Tongtian — the pinnacle of Fū-based power.
The so-called Fū, or "talisman, " was an ancient form of sorcery. By drawing symbols and sigils upon paper, one could unleash mysterious powers. And this method of constructing energy wasn't all that different from Kido or ninjutsu — they all relied on structure, control, and energy flow.
But Tongtian represented mastery over the talisman arts taken to its extreme. Ordinary practitioners would need hours of painstaking inscription to form a single powerful seal. Someone who had mastered Tongtian, however, could produce such seals with a mere gesture— countless sigils in moments, with practically no delay between activations.
Applied to the worlds of Kido and ninjutsu, Tongtian meant instant, limitless casting— a level of speed where incantation and hand signs ceased to exist.
Of course, Naruto knew he wasn't there yet. He still needed to study more ninjutsu and deepen his understanding of various techniques. Tongtian was something he would definitely master in the future— just not now. Naruto preferred to wait until every condition was ripe, then take one perfect step forward.
While Naruto immersed himself in his own training, on the other side of the village, Uchiha Sasuke, still smarting from his defeat, was pushing himself through grueling self-discipline.
He trained his body tirelessly, refined his taijutsu to eliminate wasted movements, and honed his shuriken skills with obsessive precision. He was no longer the same boy from the forest exercise.
And on this day, full of confidence, Sasuke intercepted Naruto on the road home from the Academy.
"I want to challenge you! " "Uzumaki Naruto! "
He stood there, expression cold, eyes sharp with unbending resolve— the kind of look that said he wouldn't leave unless Naruto accepted.
Naruto blinked, bemused. Eh? What's gotten into the Second Pillar this time? The sky hadn't darkened, the weather hadn't changed— and yet, here he was, full of fighting spirit again.
Naruto scratched his head. Seeing that Sasuke wouldn't give up, he sighed and nodded. Fine—if the kid wanted a beating, he'd oblige him. Besides, giving Sasuke a few pointers wasn't exactly a bad thing.
Sasuke's lips curled slightly; he smirked in triumph. He'd prepared well for this day. This time, he'd win.
A short while later, the two of them arrived at one of Konoha's empty training fields. It was evening—families were home eating dinner, so there were no passersby or ninja to interrupt them.
Two boys stood facing each other beneath the orange glow of dusk. Both orphans now—one whose father died protecting the village, the other who had slain his own clan's murderer yet still bore the burden of loneliness.
Meanwhile, in the Hokage's Office, Third Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen had intended to check in on Naruto with his crystal ball, only to spot Sasuke standing opposite him.
A duel?
The old man's interest was immediately piqued. He decided to delay his paperwork and watch the match.
Naruto and Sasuke faced each other squarely. Naruto smiled faintly. "Come on, then, " he said. "Show me how much you've improved since last time. "
Sasuke snorted coldly and burst forward without hesitation.
Tap-tap-tap! His footsteps were sharp and fast. As he ran, he pulled shuriken from his pouch and hurled them in a dazzling spread.
Naruto didn't even flinch. He casually drew a few kunai and parried them one by one with precise deflections.
In that instant, Sasuke used the barrage as cover, closing in and launching a smooth combo of Uchiha-style taijutsu.
Naruto blocked every strike effortlessly. Though the style was similar to their last spar, this time Sasuke's attacks carried more strength and polish.
If it weren't against him, Naruto thought, Sasuke truly would be a prodigy— as expected of the Second Pillar.
Still, sentiment aside, Naruto didn't hold back. He caught a tiny flaw in Sasuke's movement and delivered a clean, sharp kick—
Only for Sasuke's body to burst into a puff of smoke.
A Substitution Jutsu? Or perhaps a Clone Jutsu?
Naruto raised a brow, mildly surprised.
At that moment, one of the shuriken embedded in the ground where Naruto had deflected earlier suddenly exploded into smoke— revealing the real Sasuke!
"Got you! "
Naruto, seemingly distracted, stood completely open. Sasuke lunged in with a swift combination of taijutsu.
But his first strike landed on thin air— Naruto's body vanished in smoke, leaving a wooden log in his place.
"When—? !" Sasuke's eyes widened. He couldn't believe Naruto had used Substitution Jutsu that fast, right under his nose.
The truth was simple: with Naruto's extraordinary perception and lightning-fast mental processing, even if he couldn't see through Sasuke's feint, his sheer reflexes were enough to counter it.
A heartbeat later, Naruto appeared behind him and kicked him clean off his feet.
"Ah, that was close, " Naruto said casually, his tone mild as ever.
Up in the Hokage's Office, Sarutobi Hiruzen smiled approvingly at the boy's refined technique and experience.
Meanwhile, Sasuke, frustrated by his failed feint, clenched his teeth. Still airborne, he formed hand seals rapidly.
Swish!
Chakra surged through his chest as he took a deep breath, lungs swelling.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique! "
A roaring fire burst from his mouth, expanding into a massive fireball that rushed down toward Naruto, the air itself shimmering with heat.
In the Hokage's Office, Hiruzen almost dropped his pipe. "Fire Release? ! In a duel? !" He hadn't expected Sasuke to actually use a fire jutsu here.
Though he trusted Naruto's abilities, he also knew the boy hadn't officially been taught any ninjutsu beyond the Three Basic Techniques. The thought gave him a headache.
But down in the field, Naruto stood unmoving. Even as the blazing inferno hurtled toward him, his expression remained perfectly calm.
"Fire Release, huh…" he murmured.
And as the Great Fireball was about to engulf him— Naruto simply threw a punch.
Just one punch.
BOOM!
The massive fireball shattered apart instantly, the flames scattering and vanishing like sparks blown out by a gale.
Sasuke froze midair, jaw dropping.
What the—? ! He'd spent weeks perfecting that technique, and Naruto had just… punched it away? !
Was this guy really human—or the demon fox the villagers whispered about? !
Even Sarutobi Hiruzen was stunned. Naruto's physical strength had already reached the point where he could disperse a Great Fireball Jutsu with a single strike.
"Could this be… the Nine-Tails' power? " the Third mused, pipe in hand, eyes narrowing thoughtfully.
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