Just then, a gentle voice sounded from the other side.
"My apologies," Yakushi Kabuto said, raising his hand. "I sustained some injuries during the second exam, and my chakra is badly depleted. I'm afraid I can't fight at my best going forward. To avoid inconveniencing everyone, I'm withdrawing from the preliminaries."
Naruto, seeing that it was Kabuto—who had helped him—raising his hand to quit, couldn't help looking regretful once he heard the reason.
Gekkō Hayate nodded to show he understood.
With Kabuto's withdrawal, the number of preliminary contestants was fixed at twenty-three.
"Ahem… Since no one else is dropping out," Hayate cleared his throat, his gaze lingering for a moment on the still-pale Sasuke before he announced loudly, "then the third-exam preliminaries—begin!"
The instant he finished, a huge panel in the wall behind the contestants slowly lifted, revealing a softly glowing electronic display.
Remembering something, Hayate added,
"However… because there are twenty-three entrants—an odd number—by rule, the one who doesn't draw a match will get a bye and advance directly."
"A bye?"
"Direct advancement?!"
The news lit a spark of hope in many eyes; pulling the lucky blank meant not only advancing but also scouting potential opponents—an enormous advantage.
Sakura clasped her hands in front of her chest, praying desperately, "Please—let Sasuke-kun get the bye! In his current state…"
But fate had other plans.
On the giant screen, names began whirling past in a dizzying blur, each flash tugging at every heart in the hall.
After several seconds, a crisp electronic chime sounded and the screen froze.
On the left, in stark letters: Uchiha Sasuke!
On the right: Akatetsu Kai!
"Match one," Hayate said calmly, reading the screen. "Uchiha Sasuke versus Akatetsu Kai!"
"No…" Sakura gasped, her face flooded with disappointment and worry.
The very thing she dreaded had happened: far from getting a bye, a badly weakened Sasuke would fight first.
Sasuke drew a deep breath and started toward the arena when Tejima Shinichi's voice sounded beside him.
"Do your best."
Sasuke paused and glanced at him.
Their eyes met; after a moment's thought, Shinichi added,
"This battle can't be won in your usual condition—or even with your usual style. You'll have to surpass the self you've always been."
Sasuke's expression turned grave.
Though he didn't understand why Shinichi would suddenly say this, he knew the man never spoke idly.
There had to be a deeper meaning he had yet to grasp.
Before he could ponder further, Kakashi's figure appeared soundlessly behind him.
Seeing Kakashi arrive, Shinichi said no more; with a flicker he vanished from the spot.
He reappeared beside the three Otogakure genin and their jonin instructor.
His sudden arrival put the four Sound shinobi instantly on edge.
Sakon and Kin reflexively stepped back, dropping into defensive stances.
Dosu's face was hidden beneath bandages, but his body visibly tensed.
Even the Sound jonin's pupils contracted, every sense on high alert—
A man's reputation precedes him.
The youth before them had clashed head-on with a Tailed Beast; they dared not take him lightly.
"Wh-what do you want!?" Kin asked, forcing herself to stay calm.
Shinichi ignored her, locking his gaze on the Sound jonin as though peering straight through him.
Under that stare the Otogakure jonin felt an invisible pressure wrap around him, a chill running down his spine, as if some terrifying predator had marked him; even his breathing turned instinctively shallow.
The standoff lasted only a few seconds.
Having apparently confirmed what he sought, Shinichi turned away indifferently and, as abruptly as he had come, departed.
'Looks like it's not Orochimaru in disguise…' Tejima Shinichi thought. 'Because the teacher personally took action this time and ramped up the hunt, even he must feel the risk is too high—he doesn't dare linger here and watch the fight as openly as in the original, huh?'
The little episode didn't disturb the preliminaries' momentum.
In the arena, Kakashi seemed to murmur a few words of advice to Sasuke; hearing them, Sasuke's eyes flickered, and he cast a meaningful glance toward Tejima Shinichi.
Then, without hesitation, he stepped to the center and faced his opponent, Akatetsu Kai.
Gekkō Hayate looked at both sides, confirmed they were ready, and swung his arm down.
"First match—begin!"
Sure enough, just as Tejima Shinichi had predicted, Sasuke suffered a massive disadvantage at the start, knowing nothing about Akatetsu Kai's ability.
In the first exchange of taijutsu, Sasuke sensed his chakra draining away bizarrely, leaving him weak; the cursed seal on his neck flared even more violently, waves of agony disrupting his focus.
With the balance tipping, Sasuke quickly fell into a one-sided disadvantage, relying only on the taijutsu he'd drilled day and night; the situation grew dire.
'Because I showed up, many things have shifted… You never fought Rock Lee, so you never saw and copied the setup for the Front Lotus—the Shadow of the Dancing Leaf.'
'The so-called Lion Combo will most likely never appear!'
Tejima Shinichi's eyes sparkled with curiosity. 'So, Sasuke, how will you break the deadlock? What different kind of tactical brilliance will you show?'
In the ring, Sasuke's movements grew sluggish, cold sweat beading his forehead.
"What's wrong, little Uchiha? Is that all you've got?"
Akatetsu Kai sneered, closing in again, palm swirling with an eerie aura as he clawed at Sasuke to absorb more chakra.
Sasuke dodged awkwardly, narrowly avoiding the grab, but the hand merely grazed his cheek; the gust still made his face blanch—another wave of weakness hit him as his already scant chakra leaked away, his knees buckling.
"Damn it… even without direct contact he can still siphon my chakra!?" Sasuke gasped, analyzing Akatetsu Kai's ability bit by bit.
"Sasuke! What are you doing? Counterattack! Wipe that guy out!" Uzumaki Naruto yelled from the stands, waving his fists, itching to jump in himself.
Hearing that shout, Sasuke caught Naruto's anxious face—and it made his heart ache.
'Push past myself… I can't fight the usual way…'
Tejima Shinichi's cryptic pre-match words echoed in Sasuke's mind once more.
'But… what exactly should I do?'
No chakra, no Sharingan copying, and taijutsu useless with his energy draining—what else was left!?
Anxiety and frustration churned inside him.
His eyes swept the arena in desperation, hunting for any chance to turn the tables.
They swept over the opponent's sneering face, the walls, the floor—until they locked onto something.
Several kunai, scattered from earlier exchanges, lay glinting coldly under the light.
That glint sent a violent ripple through his thoughts.
A flash of inspiration struck.
The gates of memory burst open, pulling him back years to the man he once idolized and now despised… The vision shattered; awareness snapped back to the present.
Akatetsu Kai advanced with a cocky smirk, certain of victory.
Sasuke's gaze darkened; he pressed his lips tight, a struggle and reluctance flashing across his face.
He hated admitting it, hated copying anything that man had taught—but right now he saw no better option.
"I really don't want to use what that man taught…" he muttered, as if convincing himself, "but… I can't worry about that now!"