Naruto: The Shadow of Uchiha

Ryosuke instantly understood the danger—he had underestimated his opponent's cunning. His lack of real combat experience had made him fall for a basic substitution and decoy strategy. At his current speed, evading the incoming strike was impossible, which left him only one option:

Open the First Gate—Gate of Opening.

With a sharp burst of chakra, Ryosuke activated the first of the Eight Gates. A thick vein popped across his forehead and his skin darkened, signaling the dramatic boost in physical power. Just as Uchiha Inaho's kick was about to land, Ryosuke spun and raised his leg to intercept it—a perfect block.

As he absorbed the impact, he realized with a chill: the ninja world isn't just about raw power and speed. It's a world of deception and tactics. He had approached this duel with the naive mindset of a straightforward brawl, but clearly, ninja combat was anything but straightforward.

If he hadn't trained under Guy-sensei and learned the Eight Gates technique, he'd have been embarrassed and possibly humiliated. And that smug comment from Inaho about "bringing shame to the Uchiha by training in taijutsu"—that hit a nerve. Ryosuke wasn't training to disgrace the clan—he was doing it to save them.

With this burning conviction, Ryosuke pushed further.

Second Gate—Gate of Rest!

Another vein popped on his forehead, and his skin darkened further. The intense pain returned, sharper than before, but he ignored it. He welcomed the strength that surged through his muscles. He stepped forward, power surging, and lashed out with a kick that slammed Inaho backward.

Inaho was shocked.

Just moments ago, they had been evenly matched in taijutsu. But Ryosuke's sudden surge in power and speed was beyond anything he could comprehend.

"Was he hiding his strength this whole time? Or… is this some secret technique?"

The Uchiha clan had never taught anything like this. Even with his injuries, Inaho wasn't ready to accept defeat. He sprang back up and rushed at Ryosuke, activating his Three Tomoe Sharingan, hoping to read and counter Ryosuke's movements.

But Ryosuke was far too fast now.

Every strike he threw felt like it carried the weight of a boulder. Inaho was barely managing to deflect and dodge. The difference in strength was overwhelming.

With a burst of speed, Ryosuke executed a Leaf Whirlwind (Konoha Senpū)—a move learned from Guy-sensei. Inaho tried to block with his leg, knowing it would hurt, but still better than taking it full force to the chest. He barely managed to deflect it, only for Ryosuke to twist his body and follow up with a spinning back kick using his other leg—a surprise second strike.

Caught off guard, Inaho was hit squarely and sent flying.

The surrounding Uchiha spectators were stunned.

"His taijutsu… that's impressive! A follow-up kick after the Leaf Whirlwind? That kind of combo is rare—even we'd struggle to counter it without preparation."

Ryosuke didn't press the advantage. He stood calmly and said, "Is that all? Then don't come bothering me again."

Inaho picked himself up slowly, his gaze more complicated now.

Was it possible Ryosuke had truly benefited from training under Might Guy?

"...That last move. What was it called?" he asked.

"Leaf Whirlwind," Ryosuke replied without hesitation.

Inaho repeated the name quietly. It really had felt like a whirlwind—fast, brutal, and unexpected. And the second kick? That was genius.

"Did you invent that combo?"

"No," Ryosuke said. "I learned it from Might Guy."

It wasn't just Guy-sensei's techniques Ryosuke had absorbed—it was also his combat instincts and unpredictability. That insight made Inaho pause. Maybe… he'd been wrong.

The Uchiha prided themselves on power and pedigree, but today, Ryosuke had shown that taijutsu alone could rival a prodigy like him. There was no longer any justification to mock his path.

Still, Inaho wasn't ready to admit total defeat.

"If you think taijutsu is strong, then let me show you why the Uchiha are feared," he said, his eyes sharpening.

His Three Tomoe Sharingan glowed intensely, gleaming with a crimson light. Ryosuke suddenly felt dizzy—a genjutsu!

He immediately recognized the effect and tried to resist, focusing his own chakra and vision. As he concentrated his ocular power to break the illusion, a voice echoed in his mind—the system.

"Your Sharingan is enraged that someone dared to mess with it! Training speed accelerated—ocular power significantly enhanced!"

A surge of warmth rushed through his eyes. The dizziness vanished. His mind cleared completely. Ryosuke realized: his Sharingan had just leveled up again in power, gaining stronger resistance to genjutsu.

But instead of reacting, he stayed still—pretending to remain trapped in the illusion.

Around him, the other Uchiha spectators relaxed. They thought Inaho had won using genjutsu.

"Looks like the Sharingan is still superior to taijutsu," one muttered.

Inaho walked confidently toward Ryosuke with a smirk. "Seems like learning from Might Guy wasn't such a great idea after all—"

Suddenly—

Ryosuke's eyes snapped back into focus.

"You really believe that?" he asked coolly.

Inaho froze.

He's not under genjutsu?!

Before he could react, Ryosuke's fist connected with his jaw—sending him flying again.

Want to read +30 Chapters ahead! Support me on Patreon and unlock early access! patreon.com/Zefyrus