Naruto: I Am Uchiha Sasuke!?

Sasuke stood at a distance, observing Mizuki with a sharp gaze.

"So, he's really going to manipulate Naruto into stealing the Scroll of Seals?"

He recalled the events from the original timeline. Naruto, a mere academy student, had somehow infiltrated the Hokage's office and stolen one of Konoha's most forbidden scrolls. It had always seemed improbable.

Even though the Third Hokage was aging, he was still Konoha's strongest shinobi. The Hokage Building was heavily guarded, and Naruto, who struggled with even basic ninjutsu, had supposedly bypassed those defenses?

The more Sasuke thought about it, the more it seemed like Hiruzen had allowed it to happen.

"Was it all a setup? Did the Third want Naruto to learn the Shadow Clone Jutsu?"

He frowned but shook his head. "Not my problem. If Naruto gains strength, it only makes things more interesting. A weak Naruto wouldn't be worth my time."

With that, he turned away and disappeared into the forest.

Sasuke moved swiftly through the trees, heading toward his personal training ground. Upon arrival, he saw two identical versions of himself standing in the clearing.

"Good. The Shadow Clones are still intact."

With a single hand seal, they dispersed into white smoke, transferring their experiences back to him.

He glanced at the forehead protector in his hand. "Graduation was just a formality. The real work starts now."

Sasuke pulled out a scroll detailing advanced fire-style techniques. His next goal was mastering Great Dragon Fire Technique, a B-rank jutsu.

"Let's see how far I can push my fire release."

His hands moved in rapid succession, forming the necessary seals. Taking a deep breath, he exhaled a massive dragon-shaped flame that roared forward, scorching the trees in its path.

"Not bad, but I can make it stronger."

Later that evening, Sasuke sat on the rooftop of his home, gazing at the stars. Konoha was quiet, bathed in the soft glow of the moonlight.

As he meditated, he reflected on his training. His Perfect Bloodline Purification Method and Infinite Chakra Refinement were steadily strengthening his body, but his spiritual energy growth was lagging behind.

"Chakra is a balance of physical and spiritual energy. If my spirit is weak, my chakra will never reach its full potential. And for an Uchiha, spiritual strength is directly tied to our eyes."

He recalled concepts from his previous life—ancient practices of refining the spirit.

"Perhaps I can create a method to temper my own soul..."

Closing his eyes, he focused on the moon above, drawing inspiration from its quiet, steady presence. He concentrated, trying to merge this visualization with his chakra training.

Suddenly, something clicked.

[Through deep meditation and recollection, you gain an epiphany.]

[You begin to absorb the moon's energy, refining your spirit.]

[You have created the skill—Moonlight Forging Technique!]

Sasuke's eyes snapped open. "It worked...!"

With this technique, he could enhance his spiritual power at an accelerated rate. And with increased spiritual strength, his genjutsu and Sharingan abilities would become exponentially more powerful.

He refined the method further, breaking it into five stages—New Moon, Waning Moon, Quarter Moon, Waxing Moon, and Full Moon.

Excitement surged through him. "If I master all five, my spiritual power will be immense. Perhaps even on par with the likes of Madara one day."

As dawn approached, he finally allowed himself some rest.

The next morning, Sasuke created a Shadow Clone and sent it off to the academy for the graduation class assignments.

As soon as he entered the classroom, he was met with eager voices.

"Sasuke, over here!" Ino waved, quickly followed by Sakura and the other girls vying for his attention.

The boys, though more reserved, still acknowledged him with respect. After all, he had dominated the graduation exam, proving himself superior in every category.

Before anyone could say more, the door opened, and Naruto strolled in with an enormous grin, showing off his newly acquired forehead protector.

"Huh? Naruto, what are you doing here?" Sakura frowned. "Didn't you fail the exam?"

"Heh, things got a little complicated," Naruto said, rubbing the back of his head. "But Iruka-sensei recognized my strength, and now I'm officially a ninja!"

Sasuke remained silent, but his eyes lingered on Naruto for a moment. So he really did master the Shadow Clone Jutsu overnight.

Iruka soon entered, holding a sheet of paper.

"Congratulations to everyone who passed the assessment," he began. "Starting today, you are officially Genin. Now, I'll announce the team assignments."

The class grew quiet.

"Team 7: Uzumaki Naruto, Haruno Sakura, and—"

Naruto was already half out of his chair, eyes filled with excitement. "C'mon, c'mon, let it be Sakura-chan!"

"—Uchiha Sasuke."

Naruto's face fell. "Nooo! Not Sasuke!"

Meanwhile, Sakura leaped up in excitement. "Yes! I get to be with Sasuke-kun!"

Sasuke sighed, tuning out their antics.

"So, it's the same as before... Team 7."