"Jerk!"
Sasuke, fuming at Kazama's mockery, launched a flurry of attacks.
"So cool! Go, Sasuke-sama!"
The girls below thought Sasuke had the upper hand, cheering and clapping wildly.
Ding! "Successfully absorbed taijutsu Kagebuyo (Shadow of the Dancing Leaf). Congratulations, host, on obtaining the upgraded version: Shishi Rendan (Lion Combo)!"
"Here we go!"
With a loud shout, Kazama countered Sasuke's assault.
"No way! Kazama, that dead-last, took a full taijutsu combo from Sasuke and he's fine?"
"Yeah, and he's got the guts to fight back? Did Kazama eat something weird today or what? Since when is he this bold?"
"Bold or not, a dead-last is a dead-last. He's just gonna lose even harder!"
Everyone thought Kazama's counterattack was like a moth to a flame—pure overconfidence.
But then, out of nowhere, Kazama unleashed a taijutsu move far more impressive than Sasuke's.
The so-called genius Sasuke was getting completely overwhelmed by the "dead-last" Kazama, with no chance to fight back.
In the end, Kazama sent Sasuke crashing to the ground with a heavy blow.
"No way! Am I seeing things?"
"Kazama, the dead-last, actually knocked Sasuke down?!"
The crowd couldn't believe their eyes, and neither could Sasuke, sprawled out on the ground, his face full of shock.
He'd felt Kazama's raw power firsthand—those attacks were no joke.
Sasuke wasn't just battered and bruised from the Shishi Rendan. His whole body felt like it was burning.
That was the extra damage from Kazama's Flame, courtesy of the System.
Every ninjutsu and taijutsu Kazama used now carried the searing power of the Flame.
And this was Kazama holding back. If he hadn't, Sasuke would be spending the rest of his life in Konoha Hospital.
Ding! "Host successfully used taijutsu Shishi Rendan for the first time!"
Ding! "Congratulations, host, on obtaining Super Perception! You can now sense any movement within a 500-ri radius!"
"Super Perception?"
Hearing the system's words, Kazama felt his senses sharpen hundreds of times over.
He could even pick up on two jonin lurking in the distance.
Kazama's heightened senses told him these were Danzo's lackeys—Root ninja.
It turned out Danzo, after learning Kazama had taken out three of his men, was too curious about how Kazama had suddenly become so strong.
So, he sent more goons to capture Kazama and bring him in.
Just as Kazama was about to deal with these Root ninja, he heard Sasuke's furious roar.
"No way! This can't be happening! How could I lose to a dead-last?!"
Humiliated and enraged, Sasuke started forming hand signs.
"Oh no! Those seals…!"
Iruka, watching from below, felt his heart skip a beat.
He recognized the hand signs as the ones used for the Uchiha clan's signature Katon (Fire Release) techniques.
Iruka never imagined a kid like Sasuke, who hadn't even graduated from the Ninja Academy, could pull off a Katon.
He rushed to stop it, but it was too late.
"Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu!" (Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique)
"What?! Sasuke can use Katon?!"
"Kazama's done for! The Uchiha clan's Katon is crazy strong!"
The crowd was sure Kazama was toast against Sasuke's Goukakyuu no Jutsu.
But what happened next blew everyone's minds.
Kazama unleashed his own Katon—one far stronger than Sasuke's.
"Katon: Karyuu Endan!" (Fire Release: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet)
Kazama's Flame-enhanced Karyuu Endan roared to life.
Three blazing fire dragons surged forward, instantly reducing Sasuke's fireball to nothing.
And they didn't stop there—they barreled straight toward Sasuke with unstoppable force.