Thank you for all your comments! Seeing the support really motivates me to keep writing!
Now, about what I asked in the previous chapter regarding Haku, two people agreed, and none disagreed, so I suppose there won't be any problem with Haku surviving and being a woman.
Regarding Tsunade, I will wait until her arc to ask again. We still need to finish the Zabuza Arc, the Chunin Exams, and the Konoha Invasion to reach Tsunade. If anyone is wondering about age, it is not an impediment. Thanks to the crystals, Naruto is mentally older. To summarize, within the crystals, the consciousnesses stored inside them can make time flow faster. An hour in real life can equate to six hours inside the crystal. Therefore, Naruto is currently in his early twenties, at least mentally. You can imagine what will happen when Naruto goes to train with Jiraiya in Uzushiogakure and finds the other crystals. So, for Naruto Shippuden, Naruto would technically be close in age to Tsunade.
Now, I have been asked about Sakura, and yes, she is part of the Harem, and I have something planned for her. A few months ago, I watched many videos and essays that talked about how Naruto and Sakura, during the manga's process, were planned to end up together. They talked about many moments and some things written in Japanese that indicated an almost romantic closeness. But halfway through the story, it was decided that Sakura would end up with Sasuke, and Naruto with Hinata, and all that work went down the drain. As for whether Sakura will be the main girl, I don't know, and I don't think so. Although Naruto was in love with Sakura before obtaining the crystals, now he is not interested; rather, he is not in love with anyone. He is only focused on his desire to become stronger to restore his clan.
About Naruto's harem, currently there are only five people inside, six, if Tsunade comes to join. They proposed some names like Ten Ten and Ino (who is already included) I will wait. Other names that were proposed in the Spanish version of this fanfic were Temari and Tayuya. The last one I don't think so, and Temari, maybe? I'll leave it up to the people who read it. Although a compromise between the son of the Fourth Hokage and the daughter of the Fourth Kazekage and sister of the Fifth would not be a bad idea as a pact to seal an alliance after the invasion. Anyway, there is still a long way to go for those characters to appear, for now there is nothing decided and there are only ideas.
Do not hesitate to support me in: "www. Pa treon . com(slash)ApheliosFanfic (without spaces) (slash) = /
Everything is free! All the fanfics will be published and completed here. But by supporting me, you can read the drafts and the upcoming chapters before they are released. Currently, there are three chapters available: Chapter 5 of Legacy of Uzushiogakure: The Decision! Chapter 6: Important Mission! Towards the Land of Waves! and Chapter 7: Kakashi vs Zabuza. And for the House Lucifer, the draft of Chapter 8: Preparation is already available.
Chapter 4: The Test!
"Good morning, partners," Kakashi greeted calmly.
"You're late!" Naruto and Sakura accused in unison with an annoyed shout.
"A black cat crossed my path, so..." Kakashi excused himself, but the piercing glare his students were giving him made him stop. He coughed slightly. "Let's start..." he continued in a slightly more serious tone. He took a few steps and placed an alarm clock on a log. "Alarm set for 12 P.M."
The three Genin watched curiously as Kakashi pulled out two bells from one of his bags.
"Today's goal is to take one of these bells from me," Kakashi said, making them jingle. "Whoever can't will not have lunch," he warned severely. "I'll tie you up there and eat lunch in front of you," he pointed to one of the three logs.
"Wait. Why are there only two bells?" Sakura asked, confused.
Kakashi smiled beneath his mask.
"If there are only two, at least one of you will have to stay tied to the log. That person will fail since they couldn't complete their mission," he shook the bells. "That person will go back to the academy. It could be just one of you, or all three."
There was no trace of smiles on the faces of the three kids; only the stillness of a winter lake was reflected.
"You can use your shuriken. You won't be able to take this unless you intend to kill me."
"But this is too dangerous, Sensei," Sakura complained with a worried tone.
"Yeah! You couldn't even dodge that eraser!" Naruto commented, laughing.
"In society, those without many qualities tend to complain more," the Jōnin replied. "Just ignore the boy with the lowest score."
Naruto's laughter stopped abruptly, and his smile faded like mist. His eyebrows furrowed and his upper lip trembled a bit.
"We'll start after I say 'Ready, go'."
Naruto gritted his teeth and, without waiting, pulled a kunai from his bag, preparing to throw it. However, when he raised his hand and was ready to release it, everything happened in an instant. Kakashi vanished and someone grabbed Naruto's hand tightly, pointing the kunai towards his neck.
Sakura gasped, and Sasuke showed an expression of astonishment. Naruto remained frozen, looking over his shoulder at how Kakashi could end him at any moment.
"Don't be so hasty," Kakashi said softly. "I haven't said 'ready' yet."
Sasuke and Sakura took a few steps back. Kakashi released Naruto and pushed him forward.
"But it seems you had the intention to kill me now," Kakashi spoke with slight approval in his tone. He let out a small laugh. "It seems that, in the end, you three are going to start to like me. Let's begin. Ready?... Go!"
. . .
"What do you want to know?" the Third asked Iruka. "I'm sure you haven't come just to have tea with me."
"What kind of teacher is the Jōnin of Naruto and Group 7?" Iruka asked curiously. "Is he a strict person?"
"Are you talking about Kakashi? Are you worried?"
"I've heard some not-so-good rumors about him."
Hiruzen took out a book and placed it on the table. Iruka looked at the book for a moment, then fixed his gaze on the Third Hokage.
"What is that?"
"It's the list of Genins who have passed and failed under Kakashi's supervision," Hiruzen revealed with a serious look.
"I'll take a look." Iruka took the book and opened it. He gasped in surprise and frowned. He brought the book closer to his face to make sure what he was reading was true. "This is... No way! This is harder than the rumors say!" Iruka exclaimed.
"Kakashi's tests might be a bit tougher," Hiruzen nodded.
"But... If no one has passed them!" Iruka looked up to observe the Third.
"That's right, Kakashi has never passed anyone. They all failed." . . . "The basics for a ninja are to hide their presence and conceal themselves," Kakashi reflected, scratching his neck. He looked around. He couldn't see or perceive any of his students.
"Well, everyone is very well hidden..." Kakashi murmured. He looked up and realized he had spoken too soon.
"Let's have a fair and direct duel!" Naruto exclaimed, standing a few meters in front of Kakashi.
Kakashi tilted his head with a confused expression. Was this kid an idiot? No. He probably was.
"Hey, aren't you a bit strange compared to the others?"
"What's strange is your haircut!" Naruto replied, then lunged at Kakashi.
Kakashi watched him with an apathetic expression and brought his left hand to his back pouch.
Naruto's eyes widened. He stopped dead in his tracks and proceeded to raise his guard.
"Ninja tactic number one you need to know: Taijutsu. I'll teach you that first," Kakashi said calmly.
Naruto frowned with a worried expression. The Jōnin finished pulling something out of his pouch to reveal a book. Naruto's expression shifted from worry to confused surprise.
"What's the problem? Come closer and attack me."
"But, mm, mm... Why did you take out a book?" Naruto asked, puzzled.
"Why? I'm curious about how the story will continue," Kakashi replied, flipping through the pages of the book. "Don't worry about this. It would be the same if I weren't reading."
"I'm going to crush you!" Naruto clenched his fists with an angry face and attacked Kakashi.
Uzumaki threw a punch at his master's face, who stopped it easily without looking.
"Damn... Flying kick!" Naruto continued, launching a high kick. Kakashi ducked to dodge it. "Ahh, damn you!" he went on, throwing a punch that hit the air; Hatake had disappeared. "Huh?" Naruto blinked in bewilderment.
"A ninja should never turn their back to the enemy multiple times, idiot," Kakashi's voice boomed from behind Naruto, his hands forming the Tiger seal, a symbol often used for Fire Element Jutsus.
"Naruto, run! You're going to die!" Sakura exclaimed from somewhere, her tone overflowing with worry.
"Huh?" Naruto didn't seem to understand the danger he was in.
"Too late," Kakashi said. Naruto turned to see him. "Secret master move of the lost village of Konoha!"
Naruto's expression went from panic to an uncomfortable grimace as Kakashi jabbed his fingers into the Uzumaki's backside.
"A Thousand Years of Pain!" Naruto shot forward, letting out a howl of pain and clutching his rear. The Uzumaki flew until he landed in the large river. "Let's see..." Kakashi opened his book to continue reading.
A few seconds passed until two shuriken suddenly appeared from the water, but Kakashi easily caught them, fitting them onto two fingers like rings. Shortly after, Naruto emerged from the water, coughing a bit.
"What's wrong? You won't eat anything if you don't get a bell before noon," Kakashi said amusedly.
"I know that!" Naruto panted heavily.
"You said you wanted to surpass the Hokages, but your actions say otherwise."
A rumble emanated from Naruto's stomach.
"Damn it! Damn it! I can keep fighting, even if I'm hungry," the Uzumaki declared with a grimace.
Kakashi turned on his heels and took a few steps away, giving his back to Naruto.
"I let my guard down when you attacked me!" Naruto excused, raising his arms bitterly. "Damn it, I'm so hungry and my powers... Why do I have to do this instead of him? But I have to get a bell no matter what... I can't fail... I can't fail in a place like this!" he continued with a determined look. Several shadows began to appear in the river. "I will become a ninja!" From the shadows that appeared in the river, about seven Naruto clones emerged.
"Your confidence is your worst enemy!" declared one of the clones. "This is my best technique, Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"
"They aren't just Bunshin, but Kage Bunshin. An art of multiplying your body and not just as illusions," Kakashi narrowed his eyes.
'This is the forbidden Jutsu he used to defeat Mizuki,' thought the Jōnin.
"Considering his abilities, he can only use it for a minute," Kakashi deduced seriously. "Even if he's a loudmouth, Naruto is still Naruto. He won't catch me with that technique." Kakashi felt a weight on his back that made it difficult to move, the bells jingled. "What? From behind too?" Hatake spoke, surprised, seeing a Naruto clone holding him from behind.
The clone chuckled slightly.
"A ninja shouldn't turn their back to the enemy, right, Kakashi-sensei?" the clone remarked from behind Kakashi.
Kakashi tried to step back. Even with Naruto's weight on his back, he should still be able to move. But two Naruto clones lunged at his legs, holding them to prevent him from moving.
The original Naruto used two of his copies to propel himself upward.
"I sent a Kage Bunshin out of the water to position itself behind you," Naruto explained, preparing his fist to strike the Jōnin. "I'm gonna pay you back for that attack on my butt! You'll regret it!"
However, when Naruto's punch collided, it wasn't with Kakashi's face but with one of his clones.
"Huh?" Naruto watched, confused, at all of this.
"Ouch!" the clone that took the punch complained, falling to the ground.
"You... You must be Kakashi-sensei! You've transformed! Right?" the original Naruto pointed an accusatory finger at the clone he hit.
"You're him!"
"You have to be him!"
"You smell like Kakashi-sensei!"
"Smells like an adult!"
All the clones started fighting amongst themselves.
"Hey, you know...? Why don't you reverse the Jutsu?" proposed one of the clones with a swollen cheek and a black eye. "And there'll be only two left."
"You should've said that earlier, idiot!"
"I'm you, moron!"
Naruto dispelled the clones, leaving just him, bruised after receiving punches from his own copies. A small tear ran down his face as he realized he had been humiliated and tricked by his teacher.
'That was a kawarimi no jutsu, idiot,' thought Sasuke, frowning and looking at Naruto with disdain.
The Kawarimi no Jutsu was normally used to quickly replace a person's body with an animal or plant. This usually confused the opponent and created an opportunity to attack.
'Kakashi swapped his body with one of Naruto's clones. Not only did he deceive him, but he also made him hit himself,' Uchiha reflected seriously.
Sasuke returned his attention to Naruto to see him approaching a nearby tree.
"A bell?" Naruto smiled victoriously. "He must have been in a hurry and dropped it." He ran towards the bell to grab it, but his foot triggered a trap mechanism, leaving him hanging from the tree, held up by a rope from his feet. "What the hell?!"
'A trap... obviously,' Sasuke narrowed his eyes. 'That Jōnin doesn't seem to have any weaknesses despite fighting Naruto.'
Naruto had told Sasuke that he had purposely finished last to be on the same team as him. He had the audacity to declare that he was going to crush him, but in Sasuke's eyes, he was still the same loser. It seemed his words were just boasts to try to get attention, as always.
"The bell!" Naruto constantly stretched to try to grab the bell that was just centimeters away. Kakashi appeared and picked up the bell right in front of Naruto's face.
"Use your techniques after thinking them through carefully. That's why it was used against you," Kakashi said.
Naruto let out a furious growl.
"And... Don't fall for such an obvious trap, idiot," the Jōnin continued, his single eye smiling.
Naruto swayed from side to side, his face distorted with rage. His face was as red as his hair.
"A shinobi must be able to foresee events before they happen," Kakashi pointed out calmly.
"I know all that crap!" Naruto shouted, waving his arms. He threw punches into the air towards where Kakashi was, in an attempt to hit him by luck.
"Uh... I'm telling you because you don't know," Kakashi turned completely towards Naruto. "Your movements are driven by unnecessary emotions."
Sasuke's eyes widened. His expression shifted from surprise to intense focus. He reached into his ninja pouch and pulled out several shuriken and kunai.
'He's finally let his guard down!' thought Sasuke with a small smile.
A sharp whistle echoed as the shuriken and kunai Sasuke threw sliced through the air quickly.
"And, also—" Kakashi was smiling when all the kunai and shuriken lodged into his face, neck, and shoulder; blood spurted violently.
"Ahh! What the...! Sasuke, you bastard! You've gone too far!" Naruto declared in a frightened tone. Kakashi's body lost balance and a cloud of smoke appeared suddenly.
The Jōnin's body was replaced with a wooden log!
Both Sasuke and Naruto gasped in surprise.
'Damn, did he use another substitution?' Sasuke thought urgently, leaping among the tree branches to hide from another location. 'He must have determined my position thanks to that shuriken attack.' Uchiha clenched his jaw. 'He let his guard down on purpose. I fell into his trap.'
"There he is," Kakashi murmured, hidden among some bushes. His one visible eye had a serious look that clearly followed Sasuke's movements. He brought one of his hands to his tool pouch.
Sakura also ran to reposition herself. But more than to hide in a favorable area, she did it to try to help one of her comrades.
'Where is Sasuke-kun? Has Sensei caught him already?' Thinking about the possibility that Sasuke had fallen, her being filled with fear, but she quickly shook her head. 'No, that can't happen to Sasuke-kun.' Something sounded in front of her. Her eyes widened; it was her Sensei calmly reading his book.
Sakura hid behind some bushes to observe him and look for any weakness she could exploit.
'I'm safe! He hasn't noticed my presence.'
"Sakura, behind you."
"Huh?" That voice... no. Impossible. He was in front of her reading a book. But when she turned abruptly, she saw it was no illusion. Kakashi Hatake was behind her.
"Do ninjas have to think beyond the norm?" Naruto repeated with a mocking smile. He was still upside down with his feet caught in the trap. "If only he knew he's the one under my trap." Naruto pulled out a kunai and cut the rope, flipping in the air and landing on his feet.
He smiled, but the joy only lasted a moment when one of his feet fell into another trap, lifting him up again.
"Damn! The same trap under the previous one."
Kakashi made a hand seal and a whirlwind of leaves surrounded Haruno, who had a dazed look.
After a few seconds, Sakura blinked in confusion.
"What? What was that? And where did Sensei go?" Sakura was sure she had been facing him just moments ago. But now she was alone in the training field. Haruno turned her head from side to side, looking for her teacher, but saw no trace of the Jōnin. "What's happening? Why...?" She brought her hands to her pink hair. She didn't understand what was going on.
"Sakura..." a weak voice called her.
She recognized that voice. She turned with a big smile, but her joy vanished in an instant.
"Sasuke-kun?" her eyes widened in horror.
Sasuke lay on the ground, bathed in his own blood, with kunai and shuriken wounds from which blood flowed like an open faucet. He was missing an arm, and threads of blood ran from his mouth. The sight was heartbreaking.
"Sakura..." he murmured weakly. He extended a hand towards her, seeking her support. The hand was soaked in blood. "Help me..."
Haruno was paralyzed, her eyes so wide they seemed about to pop out of their sockets. Terror invaded her, and tears threatened to spill from her eyes. Her mind filled with images of Sasuke suffering, and the pain in her chest became unbearable. Then, Sakura screamed in terror, a scream that echoed in the air like a cry of her despair, and she fell unconscious, unable to bear the reality before her.
"Maybe I overdid it," Kakashi murmured, observing from a branch. He turned a page in his book. "But she should have realized if it was real or not."
Sasuke stopped with a frown. That heart-wrenching scream, full of terror, tore through the air like a wound. He had no doubt.
'That must have been Sakura,' thought the Uchiha.
"Tactical ninja knowledge number two, Genjutsu." The bells jingled behind the Uchiha. "Sakura has easily fallen into the trap."
"Genjutsu, huh? A form of hypnosis, and she fell for that trick." Sasuke narrowed his eyes. His face filled with seriousness. "But... I am not like them."
"Why don't you say that after you get a bell?" Kakashi asked from behind Sasuke, leaning against a tree and reading his book. "Sasuke-kun." He stood up and took a few steps towards the Uchiha.
Sasuke turned to face him. For a few seconds, there was only the expectant silence of the forest, which seemed to be another spectator, waiting to see what would happen. They stared at each other intently, but while Sasuke's eyes were full of seriousness and determination, Kakashi's were relaxed and carefree.
"The most powerful clan in the village, the Uchiha clan. This could be interesting," Kakashi acknowledged with some amusement.
Uchiha made the first move, pulling out some shuriken and throwing them at his Sensei.
"Obvious attacks like those are useless." Kakashi easily moved to the side and dodged the attack.
Sasuke threw a kunai, but not at Kakashi, but at a rope.
"A trap?" Kakashi noticed as he slid across the ground. He quickly jumped and avoided being sliced by several kunai that stuck into the tree.
"What?" As quickly as he landed, Sasuke appeared behind him, ready to kick him.
Kakashi turned and stopped the kick with his hand, defending his face. He grabbed the leg, but Sasuke quickly counterattacked with a punch. Kakashi stopped it with his other hand. Sasuke bent his body down and launched a downward kick. Kakashi blocked it with the hand that held the punch.
The bells jingled and Sasuke smiled.
'He's going to...' Kakashi looked down, his eyes widening in surprise when he noticed Uchiha reaching for the bells with his free hand.
Kakashi managed to step back in time to prevent him from grabbing a bell. Although Sasuke managed to brush them with the tips of his fingers.
'What a guy! I didn't even have time to read "Come, Come, Paradise",' Kakashi thought seriously.
Sasuke, for his part, gritted his teeth. He had just missed the opportunity to pass. He had prepared everything perfectly, and even so, he failed to get the bell.
But, unbeknownst to either of the fighters, a third person was watching from among the trees. A boy who had not yet shown his true cards and who had only been playing so far.
The boy let out a whistle of recognition at the Uchiha's abilities. He was certainly impressed. He expected nothing less from a genius of the renowned Uchiha clan.
"Show your talent so that the day I crush you will be more satisfying," the boy said with a bold smile.
"I have to admit, you're different from those two," Kakashi acknowledged.
Sasuke snorted derisively, extended his arms, and started making hand signs.
'Horse! Tiger!' Sasuke stepped back, puffing up his cheeks. His mouth burned with fire. 'Katon: Goukakyuu No Jutsu!'
"What?!" Kakashi recognized the hand signs with a bewildered look. 'A Genin shouldn't have enough chakra to perform that jutsu!'
Sasuke spat a massive fireball that scorched everything in its path. When Sasuke finished expelling flames, he noticed that the ground where Kakashi stood was destroyed, and a large cloud of smoke rose to the sky.
'He escaped,' thought the Uchiha, alarmed. 'In the air? No. To the sides?' He looked up and then turned to the sides. But he found Kakashi nowhere. 'Where could he be?'
"Below you," Kakashi's voice boomed forcefully.
Sasuke's eyes widened. An arm emerged from the ground and grabbed one of Uchiha's legs.
"What...?"
" Doton: Shinjuuzanshu no Jutsu."
Sasuke screamed as most of his body was buried underground, except for his head.
Kakashi emerged from the ground, and Sasuke didn't need to see under his mask to know he was smiling.
"This is the third piece of tactical ninja knowledge, Ninjutsu," the Jōnin instructed, crouching to be almost at the level of his buried student. "Well, this way you're just like the others."
Sasuke grunted slightly.
"How are you? You can't move, can you?" Kakashi said with his single eye smiling. Sasuke moved in an attempt to free himself, but it was useless. "It seems your talent is exceptional. But..." Kakashi stood up, turned, and took out his book. "They say the stakes that stand out must be hammered down."
A jet of compressed water shot out from the forest. Kakashi's eyes widened, surprised. He quickly crossed his arms to defend himself and took a few steps back from the water's pressure.
'Suiton?' Kakashi frowned. Sasuke was immobilized, and Sakura was unconscious from the Genjutsu. That only left one culprit.
The Jōnin turned his head towards where Uzumaki was hanging from the tree. There he was. But that was impossible. So, who launched that Water Release? Uzumaki smiled at him and then vanished in a puff of smoke. A clone.
"What are you doing looking the other way?" asked an amused voice.
Kakashi turned to see Naruto, who emerged from the forest, lunging at him with a sword in hand.
'He's as fast as Sasuke,' thought Hatake, impressed. Kakashi pulled out a kunai and started a duel against Naruto.
Kakashi had been a swordsman in his youth, so he could say with total certainty that Naruto was not at the Genin level when it came to Kenjutsu. No, his level was on par with a low-level Chūnin.
But that wasn't the most monstrous thing. The real Naruto had been observing all this time without Kakashi realizing. He watched and analyzed his patterns, saw where the weak points in his defense were, and now he was exploiting them.
Sparks flew with each clash, lighting up the battlefield like fireworks. The screech of metal clashing against metal resounded like an out-of-tune violin, a sharp echo that extended through the air, filling the atmosphere with palpable tension. Naruto and Kakashi danced to the rhythm of a dangerous and exciting choreography; their movements were precise and fluid, like soloists in an infernal orchestra.
There was no doubt, no fear, no nervousness behind Naruto's strikes. Kakashi realized with a strange chill that Naruto was smiling as if he enjoyed unleashing his full abilities against him.
But the balance began to tip to one side. Kakashi started to get used to Naruto's attacks and began to counterattack. Naruto retreated, and slowly, the number of his attacks decreased drastically.
Naruto backed off to reposition and recover, but Kakashi wasn't going to let him rest.
'He's very dangerous. There might be a clone among the trees. I need to finish him now,' Kakashi thought as he lunged forward. But when he saw Naruto's satisfied smile, he realized he had fallen into the trap.
Naruto made an unusual hand seal for Kakashi, and from his shadow, a massive swarm of rabbits was summoned. Filling the area, they managed to create a perfect distraction for Kakashi to lose track of Naruto.
The rabbits dissolved into shadows, and Kakashi searched for Naruto with his eyes. He was near the forest, kneeling on one knee. He made another hand seal, and from his shadow, two twin wolves manifested: one white and one black. Kakashi recognized them. Both the wolves and the rabbits were part of the Ten Shadows Technique of one of the two clans protecting the Uzumaki family: the Uzumaki Shadow Clan.
Kakashi kicked the black wolf that tried to sink its teeth into his hand holding the kunai. He then stopped the other with one hand. But in that opening while he was distracted, a jet of compressed water shot out from the forest.
'Can the clones also use summons?' Kakashi was amazed by the compatibility of the Shadow Technique with the Shadow Clone and the mastery Naruto was demonstrating.
Hatake received the jet of water and came out completely soaked. Now he understood where the Suiton was coming from: one of the Ten Shadows summons, the Max Elephant. But before Kakashi could recover, another summon was performed by Naruto: a large snake that tried to catch him with its mouth. Kakashi jumped into the air, but another summon emerged from the forest.
A creature resembling an owl with orange feathers and a white skull mask. It had two large wings, two pairs of claws, and human-like teeth. But the dangerous part was the electricity emanating from its wings.
Kakashi couldn't avoid it and received a shock, which, being wet from the Max Elephant attack, was enhanced. But despite that, Hatake landed perfectly, though his body was numb. His gaze fixed on Naruto who, after so many summons, was sweating profusely and panting heavily. He joined his hands in the Tiger hand seal, and Kakashi prepared for the next assault.
The clone that was helping him summon from the forest emerged ready to fight. He wanted to buy time to recover from the chakra expenditure.
'I won't let him!' Kakashi lunged at the clone, starting a Taijutsu fight. If it weren't for his numb state, Kakashi could have eliminated him easily.
Hatake threw a punch at the clone's face. The clone dodged it, arching his head to one side, and threw a low kick. Kakashi blocked it with his shin. He attacked with the kunai towards Naruto's head, but Naruto stopped it with one hand and counterattacked with a hook to Kakashi's elbow, sending a wave of pain through his arm. But Kakashi gritted his teeth and landed a punch on the clone's abdomen, who spat out saliva before disappearing.
Quickly, he grabbed the kunai falling through the air and threw it at Naruto, who remained still with the Tiger seal. But before the kunai could hit him, Naruto unsheathed his sword and deflected the kunai with ease.
The Jōnin shivered and instinctively stepped back. There was something different about Naruto, a pressure and aura completely different. Something had changed, but Kakashi couldn't pinpoint what exactly.
Naruto stood up and sighed. He cracked his neck before opening his eyes, so blue they seemed like enchanting violets. He winced and a trickle of blood slid down his nose. Naruto licked the blood with his tongue and then took a deep breath.
"I hope you use your other eye, because if you don't, the bells will be mine," Naruto declared confidently, pointing the tip of his katana at Kakashi. "Shunkō!"
Naruto's chakra exploded in a burst of pure energy, enveloping him in a powerful and brilliant aura of energy. A dense and glowing layer of wind swirled around his arms and legs, as if the very air responded to his call. The pressure exerted by this technique was astounding, an invisible and palpable force that resonated in the air with a deep, reverberating hum.
The energy surrounding him was so intense that the ground beneath his feet cracked and fragmented, and the air around him trembled with a palpable vibration.
This was not the power of a Genin. No, Kakashi realized instantly that Naruto was at the level of a Chūnin from Konohagakure. The realization was an unexpected blow. The Third had warned him that Naruto was not the worst in his class, that he could match Sasuke. Kakashi realized that his words were as true as the sun rising every morning. No, Naruto was perhaps more powerful than the Third had thought.
Kakashi swallowed, feeling a lump forming in his throat. With determination, he drew another kunai, ready for another round. He knew he had to take this a bit more seriously than when he fought Sasuke, pushing every fiber of his ability, though he wasn't ready to reveal his ace up his sleeve just yet. Winning this battle would require all his skill and experience, and there was no room for errors.
Naruto didn't launch his attack immediately; instead, he pulled out several kunai and threw them around the area. Kakashi's eyes widened in surprise.
'Those are...' thought the alarmed Jōnin. 'If Naruto managed to learn that technique from the forbidden scroll, then this is going to be much more difficult than I thought.'
Naruto raised his sword to the right, above his head. The wind chakra swirled around his katana. Uzumaki unleashed four vertical slashes towards Kakashi that resembled claws.
Kakashi jumped to the side to dodge them, though small wind cuts slightly tore at his leg. But he didn't have time to think about the pain when Naruto appeared in front of him.
The sword and the kunai clashed again with each strike, making Kakashi's hand tremble. The force behind each slash was insane. Kakashi coated the kunai with chakra to withstand the blows because he was sure a single cut could break it.
But that wasn't what impressed Kakashi the most, not even the monstrous speed that Naruto displayed. It was his abnormally acute senses. An instinct that almost seemed to tell him what to do and how to do it: the right action to keep fighting, almost as if he were a predator who, with every step, learned more about his rival and devised ways to defeat them.
And his swordsmanship had increased in just seconds, as if he had learned in seconds what would take weeks. Kakashi could attest that now his sword skill was equivalent to that of a mid-level Chūnin. Amazing, there was simply no other word to describe it.
Naruto's katana attempted three consecutive attacks, but Kakashi managed to defend against them all. Naruto launched a downward slash and Kakashi blocked it; they struggled until Kakashi broke Naruto's guard, surprising him.
Most warriors take a step back when their guard is down. It is a natural instinct to stay alive. But Naruto took half a step forward, entering Kakashi's personal space, who couldn't respond in time. At such a close distance, Uzumaki couldn't use his katana.
Therefore, he concentrated a dense amount of wind chakra in his elbow and drove it into Kakashi's abdomen. The latter, also by instinct, managed to concentrate chakra in his abdomen to minimize the damage, but it didn't prevent him from spitting out saliva, his torso being torn by several cuts, and being forced to step back from the blow's force.
Before his teacher could recover, Naruto attacked. He thrust his sword towards Kakashi's chest, correctly knowing that the Jōnin would use the kunai to defend himself. The kunai vibrated and creaked under the pressure, emitting a sharp squeal that resonated in the air. Small cracks began to form along its surface, rapidly expanding like a spiderweb of fractures. With a final, shattering snap, the kunai disintegrated into metallic fragments, leaving Kakashi with a broken guard.
Naruto quickly slashed at the bells, successfully cutting them from the cord. Both began to fall, and Naruto extended his hand to grab them, but Kakashi recovered and kicked Naruto in the forearm with enough force to send him flying.
Uzumaki, however, reacted in the air and threw one of his custom kunai. Kakashi acted instinctively and threw a shuriken to knock away Naruto's kunai, who growled.
Kakashi thought it was his victory when his shadow cast over the bells. Naruto had surprised him, but he still had a long way to go. But a hand emerged from his projected shadow and grabbed the bells. Hatake's eye lit up with surprise, and then he understood. The Naruto who was summoning the Ten Shadows from the forest had never come out to fight, but had been hiding in Naruto's shadow all this time, waiting for the perfect moment.
The Jōnin stopped and looked at the redhead. An identical clone emerged from his shadow, holding the bells. If this had been an equal fight, Kakashi would have won. But Naruto never sought to defeat him; their fight was just a distraction to keep his mind occupied, revealing card after card, but always keeping the true one hidden. All so he wouldn't notice the third clone.
Naruto panted heavily but raised the bells with a victorious smile in front of Kakashi's astonished gaze.
"I win, right?"
If Kakashi had fought with the Sharingan, Naruto wouldn't have had a chance. Not only would he have realized that Naruto possessed the Ten Shadows Technique, but he might also have noticed the clone in the shadow.
In the end, Naruto won because he used all his cards. And most importantly, he used deception and Kakashi's ignorance against him.
'But still, did he throw Minato-sensei's kunai to keep me away from the bells? Or did he also learn the Flying Thunder God Jutsu?' Kakashi couldn't say for sure. In the end, it was also part of Uzumaki's deception.
Sasuke and Sakura, who were spectators of the entire fight, were stunned, with jaws dropped in amazement and eyes wide open like plates. How could their useless and loser teammate, who graduated last in his class, give a better fight than Sasuke, who graduated as the best?
Kakashi straightened and sighed, scratching his neck.
"Well... there's no need for you to go back to the academy," the Jōnin declared calmly.
Naruto showed a proud smile.
"What? But all I did was faint. Is that good?" Sakura asked confused. 'Love prevails, damn it!' she thought happily.
Sasuke, although still surprised by Naruto's level, let out a small satisfied smile.
Sakura started jumping joyfully.
"Does that mean the three of us...?" Naruto asked, tilting his head.
"Yes, the three of you..." Kakashi smiled with his single visible eye. "Should quit being ninjas!"
If you want to read three more chapters right now. Write: "www. Pa treon . com(Slash)ApheliosFanfic in the Websearch (without spaces) (Slash) = /
Before I go I want to thank Robert for being part of the Lucifer Level. Thank you very much for your support.