In a remote corner of the Land of Waves.
This was the village that Nono had prepared earlier, the same place where the Uchiha Clan had first arrived.
It had now become the Uchiha Clan's base.
Although the location was quite remote, situated at the edge of the Land of Waves, the Uchiha Clan had chosen it willingly.
They had voluntarily stepped aside to make way for the development of the Land of Waves.
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
At the center of the village's plaza, a simple sparring match was underway.
On the side of the plaza, Mikoto sat with a group of Uchiha children, watching the match.
Behind Sasuke and Neji stood Kakashi and Minato, respectively, ensuring their safety.
It had to be said, although Naruto had taken Kakashi's Sharingan, Kakashi now seemed much more spirited with his new eyes compared to his previous decadent state.
In the plaza.
Sasuke threw a straight punch at Neji, but Neji easily blocked it.
At the same time, Neji countered with a palm strike, which Sasuke deftly deflected.
The two exchanged blows, both activating their Kekkei Genkai.
One's eyes turned crimson, with three tomoe spinning within, while the other's veins bulged around his eyes, his pure white pupils glowing brighter.
However, the Byakugan, unless evolved into the Tenseigan, paled in comparison to the Sharingan in terms of strategic significance. In combat, it fell far short.
Moreover, Sasuke had already awakened the three-tomoe Sharingan.
No matter how talented Neji was, he couldn't compete with someone who had such a cheat-like advantage.
After a few exchanges, Sasuke began to dominate the fight.
Neji struggled under Sasuke's relentless attacks, soon finding himself pushed to the edge of the plaza.
Neji couldn't help but feel a sense of helplessness. The Byakugan was simply no match for the Sharingan.
Just a while ago, he could easily defeat Sasuke, but now, with the three-tomoe Sharingan, Sasuke had become an insurmountable mountain.
"Neji-nii-san, do your best!"
From the edge of the plaza, a loud cheer erupted from the group of Uchiha children, startling everyone present.
Even the two combatants paused.
Sasuke looked incredulously at the Uchiha child who had shouted.
'Bro, really?'
The boy, who is now the center of attention, blushed furiously.
"Taichi-chan! Why aren't you cheering for Sasuke-nii-san!?"
Another child jumped in to argue.
"That's right, that's right."
"It's obvious that Sasuke-nii-san is stronger."
"That's right, that's right."
Several other children chimed in.
Taichi, his face red with anger, retorted, "Neji-nii-san is strong too! And he taught us how to train our bodies."
"That's right, that's right."
"Neji-nii-san even treated my injuries last time."
"Do your best, Neji-nii-san!"
Neji had been living with the Uchiha Clan for some time now, so that it will be easier to spar with Sasuke.
Although a pair of white eyes among a sea of black ones seemed out of place, the children had quickly accepted him. Now, Neji even had his own little fan club within the Uchiha Clan.
Mikoto watched the scene with a smile.
Minato and Kakashi exchanged glances, unable to suppress their own smiles.
Although the noise was overwhelming, a sense of contentment filled their hearts.
Meanwhile, Sasuke and Neji, after locking eyes, felt their fighting spirits burn even brighter.
They couldn't lose, not with everyone's beliefs riding on them!
The two clashed again, though the atmosphere had shifted to something... peculiar.
"Neji-nii-san, don't attack head-on, go for his legs!"
"Sasuke-nii-san, don't be afraid, aim for his midsection!"
"Watch out, Neji-nii-san, dodge and then counter!"
"Sasuke-nii-san, don't let him escape, step on his toes."
"Ugh, such dirty tricks! Neji-nii-san, just grab him!"
"..."
As the children divided into two clear factions, shouting their various opinions, their excitement grew.
But Sasuke and Neji were already drenched in sweat.
'Are we fighting, or are you fighting?'
In the end, the two decided to just go along with the kids' suggestions.
Neji went for Sasuke's legs, while Sasuke didn't dodge and aimed for Neji's midsection.
Neji dodged and countered, only to have Sasuke step on his toes. Neji, abandoning all martial etiquette, grabbed Sasuke.
What started as a ground-based sparring match quickly devolved into a grappling contest.
What was supposed to be a demonstration for the children ended up looking more like a street brawl.
By the time the children left, they were still debating whether aiming for the midsection had been the right move.
As for Sasuke and Neji, who are now covered in dirt, no one seemed to care.
But the two exchanged glances, their eyes filled with amusement.
Even Neji's earlier frustration at losing to Sasuke had faded.
"Cough!"
Minato coughed lightly, drawing everyone's attention. Struggling to keep a straight face, he said, "Overall, it was quite good. At least... your stamina is impressive."
Sasuke and Neji remained silent, not overthinking it. After all, training was rigorous, and occasionally acting like kids and having fun felt... nice.
"Hahahahaha--"
But then, an untimely burst of laughter rang out.
A figure descended from the sky. Naruto, who had been silently watching the entire time, finally couldn't hold back.
Looking at the two, he laughed and remarked, "Now that was a thoroughly satisfying fight!"
Sasuke and Neji's expressions froze, both suddenly wishing they could leave the planet right now.