As the conversation ended, Sasuke approached Ikki.
Sasuke: "Fight me."
Ikki: "Don't wanna."
Sasuke: "Why not?"
Ikki: "It's just a drag."
Kakashi: "Fight him, and I'll help you."
Ikki: "Still don't wanna. Chikako, you're up."
Chikako: "Don't wanna. It's just a drag. Hinari, your turn."
Hinari: "Don't wanna. It's just a drag."
Kakashi was stunned by this. So was the entire Team 7.
Naruto: "Big bro, why aren't you fighting? I wanna fight too!"
Ikki: "You learned Tajuu Kage Bunshin no Jutsu (Multiple Shadow Clone Technique), right?"
Naruto nodded.
Ikki: "Then I'm definitely not fighting you. I'm leaving."
Hayate: "Stop. Fight these kids. Actually, the three of you are going to participate in the Chūnin Exams. You need to learn how to control your strength."
Ikki looked dejected. Sasuke, on the other hand, got even more fired up.
Sasuke: "As if I'd lose."
Ikki (to Hayate): "Why are you even riling him up?"
Hayate: "That wasn't my intention."
Ikki sighed and gave up on the situation. He summoned a bokutō from his ring. Over the past two years, he had already decided to slowly reveal his ring's secret to others, but this was the first time he showed it in front of Kakashi. He knew Kakashi would report it to the Third Hokage.
Sasuke: "What's that? A wooden sword? Fight me with your real one!"
Ikki gave Sasuke a look.
Ikki: "Kid, I'm going to teach you three lessons today. First—don't pick a fight with someone you know is much stronger than you."
Sasuke: "What?"
Kakashi: "Ikki doesn't need to take this seriously—you do, Sasuke. Ikki is the top favorite to win this year's Chūnin Exams."
Sasuke was stunned hearing that. But his ego was bigger than his sense. Of course, his confidence mostly relied on his Sharingan.
Ikki: "You first, Uchiha. Come at me with full force."
As if on cue, everyone cleared the area. Kakashi stepped in as the referee.
Kakashi: "Begin!"
As soon as the match started, Sasuke jumped back to create distance. He pulled two shuriken from his pouch and hurled them at Ikki's head. Ikki stood still, watching him. He didn't even blink. As the shuriken approached, two swift slashes with his bokutō deflected them to the ground. He had struck both from above to knock them downward.
But during that moment, Sasuke vanished from his field of view. A second later, three more shuriken came from behind.
Ikki: "Typical."
Once they entered his strike range, three quick slashes—three more shuriken hit the dirt. One thing became very clear: Ikki hadn't moved a single step. He was still facing Sasuke's original position.
Sasuke: What...?
Ikki: "Are you just going to keep throwing shuriken?"
Sasuke was stunned, but he continued. He threw two shuriken at different angles, intentionally missing. Then a moment later, he threw two more with extra force—these hit the previous ones and redirected them toward Ikki's head.
Again—two clean deflections.
Ikki: "You should switch to close combat now."
Sasuke stared in disbelief.
Sasuke (thinking): Does he have a dōjutsu?
Sakura and Naruto thought the same.
Sakura: "Does this senior have a dōjutsu? Like Sasuke?"
Naruto: "Does he?!"
Kakashi: "No, Ikki doesn't have a dōjutsu. He's just that good. He created a technique called Kenbunshoku no Haki. It lets him sense intent in his surroundings."
Sakura: "That's just a technique. Sasuke-kun has the Sharingan. He'll win!"
Hayate: "That's impossible. Ikki's on another level."
Kakashi: "Agreed."
Sakura: "No! Sasuke-kun will win!"
Neither Kakashi nor Hayate argued with her. Seeing is believing.
Sasuke rushed in from behind with a kunai in hand. A single swing of Ikki's bokutō blasted Sasuke—and his kunai—backward. While flying through the air, Sasuke began forming hand seals and launched a Fireball Jutsu at Ikki.
But again, same result. Ikki infused chakra into his bokutō and sliced through the fireball.
Sakura and Naruto were stunned. Even Sasuke froze.
For the first time, Ikki turned to face him.
Ikki: "You can use your Sharingan now, if you want."
Sasuke: "As you wish."
Sasuke activated his Sharingan.
Ikki: "Two tomoe, huh?"
He looked Sasuke straight in the eye.
Sasuke (thinking): What's he doing? Doesn't he know about the Sharingan and Genjutsu?
Sasuke didn't waste time. He activated a Genjutsu with his Sharingan.
Ikki was momentarily dazed—but then he blinked, and it was gone.
Ikki: "Nice. Your Genjutsu has a quite kick to it."
Sasuke: "Is this a joke? Why doesn't it work on you?"
Ikki: "Let's talk about that later. For now—let's fight."
--------------------------------------------------
If you're enjoying the story and want to support my writing...
Creating this world and bringing these characters to life takes time and love. If you'd like to help me keep going, consider buying me a coffee or leaving a tip—only if you feel like it! 💛
No pressure at all—your reads, comments, and love mean the world to me. Thank you for being here. 🙏
https://ko-fi.com/dhavalmistry