The Final

Chiba and Kakashi broke apart as soon as they clashed, each retreating to put distance between them, but neither launched another attack.

Chiba watched Kakashi, breathing slightly hard. After that exchange, the Chakra within him was nearly depleted. With Gate of Life Mode activated and Monster Strength in use, his stamina was almost spent as well.

Kakashi, on the other hand, was also panting heavily. After that relentless assault, he was clearly no better off than Chiba.

Thoughts raced through Chiba's mind, only to be rejected one by one. After all, he was facing Konoha's genius—the future Copy Ninja, the Sixth Hokage, the son of White Fang, Hatake Kakashi.

Could he fool him with the Three Body Techniques? He had enough Chakra for that... But could he really fool him? Chiba dismissed the idea. Based on their fight just now, coupled with what he knew of Kakashi from the original story, using the Three Body Techniques rashly would definitely be seen through. It wouldn't work! No! It couldn't work! The Three Body Techniques wouldn't fool him! At that moment, the same thought crossed Kakashi's mind.

Minato Namikaze looked at his student. From Kakashi's expression and posture, he could tell that his stamina and Chakra were nearly exhausted. A smile appeared on his face. This was the first time he had seen Kakashi struggle so hard in a battle. This Chiba might become quite a good rival for him! Right, Kakashi?

Hokoma, meanwhile, was already staring wide-eyed. That rapid exchange just now had been at least at the level of an Elite Chunin—no, perhaps it was already on par with an ordinary Jonin! The use of clones, Shadow Clone Jutsu, and the Substitution Technique had been brought to their fullest in this battle. Hokoma had to admit that he could never use them as skillfully as these two.

"He actually fought Kakashi to a draw! That's amazing..." Uchiha Obito murmured.

Even Rin Nohara beside him wore a worried expression. Kakashi, don't lose...

Hirohiko and Yukina watched the field without blinking, while Kushina Uzumaki's expression grew serious as well.

A tense atmosphere spread both inside and outside the arena.

Then, this was it! The final strike!

Chiba and Kakashi's gazes sharpened at the same time. Each drew a kunai and charged at the other.

"Clang!"

The two kunai crossed, throwing off a spark as both figures rushed past each other.

Suddenly, Kakashi turned around midway and flung the kunai in his hand. It shot straight toward Chiba's back, but just as it was about to strike him, Chiba spun sharply and swept his own kunai sideways, knocking Kakashi's kunai away.

"Thud!" Both landed. Without pausing, Chiba pushed off with his feet and shot toward Kakashi like an arrow released from a bow.

Kakashi's gaze remained calm as he pulled a Smoke Bomb from his Ninja Tool Pouch and slammed it to the ground with a "Bang!" White smoke immediately billowed out, and Chiba lost sight of Kakashi.

A Smoke Bomb? Where would he attack from? Above, or... straight ahead? Chiba's pupils contracted slightly. The smoke did not slow his charge in the slightest. Then Kakashi suddenly burst out of the smoke and met Chiba head-on!

Straight ahead? No, this had to be a trap!

Chiba made the judgment instantly.

"Clang!"

The kunai collided, sending out a spark. Chiba saw through the trap, and after using that strike to cancel Kakashi's attack, he was about to pull back.

"Smack!"

Suddenly, Kakashi's other hand seized Chiba's kunai-wielding hand and swung him violently upward, while tossing out the kunai in his hand.

As Chiba was flung into the air, he caught sight of the kunai from the corner of his eye. All he had to do was shift slightly to avoid it.

Dodge!

That was Chiba's first instinct.

No! Chiba threw out his own kunai. With a "Clang!", the two kunai collided and fell away. At the same time, wind sliced past his ear as another Kakashi burst from the smoke and brought down a splitting kick that missed. If he had dodged to the side just now, that kick would have landed squarely on him!

If that hit had landed, he would have been smashed to the ground. Then the Kakashi on the ground could have subdued him in an instant! As expected of Kakashi. The one who rushed out of the smoke was a clone, wasn't it? The instant I threw my kunai, he used the Substitution Technique to switch places with the clone, letting his real body attack! Impressive! Chiba flipped in midair and tumbled into the smoke.

"Bang!"

The Kakashi on the ground burst into a cloud of white smoke. The real body in midair looked at the white smoke spreading from the Smoke Bomb, frowned, then let out a breath of relief.

Just as expected, he chose to enter the smoke and use my Smoke Bomb to launch a surprise attack! And he saw through my attack too!

But!

What you thought of, I thought of too! Everything before this was merely setup! This Smoke Bomb was the real trap!

Kakashi formed hand seals, his eyes flashing. As he landed, the seals were complete, and he slammed both hands heavily onto the ground with the force of his descent.

This is bad!

As Chiba flipped into the smoke, the ground beneath his feet suddenly gave way. His body tilted, and he fell hard to the ground.

This was the pit I created. So that was it—he used the Smoke Bomb to hide the exact location of this pit, making me misjudge my footing... causing me to lose my balance! It achieved the same effect as that splitting kick!

I really got myself trapped this time!

Chiba hit the ground, kicking up dust. The white smoke from the Smoke Bomb was slowly dispersing now, and his vision gradually cleared.

He'll attack right away!

Chiba instinctively tried to get up, but a sharp pain suddenly shot through his right foot.

I twisted my ankle! A bead of cold sweat slid from Chiba's forehead and down his cheek. He struggled to his feet, standing on one leg as he swept his eyes around. By now, the smoke had completely cleared.

Where will he attack from? This is bad! He's not around me—above?

Chiba glanced upward but found no sign of Kakashi. He abruptly raised his head. The sky was blue and dotted with white clouds, but there was no figure there either.

No way! Did he copy what I did?

Chiba gave a bitter smile and looked down. At that moment, a hand broke through the earth and grabbed his foot. In an instant, Chiba felt the scenery around him suddenly rise by a great deal.

Earth Release, Headhunter Jutsu!

So that was it. The feint earlier was meant to make me enter the smoke. Though he couldn't see me, I couldn't see him either. That made the Headhunter Jutsu possible. And by using the terrain of the pit I created to make me lose my balance and hinder my mobility, he ensured the Headhunter Jutsu would succeed!

Not bad, Kakashi!

Chiba's gaze dipped slightly. A shuriken rested against his chin, while Kakashi's heavy breathing came from behind him.

"This time, I win, right?" Kakashi said after taking a few breaths.

He did not have much Chakra left to begin with, and after using the Clone Technique, Substitution Technique, and Headhunter Jutsu, both his stamina and Chakra had been depleted. Chiba could practically feel the tremor in his hand.

He won!

Obito and Rin both let out breaths of relief.

He lost...

Hirohiko and Yukina frowned, exchanged glances, and let out long sighs, unable to hide their disappointment.

Kushina Uzumaki closed her eyes, sighed, and shook her head.

So he still lost in the end...

Hokoma patted Minato Namikaze on the shoulder and said with a smile, "Who would've thought? He actually won using the same method Taki Chiba used at the beginning. That Kakashi... I don't even know how to praise him!"

However, Minato Namikaze showed no joy. He watched the field with a grave expression.

No! Not necessarily! Chiba's expression... he's certain of victory! He still has something up his sleeve! Kakashi, be careful!

At that moment, Kakashi suddenly seemed to realize something. His eyes widened slightly. "Don't tell me—?"

Before he could finish, Chiba—whose head alone remained above the earth—went poof and turned into white smoke. When the smoke dispersed, only a half-buried log remained in the dirt.

Substitution Technique! Kakashi whirled around, but froze mid-step.

A kunai stood mere millimeters from his throat.

Balancing on one foot, Chiba smiled at him. "You overlooked something. You used the Substitution Technique here before. In the center of the pit—right behind you—there was a piece of wood like this!"

Had he formed the hand seals for the Substitution Technique while he was searching for me? Had he seen through my intentions from the start?

Kakashi looked at Chiba, shock reflected in his eyes. He exhaled and lowered the kunai in his hand.

Clang.

The kunai fell to the ground.

"I lost."