See? You're Flying! (Please Read On)

On the riverbank.

The two figures swiftly pulled apart, the winner already decided.

Kakashi and Might Guy formed the Sign of Reconciliation with each other, then headed back toward the shore together.

"It feels like your swordsmanship has gotten a lot stronger again, Kakashi."

Rubbing his slightly sore arm, Might Guy muttered, "My nunchaku nearly got chopped apart by you."

"...Swordsmanship is what the Hatake Clan stands on."

After a moment of silence, Kakashi said, "Even if I gave up ninjutsu, I would never give up swordsmanship."

He had recently seen that line in a novel. It sounded pretty effective, so he had borrowed it here.

As a result, Might Guy seemed as though someone had pressed a button. His body trembled as he cried out loudly,

"That line is way too youthful! As expected of my rival, Kakashi!"

His face flushed red as he stared at Kakashi. "Keep going! Say more, give me more!"

The corner of Kakashi's mouth twitched faintly beneath his mask. He was beginning to regret following Might Guy's lead and saying something so embarrassing.

"But..." Setting aside the subject of that line, Kakashi said, "Your Taijutsu has improved noticeably too. If those guys found out, they'd probably be shocked, wouldn't they?"

As he spoke, Kakashi casually glanced at Uchiha Chi, whose face was calm.

However, Uchiha Chi seemed not to have heard him. He merely gazed calmly at the surface of the Naka River.

In reality, he was looking at his System Panel.

The odds of Uchiha Fugaku thinking of him for no reason were basically zero.

So, the other party must have something he wanted from him?

Uchiha Chi scratched his head.

Yet no matter how he thought about it, he could not figure out why the Clan Head would want anything from a Genin like him.

"Chi-san, what are you thinking about?" Might Guy waved a hand in front of him.

"Nothing. I was just thinking about what to eat tonight." Uchiha Chi came back to himself and smiled at the two of them. "Are you finished?"

"Finished." Might Guy clenched his fist, grinned, and rapidly winked his left eye. "My Taijutsu forced him to draw his short sword, so this round was a draw!"

Kakashi silently glanced at Might Guy without refuting him.

"I see." Uchiha Chi smiled and praised him. "As expected of the fastest Chunin promotion in Konoha's history."

"Then..." As he spoke, his gaze moved between the two of them before he slowly asked, "Who wants to spar with me?"

Today was the last day before they were assigned to teams. Since he did not know who their instructor would be, Uchiha Chi naturally wanted to sharpen his skills as much as possible.

After all, it was not as if there had never been a case where a first mission turned into an A-rank mission. Uchiha Chi felt that the more strength he had now, the more confidence he would have when carrying out missions later.

"Sorry, Chi-san, but I'm a little tired." Might Guy scratched his head sheepishly.

He had originally wanted to fight one against two, taking on Uchiha Chi and Kakashi in consecutive bouts.

But he had discovered that he had overestimated his stamina.

Even the simple combination of Hatake Swordsmanship and Konoha Taijutsu was already starting to strain Might Guy. Not to mention that Kakashi had incorporated Chunin-level ninjutsu into it. All he could say was that Kakashi truly was his rival.

So, he genuinely had no energy left for another match with Uchiha Chi.

Just then.

"I'll do it."

Kakashi spoke calmly.

Ever since he learned that, when he confessed to Nohara Rin, Uchiha Chi had sensed both him and Obito's presence, Kakashi had developed a measure of curiosity about this Uchiha youth.

On top of that, despite possessing talent that even his father had called mediocre, he had displayed Body Flicker speed yesterday that surpassed Genin...

Kakashi's desire to investigate Uchiha Chi had never been stronger.

He stepped forward, his eyes widening. The usual laziness in his gaze instantly turned sharp as he tried to catch even the slightest unusual emotion in the other's eyes.

Yet Uchiha Chi remained composed as he met his gaze.

"Alright." Uchiha Chi merely smiled and nodded in agreement, even thoughtfully asking, "Do you need to rest first?"

Kakashi paused slightly, then shook his head and said coldly, "No need."

Although he felt that Uchiha Chi's abilities surpassed those of their peers, Kakashi, as the genius who had become a Chunin faster than anyone in Konoha's history, still had his own pride.

He still had sixty percent of his stamina left and more than half his Chakra. That was more than enough for this match.

"Understood." Seeing that Kakashi insisted he did not need rest, Uchiha Chi said nothing more and nodded noncommittally. "Then let's begin."

After saying that, he turned and walked toward the Naka River. A surge of azure Chakra rose beneath his feet, and with a light leap, he landed silently atop the river's surface.

Kakashi followed him over.

Just then, Might Guy, who had been sitting to the side resting, suddenly spoke up.

"Kakashi." Might Guy said earnestly, "Be careful not to fly."

Kakashi's steps paused slightly, and he felt a strange sensation in his heart.

What did he mean, fly?

Kakashi shook his head, brushed aside the thought, and walked forward without looking back.

Watching Kakashi slowly approach him.

Uchiha Chi could not help but smile, his eyes brimming with delight.

Who was Uchiha Obito? He did not know him.

Kakashi was the real treasure trove.

Hatake Swordsmanship, Lightning Style Ninjutsu, and talent in all kinds of nature transformations...

However...

The current Kakashi was still only a sapling, with much of his potential yet to be developed.

If he used Jonin-level Chakra to give him a brutal beating, he would naturally receive a sizable reward.

But if he raised the threshold that high on their first encounter, it would not be so easy to provoke Kakashi's emotions next time.

That went against Uchiha Chi's philosophy of sustainable development. What he hated most was draining a pond to catch all the fish.

It was better to hold back a little for now.

With that thought, Uchiha Chi smiled at Kakashi. "Shall we start?"

Kakashi did not waste words. He merely nodded and formed the Sign of Confrontation with both hands.

Uchiha Chi did the same.

The moment the Sign of Confrontation was formed, water splashed beneath their feet as both of them used the Body Flicker Technique and charged at each other!

The instant they came face-to-face, Kakashi struck first without the slightest hesitation. He twisted his entire body into the blow, found the angle, and drove a fist heavily toward Uchiha Chi's handsome face.

What Kakashi wanted to smash most right now was that calm, carefree smile the other always wore!

Almost at the instant his fist reached the bridge of the other's nose.

Only then did Uchiha Chi react. His expression shifted slightly as he clenched a fist toward Kakashi.

Too slow.

Far too sluggish. It was already over.

Kakashi glanced at Uchiha Chi's movement and thought silently.

At that initial speed, before Uchiha Chi's fist could even extend, he could break his nose—and still have enough room to throw another punch at each of his eyes!

As victory became certain, Kakashi felt no joy. Instead, an inexplicable disappointment rose within him.

I thought you were somewhat special, but is this all there is to you, Uchiha Chi...

Father's judgment really was right...

Boom—

As his fist solidly struck something, Uchiha Chi's body rapidly flew backward.

Crack...

A tooth-aching sound of brittle bone breaking rang out.

Kakashi knew that was the sound of Uchiha Chi's nose being shattered... wasn't it?

Watching the river's surface grow farther and farther away.

Unable to understand the situation, Kakashi painfully turned his neck.

He saw that Might Guy, who had somehow gotten up from the ground, was standing on the riverbank, laughing heartily as he raised an arm and shouted toward him.

"See? You're flying!"

P.S.:

Please read on—just flip ahead to the settlement screen, please. orz