Arc I Chapter 11
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<strong>Arc I Chapter 11</strong><strong>
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Theentry exam and the next test followed. Their group waspitted against each other ina little elimination type tournament. The victorswould thenfightagainst eachother to further demonstratetheir skill.
Obviously, Sasuke fought his way through the brackets, marching from victory to victory.He encountered no serious opposition. He was even cheered on bya groupoffemale supporters.
His n background allowed him to defeat his opponent with pronounced ease. Had he lost, his Uchiha ancestors would haunt him for the restof his life. The Uchiha were renowned for their superior skill and talent. It showed. His opponents stood no chance against his honedbat skills.
In the end, only n children and other talentedindividualsprogressed. The little princess was among themdespite her civilian background. The girl showed no signs of fatigue, no sign of exhaustion.He supposed that her fighting skills matched her kunai skills.
“...”Sasuke narrowed his eyes, prepared to face her, to fight her. Asami was his next opponent. She was strong, but so was he.
Their stares met, and his courage suddenly faltered. Her calcting eyes ... Her pitch ck hair ... Her pose ... Her aura ... They all reminded her of ... Nii-san. The girl resembled Nii-san ...
“...”Sasuke shook his head, dispelling such silly notions. The girl wasn''t Nii-san. Nii-san was far stronger, and even more perfect. Not that it mattered. The fact remained, he had to win. He had to defeat Asami.If he ever wanted to ovee his older brother, then he had to defeat her.
“...”Sasukeentered the circle, mustering allhis remaining courage. The stage was set.“Listen, Asami, I will defeat you! Don''t think that I will go down easily!”
“You think so?” Asami raised an amused eyebrow before giggling. “My friend, I do not know your name, nor do I care, but do not waste my time with such grandiose words. Bring it on, if you can!” The girl taunted him, and she seeded.
He knew that he should haveignored her provocation, but he didn''t. Sasuke charged. A foolish decision against an adversary of her calibre.The girl sidesteppedeasily.
Only his reflexes saved Sasuke from her following counterattack, a punch aimed at his head.
“Aargh ...” Sasuke blocked her strike with his arms, but his defence exposed his abdomen. Her follow up sidekick aiming for his guts, punishing him for his foolishness.
Hadn''the performed a backwardrollin the nick of time, then the match would have ended there. Sasuke dodgedfate, escaping Asami''s scythe like attack unscathed.
“...”His instincts saved Sasukebefore it was toote, instincts far older and more ancient in origin than he could ever imagine.
“...”Sasuke got back up, adopting a defensivestance. Negligencewas a deathly sin against a dangerous opponentlike Asami.
Asami narrowed her eyes, visibly displeased. “How ... unexpected ... Not bad. It seems that I have underestimated you. Who knows, you might even stand a chance against me one day, but not today.”
The girl lunged forwards, engaging him in melee. Her movements were fast and precise despite her kimono. They met head on, their fists and feet connecting in an exchange of blows.
Asamiwas relentless, her attacks were growing stronger and faster.Sasuketried to keep up, but he was slowly losing ground...
There it was, the knock out blow. Her fist struck his face directly with full force, sending him rolling across the dusty ground until his body came to a halt.
The sigh of the peaceful azure sky greeted Sasuke, and that was the moment he knew, he lost.
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The entire familywas eating dinnertogether, but Sasuke refused to eat. He just kept staringat his food, deliberating.Should he tell them, or not? Yes,or no? Yes,or no?“Yes, something happened at the examinations. I am angry because... Because ...”
Mikoto clenched her fists, about to start one of her feared monologues, “Did some of the other children bully you, Sassuke,because you are an Uchiha? Don''t bother with these idiots. Ignore them. Be proud of your lineage and who you are ...”
Sasuke sighed. “No, it wasn''t that, Okaa-san. I am angry because I was beaten by a girl.”
“A girl?”Mikoto blinkedin surprise, while Itachi stiffened.
His father looked up from his newspaper. Fugaku narrowed his eyes, hisdisappointmenttant.“To be beaten by a girl ... I must say that I would have expected more from you.You are the second son of the Uchiha n head, Sasuke. Your actions bring dishonour, not just to yourself, but to the entirety of the Uchiha n.”
Sasuke clenched his fist, prepared to defend his manhood.“But ... But ... But the girlwas strong, Father. It was impossible to defeat her.”
His mother reacted surprised. “Oh ...”
His father less so. He frowned, clicking his tongue. “Tch, How strong exactly?”
“...”Sasuke hesitated. “Well, she reminded me oflike Itachi...Just meaner, and a girl.”
His father''s eyebrow shot up, his curiosity piqued.“... of ...Itachi?”
Sasuke crossed his arms. “Yes, she looks like a smaller version of Nii-san, and she also fights like him. However, whereas Nii-san is perfect and noble, she is evil and vicious. The girl is a meanie.”
His father ignored hisst statement,“Do you happen to know her name, Sasuke?”
“Her name?”Sasuke was thinking. “I think... her name was ... Asami, ... Minami Asami...”
“Minami ... Minami ... Minami ... Minami ...” his father mumbled, inconclusively.
“Is something the matter?”
“No ... It''s nothing.”Fugaku shook his head, dispelling his thoughts. Hehad the uncanny feeling that he had heard the name ‘Minami’somewhere before. In the end, however, the Uchiha patriarch gave up. He had better things to do.
The next day,Fugaku visited an old friend of him, afellow Uchihaand infamous womaniserwhogued Konohain the past. Theytalked together about the old times.
Fugaku asked Sakutaro about a certainlove affairhehad during his younger years.As it turned out, he had a daughter, a very talented daughter.
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