Brothers' Duel

"Father, I don't want to go to the Ninja Academy anymore."

After dinner, Karot said to Hatake Sakumo.

"Why? Isn't the Ninja Academy fun?"

Hatake Sakumo asked curiously.

"You know I can't refine Chakra. Going to school would just be a waste of time. I'd rather train on my own."

Karot spoke earnestly to Hatake Sakumo.

"Indeed, the Ninja Academy isn't suited to your growth."

Hatake Sakumo pondered for a moment before replying. His child's talent had shown itself from an early age. The training method he had created himself was beyond even Sakumo's capabilities.

"Fine. However, I'll test you from time to time. If you regress, you'll have to return to school. Is that acceptable, Karot?"

"Yes, Father."

The pleasant evening passed amid the father and son's cheerful conversation.

Early the next morning, Hatake Kakashi took Hatake Karot's leave slip to school, leaving Kakashi feeling quite depressed.

At that moment, Karot was in the Hatake Training Ground, drenched in sweat and panting heavily.

"It really is a little difficult to make it do as I please."

"System, can't you help me out?"

"Host, you must understand that only what you cultivate yourself truly belongs to you."

Its icy tone was as unchanging as ever.

"What level am I at among Saiyans now?"

"Low-Class Warrior. The host must continue working hard."

"Damn, I'm still low-class? Doesn't that mean I'm still far from Super Saiyan?"

Karot wore an expression full of curiosity.

"Host, aren't you thinking too much? Karot broke through to Super Saiyan through ultimate kindness, while Vegeta did so through ultimate evil. What about you? Can you achieve that?"

"Uh, I'm somewhat kind, but I can't do that."

"So, Host, just train step by step."

"Is this how you train, Karot?"

Just then, a voice entered Karot's ears, interrupting his exchange with the system. His heart instantly went on alert. Looking toward the source of the voice, he saw Hatake Sakumo standing atop a tree at some unknown time.

"Father."

Karot said in surprise. After exhausting his Ki, he had relaxed his guard and had not even noticed his father's arrival.

"No need to be surprised. I just arrived as well. If my son isn't going to school, then as his father, I have to know what gives him such confidence."

Hearing that, Karot relaxed slightly.

"Is this your ability, Karot?"

Looking at the pockmarked training ground, he asked Karot.

"Yes, Father."

There was no need for Karot to hide anything from his father. After all, he was one of the people in this world who would never harm him.

"From the day you were born, I knew you were extraordinary. You carried an immense power within you. Can you use that power now?"

Such destructive force was absolutely not something a student who had yet to graduate from the Ninja Academy could produce.

"I can, Father."

"With your current abilities, you're already more than qualified to become a ninja. No wonder you don't want to go to the Ninja Academy."

"What are your plans?"

"I'll continue taking leave. Right now, I don't have the ability to dominate the Ninja World. Revealing too much talent would only get me killed young."

"Mm, not bad. You haven't lost yourself to power. But dominating the Ninja World won't be easy. You've got quite the ambition, Karot."

As he finished speaking, Hatake Sakumo smiled.

"Because I can definitely do it."

Karot revealed a confident smile.

With Karot's training talent and the cultivation methods provided by the system, if he still couldn't do it, he might as well wash up and kill himself.

Hearing Karot's words, Sakumo's expression froze for a moment.

"Hahaha, worthy of being my son. Your ambition is commendable. Before you grow stronger, Father will protect you."

When Kakashi returned from school, he brought news of the teacher's concern, as well as news that a new classmate had joined the class. Might Guy had officially become a student of the Ninja Academy and was placed in the same class as Kakashi.

On his first day, after seeing Kakashi in class, he challenged him. The result was obvious: Might Guy, who had yet to master the Eight Gates, was no match for Kakashi.

"There's one troublemaker after another in that class."

Kakashi returned home and complained to Karot. Karot did not have to go to school, leaving him without even anyone to vent to. His small shoulders bore far too much. Why had Father agreed to let Karot skip school? Could the Hatake family's honor simply be ignored?

"Isn't that a good thing, Kakashi? This way, you can make more friends."

"Then why don't you need to go to school to make friends?"

Kakashi shot back directly, glaring at Karot with dead-fish eyes.

"Because I'm a genius, Kakashi."

"You're all too ordinary. You're not suited for me. Understand?"

Looking at Karot's utterly matter-of-fact expression, Kakashi wanted nothing more than to pin him to the ground and beat him senseless. This was the first time Kakashi had ever been called ordinary. With his talent, whenever he walked down the street, everyone called him a genius. He had absolutely nothing to do with being ordinary.

Seeing the unconvinced look on Kakashi's face—

"You know, you've never beaten me even once, Kakashi."

"This time, I'll definitely win. I've gotten stronger. If I win, take back what you said, Brother."

Kakashi ground out the last two words through clenched teeth. Though he did not care about being called a genius, he certainly was not ordinary.

"Oh, really? Then let this big brother of yours measure the caliber of his so-called genius little brother."

After saying that, the two went to the Hatake family courtyard and faced each other. Karot looked relaxed, while Kakashi wore a solemn expression. Karot put far too much pressure on Kakashi—after all, he had never won even once.

"Show me what you've got and entertain me. Otherwise, this will be very boring, Kakashi."

"Got it. I won't hold back."

With that, Kakashi drew several shuriken with his left hand and gripped a kunai in his right. The shuriken flew toward Karot, fast and precise.

"You really aren't holding back, Kakashi. Are you trying to kill your big brother?"

Karot twisted aside to dodge the shuriken, but the instant he avoided them, Kakashi's kunai thrust straight at a vital point.

Karot caught Kakashi's right wrist with his own right hand. Unexpectedly, Kakashi released the kunai in his right hand, caught the falling kunai with his left, and slashed upward. Karot reacted instantly, releasing Kakashi's right hand and leaping backward.

Patting the clothes over his chest, Karot said, "Whoa, that almost cut me, Kakashi."

He sounded utterly unconcerned.

"Damn it."

"Get serious, Brother. If you get hurt, I won't be responsible."

"Oh, really, Kakashi? Then I'd better get a little serious. Be careful."