This time, it was the Uchiha brothers of the Fourth Team.
Sasuke scowled, arms crossed. "Itachi, I can handle this alone."
He wanted to prove himself—to fight without standing in his brother's shadow.
Itachi merely smiled, lifting his right index finger and pressing it against Sasuke's forehead.
"Just this once, okay?" he said softly. "Otouto."
Sasuke froze, a shiver running down his spine. That familiar touch, that gentle tone—it made his throat tighten. For a split second, it felt like they were kids again. But he swallowed it down, forced himself to stay composed.
He turned away, masking the lump in his throat.
For the first time, the Uchiha brothers would fight side by side.
From above, Onoki watched them step onto the battlefield. He nodded in approval. Headbands, scroll pouches, gauntlets, leg guards, kunai holsters—their gear was exactly what he expected from disciplined shinobi.
Only one thing stood out: Sasuke carried an extra sword at his waist.
"Kazekage," Onoki huffed, crossing his arms. "I keep telling you—those mechanical puppets of yours lack the soul of a true shinobi."
Mufasa exhaled, unimpressed. "Right, right. No soul."
Onoki continued, "A real ninja relies on chakra and skill, not steel and wires. This—this is how shinobi are meant to fight."
He then frowned, realizing something. "Wait. Why are there only two of them?"
Mufasa. "Because I believe the two of them is more than enough."
Onoki's expression shifted as he clicked his tongue. But, he also saw an opportunity.
He stroked his beard, smirking. "Well, well, I won't say I didn't give you a chance. We agreed on twenty fighters. If you only brought two, that's on you."
Mufasa shrugged. "It's fine. I'll only sent one person last round."
Onoki's eyebrow twitched. "You… are you even human?"
He turned to his men. "Kitsuchi, Akatsuchi, Kurotsuchi—you're up. And the rest of you as well."
With a single command, a full squad of twenty elite Iwa-nin stepped forward.
They weren't holding back.
Kitsuchi led the team, Akatsuchi and Kurotsuchi right behind him. The moment the match started, they began their assault.
No explosions this time.
No mechanical warriors.
Just pure shinobi combat.
Kitsuchi surveyed the battlefield. "Ten of you, come with me. The other ten, follow Akatsuchi. Separate them."
He had fought enough battles to know that isolating enemies was the key to victory.
He locked eyes with Itachi. That calm, cold expression—the look of a killer.
"I'll take the older one," Kitsuchi said.
Akatsuchi nodded. "Understood."
In an instant, the Iwa-nin split into two teams, each targeting one brother.
Itachi watched them move. "They're trying to divide us."
Sasuke's Sharingan flared to life. "Good. That makes things easier."
Itachi smiled faintly. "Let's play a game from when we were kids."
Sasuke shot him a glance. "What game?"
"Let's see who finishes their opponents first."
A competitive glint flashed in Sasuke's eyes. "Fine. The slow one loses."
The moment the words left his mouth, they dashed forward—one to the left, one to the right.
The Iwa-nin hesitated for a moment.
"Wait, what—?"
Kitsuchi smirked. "Hmph. They're overconfident. Let's split up and crush them."
Both Iwa squads took off in pursuit.
Itachi moved swiftly through the trees, Kitsuchi hot on his trail. They exchanged the first round of kunai and shuriken—clashing steel ringing through the air.
Kitsuchi didn't wait. "Pin him down!"
His squad unleashed a barrage of Earth-style jutsu.
"Earth Style: Earth Flow Spears!"
Spikes of rock erupted beneath Itachi's feet.
"Earth Style: Rock Pillar Explosion!"
A stone column burst from the ground, aiming to trap him.
Boom!
The explosion sent debris flying.
Onoki chuckled. "Hah! Youngsters these days—too reckless. You shouldn't split up when you're outnumbered."
Then he went silent.
Because Itachi had vanished.
Where he had been standing—only a broken log remained.
"Substitution jutsu?!" Kitsuchi snapped his head around.
A flicker of movement.
"Fire Style: Dragon Flame Jutsu!"
A roaring dragon-shaped inferno descended upon them from above.
"Block it!" Kitsuchi shouted.
"Earth Style: Earth Wall!"
A massive rock barrier shot up, shielding them from the flames.
But Itachi was already moving again.
Another fire dragon formed in his hands.
Kitsuchi's eyes widened. "He's going to burn us out!"
He made a quick decision. "You, you, and you—come with me! The rest, hold him here!"
He dove underground.
"Earth Style: Underground Projection Fish!"
They burrowed beneath the battlefield, aiming to catch Itachi by surprise.
Except for the defensive ones, the rest started to attack one after another.
"Earth Style: Landslide!"
One of the Iwa-nin struck the ground with his fist, causing it to shatter into a flood of loose sand, surging toward Itachi like a tidal wave.
"Earth Style: Rock Pillar Spears!"
Jagged spikes of earth shot upward, aiming to impale him.
The combined barrage of earth techniques forced Itachi to weave between attacks, his Sharingan tracking every movement. He flickered across the battlefield, dodging through gaps, fire jutsu forming at his fingertips.
"Fire Style: Phoenix Fire Jutsu!"
Small but precise fireballs shot from his mouth, arcing through the air like guided missiles, weaving through the earthen defenses before exploding on impact.
Kitsuchi and his men pressed on, refusing to let up.
"Earth Style: Grand Boulder Press!"
A giant slab of rock loomed overhead, threatening to crush him.
Itachi remained still, calculating. Then, at the last second—
He vanished.
And reappeared behind them.
The red glow of his Sharingan pulsed.
"Too slow."
Uchiha Itachi slowed his pace, his sharp gaze scanning the battlefield.
Kitsuchi reacted swiftly, forming hand seals. "Earth Style: Earth Coffin!" Massive rock formations rose from all sides, closing in like a crushing vice.
But Itachi remained calm.
His eyes flickered as his body dissolved into a swarm of crows, scattering into the air with a flurry of black feathers. "Crow Clone Jutsu."
Kitsuchi and the other Iwa-nin hesitated, their eyes darting around for the real target.
A single crow swooped low behind them. In a flash, Itachi materialized, forming quick hand seals.
"Fire Style: Dragon Flame Jutsu!"
A massive stream of fire shaped like a serpent erupted, roaring toward the Iwa-nin. Flames coiled and lashed out, forcing them to scatter. Some hastily raised earth barriers to defend themselves.
Onoki scoffed. "Tch. All you Uchiha ever do is spit fire. Is that all you've got?"
The Iwa-nin regrouped, standing together to counter the attack. The combined effort rendered the fire ineffective against their defenses.
Mufasa crossed his arms. "Didn't you say they have souls? This just looks like a normal ninjutsu battle."
Onoki rolled his eyes. "Hmph! Let's see whose chakra runs out first."
Mufasa chuckled. If Itachi were serious, he could end this fight instantly—with Genjutsu, Tsukuyomi, or even Susanoo. But he was toying with them, treating this like the sparring match it was.
Meanwhile, Sasuke found himself struggling. He lacked Itachi's battle experience, and the constant barrage of earth spikes and explosive traps kept him on edge. At one point, he misstepped, and a volley of stone spears shot up from the ground beneath him.
With no other choice, he activated the second stage of his Cursed Seal. Black markings spread across his skin, and wings sprouted from his back.
He took to the sky.
Kurotsuchi wasn't about to let him escape. "Akatsuchi, get me up there!"
Akatsuchi slammed his hands onto the ground, summoning a towering rock golem that lifted Kurotsuchi toward Sasuke.
"Lava Style: Quicklime Jutsu!" Kurotsuchi spewed a sticky lime substance that hardened on contact. If she could trap him, he'd be an easy target.
Sasuke responded in kind, drawing his sword. "Electrify everyone , Raiken!"
Lightning crackled along the blade. He thrust forward, unleashing a piercing Chidori-infused lightning spear. "Chidori Spear!"
The electrified attack shot through the air, but the quicklime barely reacted. It cracked in some areas but continued advancing toward him.
Tsk. Annoying.
Sasuke flapped his wings, dodging rapidly, but Akatsuchi's golem pursued with heavy strides. Kurotsuchi manipulated the quicklime into a massive arm that lunged at Sasuke.
It caught his wing.
Kurotsuchi smirked. "Explode!"
The quicklime detonated, splattering across Sasuke's wings. The weight dragged him down, his balance faltering as he spiraled toward the ground.
Onoki chuckled. "See? Flight doesn't mean much when you can't control it."
Mufasa raised a brow. "I wouldn't celebrate yet."
As Sasuke struggled, a crow flew toward him.
With a puff of smoke, the crow transformed—into Itachi.
Before Sasuke could react, Itachi grabbed his ankle. "Go up."
With a flick, he launched Sasuke higher into the sky, clearing the battlefield below.
Sasuke stared down, eyes wide. "Itachi…"
Itachi gave him a faint smile before plummeting toward the waiting Iwa-nin.
"Earth Style: Rock Pillar Prison!" Stone columns rose around Itachi, trapping him in an unbreakable cage.
"Earth Style: Earth Flow River!" Eight Iwa-nin unleashed a massive mudslide, a tidal wave of rock and dirt surging toward the trapped Uchiha.
The battlefield shook as the landslide swallowed Itachi whole.
Silence followed.
Near the edge of the battlefield, Kisame sat comfortably under a tree, watching the spectacle. He grinned, sharp teeth gleaming. "Heh. You sure you're okay with this, Itachi-san?"
Itachi, standing beside him, coughed lightly. "I'm sick."
Kisame chuckled. "Right. And I suppose that's why you're leaving it to Sasuke, huh?"
Itachi gazed upward at his brother, who hovered above the battlefield, wings outstretched.
Sasuke clenched his fist, withdrawing from the Cursed Seal's influence. The markings receded as his voice echoed through the battlefield, calm yet powerful.
"Thunder is my voice."
Lightning surged around him.
"Electricity is my blade."
His sword hummed with raw power.
"Raiken: Raijin-no-Zangeke."
A massive arc of lightning split the sky.
_______________________________
Word count: 1595
Comment below on what you think so far.
Also, if you're interested in reading some advanced chapters, you can support me on my patreon.
patreon.com/Rai_jin
Thanks for reading guys.