Kakashi and Gai woke up the next morning, both fully prepared to go through with the challenge which they had agreed to the day prior. However, Gai was, of course, more animated about the challenge than Kakashi could bring himself to be.

On the inside though, Kakashi did feel a burning passion, but not one of the power of youth as Gai had; this was a passion for actually being able to win over a love he's had his eyes on for some time. While he knew he might not accomplish this, he also felt fully confident that he wasn't going to allow Gai to accomplish it either.

"So are you ready Kuh-Kashi?" Gai asked with a grin on his face as he and Kakashi stood at the entrance of the Leaf Village, ready to head off toward the desert.

"Yep, got all I need. But be warned; I won't be going easy on you." Kakashi stated as he smiled behind that mask he'd always wear.

"I don't expect it any other way, Kuh-Kashi. With the power of youth, I'll be likewise giving it my all, and you'd better expect nothing less than my best as I search for and find that desert rose!" He then gave a thumbs up.

"All right." Kakashi confirmed.

They both readied themselves, giving each other a look of determination, just before both dashed off, almost simultaneously.

For the first few minutes of them bolting through the trees, both were more focused on covering as much ground as possible, knowing they weren't given a lot of time to get to the desert, find the rose, and get back to the village. However, Gai believed as soon as Kakashi let his guard down just enough, would be the perfect time to make his move, setting Kakashi back from accomplishing the goal.

Gai's eyes dashed toward Kakashi's postion, which was just keeping up with his own. "Now's the time to strike!"

"Leaf Strong Whirlwind!"

"Hmm?" Kakashi noticed just in time and was able to dodge Gai's attack, but in doing so gave Gai the lead in their race.

"So it's begun. This really isn't going to be easy." Kakashi thought to himself.

Gai felt satisfied in tripping Kakashi up enough to gain a small lead, but wasn't prepared for what happened next.

As he moved forward, he noticed something was off. Kakashi didn't seem to be catching up to him.

"This is a bit odd. I know I pose a great enough challenge for Kuh-Kashi, but a move like that isn't enough to slow him down this much. Something's off indeed." Gai continued to ponder, and remained wary.

Yet as wary as he was, Gai still triggered a series of paper bombs, set all around him, with an explosive force strong enough to fell all the trees before and behind him.

"What's this!? But how'd Kuh-Kashi..."

With not much time to think as the high and large trees were about to collapse on top of him, Gai used a tree in front of him to gain some momentum and bounce off each falling tree, dodging any that might hit, maneuvering his way through the chaos, until eventually he could more forward without danger.

"Seems you're playing for keeps, Kuh-Kashi." Gai thought, feeling slightly impressed. "But the power of youth doesn't give out so easily!"

He continued forward rushing through the trees, believing his competitor to be much further ahead.

Meanwhile, Kakashi was wondering his next plan of action after hearing Gai set off the explosives he had set up the day prior, while Gai was still sleeping.

"I know that won't have held him up for long, so what's my next move going to be?"

But at that moment, a kunai had just flew right passed Kakashi's face, only just missing him, which caused Kakashi to be still on a branch for a moment.

"I know my trap was a bit ... overdone, but I knew it wouldn't have killed Gai; doesn't he think he threw that a little too close for comfort, though?"

But instead of seeing Gai make an appearance, it was an unknown Shinobi, bearing the headband of the Waterfall Village.

"And just who are you?" Kakashi asked frankly.

"I wouldn't have expected you to remember me, Kakashi of the Sharingan, having fell many enemies in battle much stronger than myself, or at least, stronger than what I used to be. So, with that, I'll be brief; I was once one who you were sent to cut down in battle, for my having planned an attack to assassinate the Hokage of your village. And now I'm someone who's going to cut you down!" He exclaimed as he lunged at Kakashi with kunai in hand.

"He can't seriously think that'll work on me; if he's really faced me before he'd know." Kakashi thought smartly.

"Must be a trap!" Kakashi swiftly flew into the air as the Shinobi came down on the spot he was just standing in. And as Kakashi was in the air, a series of events took place.

His upward movement triggered a wire, which set off a slew of kunai from all directions; however, by Kakashi blocking many though being hit with others, after he weaved a hand sign, only caused the ricochets to land in areas around Kakashi, and set off the justu placed upon that particular area of the forest.

Being all connected by this jutsu, once the kunai landed, chakra was released, which began to form a dome around Kakashi from all the points the kunai were, which, though they weren't in a perfect circle, were still surrounding Kakashi, and being many which he blocked, made the jutsu stronger in its barrier.

Kakashi breathed heavily with kunai embedded in his back and side, as he looked through the purplish dome toward the Shinobi who set this all in motion.

"Kakashi of the Sharingan. Ha. What a joke. Can your sharingan see you out of this one? Or can you see that your time to die has finally come!?" The unnamed Shinobi mocked his prey.

Kakashi smiled behind that mask of his only to state, "No, it doesn't see that. But it did see straight through your plan fast enough for me to get out of the way." At that moment, his replacement jutsu was revealed.

What th-?" Kakashi had come out of hiding, throwing kunai at his opponent, who swiftly dodged, but was nearly engulfed in a fireball jutsu.

"Have to do better than that!" He yelled as he prepared to land on a branch, but was then hit by another Shinobi.

"Leaf Whirlwind!" Gai yelled, landing the move on the Waterfall Shinobi's, who then flew some ways off from where the two were.

"You know, I had this." Kakashi bluntly stated to Gai.

"Haha! Of course you did Kuh-Kashi, but as far as I see it, he's intruding in on our little competition, so why not help and be done with this quicker."Gai said smiling.

"I suppose."

After a no show of the attacker, Gai and Kakashi agreed to move it along, but to be on special guard, seeing there was now a threat out for them.

"So, it seems he's not alone." The unnamed Shinobi thought to himself.

"I'll have the pleasure of killing two Leaf Shinobi, and finally regaining respect among my fellow Shinobi of the Waterfall." He thought menacingly.