Naruto: Destroy the Sarutobi Clan At the Beginning

"Sasuke! Kabuto, hurry up."

Seeing blood oozing from Sasuke's eyes, Orochimaru looked distressed and quickly ordered Kabuto to check his condition.

If Sasuke went blind, all his efforts over the past three years would be wasted.

"Get away from me!" Sasuke shoved Kabuto aside and forced his eyes open. Though his vision was blurred by blood, he could still vaguely see Fujiwara Kirito's figure. In an instant, he drew the Kusanagi sword and slashed toward him.

"Stop, Sasuke!" Orochimaru shouted, seeing Sasuke recklessly trying to attack Kirito.

But Sasuke ignored him and swung his blade without hesitation.

"Don't worry, Orochimaru, I won't kill Sasuke." Kirito didn't even look at him. At the moment Sasuke struck, Kirito raised his right hand and extended his index finger.

A clear ding sounded.

The Kusanagi sword was caught by Kirito's index finger.

"How is this possible? Just one finger…" Sasuke's pupils widened as disbelief filled his face.

Though Orochimaru and Kabuto had already seen Kirito stop the Kusanagi sword with a single finger at the Tenchi Bridge, they were still shocked now. Kirito's strength had clearly grown beyond what it was three years ago—he had surpassed the limits of a ninja and entered a whole new realm.

As for Pakura, she was used to it. She stood calmly behind Kirito.

"Compared to three years ago, he's improved a lot. But his impulsiveness hasn't changed at all. He actually attacked me like that. Trying to get himself killed?"

Kirito slightly bent his index finger, pinching Sasuke's Kusanagi sword, and added with a smile, "With your skills, if you fought Dai, unless he let you win, you'd lose to a single genjutsu. Let me teach you a second lesson."

"Taijutsu. Never try to use Taijutsu against someone better than you—especially in swordsmanship. You've only played with swords for three years. In front of a real master, your swordplay is child's play."

"You bastard." Sasuke didn't scream like he had three years ago, nor did he lose his temper easily. While marveling at Kirito's overwhelming strength, he slightly raised the corners of his mouth, tightened his grip on the Kusanagi sword, and infused it with lightning chakra.

A powerful electric current wrapped around the blade in an instant—this was the Chidori Blade, capable of slicing through kunai with ease and paralyzing the target it struck.

But it was useless against Kirito.

The Chidori Blade, which could cut through steel, was still stuck on Kirito's finger. He smiled, "Infusing lightning chakra into your blade? Nice idea, but useless. Lesson three: never use Lightning Style against someone who surpasses you in it. Or you'll be crushed."

As he finished, a powerful surge of electricity erupted from Kirito's hand, traveling down the Kusanagi sword and engulfing Sasuke's entire body.

"Ah!" Sasuke cried out in pain, his body convulsing from the electric shock.

At the critical moment, Sasuke released the Kusanagi sword and leaped backward, creating distance between them. He quickly formed hand seals and grasped his left wrist.

In his left palm, a ball of lightning bloomed—Chidori.

At the same time, the curse mark on the left side of Sasuke's neck ignited with heat, and black flame-like marks spread across his body.

His hair grew longer, a pair of grotesque wings formed on his back, and a cross-like pattern appeared over his nose and cheeks.

Even the Chidori in his hand turned black.

In that moment, Kirito could clearly sense Sasuke's chakra had increased multiple times.

"The power of the cursed seal? As a parlor trick, it's not bad." Kirito gave Orochimaru a glance and stepped forward. The transformed Sasuke flinched instinctively and backed away to maintain distance.

Kirito stopped, smiling. "Why keep your distance? If you want to defeat me, you should come closer and use your best Chidori. Or are you afraid that once you do, I might disappear from your sight?"

"You bastard…"

Humiliation—deep humiliation.

Sasuke's psychological defenses were crumbling. To suppress the fear in his heart, he gritted his teeth and forced out the words.

Kirito didn't respond directly, continuing, "If that's the case, then it's meaningless hesitation. Fighting distance only matters when strength is equal. Between us, it's irrelevant."

With that, Kirito walked up to Sasuke and placed his left palm against Sasuke's chest. "See? Just like that, my hand's already on your heart."

"How…" Sasuke's eyes went wide, cold sweat pouring from his forehead. His pupils trembled.

After a moment of stunned silence, he finally reacted and slashed at Kirito with his black Chidori.

The result was as expected—nothing but empty air.

Kirito had already returned to Pakura's side.

Orochimaru and Kabuto both tensed, their eyes darting between Sasuke and Kirito.

No one had seen Kirito move. No one had even seen him form a hand seal.

Genjutsu? That was the common conclusion in the minds of Sasuke, Orochimaru, and Kabuto.

"That's not genjutsu. It's just Lord Kirito's most basic ability. His strength…" Pakura said coldly, breaking their thoughts.

"That's enough, Pakura. Don't say more." Kirito interrupted. She immediately fell silent.

Turning around and heading toward the exit of the stone hall, Kirito spoke with his back to Sasuke, "Sasuke, since you once called me 'father', I'll give you one final lesson."

"If you want to use Lightning Style, use Lightning Style. If you want to use genjutsu, use genjutsu. If you want to fight with swords, fight with swords."

"But if you challenge a master of Lightning Style with Lightning Style, challenge a genjutsu master with genjutsu, or a swordmaster with a sword—unless the opponent holds back like I do, it's questionable whether you'll survive."

Then Kirito glanced at Orochimaru and Kabuto. "Orochimaru, Kabuto, take me to your lab and hand over what I need."

He walked out with Pakura.

"It seems Sasuke suffered a major blow this time… let's just give him some space," Orochimaru muttered, glancing at Sasuke before following Kirito.

Kabuto, who had been tormented for years under Orochimaru, felt a strange satisfaction seeing his master humbled. He chuckled and followed.

(End of this chapter)