Cat-and-Mouse

At exactly nine, Namikaze Minato arrived late.

Master Minato glanced around, clapped his hands to call his three students over, and said, "No one's late. I'm very pleased.

"Without further ado, over the next few days, I'll train your teamwork and design targeted training plans based on your individual strengths.

"Before that, I need to know what each of you is good at. You also need to understand your teammates' abilities.

"Now, let's begin today's training."

"Yoshi!" Might Guy clenched both fists, his face alight with excitement.

When his father, Might Duy, had learned the previous evening that Guy had become a student of Namikaze Minato, an Elite Jonin, he'd been overjoyed. He'd opened two bottles of sake on the spot and performed a drunken boxing routine.

Before Guy left that morning, Might Duy had also warned him: not everyone got the chance to join an elite squad, and Lord Minato was a powerful ninja.

He had to train hard and make a good impression. He mustn't embarrass Lord Minato.

Guy was already burning with excitement. Training under an Elite Jonin? He was going to take off!

Uchiha Mai remained expressionless. The first training exercise after the team's formation would probably be the three of them against Namikaze Minato—most likely against Master Minato's Shadow Clone.

Honestly, their chances of winning weren't great.

Against a highly mobile, traditional ninja like Master Minato, he wasn't much good at fighting Tailed Beasts, but he was an expert at fighting other ninja.

Even in a three-on-one against a Shadow Clone, Uchiha Mai wasn't confident they could win.

Master Minato took an alarm clock from his pocket, fiddled with it, then set it on a nearby rock. He turned to his three students and explained the rules.

"Today's exercise is a team pursuit battle. Other than the rule that you can't leave the area within a 500-meter radius of this lake, there are no restrictions.

"Kakashi is on his own and will play the cat. Mai and Guy are a team and will play the mice.

"Both teams' task is to take this alarm clock before it goes off at eleven, without damaging it.

"At eleven sharp, whichever team is holding the clock when it rings wins. If the clock is damaged, both teams lose.

"Understood?"

So they weren't fighting Master Minato's Shadow Clone after all?

It seemed Master Minato had a lot of confidence in Kakashi. Even after seeing Uchiha Mai defeat three Genin in a minute yesterday, he still thought Mai and Guy would have to work together to stand a chance against Kakashi.

"Got it. We just have to beat Kakashi to win, right?" Guy scratched his head, not quite understanding the deeper meaning of Master Minato's exercise.

It was just a fight. Why make it so complicated?

Kakashi narrowed his eyes and tightened his grip on the short sword in his hand. This team exercise wasn't just about fighting.

The alarm clock could represent a piece of intelligence or a protected person. If it was in the other team's hands, this would be a rescue mission.

For the team holding the clock, it was a defensive mission.

"Minato-sensei, do we need a ten-second countdown?" Uchiha Mai asked.

"No need," Master Minato replied, shaking his head.

As soon as he finished speaking, Uchiha Mai and Kakashi sprang into action at the same time, rushing toward the clock on the rock. As he ran, Uchiha Mai pulled out a few shuriken and hurled them at the clock, intending to destroy it.

What the hell?!

Kakashi's eyelid twitched. He instantly pulled his hand back from the clock, drew the short sword at his waist, and knocked aside the shuriken Uchiha Mai had thrown.

Did this guy have no intention of winning at all?

A moment slower to react, Guy saw the two of them move and only then realized the exercise had begun. He leaped into the air and kicked at Kakashi.

"Hyah!!"

Forget snatching or protecting the clock. To Might Guy, there was only one word: fight!

Wielding his short sword, Kakashi used Hatake Style Kenjutsu, each thrust aimed at Guy's vital points. After only a few moves, he had Guy completely on the defensive.

Until now, Kakashi had sparred with Guy using only Taijutsu, to build his basic physical skills.

Over the past year, Guy had improved at an astonishing rate. In Taijutsu alone, he could nearly match Kakashi, and he'd pushed Kakashi into a tough fight more than once.

But don't forget: at this stage, Kakashi's greatest strength was swordsmanship, followed by Taijutsu and Lightning Style.

After suppressing Guy, Kakashi glanced back at the alarm clock—and his pupils contracted again. While he'd been held up, Uchiha Mai had already taken it.

Was the exercise over?

No. It had only just begun. Taking the clock didn't count as winning. The winner had to make sure it was still in their hands when it rang at eleven.

But one thing was certain: whoever held the clock had the advantage.

Kakashi forced Guy back with a slash, then rapidly formed Hand Seals and slapped his palm against the ground. Chakra surged out, turning into several lightning snakes that slithered toward Uchiha Mai.

Lightning Style: Earth Flow!

The alarm clock was just an ordinary clock. A heavy blow, water damage, or an electrical fault could all break it.

Uchiha Mai had the clock and was now in the lead. He only had to protect it until eleven to win.

So Kakashi was certain Uchiha Mai wouldn't accept an outcome where the clock was destroyed and both teams lost.

"You're not destroying the clock that easily," Uchiha Mai said with a light laugh. Holding the clock, he darted backward, evading the Earth Flow.

And dodging Earth Flow wasn't enough. Uchiha Mai turned and sped up, rushing into the woods and disappearing from sight.

Kakashi's eyebrow twitched. This guy had abandoned his teammate and run off. Did he have to be so shameless?

"Leaf Whirlwind!"

At that moment, Guy—just forced back—let out a roar and kicked at Kakashi again, completely unaware that his good friend had abandoned him.

Guy was done for!

Kakashi's gaze turned impatient. Uchiha Mai had gone into the woods, and if he focused on escaping, he could very well stall until eleven. The situation was extremely unfavorable for Kakashi.

He couldn't let this drag on.

Chakra surged out and coated his other hand in Lightning Release Chakra. With a sword in his left hand and a fist in his right, Kakashi subdued Guy in fewer than ten moves and sat on him.

He'd gotten up, only to end up back on his knees.

At this stage, there was still a huge gap between Guy and Kakashi when Kakashi used all his skills.

Guy looked indignant. How had he been flattened so quickly? He tried to struggle, but Kakashi stabbed through his wrist with the short sword, pinning it to the ground.

Kakashi struck again, piercing Guy's other wrist and both ankles.

His tendons and fascia were severed. Guy had completely lost the ability to fight.

That was the level of training during Konoha's preparations for war. Every move aimed to cripple the opponent. At worst, they could toss someone who was nearly dead into Konoha Hospital, and a few days later, he'd be back on his feet, lively as ever.

Ah, having medical ninja sure was convenient.

Kakashi straddled Guy's waist, held the short sword to his throat, and watched every blade of grass and leaf around him, wary of a sudden ambush by Uchiha Mai.