A Chase with Kakashi

Though all sorts of rumors circulated among the higher-ups, after meeting Danzo in person, Sakumo found that he was not as bad as the rumors made him out to be.

But Danzo was, after all, the leader of the hawks, naturally at odds with the steady-handed Third Hokage. Sakumo had no desire to get too deeply involved with him.

So throughout their conversation, Sakumo treated Danzo entirely as a superior.

The shrewd old Danzo naturally saw Sakumo's concerns. He did not press him, instead making harmless small talk.

"No matter how many times I see him, I still think Kazashiro's dad is kind of scary." Obito, who had come alone because his grandmother was too old, stood beside Rin and whispered to her.

"To be honest, I feel the same way. Just make sure Kazashiro doesn't hear you," Rin whispered back.

"Uh, I don't think he can hear us." Obito's gaze drifted to the side, where Kakashi, having been slapped once, was chasing Kazashiro with all his might.

"But I really didn't expect Kazashiro to be this fast. He can actually evade Kakashi's pursuit." Asuma, who was also unaccompanied by a parent, sidled over.

Kakashi shared the same thought. He had not expected that even when running at full speed, he would still fall one step behind Kazashiro. In other words, this guy's speed...

"Hmph. Now this is interesting." With his competitive spirit stirred by Kazashiro, Kakashi saw that he could not catch him and raised his hands to form seals.

With a whoosh, Kakashi, who had been behind Kazashiro, instantly appeared in front of him.

"Body Flicker Technique?" Kazashiro abruptly stopped and immediately changed direction.

But the moment he turned around, he found another Kakashi standing in that direction as well.

Holy crap, no way. Is that the Clone Technique or a Shadow Clone?!

After confirming that Kakashi stood in both directions, Kazashiro began to panic. This guy was actually getting serious! And whether it was the Clone Technique or the Shadow Clone, he could not do either!

Regretting his impulsive slap, Kazashiro had no choice but to turn around again.

Yet another Kakashi stood on the other side.

"Shadow Clone?" Danzo's expression turned grave as he noticed the commotion.

Was this the talent one should expect from Konoha's White Fang's son?

This boy might one day become Kazashiro's...

Watching the way the two got along, Danzo suddenly thought of himself and Hiruzen.

They had also grown up together, and both had been geniuses far beyond their peers...

Yet in the end, the stronger Hiruzen had become Hokage.

Danzo unconsciously clenched his right hand, his fingernails digging deeply into his palm.

"Yes." Sakumo did not notice Danzo's subtle movement. He looked at Kakashi with a trace of pride.

"Kakashi, you forced my hand!" Seeing Kakashi's clones charging at him with raised fists, Kazashiro, who could neither use the Body Flicker Technique nor create clones, had no choice but to use an offensive ninjutsu.

"Hey, seriously? That seal was for Wind Release..." Having received Wind Release training at home, Asuma recognized Kazashiro's hand signs at a glance.

"Go ahead and try it." Kakashi showed no intention of stopping. Instead, he taunted Kazashiro, deliberately wanting to test his strength.

"Then don't blame me. Wind Release: Vacuum Wave!" Afraid that a Wind Release attack might chop Kakashi to death, Kazashiro formed the seals at an ordinary pace and expelled a sharp blade of wind from his mouth.

The three Kakashis were severed at the waist and turned into smoke at the same time.

"Holy crap, all three were Shadow Clones?" Hearing the distinctive popping sounds of Shadow Clones dispersing, Kazashiro froze, then suddenly realized something and hurriedly leaped away.

Sure enough, the instant Kazashiro moved, Kakashi, whose hands were formed into the Tiger seal, lunged forward with a fierce thrust that nearly made flowers bloom from Kazashiro's backside.

"You sneaky, brooding bastard! You were planning to stab me with the Thousand Years of Death!" Kazashiro immediately protested loudly after recognizing Kakashi's attack.

This guy actually knew about the Thousand Years of Death?

Kakashi glanced at Kazashiro in surprise. But that Wind Release just now...

Sure enough, this guy had been training hard in private too.

"To master Wind Release of this level at such a young age, Kazashiro's talent is no worse than yours, Lord Danzo." Having witnessed the terrifying destructive power of the Wind Release, Sakumo began flattering Danzo.

"Well, it's passable." Seeing Kazashiro's performance, Danzo released his clenched right hand. Though his face remained as impassive as ever, his tone became more relaxed.

Of course. How could his son possibly lose to Konoha's White Fang's son?

"Kakashi is so strong." Kurenai Yuhi, who had sent her father home first, walked over to Asuma with a touch of admiration in her voice.

"If I wanted to, I could do that too." Seeing Kurenai Yuhi praising another boy, Asuma felt a surge of jealousy and spoke defiantly.

"Kazashiro is cool too, okay? Especially that Wind Release just now." Seeing Kurenai Yuhi praise only Kakashi without mentioning Kazashiro, Anko protested indignantly.

"Yes, yes, Kazashiro is cool too. So cool that Anko's heart skipped a beat, right?" Kurenai Yuhi exposed Anko's little secret.

After hearing Kurenai Yuhi's words, Anko first froze, then came to her senses. Her entire little face visibly turned red. "Y-you, what are you even talking about?!"

Flustered and angry, Anko ran over to Kurenai Yuhi, intending to teach her a lesson.

"Rin, one day I'll be even cooler than both of them. Believe me!" Seeing that Rin's eyes were fixed entirely on Kakashi, Obito tried to draw her attention.

"Mm, I believe you, Obito." Rin smiled at Obito, then turned her gaze back to Kakashi.

By now, Kazashiro and Kakashi had entered the Taijutsu stage of their fight. Thanks to his experience from taking beatings for so long—no, from training for so long—Kazashiro fought Kakashi evenly.

Or rather...

Had Kakashi's fifty-fifty constitution really kicked in again?

Seeing that neither of them could gain the upper hand, Kazashiro, who had lived one more life and did not care much about winning or losing, prepared to raise his hand and surrender.

But—

That old man was watching from over there. If he surrendered, would he not crank up his training intensity like crazy?

He could only use this move!

Kazashiro kicked Kakashi away and took the chance to form seals.

"Using ninjutsu again?" Seeing this, Kakashi hurried forward, trying to close the distance and stop Kazashiro before he finished forming the seals.

That's exactly the move I was waiting for!

Seeing Kakashi charge at him with a punch, a smile appeared at the corner of Kazashiro's lips.

His technique was already complete. After all, this technique only required one seal!

"Does anyone else feel a little cold?" Looking at the sun still radiating heat overhead, Kurenai Yuhi broke free of Anko's hold and asked the others present.

"Indeed, there's a chill in the air..." Asuma's expression grew serious. The seal Kazashiro had just formed looked like...