was like water.
Sasuke lay quietly on his bed, his eyes fixed on the ceiling, waves of emotion surging within him.
Tomorrow would be a decisive day for him—not only a test of his personal strength, but also a stage to prove himself to everyone.
Recalling the time spent under Garp's guidance, the corners of Sasuke's mouth curled up unconsciously.
It was a pain akin to being crushed to the bone, leaving an indelible mark on his heart.
Yet it was precisely this kind of training that forged his current resilience and brought about a leap in his abilities—a priceless treasure beyond words.
"I will definitely be the first in this Chūnin Exam."
Sasuke silently vowed, his eyes shining with unprecedented determination.
He longed to use this exam to let the entire Konoha Village, and even the whole ninja world, witness the power of Uchiha Sasuke.
Just as he was lost in his vision of the future, Sasuke's attention was drawn to a flashing notification in the chat group.
Time seemed to lose its meaning in the group, as the flow of time differed between worlds.
Although Roy was now in the Naruto world and actually in Konoha Village, Sasuke knew that at this sensitive moment, too much contact with an unfamiliar face like Roy would only bring unnecessary trouble.
Thus, he had recently been keeping in touch with Roy through the chat group.
His thoughts drifting, Sasuke suddenly recalled a suggestion Roy had mentioned not long ago.
He quickly opened the private chat window with Tanjiro, feeling an eager impulse stir within him.
Sasuke was quite interested in the breathing techniques Tanjiro had mastered—a power system entirely different from ninjutsu. If he could integrate it into his own fighting skills, it would undoubtedly add considerable strength.
"If what Mr. Kizaru said is true, that this breathing technique would be immensely beneficial to me, then learning it is undoubtedly a wise choice."
Sasuke pondered to himself, but he also clearly recognized that his top priority now was to focus on preparing for the upcoming Chūnin Exam.
Training in a new power system required time and energy—both of which were scarce resources in his current life.
Therefore, Sasuke made a decision: at least until the Chūnin Exam was over, he would go all out and concentrate on honing his ninjutsu and the Six Powers.
As for learning the breathing technique, he would leave that until after the exam, when he had more free time and could explore it in depth.
The night deepened, and Sasuke slowly closed his eyes, his heart burning like a flame.
——
The next day arrived quickly.
The three members of Team 7 had all arrived at the exam venue early, the air thick with a mix of tension and excitement.
Sasuke stood to the side, his gaze occasionally drifting to Naruto, who was talking passionately and nonstop, chiming in with a word or two to banter with him.
However, a figure disrupted the balance.
It was a youth in a vivid green jumpsuit with thick eyebrows—Rock Lee. He approached Sasuke step by step, repeating, "Hard work surpasses talent. Only unrelenting effort can rise above all natural gifts."
At first, Sasuke thought it was nonsense, inwardly grumbling that this young man before him seemed a bit obsessive.
He scrutinized Lee; that striking green jumpsuit gleamed in the sunlight, looking particularly glaring. Sasuke couldn't help but wonder—dressed like that, this guy might truly be a bit off. For a moment, he didn't want to get entangled.
"What? Is the Uchiha genius afraid to face me head-on?"
But Lee's words made Sasuke, who had been about to turn away, stop in his tracks.
This had undoubtedly touched Sasuke's pride.
Sasuke thought to himself, deciding to teach this guy a lesson and make him understand that the gap in talent wasn't something effort could easily bridge.
Just as Sasuke was about to act, Naruto, feeling slighted at being ignored by Lee, shouted and was about to charge in. But in a flash, Lee moved, landing a clean side kick that sent Naruto flying. Everyone present was stunned.
"Seems you do have some skill." Sasuke's expression finally turned serious. He was beginning to realize that this opponent before him might not be as simple as he appeared.
Meanwhile, Sasuke secretly activated the live-stream feature in the chat group. After all, as a member, every livestream earned him valuable points.
Group members flooded into the stream, including Roy.
He watched the screen with interest, thinking to himself, "This was originally where Sasuke took his first real setback in the original story. I wonder how he'll handle it this time, with the help of the chat group?"
By now, Lee was completely fired up.
Right in front of him, he challenged Sasuke, determined to use his actions to prove to everyone that relentless effort far surpassed natural talent.
With this belief in his heart, he solemnly gave Sasuke a proper ninja salute, then quickly took a fighting stance.
Sasuke stood coldly still.
In the next blink, Lee turned into a gust of wind, vanishing from sight in an instant, leaving only a faint afterimage behind.
Immediately after, a vicious roundhouse kick came roaring toward Sasuke with incredible speed.
"So fast!" Naruto and Sakura, watching from the sidelines, gasped almost simultaneously, their faces filled with disbelief. Naruto clenched his fists nervously, realizing he could barely track Lee's ghostlike movements—a realization that stirred anxiety within him.
Yet, at this critical moment, Sasuke displayed the speed befitting a member of the Uchiha clan.
With an effortless dodge at an almost impossible angle, he calmly evaded Lee's powerful strike, his movements smooth and graceful.
"Amazing!" Sakura couldn't help but exclaim.
Meanwhile, Lee's teammates, Neji and Tenten, had also arrived. They too looked at Sasuke with surprise.
"Not done yet!" Unfazed by his initial attack missing its mark, Lee's fighting spirit flared even higher.
With a low growl, his speed surged again, and he became even faster.
Facing such a relentless, rapid assault, Sasuke's brow furrowed slightly. His eyes widened, and in an instant, a pair of gleaming double-tomoe Sharingan appeared.
"So this is the Uchiha clan's Sharingan?"
Lee recalled what Mighty Guy had taught him. Avoiding Sasuke's gaze, he pushed his speed even higher.
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