I descended upon Training Ground 33, the morning sun barely kissing the horizon, just as the Hokage, flanked by a cadre of elite ANBU guards, swept into view. Saluting the squad, I began my preparations for the upcoming fight as the Hokage's squad set a table bearing a tea set and the Hokage's fabled crystal ball placed at the center.
"Iruka" lord Hiruzen called for my attention after a few moments. "This is your final chance to retract your challenge and claim another squad. Your decision must be made before your notoriously late adversary appears."
I slowed my preparations and respectfully turned to my superior. "My gratitude for the offer, Lord Hokage, yet I must respectfully decline. My resolve is unshaken, and besides…" I trailed off, a sly grin curling my lips, my gaze sliding over my shoulder, "My adversary is no longer en route; he's already here."
"Maa maa," Kakashi grumbled, materializing like a wraith, his infamous smut book vanishing into his vest. "I was just getting to the good part."
The Hokage's eyes flickered over us, an unreadable expression on his face. "I'm glad to see your seriousness, Kakashi, in accepting this challenge."
Kakashi's shrug rippled through the air. "Can't let a seal master have the upper hand in setting the field of battle, or my prized students be led astray," he quipped, an icy edge slicing through his casual demeanor.
I snorted dismissively at his statement and blatantly continued my meticulous preparation of seals, etching them onto the nearby trees, while the Hokage calmly lit his pipe, igniting it with a spark of fire chakra.
"Jounin Hatake, Jounin Umino," he announced, his voice resonating with authority, "take your positions, thirty paces apart. On my mark, you will begin."
We slowly made our way to our positions while sizing each other.
"Surrender now, Iruka. Your experience pales in comparison to mine," Kakashi drawled, his voice dripping with a feigned bored tone.
I scoffed and responded "Maybe so, but youve learned all the wrong lessons. The death of your father taught you to abandon all allies. I wont allow you to be the death of MY students." My rebutall had the desired effect as his posture changed slightly from the low blow. Good, I need him on edge and incensed.
"Aah, I guess I will have to give you a lesson after all". he retorted, his tone shedding all pretense of disinterest as he began lifting his headband.
I grinned and responded by lowering my own and covering my eyes.
"Oh? So scared you cant even look at me?" kakashi taunted.
"Scared? Far from it. This is but a handicap, evening the odds," I declared, easing into a combat-ready stance, kunai and seal tag in hand, senses razor-sharp for any flicker of movement from Kakashi.
The tension between us was a living thing, thickening with every passing second.
"Commence!" thundered the Hokage, his command unleashing us like coiled vipers.
I launched the blade toward Kakashi while simultaneously priming my tag to gain precious seconds for a strategic retreat into Konoha's dense forest. The clang of steel rang out as Kakashi agilely shifted to evade the wind-infused blade I had hurled. His reaction was followed almost instantly by the blinding flash of my primed seal, designed to disorient him.
In the ensuing chaos, I swiftly deployed a pair of shadow clones to tactically prepare the battlefield. They skillfully arranged seals and scattered bomb tags, laying a complex web in anticipation of Kakashi's approach. Utilizing the Second Hokage's sensing technique, I honed in on his location. My preparation paid off, as I recognized the distant chirping of birds. Just in time, I executed a substitution with one of my clones, narrowly escaping as Kakashi's lightning-encased hand pierced through its chest, dispersing it instantly. His speed was indeed lightning-fast. The brief but necessary charge time for his jutsu was the only reason I evaded, relying purely on my sensory skills for his approach would have been futile.
"Not pulling any punches, are you? I would have died, you know," I remarked dryly.
"Eh, you dodged, didn't you?" he retorted casually.
I couldn't help but smirk as my other clone dispersed, replenishing my chakra reserves and confirming the completion of its mission. "Seal Art: String Light Formation!" I declared, as seals, meticulously set by my clones, activated around us, trapping both Kakashi and me within a formidable barrier.
"Oh? What's your plan now? You won't be able to dodge when I charge next. You can't light these tags before I reach you. You can't see me, and now, you can't even escape." Kakashi's voice was tinged with feigned curiosity.
"I wouldn't be so sure if I were you. The moment you channel elemental chakra, these tags will home in, adhere to it, and detonate," I warned, channeling just a trace of water chakra into a blank tag for demonstration. I swiftly discarded it, and moments later, an explosion violently shook the barrier's interior.
"Ah, I see," Kakashi drawled out, his tone dripping with feigned nonchalance. He began fidgeting with his equipment, producing the sharp, distinct sound of blades being unsheathed. "Planning to level the field by eliminating my ninjutsu?"
With a smirk, I drew my own blades, channeling my chakra into the barrier around us to enhance my awareness of his every move. "Seems like you're sharper than you look, huh?"
"Mmm, brighter than you," he teased as he leisurely advanced. "True, I can't wield jutsu now, but remember, I hold my own against Gai. Besides, with my Sharingan predicting your moves is child's play."
Preparing my stance, I retorted, "We both know Gai always goes easy on you. Besides, Obito's Sharingan depletes your stamina with each passing moment. Time isn't on your side."
Our banter ceased, giving way to a storm of combat. Each of us unleashed a maelstrom of martial prowess, fists, feet, blades, each strike a deadly. I managed to land my blows, but Kakashi, with his seasoned reflexes, outmatched me, countering fivefold. Yet, I could feel his energy ebbing with the passage of time.
Suddenly, a jarring punch from Kakashi disrupted my focus, leaving me vulnerable to a ferocious downward strike. His blade grazed through my headband, altering what would have been a lethal cut into a gash. Metal screeched against metal, the sound marking my narrow escape.
As my headband clattered to the ground, I immediately shut my eyes to avoid Kakashi's ocular genjutsu.
"You're outmatched, give up," Kakashi's voice cut through the tension.
"You're right, I am outmatched," I conceded, feeling the warm trickle of blood weaving its way down my face. "But remember, I've trained with the best of the Uchiha, You pale in comparison. I sense your energy dwindling, Kakashi. Now, it's my turn to attack."
"Ah, well, I don't need it to beat you," he retorted, his tone tinged with a hint of mockery. "Why don't you open your eyes and witness your defeat?" he taunted, covering his Sharingan. "Let me show you I don't need it to beat you."
Our duel intensified, each exchange pushing the boundaries my physical and tactical capabilities. Even without the looming threat of his Sharingan, Kakashi's years of experience in the field were evident. I was gradually able to assert myself more, ensuring that each time our blades crossed, he too felt the strain. The very fact that we both needed moments to recover after every exchange was proof that the tide was slowly, albeit minutely, turning.
In one fluid motion, I disarmed us both, allowing the dance to transition from edged weapons to hand-to-hand combat. Seizing the opportunity, I slipped past his guard, closing the distance between us. I channeled my chakra into my fist, delivering a potent blow to his ribs. But Kakashi responded with a powerful kick, sending me soaring through the air.
Landing deftly, I looked up to see Kakashi straightening his posture. The playful demeanor he once held was now replaced by an intensity that sent shivers down my spine. "Hah, I've let this play out for long enough," he declared, his voice cold and determined. I watched in wary anticipation as he began channeling chakra into his palm, a glow of swirling chakra emanating. "Did you know," he began, his eyes fixed on mine, "that my original jutsu is based on Lord Fourth's signature technique? No elemental chakra needed." His stance solidified, clearly signaling his intent. "Yield."
"Well… you should know," I gasped out as I lifted myself odd the ground, mustering energy in me as I too began focusing chakra into my hand, while tightly gripping a kunai with the other. "That I also delved into his renowned techniques."
Kakashi's eyes narrowed, his hand now harboring a swirling vortex of potent chakra, ready to unleash. He eyed me with a mix of curiosity and caution, clearly aware that I wasn't one to concede. As I prepared myself for his impending strike, a crucial part of my strategy came into play as I released the barrier that had encircled us. He seemed to pay no mind to the dissipating barrier, fixated on concluding our duel.
In a flash of movement, Kakashi lunged. My heart raced as he closed the distance between us. It was now or never. Mere steps away from me, I channeled my accumulated chakra into my final gambit.
Flash
"What!" Kakashi's voice rang out, a flicker of bewilderment crossing his features as we were abruptly repositioned. We were back at our starting positions of the duel, and I had successfully maneuvered him into a vulnerable spot.
Our teleportation allowed me seize the moment, launching an assault, aiming a swift stab at his side, all while evading the destructive span of his rasengan. Victory wasnt achieved however as he agilely sidestepped, my blade grazing him, leaving only a superficial mark as his chakra-infused vortex violently impacted the tree, shattering it with its fury.
"Like it? It's my own version of the hiraishin. I admit it's still a work in progress but it's finally battle ready!"
As I spoke, Kakashi surveyed the scene quickly and then burst into the open, lifting his headband to uncover his Sharingan.
"Lord Second, the original creator of the jutsu, intended it to counter the Uchiha's speed by warping space to a predetermined location, tied to a specific anchor just like I'm doing now. Release!"
In an instant, Kakashi was back where he started, and I lunged again. His expression registered surprise, yet he smoothly evaded my thrust, slipping away once again.
"Lord Fourth refined it further. The seals were lighter, more efficient. He altered the balance between time and space. Release!"
This time when Kakashi reappeared, he was ready, meeting my attack with his own blade, then quickly sinking into the ground to escape.
"I know you're here. A sensor can always tell. You're probably scheming to outsmart my obvious seal trap, aren't you? Curious about my addition to the legacy of the Hiraishin?" I goaded, launching a formidable Water Style bullet that obliterated the tree concealing him. "I've infused an element of mass into it. Now, anyone marked by my seal can be summoned at my command. Release!"
Forming the ram seal swiftly, I directed a surge of chakra, executing two explosive releases. The first triggered the hiraishin seal on Kakashi's body; the second set off the ambush I had laid the moment we entered the training field.
Sealing Art: Sealed Binding Technique
"Can't move, can you? It's the capture and containment seal, an ANBU staple. As long as you're at its epicenter, escape is impossible. But you already know that," I declared, drawing my blade to rest its tip gently against his throat. "Yield."
"I yield," Kakashi exhaled, a note of resignation in his voice.
As I finally met his gaze, I could see the weariness in his eyes, the spirit of a warrior momentarily subdued. Releasing him from the binds of my jutsu, I offered him a hand up, accompanied by the seal of reconciliation. "You know, all that talk before was just a strategy to disrupt your focus. Nothing personal."
"Aah, don't worry, I get it. Always look underneath the underneath, right?" Kakashi replied with his usual laid-back attitude as he accepted the seal. Despite my efforts, I couldn't quite discern whether his response was genuine or just another layer of his enigmatic persona.
A series of claps broke our interaction and we both turned to look at our superior.
"What a splendid battle. You have more than shown your mettle Iruka, and I agree to assign you team 7." He then turned to the other man and said "Your guidance will still be essential, especially for Sasuke, should his Sharingan awaken. And given Naruto's status as genin, your involvement with him is now officially sanctioned, to interact with him without alerting foreign spies."
These words had a noticeable effect on Kakashi who now stood just a little taller.
"And you Iruka. You were not being arrogant when saying that you had surpassed me in the sealing arts." The old man said with a proud look as he puffed from his pipe.
"No Lord third. Although, if I may be just a tiny bit arrogant in proclaiming that I'm on my way to being the sixth Hokage. I mean, the second and fourth knew this particular jutsu, with that pattern. I think I have a good shot!" I couldn't help but joke, a hand scratching the back of my head in false embarrassment..
TThe Hokage chuckled lightly. "I sure hope you're quicker than that! This hat's been on my head far too long. Now," he said, pausing to take another draw from his pipe, "the orders are as follows: Kakashi, report to the jonin commander tomorrow for your reassignment. Expect short to mid-length missions, but stay ready to assist Team 7 as needed, considering their high-profile status."
"Understood, Lord Third."
"Iruka, you're to come to my office tomorrow. You'll be given access to revise the notes in the Forbidden Scroll and officially add your own techniques. Plus, your position as the leader of Squad 7 starts immediately. Dismissed!"
With the Hokage's command, we left the arena. I opted for a leisurely walk home, conserving the little energy I had left. Once home I finally allowed myself to cheer and dance around the house out of pure joy.