The Result

"Light, I can see it again! Thank goodness!"

At Training Ground 42, Might Guy couldn't help tearing up when he saw the light again.

This time, it really wasn't because he was moved. His eyes were watering uncontrollably.

"That guy—I thought he was going to go blind!"

Asuma rubbed his aching eyes, feeling helpless. He'd only come to watch a match. He hadn't expected to suffer such a misfortune.

"Senior, your little brother really is full of surprises," Uchiha Itachi said with a smile. He'd been affected too.

Kakashi rubbed his affected right eye. "He's just a little clever, that's all. But that move reminded me of the Lightning Release illusion, Lightning Flash: Thunder Illusion Lightning Pillar."

"So Gu Qi is still holding a grudge over what happened back then," Kurenai Yuhi said.

"What happened back then?" Itachi asked curiously.

"Last year," Kakashi replied flatly. "Gu Qi got into a fight with a Kumogakure envoy. He was badly injured, but he survived."

Uchiha Itachi suddenly understood. Last year's incident had caused quite a stir, but he hadn't realized Gu Qi was involved.

"I didn't know your little brother was so impressive, senior!" Uchiha Itachi exclaimed sincerely.

Kakashi shook his head. "He's impressive, but he's not as good as you."

"You flatter me, senior."

As they chatted, things changed again on the training ground.

"Not bad, little guy. You're a lot more capable than before," Anko said, knocking aside Gu Qi's flying kick with one hand.

Gu Qi rolled his eyes at her. He was already running out of strength and didn't want to waste his breath talking.

Gu Qi was only five. Though Might Guy had trained him for quite some time, his body was still growing, and stamina remained one of his weaknesses.

"Kid, give up. You've already earned my approval. I promise I'll go easy on you this time," Anko said.

Gu Qi didn't reply. He launched another Konoha Whirlwind kick.

"Fine, don't say I didn't warn you!" Anko smiled faintly and formed Hand Seals again.

"Fire Release: Phoenix Flower Technique!"

One fist-sized fireball after another burst from Anko's mouth, flying in every direction toward Gu Qi.

This completely cut off Gu Qi's possible routes. He could only move forward through the narrow gaps between the fireballs.

"Like I'd be scared! Rasengan, Shield of Protection!"

Gu Qi wasn't about to back down. He quickly gathered chakra in his right palm, and before long, a blue ball of chakra appeared.

His left hand was busy too. A pale blue shield sprang into existence.

"Using two jutsu at once? That's unbelievable!" Asuma stared at Gu Qi in shock. He didn't even notice the cigarette fall from his mouth.

"Kakashi, when it comes to ninjutsu, Gu Qi may already have surpassed you in talent," Might Guy said, folding his arms.

"If that's all he can do, it's too soon to say," Kakashi replied coolly.

"Senior, you have an incredible little brother."

"It's a shame. If Gu Qi were a few years older, he might have won this match. But as things stand, he's going to lose." Kurenai Yuhi shook her head regretfully.

On the training ground, Gu Qi deflected the fireballs with his Electromagnetic Shield as he charged toward Anko.

"Kid, let me teach you something! When you fight an enemy, pay attention to everything. For example, the ground!"

As she spoke, Anko quickly formed Hand Seals. "Raging Snake Crush!"

With a boom, the ground beneath Gu Qi suddenly split open. Two giant pythons shot out and immediately coiled around him.

"⊙∀⊙! Rasengan!" Gu Qi was startled. He slammed his Rasengan into the python on his right.

Bam!

The python on the right took a fatal hit and vanished, but the one on the left coiled tightly around Gu Qi.

"Give up! Otherwise, you'll be stuck in the hospital for a while!" Anko said smugly, folding her arms.

Gu Qi lowered his head without a word, looking utterly defeated.

"Still not giving up? Then don't blame me!" Anko said. When Gu Qi didn't answer, she clenched her fists and started walking toward him, one step at a time.

"Interesting!" Kakashi and Itachi said at the same time.

"You noticed too, senior?" Uchiha Itachi said with a smile as Kakashi lifted his forehead protector, revealing his Sharingan.

Kakashi nodded. "Looks like Gu Qi has grown a lot lately."

"What are you two talking about?" Kurenai Yuhi asked, confused.

"Could it be...?" Asuma and Might Guy were both seasoned veterans. Hearing the two of them, they glanced toward the training ground thoughtfully.

"Hurry up and give up, or I'll make you!"

As the spectators watched, Anko walked right up to Gu Qi, who was trapped by the python, and threatened him bluntly.

At Anko's words, Gu Qi raised his head, revealing a set of pearly white teeth. He smiled and enunciated each word. "You. Wish!"

At the sight of that smile, alarm bells went off in Anko's mind. She instinctively jumped backward.

That leap saved Anko's life.

Crash!

A person suddenly sprang out of the hole where the two pythons had emerged, punching Anko straight in the chin.

But because Anko had jumped back in time, the punch only hurt her. It didn't take her out of the fight.

"What a shame..." Itachi said, shaking his head regretfully.

If that punch had landed cleanly, the match would probably have ended right there.

"Aw, it missed!" Gu Qi said regretfully.

As soon as he finished speaking, that Gu Qi disappeared.

"It was a Shadow Clone? When did he do that?" Asuma asked in surprise.

Uchiha Itachi explained, "After Gu Qi used the Rasengan to injure the python, he used the smoke as cover to create a Shadow Clone and hide it in the hole. The real one stayed on the surface as bait and was trapped by the other python."

"To come up with that strategy in such a short time—he really is impressive!" Might Guy exclaimed.

Kurenai Yuhi shook her head as she watched Anko beat Gu Qi mercilessly on the training ground. "It's a shame, but Gu Qi still lost in the end."

"That's no surprise. Anko has plenty of mission experience. When she's in danger, her instincts protect her right away. If she'd been facing a Genin with less experience, Gu Qi might have won," Kakashi said calmly.

"If it had been me, I'm not sure I could have dodged that," Kurenai Yuhi admitted, looking a little embarrassed.

"That's not necessarily true. A woman's intuition can be sharper than a man's," Asuma said, lighting a cigarette.

But he was wondering whether he could have dodged that punch himself. He also wondered whether Might Guy and Kakashi would have managed it.

"I think I could have dodged it! What about you, my lifelong rival, Kakashi?"

"Huh? Was someone just talking?" Kakashi asked in confusion.

"Um, shouldn't we stop the match?"

Itachi raised his hand and pointed at Gu Qi, who was being beaten relentlessly, then spoke softly.

At a dumpling shop in Konoha, Anko, Kurenai Yuhi, Asuma, and Might Guy sat together, happily eating dumplings and celebrating Gu Qi's loss.

"Don't look so glum. Here, have a dumpling and cheer up," Kurenai Yuhi said with a smile, holding out a skewer of dumplings to Gu Qi.

Gu Qi's mouth twitched. His handsome face was now a complete mess. How could he possibly feel like eating dumplings?

"I don't want any!" Gu Qi turned away in a huff.

"Kakashi's treating us, so have a dumpling, Gu Qi," Might Guy said with a smile.

Kakashi and Itachi had to leave early for a mission, so they couldn't attend the little party for Gu Qi. But Kakashi had left Might Guy some money to treat everyone to dumplings.

"Hmph!" Seeing Might Guy only made Gu Qi angrier. If he hadn't gotten distracted, the match wouldn't have ended only after he'd been beaten so badly.

"Come on, don't be mad. I won't make you buy me dumplings for a whole week anymore. Let's call it even," Anko said, coming over and patting Gu Qi on the shoulder.

Gu Qi gave Anko a resentful look. If not for her, would he have ended up in such a state?

"I've made up my mind! I'll keep working hard starting tomorrow! Anko, in one year—in one year, let's fight again." Gu Qi issued Anko a fresh challenge.

Anko smiled and shook her head. "Forget it. At the rate you're improving, I won't stand a chance against you in a year.

"Better to keep this win as something I can brag about later than risk embarrassing myself!"

"Darn it~"