Chapter 23: The Drained Sasuke Uchiha

Chapter 23: The Drained Sasuke Uchiha

Ring… Ring… Ring…

Izayoi and Hinata Hyuga had only just started whispering when the class bell rang.

The entire classroom fell silent instantly.

This was a rare sight under normal circumstances.

“The Graduation Exam will test the Clone Jutsu. The testing room is at the end of the right corridor. Wait here until your name is called.”

No sooner had the bell stopped than Iruka Umino appeared at the classroom door.

He didn’t step onto the podium but gave the instructions from the doorway before leaving.

Soon, a Chunin in a green vest appeared, holding a list. “Minako…”

One by one, names were called every minute or two.

Students whose names were called left the room either nervously or confidently—but once gone, they didn’t return.

Hinata Hyuga was among them.

“…Izayoi.”

Minutes after Hinata left, Izayoi heard his name.

He stood and walked to the testing room at the corridor’s end.

Pushing the door open, he saw Iruka Umino and Mizuki, his homeroom teacher, seated behind a long table.

Spotting Izayoi, Iruka smiled warmly. “Izayoi, let’s begin.”

“Yes.”

He nodded, forming hand seals rapidly. “Clone Jutsu!”

Poof—

Two sharp popping sounds, like bursting balloons, overlapped.

Two puffs of white smoke erupted on either side of Izayoi.

As the smoke cleared, two perfect replicas materialized—identical in height, clothing, and even minor details like the creases in his jacket.

Iruka and Mizuki exchanged a glance, then Mizuki retrieved a Genin headband. “Your clones are flawless. Congratulations—you’ve passed the Graduation Exam. From today, you’re officially a Genin.”

“Thank you, Iruka-sensei, Mizuki-sensei.”

Izayoi stepped forward, accepted the headband, and bowed.

Iruka added, “You don’t need to return to class. Wait at the training ground until everyone finishes. We’ll take your team photo afterward.”

“Understood.”

Izayoi nodded and exited.

Stepping outside, he spotted Hinata waiting. They exchanged smiles and headed toward the training ground, where a dozen students already waited.

“Hey, Izayoi! Hinata! You’re here too!”

“Of course the Graduation Exam was easy for you two!”

“Let’s celebrate after the photo!”

“Nah, I’ll skip. I want to celebrate with my family—they’re waiting outside.”

“Same here. Catch up another time!”

“How many of our class do you think passed?”

“At least twenty. We’re Class A, after all!”

“Naruto’s definitely failed…”

As they arrived, classmates swarmed Izayoi, chatting enthusiastically.

Suddenly, a figure approached.

“Let’s spar later?”

Uchiha Sasuke, ever the challenger, stood before him.

At the sight of the third-ranked student—and occasional second-place rival—everyone discreetly dispersed.

Izayoi smiled. “Not for now. Genin teams are three-man cells under Jōnin instructors. We already know each other’s limits. No matter how many times we spar, the result won’t change. Let’s train separately first and test our growth later.”

Sasuke recalled his endless defeats. His fighting spirit dimmed. “Fine. We’ll spar later.”

“Deal.”

Izayoi agreed warmly.

Over the years, Izayoi’s Points—over ten thousand—came largely from Sasuke.

Every week, they sparred, sometimes twice weekly.

Besides the single Sage’s Eye (Red), Izayoi had triggered Kage-Level Potential (Purple), Uchiha Bloodline (Purple), and even Otsutsuki Lineage (Blue) multiple times, dissolving them all into Points.

Hinata and other classmates contributed the rest, though most came from Hinata.

By third grade, only Izayoi stood alone in power. Sasuke and Hinata led the first tier, followed by clan heirs like Ino, while others trailed.

Chakra reserves weren’t the metric, or the only standout would’ve been Naruto.

Years of sparring had drained Sasuke—both his talents and the Uchiha Clan’s jutsu scrolls.

Yet their rivalry forged camaraderie.

Their routine—spar, grow, spar again—transformed Sasuke beyond his canon self.

One of his floating “bubbles” had evolved: Uchiha Bloodline (Purple) became Kekkei Genkai.

Sasuke had awakened his Sharingan—fully controlled, no longer bound to trauma.

During the Uchiha Massacre, his confidence soared.

Only Izayoi and Hinata, who occasionally claimed second place and bested him in Taijutsu, earned his respect.

In a no-holds-barred match, Sasuke—now with chakra in spades, Sharingan, and techniques from Izayoi—looked down on even Hinata.

If Izayoi, Sasuke, and Hinata formed a team, they’d dominate the Genin ranks.

Even Suna’s Gaara siblings or the new Ino-Shika-Cho Alliance couldn’t match them.

But fate disagreed.

Sasuke’s destiny intertwined with Naruto’s. They’d share a team regardless of logic.

No Konoha Jōnin suited them better than Kakashi Hatake.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end