A Match of Chess

"Falling Moon Style: Double Afterimage Fist?"

"This guy Uchiha Yue, he actually developed a new ninjutsu?!"

When Uchiha Yue's voice came from behind, a flash of shock appeared in Hatake Kakashi's pupils, and even his originally calm state of mind began to waver.

Seeing Hatake Kakashi frozen in place, Uchiha Yue curled his lips into a faint smile.

Clearly, Uchiha Yue had spoken those words earlier specifically to affect Hatake Kakashi's mindset and launch an attack!

"Whoosh..."

Drawing a kunai from his ninja pouch, Uchiha Yue threw it without the slightest hesitation, aiming directly at the center of Hatake Kakashi's back.

However, the moment the kunai was about to strike, Hatake Kakashi suddenly turned and used the White Fang Blade in his hand to knock it away. Yet, a single failure did not discourage Uchiha Yue; he began to put distance between himself and Hatake Kakashi, preparing to defeat him with his own sharp kunai-throwing technique.

At the same time, because the battle between Uchiha Yue and Hatake Kakashi was so intense, the expressions of the previously relaxed spectators turned grave. Throughout the training ground, only the sounds of their combat and the heavy breathing of the onlookers could be heard.

Unconsciously, the brilliant battle between Uchiha Yue and Hatake Kakashi had captivated everyone in the spectator stands!

"Whoosh..."

Another kunai was thrown, only to be struck to the ground by Hatake Kakashi's White Fang Blade.

Seeing that all three of his thrown kunai had been knocked away by Hatake Kakashi, Uchiha Yue showed no expression on his face, which only served to confuse Hatake Kakashi further. Logically, having one's consecutive attacks seen through should at least cause some ripples in one's state of mind. Yet, Uchiha Yue's composure thus far made Hatake Kakashi feel a sense of dread.

But precisely because of this, Hatake Kakashi felt his blood boiling even more during the fight.

"It's been a long time since I've felt like this. I should thank you, Uchiha Yue!"

"However..."

"The one who will claim final victory is me, Hatake Kakashi!"

Reaffirming his belief in victory, a sharp glint appeared in Hatake Kakashi's eyes. Then, under Uchiha Yue's solemn gaze, he finally unleashed his full strength. In an instant, Uchiha Yue felt as though his spiritual energy could no longer keep up with the pace of Hatake Kakashi's movements.

It wasn't that there was anything wrong with Uchiha Yue's spiritual energy; it was simply that Hatake Kakashi's attack speed was so fast that it created that illusion!

The sword style of the Hatake clan had been fully integrated into ninjutsu by the White Fang of the Leaf, Hatake Sakumo, and was no longer the exclusive domain of samurai.

Moreover, when Hatake Kakashi used the Hatake Sword Style, there was a hint of the White Fang of the Leaf in his movements.

That sharp Hatake Sword Style seemed tailor-made for Hatake Kakashi, so even Uchiha Yue's spiritual energy could not lock onto his position for a moment!

The next second, as Hatake Kakashi appeared before Uchiha Yue, he delivered a heavy kick directly to his opponent's chest.

Unfortunately, Uchiha Yue's timing in using the Falling Moon Style: Afterimage Fist was incredibly precise.

Thus, the moment Hatake Kakashi's toe touched his chest, Uchiha Yue calmly evaded the attack once again.

And the instant he dodged, Uchiha Yue swung his hand and threw six kunai!

Seeing the six kunai dancing in mid-air, Hatake Kakashi's pupils constricted. Clearly, he had not expected Uchiha Yue to have such a trick up his sleeve!

"To be able to throw six kunai at once, and seal off all my escape routes!"

"Truly impressive!"

Hatake Kakashi praised him inwardly, yet a faint smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

Clearly, in Hatake Kakashi's view, this had to be Uchiha Yue's final resort. If he could just resolve this immediate crisis, Hatake Kakashi felt he could secure the final victory. It was just that Uchiha Yue's throwing technique was so good that an ordinary genin would likely have no way to escape unscathed.

But who was Hatake Kakashi?

Hatake Kakashi was the number one genius of the Ninja Academy and the son of the White Fang of the Leaf, Hatake Sakumo; how could he be compared to an ordinary genin?

Without exaggeration, the current Hatake Kakashi was fully qualified to graduate from the Ninja Academy and become a genin.

It was only because Hatake Kakashi hoped to accumulate more experience during this period and make a stunning debut after becoming a ninja that he had not yet graduated.

Following that...

As the six kunai thrown by Uchiha Yue traced beautiful arcs and reached Hatake Kakashi, he finally swung his White Fang Blade. It turned out that Hatake Kakashi had no intention of dodging these kunai at all; the moment Uchiha Yue threw them, he had prepared to take them head-on.

Although his arm was grazed by the kunai while blocking them, this minor injury could not affect Hatake Kakashi's assault in the slightest. Immediately, all six kunai thrown by Uchiha Yue fell to the ground.

"You've lost, Uchiha Yue!"

Seeing that Uchiha Yue's final move had been withstood, Hatake Kakashi gripped his White Fang Blade confidently and launched his final wave of attacks at Uchiha Yue.

From the moment they began to trade blows, both of their chakra reserves had been running low.

This was especially true for Hatake Kakashi; if this round of attacks failed, he might have no chakra left to continue.

Watching Hatake Kakashi approach step by step, Uchiha Yue's mood sank to a low point; he realized this was his opponent's decisive push for victory!

"I must achieve final victory; I cannot lose!"

As Hatake Kakashi's figure drew closer, the obsession with winning spread through Uchiha Yue's heart as well.

However, although Uchiha Yue's chakra was much greater than Hatake Kakashi's, one must not forget that in the preceding battle, Uchiha Yue had also expended far more chakra than his opponent. Controlling the remaining chakra in his body, Uchiha Yue took a deep breath as he faced Hatake Kakashi's fierce onslaught.

Then, to the astonishment of everyone watching, Uchiha Yue did not dodge Hatake Kakashi's attack!

Looking at Uchiha Yue's current posture, it was as if he were prepared to risk his life against Hatake Kakashi!

"He... he's not dodging!"

Hatake Kakashi's White Fang Blade was a mere three steps away from piercing into Uchiha Yue's chest.

If Hatake Kakashi had truly gone through with it, no matter how strong Uchiha Yue's physique was, he would have been killed on the spot by Hatake Kakashi.

Therefore, as he launched his attack, Hatake Kakashi suddenly felt a trace of hesitation; he did not want to kill anyone during a sparring match.

However, it was precisely this moment of hesitation from Hatake Kakashi that allowed Uchiha Yue to seize the opportunity!

Immediately following...

At the very instant Hatake Kakashi's White Fang Blade was mere centimeters away from piercing Uchiha Yue's chest, Uchiha Yue suddenly curled his finger!

"Whoosh..."

At the same time, the kunai that had been struck to the ground by Hatake Kakashi suddenly flew in from behind Hatake Kakashi, following the motion of Uchiha Yue's finger!

Time seemed to freeze in that very second!

Hatake Kakashi's White Fang Blade was about to plunge into Uchiha Yue's chest...

Likewise, the kunai controlled by Uchiha Yue was about to pierce into the center of Hatake Kakashi's back!

Yet, in the next second, just as the two were about to perish together...

Suddenly, Uchiha Yue and Hatake Kakashi both withdrew their hands simultaneously, and the White Fang Blade, along with that ordinary kunai, stopped their advance at the exact same time.

Looking at the White Fang Blade that was a mere fraction away from his chest, Uchiha Yue looked up at Hatake Kakashi before him, a smile suddenly appearing on his face.

"Hatake Kakashi, this time..."

"It seems to be a draw, right?"