***
Chapter 10: Beating Sasuke
Kakashi and Asuma watched silently from the side as Naruto reunited with Rubik.
Unlike Sakura and Sasuke, who were genuinely happy for Naruto, a flicker of worry flashed in Asuma's eyes.
Kakashi watched his student bonding with the boy who strikingly resembled his late best friend, and the corners of his mouth—hidden by his mask—curled into a subtle smile.
"Hey, Kakashi," Asuma said in a lowered voice, subtly asking his companion, "Is this really okay? It's their first meeting—feels too sudden, doesn't it?"
Kakashi waved him off casually, smiling as he replied, "No need to worry. That kid is Lord Jiraiya's disciple. Even if he's not a Konoha ninja right now, he's absolutely trustworthy. If you don't trust him, at least trust Lord Jiraiya."
*(After all, he looks so much like Obito—how could he be a bad guy?)* Kakashi added silently in his mind.
Asuma seemed about to say more, but Sasuke's sudden action cut him off.
"Hey!" Sasuke said, arms crossed, chin slightly raised, his gaze burning with confidence as he stared at Rubik. "You're that disciple of the Legendary Sannin, right? You must be pretty strong. I'm Sasuke Uchiha, heir to the Uchiha clan. How about a spar?"
Seeing Sasuke's smug "I'm all that" attitude, Rubik knew it was time to school this cocky kid.
"Hey, Sasuke!" Naruto stepped forward immediately, blocking Rubik as he protested, "Rubik's big bro just got to Konoha—you're being so rude!"
Naruto knew Sasuke's strength well. Though he hated to admit it, Sasuke was the strongest peer he knew.
He didn't want either his newly recognized big brother or Sasuke to get hurt.
"Shut up, dead-last! This doesn't concern you," Sasuke said coldly.
"Hah? What did you say, smug Sasuke?!" Naruto bristled instantly, pointing at him and yelling, "I'm actually worried about you, you jerk!"
"You saying I'd lose?" Sasuke's eyes grew even colder.
"It's fine, Naruto." Rubik gently patted Naruto's shoulder and stepped forward, saying lightly to Sasuke, "This'll make a good post-meal workout."
"Hmph, at least you've got some guts," Sasuke sneered, a cold smile tugging at his lips. "I'll show you the true power of the Uchiha clan."
Rubik thought to himself: *The power of the Uchiha? I know way more about that than you do...*
"Follow me!" Sasuke turned, his tone brooking no argument. "To the training ground."
...
**Training Ground**
Rubik smiled at Sasuke, who stood opposite him, raring to go. "Looking forward to it, Uchiha prodigy."
Sasuke snorted coldly, excitement in his voice. "Let me see the strength of the Legendary Sannin's disciple for myself."
Before the words even finished, Sasuke shot forward like an arrow from a bowstring. His movements were clean and precise as he unleashed the standard Uchiha throwing technique!
Three kunai flew in a triangular formation, speeding toward Rubik's upper, middle, and lower body!
Rubik shifted his body slightly to catch the angle, his left hand a blur.
*Clang! Clang! Clang!*
Three sharp rings echoed as his kunai precisely deflected the shuriken, sparks flying!
Seizing the opening from Rubik's block, Sasuke whipped his right leg like a steel lash, stirring a whistling gust.
*Bang!*
Rubik raised his arm to block, his forearm muscles tensing instantly, holding firm.
*Comparing physical prowess to the Uzumaki clan? Gotta admire the guts, Sasuke...*
Rubik chuckled lightly. "Good power... but not quite enough!"
His eyes sharpened, and his left leg swept low like lightning, targeting Sasuke's unsteady lower body.
Sasuke reacted swiftly, leaping back with the momentum and forming hand seals at blinding speed.
"Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!"
A blazing fireball roared forth, heat waves crashing ahead!
Rubik eyed the oncoming fireball, smirking as he formed seals even faster—his fingers a mere blur.
"Starting with fire? Putting on the pressure, huh?"
He quipped while puffing his cheeks and bellowing, "Wind Style: Great Breakthrough!"
A ferocious gust erupted from his mouth, slamming into the fireball!
The powerful wind pressure shredded it instantly, the flames shrieking in defiance as they were forced apart!
The fireball exploded on either side of Rubik, hot air billowing his clothes—but he emerged unscathed.
"What?!" Sasuke's pupils shrank, his shocked shout escaping.
The opponent had used Wind Style to brute-force through his Fireball Jutsu!
But the shock lasted only a moment. His fierce pride drove him forward again!
Sharingan, two tomoe—activate!
Rubik's earlier Wind Style had made Sasuke realize the gap between them, but he had no intention of giving up.
He knew that if he didn't seize control now with all he had, he'd fall into a definite disadvantage.
His kunai flashed coldly as his assault intensified!
Masterful Uchiha-style taijutsu, paired with the Sharingan's dynamic vision prediction, let him dodge Rubik's thrown shuriken at high speed and close in!
Rubik watched Sasuke approach, thinking: *Saw through the ninjutsu gap and wants to overwhelm me with fast, dense attacks to stop me from sealing?*
*Too bad—ninjutsu's my talent, and taijutsu's my hobby!*
Rubik's footwork was nimble, weaving through Sasuke's barrage—blocking here, dodging there.
His movements were simple and efficient, no waste, as if he could predict every attack trajectory.
Kunai clashed with metallic *clangs*, sparks flying everywhere!
The more Sasuke fought, the more he felt the massive gap. Staring at that face so close, he thought of his brother, the genius Itachi.
Rubik's power, speed, reactions—all surpassed his own! Especially that effortless composure, which piled on the pressure.
"Damn it!" Sasuke gritted his teeth. Seizing a block opening, he feinted with his left kunai while palming a shuriken with his right! His final gambit.
Just as he was about to throw, Rubik smiled at him.
Sasuke's gut screamed *trouble*.
*He's baiting me!*
"Feeling the pressure, little bro?" Rubik teased with a grin, then sank his stance and drove his right shoulder into Sasuke's chest like an elbow strike!
The brutal force choked Sasuke's breath; the shuriken slipped free!
Rubik's left hand snapped out, seizing Sasuke's kunai-wielding right wrist and twisting the joint!
"Urgh!" Pain surged, and Sasuke grunted involuntarily as the kunai fell.
Rubik's right foot hooked Sasuke's ankle perfectly—a clean sweep!
*Thud!*
Sasuke hit the dirt hard, back aching fiercely. He struggled to rise and fight on, but the cold tip of a kunai now rested lightly at his throat.
The training ground fell silent.
Sasuke lay gasping, his crimson Sharingan wide as he glared up at that calm face.
Shock, unwillingness, humiliation twisted across his features.
"Your reactions are sharp, and your taijutsu foundation is solid," Rubik said flatly, sheathing his kunai. "But you're too reliant on those eyes. Prediction isn't the same as invincibility."
He extended a hand to the fallen Sasuke.
Sasuke's expression was complicated. In the end, he politely refused and stubbornly climbed to his feet.
He brushed off the dust, turning away—but his clenched fists betrayed the storm inside.
Kakashi had appeared at the edge unnoticed, his visible right eye crinkling.
Asuma exhaled in relief, glancing at Rubik with surprise, thinking: *Lord Jiraiya's disciple is no joke! That Wind Style cracking the Fireball, and the instant taijutsu counter—way beyond genin, even chunin level!*
Naruto rushed over cheering. "Whoa, Rubik's big bro is awesome!"
Sakura, relieved to see Sasuke unharmed, watched his frustrated expression with a hint of worry.
Rubik eyed Sasuke's stubborn back and smiled, thinking smugly: *Beating Sasuke feels great! Little bro who goes 1v7 is so handy!*
Rubik watched Sasuke's stubborn rise without a word.
Comforting words? For Sasuke, whose pride had just been crushed by a peer, they'd only sting deeper. He resisted the urge to ruffle his hair.
Seeing Sasuke head down like he'd taken a huge hit, Rubik shot Naruto a subtle glance.
Naruto scratched his head blankly, then grinned in realization. He lunged, slinging an arm around Sasuke's neck mockingly. "Haha! Smug Sasuke, all that trash talk before the fight, and you went down so fast? Total loser!"
"Don't touch me, dead-last!" Sasuke exploded, ears red, swinging at Naruto's face.
"Haha! Getting mad now?!" Naruto dodged the slow swing nimbly, sticking out his tongue.
"You jerk..."
"Naruto! Quiet down! Stop bothering Sasuke!" Sakura called anxiously.
Rubik's eye twitched at the duo instantly tussling (mostly Naruto taking hits and trash-talking).
He thought: *Naruto got my hint... right? Eh, results are what matter.*
He knew Sasuke's obsessive nature—if left to stew in defeat alone, it wouldn't break him, but it'd fuel an even hungrier power chase.
With Naruto's carefree "stirring the pot" and Sakura's concern, those dark thoughts would at least get diluted for now... until he met that rat who broadcast his clan's massacre to him...
Rubik's gaze swept the bickering Team 7, and he sighed inwardly.
Only he knew this noisy, warm daily life wouldn't last much longer.
Kakashi and Asuma, who'd watched the whole thing, approached.
Asuma was about to praise Rubik when he noticed Kakashi didn't stop, heading straight to Rubik and halting opposite him.
Rubik looked up at the silver-haired jonin, whose single visible eye curved into a crescent.
"Man~ that was a great fight," Kakashi drawled lazily, hands in pockets. "Got me itching to join in... You weren't even serious back there, right?"
He tilted his head, smile widening as he probed, "How about a quick spar with me?"
***